Are we there yet?

With all the excitement of being matched with our daughter in August, and the rush of paperwork in September, it's taking ALL the patience I can muster to make it through this next month of doing nothing but waiting!!  Here is a quick update for those of you who are wondering WHEN we will be able to travel!  (I WISH I could give you a solid date!!)

Today the US Embassy in China is opening back up after taking a few days off for the National Holiday.  Our "Article 5" paperwork is at the embassy and will take 2 weeks to be completed.  Then we reach the BIG step...waiting for TRAVEL APPROVAL!  The shortest I've heard for this approval is 5 days, and the longest is about 3 weeks.  The average is 10-14 days, so I am expecting to have TA (Travel Approval) by the end of October.  At that point we will be able to set our travel dates, between 1-3 weeks out, and buy our tickets!  

It still looks like we will be able to travel sometime in November.  I look at my calendar 100x's a day, and my thoughts go something like this... "Ok, if we get TA by Fri, Oct 24th, and travel groups usually leave on Wednesdays, we could fly on Nov 5th.  Adoption Days typically happen on Mondays, so we would get our daughter on Nov 10th, and get to be with her on her birthday the next day!  Our date to fly home would be 2 days after our Consulate Appt, so probably Fri, Nov 21st, getting us all home in time for Thanksgiving.  Please Lord, let this be the case!!  
"BUT, if we don't get TA until Oct 31, we probably couldn't travel until Nov 12th, missing her birthday, and flying home on the 28th which is Black Friday...when holiday flights cost a few hundred more and the airports are packed....or maybe we couldn't travel until the next week and get home Dec 5th....but that sounds so far away!!  At least she WILL be home in time for Christmas!  Lord, let YOUR WILL be done!!   YOU know the perfect timing for her transition and our travels!"

That is what is running through my head, in circles, most of the time right now.  :-)  I have to keep reminding myself that it's in God's hands and there is absolutely nothing I can do right now but pray.  I'm doing fine, feeling quite calm despite the unknown dates, and definitely appreciate your prayers and encouragement!

I feel so grateful for the opportunity we had to travel to California for our 10-year anniversary.  Curt's parents were able to come stay with the kids for 5 days, a great "trial run" for our upcoming 16-day trip to China.  As I mentioned in my last post, I was invited to be in my best friend's wedding, at the top of a mountain!  Driving up to Mt. Lassen was quite intimidating...it looked like a huge cold snowy ROCK.  But when we started climbing we were amazed by the gorgeous landscape and majestic views.  I couldn't help but worship God, the creator of it all!  It was EPIC.  We were plenty warm enough, even in the snow, and ended up taking our coats off.  The skies were blue and sunny, with an occasional cloud enveloping us.  The first few minutes were the only physically challenging ones as our bodies adjusted to the high-altitude and our legs got the hang of the climb.  We both enjoyed it immensely and would totally do it again.  At 10,000 feet we held the wedding ceremony, with our adventurous bride & groom and a dozen or so close friends and family who had braved the climb.  The hike down was relatively quick and easy, and the whole thing took just a few hours.

But the wedding fun didn't stop there!  We headed to a beautiful family ranch in the mountains, got dressed up, and held a second wedding ceremony and reception for a larger number of guests.  There was an amazing sunset!!  It was all very beautiful!  We were thrilled to be a part of this special day!

The "Guest Book" globe, which  I signed on China.

Wedding sunset at the ranch.

The remainder of our trip was spent cruising around California in a convertible, enjoying the views of vineyards and orchards, touring San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and Chinatown of course!), and checking out "Old Town" Sacramento which we learned was the last stop on the Pony Express. 

Walking the vineyard.

Chinatown- San Francisco.

The Golden Gate Bridge

Enjoying the view from the beach.

"Old Town" Sacramento

What a wonderful time for us to celebrate 10 years of marriage and spend some time together before we enter this next exciting season of life! 

Another Approval: I-800, check!

Every step is a reason to celebrate!  Every step brings us miles and miles closer to our daughter!  Our I-800 form, which is basically permission to immigrate Violet to the U.S. through adoption, was approved on Thurs after the average 2 week wait.  After waiting many many months for other things, you'd think 2 weeks would feel fast....but it felt painfully long.  Every day right now feels like an eternity.  It really reminds me of how I felt a couple of months before my wedding...thrilled to be marrying the man of my dreams, but so tortured by the distance between us (700 miles) that I just wanted the preparation to be DONE and the big day to BE HERE ALREADY!!  Eventually it came, and it was WONDERFUL!!  I cherished every moment!  It was definitely worth the wait!

Speaking of that "big day"... we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary at the end of this month!  Has it really been that long?!!  We still love each other like crazy.  :-)

Before this adoption began, Curt had done a lot of computer work on the side and had been saving up for us to go on a vacation. When our adoption was underway we kind of put that idea aside and never made plans. Thankfully, my best friend (and Maid of Honor) has given us a great excuse to take a trip...she is getting married on a mountain top in California, and asked me to be her Matron of Honor!  I have enjoyed her friendship across many miles and many years, and it's such a joy and honor to celebrate this day with her! 

On the same date as our own wedding 10 years ago, we will be camping at Manzanita Lake & hike to the peak of this beautiful mountain (Lassen) and witness the wedding vows of ♥ Matt & Danica ♥.  We couldn't be happier for them, and pray many blessings on them and their future together!

After this trip we come home to the month of October, which will be full of our final rounds of paperwork (and waiting) before we travel to China!!  There is a national holiday during the entire first week of Oct, so we will be waiting a little longer than expected for one of our documents.  But we *should* have final Travel Approval by the end of the month, and then we can buy our plane tickets!  It doesn't look like she will be home in time for her birthday, but there is still a chance we can spend her birthday with her in China, if we can travel in early-Nov.... it's more likely to be mid-Nov, or it could be nearer to the end possibly overlapping Thanksgiving.  But either way, we DO have much to be thankful for this year!!  CAN'T WAIT!!

We will keep you all updated as the journey continues.  For now, please pray for a quick turnaround with our paperwork (called "Article 5") and for Violet's emotional and physical well-being as she nears the age of 2 in the orphanage.  Thank you!!  What a wonderful support team you all have been!!

Her Baby Pics!

After getting official approval to adopt a specific child, our agency sends the orphanage a request for an update.  Today we received that update, and it made my day!!

There was really very little information, but I'll take whatever I can get.  They sent her new measurements which makes it easier for me to buy her clothes, since it's not just a guessing game!  I've got a few 24-month outfits to bring to China, and it looks like she'll be in size 5 shoes.  Shopping for another girl is so much fun.  :-)

Unfortunately, the only updated photos they sent me were not of her face, but of her medical checkup.  I'm happy to have many new photos of her limbs and torso, and to see that her skin condition is not any worse than it was a year ago.  But I would have loved a pic or two of her smiling face!  I guess we will have to wait to see her in person.  

They DID, however, send some great photos from her chunky baby days!  What a doll!!  They sure keep the kids bundled up and warm!  I'm so glad she got a healthy start.  She has thinned out a lot, hopefully not too much, but I still can't wait to pinch those cheeks!

  

They also sent a brief update of her development.  She is walking, running, and climbing stairs, and she talks in simple phrases.

Yesterday I mailed her care package.  I stuffed a box full of goodies for her, her friends, her nannies, and the orphanage director.  Gifts are a special sort of formality in China, and we will be bringing several with us for the officials.  Many families also include a disposable camera in their care box, which will hopefully be filled with photos of her in the orphanage and returned to us when we come to pick her up.  I'm grateful for any memories I can have of her past, to show her where she came from.  We also sent a small photo album of our family with the hopes that the nannies will help prepare her to meet us!  

Sending some LOVE, Sealed with a HUG!

The Next Steps:

We have loads of new paperwork to do.  I like it, it gives me something to pass the time and it feels more productive than just....waiting.... sometimes it's a little overwhelming, but our agency is pretty good at giving you just one packet at a time.  There is so much, and most of it is new to me.  Have you ever heard of the USCIS I-800 form?  Or the PA, NVC, DS-260, or Article 5?  Me neither, until now!

In a nutshell, we are currently waiting for immigration approval (2 weeks or so), then we can send the next forms and wait (4 weeks or so), and then we wait for Travel Approval (2 weeks or so), and finally we can book our flight (1-2 weeks out, to line up with our Consulate Appointment)!!  We are counting down the [approximate] weeks until our trip!!

Smiling Violet

For the third time in my life, I am in love with someone I've never met.  The first two times were with my children who were growing in my belly, this time it's with my child who is growing in my heart.  I feel like I've known her forever, and I can't wait to bring her home! 


SHE IS STUNNING!  I ADORE HER!!  I can't wait to smother my girl with hugs and kisses!!  

Here is my FAVORITE paragraph from her orphanage report
(Keep in mind, this was a year ago at 11 months of age):

"She can sit in a walker on her own and will be very happy when she plays with the toys on top of it. She will often move back and forth while using her hands to support herself on a banister. When the nannies hold one of her hands, she can walk. When she’s in the activity room and she sees a toy that she likes, she will crawl like a caterpillar over to grab the toy. She can smack toys together, change a toy from one hand to the other and she can turn toys over with both of her hands while she has a happy smile on her face. When you call her name, she knows to turn her head for the origin of the sound and she can call out, “ma ma” as well as, “a yi (nanny).” When the nannies are communicating with her, she can baby talk with them and make, “ah ah” sounds like she is expressing her thoughts. Her personality is extroverted, lively and active. She loves to listen to music, play with toys and she likes to interact with other little children. She will continuously smile while playing with other little children and she is very lively and energetic. She is an extremely joyful, clever and smart little girl that loves to smile."

This is wonderful in so many ways!  It sounds like she is in a place with nannies who care about her and spend time with her!  AND she SMILES!  A LOT!  My heart is overjoyed! 

 

Another exciting thing... we got our LOA!!  The "Letter of Acceptance" from China, in reply to our "Letter of Intent".  It only took 2 DAYS!  We have a few more big steps of paperwork, and more waiting, but it looks like we are still on track to bring her home in November!!  Our agency gives a generic estimate of traveling 10-14 weeks from now,
but someone who recently went through this process told me it only took them 8 weeks!  It can vary.  But, THAT would get her home by her birthday! :-)
 

Subconcious Assumptions

I don't typically try to write deep, philosophical, or overly-emotional posts for this blog.  I'm more into the facts, and keeping things simple.  :-)  But something has been on my mind for several weeks...even months... during this adoption process, and I have been trying to figure out how to put it into words so I can share it with you.  This is for all the ladies out there.

I noticed "it" when we began our adoption process over a year ago and I started coming across blogs of other adoptive families.  I would see professional-looking photographs of them with their beautiful kids, all dressed in matching outfits and smiling, and think to myself, "Wow, what a perfect family!"  Without realizing it, I was placing these families on a pedestal and admiring things about them that I had pretty much just ASSUMED based on their lovely photos.

For example (and this is embarrassing for me to admit) I would subconsciously assume one or more of the following:

1- They must be rich.  They can afford to adopt, even multiple times.  They can afford to buy trendy matching boutique outfits.  They can afford a real photographer.  Wow.

2- They must be so happy all the time!  Look at them- all smiling!  The kids probably get along SO well, and show nothing but love for each other!

3- They must be really good people.  After all, they've adopted a poor helpless orphan.

Funnily enough, I started to get to know some of these adoptive families through Facebook, and soon realized that they are pretty normal...just like me.  Some of them have blogged about how difficult the transition has been for the adoptive child, and how it's not all "sunshine & rainbows" when you meet them and bring them home.  It can be the opposite, and quite exhausting!

As these realities came to light, I was able to dig through my subconscious assumptions and unravel the falsehoods.  

This is probably closer to the TRUTH:

1- We are all rich, in our first-world countries.  Let's put wealth into perspective... sure, some people have higher-paying jobs than others.  Some may have more debt.  BUT if we have a roof over our heads, a vehicle, more than one pair of shoes, food to eat daily, and let's face it, closets and cupboards full of STUFF, we are "rich" compared to most of the world.  Adoption is expensive, but it's not impossible.  When a family is called to adopt, they make it their priority.  They may have to sacrifice other things, or do fundraisers to help with fees and plane tickets, but if you really want to make it happen you will do whatever it takes.  The Lord will provide the means if this is something He has placed on your heart!

2- No family is happy all the time!!  Yes, I am definitely planning to do matching-outfits (from Goodwill) in a photo shoot (with the tripod)!  And I do prefer to post the happy pictures, not because I'm trying to put on a fake front, but because I like to keep things positive.  I like to spread joy, and smiles do that better than frowns.  Everyone's kids fight, probably daily.  (Mine drive me nuts sometimes!!) Parents loose their patience, probably daily.  (yeppp. guilty.)  We say things we regret when we speak out in anger at each other, but at the end of the day we can reconcile with forgiveness and hugs.  If your family IS happy all the time, you are NOT normal!

3- No one is good except God.  (John 18:19, Romans 3:10...) Our hearts are inherently sinful, and it is only by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, taking the penalty for our sins upon Himself, that we can be forgiven and made righteous.  I do not feel like I am "doing a good deed" by adopting.  I am simply responding to the compassion and desire that God has placed in my heart to adopt from China.  I am so humbled and grateful that God is allowing me to bring her into our home!  Sometimes I'm amazed that he trusts us with another child!  On a side note, I realize that not all adoptive families are Christians, and they also feel compelled by compassion and love for these kids, but neither are they "good" or pure of heart.  (But let's avoid a religious debate here...)

Maybe YOU also have a habit of making assumptions about people (good or bad) based only on appearances or first impressions.  It's NOT a good idea.  Until you get to know them and hear their stories, you have no idea what their past holds or what struggles they are facing.  So let's learn from my mistake!  :-)

We praise God for using the imperfect, so HE, in HIS PERFECTION, can be glorified!

Friends, if any of you are feeling an emptiness and wishing you could understand more about God's love and forgiveness, please do contact me.  I care about you and would love to tell you more!

Introducing...Our Daughter!!

It is with great JOY and EXCITEMENT 

that we present to you... OUR DAUGHTER!

 

Isn't she the most darling little girl?!!  I bet you can't take your eyes off that sweet little face!  I have her picture with me everywhere I go... on my phone's background, framed in the living room, on the kitchen table, on my bedside table, in my purse... I can't get enough of her!  I do have a couple more photos of her, but I will save them for my next post so we can spread the cuteness out.  Otherwise your heart might melt right into your shoes like mine did.   :-)

Now allow me to put a name to that adorable face!  Her Chinese name (first and middle) is "Yan Tao".  It sounds like "Yen" and if you want to try using the correct tones you would make it fall then rise: Yàn Táo sort of like saying, "Yen! Tao?".  This name was given to her by a nurse or nanny, and it means "Gorgeous Peach."  It makes me smile.  It suits her.  We are keeping it as her middle name, and giving her a new first name.  We will be calling her... VIOLET!  I have loved that name for a long time, and it's one that Curt likes as well (not easy to find one like that!)  Also, her Chinese name "Yan" means "gorgeous", but it also means "colorful", and that is kind of a cool coincidence.  :-)  So she shall be called "Violet Yan Tao" and we couldn't be happier to add her to our family!

Violet is 21 months old right now.  She will be turning two in November and we are hoping and praying that we can celebrate that day with her in person!  So far, according to the timelines of some adoptive friends who are just a few steps ahead of us in the process, it looks like that just might be a possibility!  So pray with us!

As you know, Violet was part of the "Special Needs" program due to a medical condition.  We are perfectly comfortable talking about this, but we will also be sensitive to what we publish online.  But we can tell you that she simply has a skin condition.  It is genetic, and there is no cure.  Basically, her back and torso have dry, flaky, somewhat scaly skin.  (I know, no big deal, right?!)  It is not contagious, and likely will not even spread further on her own body.  We have spoken to a team of Pediatric Dermatologists in the area and they have reviewed her medical file and photos.  We are certain that we will be able to keep this condition manageable through exfoliating baths and special moisturizers.  After learning so much about her condition, I am all the more eager to bring her home and start taking care of her!

I could go on forever... but I will leave you with this parting picture and save the rest for another post.

So proud of their new sister Violet!

We got THE CALL!

I have been waiting for "the call" for months.  The moment when my phone rings and my agency says they have a child's file for us.  I thought it might come shortly after our LID, considering that there would be twice as many children available to us once we had our files logged in with China.  Then I started hearing of people waiting for a little girl, even with minor special needs just like ours, and they were waiting 18 months for their "call".... and I was discouraged because we were only 13 months along, but I settled into another patient waiting period.

Then China made this big announcement about having older children available, and like I mentioned in our last post, our family got very excited about the idea of having a 6-yr old girl who would be the same age as our daughter.  They advertised an "immediate match" and we eagerly signed up, waiting in both lines, and praying God would send us the right child from either program.  :-)  I was constantly making sure my phone was with me and the ringer was turned all the way up, and every time it rang I would hope the screen said "CCAI" for our adoption agency's office.  But it didn't happen...for 6 weeks.

Then, on an evening while I was out and my phone was silenced in my purse, I missed a call.  I didn't know it until 2 hours later, and the missed call was from CCAI.  The voicemail was vague, but I listened to it about 50 times and played it another 5 times for Curt.  It said something like, "Call us back at your earliest convenience."  But the offices had just closed so I had to wait until morning.  THAT WAS TORTURE!

That night I was so antsy I knew I'd have to take a sleep aid (for the 3rd time in my life... and each during this adoption) and it knocked me out for a whole 2 hours.  I spent the rest of the night and morning waiting for 10 am to roll around.  I reached out to my family & friends on Facebook, as well as my new friends in my Facebook adoption groups who are in this same journey with me or have already been through it.  I think I caused quite a stir and had many people waiting in suspense with me.  (THANK YOU, by the way, because by the grace of God and your support I survived the night!)

Pretty much all of my adoptive friends said that when THEY missed a call from CCAI it ended up being "the call" because there aren't many other reasons for them to call you unless there is big news!

So I fully expected to find out we had been matched with a 6 year old girl, because the estimated wait for our Special Needs line was still about 5 more months.

Imagine my surprise when 10 am FINALLY came around and I was  able to return "the call", and she said they had a little girl's file for me to review, and she was under 2 years old!  She told me about her medical need then asked if I was still interested.  YES!YES!YES!  So she e-mailed me the little girl's file.

When I saw her sweet face, my eyes welled up with joy.  What a darling!!  The pale, round face.  The dark hair and eyes.  The slight smile of amusement.  She was beautiful and my heart melted.

BUT, I knew that meeting this girl's medical needs were very important for her future and well-being, and I knew that Curt & I needed to do some research before we committed.  For her sake even more than ours.  We spent pretty much the entire day examining her photos and medical file, and reading up about her condition online.  We learned a lot, and both of us felt very comfortable about providing the care she would need.  (I can share more about this when everything is official).

I had been praying throughout the day... and another 2 hour night... that God would make it very clear to Curt & I whether OUR family was in His plan for this little girl.  I am not claiming I heard an audible voice, but I felt God speak to my heart and say, "Do you CHOOSE to love this girl?" and I immediately knew that YES, I did love her and was choosing to love her unconditionally.  And I felt His response in my heart... "Then she is yours."  (Then I cried.  While I was doing dishes.)

Nevertheless, our agency highly encourages everyone to have the child's file reviewed by a medical professional, so the next day we made some calls and sent some e-mails and (miraculously!) got a reply later the same day!  We got a very helpful response from a Pediatric Dermatologist in our area.  We had already discussed it enough to know that we were both fully onboard to move ahead with her adoption, but felt even more at ease after hearing that the doctor agreed with the diagnosis from China and mentioned the same type of care that we had been reading about and felt comfortable with.

So at dinner time tonight, when I received the doctor's e-mail, I gleefully ran to my phone to tell CCAI that we were ready to move forward with our adoption!  Then I got the voice-system, reminding me that they close 30 min early on Friday... and now I have to wait the entire weekend.  Are you KIDDING me?!  LOL  So I e-mailed them, and get to spend the weekend awaiting my instructions for the next round of paperwork.  :-)

I am not permitted to post many details or photos online yet, but I'm sure I will have lots to share over the next few days & weeks, so stay tuned! 

Thank you A MILLION TIMES for all of your prayers, support, and encouragement!!!  We are thrilled to be able to share this news with you!!

One Year Down! (and a NEWSFLASH!)

This week we will hit the ONE YEAR mark for our adoption process.  Although the journey started in my heart much longer ago, this ONE YEAR anniversary means that we should be at least half-way to bringing our daughter home!  Hopefully the second half will actually be shorter than this.  And I have good reason to believe it might be MUCH shorter....

This week we received an e-mail from our adoption agency that China has just made a new window of opportunity for those who have a LID (remember what that means?  If not read my last post) but are not yet matched with a child.  That would be us.

Before I explain this opportunity, you need to understand this: with a China adoption, your file is in a LONG line in China to be matched with a NON-SPECIAL NEEDS (NSN) healthy child.  You can ALSO, SIMULTANEOUSLY choose to sign up for the Waiting Child (WC) program, which is for SPECIAL NEEDS (SN) kids, which is a short line inside the US adoption agencies.  Because the wait for the NSN is 7 years, and the wait for the SN is under 2 years, you'll likely be matched with an SN kid first.

The interesting news: China has just recently announced that anyone interested in a healthy, NSN, "older child" ages 6yrs-13yrs old, can essentially JUMP THE LINE.  This is  likely due to the fact that a vast majority of adoptive parents have requested a child under the age of 2, and the number of older kids available is becoming overwhelming.  (Maybe they were abandoned at or after age 2 and missed the chance to be adopted as a baby?).  It made me very sad to hear about these perfectly healthy kids waiting for a family!

When we started this process a year ago it was recommended that we keep the "Birth Order" of our children, especially when it came to Evie.  We still believe that it is important that she remain the "first born", for the sake of maintaining peace in our house! LOL.  So we had signed up for a child under age 2.  But when this opportunity came up we decided to discuss it as a family.  Surprisingly, we ALL found ourselves VERY excited about the idea of adopting a child the SAME age as Evie... who is now 6.  The more we thought about it, the more it seemed to just... fit!

Our agency needs to know by this Thursday if we want to sign up for this option, and we plan to pursue it.  We just have to work out the details with our home study agency, who will need to make an amendment to approve us for an older child.  We will also need to file a change with the US Immigration (a lovely $405 piece of paper!) for this approval, but I believe that it just needs to be done before we bring her home, not before we could get a match. 

I have NO idea how quickly a match would come.  It certainly sounds like it could be fast, since China is giving it top priority, but we are requesting one very specific age, and even though we are moving to the front of the line we will still be behind others who take this older-child opportunity and have had a LID longer than us.  We will still remain in the second line as well, for a Special Needs child, so I guess we will see from which direction God brings us OUR GIRL!  :-)

Until then, I'm having a really hard time sleeping!  All this excitement has my brain working overtime!  So I figured since the effort to sleep is futile, I might as well give you all an update so you can join us in prayer on this new unexpected turn in our adoption journey!

You should have seen Evie's eyes light up when she realized she could have a sister the same age as her.  But she understands that we are waiting to see what God will do. Last night she prayed, "Lord, help us to find our China sister, big or small."  Amen!  (Yes, she brought tears to my eyes. So thankful God is preparing her heart for this journey as well).

We have a LID!!!

If I were to name the Top 3 most important moments in the adoption process, it would be:
3- The "Log-in-Date" :when all of your files are into the system in China!
2- Your "Child Match" :when you see their picture for the first time and claim them as YOURS!
1- "Gotcha Day" :the day your child is placed into your arms in China!  Hallelujah! :-)

On April 9th we received word that our Dossier (huge paper packet for the adoption) had arrived in China, and that we should expect to wait about 3 WEEKS for it to be filed with the CCCWA (China's Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption).

Today, just FIVE DAYS later, I got the e-mail that is was done and we are now officially Logged-In to their system!!  Praising God for this quick turnaround!

This is a big deal!!  It means that we now have a Log-In Date (LID), which means that there are twice as many children available to us on the waiting list!  It will make our wait for a match much shorter.  It is super exciting; I was dancing all around the kitchen tonight when I got the e-mail... but it's also torturing me a bit to really have no idea when the phone call with the match might come!  I've heard of families getting it 3 days after their LID, and I've heard of families waiting another 3 months.  It all depends on your place in line (we are 9 months in, which is pretty far, I think) and which medical needs you are open to (we have checked several of the most common ones) so it really could happen any day but I'm trying not to get my hopes up! **update: I talked to our agency and they are estimating it could still take up to 6 months for a child match... kinda bummed, but we are still on track to keep this whole adoption process under 2 years, which is what we knew was likely.  :-)

I know you all are rejoicing with me.  Thank you for your encouragement and prayers!  I love sharing all this news with you! 

A Moment of Epic Proportions

A very significant moment has arrived.  Today I finally received our LAST of 13 documents back from Chicago's Chinese Embassy, and now they each have a lovely little holographic seal of approval!  It is beautiful, and shiny, and reminds me of a happy little mandarin rainbow.  :-)

We had a major glitch with ONE document that kept it at the Embassy for 3 weeks, and if you don't care to hear the boring details just skip this paragraph (I promise I don't mind).  Of all things, it was our marriage certificate!  I "knew" that they required a newly certified copy, which I had obtained a few months ago in preparation, but I didn't realize it had already been 8 months since I got the new copy made... and they insist that your marriage certificate copy is no more than 6 months old.  So, to prove that Curt & I ARE in fact still legally wed, I had to go to the courthouse in the county in which we we married to get a new copy (3 hour drive round trip).  Then we had to take it back to the Sec of State for state certification- the gold seal- again, and send it back to our courier in Chicago.  Unfortunately, the Sec of State had made a mistake on the certification page and it got sent back to us, again.  At this point I was in tears, and had to call Lansing to figure out what was going on.  It seemed like everyone was telling me something different... but we got it sorted out, went back to Sec of State for yet another gold seal, and sent it a third time.  (Keep in mind, every time we overnight documents Express Mail, it costs us $20, and we have to include another $20 in postage for the return.  Therefore, mistakes get expensive!) It still wasn't exactly right, because the Sec of State had put the gold seal on the back of the document this time, not the front where it is supposed to be, but they were able to work around it and get the thing sealed.   I hope it passes all the future inspections now too!

Buried in paperwork!!

After countless hours of preparation, the entire dossier (a.k.a. huge packet of adoption documents) is now complete and ready to be mailed!!  While this is a HUGE milestone, and a tremendous relief, I know there is still a lot of work & a lot of waiting ahead.  But I know I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!  He has been so good and so faithful, and we know everything is in His hands!!

Tomorrow I will mail this whole packet to our adoption agency in Colorado.  It will go through a triple-review process then get translated, and if there are NO more glitches (please pray for that!) it will be sent to China in 2 weeks!! 

Best case scenario: our file is sent to China in 2 weeks, we get "matched" with a child quickly, do a "short" round of paperwork, then can travel to bring her home about 4-7 months after that.  So, the earliest possible time would probably be this fall.   
Worst case scenario: ....never mind.  Let's just stay positive.  :-) But I'd be thrilled to have her home by Christmas!!

Chinese Visitor & Wedding Excitement

We have had so many exciting things happening over the past few weeks.  It has made time fly by, which is nice when you are counting down the unknown months until the adoption is complete.  :-)

First, we had a temporary daughter from China for 12 days!  The elementary school was running a program for a group of students from China.  They were looking for host families, and I was probably the first to email an emphatic "YES!! SIGN ME UP!"  Several weeks later, the group consisting of 8 students (3rd-5th graders) and 2 teachers arrived in our town.  I met my girl and she told me that she is 8 years old and her English name is "Smile".

 

The kids really enjoyed playing with her, and it was obvious that language barriers are almost non-existent when it comes to having fun!  She spoke minimal English, just basic words and phrases that she had learned in school, but we were able to communicate well enough through my Google translate app and a lot of hand charades.  :-)  I was happy to be able to pick up a few more Chinese words, and she seemed to like hearing me practice my Mandarin.  Evie & I sang our one Chinese song several nights in a row, which happens to be John 3:16, and although I don't think she had ever heard it before she clapped enthusiastically and said "very good!"  I was able to show her the verse in the Chinese Bible so she could read what we were singing.  What a neat opportunity!!

The school had many events planned during their visit, including: bowling & pizza night, open gymnastics time at a studio, an afternoon at a trampoline center, open gym at the school (snowday activities), an inflatables party, a weekend at an indoor water park and snow tubing resort, and a Chinese New Year dinner and celebration.  We also managed to squeeze in a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese and visit the local library for story time.  

 

Overall it was a wonderful time with great memories.  Smile was homesick pretty much every night & morning, and was on the phone with her parents during those times (not surprising...she was only 8 and this was her first time away from home!) but she was also having a lot of fun and enjoyed being a part of our family.  I was able to talk to her parents a few times, and we are keeping in touch with her family through a chat app.  They have invited us, her "American Parents", to visit them in China any time. :-)

My favorite memories aren't from the events, but from the random little things... like the surprised "Oooooh!" sound she made when she saw or heard something new or different.  Or the way she had scrambled eggs with toast and loved my home made peach jam, and ended up making a sandwich with those things every morning for breakfast.  And how she made the "peace" sign whenever someone was taking her picture!  And how she had no interest in shopping for anything but books.  But my all-time favorite was when she let me blow-dry her hair.  It sounds silly, but seriously, I was so happy I almost cried because I know that someday soon I will have my own daughter with shiny, jet black hair to take care of, and I could just imagine it so vividly with her standing in front of my mirror.  It was such a blessing to meet and get to know this girl!

The other HUGE excitement we've had recently was the wedding of my brother Eric and his beautiful bride Elizabeth!  We are so happy for them, and it was such a joy for our whole family to share in this wonderful occasion!  Curt was the most handsome groomsmen ever (I know I'm biased, but it's true), and I loved being a bridesmaid and spending time with my favorite group of girls.  Evie felt like a princess standing up there with the flower girls, and Corbin was a cute little ring bearer who was the center of attention on the dance floor all night.  That kid has moves!  :-)  My grandma Marilyn was able to fly up from GA and stay with us for the week, so that was an added blessing for us and the kids to spend time with her!  

(I can't post the professional wedding photos here, but you can look for them on my Facebook page!)

Now life is getting back to it's normal pace.  We have gotten all 9 of our necessary documents notarized (praying it was done right and will be acceptable...there were some questions about it) and now we have 13 documents to get certified and sealed.  Our work is cut out for us, and hopefully won't take more than a few weeks to get it sent to China!  Your prayers are appreciated!

Official "Request for Evidence"

It was mid-November when we sent the I-800a form to the USCIS, mid-December when we were ordered to be fingerprinted at their facilities in Detroit, then in mid-January we received a pink slip in the mail.  Not sure why they use that color...but the form is called the "Request for Evidence" letter.  This means that after looking over our entire home study report they had some questions or things that needed clarification/proof.  Our letter contained two requests: 1) A paragraph added to our home study explaining HOW we are preparing to adopt a child with the various special needs we are considering, and 2) an explanation as to WHERE we were living during the 2 years we both traveled overseas, because each place we lived would require a Child Abuse Registries check.

The first was easy enough, I send our case worker a list of some of the practical things we've been doing to prepare.  For example, researching the hospitals in our area and their specializations, as well as watching several online workshops focused on various special needs and how the children are treated medically after international adoptions.

The second request made me nervous because Curt and I both traveled, separately, to over 30 countries each during the 2 years after high school.  We were doing volunteer work with a missions organization.  I couldn't imagine even TRYING to get background checks for all of those places!  So I sent an explanation and prayed they would accept the fact that we were never in one place for more than a week or two.

Today, 3 weeks later, my breath caught in my chest when I saw the USCIS envelope in the mail.  I was afraid to open it.  It felt like our entire adoption was hinging on ONE small detail.  I finally gathered up the courage and tore into that thing....and much to my delight I read the words "APPROVAL NOTICE".  I was so happy I started jumping and yelling, which made Curt come running because he thought the house was on fire or someone was hurt.  :-)  Nope, just great news!

That means ALL of our papers are ready for the notarization, state certification, and Chinese consulate seal, then we can send them off to China!  Those steps may take several weeks still, but this is one HUGE step in the right direction!!

Celebrate with us and do a happy dance!  :-)

P.S. For the past 10 days we have had a visitor from China!!  I can't wait to share about this experience in my next post.  But first, I get to enjoy her for one more day!