I800

We had a very busy, but fun holiday with my parents. I have been too busy to post since before Christmas, but I had a wonderful Christmas present. On the day before Christmas Eve, I got an e-mail from our officer that our I800 was approved!!
I can hardly believe that we are so close to traveling to China to bring our Renee home!!!
I finally feel like I can paint her room and truly start preparing for her. I just haven't been able to really let myself believe that we truly are adopting. It has been such a long journey.
I will be there soon Renee Wanya!

20 years!!

Today I celebrate being married to this wonderful man. We look so young! Where has the time gone? Can it really be 20 years? He has seen the best of me and he has seen the very worst of me and he has stayed by my side! I am so very blessed to be married to him. We are planning to get away this weekend to a bed and breakfast in Michigan. A big trip will have to wait. Maybe for our 25th! Maybe it will be even later than that. Doesn't matter. Just looking forward to getting away just the two of us before it becomes the 7 of us!
I love you, Honey!!! You are the best!!

Stork

This picture was taken on Dec. 7th when our LOA (letter of approval from China) was delivered, but I used my sons camera and he finally got the file on my computer.
I had to have this picture! Thankfully this man understood what I was doing. It wasn't his first stork encounter. He said the last person that took his picture had the same smile I did!
I have watched Fedex trucks go by and long for them to stop at my home. I have read the blogs and seen people post a picture just like this. It seemed so surreal to finally have the Fedex truck stop at my house! I have waited a long time to post this milestone in our adoption journey! Praise God this is really happening!!

LOA!!!!!!

Finally after 90 days of waiting (which unforunately is the average right now,) we received our "Letter of Approval" from China. We also received our fingerprint appointment!!!! It is Dec. 15th!!! I was hoping before Christmas so this is awesome!!! I was so afraid that this fingerprinting my oldest son would slow things down, but it really shouldn't too much. Between this issue and the holidays I800 approval will not be as quick as the average wait(around 21 days). I would like to think that we would receive it before the end of the year, but if not, it shouldn't be too long after the new year!! Still serveral steps to go, but we are finally moving forward. WHEN? Yes, that is the million dollar question. Maybe we will travel around the beginning of March. I will know more after we receive our I800 approval.
Oh happy day!!! I hear China is lovely in the Spring!! :)

Pictures!!

She is growing and I am not there to see the changes. :( Her update reveals that she is really taking off in her development as well. She only said a few words and now she is saying many words and short sentences. I found out that she has been with the same foster parents since she was abandoned. Makes my heart happy that she is being loved and being taken care of so well.
Hope to get my LOA and fingerprint appointment soon.

Spring

Yes, I know we are just barely to winter, but this is what will help me get through the winter. China is lovely in the spring!! It is the motto that a friend and I have right now. :)
This week has been an adventure. It is one I didn't handle well, but I made it to the other side. Our I800a supplements 1 and 3 are now in Texas and hopefully will move very quickly to the hands of my officer so we can get a fingerprint appointment for our son who will soon be turning 18. My hope is that we can get this done before Christmas. We finally found out that we are "in process" so hopefully in 2-4 weeks we will finally have our long awaited LOA! (Letter of approval from China) It has been over 60 days now since we have been waiting for it. But even when we receive our LOA we have to wait until our sons fingerprints are approved before we can go any further in the process. So with the holidays to slow things down and around 12 week wait after fingerprints are approved to get all the steps done to get to Renee, it will probably be spring until we travel.
Below is a song called "Beauty will Rise." There is another song by this same artist called "Spring is coming" but I didn't like any of the youtube videos for it. This is another song he wrote after the death of his adopted daughter. It is a song that has brought comfort after the failed adoption from Nepal. It has that same idea that spring is coming. Joy is coming after the lost. It will rise right from the very thing that once brought pain. It is a song I will be singing all winter long!

9 months

Yup! That's what the ticker at the right says. It has been 9 months exactly since we were officially accepted into the China program. Well Renee, on this 9 month anniversary, your mama lost it. Your oldest brother is about to become an adult and the hoops I have to jump through so that we can complete this adoption are sending me over the edge.

I had to take him to the doctor office to get a TB test and tomorrow for the 6th time I have to go and get a back ground check done. Not for me or your father, but your brother who the government, even though I still pay the bills and still mother and help him finish high school, says that he is an adult! In another month I have to take him to the USCIS office (for the 3rd time) to get him fingerprinted! I am back in the hurry up mode, so I can wait some more.
When I finally am able to see your beautiful face and if you ever throw yourself on the floor having a tantrum, I will remember these days and the times I too wanted to act like a toddler. I will try to remember these helpless feelings I am having right now and have compassion toward you and gentle help you through your rage. Your world will soon be turned upside down. I guess it is only fair that my world be turned upside down as well.