Return Trip to China

A wonderful opportunity has presented itself for us to return to China, specifically to Lydia's birth city. We will take part in a Heritage Tour during Thanksgiving week, 2008 almost one year after we adopted Lydia into our family. My new job at the University has enabled us to attend this fantastic event. The tour prices were extremely reasonable (airfare, hotel, meals, and activities included!) We leave on Friday, Nov 21st.

So, what are we doing there?? The parent group of Fuling adoptees has orchestrated a Homecoming trip to coincide with the opening of the beautiful new orphanage that has been recently completed. We will do some touring in Beijing, then on to Chongqing, and to Fuling (Lydia's birth city), where we will take part in helping to assist with the move to the new orphanage. We get to help move things, decorate baby rooms, take part in the opening ceremonies, and most importantly give love to babies/children who are without families. I think we even get to carry babies to the new building!

I know that Lydia will not remember this trip, but will know that we felt it was an important event...important enough to return to China just one year later. We also will get a connection with other families that have adopted from Fuling---last year, we were at the orphanage solo, for only one hour. This time, we will be with over 40 families of Fulingers, and be in Fuling for 4 days.

Jason was not excited about the idea initially. I had just happened upon the trip just one month before the registration deadline. With no time to waste, I crunched the numbers, scoured the calendar, and schemed how Lydia and I would get there. With no warning, I just sprung it on him as he poured over an Engineering book---he thought I was joking or crazy. In fact, I had to beg and finally said Lydia and I would go without him. I feel it is such an important part of learning more about her life before us and more importantly, her culture and heritage. When we returned to the US last Dec, I wondered if we would ever go back, as it was so overwhelming and exhausting. But, something is tugging my heart there and the opportunity is unique.

So, what was the final decision? Jason is going (and is now looking forward to a trip), but he only agreed after I suggested we take the boys! That was one factor last year that really put a damper on our trip...being away from our kiddos. So, he perked right up when I put pictures in his mind of him and his boys hiking the Great Wall together! AND, his mom is also going with us for extra support. She loves to travel and is quite adventurous and jumped at the chance to go around the world!