Wednesday, June 16, 2010

June 16th ... Chinese Holiday Dragon Boat Festival




Hi everyone,

This will be our last post until we get home and get our bodies turned around again. Please ignore the posting times shown because I'm writing in the evenings, not the crazy times showing on the posts. Six of the eight families in the Bethany groupo left early this morning. We, along with one other family, are required to stay a day longer due to a TB test that the other families die not have to do. Unfortunately - because of the dragon boat festival - the government offices are closed today, so that delays us even another day. Tomorrow we have our final paperwork signing and swearing in at the U.S. Consulate. We plan to give Vivian a bath tomorrow then head to the Consulate, then a final dinner and back to the hotel for final packing up. We leave the hotel at 6 am Friday morning for the airport. They will collect all but one bag of ours tomorrow night. Kind of weird, but they load them in the bus the night before because of the early start. We leave Guangzhou about 8 am and arrive in Shanghai around 10 am. Six hour layover and then the final flight to Chicago, leaving at 3:55 Friday afternoon and arriving at 4:40 Friday afternoon. A 45 minute flight, pretty sweet! Well, actually it's 13 hours and 45 minutes, with a 13 hour time gain as we fly.

We are very much ready to come home, but I can see why it is going to be hard! We have had a lot of down time here, so it'll be a shock to the system to return to house and yard work and cooking.

Oh, we attempted the red couch pictures, but they did not work the best. The oldest adoptee Lynn was a good sport about it. She is sort of holding Vivian. There were two five year old in our group and the rest are little ones. All kids in our group are in the special needs category.

Vivian is doing great and still just as cute as ever. We've taught her to press the elevator button, and she reaches out on her own to do that. Two other moms in our group have remarked how Vivan has really livened up and brightened up since she has been with us. It's amazing what lots of attention in just over one week has done.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for us. Jaret and Isaac, we'll see you soon. Love you all lots!

Ken, Keri, and Vivan

3 comments:

  1. Oh my she is just a doll! So glad everything is going so smoothly! God is so good! Looks like little Vivian is going to do wonderfully as a VanZee! =) I bet between her and Addie they will both be walking in no time! Enjoy the remainder of your stay!

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  2. Hi Ken and Keri and Vivian! We were not able to view your blog while we were in Utah, we were so disappointed since we were so anxious to see how things were going. We arrived home last night at 11:30pm and went right to your blog. It looks like things are going well! Vivian is a little peanut, and so smiley! We can't wait to meet her!!!

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  3. Hi Guys! Can't wait to hear a home update! Praying you all had a safe flight back to the US and little Vivian is settling into her new home with her big brothers :) Hope we can catch up soon. Many hugs and prayers! Love, The Krol Family

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