Getting Ravenna

Be sure to click pause on the "My Tunes" music to hear the video.

I posted this video for 2 reasons. The first to make sure I knew how to post a video before we head to get Hudson. Secondly, I thought I would share a little glimpse of the first few minutes we spent as new parents with sweet, little Ravenna Kelly Mei. I will never forget it.

So hopefully we will get some similar video of when we get Hudson (if my tech support skills hold up).

One week and counting...stay tuned!

A little under the weather

Just a little update to let you know the flu has hit the Byrd household. It has actually been lingering for a couple of weeks & we have been able to ignore it, but not any more. I am down for the count & Ravenna is as well. Stephan is in Montana working for the week (which is probably best).
Thank goodness for my wonderful father in law being an internist. He was able to get us some much needed medication. I took Ravenna to the Dr.'s office yesterday and she was fine. However this morning she woke up with a fever & has had a cough & runny nose. I guess that is the way things go sometimes with kids.
Also a big thank you to my parents, who spent the majority of their day running to the pharmacy & being a "meals on wheels" delivery service. This morning they brought the medicine & stopped by the grocery store for all the good flu remedies (applesauce, chicken noodle soup, Gatorade, etc...). This afternoon they brought over a chicken noodle casserole & tacos so I wouldn't have to cook the next few days. Just another benefit of living in the same town as you parents. I love you both & thank you again!
This has delayed my packing for China. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get things in order.
We also received notice our consulate appointment in China is set for March 17th. I booked our flights & now it is all official. It feels great to have all the red tape items crossed off of my checklist......all we need now is Hudson!

Yeah, yeah we got our TA!

We got our travel approval today from China. We are leaving on March 6th and back on the 19th. A little longer than I had hoped to be away from Ravenna, but it will all work out. I am out of this world excited! We are pretty much ready, all we have to do is pack. When I say we, that means me. If Stephan were left to pack we would be taking a back pack, computer & one change of clothes....not good! I am an overpacker, always have been & probably always will be....at least I'm prepared.

Looks like we got to Seattle, Tokyo, Beijing (overnight in Beijing) and then on to Wuhan the next day. I am guessing we will get Hudson on the 8th or the 9th.

I'll update as plans become more clear.

Yeah!!!

Uncle Nick was in town from Austin. He was dressing Ravenna up with all her pretty jewelry. I must say he does have the best sense of style out of the boy Byrd's. Always great see you Nick!

Here is Ravenna and her little cousin Emily Renee. Ravenna loves her so!
This is her new thing. She loves to take her mouse (we call it mousey) around with her. So we have figured out to zip it up in her coat & that helps eliminate the # of times mousey gets dropped. It's working really well.

2 year pictures

Sorry these are so small. They are just liitle thumbnail proofs. Watching Ravenna change & grow is so much fun! I love waking up & knowing I get to be with her all day. I am going to miss her so much when we go to get Hudson. Stephan & I feel so lucky to be her parents. How someone made this match a world away we will never know. How perfect it is!

2008 Year of the Rat Celebration

Ravenna and Maddy were both in Xuwen orphanage in Guangdong Province. We need to try & get together more. As that is such a special bond these girls will have & we live close.

The girls are learning Chinese ribbon dancing. Delaney was digging it!

These 3 Chinese cuties are our friends Roger & Jodi's girls. They were in China adopting Maddy (the one closest to Ravenna), the same time we were there getting Ravenna.

The older girls doing some arts & crafts. They liked most of the events, but the Kung Fu demonstratoin was not their favorite.

Ravenna (a little unsure) & Delaney smiling perfectly!

Ravenna & her cousins Hannah, Bridget & Delaney. We took them to the Chinese New Year celebration then out to dinner at "The Old Spaghetti Factory". A very fun afternoon w/ the little sweeties! Thanks for coming girls!

Ravenna trying to make off with some balloons at the end of the party.

It is always so great & quite a sight to see all these little Chinese kids running around together in a room in together up in Coeur d' Alene ID. There is such a great community of adoptive families w/ Chinese children here. We are very fortunate for that & plan to attend all the events we can. As it will be so important for our children as they grow. We also saw & met some nice families who have kids from China with partial missing limbs, like Hudson. So they will be a great connection/resource to have for us & Hudson.

I didn't hear anything today about travel & consulate appt. I am dying. This is killing me! I know it will come soon. Patience is one virtue I lack! I need to work on that.

Hudson's room

Ravenna showing off some of Hudson's toys. His room is ready, all we need is him. Really hoping to hear something this week.

Our little valentine

In her valentine outfit & enjoying her valentine lolly!

Killing time

We were back up at Priest Lake last weekend & went to support the "Snow Shoe Softball" tournament. I also took Ravenna on a snowmobile ride with grandpa. We went for almost 2 hours. She slept for most of the ride. I don't know how she did, but she did. I tell you it gave my legs a workout, making sure I had a good grip on her. She is a little lake girl! I love it!
There is also a picture of Ravenna w/ her cousin Caden & friend Emily at Jump-n-Play.
Then some photos of Ravenna at home lounging in her chair, making a mess in her closet & riding her new birthday bike she got from the Todd's. She loves that bike!

China offices are closed down for the Chinese New Year. So we probably won't hear any news on Hudson this week.

We just mailed him a care package today. While Ravenna & I were in line at the Post Office in walks a mom with a little asian boy. I had to guess he was adopted. He was darling and had on a big red Gap sweatshirt. The closer I looked I could tell he was missing part of his right arm. To make a long story short I had been in contact with them through email, but never met. We had corresponded on ?'s about their son & the similarities with Hudson. It was really strange....there I was getting Hudson's care package ready to go & in walks this mom and son. It was fate I tell you!

I hope we don't have to wait much longer!

Snow Prowl 2008

Well we had our 2nd successful Snow Prowl up at Priest Lake. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend. We had & still have tons of snow up there. Lots of snowmobling & sledding was had by all. We missed the family who couldn't make it, but don't worry there will be another one.

We should also have news on travel for Hudson very soon! Yeah!!!

Ravenna is 2!

Well it has been quite the party week for little Ravenna. We had 2 parties for her. The first one was up at Priest Lake with some of the Byrd family & then we had one in town yesterday w/ more friends & family. It was a fun filled weekend & always great to see the people we love. Thank you to all who helped celebrate Ravenna!