T minus 19: We're leaving on a jet plane...

...on May 23rd! Woo hoo!!!! We have a confirmed travel date. And our passports with visas arrived back yesterday. The visa is actually a sticker that is almost the size of a passport page. It's pretty cool...has a drawing of the Great Wall on it. So, right now, as I type, it is 8:30 on Saturday morning in Beijing. In just three weeks, we will be on our way to the Great Wall! And only three weeks and 2 days until we get to pinch Sophie's precious chubby cheeks. Okay, I promise I won't pinch too hard and scare her right away!

Today, we did get the whole travel clinic fiasco settled. Of course, it means we're driving to a travel clinic that is about 70 miles from the house, but it saves me a lot of out-of-pocket expenses (at least $500) that were not covered by insurance at the closer clinic. Many thanks to co-worker G.P., who I happened to bump into this morning to ask where she had her kids vaccinated before travel. K called them and they were able to squeeze us in next week.

K had a busy morning...not only was he arranging travel clinic visits and getting prescriptions for all of EJ's and Sophie's meds, he also visited EJ's 2nd grade classroom to help out with a Top Secret Mother's Day Project. Hmmm...wonder what it is?

Now that we have confirmed travel dates, the grandparents were able to arrange their summer travels to New England. Pap Pap and Mamaw S from PA will arrive a day or two before we return from China to help "set up shop" (buy a few groceries, meet us at the airport, etc.) and then help us hold down the fort for a few days as we sleep off our jet lag. And Grandpap and Grandma H from AL will arrive the following week for a two week stay.

We now know that we will definitely be back in time for EJ to participate in her dance recital and her first-ever piano recital. We've been a little nervous about this one for some time, as we knew she would understand but still be disappointed. And she's such a beautiful dancer! Here are some pics from last year's dress rehearsal:

And, the travel schedule also allows EJ to have the biggest adventure ever for her 8th birthday, since that's the day we leave! We already gave her the new bike, so we'll have to have the cake and ice cream (and maybe another gift) a day early. We are taking her and a few of her friends to a bead shop to make jewelry for an early party next weekend.