We have arrived!

Well, after a late start in Pittsburgh due to a mechanical issue, and a run through Chicago O'Hare airport to make our connection, we were on our way! I was slightly overcome with emotion as the plane lifted from the ground, knowing we were leaving our safe comfortable life for something totally new. That nothing would ever be the same again.

The boys did very well this morning, with very few tears shed. Jude was tired and went back to bed.

The flight was long but relatively smooth. We were on the plane with 5other adoptive families, two that I have been connecting with online for sometime, Georgette Poppelmeier and Kelly Bloomquist.  We had lots of time to chat! There was also another Bethany family and another family from CCAI adoption agency. So exciting.

 We arrived in Beijing about 3am EST, 3pm Beijing time. We catnapped on the flight, but any substantial sleep is nearly impossible. It took over an hour to get to the hotel after meeting with our guide, Tom. Beijing is a big city covered in smog so thick you cannot see for more than a few miles ahead of you. It makes me a little sad for the people here and for our global environment. I pray that things will eventually change here the way they have changed in the States.

The people have been very friendly. We went to dinner with the Bloomquists at a local Chinese restaurant (Around the corner and down an alley). Food was good. We got 4 dishes to share and had 4 drinks, including 2 beers and the total was around $35.00. There is a Cuban cigar shop right next door to our hotel (you know who you are who was asking me about bringing Cuban cigars home).

We were in bed by 9, unable to stay awake any longer. I expected to sleep longer but we were up at 5, bodies still adjusting to this time zone. Not a lot planned today, which is good because rest will probably be on the schedule. We meet with our in-country coordinator at 3pm to talk about the details of our time here and see an acrobatic show at 4:30.

Thanks for all your prayers, facebook posts, and love. It is more appreciated than you can know.

Three more days to Grace!