Karwoski Life

Phew…where to start? Well, we are about halfway through our first day here in Tianjin, and there is much to mention. The trip was mostly uneventful yesterday…just long, long, long. We got to the gate in Des Moines, just in time to board…then we had to wait for a while before we could leave. O’hare was delayed. We arrived in Chicago around 7:30 AM or so, deplaned and took our time finding our way to the next terminal. We had several hours to kill, so we just ate some breakfast and wandered for a while. As we made our way back to our gate to settle in and wait for the plane, a woman ran up to me, gave me a big hug, and said she’s been reading our blog and feels like she knows us. Her name is Mary and she is accompanying her husband Tim to China as well. Apparently she heard of our blog through friends of a friend’s sister…or something like that. Anyway, it was great to meet another couple preparing to head out on this journey as well. We sat and visited with them while we wait...

Hello!!! Well, just a quickie to let everyone know we made it safe and sound. We arrived in Beijing at about 2:30 AM Iowa time...and got to the hospital just before 7:00 AM. It was a long, long, trip...with many amusing details I'll have to share with you soon. For now, I just wanted to let everyone know we're ok, we're getting settled, and now we're ready for bed. After all, we've been up now for about 28 hours. I'm EXHAUSTED! Here are some pics of our journey so far. Us on the plane...just starting out: Can you tell how huge the plane is? We are in the very last row...a bad idea in hindsight: My first Coke Light: The view over Siberia...our plane went up over Alaska and over: On the bus to Tianjin...don't we look TIRED!? Matt's room...like the pose? This is how goofy Matt gets when sleep deprived:

Well, we’re in our final days of life at our Des Moines house. It feels weird that in just a few days we will be traveling across the world, knowing that this is the last time Matt will be in this house. This house, where we have put so much of ourselves into updating and enhancing it. There are many projects, too many to list, which we worked on together. It will be sad to leave this house. It is good that we have such a wonderful new house to move to!!! I can’t believe that the time has finally come to prepare for this huge journey. So many people have asked us if we are ready, if we’ve started packing, etc…and I really don’t have much to say. We started laying out some of Matt’s clothes…but that’s about it. I think possibly I have actually procrastinated a little on preparing for this trip. I’ve done the necessary things…like getting our passports and travel arrangements in order…but otherwise, it hasn’t been something I really wanted to get ready for. I think maybe because...

We’re on the countdown now…the countdown for the China trip and then the pending move. So much going on – I just haven’t had much time to stop and write. There are so many details to think about…and I find myself just wanting to sit and enjoy being ‘normal’ with Matt. Of course, those days and moments are fleeting…there is just too much to do. I feel pretty torn about it. I want to just enjoy the time we have together, but on the same time, I know I have to stay on top of the packing and preparations. Just think about all the arrangements that need to be made when moving…then add a trip to China in the midst…and don’t even get me started on returning home to an empty and packed up house. My head and heart are full of emotions… Last week we celebrated Valentine’s Day quietly at home together. Of course, I had made the traditional heart shaped cookie…his favorite. This year I looked up the Chinese symbol for Love and put that on there. It’s always a challenge to put something new...

We had a conference call last night with Ruth and several other people traveling over to China in our March group. It was SO helpful, and just what I needed to calm my fears and make it all seem more real. She went through what to expect at the airport, on the plane, and what to do at the Beijing airport. She told us that she will meet us either at the hospital or at the airport – but we will see her that day! She also said she’d be there every week checking in on everyone, and that someone from her staff would be there daily. The doctors and nurses all speak English – this was a HUGE relief to us. Most of the helpers do not, but she said to rest assured that they understand and are so very helpful. There was a woman on the call whose son had gone to China and she spoke of how wonderfully caring the staff were over there…so that makes us all feel good. I think Matt and I are definitely at an advantage over some of the other folks since I’m a fairly experienced traveler, and Mat...

Another week has come and gone and we’re really on the countdown for the upcoming China trip. It’s really starting to hit me lately – the reality of it all…and how soon it is going to be here. I find myself feeling somewhat selfish and stingy of our time, wanting to make sure that we have at least one more Sunday at home alone together. Our schedules are just filling up and it’s hard to find time to just be. Saturday we got our taxes done and then worked all afternoon in the garage. Work in the garage = FUN for Emily. It’s not that I don’t like being out there…but I don’t like being out there getting dirty. Dirty = CRABBY Emily. Well, garage dirty anyway…yard dirty, house dirty…they don’t bother me as much as garage dirty. I’m just not cut out for that. But, never the less, I stepped up to the plate and spent several hours out there with Matt going through his junk…er valuable, and totally ‘going-to-use-that-for-something-someday’ stuff. We filled up the garbage can, and by fil...

We stopped up at the new house tonight with Hope, Chad, and our friend Jay. Our neighbor Todd has finished painting the trim work and most of the living/dining/kitchen area...we LOVE how the paint looks with the trim and the cabinets. Can't wait to see the rest of the colors come to life!