Dec 17, 2015

Countdown to Departure

It's Thursday afternoon and we are less than 24 hours from returning home. All the official business is done; we receive Seraphina's visa this afternoon and then all that's left is packing and getting a good night's rest. Tomorrow is a long day. It will begin at 6:30 AM China time (13 hours ahead of Charlotte) and continue until 10 PM Friday night in the Charlotte airport. Considering Angela and I typically don't get much sleep on airplanes, we are looking at pillow (hotel) to pillow (home) time of about 32 hours!
Sera has too much stuff. She began packing 24 hours early.

Here's the rough schedule:

  • 0530 (Guangzhou) - wake up
  • 0630 (Guangzhou) - bags packed and ready to go; breakfast
  • 0730 (Guangzhou) - board bus for airport
  • 1130 (Guangzhou) - flight to Beijing departs
  • 1400 (Beijing) - arrive in Beijing
  • 1740 (Beijing) - depart Beijing on international flight
  • 1815 (Detroit) - "only" 35 minutes according to clock despite 14 hours in air
  • 2000 (Detroit) - depart for Charlotte
  • 2150 (Charlotte) - welcome to Charlotte!
  • 2400 (Charlotte) - hopefully we are in our own bed by midnight 
We will have the company of another family from our adoption group traveling with us to Detroit. They live in NW Ohio and brought their 10-year old daughter with them for this adoption of a boy. She has been like a surrogate big sister in Leah's absence and will hopefully be a nice diversion for the long flight overseas.

One other interesting note is that Seraphina will officially become a US citizen as soon as we land in Detroit. That is one of the benefits of both parents going to China for the adoption.

That will wrap up another China adoption for the Smiths. One of the first things we will have to address (following a birthday for our oldest son and Christmas) is a visit to the pediatrician to get things moving on the leg. The temporary, artificial leg she received at the orphanage is too small for her foot forcing her to put her foot in on an angle and letting a ugly looking bone spur on the side of her foot rub against the mold. At the very least, she will need a new, temporary solution. But after spending almost two weeks with her, I have come to the conclusion that she will be better off moving forward with the AKA as soon as possible. We'll be sure to let all know how that goes.

一路平安
(yílù píngān -- safe journey)

1 comment:

  1. Praying your family had a special Christmas as a family of SIX! I can't wait to see all the kids together and hear how Seraphina's medical treatment goes!

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