Tiny baby steps

Well, our DS-230 paperwork got mailed to China on Friday, 2/19/10. Hopefully this upcoming week our son's visa will be processed and then China can grant our travel approval. Still hoping for word of getting travel approval in the second (or maybe third?) week in March. It's looking like it will be an early April departure, but as all of you who have adopted in the past know, there is an air of a constant variable in each step of the journey. And for the laypeople, we know that you just listen to our steps, not understanding sometimes each step and the length of it, but following along with much support, which is so appreciated.

Three other families associated with our adoption agency are leaving this upcoming week for China, and we are looking forward to following their journeys (and blogs). Each child is so precious and deserves a family - a chance for a future. And one by one this adoption community is changing a child's life. And like our baby steps in processing paperwork, one by one, step by step, these children are getting a forever family.

Anything...or nothing?

Before I start, here is a picture of the babies, both named "big baby" after they had a trip to Doctor sassafras. Yes, for you medical people, the babies have a stickers in place for getting an EKG. And let me tell you that these babies are Ms. sassafras' lifeline. Seriously, it would be a bad scene if they are not with us constantly. There have been a couple of panicked moments - like the time I left them at the oil change place and got there again the MINUTE that they closed. She is STILL telling people that story! And the reason why there are two is that I had a backup and had intentions of washing it, and Ms. sassafras found it on the top of her hamper. Man, that was probably the best day of her life. I have never seen a bigger smile on that child's face.

Well, God broke the mold when He made our Ms. sassafras. This little girl is as witty as they come. She was in the bathtub the other night, and Motherbird was trying to get her to say "anything". She was trying to say "I don't need anything". You see, she says this "anyfing" word, and I know that you are supposed to correct children by repeating the correct vocabulary of the word in your own conversation, hoping that by example they learn, but I took a different route this time.

Anyway, I said, "Say ANY".

She says, "ANY".

I say, "Now say THING"... sticking my tongue out as I am overemphasizing the "TH" in thing.

She says, "TTHHHHING".

"Great", I say. Now say, "Say anything".

She says, "ANYFING".

We go over this a few times without success, and without blinking an eye, she says, "Mommy, I want nothing."

Okay. Unbelievable. Problem solved.

Package received!!!

Well, after a month of not knowing if our son received the package we sent him, we did get confirmation today that he got it (and has probably had it for this past month)!! It feels so good to know that he is able to look at pictures of his family, as we pray that it eases his transition to us, his new family, even slightly. Hopefully he also liked his hat, backpack, and matchbox cars. :)

Not sure if I mentioned this yet, but we decided it was better that just us parents go to China (not brother and sister-in-law) mainly for bonding purposes, so that our precious boy will know that we are his parents, and we can concentrate solely on him. We know in our hearts that this is the best decision. Then when we get home, our sister-in-law has offered to help us with translating for him, which we are so thankful for. God has had His hand in all of this, planning every last detail.

So here is a picture that I posted a while ago. Just wanted to be able to see that face again. Can't wait to hold him tight!

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year!

Valentine's Day is a special day to celebrate, especially for a hopeless romantic like me. I've always fallen hard for this occasion (people say it's not a holiday) because we always need an excuse to celebrate love. And in the dead of winter, who doesn't like some lovely red roses and heart decorations around the house?

Here are some pics of Ms. sassafras after her preschool party yesterday, bathing in a sea of candy and special Valentine's cards from her friends.

Also, check out the picture from our little artist - a beautiful smiley face. We are such proud parents, at every tiny little milestone. It doesn't take much to get us excited in this house!

On the paperwork front, on Monday, 2/8/10, we received the letter from the National Visa Center. I mailed it to our agency on Tuesday, 2/9/10, and hopefully this upcoming week, the agency can mail the DS-230 (Visa paperwork) to our contact in China for processing. So the tiny baby steps continue in this long process. It will be worth it to have that precious boy. With the Chinese New Year in full swing now, it is looking like we may get our travel approval in early to Mid March. After that, we can travel 2-5 weeks later. So, at this point, it is looking like a late March/early April departure. We shall see.

So, Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy Chinese New Year! I am so very lucky that I am married to the love of my life. Yes, I am a sappy one....

Good news....hopefully

So I called the National Benefits Center (NBC) on Monday and the form was redone right away and forwarded to us. The problem was our file was already mailed to the National Visa Center (NVC) with the incorrect form. So the NBC forwarded the correct form to the NVC on Tuesday 2/2/10.

I called the NVC yesterday and our file had already been sent off to China! So, the NVC did not receive the form form for our file, but the good news is that everyone has been efficient and hopefully this will not impact us. We were just told to bring the next form to China with us so there are no problems.

Who knows - maybe we'll get travel approval before Chinese New Year on 2/14/10? That would be great. We hope to travel either March 17th or March 24th. Time does fly....

Next time I will post some pictures. I promise. :)

The great news and not so great news.

Do you want the great news first, or the not so great news? Well, the great news is that we received the I-797C approval in the mail yesterday authorizing us to adopt our precious son!!! Hooray!! This was done so quickly!

The bad news is that Motherbird's fingerprint expiration date is listed incorrect (and incorrectly expired which it is not). :( Hopefully this is something that will not impact us time wise. To be continued....

I-800 in process!!

I just opened the mail and we got verification that our I-800 form is processing! Hooray! This is so exciting! Our next step is for it to be approved, and then we can work on getting our travel approval from China. I cannot believe in just a matter of weeks we will have this child forever. Everyone is so supportive and happy for us, and we are so thankful. Soon it will be time to board that plane and start this new chapter in our lives.

Ms. sassafras and I were in the car this morning, and she tells me, "Sometimes you're a good mommy, and sometimes you're a bad mommy." Of course, I'm a "bad mommy" when she doesn't get her way. I've explained to her a million times that it is not nice to say mean things like that, but on the other hand, this is her opinion, and she is entitled to that. She ended the conversation with, "But I'll always love you mommy, even if you're bad." Then I said, "And I'll always love you, even when you are bad." I believe two can play at this game. Stinker.