Adventure 4 Eli + Kai: Last full day in Xian (11-28-12)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Last full day in Xian (11-28-12)

was spent in our hotel room as a down day...

After breakfast we started with some school. I wish I had brought more school stuff for Levi & Zoe. But we are trying to make do with some light basic fundamental practice at least. I am so glad we brought wipe off boards. They are working great! Plus flashcards, and even stickers for rewards.

Tonight when Kobe asked Eli about school he said he likes it. Yay!

Brothers bonding over Mario Kart racing.

While the bigger kids were watching something he was not interested in, he kept wanting to play with my computer, so I set him up with a phonics program and he LOVES it. Yay!

Bonding with dad watching Cars

When our guide came by this eve to bring all the notarized documents, I asked her to sorta check in with Eli and ask him how things were going. He said "Good!" Yay! But he would prefer if we ate out and not in the room. lol I wonder what he will think when we get home and do NOT eat out every day. Haha! Then she went over a few things to help explain some stuff. He keeps asking when we are flying to next city and when we will fly to America. He is very excited about riding in the plane! I will be handing out the Dramamine... He already threw up in the drivers van. He and Kai are very car sick guys. Eli more than Kai. Driving at home will be interesting. Levi gets a little car sick, but he's got nothing on these guys. lol

After a down day in the rooms with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chips for lunch, we went out to our last dinner in Xian with Kobe. We had to say good bye tonight to our friend and Eli's "teacher", as he calls him. Kobe was a God-send and very important to Eli's adoption preparation. He has been visiting him since June. He has helped to teach him about adoption, English, America and our family. We are so grateful and thankful for him, and pray God bless him tenfold.

And for dinner we went to the famous De Fa Chang dumpling house restaurant. They make all different kinds of dumplings. Including dumplings to look like animals and things.

Xian has been nice, but we are ALL ready to move onto the next city and get closer to going home. So good night Xian, for tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou!

This is Kai with "Flipper" his stuffed dolphin that he LOVES!

I will update after we get to Guangzhou... I hope!
Blessings,
Sherry

2 comments:

Tami and Bobby Sisemore FamilyNovember 28, 2012 at 11:29 PM
Love everything!! Awesome the boys like schooling!!
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The Davis FamilyNovember 29, 2012 at 8:57 AM
I hope it is not too shocking for the boys to find out what american life is like. Not many dumplings and not many noodles! And I hope Kai is able to spend a good long time being a young boy with you before other kids come and tease him for his dolphin. This is his first time getting to be a son... he is both old and young in the photos. Love you guys for loving these boys! Thank you for posting blogs. We learn from your experience... maybe someday we will be blessed to adopt older boys from around the globe ourselves! Who knows!
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Timeline of Important Dates

12/6/12 Fly Home from Hong Kong
12/5/12 Received Kai & Eli's Visas & took van to Hong Kong
12/4/12 Consulate Appointment
12/3/12 Kai & Eli TB test check
11/30/12 Kai & Eli's medical exams
11/29/12 Fly to Guangzhou
11/23/12 Eli's Adoption Day
11/22/12 Eli's Gotcha Day (also Thanksgiving)
11/22/12 Train to Xi'an
11/20/12 Kai's Adoption Day (also our 23rd Wedding Anniversary)
11/19/12 Kai's Gotcha Day
11/18/12 Fly to Zhengzhou
11/16/12 Arrive at Beijing
11/15/12 Fly to China
11/9/12 Plane Tickets booked
11/9/12 Consulate Appointment made for Tues 12/4
11/8/12 Travel Approval arrived at our agency (dated 11/2/12)
10/23/12 Article 5 pick-up
10/9/12 Article 5 drop off
10/3/12 NVC approvals
9/26/12 I-800 approvals
9/21/12 LOA/SC for Kai Joseph!!!
9/10/12 Sent I-800s to USCIS
9/6/12 Dossier for Kai in review
8/24/12 Dossier addendum docs for Kai sent to China
8/21/12 LOA/SC for Eli!!!
8/15/12 USCIS approved Supp 3
8/3/12 picked up Chinese Travel Visas
8/1/12 PA for Kai!!!
7/31/12 Sent Supp 3 to USCIS
7/31/12 Applied for China Travel Visas
7/28/12 LOI for Kai sent to China
7/26/12 Locked Kai Joseph's file
7/25/12 11:13pm Approved by CHI to Adopt TWO boys
7/25/12 Home Study Update Aprroved for Two Children
7/24/12 Interview with SW
7/10/12 10:43PM LID (7/11/12 China time)
6/21/12 Dossier sent to China (DTC)
6/18/12 Last 5 Dossier docs authenticated & p-up from Chinese Embassy & Shipped Next Day to CHI
6/11/12 Assistant Stork dropped off our last 5 Dossier docs to Chinese Embassy in Washington DC to be authenticated
6/11/12 Last 5 Dossier docs certified by Department of State in Washington DC
6/8/12 Rushed last 5 docs to Assistant Stork to be authenticated
6/7/12 TX Secretary of State certified I-797 & home study
6/6/12 I-797 Approval Notice arrived in mail
6/4/12 USCIS I-797 Approval
5/24/12 Sent 3/4 of Dossier to CHI
5/23/12 Biometric Fingerprinting done!
5/17/12 USCIS Biometrics apt notice received (5/29/12)
5/11/12 Picked up 8 Dossier docs authenticated by Chinese Consulate in Houston
5/7/12 Dropped off 8 Dossier docs to Chinese Consulate in Houston to be authenticated
5/3/12 I-800A received at USCIS
5/2/12 I-800A FedEx'd to USCIS
4/30/12 Home Study arrived!
4/24/12 Home Study Approved, Signed, & Stamped
4/24/12 Certified 8 docs with TX Sec of State
4/19/12 Received an update & pictures of Eli
4/19/12 Home Study Completed
4/12/12 Received Surprise photos of Eli from fellow adoptive mom
4/5/12 Received LA state background clearances
4/4/12 Received Marriage License certified by IL Secretary of State
3/26/12 Passports arrived
3/23/12 Received Birth Certificate certified by CA Secretary of State
3/20/12 Received first draft of Home Study
3/15/12 Shipped Birth Certificates & Marriage License to CA & IL Secretary of State for certification.
3/8/12 Received New Pics from care pkgs & Drawings from Eli
3/8/12 Applied for Passports
3/6/12 Last meeting with SW for HS
2/24/12 Completed 12 hrs of Hague required training with ALP
2/22/12 Received CA, IL & WY state background clearances
2/12/12 Steve's Interview with SW for HS
2/12/12 Home Visit with SW for HS
2/11/12 Texas state background clearances
2/8/12 Local Police Clearances
2/8/12 Fingerprinting for Texas
1/24/12 Sherry's Interview with SW for HS
12/30/11 Received Brittany's Hope Seeding Grant
12/14/11 (10:30 pm) Received PA!
12/5/11 Received Email we're LOCKED & LOI submitted
12/5/11 Received New Pics from Orphanage Call
12/1/11 Made Commitment to Lock Eli
12/1/11 Received Orphanage Call Answers
11/13/11 Placed Orphanage Call
11/9/11 Received Eli's CCCWA File
11/4/11 Saw Eli's picture & video
11/3/11 Officially Began Adoption Adventure