Happy New Year! This is a special year for us. 2011 is the year we bring sweet little Chanz home! I am getting excited now, knowing that we will see him in mere months. Months! My mom and I are talking about what to pack and what to wear, when. We talked about the hotels and the websites blocked in China (Blogspot :( and hotmail, to name a few). It's real, it's happening. What is happening is a dream come true, literally! I dreamed of this day for years and I still can't bang it into my head that it is a reality.

This year was a rollercoaster of emotion. We have been consumed, every single month, with paperwork and waiting and dreaming and preparing. There were unexpected expenses and breakdowns along the way. (For real.. Tim's truck broke down in Houston after our visit to the Chinese Consulate!).I very recently re-connected with the Chinese family that inspired the specific adoption from China in the first place. Unfortunately it was because Joseph was dying, and he passed away a week before Christmas, the day after my birthday. Judy had offered to be Chanz's Chinese grandmother, which made my heart burst, of course. I called her tonight just to check in and she said they had all been going all over the house, gathering up her grandchildren's toys that were no longer being used so Chanz can have them. I was telling her that her grandchildren are all so very sweet. And hyper. She laughed and said, "Now we'll have another one" referring to Chanz. How blessed we are!

Looking forward to this new year as first time parents!! And an amazing journey to CHina!