One year ago today...March 28, 2012...we had our first meeting with the adoption agency.
One week from today...April 4, 2013...we will leave for China to get our girl!!
One year ago we walked into our agency for the first time knowing only that we wanted to adopt a child internationally. And that day we walked out with our hearts set on adopting a special needs child from China. Their program just seemed to be the best fit for our family.
What an amazing, crazy, emotional journey this past year has been.
Ups and downs.
Hurry up and wait.
1 step forward and then 1 step back.
Paperwork, signatures, notary, home visits, documents, reference letters, certifications, authentications, trips to Harrisburg, trips to DC, doctor visits, immunizations, visas...did I mention paperwork?!
But looking back we wouldn't want it any other way. After all, all of this led us to Audra.
With perfect timing.
And to think we are only one week away from traveling to meet our little princess and have our "happily ever after" begin. Amazing!
Today's Update:
Tim and Dawn received their travel approval today! It is official...we are going to China...together! Our agency has already requested consulate appointments for us. This is the last official appointment we will have in China. It is at the US Consulate in Guangzhou...the final step in getting Audra and Charlotte's visas to enter the US. Once this date is confirmed (tomorrow) we can then book our flights. We are hoping for a consulate appointment on April 16th, 17th or 18th.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
5 1/2
Today, March 27th, is Audra's half birthday. Our little beauty is five and a half years old.
Five and a half years without a family, a home or a birthday party. Oh, that hurts my heart. I can't get to her soon enough!
Six months from today we will be celebrating her 6th birthday with her...here at home. But in reality, Audra will be celebrating her birthday for the FIRST time. Our sweet girl most likely has no idea what a birthday is.
It will be her 1st ever birthday party...
first birthday cake...
first candles...
first presents wrapped in colorful paper and topped with a pretty bow...
and ALL FOR HER!!
Oh, how I can't wait to celebrate HER day with her. So, keep the last Saturday in September open...it's gonna be HUGE :)
Five and a half years without a family, a home or a birthday party. Oh, that hurts my heart. I can't get to her soon enough!
Six months from today we will be celebrating her 6th birthday with her...here at home. But in reality, Audra will be celebrating her birthday for the FIRST time. Our sweet girl most likely has no idea what a birthday is.
It will be her 1st ever birthday party...
first birthday cake...
first candles...
first presents wrapped in colorful paper and topped with a pretty bow...
and ALL FOR HER!!
Oh, how I can't wait to celebrate HER day with her. So, keep the last Saturday in September open...it's gonna be HUGE :)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
A(nother) Double Blessing
At so many points during this journey so far our two families have been doubly blessed!
We began our adoption journey with days of Tim and Dawn...without either one of us knowing
We chose with the same agency
We were assigned the same social worker
We were assigned the same immigration officer
Our paperwork fell within the same timeline
We were matched the same month
We were both matched with beautiful 5 year old little girls
We both received our LOA from China on the same day
Our paperwork processed at the same pace
All making our dream of travel at the same time a reality!
And then yesterday...yet another double blessing. We each were notified that we were approved for a very generous grant from A Child Waits Foundation. This amazing blessing could not have come at a better time. We are just days away from booking our airfare...and prices have gone up! The gift of this grant has taken away the stress of securing the last funds needed for this adoption and allowed us to remain calm and focused on our goal....getting these two little girls home...together! At so many points during this journey it seemed that things might not fall in our favor. But then, each and every time, stars aligned and we were blessed yet again. Thankful does not even begin to explain our feelings. There are no words. We have been led on this journey, felt comforted at each step, and trusted in the Lord that all would be well. And it sure is!
Here is just a little about A Child Waits Foundation:
Our next steps:
Tomorrow our agency expects to receive an electronic copy of Tim and Dawn's travel approval. Then they will request visa appointments for both girls. (We would like to have their visa appointments on the same day...hopefully April 16th or 17th) Once the visa appointments are confirmed (most likely on Thursday) we will book our airfare.
We began our adoption journey with days of Tim and Dawn...without either one of us knowing
We chose with the same agency
We were assigned the same social worker
We were assigned the same immigration officer
Our paperwork fell within the same timeline
We were matched the same month
We were both matched with beautiful 5 year old little girls
We both received our LOA from China on the same day
Our paperwork processed at the same pace
All making our dream of travel at the same time a reality!
And then yesterday...yet another double blessing. We each were notified that we were approved for a very generous grant from A Child Waits Foundation. This amazing blessing could not have come at a better time. We are just days away from booking our airfare...and prices have gone up! The gift of this grant has taken away the stress of securing the last funds needed for this adoption and allowed us to remain calm and focused on our goal....getting these two little girls home...together! At so many points during this journey it seemed that things might not fall in our favor. But then, each and every time, stars aligned and we were blessed yet again. Thankful does not even begin to explain our feelings. There are no words. We have been led on this journey, felt comforted at each step, and trusted in the Lord that all would be well. And it sure is!
Here is just a little about A Child Waits Foundation:
"A Child Waits
Foundation's Grant Program is designed to help children who are living in
international orphanages to become part of a family. Our grant program provides
assistance to families who are pursuing adoption of these
children."
"Our mission
is to save children from living their entire childhood in international
orphanages without the warmth and love of a family. Every child deserves a
family and our goal is to unite children waiting for parents, with parents who
are longing for children."
A Child Waits Foundation has
provided financial assistance to 945 families to help bring 1232 children home.
Our next steps:
Tomorrow our agency expects to receive an electronic copy of Tim and Dawn's travel approval. Then they will request visa appointments for both girls. (We would like to have their visa appointments on the same day...hopefully April 16th or 17th) Once the visa appointments are confirmed (most likely on Thursday) we will book our airfare.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
The packing puzzle
This weekend we set out to accomplish packing and did pretty well. We still have a few things to purchase and squeeze in but overall we are basically ready to hop on a plane. And if we forget anything I am sure we can buy it in China! Here is a bit of what we are taking....
Food: (a few "safe" snacks for the days we aren't feeling too adventurous about food)
peanuts, trail mix, dried fruit, slim jims, protein/granola bars, fig newtons, peanut butter, nutella, applesauce pouches, water flavor packets since I am sure we will get tired of plain bottled water fairly quickly
Medicine for us:
Tylenol, triple antibiotic ointment, Tums, Pepto-bismal, Imodium, Benadryl, hydrocortisone cream, Theraflu, antihistamine, Albuterol, eye drops, probiotics, cough drops...and Cipro in case we catch the terrible bacterial stomach bug
Medicine for Audra:
Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, Bactroban ointment for skin infections, Amoxicillin for a chest, sinus or ear infection, Pedialyte packets for re-hydration
For Audra: (a few things to entertain a 5 year old in a hotel room for 13 days)
alphabet blocks, stacking/nesting cups, doll, Kai Lan book, bubbles, glow sticks, playdoh, coloring books, foam puzzle, My First Words board books, beach ball, and a small panda backpack to hold her new treasures. And my favorite....a personalized board book with pictures of her family.
Electronics: (to entertain two adults in hotel rooms for 15 days!)
camera and video camera
Laptop for blogging...hopefully...if I can figure out how to use the VPN
Nook for catching up on some reading during the flight
iPad for Facetime with the kids at home
iPod for Audra loaded with apps of songs and stories in Cantonese (her native language)
Paperwork:
3 copies of each passport
3 copies of the visa page of each passport
2 passport sized photos for each of us
original home study and addendums
copy of complete dossier
Audra's original referral information and pictures
original I-800A approval
original I-800 approval
original NVC letter
Notarized vaccination affidavit (so Audra can wait to get her vaccines in the US instead of in China)
DS-230 (Audra's completed visa application)
2 original Letters of Invitation ("travel approval") and 2 copies
For the orphanage:
toothbrushes, socks, and cleft palate bottles
Gifts: (for the orphanage staff and provincial officials)
giant Hershey's chocolate bars and giant Hershey's kisses
"Jelly Belly" jelly beans
Estee Lauder cosmetic bags with cosmetic and skin care items
(I'm not yet finished shopping for all the gifts we need to bring)
PLUS...all of our clothing and toiletries...
Equals 3 very full (and hopefully not too heavy) suitcases:
Food: (a few "safe" snacks for the days we aren't feeling too adventurous about food)
peanuts, trail mix, dried fruit, slim jims, protein/granola bars, fig newtons, peanut butter, nutella, applesauce pouches, water flavor packets since I am sure we will get tired of plain bottled water fairly quickly
Medicine for us:
Tylenol, triple antibiotic ointment, Tums, Pepto-bismal, Imodium, Benadryl, hydrocortisone cream, Theraflu, antihistamine, Albuterol, eye drops, probiotics, cough drops...and Cipro in case we catch the terrible bacterial stomach bug
Medicine for Audra:
Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, Bactroban ointment for skin infections, Amoxicillin for a chest, sinus or ear infection, Pedialyte packets for re-hydration
For Audra: (a few things to entertain a 5 year old in a hotel room for 13 days)
alphabet blocks, stacking/nesting cups, doll, Kai Lan book, bubbles, glow sticks, playdoh, coloring books, foam puzzle, My First Words board books, beach ball, and a small panda backpack to hold her new treasures. And my favorite....a personalized board book with pictures of her family.
Electronics: (to entertain two adults in hotel rooms for 15 days!)
camera and video camera
Laptop for blogging...hopefully...if I can figure out how to use the VPN
Nook for catching up on some reading during the flight
iPad for Facetime with the kids at home
iPod for Audra loaded with apps of songs and stories in Cantonese (her native language)
Paperwork:
3 copies of each passport
3 copies of the visa page of each passport
2 passport sized photos for each of us
original home study and addendums
copy of complete dossier
Audra's original referral information and pictures
original I-800A approval
original I-800 approval
original NVC letter
Notarized vaccination affidavit (so Audra can wait to get her vaccines in the US instead of in China)
DS-230 (Audra's completed visa application)
2 original Letters of Invitation ("travel approval") and 2 copies
For the orphanage:
toothbrushes, socks, and cleft palate bottles
Gifts: (for the orphanage staff and provincial officials)
giant Hershey's chocolate bars and giant Hershey's kisses
"Jelly Belly" jelly beans
Estee Lauder cosmetic bags with cosmetic and skin care items
(I'm not yet finished shopping for all the gifts we need to bring)
PLUS...all of our clothing and toiletries...
Equals 3 very full (and hopefully not too heavy) suitcases:
Thursday, March 21, 2013
******TA******
Today we have officially made it to the finish line of our paperchase!
This paper pregnancy is about done!
At 11:00am today we received an email from our agency saying that our Travel Approval had been issued and was on it's way to the U.S.
Then, at 1:15pm today we received another email from our agency saying that our TA had arrived in the mail!!!
Sean went directly to the agency after work to pick up this document...the only piece of paper separating us from Audra, yet uniting us at the same time. Our names listed at the top, her picture at the bottom and the red-ink stamp of approval with the date 3-19-2013. The very sight of it brought tears to my eyes and the words made my heart melt:
"In accordance with the Adoption Law of the People's Republic of China and the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, we agreed that the child, NAN QI JIA (female, born on 2007/09/27), who is in the care of SWI of Maonan Dist., Maoming Guangdong Province, be placed with you for adoption. Please travel in person with this notice to the adoption registry office within the Civil Affairs Department of Guangdong Province in China to proceed the registration formalities."
We are so happy...so excited...so thankful...and oh, so ready!
The journey we started just about one year ago is coming to a close. The only thing left if the BEST part...time to go get our girl.
We are coming Audra. Soon. Very, very soon!
This paper pregnancy is about done!
At 11:00am today we received an email from our agency saying that our Travel Approval had been issued and was on it's way to the U.S.
Then, at 1:15pm today we received another email from our agency saying that our TA had arrived in the mail!!!
Sean went directly to the agency after work to pick up this document...the only piece of paper separating us from Audra, yet uniting us at the same time. Our names listed at the top, her picture at the bottom and the red-ink stamp of approval with the date 3-19-2013. The very sight of it brought tears to my eyes and the words made my heart melt:
"In accordance with the Adoption Law of the People's Republic of China and the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, we agreed that the child, NAN QI JIA (female, born on 2007/09/27), who is in the care of SWI of Maonan Dist., Maoming Guangdong Province, be placed with you for adoption. Please travel in person with this notice to the adoption registry office within the Civil Affairs Department of Guangdong Province in China to proceed the registration formalities."
We are so happy...so excited...so thankful...and oh, so ready!
The journey we started just about one year ago is coming to a close. The only thing left if the BEST part...time to go get our girl.
We are coming Audra. Soon. Very, very soon!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
so ready!
Still no travel approval...and today is day #8 of waiting. I really did think we would get the good news yesterday or today. So more waiting....
I have kept myself busy with checking things off my "to do" list:
Suitcases are up in our room, anxiously waiting to be packed
Shopping list is all checked off
Prescriptions have been filled
Paperwork that we need to bring is organized
Copies have been made
Last affidavits have been notarized
Gifts have been bought for the nannies and officials
Now all I need is TA so we can buy our plane tickets. Come on already...this mama is ready to go get her girl! So.very.ready!
I have kept myself busy with checking things off my "to do" list:
Suitcases are up in our room, anxiously waiting to be packed
Shopping list is all checked off
Prescriptions have been filled
Paperwork that we need to bring is organized
Copies have been made
Last affidavits have been notarized
Gifts have been bought for the nannies and officials
Now all I need is TA so we can buy our plane tickets. Come on already...this mama is ready to go get her girl! So.very.ready!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Hoping & Praying for good news
This week will hopefully be a BIG week for us. We are currently on day 7 of our travel approval wait. I am praying hard that we receive news that our travel approval has been granted in the next couple of days. Not because it will really change anything for us....but it will help us know when Tim and Dawn will probably receive theirs. Their Article 5 paperwork should have been picked up within the last 12 hours and should be enroute to Beijing as I type this. It will hopefully be delivered to CCCWA tomorrow and then they will be exactly 7 days behind us in the TA wait. Tim and Dawn need to receive their TA by the end of next week so we can make our tentative departure date of April 4th a reality! We "shouldn't" book our airfare until we both have travel approval and confirmed visa appointments for the girls...but it's getting tough to watch the airfare prices increase every day that passes.
Also, we are praying hard that we receive good news about the one last grant we applied for that we are waiting to hear back from. I have been told that the Board of Directors will be reviewing applications this week and we should hear back from them by the end of the week.
So if you are a hoping and praying kind of person....please join us in our very humble requests for speedy TA's and the blessings of this grant that is pending.
Also, we are praying hard that we receive good news about the one last grant we applied for that we are waiting to hear back from. I have been told that the Board of Directors will be reviewing applications this week and we should hear back from them by the end of the week.
So if you are a hoping and praying kind of person....please join us in our very humble requests for speedy TA's and the blessings of this grant that is pending.
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