Sunday, March 20, 2011

What happened to the Blog?

Greetings from Wuhan City, China via Senoia Ga. 

You may have noticed that "Mammy" hasn't been posting anything on the blog since the trip began on Thursday.  Once everyone (and the luggage) arrived safely in Beijing, Mammy realized that China had blocked access to Blogspot blogs.

So, On the go with Mammy has temporarily relocated to http://www.onthegowithmammy.blog.com/

Notice that it is blog.com not blogspot.com.  You can also follow Heather's blog at http://www.journeytome.com/, adoption journal for Lilly Rae.  Thanks for all the prayers and good wishes for our family and thanks for following along.

Sincerely,
Miranda Nance Campbell

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Kisses in the Wind

Amid all the hustle and bustle of this day...I found this poem on another blog.  This family will be traveling at the same time as we will. but chances are our paths will never cross.  The poem spoke to me so I wanted to share it with you....

KISSES IN THE WIND

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.


---Unknown


To our sweet Lilly, I blow you kisses in the wind....

Monday, March 14, 2011

A Little Pink Blanket

A little pink blanket is safely inside my luggage.  It is a silk satin blanket with a flannel lining, bordered by several rows of lace.  The little pink blanket is traveling to China to bring home the next Nance female child, our sweet Lilly Rae.

I bought the blanket from a children’s shop in Jacksonville called “Gram & Gramps” right before Heather was born in 1969.  The shop was on Park & King Street.  A sweet mother and her daughter owned the shop and I was a frequent customer for many years.  

I brought Heather home from Riverside Hospital on Father’s Day, June 15th, wrapped in the little pink blanket.  It stayed in the chest for almost 7 years before I wrapped Miranda in the blanket as we brought her home from the hospital in Brunswick on April 23rd, 1976.
 
I carried it to the hospital on March 22, 1980, but it stayed in the suitcase.  God blessed us with our son, Will, and somehow I did not think he would like to know he was brought home in a pink blanket. 

In early August 2005, a tiny little 3 lb. 14 oz Alaina Katherine Campbell left Henry County Medical Center wrapped in the little pink blanket.  It has been used one more time when Ella Marie Campbell left the same hospital in 2008.

All the girls’ names are embroidered in the corners and now it is on the way to Wuhan, China to bring home another little girl.  Heather will have it with her on Monday morning March 21st when she and Brian are handed their little girl. 

A family heirloom traveling around the world to become a part of a family tradition.  Wonder where it will go next time?

Friday, March 11, 2011

Travel Plans

The big day is getting closer and closer.  It has been a busy week trying to make final plans, make arrangements for things at home, work, and at the church and carry on with day to day life.

Heather and I had our final travel phone conference call on Thursday afternoon, so pretty much everything is in place for the trip.  Thursday was her last day at school due to furlough days Friday and Monday, and planned off days Tuesday and Wednesday.  I think she has the most difficult job of getting all her boys ready to travel, plus packing for Lilly and herself.  Keep in mind China has a 44 pound per bag weight restriction on air travel checked luggage.

Our travel itinerary will keep us on the go.

Thursday, March 17th & 18th, leave Jacksonville at around 11:30 to Atlanta, about 2:30 on to Seattle arriving at 5:19 PDT, leaving for Beijing at 6:05PDT for Beijing.  We will arrive in Beijing, Friday at 9PM Beijing time (which is about 9 AM, Sat our time).  I think it is going to be a long day….roughly 24 hours of travel. Where did our Friday go?   I’m thinking by the time we get to the hotel In Beijing we will be tired enough to sleep before a busy day on Saturday.

Saturday, March 19th is filled with sightseeing to include Tiananmen Square, Olympic Park, Great Wall of China and anything else we can squeeze in.  Are we tired yet?  Right now the weather looks to be mild for them at this time of the year.  Thank you God!  He knows I hate cold weather.

Sunday, March 20th, we will travel to Wuhan City.  Earlier we had been told we would get Lilly that afternoon, but this week we found out it will be on Monday morning.

Monday, March 21st, “Gotcha Day” We will travel to the Civil Affairs Office where we will finally have Lilly placed in Heather & Brian’s arms.  I just can’t imagine how wonderful that will be.  I think I will feel the same way  I did when I was fortunate enough to be with Heather and Brian when Hampton and Walker were born.  After some time to settle down, Heather & Brian will begin the paperwork to officially adopt Lilly.

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, March 22-24….Happy Birthday Will ( Mrs. Nance would have celebrated  #97)  on the 22nd!!!  We have not missed that our Lilly Rae joined our family on such a special time of March.  These 3 days are set aside for sightseeing in the area. Wuhan City is a city of 10 million people on the Yangtze River.  It is called the “Chicago” of China, as it is a banking and financial center.  We are hoping  for Atlanta type weather.   Heather & Brian have to be available if any questions occur with Lilly’s adoption papers.  Hopefully on Thursday she will have a Chinese Passport and Visa that will allow her to travel to the United States.

Friday-Thursday, March 25th-30th, we will leave Lilly’s birthplace on Friday.  The Harmony Express (bullet train) will take us to Guangzhou.   Thank goodness the weather is close to what you experience in Miami.  YEAH!!  The American Embassy is located here and all U. S. adoptees must go through legal paper work here.  The week is filled with doctor’s appointments along with filing of paperwork at the Embassy.  Lots of sightseeing is planned for us, too.

Wednesday,   March 30th at 10 AM Lilly Rae Huling along with her family will travel to the American Embassy where she will be fingerprinted and her parents will take an oath for her to become an American Citizen!!  She will have full rights as an American citizen when we land in Detroit Michigan on our trip home.   I think that will be another emotional day for all of us too.

Thursday, March 31st ….Happy Anniversary John Ben & Miranda….10 years since that magical day.  We will pick up Lilly’s Visa from the embassy and head by bus to Hong Kong.  I just hope we get to see some of the beautiful city. 

Friday, April 1st….home to Georgia….Yeah!!...Hong Kong to Detroit to Jacksonville leaving at 9 AM and arriving at 6PM Friday evening.  With the time change we will once again be traveling 24 hours again.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Hurry...Hurry!!

After all these months of waiting, this past week has been one big blur.  After the phone call Monday alerting us to the possibility of traveling on March 17th things have gone into high gear with a great sense of hurry, hurry.

Heather got the call Wednesday confirming our March 30th appointment at the American Embassy at 10 AM.  That confirmed the 3-17 travel date.  I think we are all in shock at how quickly plans are falling into place.  One of our favorite blogs, Ni Hao Y'all, tells you to not wait until you get travel approval to start seriously planning your trip.  Things will happen very fast once you get your TA and boy she is right on the spot with that advice.

We received an e-mail with travel plans early Thursday, with a 7PM deadline to confirm the flights.  Originally they had us traveling to Beijing via Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Seattle, leaving Jax at 6 M.  After confirming these flights, we noticed another family from Lexington, KY, was traveling through Atlanta and meeting up with us in Seattle.  We called back and asked if we could travel through ATL?  No problem, so now we leave from JAX at around 11AM.  That is much better than a 3 hour layover in Minneapolis.

We will still be traveling about 24 hours arriving in Beijing at 9 PM (which is 9 AM our time) Friday night.  At least we will be tired when we get to the hotel, so maybe we can sleep/rest some.

Mammy, Alaina & Ella 
According to what we were told in our last phone conference call Lilly was probably taken to the orphanage in Wuhan City today.  I cry every time I think about that.  What must her little mind be thinking?  So much upheaval in her life in such a short time.  I just pray for God's love to be poured out onto her these next few days.

In the midst of all this we traveled to Miranda and JB's this past weekend to celebrate Ella's 3rd birthday.  Such a fun time with the girls.  They come creeping into our bedroom and climb into bed with us.  Ella tells us to "open the eyes".  She is the snuggle bunny.  They are full of questions about Lilly and when will she be here.  I don't think they can understand where she is and why is she not here yet.  I can't wait until all 5 grandchildren are all together.  Looks like that will happen Easter weekend when Will and the Campbell family will all be in Folkston.