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Dan Pacheco
6/03/2019
4/02/2008
So I'm not so good at blogging...
I'm finding it hard to get a post done. It' s amazing how much less time I have now that we are home vs. sequestered in a hotel room in China.
Well, I don't have much profound to write at this point, but I did want to post some new pictures. Millie is doing well, and we are all pretty much on "Indiana time" at this point. She had a real good day today. (I determined this because she was able to take a two-and-a-half hour nap this afternoon).
Millie loves her squeaky shoes:
More posts to come. We'll try to post at least once or twice a week to keep you in touch with how we are doing.
-- Dan
Well, I don't have much profound to write at this point, but I did want to post some new pictures. Millie is doing well, and we are all pretty much on "Indiana time" at this point. She had a real good day today. (I determined this because she was able to take a two-and-a-half hour nap this afternoon).
Millie loves her squeaky shoes:
Maddy and Millie:
More posts to come. We'll try to post at least once or twice a week to keep you in touch with how we are doing.
-- Dan
3/30/2008
A Thousand Years is like a Day
2 Peter 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
I can't believe that it's been over two weeks since I posted to our blog. For some of you it may seem like it's been a thousand years since we posted. For me, it seems like one day. Anyway, I apologize for having so much time go by since the last post.
The first 10 days that we were home seemed like a fog for us. There were times I woke up at 2am and was wide awake and then time I had to take a name at 3pm. Anyway, we now feel like we are on Indiana time for the most part.
It's our intention to post more pictures and to allow you to continue to follow along with us as we begin the "home-based" part of our journey: the four of us becoming a family.
I promise we'll post some pictures on Sunday or Monday evening at the latest.
Thanks for your prayers and comments.
-- Dan
I can't believe that it's been over two weeks since I posted to our blog. For some of you it may seem like it's been a thousand years since we posted. For me, it seems like one day. Anyway, I apologize for having so much time go by since the last post.
The first 10 days that we were home seemed like a fog for us. There were times I woke up at 2am and was wide awake and then time I had to take a name at 3pm. Anyway, we now feel like we are on Indiana time for the most part.
It's our intention to post more pictures and to allow you to continue to follow along with us as we begin the "home-based" part of our journey: the four of us becoming a family.
I promise we'll post some pictures on Sunday or Monday evening at the latest.
Thanks for your prayers and comments.
-- Dan
3/13/2008
WE ARE HOME !!!!!
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! We arrived home Thursday morning around 10:15am. What a sight we were after 24+ hours of travel. We somehow managed to fit 10 pieces of luggage, various shopping bags, and 6 people into our minivan for the drive home from Chicago. I'm so thankful that my Dad was able to meet us at the airport to drive us home. I was in no condition to drive 3 hours through Chicago traffic.
Right now it is about 7:30pm Indiana time. I took a 2 hour nap earlier as I just couldn't keep my eyes open. Marna, Maddy, and Millie are asleep right now, most likely for the rest of the night. Our days and nights are totally backwards, but we tried to stay up as much as possible tonight.
Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. Millie did great on the airplanes for the most part, although she cried when we landed each time (probably her ears hurting).
I'll post again tomorrow, but for now, I just wanted you to know that we made it home safely.
-- Dan (for Marna, Madeleine, & Millicent)
Right now it is about 7:30pm Indiana time. I took a 2 hour nap earlier as I just couldn't keep my eyes open. Marna, Maddy, and Millie are asleep right now, most likely for the rest of the night. Our days and nights are totally backwards, but we tried to stay up as much as possible tonight.
Thank you for your prayers on our behalf. Millie did great on the airplanes for the most part, although she cried when we landed each time (probably her ears hurting).
I'll post again tomorrow, but for now, I just wanted you to know that we made it home safely.
-- Dan (for Marna, Madeleine, & Millicent)
3/12/2008
We want to see you, but...
We think this may be the hardest post YET. :-\
Seriouly though, as difficult as this is to ask...we must!
One thing we've definitely noticed is that Millie does not do well with lots of people and commotion. Plus, after a 24+ hours of travel, and everything being new for Millie, we know we'll be tired when we get home and we'll need time to adjust to being back home.
We definitely want to see you, and we certainly want you to see Millie. At this point, we're thinking that several short visits from different people would be better than one huge gathering for everyone to see her.
If you want to arrange to see us, please call us on Saturday and we can work out a time for you to come for a short visit.
We're thinking that perhaps in a few weeks, we'll be ready for some type of get together to celebrate Millie's "homecoming".
We're signing off now, as the computer is the last thing to be packed. Again, we thank you so much for your comments to us. They were the hugest blessing. Thanks for your continued prayers as we start our travel home.
Seriouly though, as difficult as this is to ask...we must!
One thing we've definitely noticed is that Millie does not do well with lots of people and commotion. Plus, after a 24+ hours of travel, and everything being new for Millie, we know we'll be tired when we get home and we'll need time to adjust to being back home.
We definitely want to see you, and we certainly want you to see Millie. At this point, we're thinking that several short visits from different people would be better than one huge gathering for everyone to see her.
If you want to arrange to see us, please call us on Saturday and we can work out a time for you to come for a short visit.
We're thinking that perhaps in a few weeks, we'll be ready for some type of get together to celebrate Millie's "homecoming".
We're signing off now, as the computer is the last thing to be packed. Again, we thank you so much for your comments to us. They were the hugest blessing. Thanks for your continued prayers as we start our travel home.
3/11/2008
We leave for home today
As excited as we are to get on a plane to come home, there is a little bit of sadness that we are leaving China. Don't get me wrong, WE ARE READY TO BE HOME!!! But, I feel connected to China now, because that is where I met my Millie. The Chinese people are very friendly and polite. Many people have stopped us in the street to look at Millie. Although we have a language barrier, they seem genuinely happy for us and for her.
Today, we check out of our room at 3pm and put our bags with the hotel concierge. Our shuttle from the hotel to the airport actually leaves at 6pm, so we have 3 hours to burn without a room. We'll probably take a walk around the island, do some last minute shopping, and eat at Lucy's or another restaurant one last time.
We should get to the airport by 7pm at the latest. Our plane leaves Guangzhou at 9pm for LA. Due to the wonders of LA being 14 hours behind Guangzhou time, we land in LA at 7:15pm Wednesday evening, after a 12+ hour flight (shorter flight going east due to tailwinds). Our flight from LA to Chicago takes off at 11:15pm. We are due to land in Chicago at 5am on Thursday morning. So, just looking at the clock, it looks like an 8 hour trip, but we know better! From the time we leave the hotel until we touch down in Chicago will be about 24 hours.
Please pray that our travel will be smooth, that Millie will be a good traveler, and that all of us would have the patience for the long flights. (It's hard to sit in a plane seat for 12+ hours).
Thanks again for all your prayers. We have felt them and very much appreciate the care and concern you've showed to us throughout this whole adoption process.
-- Dan
Red Couch Picture and Visit to the U.S. Consulate
Today we have two main items to accomplish, besides continual learning and adjusting to a new little one in our family.
At 2:10pm today, we are assembling as a group on the second floor of theWhite Swan Hotel to take our "Red Couch Photos". Not sure how this started, but it has become a tradition for adoptive families to take a picture on the red couches. We bought a traditional Chinese dress for Maddy and Millie to wear for this picture. Marna bought one as well, but it is actually being made and won't be ready until tomorrow.
After the pictures, we will go by bus to the USCIS unit of the U.S. Consulate that processes adoptions. At 4pm, we will take a group oath that all the information we submitted for this adoption was truthful and accurate. This oathonly take a few minutes, but requires about a 40 minute bus ride to get there and another 40 to get back. (All the visa processing and oath taking used to take place at the US Consulate right next to the White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island. For security reasons, they've moved that office to another part of the city here in Guangzhou. It would have been great to be able to just walk next door for this, but at this point, we're pretty used to riding on buses, planes, and taxis.)
After the oath, we will receive Millie's visa and all the other necessary paperwork we will need to have her enter the country. Once we land in L.A. and go through Immigration, she will be an official U.S. Citizen !
I've also attached a few more pictures. Thought the one of the package delivery driver was funny.
-- Dan
At 2:10pm today, we are assembling as a group on the second floor of theWhite Swan Hotel to take our "Red Couch Photos". Not sure how this started, but it has become a tradition for adoptive families to take a picture on the red couches. We bought a traditional Chinese dress for Maddy and Millie to wear for this picture. Marna bought one as well, but it is actually being made and won't be ready until tomorrow.
After the pictures, we will go by bus to the USCIS unit of the U.S. Consulate that processes adoptions. At 4pm, we will take a group oath that all the information we submitted for this adoption was truthful and accurate. This oathonly take a few minutes, but requires about a 40 minute bus ride to get there and another 40 to get back. (All the visa processing and oath taking used to take place at the US Consulate right next to the White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island. For security reasons, they've moved that office to another part of the city here in Guangzhou. It would have been great to be able to just walk next door for this, but at this point, we're pretty used to riding on buses, planes, and taxis.)
After the oath, we will receive Millie's visa and all the other necessary paperwork we will need to have her enter the country. Once we land in L.A. and go through Immigration, she will be an official U.S. Citizen !
I've also attached a few more pictures. Thought the one of the package delivery driver was funny.
-- Dan
