LEAVING ON A JET PLANE...

Greetings!

We are down to the wire... one more sleep until our big adventure begins.  Our bags are almost packed and are house is almost ready and we are nervous, excited and terrified all rolled up into one.

Alex has been busy preparing for China.  She decided last week that she didn't want to be the "only Chinese person in China who didn't know how to use chopsticks" (her words).  She has been practicing using them with EVERY meal - it's pretty funny watching a 6 year old eat Cheerios with Chopsticks!

Alex has also been busy researching our trip by learning about the flag and some of the things we'll see (Great Wall etc) - her big excitement is to see whether or not we can see the Wall from the plane, after all - if you can see it from space why not our plane?

This weeks excitement was not all happy though.  We were distraught to hear early in the week that my Step Father (Alex's Grandpa Charles) was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer.  He came through the first of a few surgeries on Thursday and is regaining his strength to start the treatments (chemo etc).  He and my mother are very determined to get through this and get him healthy again.  We will be sending happy thoughts, prayers and hugs to them while we are away.  Hopefully Nicole's arrival home will bring a happy distraction to our family!



Next time we will be updating this (notice how I use the word "we"...) it will be on the other side of the globe or somewhere in between!  I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend and happy belated Canada Day!