A Sneak Peek at Michael

The Fed Ex guy came today.

Hurrah!

We had our agency send our Travel Approval to my parents' house because my mother is almost always home. When she called me at work to say it had arrived, I asked her whether there was a new photo of Michael on it. No, it's the same sweet little headshot we had seen.

Then I asked her the other question I had been wondering. When had the TA been issued?

"It's in Chinese," she told me at first. But she managed to find the date. And, surprise, surprise, it was issued on my birthday. I had to laugh because I had said that what I really wanted for my birthday last week was Travel Approval, and here it is. It just took a few days to get to the U.S.

Meanwhile, around here, we are packing in our poorly organized, throw-whatever-we-can-think-of-into-the-box-on-the-breakfast-bar fashion.



I don't recommend this packing style, but I think it's going to work. Are we a little stressed? Oh, sure. But not really about the trip. We will be staying in a five-star hotel. We know we can buy almost anything there except Vaseline and dish detergent. We're going to a city we have visited before--and enjoyed--in a country that has become very dear to us to meet a child we fell in love with when we first saw his face on March 22. On our minds now are two things--how Louis will handle our absence for two weeks and how little Michael will deal with his transition to our family.

Which brings us to Michael. Now that we are about two weeks from meeting our son, it seems only fair to share his sweet little face.

Isn't he gorgeous? Especially when he's wearing what we believe are lucky Year of the Rabbit pants. His big brother has requested a pair--along with several other items he wants us to bring back from China. Does Louis want to go along? Yes, he does. But he understands that this is more of a working trip, and that all four of us will go back again to China one day. Meanwhile, Louis is preparing for his own fun here at home. He even has a list of all he is going to do.

And he seems to understand what big brotherhood is about. The other day Louis and his Grandma heard an airplane flying overhead. "Mama and Baba are going to take an airplane to China," she said.

"Yes," Louis replied. "And they are going to bring Michael home. And I will be a big brother. And I will teach him things."

"What will you teach him?" she asked.

He thought for a minute. "I will teach him how to swat flies."


That should be a practical lesson. And, I could be wrong, but I think this little guy is going to be eager to learn from his big brother.




 
We just can't wait to hold him in our arms!