It's official

We (or I) was a little nervous until I saw it in writing, but here it is on the web in great big letters (er ... pixels) ... http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=15. You have to scan down to "Trip to China with Dick Nourse").

This is so surreal. We went yesterday to get passports and immunizations, but it probably won't really sink in until we actually land in the Asia.

And the winner is . . .

Lance, yes, Lance is the winner of a trip for 2 to Beijing, China hosted by KSL TV anchorman Dick Norse. Those of you who watch channel 5 here in Utah probably know who that is - for those of you who don't - he is the former evening news anchor who has just recently retired after about 4 decades of being on the air for KSL. One of the highlights of his career was, of course, reporting on the Salt Lake Winter Olympics so that would be why going with him to the site of the 2008 Olympic games (Beijing) should be especially interesting.

When Lance called me today to tell my about winning the trip he first emailed me the link of where he had entered the contest. My comment was "why would I want to go to China". And he said something like "are you sure about that? Cause I just won the trip!" There was quite a few moments of silence on my side and then I asked if this was an early April Fools joke. Then all I could think about was "China!! It's a communist country! I don't want to go to China!". I am sure that I have said in the not too distant past that China is one place I never will have a desire to go. NEVER say NEVER! As the shock began wearing off I began thinking of what a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity this is. Lance was so excited he couldn't get anything done at work and his boss told him to take a mental health day so he headed home.

Now begins the planning (and for my part - worrying). We will be gone the 20th- 29th of May- which is JJ's last two weeks of school and we leave on the day of Hannah's preschool graduation. We have to make sure that things are worked out so that the kids can be taken care of. We also are hurrying to make sure we get passports in time. I believe that we are going to need shots as well ( owwww!) . Of course my friend Missy has already started her list of stuff she wants us to buy for her over there.

This is the absolute last thing I would have ever thought would happen to us. We are both still in shock I think. I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason. For someone like me who has never travelled outside the US (or very much within the US) this trip is a little daunting. Visiting a culture so different from ours will be an amazing experience. I hope to learn a great deal from this experience. I hope more than anything that taking this trip will help me to come back and teach my kids about the world and the diverse people in it.