BIGGEST DAY OF OUR LIVES!!

On our way to Guangzhou!!

Well, we made it! August 27th = bundle of nerves day for the Burnetts. We left our very comfy Harbour Plaza Hotel in HongKong/Kowloon, ck'd out and removed our precious documents from our safety deposit box - no money - just papers for obtaining our most valuable thing to both this Mom and Dad - our daughter. We packed up once again - Dad didn't kill me over the purchases made which added to our minimum of 2 ck'd bags (add one more) for a fee of course. We took the airport shuttle bus to the Kowloon train station and there we were able to ck our luggage and buy a train ticket for the airport for Guangzhou. We are very impressed w/ the transportation here!! LA could learn a thing or two from here!!! We then met up with our group in the airport terminal headed for GZ (Guangzhou from now on). I didn't sigh a bit of relief until I saw our luggage come off of the belt!! Then we met w/ our guide Janet (Chris' sister) and boarded a bus very packed w/ luggage (ours the most of course) and headed for hotel. We chattered all the way there. We settled for a few hours and then went our for dinner at a Thai restaurant. We all chattered which helped so much to relieve our stress that we were all definitely experiencing due to tomorrows (today's now) big event. Tim and I stayed up til almost 1:00 am AGAIN packing and organizing and setting up the crib for Rachel. We didn't have Inet access last night - thus the no report til now. I slept hard but awoke all in a panic. We went to breakfast in the hotel for their buffet and there was a sea of lil Asian adopted babies everywhere. I lost it and started crying. We ate hurriedly and then left for some last minute shopping for keepsakes to give Rachel and tell her about us buying for her the day we got her from her native homeland. Dad is writing in our journal to her and the clock is ticking. And ticking...................................................... We leave in one hour to see our gorgeous daughter for the very first time!!! Words cannot express how excited, stressed, and STRESSED we are. I cry every second!!

Mom

GZ time 1:01 pm

Packing up gifts and etc for orphanage caretakers, guide, and orphanage itself (crocheted blankets w/ baby powders, of course baby toothbrushes and toothpastes). And then the red envelopes filled w/ cash for this and that important person.

Packed up

We made it through the repacking. Dad didn't kill Mom for her souvenirs - now to see if they will allow extra weight on plane? In our local lil favorite Pacific Cafe on inet. Tears just right behind eyes waiting to fall/roll down face. Must keep it together. Won't be calm til reach Guangzhou.

Mom

Hong Kong time = 8:29 am

I am soooooooo nervous/anxious/excited!!

Good Morning,

Dad is still in bed and it is 6:40 am here and I woke up at 6:00 am. Don't have to be at airport til 1:00 pm - but I can't wait or barely sleep. The room is very quiet here and all I can hear is the sound of Tim's gentle breathing and the harbor humming outside my window. But - inside my head and heart - the sound is deafening! So many emotions today. Going to Guangzhou to meet w/ Chris (our guide) and to get all details and then to meet my daughter tomorrow. There will never be another today nor will there ever be a tomorrow again in the history of Mr. & Mrs. Burnett's lives. Tears of joy, fear, and anticipation are rolling down my freshly applied makeup and over my top lip. Must stop on this blog - or I will never make it today. Will blog more later.

Mom

6:49 am Hong Kong time

Day Four in HongKong/Kowloon/Macau

Note to self: Ordering the noodle bowl on the ferry ride over to any island - especially w/ chopsticks and rocking ferry ride - not good idea.

Dad's desire to explore was a brilliant idea if "YOU'RE USED TO LIVING IN THE 1500'S"!!! Not s0 good for Californianized Arkie from the 21's Century.

Notice the place mats are missing.....................................where did they go?

Ice rink............................................................AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

End of the evening on rooftop of Hotel soothing our 10 piggies in the water and pooljets.

YES YES YES!! Mom finally gets to shop on Temple street before heading back home to pack pack pack. And yes - now have more to pack :(

Day Four Synopsis:

Today Daddy to be wanted to go to Macau via Hydrafoil (very fast ferry) and do some sight seeing. He loves history and wanted to see the temples, fort, first European permanent settlement into Asia from back as far as the 1500's. Yeah - yeah - yeah. Mom says okay but really wants to head back for the shops on Temple street that so many local people have told us to be sure and ck out. We took a taxi to the Harbor City Ferry terminal but as soon as we got off of the ferry in Macau we walked almost the entire island. People - I do mean walked the island - approx 10-15 miles today and not all on flat land. The temperature on Macau must have been close to 100 and the humidity at times almost took your breath away. The shade gardens were the most relief and stumbling by accident (looking for bathroom/happy room) the

ice rink...............................................sheer MIRACLE!! The photo of us in a coffee/dessert shop I had to post. Some of you know that I scrapbook and the paper place mats were hysterical and Dad mentioned would also be good background for page of our photos of our trip to Macau (Dad is catching onto this scrapbooking thing). You had to be there to see the expressions on the employees' faces when they saw me fold them and put them into our backpack. "STRANGE AMERICANS!" for sure. We finally made it back to our ferry (on foot) and back for a relaxing dinner on our Hotel's waterway and then.......................................finally on to Temple Street. Now, we have to pack for tomorrow's journey to Guangzhou to meet w/ our group and Chris. These past 4 days have seemed like a lifetime!! We're already ready to pick up our Rachel and take her home YESTERDAY!! But, we have so much ahead of us.

Wan'an (good night),

Mom

Hong Kong time 11:05 pm

View from our room in Kowloon every morning

The view here from our room every morning is breathtaking!

It is so humid outside that when we first awake - you can't even see out this picturesque window due to the condensation. Then the sun comes out and the fog lifts and this is one spectacular view. We are in awe and humbled by this blessing/experience of a lifetime. Then to return home with the best treasure of all. I've boohoo'd most of the day just thinking of how truly blessed we are.

Love,

Mom

7:30 pm Hong Kong time

First official morning in HongKong/Kowloon

On this particular morning (yesterday) we're in the Pacific Cafe and while Tim is "attempting" to get on his laptop - Kimberly "Moi" is asking the very nice local who speaks a little English where to go that is within walking distance. This particular day it was atleast 90 degrees and 98% humidity. We are definitely becoming Californianized!!! Our Harbour Plaza Hotel is GORGEOUS and staying in Kowloon was a great tip from one of Tim's coworkers actually from China. Not quite the hustle and bustle as near the airport where most adoptees stay before flying over to the China's mainland and into Guangzhou for their babies.

Mom

Posted Approx 7:20 pm Hong Kong time

3rd Day in HongKong/Kowloon

Hello everyone,

The flight was long - but we slept most of the way. Then when we arrived to Hotel it was 9:00 pm HK time - so off to bed for more sleep. Yesterday we walked, walked, walked, and walked...............did I mention that we walked? Dad spent most of his time reading guide book - lots of photos to be posted and scrapbooked of Dad reading guidebook. Men do not multi task - they read maps and walk right by signs that tell us where to go. Have my tennies on today - AHHHHH! Wore sandals yesterday - but "4th lil piggy who had none" on left foot (not that any of you care) is very rubbed and blistered. Ate Dim Sum last night - slightly fishy to moi. Hotel is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous here in Kowloon and every morning I sit in front of the large room width window that overlooks the harbor and stares directly at the city skyline of Hong Kong. A patient told me last week that New Yorkers are humbled by Hong Kong - not that this Arkie would know - but I'm freaken impressed!

The shopping here would make my friends pee on themselves. Racquel & Laura - R&R and True Religion jeans for $30-40. And no they won't fit for me to even pack back home :( We have found a little cafe that we love and Tim is having problems galore w/ his work Dell. He is very unhappy that he cannot ck his work emails and specifically requested a wireless network card for China. Not happy Daddy at all!!! I do miss my chatty Kathy Laura and her phone calls to me all day - and my Saturday's w/ my Racquel and all my "other family". To my Birth family - we can't wait to hold and see our daughter and your niece, granddaughter, cousin. Every little girl we pass - we almost trip over each other staring back at her.

Gotta go back to room and get ready for tour. Only three more days. I have so many jets flying around in my tummy just aching to hold my Rachel. Okay......now tears - gotta go!

Love to all,

Kimberly (Mom)
Approx 8:30 am Hong Kong time

A Very Pooped Daddy!!!

Of course Mom is still packing, organizing, obsessing, cutting/clipping, making copies, photos.........and posting on this blog spot.
Sleep is over rated!!!


Mom

SCRAMBLE SCRAMBLE.....OMG!!!

Do we have this? Do we have that? How the H@ll will all of this fit in one bag? And they say to pack "LIGHT"!! We haven't even begun to pack ours or Rachel's clothes yet - I wonder if wearing simply pasties & loin cloths & diapers will pass for clothing? Sure will be easier to go through security :)

Mom

DADDY ON PHONE WITH AIRLINE AGENT

"No, her name is spelled Gang Qiu Gu" says Dad
on the phone this particular night very late. A lot
of late nights right now. Someone pinch us!!! We
have tickets purchased and an a record number
for one Gang Qiu Gu or Rachel Qiu Burnett.
This is really going to happen!!!!!!!

Mom

Rachel's Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad

Walking along the pier in Pismo Beach. Someday soon - there will be three of us. So much love. We celebrate 21 years on August 16th. What an anniversary gift - if we're on a plane to China.

Travel Appointment Day

Yeah!! Andria's back for a short while. On this day (7/27/07) we reviewed our travel plans and documents in preparation for the big Travel Day hopefully very soon. Andria and Maggie (best social worker in the whole wide world) reviewed and answered any questions we had - A TON! Anna, my niece is in for her annual CA trip from Arkansas and what a full circle moment since she was in two years ago and also visited Heartsent with us and had her photo made w/ Miss Andria.

Mom

Another Big Day......................

Judy Hong Another Adoptee from Heartsent is Taiwan and translated part of our referral documents regarding Rachel's "Finding Story & Rachel's developmental skills and medical observations/report. This was especially emotional to this Mom and Dad - since the Referral papers are 90% Mandarin. Judy confirmed part of Rachel's name for us as well. The first name "Gang" is for the region/adoption agency. Her second name "Qiu" means "Autumn" which is Mom's favorite time of the year!!! Her third name "Gu" we're still not sure due to two translations so far of "rice or hill/mound". We have still not decided on her full name. We will put much prayer and thought into this as we get closer to our travels. Thank you Judy. We could tell that this was very emotional for you and your spouse as well - just reading the transcripts to us - I will never forget this gift!!

Is This Meant To Be or What?!!!

After our Referral translation by Judy and our Heartsent Class on Childhood Health and Wellness - this Mom and Dad celebrated our day by going to PF Chang's in Pasadena. We also ate here when we received good news regarding the beginning of our journey to Rachel in 2005. Talk about a full circle moment - Check out the fortune cookies. Sorry, the picture of Mom is not all cheerie - I'm all choked up and hate the ugly crying photos. Dad on the other hand.......well, let's just say he is bubbling over with happiness and anticipation.

The Big Day!!!

I slept very restlessly - so I got up especially early - anxious about the days events. I decided to sit out on the patio and write in the journal that I have been writing in over the past 2 years for Rachel to read one day. We both headed out to work and somehow managed to get through 1/2 the day. Our appointment was w/ Heartsent in Pasadena at 1:00 pm. Dad drove approx 90+ mph all the way there weaving in and out of traffic. His hands were sweaty and his breathing heavy. He was nervous. But once we met w/ Kerri and Maggi and saw Rachel's photo - it was a no brainer. All we wanted to know was "Where do we sign?!". Don't give up 28 months before the miracle.

Mom (Kimmy)

Gang Qiu Gu or Rachel Burnett

Here she is!!!!!! I'm not her birth Mother - but I've checked these photos for balance. Are those features just not a prime example of God's perfection with that most proportionate beautifully shaped head, most piercing & deep pools for eyes, cutest and even ears, smoochie smoochable pouty lips, and most precious round cheeks you've ever seen? She's not walking yet (on her own) as we're told. And you can tell from that curled up left foot and toes that she's gripping the floor for balance. Double click for enlarging the photo for a closer peek. And wait there's one more...........................................

One more.........................

Her birthday is 2/10/2006. According to the notes we think dated this May (everything is in Chinese) - she is 27 inches short, and weighs 18 pounds. Daddy took the referral package to his work. ONE VERY VERY EXCITED DADDY!!! So, that is all I have for now. She is currently living in an orphanage right outside of Hong Kong. She was found abandoned at the estimated age of 11 days old.

Still waiting...but not for long!