WE RECEIVED OUR TRAVEL APPROVAL FROM CHINA TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our tentative travel dates are 5/1-5/14. We will find out for sure in a day or two. I am not too fond of the word "tentative", and I know we will all breathe a little more easily when the dates are set in stone.

Last Monday (3/24), we went into Manhattan (to the Chinese consulate) to get our travel visas! It was an adventure! We walked more than half of the city by foot (I'm not even exaggerating here, which is scary), so you can imagine that on Tuesday, every joint ached and we were TIRED! But we were so happy that another item was checked off of our list. :)

Yesterday, we went to Babies R Us and did some shopping for our trip. We will have a virtual pharmacy on wheels. We had to get all the essentials: bottles, antibacterial wipes, grooming items, all the non-prescription meds a baby could possibly need, disposable washcloths (with built-in soap), a sippy cup, and enough Gerber snacks to feed a baby army. :) I also just ordered two baby/toddler carriers (for Emily and Abigail). That way, after the girls get tired from running around, we can carry them on either or backs or fronts....they are made by patapum (view them at www.patapum.com).

Anyway, we are happy to finally have our TA, but really wish we could have traveled in April. I know it's only one more week, but at this point we have been waiting for so long.....we just want to hold Abigail already! :)

Just keep your fingers crossed for us that all goes smoothly and that we get official travel dates that are as soon as possible.