"When are you going to China?"

This is a question I am hearing a lot these days.  We really are getting so close!  Below is a nice visual of the process involved in adoption from China...
(for reference: step #1 happened back in April and we are now on step #9)



Makes complete sense, huh...clear as mud, right?!  It has taken a lot of time, sweat and tears to get to step #9.  Luckily the next 6 steps kind of happen on their own.  There really isn't anything for us to do...except obsess about dates and number of days between each step.  So here are my predictions for when we will complete each of the next steps:

I-800 approval:  2-11-13
approval sent the National Visa Center:  2-13-13
NVC uploads to system:  2-15-13
Article 5 paperwork dropped off at US Consulate:  2-18-13
Article 5 paperwork is picked up:   3-4-13
paperwork sent to CCAA for travel approval

I am hoping to receive travel approval by 3-18-13.  I would like to leave for China on March 28th, but we need to leave by April 4th so that we will be home in time for a special occasion for our boys the last Saturday of April.  Otherwise we will need to wait until May to travel.  And that would really be hard for this mama's heart.  So, please pray for smooth and speedy paperwork processing over the next few weeks.