Don't rush me....

There is something in the panic-stricken face of this adorable panda that resonates with me right now.  Like him, I just want to beat everyone back with a piece of bamboo - lol

So the big news is that we finally have an official leaving date - we will depart sunny Florida in the very early hours of Saturday July 26th, 2008 (which also happens to be my friend Sally's birthday - Happy Birthday Girlie).  I cannot believe we have managed to hold out here for as long as we have.  Incredibly, we arrived in Miami on January 24th, 2003 with the idea we would be here 18-24 months max.  Who knew that we would fall in love with the place and never want to leave?  Not me, I never fancied living in the US, but I can honestly say that I have loved every single minute of it - the bugs, the humidity, the driving and even the hurricanes, nothing can change my opinion of Florida - It is so 'my' kind of place.  The blue skies are incredible (I am going to miss those in Shanghai), but better yet are the friends and family we have made here.  We came as a fairly newlyweds with a 1 year old, now we are leaving with more grey hairs and 3 kids!!!  I am going to miss so many things about Florida - I have the most amazing friends, who truly are my family now.  It is going to be sad to leave this place, but as many of you know moving to China has been a Choi Family dream for a long, long time.  It has been my dream since I was a little girl.  I truly cannot believe that I am getting to live my wildest dream and someone is paying me (and my whole family) to do it!  Awesome!!

This is turning into a goodbye post and I am not ready to say that yet, so I will move on to other things.  Richard is in Shanghai right now, working hard at his new job and trying to get our house furniture purchased, so that we at least have a bed to sleep on when we arrive.  I was able to have my fingerprints taken here in Florida this morning (to protect my Green Card) and narrowly missed a panic flight to Detroit, which was where my appointment was originally scheduled.  Our third appraiser came this afternoon, hopefully he will appraise the house well and we can get that moving.  We are trying to sell it, but as everyone knows, it is a dog eat dog world out there in the realty world.  Keep your fingers crossed that good things continue to happen.  We are not looking to make stack loads of cash, but we would like to at least break even.

Hansen and both the girls had their last therapy sessions yesterday.  That was very sad.  Hansen's strength, endurance and general physical abilities have improved so much over the past couple of months thanks to the wonderful Miss Roni.  Cadence is now talking up a storm and Aimee is beginning to master her lisp.  They were both so sad to say farewell to Miss Latanya, their speech therapist.  Thank heavens for email, all the kids have said they are going to have Aimee email everyone once we arrive and get settled.

Okay, I really should be doing something more productive that will help us get to China.  The packers are coming in on July 15th to pack our sea shipment stuff and I am nowhere near ready for that to happen.  For some reason sleep always seems like such a more pleasurable way to pass the time...  But with Rich coming home late on Saturday, I really have to step up to the plate.

So as you sit and relax reading this, sipping a martini, thinking life is good, please think of me - I am the one at the top of the page who is begging for it all to STOP!

September is looking a long way away right now, but I know that by the time it gets here, life will look remarkably different and so will all the neighbors - lol.  As tough as it is right now, I know that we are working towards an amazing adventure, and as they say "Life is not destination, but a journey to be savored each step of the way..."