smokerblog

The Call

We got it!

Our Visa Appointment date is January 23, which means that on that day, I'll be standing next to my son signing papers, taking oaths, and in all ways committing our lives to him in the eyes of the Chinese government. The only bad part? Kari won't be there.

Kari has for the past two Januarys worked with a local charity, Rural Opportunities, to train approximately 150 volunteers who will provide tax services for elderly individuals in our area. One of the reasons we've been getting increasingly anxious about our travel date is that we knew this conflict existed. Kari can't in good faith back out of this commitment; she has had to become certified by the IRS to provide this training and there are no other replacements for her position at this late date; if she backs out now, thousands of people in our community will be affected.

But that's okay. I decided long ago that if she couldn't go, I would be able to handle the trip alone. Other families do it all the time. I will be traveling with a group and will have a guide with me 24/7. I expect the two weeks that I'm in China will be most difficult for Kari. But hey! By the end of January, Ben will be here!

The only other option was to delay our travel date, and, well, that was never really an option we considered. We just want to get our son as soon as possible.

Thanks to everyone for your support. The end (or rather, the beginning!) is near!