We have our TA!

Our Travel Approval arrived yesterday! Our wonderful Social Worker was exactly right with her estimates for travel. We will leave on October 9 and come home on October 24. We will be in province before noon on October 14 so we may receive Zachary that day, or on the 15th. We'll know more about that when we receive the in China travel plans. We can start packing now!

On a sad note, we have decided not to bring the girls. When we received the cost for airfare and an estimate for the in China expenses, it was going to be about $4000/5000 more than we planned on. I cried and had a hard time with the decision, but now that it has been made, I have to say that I recognize the positive aspects of traveling without the girls. It is possible that Zach may need that time alone with just Steve and me without sharing us with his sisters. We don't know how he will respond to us. I also spoke to an acquaintance who traveled to bring home her 11 year old daughter from Ethiopia. They brought along their other daughter hoping that the two would get a good start on their relationship, but it didn't turn out as they had planned, and Rachel didn't enjoy the trip which made it harder on them. I needed to hear that today, as I feel badly about the decision.

I am also looking forward to the time in Beijing with Steve. We don't have that opportunity very often and it's very possible we may not have it again for a while!

We are thrilled to have dates. We are excited to get started on the final leg of the journey to bring home our precious son. Not one part of this adoption has been the way "I" planned, but I am beyond excited at the way it is working out.