Happy New Year!

Today, Sunday, is the first day of the Chinese lunar new year! It is now the year of the pig, indeed, the very special year of the golden pig, which only comes once a lifetime. Children born this year are held to be especially fortunate and will surely live blessed lives. Rebecca has already been born biologically of course, but she will be "born" into our lives shortly, so she gets some of the golden-pig blessing to my way of thinking!

Here is an image taken as part of the New Year celebrations in southwest China right in Rebecca's home municipality of Chongqing:

We've spent the entire day shopping and organizing and packing for the trip. We've made sure we've got warm clothes to bring Rebecca, two money-belts to carry our cash, and gift bags for the folks in China. We've gone over packing lists, and airline regulations for carry-ons, and the list of all the official baby-documents that have to be assembled and carefully transported with us. Lots and lots of preparations are under way...