A Wonderful Sunday at the Beach

A gorgeous first full day at the beach. (well, it's still going on, I just came up to get popsicles to bring back down to the beach for the boys.)

early morning walk (We were on the beach at 8:00.)

happy boy!

About 20 minutes after we got on the beach!

a stegasaurus!

Here we go! A day of fun jumping the waves!

Donovan jumps so high!

Quite a jump!

Loving every minute of it.

Aaron Swimming underwater to see what he could see. "Lots and lots of sand," was his report.

 Coming up for air

Fun in the Waves (below)

and fun in the sand

Maine...Oh How I've Missed You...

In record time the cars were unpacked and we were on the beach. Although I am a Vermonter through and through, stepping onto the beach in Maine feels like...coming home...There's just something about the coast of Maine...and not everyone "gets" Maine.  Like when you tell people you are going to Maine and they ask if you actually GO into the water ('cause it's REALLY COLD)...um yeah,like for HOURS...and it's not just that I survive it, it's that I LOVE it. And the other person stares back, not understanding how that could be. (And by REALLY COLD, I mean 50-60 degrees, and we are in that water most of the day!)
And don't get me wrong, Hawaii (specifically Maui and Kaannapali Beach) was paradise and the Gulf Coast of Florida this past April was warm ocean water and we were in all day - hardly leaving the water. But, Maine...it's just part of me it seems.
And so we have a week where reality is suspended it seems...just the beach and the ocean waves and lobster and seafood and kids digging on the beach and walking on the beach and books to read...

I do have to say, last week in Vermont was BRUTAL. It was HOT and HUMID (perhaps giving me a teaser of what it will be like in Guangzhou, China in August!!) and even our pool (without the use of a solar cover or heater) was 88 degrees. And I feared the boys and I were being too spoiled and that the cold ocean water would feel a tad bit too cold...but nope. In we went and after dinner...BACK into the water we will go!

It.Just.Does.Not.Get.Better.Than.This.

We have China travel dates (and flights are booked)

The day before the Consulate/U.S. Embassy was set to close for 2 weeks to move to a new location in Guangzhou, they rescheduled our Consulate Appointment from August 5 to August 12 (the request we made). So now...
We will leave Friday, August 2 (on a 6 am flight!), arrive in Guangzhou late Saturday night, August 3, meet Sarah the afternoon of Monday, August 5, adopt her on Tuesday, August 6, have our Consulate Appointment at the U.S. Embassy on Monday, August 12, pick up her Visa on Tuesday, August 13, and head home the morning of Wednesday, August 14. We will stay overnight one night at a hotel near JFK airport and arrive back home the morning of August 15.
Sarah's airline tickets just came in the mail today.
SO EXCITED!

Well...UNPLANNED Change of Plans (but we are still going to Maine!)

Seems no sooner did I decide to update our blog and say that we ARE going to Maine, (and then a few days later heading to China) that then we experienced heavy rainfall for many days, and ultimately had (and still have actually,) a flooded basement. UGH!!!!!!!!!! We've had 2-3 inches of water in there for over 4 days now. Sump pump is being installed Friday (the day before we were to leave for Maine). Dumpster being delivered this week as we have a ton to throw out. And then the cleaning will begin. NOT HOW I WANTED TO SPEND THE LAST FEW WEEKS BEFORE SARAH ARRIVES!!

Very sadly, we called Jim, who we have rented the house on the beach in Maine from for the past 6 years. We left a message explaining the situation...and that we would not be able to go this year...He called back that night and told us after receiving our message, he had called the family who was to rent the house the week after us and they agreed to switch weeks with us!!!! Unbelievable!!!!!! So, this will be us in a couple of weeks, and it will be a MUCH NEEDED vacation, that's for sure! And our last hurrah as a family of 4. We are looking forward to...

Walks on the beach

time in the waves

jumping the waves (and getting knocked down)

riding the waves in

construction projects on the beach

hours in the [cold] ocean water

just lots of fun!!

Today, our good friends returned from Old Orchard Beach, and spent the afternoon with us cutting out our WET drywall, pulling out our wet insulation, etc. etc. etc. The dumpster is arriving this week for all the debris. Once the sump pump is installed and everything dries out we have lots of cleaning up to do..UGH!
In addition, we notified our agency we need a later CA (Consulate Appointment at the US Embassy in Guangzhou) due to our situation. So instead of leaving July 26, meeting Sarah the 29th and having our CA on the 5th, we are trying to push things off a week. I'll post our itinerary and our link to the website we will be posting to when we are in China, before we leave.

TA is in the mail...and our plans (and yes we are going to Maine!)

We believe TA (Travel Approval) either arrived late today or will arrive tomorrow at our agency. Once that is delivered, our agency will contact the U.S. Embassy in Guangzhou, China, and make a request for our Consulate Appointment. This is the our final appointment during our time in China, and determines when we may leave China! We are hoping for a Monday, August 5, or Tuesday, August 6 appointment.  If that is possible, then we will meet Sarah on Monday, July 29, and she will be with us for her 2nd birthday :) I am so ready to book our flights and hotel this weekend! (I am NOT ready for that long flight again, not there, and definitely not back with a 2 year old...but I know we will be just fine, well hopefully!)

So, this means we ARE going to Maine as planned, July 13 - 20. Hooray! Our last hurrah as a family of 4. (I know I said that about Indians Rocks Beach, Florida in April, but that was because I assumed we'd already be in China at this point!!! Don't get me started on my frustration over one delay after another...)
However, while we are going to Maine, it means we will be leaving for China just a few days after getting back from Maine. Packing is in full-force right now at our house. Things for Maine in the guest bedroom; China stuff in Sarah's room. Good thing I am organized!

Dreaming of Maine...this year just with the boys, next year with Sarah...
The past two years have been SO HOT in Maine when we were there. We are always on the beach by 8 am it seems, and most days we were in the water until dinnertime, and then back in after dinner until bedtime. And who is the first one in and the last one to get out each evening...oh, that would be me. I absolutely love the ocean. (Now, after spending a week in WARM ocean water on the Gulf side of Florida this April, I hope we are ready to face the frigid water in Maine! In Florida, on our last day, Aaron spent SIX HOURS fishing with a net in water up to his waist...don't think he'll be doing it for THAT LONG in Maine, but we are packing the net...)
These are some of my favorite photos from Maine last July...Our house has WiFi, so I'll post while we are there.

More Recent Photos of Sarah

Staff members from our agency traveled to Bao'an recently. They sent us these photos of Sarah. Her nametag says "Sonya" because that is the English name they have called her at the orphanage. We love her hair, which they have been letting grow. She looks like she is a really good size, and so darn cute. 

At this point, paperwork wise, I think our Article 5's lateness from the US Embassy (even with daily emails from me to them the past 10 days...) is going to make it so that we will likely not receive our TA (Travel Approval) from China before the US Embassy in Guangzhou shuts down from July 11 - 25 to move to a new location. If that is the case, we will not be traveling until August, and may miss her 2nd birthday... And I sure hope we have a HOT fall here in Vermont because she has a closet full of SUMMER dresses waiting for her...