With our first adoption I was quite obsessive with a pictorial countdown. I went all around the house photographing various items and posting daily. It's bad being the second child. No one has time to collect up all that stuff and thoughtfully photograph it all.

The big question for the day is should I count like a non-transplanter, where there is no day zero and today would be:

Or like a transplanter, where we would fly out on day zero and today would be:

I found out today that for the in China flights, we can only check one bag and have one carry on item. Since we did not do in China flights last time, it was a surprise. So, I decided to do a dry run on the packing to see if it would all fit and if we needed to revise the three packing lists I currently have. Here is the starting point, minus Keith's clothes, which have been packed for a couple of weeks and repacked about five times now (twice just today).

And here is the finish point. Keith's suitcase is actually in the bigger one. Now I don't want to have to unpack it all, but unless I do some speed laundry, someone will be short undies real soon.
This is a bit of nostalgia. It is my attempt to get Julianna's clothes packed for our first trip to China. Sarah had other plans. It is bittersweet to see all those little clothes packed up for our first adventure in parenting.

This is going to be one of those boring, no photograph posts. We finally have our travel dates. We are departing March 13. I've decided to step up my packing list extravaganza and make a packing list for each item of luggage, as well as a master packing list. Life is always better with lists.

Today is a big day in Julianna's life, although she does not realize it. Today, she has been a part of our family for 22 months and one day. That means it is one day longer than she was in China. For the rest of her life, she will always be defined as a daughter and sister, someone who's family loves her very much and she will always be cherished.

She and I celebrated with a trip to the mall. We went to her favorite store (the princess store, as she calls it) and she got to select an item, which of course, was a new dress and shoes. Then we looked for purple sandals and no other color would do. She actually passed up on buying shoes rather than settle for non-purple sandals. We ate at her favorite restaurant, the Golden Arches. I also purchased her a necklace for when she gets older to commemorate this day.

We are so very blessed to have her in our lives and today I am feeling very fortunate to be able to hang out with such a great kid.