Another one bites the dust...

It has been 3.5 weeks since our Article 5 was signed. 63 days since LOSC. Still no Travel Approval. Every time the phone rings I feel like my heart is going to pound out of my chest. Is this it? {as she runs furiously to the caller id} Nope, it's _____(not my agency)_____. I may win the record for hitting refresh on RQ at least 1 million times before this is over. I wonder if she gives out awards for that? Anyway. Almost everything adoption related has happened on a Friday. Our referral. News of our PA. Our LOSC. Our NVC cable. Delivery of our Article 5 to CCAA. All on a Friday. I was hoping today was going to be a Friday repeat. Oh well. I guess I can stop now. It is 1:45 pm in New York. I'm sure DHL has already made their rounds without leaving behind our prized document. One more week down the tubes. Ugggggghhhhhhh! I know. I know. He is never late. He is never early. He is always right on time. Yes. I know. If you figure out the definition of "right on time", please let me know. I think it's Swahili for "back off woman--you'll get it when I want you to get it". In the meantime I'm off to take a nap. It's the only time my wheels aren't turning.

Two months since LOSC...

and we still do not have Travel Approval. 22 days since Article 5. 61 days since LOSC. What's the hold up? Great question. Apparently the very important person at C2A2 who needs to sign off on our Travel Approval has been out of the office. It is typical of every major government organization to have ONE PERSON IN THE ENTIRE OFFICE to sign important documents. You know--documents that are not just documents. They signify CHILDREN's LIVES!!! We knew VIP was out last week and assumed he would be back on Monday. Now we are not so sure. No one seems to know FOR CERTAIN if that is the case. So...what do I know? ABSOLUTELY. POSITIVELY. NOTHING. Still waiting on TA. Still waiting to make travel arrangements. Still waiting to see if we are going to make it on a plane by September 16. Still willing the phone to ring. Still praying for His perfect timing. With each day that passes, September 16 feels further and further out of our reach. This is a really really bad roller coaster. I want off. Now.

Ring phone. RING!

Can you see it???

My Craigslist diamond in the rough--$75...

My found-on-the-side-of-the-highway at a three item yard sale--10 smacks!...
You have to look past the dreadful colors. Can you see the hidden potential? More of Operation Jie Mei Hwa (beautiful sisters) coming soon...

United Airlines or Continental Airlines miles...

Request: If any of you happen to have United Airlines Mileage Plus miles or Continental One Pass miles and would be interested in transferring them to us we would welcome them with open arms (and a few shouts of joy). Two round trip tickets to China and a one way ticket for MeiMei are not pocket change so every little bit helps. If you have flown either airline in recent years you may have frequent flyer miles in your account that you are unaware. If you know us in real life, feel free to call anytime or email us here. I know this is a long shot but it never hurts to ask. :-)

Tropical Storm Goni...

Tropical Storm Goni is supposed to hit land near Hong Kong and Guangzhou in about 9 hours. It is the lowest rated tropical storm, but it still makes this Mommy a little nervous. Where Mei Mei lives is a ways inland, so it will most likely just be a tropical depression (less than 40 mile per hour winds) by the time it gets to her. You can follow along here. I’m praying anyway!

Article 5! Article 5! Article 5!

I just received the coveted email a few minutes ago. Our Article 5 was issued yesterday, July 28. I assume it was picked up 7-29 and overnighted to C2A2 in Beijing on 7-30. It should arrive in Beijing tomorrow (which will be our tonight--remember they are 13 hours ahead). Let the countdown for Travel Approval BEGIN!!!!

WE.

ARE.

GOING.

TO.

CHINA.

PEOPLE!!!!!!!

So what are you waiting for?

I haven't updated on the status of the adoption because there is nothing new to update. Here is the short version. We are still waiting on Article 5 to be issued by the US Consulate and forwarded to the China~Center~of~Adoption~Affairs. We thought we would already have it by now but no such luck. Once C2A2 receives the Article 5 they will issue our Travel Approval in about 3-7 weeks (how's that for a range). It felt like the process had picked up after LOSC as we were quickly crossing things off the list. Now--not so much--stalled waiting for the last US approval. Special thanks to the US government for always cashing our checks promptly (and then taking your own sweet time). We greatly appreciate your dedication to our family.

The Waiting Place...

"The Waiting Place.....

for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting."

Oh, the Places You'll Go!
-Dr. Seuss

the second anniversary of my 29th birthday...

I have a friend who quotes her age in anniversaries and I've decided to adopt her philosophy as my own. Brilliant idea! That being said, today is the second anniversary of my 29th birthday. Would you believe I almost forgot? So much is going on these days I nearly forgot my own birthday. Seriously. I remembered last Friday when a friend asked me if I had big plans for Tuesday. My answer: "What's Tuesday?" HA! You know you are officially old when you forget your own birthday. Anyway, it was a lovely day spent with some of my favorite people. A little shoe shopping. A fancy new camcorder. A delicious dinner single handedly prepared by my amazing hubs. A yummy chocolate ganache cake. Who could ask for more? At this point I would normally attempt to say something very poignant about the past year. The truth is it's been a bit of a blur and for some reason I'm at a loss for words (GASP!). MEEEEE? At a loss for words? I know. Unbelievable! My mind is working overtime these days and I'm fresh out of poignant things to say. The past year has brought so many blessings to my life I do not know where to begin. Maybe in a few months when I can put my thoughts together. For now, I'm off to eat another piece of my yummy ganache cake (birthday calories are free don't you know). I'll worry about the consequences later. Happy second anniversary of my 29th birthday to me!

The Blueberry Patch...

We are on a roll this summer in the family fruit picking department. It was an atypical July day today--70's with almost no humidity--so we decided to get out and enjoy the BEAUTIFUL weather. We donned the tennis shoes and bug spray and headed out to The Blueberry Patch for our first blueberry picking experience.
Wild Man and Little Miss LOVE blueberries but I do not buy them every week because of the the price tag. Now I understand why the tiny container at the grocery store costs a whopping $3.99! These little jokers are hard to pick. Let me rephrase--not hard--but TEDIOUS and time consuming. It is not at all like picking strawberries. The blueberry lady explained to us very clearly. "Always choose royal blue or darker". Ummmm... Okay... Anyone know how to explain the difference between fuchsia and blue swirl--classic blue--royal blue--navy blue to a three year old?
The Chief and Wild Man did what most typical men would do. Seek out the shabbiest row of blueberry bushes overgrown with honeysuckle and weeds in pursuit of the holy blueberry grail. Rows upon rows of nicely trimmed blueberry bushes and they have to choose the ones in the jungle. Boys--I'll never understand! Little Miss spent most of her time picking "the pretty PINK ones", eating the blue ones from my bucket (because the pretty pink ones are yucky) and playing at the playground. Playgrounds are WAAAAAYYYY better than blueberry bushes.

Does this scare the begeebeez out of anyone else?

14 hours--39,000 feet in the sky--on a very large metal tube...

*Option A equates to about 7 hours above the Pacific Ocean...

*Option B spends over half the flight time above some of the coldest most remote polar regions of the planet...
Where's the Calgon? The brown bag? The happy drugs? I need them all now just thinking about it. The Chief says he would like to have all of the above x 10 since he has to sit beside me no matter which option we choose. I am SURE he will be wishing he could sit on the opposite side of the plane on that big day.

{To the Chief--just in case you are considering it--not a choice--you married me--it was in the fine print--must hold wife's hand and subsequently endure gradual loss of circulation during labor and flights for the sake of love and marital bliss.}

OK--I must stop researching flight options. I can do all things....I can do all things....I can do all things....

DS-230 delivered--check!!!

Our DS-230 was delivered today, Thursday, to the Consulate in Guangzhou, China. Now all of the documents needed to issue the Article 5 are in the hands of the Consulate. Only two more steps until we receive Travel Approval! Have I mentioned that WE ARE GOING TO CHINA PEOPLE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

VISA's--check!

VISA's and final homestudy update arrived today. Woooohooooooo! OH MY GOODNESS WE ARE GOING TO CHINA PEOPLE!!!!!!!

NVC Cable--check!

We just received word from the National VISA Center that our file was cabled to the Consulate in Guangzhou on Friday, July 10. Only 4 more short steps until we board the big bird to China! I think we're going to make it before September 18. OH MY GOODNESS WE ARE GOING TO CHINA PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

a Splishin and a Splashin...

One of the many things on our summer to-do list was to visit the splash fountains at a nearby park. Courtney and her little man Jacob tagged along with us. I was able to snag TWO photos of the three of them together. They were too busy having a blast to smile for pics.


Little Miss taking a rest like the "big girls"...
Jacob funny: Jacob celebrated a birthday over the weekend. He is now the ripe old age of six. For as long as I can remember I have called him "little man". Why? I guess because I tend to call all little people something endearing like that. Today at lunch Jacob quickly informed me he was no longer a little man. He is six years old! Then Wild Man jumped on the bandwagon and both chastised me for calling them "little". Too funny! Our boys are growing up!

Little Miss and her Swim Party...

Lucky Little Miss celebrated her 3rd birthday (again) with her Swim Day pals. All one needs are party hats, pink plates and cupcakes to call a weekly playdate a party. ;-) Little Miss was happy, and from the looks on their faces, so was everyone else. Thanks for the great idea Rach!

(pictured above: Little Miss, Wild Man, the Spence kids and the Wheeler kids (minus Hudson)-- these are our Wednesday Summer Swim Day pals)

I-800 PROVISIONAL APPROVAL--check!!!

I just received word from USCIS of our I800 PROVISIONAL APPROVAL!!!! Our petition was approved late yesterday afternoon and overnighted to the National VISA Center. Many have asked what is left to accomplish so here is a list of what must be completed before we can leave for China...

1. National VISA Center (NVC) cables the file they received from USCIS while our agency simultaneously sends additional paperwork to meet up with our NVC cabled file at the American Consulate in Guangzhou, China. The two files will "get married" and stay together until...
2. Consulate reviews both sets of paperwork, issues Article 5 and sends the info to China-Center-of-Adoption-Affairs (C2A2)
3. C2A2 issues Travel Approval
4. Agency requests Consulate Appointment from the American Consulate in Guangzhou
5. Plan travel and GO TO CHINA!

Due to October national holidays and the Trade Fair in Guangzhou, it is going to be very difficult to travel in October. If we do not leave by September 18 at the very latest we may have to wait until the end of October to leave. We are hoping and praying we make it on a plane before September 18.

Celebrating the 4th!

Lazy summer day. Fabulous friends. Little people water play. Tasty burgers from the grill. Yummy dessert (made by yours truly). FREE firework show provided by unsuspecting neighbors completely unaware of their generous "gift" :-) Giddy children in fancy attire still smiling WAY past bedtime. A happy 4th for all!

Happy Independence Day...

Fireworks with Dad...