a whiney update

We got an e-mail from our agency last Friday notifying us that our paperwork was in Beijing. They said our travel approval should be in their office within 3 weeks! I am still really hoping we will be able to go in March. Our agency is doing something new this year, and they are grouping travel. I remember reading the e-mail notifying us that this would be changing in 2012. At the time I thought it would be nice that you are guaranteed to travel with other families....now however I am feeling a little different. If we don't get our travel approval in time to arrange all the appointments for the March 16 travel group....we will have to wait until the April 6 travel group. I know I am making way too big a deal about this whole "I don't want to wait until April thing".....but I DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL! Also...if we travel in April we are going to have to deal with the trade fair in Guangzhou.
I am just so anxious to get her home and get busy being a family of 6....
I also wish that we could get some sort of update on her, just to know that she is doing well would make me feel so much better. We haven't got an updated picture or anything on our girl since the end of September. (Can you tell that I worked nights all weekend and I am feeling a little tired and whiney today?) Anywho, I know that was less of an update and was really more, me whining so....I am going to stop the whining....for the moment at least ;-)

Hopefully we'll have good news to share with everyone very soon!

-katie

Adventures with a 3 year old.....

So our sometimes sweet, yet always ornery Owen, turned 3 earlier this week. I have included a few pictures of his birthday party. The child is obsessed with star wars (thanks to his older brother.) So naturally he had a star wars themed party.

We sat down and googled star wars cakes to get some ideas of what I could make for his birthday cake....this is what he wanted me to make....uh.....yeah right! Sorry buddy, not gonna happen.

This what he ended up with. Not even close....we borrowed a Darth Vadar bobble head from his brother to star-wars-it-up. He was happy with it....so score 1 for Mom!



 He had a brownie with birthday candles on his actual birthday. I think this picture shows a little bit of his ornery side ;-) Love him!

And last but not least.....time for presents! See I told you....the boy is obsessed!



Happy 3rd birthday Owen! We love you buddy!

Article 5

We got Article 5!

So yesterday I was feeling so pouty because we hadn't got our notice of Article 5 from the consulate. I was hoping at the latest we would get it on the 14th....I checked our e-mail, and hit the refresh button more times than I care to admit yesterday. I checked again before I went to bed....nothing.
When I got up this morning and checked yet again.....there was an e-mail from the US Consulate in China with our Article 5 notice! YEAH!
Now we are waiting for travel approval from the CCCWA, then for our agency to schedule our appointments in China......and then we are Cora bound!

(Please pray our travel approval comes quickly and we could get in on the March travel group)


_katie

waiting

The waiting is driving me crazy today....probably because it is Valentines day. Just reminding me more today that we are without our sweet Cora. When we were waiting for the I-800 to arrive, I was literally stalking the mailman. Now I am waiting on the e-mail from Holt to let us know about Article 5 approval....so now I am checking our e-mail about 20 times a day. I am still hoping to get in the March travel group, but with each passing day...I know that is becoming more unlikely.

On a positive note, the other kiddos are having a great Valentine's day, and have offered up lots more hugs and kisses than they normally would have given their mother. Well, off to go celebrate Valentine's day and my mother's 60th birthday with the family....and to check my e-mail again ;-)

_katie

Update

I have had lots of people asking about adoption progress, so I thought I would write a little update.

Our papers were sent to the US consulate in China 2 weeks ago. We are waiting for them to give us what they call "article 5" approval. Once we get that, the consulate will send the article 5 to the CCCWA (China center for children's welfare agency) We will then be waiting for the CCCWA to issue our "travel approval." Once we get the travel approval our agency will start making all the necessary government appointments so that we can finalize the adoption in China. When all the appointments are made, we can start planning our trip.
The travel coordinator at our agency thought that traveling in March might be unlikely because he doesn't think we will get our approvals soon enough to get appointments scheduled in time to go in March. I have been PRAYING that he is wrong. I am praying that the paperwork gets approved quickly and we can get our trip planned for March. If you would all pray for paperwork to get approved quickly I would so appreciate it. Also, if it isn't God's plan for us to go get Cora in March, please just pray for me to relax and be patient that it will all happen in God's time. I keep reminding myself that God's timing is perfect....but I am human after all, and I am getting a bit impatient with this whole process. I just want our sweet girl in my arms where she belongs.

Good news!

This is the province in China where our little girl is currently living.

I finally sent the agency an e-mail yesterday just asking average wait times for LOA(letter of acceptance from China) to arrive. We are on day 92 right now of waiting for our LOA! I was kind-of feeling forgotten about. For those of you that don't know what the LOA is....just know we can't move forward with this adoption until we receive it. We had just gone a long time without hearing anything from anyone, that I just wanted to touch base with someone at Holt (our agency) to make sure in fact that someone hadn't misplaced our paperwork and that things would be moving forward soon :-) She reassured me that our papers would be coming any day. That was my first e-mail (whining about the wait)....I think I did pretty good! It was so hard to go through the holidays without our Cora. It was also hard not to have an answer for our family when they asked when she would be coming home. That all being said........

I got an exciting call today. Our agency called to let us know that our LOA had arrived! They will be fedexing it overnight to us. So it will be in our hands tomorrow! Finally we can move forward!


Here is a picture of our sweet girl! Can't wait to get my hands on her!

She told us it obviously depends on processing times, but she estimated that we would be traveling to China in mid March. (Because yes....there is more paperwork to be filed before we can go.) I wish it were sooner, but I am so excited/relieved that we finally have a time frame to expect. My baby girl will be in my arms in about 2 and a half to 3 months!

I hope everyone is having as great a day as I am!

Love,

Katie

A sweet Owen story.

This was so so sweet last night, so I thought I better blog about it....so I don't forget it someday. Last night when I put the boys to bed, I said, "Let's say our prayers." Which usually means I say the prayer and the boys just listen, but last night Owen says, "ME!" This is the first time my sweet little 2 year old has ever said a prayer. It went like this.....

"Pay, Pay, Da, Ma....Men" Which translates....Pray, Pray, Dad, Mom, Amen. Totally melted my heart. Love that kid!



Adoption update:
We haven't heard anything new....which is DRIVING ME CRAZY! I absolutely hate this waiting....knowing that she is in that orphanage and not home with her family that loves her dearly is really getting to me lately. Please pray that we would hear some news soon, and that our travel date to go get her will be sooner than later. I want my sweet Cora in my arms so much!
On a positive note....our church held a lovely fundraiser for us to help with expenses.....it was so nice. It is also lovely to know that we have lots of people praying for her. It is so wonderful to be part of such a awesome church family!


Love,
Katie