More photos

Here are a few more photos from the Great Wall and Olympic park, compressed to allow mobile posting...

Great Wall and Bird's Nest

In 2008, we climbed the Great Wall at Mutianyu. This time, we went to the Badaling section, which is probably the most popular and commercial section. However, we arrived early, and it was bitterly cold, with strong winds, so for us there were no crowds to fight. The views were beautiful, as the air was sharp and clear. We decided to skip the cable car and walk up the steep beginning section, which was tiring but fun. Our guide, Sandy, did not join us on the Wall -- I think she thought we were a little nuts, given the temperature.

Because we went to the Olympic park after the Great Wall and lunch, we were not with a larger group. It was just Sandy, a driver, and the two of us. She told us interesting stories about the building of the Great Wall and some of the legends that surround it.

We ate lunch at a Cloisonne factory -- not the same Cloisonne factory we visited in 2008 -- then headed back to Beijing to visit the Olympic park. The Bird's Nest and Water Cube are as spectacular in person as on TV. We were able to go inside the Bird's Nest, where a winter sports festival was going on. The Water Cube is under renovation, but the outside view was lovely.

We walked A LOT today, so we might feel it tomorrow during the orientation session!

(p.s. We tried to post more photos, but mobile posting limits attachments. Maybe we'll have more luck in Xi'an.)

First morning

We tried to stay awake as long as we could last night, but we were both pretty much out of it. We did succeed in our short outing to the grocer to get bottled water, snacks and a pair of gloves for Kari. Later we also Skyped with Grammie and Lillian. But then we were out, until about 3 a.m., when a raging caffeine deprivation headache woke Kari up. A few baby aspirin later, we were back asleep until 6 a.m. So jet lag may not hit us as hard this time.

We arrived at the new terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport yesterday afternoon. Two years ago, in January 2008, it was still a couple months away from opening, so it was a new experience for us. It is a gorgeous terminal -- we definitely could see the influence of the Olympics on its design and size.

This morning we had a great breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant. Chinese hotel breakfast buffets are incredible, as they offer choices for all palates. You can get western food or more traditional Asian breakfast fare -- or both, in our case!

Now, off to the Badaling section of the Great Wall (a different section than we visited in 2008) and the Olympic village. We'll check in again after our excursion today. (Incidentally, we can't open the blogger site from this hotel, but can post remotely by email. So we have no idea how the posts are formatting -- a good excuse if it looks sloppy!)

Countdown begins in earnest

Today is my (Kari's) last day at work before travel preparations must begin in earnest! We'll be in China very soon, and meeting Rachel on Jan. 24. Thank you, Grammie and Grandpa Austin, for staying with Lillian while we're overseas. The anticipation of meeting Rachel is overwhelming, but it's really started to affect me in the last few days that we will be away from Lillian for the longest time -- by far -- since the day we met her. I don't think I've been away from her for more than a day and a half in two years. Conflicting emotions -- but we are confident that it will all be MORE than worth it in the end.

Lillian's 2009 Christmas photo blog

Lillian's 2009 Christmas photos include two of the many she took, plus one that she posed and instructed Mommy how to shoot. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

We are approved for travel...

...now we just wait for word from the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou about our requested appointment date, so we will have our exact travel date very soon. The Consulate is closed for Christmas, so we'll hear next week.

Thanks to all for your prayers and encouragement. Merry Christmas!

Waiting for Travel Approval

We are hoping to travel to China to meet Rachel Guanglan in January, which would be exactly 2 years after we met Lillian Weihe. The only thing we are waiting for is formal travel approval from China, which would then allow us to set up our appointments and make travel arrangements. We've been told if we don't initiate travel by late January, we'd have to wait until at least late February, as Chinese New Year is on Feb. 14 this year. Appointments are not made in the two weeks CNY is celebrated. Here's hoping for travel approval SOON!

We got our LOA...today!

Hooray! Lillian's chances of meeting her new sister this year just got way better: Our adoption agency received the "Letter of Seeking Confirmation of Adopter (known as "LOA" in adoption parlance) today. We are on the home stretch now!

Back from Colorado

With a trip to China for Mommy and Daddy coming up in the hopefully not-so-distant future, we wanted to take a family vacation that Lillian would enjoy and remember. She understands that she's going to get to spend time with Grammie and Grandpa while we are in China, but every once in a while she still says, "When are we going to China to get Rachel?"

So last week we drove to Colorado and spent four days doing things Lillian really loved (and Mommy and Daddy love Colorado, so it was no sacrifice). We went to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Zoo, Georgetown, Casa Bonita, Beau Jo's Pizza in Idaho Springs, Estes Park, drove up and down Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake and back, and had a grand old time. Lillian got to see dinosaur fossils and climb on big rocks. What could be better?

The family photo is at about 12,000 feet, at the Alpine Visitors Center in Rocky Mountain National Park; Lillian took the photo of Mommy and Daddy with her own camera.

Happy Birthday, Rachel Guanglan

Today is Rachel Guanglan's birthday. We sent her a card a few weeks ago and hope it made it to Xi'An in time for her 3rd birthday. The card and a brief letter were written in Chinese characters, with updated photos of the three of us, and Lillian drew a picture of herself and Rachel.

About the shortest wait I've seen documented recently between DTC and LOA (the next step in the process) was about two months. Some people are waiting more than 100 days. We are on day 43, if my math is right. We are hoping and praying for as short a wait as possible -- Lillian's sister has now turned 3, and she needs to come home soon!