Countdown to Savannah

2006-07-24T17:28:00.000-04:00

Moving on....

Well, you all knew the time would come, and come it has. We are going to officially shut down the Countdown to Savannah BLOG site today. We have had such a great time sharing our adoption process with everyone via the BLOG site and have even printed it out for inclusion in the scrapbook we have started for Savannah to show her how she came to be a part of our family. Everyone tells us that Savannah is a very lucky girl, but we think its just the opposite, we are a very lucky couple to have been blessed with such a special daughter.

Okay, before you start crying and telling me how much you are going to miss the great commentary that I bring to the site let me tell you the good news.....we have stated a NEW BLOG called "The Kennedys" to pass along information not only about our daughter, but about everything that is happening in our lives. We hope that you enjoy this new BLOG as much as the old one! Thanks for tuning in, now just turn the page and we begin again!

Sign on to the new BLOG at http://kennedysnc.blogspot.com/

Mike "I always wanted to be a writer" Kennedy

Ill see you on the new BLOG!

http://kennedysnc.blogspot.com/

2006-07-13T22:10:00.000-04:00

Momma Im Coming Home

Okay, so maybe a Ozzy Osbourne isn't the best song to quote from, but bare with us here! Tuesday morning we awoke early to see Paul off to his meeting in Washington and to prepare for our long trip home with a good breakfast. Ann Marie, Savannah and I along with Catherine, Gracie and Zoe headed to our corner table at the Cornerstone Bakery to see what we could get the kids to eat. Needless to say Zoe ate everything that she was offered (what a great kid!) and Savannah was more interested in looking at the people as they entered (that's my girl, a people watcher!). After getting our fill of eggs, smoked bacon, Swiss oatmeal and fresh baked blueberry muffins we parted our ways with lots of hugs and promises to get back together very soon!

Back at the hotel, packing was a real chore with the little helper attempting to unpack everything we wanted to put away. Did she not want to leave? Well, after getting in the groove and loading the valet cart we were on our way back to North Carolina! Can you say full load? There is no way that this was all needed for a 4 day trip, but then again we are novices at the family thing so we have room for improvement!

Now to the interesting side note of our trip. On our way to visit Ann Marie's brother in Harrisonburg we decided to stop at The Cracker Barrel for a nice home style meal and to get some Mac'n Cheese for Savannah. All went well and we arrived in Harrisonburg with no problem. I wish I could say as much for our diaper bag! In the bustle of getting Savannah loaded into the van and putting the juice and other items in the cooler, I put the diaper bag down beside the van, and there it stayed! Some 30 miles outside of Washington the next day we discovered the error of my ways and panic set in! After a call to the resturant we found that someone had turned our bag into the hostess and it was waiting there for us on the return trip. You know, it wasn't the Eddie Bauer bag that made us come back for it, it was the John Deere hat inside! Atfer retrieving the bag the Kennedy's were headed home!

Now home, we wanted to thank Mom and Dad for watching the 4 legged grandkids and the seafood dinner on our return, The Marcus's for an absolute blast of a vacation in Washington, and the Bakers for watching out for the house. Now that we have one vacation under our belt its time to plan more! Next summer is a family beach retreat to Nags Head, but waiting in the wings is a trip to Toronto and Buffalo so stay tuned as I am sure flying with a kid is MUCH easier than riding in the van.......right? Till then......

Michael (all of this is going in the van?), Ann Marie (buying shoes on vacation rocks!) and Savannah (did anyone pack my goldfish?) Kennedy

2006-07-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

Last day in the Capitol...

Okay, what a fun filled way to spend the last day! Today we all went to breakfast and decided that we would fill our day with something to satisfy everyone! Our first stop of the day was at Nordstroms Rack, a close-out store for the every popular with the ladies, Nordstroms! All I have to say is that Catherine showed great restraint, even with all the great deals that seemed to pop up on each rack! I wish I could say the same for my wife! The last time I saw her she was running up and down the shoe isles and babbling something about 50% off retail! Okay, I exaggerate, but I did leave the store before she checked out just so I would not cry the rest of the day. Hey, at least I got a pair of nice DC Shoes out of the deal!

After splitting up at Nordstroms, Paul, Gracie and I headed to the Air & Space annex at Dulles Airport. The collection at the new building really puts the museum on the mall to shame! It was amazing what we saw! There was an original 707, the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, as well as the Concorde. To cap it all of it was an amazing site to see the Space Shuttle Enterprise sitting in the building in all its wonder! What a HUGE aircraft! Seeing a lift-off in Florida and watching it on TV does not do justice to her imposing size and majestic beauty when you are standing 10 feet away! We also got to ride in a couple of neat simulators, one for space and one for the history of fighter planes.

The girls and the babies headed back to the hotel for a little shopping and nap time for the babies. Paul and I tried to keep tabs on them via text messages but the last one I got was from Ann Marie saying that the cell phone reception was a bit spotty in Anne Taylor petites and that she would call me later. To this I replied "Oh No!", but the connection was already dead! After the museum and shopping, everyone met back at the hotel in the afternoon for a swim at the pool before dinner. I opted for a quick workout in the gym and then we all showered up for our final night on the town.

Tonight we capped off a great vacation with a wonder Mexican dinner and great sangria and margarita swirls at the Rio Grand Cafe. Wow! What a great drink! After some great dinner conversation on politics and religion (some say you should never talk about those too, but in Washington you just have to ignore the rules!), we stopped on the way back to the hotel to let Gracie feed the geese and ducks in the lagoon that is between our hotel and the pavilion, but it became more of an event for us all! At one point there must have been 200 of those feathered feeding machines under us, and none of them looked undernourished!

Tomorrow we head back to North Carolina and leave our friends the Marcus's who will return to Buffalo later this week. We so enjoyed seeing them and being astounded with how much tiny Zoe had grown! It was a pleasure to finally meet their other daughter Gracie, who we have to admit, is great with the one liners! (Which way is the elevator going Gracie? - inside joke) We have already laid the plans for another get together on a much more grand scale next summer on the Outerbanks of North Carolina. If any of you GD Families happen to ready this, give us a shout if a week at the beach sounds like a good time to you! Thats it for now, so we will sign off once again. Till next time....

Mike (what do you mean its time to get up), Ann Marie (aren't you proud of me for buying on things that are half price?) and Savannah (will someone PLEASE make them stop taking my picture) Kennedy

2006-07-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

Taking a trip back in time....

Sunday was a great day with a visit to the mall in Washington and Savannah's first visit to the National Museum of Natural History.

Savannah was very excited about riding the Metro after breakfast and watched in amazement as the homes and trees went flying by the window.

The one thing that really stood out to Ann Marie and I was how much a kid can SLOW YOU DOWN! We remember trips to Washington in our past where we toured the entire series of museums, the monuments, and the memorials! Today it seemed as though we had just enough energy and time to tour ONE museum! Okay, we know, you told us so, but it is moments like this that really drive the point home!

At the museum we toured the dinosaur exhibit first, with Savannah taking her first visit in stride......and ASLEEP! I guess that train ride was a little too much for her! :-) We let her nap while walking around and eventually she came back to life and loved looking at some of the gemstones before we headed down to the Atrium Cafeteria for lunch with the Marcus's and a family that Paul and Catherine had join us from the DC area.

After lunch it was nearing 3:00 pm so we decided to take the kids back to the hotel. The train ride back was just as exciting as Savannah decided to feed everyone on the Metro goldfish and Zoe thought that knocking the Cheerio container from Paul's hands and watching them scatter on the floor of a somewhat crowded train was hilarious (as did we!). After a quick tour of the neighborhood where Paul and Catherine lived near the Metro station (we are now wondering how people afford to live in DC), we headed back to the hotel for a quick nap, pool time for Gracie, and a recharging of the batteries!

Dinner tonight was at Red Rocks and a good time was had by all! The Cosmopolitans, draft beers and incredible roast chicken hit the spot after a long day! It was interesting watching two families work to control three kids in a restaurant that otherwise was filled with business people and upscale Sunday patrons. We could have cared less (must have been the fermented drinks!) and think that we all handled the controlled chaos in style! After dinner we headed to Mini-Moos for some ice-cream and then Ann Marie and Catherine took in a movie (The Devil Wears Prada) while Paul and I took the kids back to the room to retire for the evening. Savannah took a quick bath, polished off 8 ounces of milk and passed out for the evening! Shortly thereafter Dad did the same thing waking up about 30 minutes later feeling refreshed!

Tomorrow is our last full day here in Washington with a planned trip the new Air & Space museum at Dulles Airport for the Dads in the morning. We will post again tomorrow night so be sure to check back in with us.....same Bat Time, same Bat Channel! Till then.....

Michael (how can lunch cost so much?), Ann Marie (remember, you are in Washington, DC!), and Savannah (can I just have goldfish and fruitloops for dinner?) Kennedy

2006-07-08T22:38:00.000-04:00

Going on a little trip....

Hey everyone! Just wanted to post a little to show everyone how Savannah does on her first Kennedy Vacation! We have ventured out of North Carolina up to our Nations Capitol to meet up with our friends the Marcus from that little trip to China we took back in April!

We left Raleigh at about 4:00 on Friday for the 5 hour drive up to Harrisonburg, VA to spend the night with Ann Marie's brother Joey and his wife Ann. We arrived around 10:00 after stopping for dinner and I must say that our little girl was a real trooper! That was the longest trip that we have made since returning home from China and she did great! Just a little fussiness (is that a word?) when it started to get dark, but she was otherwise quiet and playful!

After a kick butt breakfast by the French Chef Joel', we headed off for Washington and the comfort of the Marriott hotel for a couple of days of tourist action! Both families arrived at about the same time and in mini-van style! I wish I would have taken a photo of the luggage being offloaded as you would have thought we were unloading a 767 at Dulles Airport! Who knew you need this much stuff for 4 days? I hope we get better at packing before the next trip! After settling in we all spent the day shopping and eating with a little time at the pool. We also took in a reggae band tonight on the waterfront to which Zoe and Savannah really boogied!

Tomorrow we are off to see where the leaders of our country do our bidding and provide us with an invaluable service to which we are all indebted......oh, wait, who am I trying to fool? Tomorrow we are going into Washington to see where the partisan leadership has ground our political system into a group of haves (the politicians) and have nots (the citizens of the United States). Maybe I will flex my Kennedy muscle on Capitol Hill, but on second thought, I think that the Kennedy clan has already paved a bumpy for me too follow so I will just snap some pictures like all the other tourist!

So, till tomorrow......

Mike (Ill never run for office), Ann Marie (did you say there was a shoe store on the mall or at the mall?) and Savannah (do they have any Gold Fish on the menu) Kennedy

2006-05-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

Where have the Kennedy's been?

Okay, I know, you are bound to ask the question, as we (or I) have not been stellar in the posting to the BLOG lately, but I do have excuses!

Since returning to work the travel has been nonstop with me being away from home for the last 3 weeks. I have visited North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Iowa and have grown a little weary of hotels, eating out and being without the two greatest additions to my life in the past several years, my wife and my little girl! But enough about me, lets get to whats going on at home!

WALKING! Yes, you heard me right, "Bana" as she is known to friends has taken control of the house! It started with a few tentative steps between Mom and Dad, then with the help of Grandma and Grandpa we have mastered the art of movement! Okay, maybe not mastered, but Little Miss Magic and speed along with anyone one year old that I have seen!

"Bana" is now spending her days at Grandma Maynard's as Ann Marie has returned to work. We like to think that she is teaching Grandma a few things rather than the other way around. She really seems to enjoy spending time there with her grandparents and great-grandma and we enjoy the fact that we get to feel safe about our daughter while we work. Now we have to work Granny and Papa Kennedy into the system and we will be able to take a night out now and then! (Hear that Mom?)

Life around the house is much different than it was before our little trip to China, but Ann Marie and I wouldn't have it any other way. Long days, even longer nights, short naps, lots of laundry, and the occasional vertical poop cannot take away the smile you get when you enter the nursery to find "Bana" sitting up in her crib fresh from a nap smiling at you with the smile only a child can offer. Like someone once told me "the bond between a parent and their child is one that is nurtured in the heart and cannot be broken". Now I know exactly how that feels.

I would like to also take a minute to thank my wife for all she does around the house and for our family. I think she fails to realize how special she is to the two of us and hope that we can repay her somehow in the future. Ann Maries first true Mothers Day we a great day with visits to her parents home and to my parents church in Sanford. It was nice to share this time with our Mothers and to tell them that we now know what all the advice, punishment, rules and associated parental controls were for when we were children.

Well, that's enough for now, I have to go track down Savannah as I hear some rustling in the kitchen that does not sound familiar. I hope this finds everyone well and that you are out enjoying a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with friends and family and taking a minute to remember all of those who served and continue to serve our country and protect the freedoms we hold dear. Thanks guys and gals! Ill try and post again soon, so till then.....

Mike "did I remember to shut the dog food container"
Ann Marie "I think there is a sale at Kohl's"
& Savannah "why is that gate at the bottom of the stairs" Kennedy

Anne (sister in-law), Grandma Maynard, Ann Marie, Savannah and Great Grandma Jaram!
4 Generations!

Giving the Big Bear a Savannah style kiss!

It looks like I have to get a new Ipod for "Little Miss Magic"! The song on the Ipod is "Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains, so she is a ROCKER!

Lets Play Mac!

2006-05-07T13:27:00.000-04:00

Its time for a Birthday Party!

Okay, I know it has been longer than a week since my last post, in fact, its been much too long for some of you I have been told! There are many things that I have to tell you about in this post so I will get right too it!

First, since our last post the sickness that passed through Savannah then Ann Marie passed on to me and really hit me hard! According to one physician, I was about 24 hours away from an emergency room visit before Ann Marie finally threatened me with physical pain if I did not go to the doctor! After a couple of weeks of suffering, a few missed days of work and more drugs than a San Francisco Giants outfielder (sorry Barry Bonds fans!), I am happy to say that I am doing very well now and back to spending quality time with my two favorite girls!

Savannah has been progressing remarkably in the past few weeks. Vocally she is making so many new sounds and becoming a real copy cat so speaking is not too far away! Now Ann Marie and I have to watch everything we say! She has also improved in the cruising department! Ann Marie in fact has developed a slight curvature of the spine due to the constant laps she is making around the house holding up the two foot tall sprinter (just kidding!). The food arena is changing as well! After a few weeks of Stage 2 food upon return from China, we are now using Stage 3 foods as well as some adult foods cut into small pieces. We made the correlation that she was ready for more solid food when Savannah ate my whole bowl of Italian Wedding Soup at dinner one night! She amazes us every day with her experimentation and cannot wait to see what comes next!

We have made many trips to visit co-workers and family in the weeks since our return and Savannah has adapted very well! She has really taken to her Grandmother, which is a welcome relief since Ann's mom will be our primary form of daycare for the first part of "Little Miss Magic's" life. Savannah has also turned out to be quite the musician! She has already displayed a fondness for my drum set and rocks constantly to the radio. Yes, this is definitely my child!

Yesterday was Savannah's first birthday and today is one year from the day she was found at the hospital in China. We celebrated last night with family and friends and had a grand time with both Chloe and Savannah providing the entertainment! Chloe is really motoring around now and inspired Savannah to pick up her own pace in the walking department! We have spent the entire morning watching a little red fire truck walker make the rounds in the kitchen and family room!

Well, its lunchtime here at the Kennedy Estate and there is now another mouth to feed so I am going to sign off. Thanks for hanging in there with me during the posting drought, and I promise not to make it such a long wait from now on. Till then....

Mike "Does she ever slow down" Kennedy
Ann Marie "Will I ever go back to work" Kennedy
& Savannah "Will you please stop typing and feed me" Kennedy

P.S. Go Canes! Our Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 6-0 in the opening game of their second round series for the Stanley Cup. What a birthday present for Savannah!

Ready to Mow!

She did a good job!

Relaxing outside at the Birthday Party!

Our friend Marya and her Mom. Marya is expecting a little girl any day now!

Okay Dad, Ill take over the postings from now on.....

2006-04-19T16:23:00.000-04:00

Time at Home

Well, its about one week since we regained consciousness from the 16 hour flight home and things at the Kennedy household are progressing.

Easter was an exciting time for us all. We made our first visit to church as a family and received a rousing round of applause as we entered the sanctuary! Everyone at Sunrise knew we had longed for the day we would be joined together with Savannah and they really made us feel special when we arrived. Savannah did very well during the service and only helped Pastor Carter with his prayers once!

After church we made our way to Ann Marie's parents house for lunch with her parents, grandmother and brother. Joey was overwhelmed with Savannah and loved playing with her on the floor and painting Easter eggs! Our only problem was Savannah did not want to take a nap because she was having so much fun playing with the eggs!

The last part of our Easter road trip led us to my sisters house for a cookout. Savannah cried all the way there and only fell asleep when we turned in the driveway! She was a real trooper though and made the rounds with my nieces and seemed to enjoy it all!

This week has been a bit of a struggle as Savannah's respiratory problems have resurfaced and she had a doctors visit on Tuesday. We now have a dose of antibiotics to treat the congestion and a slight ear infection. Hopefully by the weekend our little girl will be her giggly self again!

Thanks to everyone keeping up with us through the postings and I promise to get a new one each week for some time to come! Isn't the internet great! Till then.....

Michael (back at work), Ann Marie (loving the Wiggles) and Savannah (pick me up) Kennedy

Ann Marie's Mom

Ann Marie's brother Joey

Pastor Carter from Sunrise Methodist in Holly Springs

Mike's nieces Rebecca and Jennifer holding Savannah

Mike's father

2006-04-12T12:05:00.000-04:00

Alive and Kicking!

Okay, I know the song references are over the top, but that is the song that came to mind as I am sitting here watching Savannah play in her Exersaucer this morning. I think Simple Minds (the group) must have had this moment in mind when they wrote the title to that song!

Okay, I know I missed the BLOG entry for the past couple of days, but I have to tell you that a 15 hour flight on an airplane across 12 time zones can catch up with you really quick! So here is the catch up entry for the past couple of days!

Monday morning in Hong Kong came bright and early after a long night of packing and repacking! Savannah hit the sack about 9:30 and Ann Marie and I followed a little after midnight. The night fairy was good to us and we all got a good nights sleep before the big flight. The alarm went off at 5:30 am and we were off and running!

We all met in the lobby of the hotel at 7:30 am for our walk to the airport and check in at Continental. All went smoothly, except that our friends Paul and Catherine were selected for the groups random luggage check! Not to fear as Paul was allowed to go to the front of the line after security found nothing but dirty clothes and baby items in the bags! They must be immune to the smell of dirty laundry as the officer never cracked a smile! After clearing customs we all hit the Burger King for a good American breakfast with coffee! Soon enough it was time to load the plane and 10 anxious families from the United States started off on the long journey home!

The plane ride, although long, was very uneventful (thank goodness!). Except for one set of children who without proper supervision ran wild in the plane for 15 hours and a couple of spit-up maladies around the cabin, all was well. Savannah made it through the flight unmedicated (Ann Marie as well!) and in good spirits! When we touched down in Newark we felt a huge weight lifted off as we were almost home! Then came customs! Not to say we have it all wrong, but it could be a lot better! After clearing customs and having to pay for a cart to move the luggage 150 yards (yes, it was only $3.00 but in China it was FREE!) we sent the luggage off to the next flight and were greeted by Ann Maries Aunt Mary and Uncle Tom waiting for us with pizza, water and some items for the baby! What a welcome sight! We gathered up Paul, Catherine and Zoe and had a feast right there in the terminal. By looking at the photos, it looks as if “like father, like daughter” holds true in the Marcus household in regards to pizza! Many thanks to the Buonanno’s for providing the welcome wagon in New Jersey!

After departing from Newark Savannah was a little crankier on the way to Raleigh, but who can blame an 11 month old who just made a trip half way around the world for being a little cranky, nevertheless we made it into Raleigh on time and made the long walk to the escalator to find our families! To our surprise we found more than family, there were close friends and co-workers there to greet us as well! We are truly blessed to have people who care about our family so much as to take time after a long day to meet us at the airport. Again, many thanks to you all for the warm reception!

It was so overwhelming to see our friends and family bond with our daughter that even I shed a tear or two! Being home was one thing, but being home as a family meant then world to me. We then loaded the happy families into the van and truck for the ride back to Holly Springs where we settled in for the recovery.

Monday night Savannah did not sleep very much, so neither did we. Tuesday we worked on a couple of hours of sleep and a couple of naps during the day and made it a lazy day to gather as much energy as possible. The food prepared by Ann Maries mom and our friends Karen and Chris really came in handy, thank to you both! We all sat down and watched the hockey game last night with our next door neighbor “Uncle Dick” and the bedded down for our second night which went much better!

Today we are again lounging around the house and getting Savannah back on her schedule for naps and eating. She is adjusting to the time very well, eating like a champ, and loves her new puppies that are very protective of her already!

Ill close today with a big THANK YOU to everyone for taking the ride with us the past few weeks and months. We are so happy to be back home and have our daughter and cannot wait to see you all and share our little bundle of joy. That’s it for now, so you know how the ending goes, till then…..

Michael (downstairs nanny), Ann Marie (upstairs nanny) and Savannah (the nap master) Kennedy

2006-04-09T10:04:00.000-04:00

The long way home....

Okay, I know that you now have the old Supertramp song in your head, but the title just seemed to fit! If you cannot remember the words, here is a little help!

When lonely days turn to lonely nights; you take a trip to the city lights
And take the long way home
Take the long way home
You never see what you want to see; Forever playing to the gallery
You take the long way home
Take the long way home

Well, the long way home is now in front of us and we could not be more happy about it! Do not get us wrong, we have loved every minute of our experience, but we miss our family, we miss our puppies, we miss our friends, and according to Ann Marie she misses ice water and fresh vegetables! (mine is sweet tea and chicken salad from moms!)

Today was a very uneventful day for us. While everyone else went out to explore Hong Kong, Ann Marie and I stayed back at the hotel and prepared for our journey home. The day started with coffee and quiche at the coffee bar in the airport which was delicious! Then we walked around and purchased some additional souvenirs and such for all our friends.

After lunch we hung out in the room letting Savannah get in her afternoon nap and we started unpacking and the things in the bags from Guangzhou for more efficient packing for the long trip home. Dad #2, just in case you are reading this....bring the truck! We have 5 pieces of luggage plus our 4 personal items! We look like a couple of Sherpas in Nepal trying to move this stuff around!

When everyone returned from Hong Kong, Paul, Catherine, Ann Marie and I stepped out to a steakhouse for a really good meal before the long day ahead and then topped it off with some Ben and Jerry's ice-cream. What a meal!

Tonight we are in the room packing to meet the requirements for the airline, and with the stuff we purchased, that is not easy! The baby is asleep (for now!) and we are beat, but we are a family and we would not take anything for that!

Oh, check out the sister site to this where Scott Lloyd has stored our video! We just sent him a new one that is sure to please everyone! WE PROMISE!

Well, that's about all for tonight. Like I said, it was a pretty dull day around here, but this is not the end of the story. Ill update the BLOG for a few more days (minus tomorrow, I mean we are flying 16 hours with a 12 hour time difference, so I may be a little tired!) and then go once a week for a while so everyone can see how Savannah is adjusting the her new house, her new grandparents, her new puppies and all the other new things in her life in North Carolina. So with that I will end as I always do, till then....

Love to all,
Michael (aisle seat), Ann Marie (window seat) and Savannah (middle seat) Kennedy

Departure: 10:25 am Monday morning - Hong Kong, China
Arrival: 7:22 pm Monday night - Raleigh, North Carolina
Continental Airline - change in Newark, NJ

2006-04-08T09:06:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we never learn....

Hello from the Hong Kong Airport Regal Hotel! The countdown is getting smaller and the longing for home is getting greater! We have loved our time in China, but the time has come to return home!

Today we got off to a rocky start with everyone in our group splitting up leaving for different destinations on the island, some going to Disney, some going to the Po Lin monastery, and then some of us just making our own plans. Well, we fell into the latter group along with two other couples and at this point we think we made an unwise decision (Chris & Heidi can relate to this one!) in picking downtown Hong Kong as our destination of the day! We really only wanted to ride the train and view downtown, but then again the best laid plans can sometimes go astray!

Around lunch after a couple of failed departures (one I burned my hand with hot water and another when the hotel would not exchange the Chinese Yuan we had for Hong Kong dollars) we made our way to the Express Train to downtown Hong Kong. True to most all stories we have heard the train delivered us to downtown from the airport in about 20 minutes. The ride is unbelievably smooth and even at high speeds is very quiet! With three couples, three babies and one three wheel stroller (okay, one four wheel stroller whos fourth wheel kept falling off!) in tow we all headed down the streets of one of the busiest cities in the world! It was crazy! We visited just a few blocks around the train terminal due to the baby factor, but man was it intense! We saw so many high rises, so many people and a whole lot of money in a very small area. The mall that we visited was not your every day run of the mill mall, rather is was populated with Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and any other store you would expect on 5th Avenue in New York! The guys let the girl walk around for a little while and "window shop", but luckily the urge to purchase anything was outweighed by the responsibilities we gained a few days ago in Guangzhou. I mean, a $100 baby sleeper and a $500 pen are not necessary items these days!

We the proceeded to walk around a little more to find something to eat, but little did we know this would be such an adventure! We really wanted some simple cuisine due to our longing for home and the fact that we had three babies which would make an upscale restaurant a bit of a pain, so after a few wrong turns we found "The Union Bar & Grill". The food was excellent, the staff was friendly and they played Frank Sinatra the whole two hours we were there! A good time and good conversation made the time fly!

We left the restaurant and began our trip back to the airport around 5:30 so our entire trip only took 6 hours, but in the process several babies missed naps, didn't get the normal feedings and therefore were a little more cranky tonight than we expected! Needless to say the beers by the pool we had planned were cancelled and appeasement to the children was granted. Its now 9:30 and the baby is resting comfortably in Ann Maries arms and we have learned our lesson.....the hard way! We are just thankful this mistake was made TWO days before we leave for home on a 16 hour flight rather than the day before! Yes Loflins, even those forewarned can sometimes stray from the path!

Tomorrow we plan on hanging around the hotel a little, taking a bus over to Tung Chung for some last minute shopping, and repacking our bags for the trip home. There will be a couple of beers by the pool, but I promise you we will be in bed early so that we can get on that plane bound for Newark, NJ at the proper time! Till tomorrow Ladies and Gents.....

Michael (the bottle maker), Ann Marie (the diaper changer) and Savannah (the new center of attention) Kennedy

2006-04-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

One long day

Okay, I know today was not the 16 hour flight that we have coming up on Monday, but it was a long day none the less!

The morning started like all the others at the White Swan with a buffet breakfast that would rival any I have even seen, just with a little more Asian influence! Ann Marie and I enjoyed the morning meal with Savannah dining on her congee while using her “Magic Bowl” to mash egg yokes into oblivion! When we finished I looked like I had gone through an egg farm explosion, only the eggs were hard boiled! I hurriedly brushed off Savannah and myself and we started to whisk away before someone found the mess we had made, when out of the blue a hostess tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Sir, was this your table?”, to which I hesitantly said yes. She then handed me “Magic Bowl” and said “Have a wonderful day!” Boy was I surprised!

We also used this morning to create our famous “Red Couch” photo of all the babies in our travel group. The red couches, famous at the White Swan Hotel, are something of a tradition with adoptive parents so we followed suit. It was a grand time as all the new families were present and all the babies were dressed in their best Chinese dresses. You look at this photo and tell me those babies are not the cutest things in the world!

After the photo Ann Marie and friends went off to finish shopping and I was left along in the room to get the bags packed for a 2:00 pm departure. Savannah went down for her nap at 11:30 only to be woken up by a phone call some 45 minutes later, leaving Dad to pack with one arm while a sleepy little girl clung to the other. Needless to say when the bellboy showed up at 2:00 for the luggage I was still packing! Ooopps!

Well, after narrowly making the luggage cutoff we loaded the buses at the White Swan in route to the United States Consulate where Savannah would finally become a U.S. citizen and we would begin our long trek home. Once at the consulate, we were greeted with a computer glitch in the connection to Washington D.C., so we were slightly delayed. Not too bad, but still any delay in getting back home is a big one!

The bus ride to Hong Kong was a good one, slow, but good! Ben Lin, our guide in Hong Kong is a real comic and had TsingTau beers and soft drinks on board for all the new families to celebrate. Our crossings into the Economic Zone and Hong Kong were uneventful and the busses dropped off the tired, hungry and still enthusiastic group at 9:15 pm. Savannah made the trip with no problem and even downed a couple of bottles along with way. She held her own until about 10 minutes from the hotel, then the damn broke if you know what I mean! A few minutes later we arrived at the Regal and we all departed for our rooms, ready for some rest! After a gathering a quick meal from the airport Spaghetti House restaurant we are now ready to settle down for a good sleep. The baby is in the crib sound asleep, Ann Marie is patiently waiting for the hotel staff to fix her hot pot so we can have water for the formula and I am working on the BLOG so you can all follow our little adventure.

A couple of more days until we leave for home. Monday’s Continental flight could not seem farther away, but then again we have waited many months for our little girl so a couple of more days before we return home should not hurt too badly! That’s about all for tonight. We are going to try and take it easy tomorrow, but if anything cool happens you guys will be the first to know! Till then….

Michael (always the comedian), Ann Marie (spend it all), and Savannah (just give me the bottle) Kennedy

2006-04-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

Last Night in Guangzhou!

Can you believe it? We are spending our last night in Guangzhou tonight and will be on the road back to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon at 3:10 pm local time with a brief stop over at the United States Consulate so Savannah can be sworn in as a citizen of the United States! Yea!!!!

Today’s activities started with a great breakfast at the hotel in which both Mom and Dad got to eat their entire plate of food, a feat I am sure will be few and far in between for years to come. Savannah had her staple of congee and some oatmeal and people watched the entire rest of the meal (that’s my girl!). After breakfast Paul, Catherine, Ann Marie and I walked the entire Shamain Island and took in the early morning atmosphere. It was amazing to see the local townspeople, young and old, exercising and playing games. There was tia chi, badminton, ballroom dancing, people using exercise equipment in the park, swimming in the Pearl River, you name it, and we saw it! And believe me, there is no obesity problem here! Ann Marie wanted to tell everyone that she saw someone her Grandmothers age “jogging” in the park this morning and it was inspiring!

After taking a short break due to the rain this morning (the first we have experienced since our ride in last Sunday), Paul and I ventured off the island to one of the main shopping districts in Guangzhou. Did we stick out? Yes! Did we mind? No! We actually ate lunch at Pizza Hut since it struck our fancy and the girls told us not to eat anything “local”! Our on trip we took many back roads and got stares and curious looks from many people, but overall we have found the people of Guangzhou very nice and we have received the thumbs up from many of the locals we encounter on our trips around the area. At the shopping area there were so many shops that it reminded us of the local mall, only this was one long street of shops, much like Rodeo Drive in Guangzhou! We didn’t buy anything, but the window shopping sure was fun!

Our final meeting with Helen here in Guangzhou was to finalize our plans for the U.S. Consulate and to present us with a gift which is pictured here. She shed a tear when she told us that she spoke for the people of China when she thanked us for taking these little girls into our homes and giving them a life they would not have in the orphanage. We thanked her for all she had done, we took a group photo and with that we are one last step away from making Savannah a U.S. Citizen!

The last night on the island was going to be spent having a final dinner alone with our daughter and shopping for the many souvenirs that Ann Marie has listed for our family and friends, but things did not go as planned as you may guess. Due to the odd times at which we did things during the day, Miss Savannah missed her nap so she was a bit cranky, at least for a little while. So, while Ann Marie went on shopping, we came back to the room for dinner and play time and all I can say is we had a blast! I have video but do not know if we will get it up in time before we return.

So as we sit here on this last night in Guangzhou, Savannah has finished the night off with a bath and is now snug in her bed between our twin beds and Ann Marie and I are beginning the arduous task of packing for the trip back to Hong Kong. So here is a big Thank You to the people of Zhanjiang and Guangzhou, China for being such gracious hosts and allowing Ann Marie and I to become the family we always wanted to be. When we talk to you next time we will be back at the Regal Hotel at the Hong Kong Airport. Till then….

Michael (Driver of the Stroller), Ann Marie (The Big Spender) and Savannah (Holder of the Magic Bowl)

P.S. For those of you may not have heard, Savannah’s favorite toy so far is an ordinary plastic bowl which she has carried everywhere!

2006-04-05T09:20:00.000-04:00

Sights to See for Savannah

Today was a laid back day for the group of 10 (the number of families in our Guangdong travel group). We started the morning in room 1010 early at 5:30 am with the alarm clock of smells emanating from the diaper of one well soiled child! Well, Ann Marie and I could not stand it any longer and the day commenced at 5:30 am with a diaper change and feeding time!

Breakfast this morning was a bit rushed since we were leaving the hotel at 9:30 for sight seeing and shopping, but we managed to get a few pieces of French toast and eggs down before departing. The sightseeing for the day was at the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum in downtown. The Chen Ancestral Hall was originally located outside the west gate of Guangzhou city and built during the 14th to 20th year of the Qing Dynasty (1888-1894).

After the museum we took the bus over to one of the busiest shopping districts in the city to visit one of the stores that specialize in childrens items. What Helen, the group leader, fails to realize after all these years of coordinating these trips is that these adoptive mothers and fathers have been collecting items for the babies since the day they decided to adopt! I am telling you, Ann Marie could not stuff one more item into Savannah's closet (unless her Mom has cleaned that too!). After shopping for a short time we took the bus and the kids back to the hotel for lunch and a nap.

The afternoon for Ann Marie was spent shopping for pearls here at the hotel with a buyer arranged to show them to the families and Velcro and I went for a long walk around Shamian Island, yes, just the kid and I! Moms back really appreciated this move!

Tonight, the adventure-less crowd returned to Lucy's once again for dinner with a few stragglers hitting the Red Rose Restaurant right next door. What can we say, Lucy's serves up a mean meal and the kids love the congee and rice dinners there!

Right now we are preparing for bed with a freshly bathed Savannah and an energetic one at that! Over the past several days many barriers have come down and she is now crawling again, talking (or making noises) up a storm and even spending some quality time with Daddy (even though he has taught her a bad habit, raspberries!). We are a little over 4 days from our return to the United States and cannot begin to tell you how excited we are! We will talk to you all soon and promise to have stories to tell! Till then....

Michael (walking man), Ann Marie (the shopper), and Savannah (the stroller kid)

Do you do windows? I think this guy does! This is not a joke!

Yes, that is a window washer behind Ann Marie. He was suspendedended from the roof with an old braided rope and was sitting on a small board with the board and harness attached to the rope. We are on the 10th of 32 floors, but it is STILL HIGH! But he WAS wearing a hardhat! Oh my!

2006-04-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

Family Number 4!

What a difference a day can make! Last night Savannah was so in love with Rice Congee that we could not get enough in her at our dinner at Lucy's, but this morning at breakfast the over stimulation of 500 people in a dining room with a buffet that would rival Golden Corral and a waterfall to boot, it was too much for the little one to take! She did not eat anything and made our attempt at eating futile at best! Yes Mom, payback is a (insert your choice word here!). We did have our first midnight feeding which I handled masterfully even though Savannah is definitely a momma's girl! Its so nice to hold your daughter and know no one can take her away!

After breakfast we came back to the room where Savannah, or Velcro as we now call her, decided she would rather take a nap than eat so we got just a little free time. At 10:00 I went down to Helen's room for some of the final paperwork that included signing more documents than a closing on a new house and then paying for Velcro's Passport. Helen then gave us a little photo book taken by the orphanage staff that included several poses and a outdoor shot of the orphanage itself and a certificate of thanks for the donations we have made to the orphanage signed by the director. The photos and certificate were great, but the best but most tearful was the translation of where Savannah was found.

After the paperwork I gathered the wife and daughter from slumber land and we headed out for a walk around the island. Our main stop was at the Beatrice Grocery Store just up the street where we found the food of choice for Savannah, Heinz DHA & Vegetable Cereal! After 4 bowls we made her stop, but she really seemed happy and so were we! There will be a box or two of this in the luggage coming home! After we shared a pizza from the bagel shop with two other couples we all headed out for the medical exam, fun!

Actually I joke, but the exam went really well except for the one doctor that Velcro decided did not need to hear her heart beat! She was crying so loud that even he covered his ears! What a set of lungs this one has! Ears, nose, throat, head size, length and weight (17.5 lbs) turned out okay and we were soon headed back to the room.

Tonight we again hit Lucy's for some good food at a great price! A little chicken fried rice and stirfry broccoli for Mom and Dad and some chicken gongee for Velcro, oh yea, and a couple of beers too! (for us, not the baby!). Tomorrow is a free day when we will do some bonding and a little touring and shopping as well. We cannot wait to get home so we can just vegetate with Savannah and our puppies (we miss you Lady Bug, Patches and Mac) and become one big happy family!

God Bless the Children,
Michael (Mr. Fetch-It), Ann Marie (The Snugglie Master) and Savannah (Velcro)

P.S. We just had our first MAJOR poopie! The first one did not count since it was only a couple of plugs and was in the sink during bathtime! You have to love kids!

2006-04-03T07:07:00.000-04:00

Good morning Guangzhou!

Okay, so it’s not Vietnam and I am not Robin Williams, but it sounds good! Morning came awful early this morning for Ann Marie, but Savannah and I decided to sleep in until about 6:30. Savannah went to bed last night at 8:30 and did not make a peep until we finally woke her up at 6:30 this morning. What a great night’s sleep she must have had! She sleeps with her arms over her head and rolls from side to side (much like her daddy) during the night.

This morning we traveled back to the Office of Adoption Affairs to finalize the adoption process by reaffirming our personal information and the pledge to our daughter. The process was very simple, but the travel over was crazy! We last traveled on Sunday, so this morning was our first “workday” in Guangzhou. One word describes it, “Wow!” (See the video on the website linked on the right of the page). After all the families finished with the affirmations and photos we traveled to the security office where our documents were verified, Savannah’s picture was taken for the database and then we were off again on the bus! This time we headed back to the hotel, but before journeying back to the rooms Helen had us walk over to the passport photo office for the girls’ photos. All I have to say is that Savannah’s passport photo is an interesting one!

After the photos we came back to the room where Savannah finally drank about 5 ounces of formula for the first time and then went down for her nap from 12:00 to 2:00. During nap time I traveled out to get our laundry and borrowed a stroller so we could do some walking tomorrow.

Dinner tonight was at Lucy’s, a restaurant just down the street from the hotel that serves all kinds of good food for super reasonable prices. There were about 5 couples in our group, but I have to tell you, between adoptive families and high school students, the hotel and surrounding area is kind of like a mini-United States. Everyone has been super nice, the hotel staff is very accommodating and the trip so far has gone exceedingly well.

Tomorrow we do some additional paperwork in the morning and then go for Savannah’s physical examination in the afternoon. We hope that everyone is enjoying the posts and that you will keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue in our journey as a family. Till manana…..

Michael “The Captain”, Ann Marie “the kid” & Savannah “Little Miss Magic”

2006-04-02T06:55:00.000-04:00

What a day!

What a day indeed! It all started early this morning with preparing luggage for the trip, shoveling down a breakfast in the room, and meeting in the lobby of the Regal Hotel for the ride to the White Swan in Guangzhou, China. Our guide, Ben, gave us all the information we needed as well as some parenting advice as he is a degreed child psychologist from the United States.

The ride took about 3.5 hours and included two border crossings, the Hong Kong border and the Mainland China border just a few miles further. The trip was indescribable and I will let the photos do most of the talking.

After checking in at the hotel we had about two hours before we left or the Guangdong Office of Adoption Affairs. We arrived at the office after a 30 minute bus ride from the hotel and were led into a 5th floor foyer that leads to the offices. We were asked to wait there due to the fact the babies had not arrived from Zhanjiang. After a few minutes of milling about and small talk the doors to the elevator opened and out came the nannies holding the babies. Everyone was startled and only one person got video! After another few minutes the coordinator called for family number 1 and before you know it Ann Marie was holding Savannah! What a moment! I cannot believe what the feelings were or even attempt to describe it. I will again let the photos speak for themselves!

After all the families had received their babies we were on the bus again bound for the hotel and bonding time. While I went downstairs to fill out the paperwork and turn over the “Notes of Happiness” Ann Marie stayed in the room with Savannah. We had screaming, crying, vomit, crying, eating, playing, a smile and one set of proud parents!

Well, that’s all I can write for now as it is my duty to take care of dinner, which I think may become a regular fixture around the Kennedy household! Thanks for all the comments and e-mails of encouragement and kind words, they really mean a lot to us. We cannot wait to come home and begin our life together in Holly Springs, North Carolina with our family and puppies!

Love to all,
Michael, Ann Marie & Savannah

2006-04-01T10:21:00.000-04:00

Day 2 in Hong Kong

Well, the jet lag is gone (almost) and we had a wonderful day in Hong Kong. The morning started just as yesterday at Ray Kroc's place (McDonald's) and then we went on to meet Ben, our guide in Hong Kong. What a character! The ride into the city was phenomenal with Ben telling us lots about the history of the islands and the transformation they have undergone in the past 2000 years.

We first visited Victoria's Peak and took the tram to the top. This tram ride is really a sight to behold and carries you to the second highest point in Hong Kong, the first being the observation point just about the tramway. From here Ben and his driver took us on a ride around the city stopping at several places such as an English School and Repulse Beach, where Ann Marie made sure she rubbed the Laughing Buddha! Ben stated that she already had a Buddha of her own, then looked at me! Do I really look like a bald, round, happy guy? Well, if the shoe fits, I guess I will wear it!

From there Ben took us on a tour of the harbor on a Sampan. The harbor is a community on the water, made up by hundreds of fishing boats tied together. We motored around the half dozen rows of boats and got a small look and feel of what their every day life is like. It is amazing that the Tanka people still live this way, much as their ancerstors from generations ago.

Our last stop was Ann Marie's favorite, the Aberdeen Jewelry Factory. After viewing the jewelry making process we were taken into the showroom where Ann Marie almost lost her mind, and her credit card! The main reason for the trip was to purchase a gift for Savannah that she can wear a little later in life to remember her Chinese heritage.

After Aberdeen Ben took us downtown and left us there for the remainder of the afternoon and evening. We visited the Hong Kong History Museum then went to dinner and Happy Hour! After dinner we retired to the waterfront to watch the lightshow displayed on the building surrounding the harbor. At the completion of the show we returned to the hotel to find the remainder of our adoption group had arrived and was meeting with Ben in the hotel lobby before retiring to their rooms (did we look as zombie like as they did on Thursday?). We spoke to Nan and Russell and promised them they would feel better in the morning and with that we retired to the room to repack and prepare for tomorrow.

We leave for Guangzhou at 8:30 in the morning, which is a 4 hour bus ride into Mainland China with two border crossings. We have it from a good source that we will be united with Savannah around 2:00 pm tomorrow so we are preparing for our last night as a couple! We cannot wait till tomorrow! I am sure sleep will come at a premium tonight! We will update as soon as we can tomorrow so everyone can see our beautiful daughter!

Mike & Ann Marie

2006-03-31T08:09:00.000-04:00

Touring Lantau Island

Today was the first of two free days that we arranged in Hong Kong prior to travel into Mainland China. We spent most of our day traversing Lantau Island, home of the Hong Kong International Airport and Hong Kong Disneyland. But before we left for the tour, Ann Marie had to have some coffee....and guess where we found some? Yes, even in China you cannot escape Mr. Ray Kroc and his creation!

Our first stop of the day was at the Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha on Lantau. Po Lin is one of Hong Kong's major Buddhist temples and Lantau's most popular attraction. The Buddha is the worlds largest seated, outdoor, bronze Buddha and is magnificent! We took a cab from the hotel to Pi Lin and the ride up was breathtaking, more for the scenery but second for the fact that roads are tight, buses are big and there is a huge road project underway on Lantau. After arriving at Po Lin we climbed to the top of the hill where the Buddha statue rests and observed some of the last remaining relics from the 84,000 pieces that were created when Buddha was cremated in 543 BCE. After the climb we retreated to the monastery and had a vegetarian lunch and viewed many of the holy areas in the compound.

After Po Lin we took another cab to Tia O, and old fishing village on the northwest coast of Lantau. We walked through the village markets and viewed many of the Chinese delicacies from the sea. Much of the catch is dried but there were many live fish, shrimp and eels for sale in the market.

Leaving Tia O we headed to Tung Chung but by this time everyone was getting pretty worn out by the travel so we returned to the hotel around 5:00 pm. A small dinner tonight and then straight to bed! We are touring downtown Hong Kong tomorrow so we want to be rested! Look for more posts tomorrow on Hong Kong, then Sunday morning we are off to Guangzhou for the real reason we can to China! Till then.....

Mike & Ann Marie

2006-03-30T10:04:00.000-04:00

The Kennedy's have arrived!

Okay, I know its 9:00 am Thursday in the States, but it is 10:00 pm Thursday here in Hong Kong. All we can say is "What a flight"! 16 hours on any airplane, no matter how luxurious, is a long time, but we made it without a scratch! The photo at right was taken in our room just after we arrived, do we look a bit road weary?

We left home this morning at 6:00 am compliments of Mom & Dad #2 (Ann Marie's parents) and departed RDU at 8:15 for Newark, New Jersey. At the Newark Airport we met up with our "Adoption Friends" Keith and Susie Irwin from Augusta, Georgia. We also had a visit from Ann Marie's Aunt Mary who like an angel brought subs, chips and drinks for us all to have lunch at the airport. We had a great time with Aunt Mary discussing the family and catching up on all the goings on. With a family that is spread out all over the United States it is important to catch up when you can!

After a great meal we departed Newark for Hong Kong at 3:00 pm and much to our surprise the coach seating was not that bad! We were on a new 777 with personal video screens with multiple video, music and games to entertain us. We all watched "Walk the Line" the story of Johnny Cash so now we all are singing "Ring of Fire". The meals we were served were awesome! A dinner of steak ,veggies, rice, salad and brownie, a light snack of a mini-burger and ice cream, and a breakfast of eggs, potatoes and sausage or Ann Marie's favorite Dim Sum. Everything was superb, thanks Continental!

We arrived at the Hong Kong airport at 8:30 pm, made it through customs without a hitch and walked right to the hotel all in about 45 minutes. Try that in the United States! Everyone was very helpful and everything we have seen so far is beautiful! The photos below are from the Newark Airport, the Regal Hotel lobby in Hong Kong and the view from our room overlooking the beautiful Hong Kong Airport.

Tomorrow we are going to try and adjust to the time change and play everything by ear instead of trying to push ourselves after such a long flight. We will be posting more tomorrow night depending on what we do on our off day, but Saturday will be event and photo filled as we will be touring the island and downtown Honk Kong.

The time to become a family is short and tension and excitement is high! We should be joined together on Sunday so be prepared to check the BLOG for photos of one happy family!

Mike & Ann Marie (in Hong Kong)

2006-03-29T00:13:00.000-04:00

Its almost time to leave....

Wow, what a day! And it ain't even over yet! We are still working on getting the luggage and the house ready for our 6:00 am departure and the excitement of the upcoming travel plus the excitement in getting to hold Savannah for the first time is not going to let us sleep at all tonight!

Earlier tonight we had our families, adoption friends and our Pastor come to the house for a small dinner and get together. A good time was had by all and the evening was capped off by a wonderful prayer from Pastor Carter in lieu of our travel to China. I am sure there were some tears shed at this point as the words that were spoken were very poignant and touching.

Ill make it short tonight so we can get back to packing, but we just wanted to say thank you to all of those people who have helped us along our year and a half journey to get our daughter Savannah. The names are too numerous to list, but I am sure you know who you are , plus hugs and handshakes mean more than words. We have not even left yet and we cannot wait to return home to share our love with Savannah, our families, and our friends.

Well, the next time you hear from us we should be checking in at the Regal Hotel in Hong Kong, unless I get some free Wi-Fi along the way! Till then.......

Mike & Ann Marie

2006-03-27T16:05:00.000-04:00

Greetings from FedEx!

The tickets are here and we are confirmed for the 8:125 flight out of Raleigh on our way to get Savannah! Chris, our favorite FedEx delivery guy outside of our neighbor who is also a FedEx delivery guy, came right on time at 10:30 as he makes his last morning stop in our neighborhood. Chris spent a couple of minutes with us discussing the upcoming trip then we bolting inside to see our itinerary!

We leave for China on Wednesday morning arriving in Hong Kong at 7:22 pm plus one day! We will spend a few days seeing the sights of this most beautiful city then meet up with the rest of our group at the Regal Airport Hotel on Saturday, April 1st. We are assuming that we will be blessed with Savannah on Sunday, April 2nd but that is not certain at this time. After a few days in the adoption process we will meet with the U.S. Consulate and be on our way home with an anticipated departure from Hong Kong on Monday, April 10th. We will be staying at the White Swan Hotel in GuangZhou the entire trip so travel in country will be minimal for us. I will p0st links to the right side of the BLOG if you want to see the hotels we will be at during out trip.

For now we are busily finishing items around the house like baby gates and outlet plugs (does anyone know how many outlets you can get in a house? A ton!) Ann Marie will be spending her last day as an expectant Mom here in the U.S. with her Mom and then we are having friends and family come over to the house for a last hoorah before we bed down for the long night of restless sleep before we leave the following morning. Look for a post on this one tomorrow!

The BLOG postings will hopefully become daily now and yours truly, Mike "The Journalist" Kennedy, will keep everyone up to date on the trip! The hours are short and the flight is long, but we are so close to being a family now it hurts! We will see you soon Little Miss Magic!

Hugs and Love to All,
Dad, Mom and the Puppies

2006-03-26T20:07:00.000-04:00

Our last Sunday as two....

Well, today marked the last visit to our church here in Holly Springs as two! When we return from China we will need to take advantage of the nursery for the first time! We were so happy to share the news of our upcoming departure with our Pastor and the congregation at Sunrise United Methodist Church. Hopefully many of them will follow our travels right here on Savannah's BLOG and can see how wonderful of an experience adoption can be. This is a special thank you to those of you who have prayed right along with us through these many months and have shared in our journey to becoming parents. We are exactly 2 day, 9 hours and 46 minutes away from leaving, and it’s still not soon enough!

The song that you are hearing on the website is “Little Miss Magic” by Jimmy Buffett. This song stole my heart a long time ago and I promised myself that my daughter would one day share the same name as the songwriter’s first child. The origin of the song according to Jimmy is as follows:

“When Savannah Jane was born, my world was definitely altered. Once, when she was very small, she pointed to a spot on the globe and told me she had been a princess in China. Before she could speak I would watch her follow the blades of the ceiling fan with her big brown eyes, and I could not help but be a proud father.”

I became a Parrotthead some 25 years ago while listening to “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes” on a album borrowed from a friend I was immediately smitten as a 13 year old kid (you do the math!) with the tales of life on the sea, even applying to the Navy that same year (thanks for telling them I could not go yet Mom!). Some 40 concerts, one tattoo and numerous LPs, Cassettes and CD’s later I am still a fan and hope that somewhere in this small world Savannah Jane Buffett knows that the real China princess Savannah Ming Quan Kennedy is coming home.

We will be there very soon Savannah! We love you!
Dad, Mom and the Puppies

2006-03-23T20:52:00.000-04:00

The call came today!

Okay, the day we never thought would come came with little fanfare! I received a message on my work phone after I left work today giving us the news that we will leave for China on Wednesday March 29th. Now it was'nt a real surprise as we had been told to be prepared to leave sometime this coming week, but the sound of someone's voice telling you that you will be leaving on a specific day makes your heart sit a little easier! Our Visas, tickets and itinerary will arrive on Monday so we will update again then to let everyone know exactly what the plan is! Now its time to finish getting ready for our long flight to become a family!

We will be there soon Savannah Ming Quan Kennedy!

Love Dad, Mom and the Puppies!

2006-03-18T10:39:00.000-04:00

Can you say the word "Spoiled"?

We wanted to post the most recent photos of the transformation taking place at the Maynard household. My in-laws made a run to Baby USA the other day and low and behold they managed to leave with just three items! Now I will not say how much they spent, but the store did report record profits for the month of March and its only half over! Just kidding!! My mother-in-law is preparing for a future of multiple grandkids so it’s only the best for her grandchild Savannah, the first in what we hope is a full house. Now if we can just convince Joey and Ann (Ann Marie’s brother and wife) to move down and take some of the burden off of us in the grandchild department we could rest easier! Oh well, we can handle it for now, but I am sure that Savannah will be one of the most spoiled grandkids in North Carolina for years to come!

I hope everyone had a special St. Patrick’s Day. We celebrated at Ann Marie’s parents with the traditional corn beef and cabbage (and some tasty carrots) along with some cheap red wine to wash it all down. With a name like Kennedy you have to celebrate this day in style!

Well, the countdown is on. If you will notice I added a countdown clock to the header in the BLOG so that everyone can keep track of the amount of time we have left before we take off for China! It may update once we get our final authorization, but it’s a very close estimate right now! We will be there soon Savannah! Love Mom & Dad

2006-03-15T22:10:00.000-04:00

Anyone here listen to Devo? Okay, I may be dating myself, but on the Total Devo album released in 1988 there was a song called "Happy Guy", and it contained the lyrics;

"Well it's an open road and it's full of life, stretching on and on, but it stops somewhere because time keeps ticking away, time keeps on ticking away..."

Thats where Ann Marie and I stand right now! After many frustrating days of waiting for a phone call to let us know when we would be leaving to be with our precious daughter Savannah Ann finally received a note from our agency saying:

We do not have an exact departure date yet, but it will be between March 31st and April 2nd. We have yet to get the appointment date but as soon as we know it we will give you the departure date and return date. This should be by the end of next week.

Thats good enough for us, for now! We are planning to leave a couple of days early with some friends so we can acclimate to the time change in China and to sightsee a little around Hong Kong before "Gotcha Day". Things should move quickly from here, wrapping up things at work, getting the house ready, making lists and checking them twice, packing for the trip....anyone want to help? Thanks for staying with us on the journey, now sit back, hold and tight and prepare for the ride to China! See you soon Savannah!!

Love,
Dad, Mom and the Pups!

2006-03-02T19:28:00.000-04:00

Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows!

Does that sound familiar? Ann Marie and I are beginning to think that waiting on a date to leave for China is just as painful as waiting for that roulette ball to drop! Its now the 2nd of March and we are still waiting to hear that TA's (travel authorizations) are in from China and that the U.S. consulate has issued us an appointment. We are very hopeful that we will be traveling by the last week in March and will return home with Savannah sometime early April, but it all depends on where that little white ball lands.....oooops, I mean when the date comes in!

We did receive some inspiration from our friends the Stults's in the form of a Swami Dean premonition. According to Swami Dean:

You will see Savannah for the first time on Sunday, 3/26. All the other stuff will happen before then.

I think that Dean is a cross between a true Swami and Confucius, but all joking aside he has been spot on so far! Thanks for keeping the faith Dean!

Meanwhile, during the tenuous wait we, or I mean Ann Marie, has been hurriedly preparing the house and packing. What this means is that I can no longer plug anything in lower than 4 feet above the floor and the spare bedroom looks like the returns section at Babies R Us! I wonder if I will be able to take any clothing or will I just have to wash what I wear each night? Ann Marie is doing her best to limit the items we take, but being a new mom this has proven to be a tall task! She has even had her Mom and friends helping but to no avail! I think we will need an intervention before we leave!

And if Savanna decided to get a little sick I am sure the CVS pharmacy that we will be packing along will be more than enough to cover it! Have you ever seen so many drugs in one spot? Okay, do not answer that! Ann Marie has worked diligently to make sure we have everything we need and for that I thank her. I may pick on Ann Marie for being so over prepared, but I would not want her to be any other way!

Well, its back to the waiting game, so keep your fingers crossed and the clock running! ;-)

2006-02-12T11:02:00.000-04:00

Travel Meeting and the GD Group!

Okay, I know what you are thinking and no that is not what the GD stands for! We were warned that others may not understand so we decided with the wicked sense of humor that our travel group has we will have fun with it! GD stands for Guangdong which is the Province in China that our little girl comes from. Each family traveling to the Province is assigned a number (ours is 4), so immediately your family is known as GD #4! Quite catchy isn’t it?!?!? We will be creating shirts for the group that will read "I am a GD Mom/Dad" on the front with the family number on the back. Just our little way of having fun on our way to becoming a family!

When do we leave?
Yesterday Ann Marie and I traveled to Greensboro to meet with Susan our adoption coordinator and the others in the group. This was our travel meeting where we discussed travel arrangements, monetary details and all the other questions that have been floating around in our heads! Along with Nan and Russell and Keith and Susan, our friends from North Carolina & Georgia, we plunged head first into making sure this will be the event of a lifetime! We have decided that we will arrive in Hong Kong two days early to prepare our bodies for the time change and to get some sight seeing in before we take over as full time Mom and Dad. (Nan and Russell, if you read this...COME WITH US!) The two days in Hong Kong should be a real treat! And if you could not guess, the number one question at the meeting, "When do we leave?"
Time for a Feast!
After the meeting we all traveled back to Raleigh to meet with the Chris, Heidi and Chloe at P.F. Changs at Crabtree Mall for an early dinner. After working our way through the maze (parking deck) to find a space we all prepared for what Weight Watchers would call a Sinful Meal! There was enough Spicy Chicken, Lo-Mien and Shrimp to feed a small village, but we somehow managed to save room for the "Great Wall" of chocolate cake, twice over!! (How many points was that Nan?) Everyone enjoyed playing with an active Miss Chloe and decided that we should leave immediately for China.

Well, its back to grind for another week. Check back with us soon to see what other happenings are going on in the Countdown to Savannah! Good night Princess (its midnight at the orphanage). Love, Mom & Dad

2006-02-02T20:44:00.000-04:00

Just another step in the process!

On Tuesday of this week Ann Marie and I had to travel to Charlotte to update our fingerprints with the Department of Homeland Security. Needless to say, that was an interesting morning! Ann Marie's Mom also went with us and has her own stories to tell now! After finishing with that task, we headed to Southpark Mall for some shopping and lunch. As you can see, Savannah enjoyed her first Cheesecake Factory cheesecake along with her Mom & Dad! After some shopping at Southpark Ann Marie and her Mom headed to Concord Mills and I headed back to work in South Carolina. I do not know how much was spent at Concord Mills later in the trip and I am not going to ask! Our next big steps will be mailing off our documents for travel and then the travel meeting on the 11th of February. At the travel meeting we will learn much more about where and when we will be traveling so look for an update on travel information after that Saturday! One week down, a few more to go! See you soon little one! Mom & Dad

2006-01-29T00:10:00.000-04:00

Savannah's First Hockey Game!

Tonight marked Savannah's first hockey game! Okay, not really, but her photo was there! We hope we can take her to many games in the near future! Can anyone say Stanley Cup Finals? The Canes won in Savannah's and Ron Francis's honor tonight 4-1 over the Atlanta Thrashers. Well done Canes!

2006-01-28T16:10:00.000-04:00

Happy New Year!

Okay, I know that for most of you this is about 27 days too late, but for the Chinese community January 29th is the beginning of the New Year and this year is the Year of the Dog. The Chinese calendar has been in continuous use for centuries, which predates the International Calendar (based on the Gregorian Calendar) we use at the present day which goes back only some 425 years. The calendar measures time, from short durations of minutes and hours, to intervals of time measured in months, years and centuries, entirely based on the astronomical observations of the movement of the Sun, Moon and stars.

Today we spent the morning at the TACAS (see our links) New Year festival here in Raleigh. We gathered with many of our friends and their children to take in the beautiful sights and sounds, share so great food and to immerse ourselves into the culture that we will soon share when we travel to China to pick up Savannah! We cannot wait!

Mommy in Training!

We have had a whirlwind couple of days since we received our referral packet and are still recovering! Ann Marie and her Mom have decorated the houses with photos of Savannah (I didn't know you could spend that much money in a photo copier!) and the families are preparing for the new addition!

We want to thank everyone who has sent us notes of congratulations and called to let us know how beautiful our daughter is. We feel that we are truly blessed to have been chosen to be Savannah's parents and cannot wait until the day we hold our daughter for the first time.

On a side note, we wanted to document all the coincidences that have come with the referral of our daughter. First, I (Mike) had a dream a week before Mothers Day last year that our daughter was born somewhere in China and noted as much to Ann Marie in her Mothers Day card. Savannah's documented birth date was May 6th, Mothers Day was May 9th, pretty close to the dream! Also, she was born on the LID (log in date) for our dossier in China. Another was after we heard the referral process was slowing down I made a guess in my PC Outlook calendar that we would receive our referral on the 27th of January, it came on the 26th! One of our friends told us that the referrals would mail from China on the 20th of January, they mailed that day! Is all this coincidence? Maybe so, but I still think it was all meant to be!

Well, this is getting long and its almost time for the hockey game so I will log off for now. To end all I will say is the light is still on in the window and our hearts are still longing to bring our daughter home. We love you Savannah! Mom & Dad

2006-01-26T12:19:00.000-04:00

Isn’t she beautiful!

It’s been an incredible, overwhelming and most of all emotional day here in Holly Springs! All over the world our friends are receiving the first photos of their adopted children and today it was our turn! Savannah is beautiful! We started the day at 6:00 am as normal, but the following hours were anything but normal! Ann Marie sat by the window for 3 hours waiting for the package to arrive and as if planned, it arrived at 10:25 am, 5 minutes before the deadline for FedEx! We were the last stop on the route! Can you believe it? After a frenzied set of photos with our awesome delivery guy Chris we tore into the house to open the new arrival! In front of the camera the emotions flowed and our lives were completed.

Savannah is a little over 8 months old now and she has hair (sorry about the haircut Savannah)! Her medical information looks good and she is said to be gaining weight, adding teeth, is very attentive, and shows great affection. And best of all she is a DEEP SLEEPER! We are so pleased with the advancement of her vital statistics and cannot wait to get her home!

Savannah is a “Southern Beach Baby” as her orphanage was located on the Southern coast of the Guangdong Province just off the South China Sea, so she should fit in quite well in the Kennedy household!

Well, we are off to make copies of photos for family and friends and to complete the paperwork to officially make Savannah our daughter. Today has started a new chapter in our life together and it has been a true gift. Look for more updates to come, its time to celebrate!

We love you Savannah! Mom & Dad

Thanks for the balloons Chris, Heidi & Chloe! What a surprise!

2006-01-25T23:40:00.000-04:00

First comes the phone call, then comes the photo!

After nearly 15 months of paperwork, finger prints, home study visits, baby basic course, and answering questions about where our adopted daughter was coming from, the time has arrived! At 1:10 pm today, January 25th, 2006 Ann Marie received the phone call we have waited patiently, and sometimes impatiently, for! Savannah is one step closer to coming home with this call! The next step comes tomorrow with the arrival of the formal referral documents! Here is what we know so far:

Her Chinese Name is Zhan Ming Quan, (phonetically Chan Ming Chuan). When she comes home her American name will be Savannah (middle to be decided) Kennedy. She was born on May 6, 2005 and she is currently waiting for her mom and dad in the Guangdong Province of China at the Zhanjiang SWI. We will have much more information on Savannah and most important the first photo of our daughter! Be sure and check back with us then!

One day closer....yet still not close enough. Good night Savannah, Mom and Dad will be there soon.

2006-01-23T22:34:00.000-04:00

The Stork is in the Air!

With the coming of the dawn came the news we have waited for nearly 8 months, our referral is on its way from China and our baby daughter will soon be revealed to us after our agonizing wait. It is miraculous to read the posts on the websites and feel the rush of anticipation coming from the soon to be parents and the utter despair from the parents who’s log in dates come just past the dates released by the CCAA. I hope that the mothers and fathers who offer these children up for adoption know that the love being shown to them is equal to that left behind. Will she be tall or short? Will she be thin or as plump as a butterball turkey? Will she as bald as her soon to be father or have a thick black head of hair? The days between now and the fateful FedEx delivery will be slow and painful, but so worth the wait. Till then, Ann Marie and I will live our lives as normally as possible and prepare for the change that is soon to come! Check back with us daily so you do not miss the joyous moment when a little piece of our Savannah comes home. Till then, sleep tight little one, Gotcha day is one day closer. Love, Mom & Dad

2006-01-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

The Light in the Window

If you drive by the house these days you will notice a small pink light in the foyer window on the second floor. This is the light we have placed for all to see to remind them, as well as ourselves, of our daughter who will soon be coming home. This light will burn each night until Savannah is safe and sound in her crib right here in Holly Springs. We hope that somehow she can see the glow from this light and will realize that we will soon be there.

In other news, we are waiting as patiently as expected parents can for any confirmation from CCAA that the referrals for our LID have been released and are on their way to the anxious families all around the world. So for those of you who tonight sit by the computer tonight, logged on to the countless websites awaiting that word, know that the expectant father on this end of the internet, along with one sometimes impatient, but truly optimistic and loving mother share your every waiting moment. The PC will be on all night and to end, we love you Savannah.....see you soon. Love, Mom & Dad

2006-01-19T10:26:00.000-04:00

For the one who waits, every moment seems like an eternity.....

I read this quote off one of our boards and felt it was the God's honest truth. And, happily, this morning, it appears that CCAA has updated their website:

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office in June 2005.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before April 25, 2005.

Now, perhaps this is fate but two totally unrelated people have told me that the 20th of this month is our day. Last night, our good friend Susie who is also adopting with us, dreamed her little girl Sara was in the Guangdong province and her husband told her a year ago that on the 24th of January, it will be a special day. As I write, rumors are flying that the referrals will be sent tomorrow (the 20th!) and that the cut off is either May 10 or May 12. That would mean we could get the call on Jan. 24th! I find this all too much of a coincidence to not be true. Please say a prayer for us all over the next few days.....

Until more is known, our red thread holds strong!

2006-01-15T21:54:00.000-04:00

Well, when is next???

Normally, I don't rant but this time, I will break my rule. What do we know? We know we are an early LID for May (May 6). What else do we know? That our agency has pretty much confirmed that we will not be getting our referral in January. They are still working on the travel authorizations for the previous referrals and they won't work on another batch until the TAs for the previous group are complete. This is not the best news and definately not what we wanted to hear. With the CNY starting on the 29th of Jan, we can pretty much look for a late Feb/early March referral. And then, with a referral that late, we have the high likely hood of having the April trade show impact our travel. Just when you feel that you are on the upswing, it seems like yet another road block or slow down is thrown in front of you. I find myself wondering - is it possible to be pregnant for 15 months? God knows, when we started this process in October of 2004, I thought of myself as pregnant. While not in the phyisical sense, definately in the emotional sense. My child was there and my attachement to her was growing everyday in my heart. Now, I find myself anything but excited about my child and tired of everyone saying silly things like "well, not much you can do about it" or "your child is just not ready" or "in God's time". These sayings really don't do much to improve my mood or provide any bit of encouragement. You know, just say - "I'm sorry it sucks. We are here for you" and call it a day! If you asked my when I started this process if this was easier than fertility treatments, I would have said yes. I think I will recant that. This is worse by a long stretch!

Until we have more positive news we will just keep holding on to our red thread and burn our candle in our window until our little girl comes home.

2005-12-30T10:27:00.000-04:00

Are we next?????

Well the next batch of referrals was released yesterday. According to the CCAA website:

"The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office in May 2005. The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before April 25, 2005"

Unfortunately, we weren't included in this latest cut off. But, this means we are next. When next will be no one knows due to the start of the Chinese New Year in late January. I have to believe that one more round of referrals will be released before the holiday. Come on red thread - don't let us down now!!!!

2005-12-28T21:38:00.000-04:00

Photos from the Matching Room in China.

Is that our blue folder over there?

So, where are we at now?

Well, the months have been slowly ticking away and we have been patiently waiting for our referral. The last several months have been rather depressing as China has slowed a little, sending only two weeks of LID referrals per month instead of only whole months. I understand they are undergoing a bit of reorganization at CCAA to be more efficient and to ensure the safety of the children. What ever it takes I say!

But, finally, we are ever so close. Rumors are starting to build that the next batch of referrals could be the rest of April and the first part of May! That means us! The CCAA website reports that dossiers logged in during the month of May are done with review so that means we should be in the matching room. And just perhaps a small Christmas Prayer is being answered. Someone could be holding our dossier right now and holding little Savannah's dossier and making the decision to put us together as a family. Our red thread may finally be joined!

2005-10-19T15:40:00.000-04:00

Hello from the Kennedys in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

This blog is to allow our friends and family to follow the trials and tribulations of our adoption process. We hope you enjoy!

We also want to welcome home Chris & Heidi Loflin and their new daughter Chloe!