Finally, some new pictures (and a new post, below)

A Message of Peace, Hope and Love


Okay. I couldn’t resist the title of this post. Those of you who have followed us in the blog know that our previous posts have been, um, how shall we say, truthful about our experiences adopting our second child from China and the transition home.

For those of you who don’t remember, or are new to following our adventures, a quick summary:

Pre-Trip: Yay, a son! Incredible excitement! Can’t wait to go back to China!

Arrival in China: Yay, a son! Wow, it’s hot. Wow, I’m tired.

1st Week in China: Yay, a son! Really, really miss Jenna (our daughter, who stayed at home). Wow, it’s hot. Wow, I’m tired.

2nd Week in China: Yay, a son! Really, really miss Jenna. Okay, it’s hot. Seriously. Have I mentioned that I’m tired?

Arrival Home: Yay, home! Yay, Jenna! Yay, a family! Jeez, it is hot! Wow, I’m tired.

1st month home: Aarrgh! Two kids! When will the crying and fighting stop? (And that’s just Mom and Dad). Stop hitting! Stop pulling her hair! Be nice! It’s sooo hot! I’m #%*&^# exhausted.

2nd month home: See 1st month home.


And so on.


I am happy to report that we seemed to have stumbled into some semblance of a normal life. There are good moments. There are bad moments. There are incredibly great, Norman Rockwell, “aren’t we the luckiest parents in the world” moments. There are terribly exhausting, doubt-inducing, “I’m pretty sure I’m the worst parent in the world” moments. In short, a normal life of parenting. And it is pretty good.


Will’s adjustment and development has been amazing. He is an incredibly happy child, full of spirit and adventure. Which makes him the odd man out in our family. We’re not quite sure how to deal with happiness and bravery.

He is engaged in speech therapy (primarily as a result of his palate repair) and has developed about 15-20 words that he uses appropriately and consistently, and that we, at least, can recognize. True, “vacuum” and “jacket” sound remarkably similar, but what are you going to do? One of his clearest words (other than “eat”, which deserves a post of its own) is “football”. Yay, Dad! And yes, he uses it to refer to sports ranging from soccer to basketball, but it is clearly “football”. So, he’s got “eat” and “football” down. Who said I couldn’t raise a son?

Jenna’s transition has been a little more difficult, but is going well. She had a tough few months, with the addition of a 19-month old brother into HER family on top of the challenge of starting kindergarten. But she has made it through. The ratio of “I don’t want a brother” to “I really love my little brother” has evened out quite a bit, and she is doing really well in school. She loves to read, and write, and to make up her own stories, which usually involve a princess named May. (And no, not “Mei”. I asked.)

Perhaps the greatest joy over the past couple of months has been seeing them play more and more together. Or perhaps I should say, NOT seeing them play together. They have developed this wonderful propensity to play together, quietly, upstairs in the gameroom. We’ve done our parental duty to check and ensure that Will has not been bound and gagged during these periods, and can safely say that Jenna has allowed him to remain free, as long has he obeys her instructions. She is, after all, the big sister.

So, a summary. Yay, a son! Yay, a family! Wow, it is starting to get cold. Wow, I’m really tired. This is pretty good.

I’ll leave you with this. As we were putting up Christmas decorations a few weeks ago, I walked past the dining room and saw Jenna playing with some decorations she made while in pre-school. The two with which she was playing were an angel (made out of paper plates) and a Baby Jesus in his “crib” (made out of popsicle sticks, burlap, etc.). She was holding the significantly larger angel directly over the head of Baby Jesus, saying (in a very, very stern voice), “Wake UP, Baby Jesus! Get UP! Get Up!”

Now, we are not known for our deep understanding of, or strict adherence to, biblical stories. But I am fairly certain that this is not how things went down on the day of the good Lord’s birth. I could be wrong, though.

For now, we’ll stick with the message of peace, hope and love.

Our best to all of you during this holiday season.

Greg

The 2 Month Mark

We've hit the 2 month mark since arriving home, and I can't believe it! It has been the most difficult thing we (meaning me, Greg and Jenna.......and perhaps Will) have ever been through. But I can say, tentatively, that things are getting better. The biggest change is Will - he is understanding so much more these days, and I think it has helped in the decrease of his frustration level, which in turn, has lead to less hitting and pinching. This makes Jenna very happy, so she is playing with him a lot more. She doesn't hate him 24/7 anymore! Yea for us!!

Will follows Jenna around like a puppy, and does most of what she says, which of course makes her feel as though she rules the house. They have taken some long strides towards building a relationship. Jenna is a mother hen, and sometimes we have to remind her that Will already has a mom and dad to dole out the discipline etc. She laughs more often, and enjoys knowing she can make HIM laugh.

Updates on Will's medical status. He does NOT have Hep. B He does not need braces for his very bowed legs - the ortho feels he will grow out of it. His vitamin D level is low, so he is on supplements. He will probably need ear tubes in the very near future. Appt. with the plastic surgeon for his palate is not until Nov.

His receptive language is doing very well. We are using signs with him, and he uses them all the time, and tries to say a few words. The speech therapist is working with him, although he tends to practice more with me than during his session. Just this week he started wanting to feed himself all the time with a spoon, so that is always a messy experience. He eats EVERY food imaginable.

Overall, he is a happy kid. Every new place we go is a full -out adventure for him. He doesn't like being reigned in, but then, what toddler does??

Newer pictures

Home 1 month

I can't believe we have been home 1 month. It sounds so short, yet has felt so long! Have things gotten better? In some ways yes, and in others, no. Jenna started Kindergarten, and it was a rough start, but she likes it now. She comes home exhausted and needs to sleep - but of course doesn't want to - and will fall asleep in the car if we run errands. What a strange sight it is, the 5 1/2 year old slumped over in her car seat, while the 20 month old babbles away.

Jenna still has a hard time being with Will for a long period of time. Short togetherness seems to work best, but of course is not always possible. She turns on a dime, and will love him one minute and hate him the next. He is still hitting and pinching. He is sleeping better, thank goodness. His temper tantrums have started in earnest, much to our dismay. Mostly around food - as in, give me more right now! He would eat all day non stop if he could. He likes all food, which is nice, but he still begs and carries on in the kitchen every day. I just read that kids appetites fall significantly by age 2 1/2, so there is hope!

We have had small doses of happy times here and there - only 10 or 15 minutes, maybe when Jen and Will are chasing each other in the house - but still mostly pull your hair out, hook me up to an alcohol IV every day. Have I mentioned the gray hair that is growing???

It has been one hell of a month.

When is Kindergarten??

I find myself looking forward to the day Jen starts school. She'll be more independent, gain confidence, yadda yadda....but really its just to see she and Will separated for a time. They just go at each other. Which is amazing considering they have only known each other for 11 days.

Will has his first dr. appt. on Friday, and Jenna gets to meet her teacher. A big day for both.

We've been home a week...

We've been home 1 week, which means today is the day Greg goes back to work. And today is the day my anxiety level is thru the roof. It has been sooooo hard this week. Soooo miserable, it feels like we've been living in a nightmare, and yet we chose this?

How many tears can we all cry in one day? Jenna has turned petulant, and doesn't want to share, even though she is playing with baby toys. Will still wants to hit and pinch her all the time, and I just want to pull out the gray hair that is now growing on my head.

The upside of yesterday, we all laughed 2 times. Does that balance out the tears?

How bad can it get??

We are miserable. There, I said it. All 4 of us. Happy Will is gone right now. He has become anxious and whiny. He is fighting naps and bedtime, whereas in China he was a champion sleeper. Tonight just sobbing in Greg's arms. He is hitting, pinching and throwing - and we are just so tired of it. I didn't expect this level of grief after 2 weeks, but here it is. He is clearly unhappy and struggling, and so are we. Jenna barely tolerates him, and tells us daily she doesn't want a little brother, doesn't want to share, doesn't want him in her room!!

If I wasn't so tired and frustrated I'd laugh. This morning I truly dreaded getting out of bed. I can only hope I feel differently tomorrow.

Sad isn't it?

Jenna and Will

We are home, and we are exhausted!

We made it home on Saturday, thank goodness! We flew into LA Friday night, and then stayed in a hotel. Forever in the immigration line, till someone took pity on us and a few others with babies. Ordered room service at the hotel at 10:30pm, and it was heaven! Scarfed every last bite.

Our family met us at the airport, which was great. Miss Jenna was so excited, and then she cried because she was nervous about her new little brother. Who could blame her? Things got rough later in the day, lots of tears for all of us. We all went to bed by 8pm. Will slept until 10:30 the next day - a feat I did not think possible!

Will is such an explorer, and I know that one day it will be wonderful, but right now it is really tough. He is touching EVERYTHING, knowing that some of it is off limits. Today, Monday, he was hitting and pinching Jenna like crazy. Not really to hurt her, but to get her attention or make her move out of the way. In any case, lots of no's and redirection. Jenna was sick of him, and we were sick of each other! He still despises getting his hair/face wet in the bath. He was in foster care for over a year, so they had to have washed his hair at some point - but he absolutely hates it. How long can a kid go with greasy hair??

Fatigue is still a major issue, which doesn't help our mood. Greg and I hit a wall about 3pm the last 2 days, so I hope it gets better soon.

We keep saying the mantra, things WILL change, things WILL get better. And I know that in my head, but it is hard to swallow. Jenna cried today that she didn't want a baby brother, and she didn't want to live with us any more. How many times can my heart break for her? Or for myself?

My bed is calling me....

Fw: Our last night in China

--- On Thu, 8/6/09, BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> wrote: From: BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> Subject: Our last night in China To: gregbeth2004.will@blogger.com Date: Thursday, August 6, 2009, 8:28 AM We have just finished our last night in Guangzhou!  We leave Friday night at 6pm to fly to LA, and then home on Sat.  Today we had our appt. with the US Consulate, where we got Will's visa for his return trip home.  He really didn't want to cooperate; he is a man on the go after all.   There is a typhoon heading just north of us that will hit tomorrow, so we are crossing our fingers and toes that we can get out of here on time!   I'm attaching some last pictures, one of Will holding onto the chair as he poops.  I know - how sick am I??  But it is so damn funny, he grunts like a caveman.  There is no confusion over what he is doing, and I'm sure one day he will be thrilled that I am commenting on his bodily functions.   Thank you for all the good wishes, it has meant the world to us!

A rainy Thursday

Fw: More pics

--- On Tue, 8/4/09, BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> wrote: From: BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> Subject: More pics To: gregbeth2004.will@blogger.com Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 10:03 AM Today we went to the zoo, and wow was it huge.  The air conditioning on the bus was broken on the way back to the hotel, and I thought we would all roast in what felt like a convection oven.  We also took some group pictures on the red couch at the hotel, and Will was looking handsome in his traditional outfit.  He actually cooperated for a few photos!   Later we took a walk to the local herbal market - an absolutely amazing experience.  We saw dried seahorses, starfish, fish stomachs, and sea urchin.  Dried frogs, snakes and deer tendons.  Every herb and root imaginable.  Then there was the live animal street including scorpions and turtles to eat; chicks, bunnies, gerbils, fish, cats and dogs to keep as pets.  The sights and smells were memorable.  Lots of pictures, and no, we did not eat anything!  Will's eyes were huge as he looked around.   We have a large tropical depression headed our way tomorrow, so we will be stuck in the hotel for a few days.  Stir crazy anyone?

The famous red couch, herbal market and more.....

Day 3

We went shopping this morning with our guide, Kelly.  A long, but fruitfull exercise!  After a good nap this afternoon, we took Will down to a play room they have here at the hotel.  It is great, full of fun baby toys and lots of room to run around.  Which was literal in Will's case.  There was only one other kid as active as Will, and she was 3 years old!  He loved the bucket that contained some legos, so much that he decided to wear it as a hat.

Will tasted ice cream for the first time tonight. ( they have some hagen daas at a local store)  Believe it or not, he didn't like it!  It was too cold, and he made a nasty face, and then refused any more.  Just give him starches please.

Tomorrow is the zoo, assuming the tropical depression headed our way hasn't brought any rain.

Fw: Finally in Guangzhou!!

--- On Sat, 8/1/09, BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> wrote: From: BethAnn Simpson <gregbeth2004@yahoo.com> Subject: Finally in Guangzhou!! To: gregbeth2004.will@blogspot.com Date: Saturday, August 1, 2009, 2:23 AM We finally made it to Guangzhou.  6 days in Fuzhou was enough!  It was a beautiful city, but just too hot to really enjoy.  We spent our last morning introducing Will to his first swimming pool.  Tentative at first, and stayed close to Dad, but I think he enjoyed it.  He didn't much enjoy the other little girl there who liked to splash his face!  Bonked her in the head with an empty water bottle - take that!   We flew to Guangzhou Friday night, and our adventurer was all over the place at the airport.  We got a lot of stares, some laughs and some dirty looks - but he is a toddler on the move people!  We had our first western meal in a week at the airport, KFC.  That's right - and it was the best damn meal ever!  Will promptly fell asleep on the plane.  Got to the lovely White Swan Hotel at 10pm, and couldn't get him back to sleep until 12:30am.  Even then he had a very restless night.  So did we.  Did you know that sleeping on what amounts to a box spring really bites?  So hard my legs would fall asleep if I slept on my side.   Today we had to get Will a visa picture, and then his medical exam.  He did wonderfully, only cried when the doctor had to look at his palate to confirm the surgery for the cleft.  She saw a tiny fistula(hole) right behind a tooth in the hard palate, so perhaps that is why his breath is less than rosy.  He is officially 27 lbs and 31 inches tall.  Greg is off filling out paperwork for the consulate, and I finally got Will down for a nap.   For this quiet moment, I am thankful.   Keep up the emails!!

Guangzhou Day 2 part 2

Today we toured the Chan Family Temple.  Not really a temple per say, more of a compound for the family while in Guangzhou.  Built in 1889, it had the most ornate wood carvings I have ever seen.  It was fun to think of little kids running around the courtyards so many years ago.  They must have been hardy, because the heat is enough to melt paint!   We played with Will at the pool today, and even water doesn't slow him down.  He just babbles constantly.  He now lets Greg wrestle with him on the floor, and it is so cute.    A good day overall.  Tomorrow we do a little shopping, so let's see how my haggling skills hold up.

Guangzhou Day 2

HE SMILES ON CAMERA!!!!!!

A stressful day 4

Fuzhou in the summer is like walking on the surface of the sun..  Basically, your skin falls off.  And we're used to Houston weather!  We visited a park today, which was beautiful.  We took a pic of a 1000 year old banyan tree.  We were so miserable though.  Will did not nap that day, so we were all annoyed with each other.  We were finally able to get him to bed for the night at 6:30, and he slept until a brief wakeup at 5, then back down until 6"30.  I think he is escaping from the stress in his sleep.  We will travel to his orphanage today, just to take pics of the outside, as it was where Will was found.   Please keep the comments and emails coming!

The end of a very long day one.....

Will's true grieving has begun.  Happy one minute, crying uncontrolably the next.  Yesterday he was in shock, today, he realizes we are not going anywhere.  He's great eating - just fill him up like a baby bird, but change his diaper?  Total dispair, and hysterics.  Those diapers can hold a lot of pee let me tell you!  We signed all the paperwork today to make his adoption official.  He can't get rid of us now!

He is starting to recognize his name, and can sign "more" to us.  In a switch from our last adoption, he is much more attached to Greg.  Greg can hold him, Greg can put him to sleep.  He tolerates me, which is ok for now.  He is fighting going to sleep right now, and every parent out there knows what that is like.  Greg's arms are wearing out.

We are still not adjusted to the new time zone, and are walking zombies.  We hope sleeping  tonight will help us.

Please keep the good wishes coming - boy do we need them!!

Pictures

Here are a few pics of the little guy.  Not too happy!  We'll all get there eventually.  Did I mention lack of sleep makes your brain work slowly?  Wow, it's been a long time since the Jenna days...

On the ground in Fuzhou

After more than 24 hours in airports or planes, we've arrived in Fuzhou.  A very, very long day.  It is currently 11:15 a.m. local time, and we meet Will in approximately 4 hours.  Panic would set in, but we are too tired for panic.  :)   I would offer insight, or at least observation, about Fuzhou, but we are too tired for that, too.  For now, we are here.  We are safe.  We are hungry.  And we are excited about meeting Will.   A reminder that we are posting to the blog via email and cannot read comments.  If you wish to send us a message (and we hope that you do) please do so to either gregbeth2004@yahoo.com or to gregbeth@cebridge.net.  Please do not comment on the creativity of our email account names..    Our next post will be all about meeting Will.  I promise that it will be more informative. Greg

Away We Go!!!

This is it - the final post stateside. We leave for the airport in just a few minutes....and can't believe it!! 2 big suitcases, 2 carryons, and 2 backpacks. Man.

One thing has made the day difficult, my dad had a heart attack this morning. It was not severe, and he is ok after having 2 stents put into his arteries. We'll miss you dad!! I joked that he was just trying to get out of taking care of Jenna for a week. Hopefully our little energizer bunny won't complicate his recovery. They have a very special relationship, so I know she'll keep PopPop's spirits up.

I want to thank everyone who has wished us well on this trip. It means so much to know we have friends and family looking out for us!! We hope to post from Fuzhou, including some pictures.

Off to China we go.........

The final week

Here we have reached the final week of preparations. Are we done? Not by a long shot. It seems like there is way more stuff to worry about this time around. Our entire load of travel gear (minus clothing) is spread out on the dining room table. How is it all going into the suitcases exactly??

One piece of good news - we received our updated approval for a special needs child from USCIS. Truly amazing - they got it back to us within a few days! Who says a gov. agency can't move when they want to! It is a huge relief, because we won't have to worry about our consulate appt. in Guangzhou on the 5th.

Jenna got a very special gift from Auntie Ruth - a Big Sister necklace that she just loves! A big thank you to Ruth - we love you! We ordered a personalized Big Sis t-shirt for her to wear when she meets us at the airport, and she was very excited. Now if we could just carry that excitement over to get us through our first week back home.....

10 days and counting.....

So we got our documents to our local USCIS office - hopefully they will expedite the process so Will can get a visa for his return trip to the US!

My anxiety level has definitely stepped up a notch. I have lists and more lists - things to do before trip, things still to buy, things to pack....endless. I think I'll feel better once I'm on the plane, but wow, that is still down the road a bit. Oh, and luggage. We'll definitely have to pay for too much weight and/or too many bags. Some people do this trip with carry ons only - are you kidding me? I don't WANT to wear the same pair of underwear every single day! LOL

Yet another hurdle....

Let's throw one more curve ball into the mix, shall we? The American Consulate in Guangzhou (our last stop before coming home) has decided NOT to accept any homestudy updates from parents. It can only come from US Citizenship and Immigration - where we got our fingerprints and original approval to adopt an orphan. What does this mean? Our social worker had to be very specific about Will's special needs in the update, and we have to get a copy to our local USCIS office, so they can enter it into the system, where it will hopefully end up at the Consulate - sometime before our Aug. 5th appt.!!!

How crazy is that?? I feel like I should be getting paid for the circus hoops I have jumped through.

On a happier note, when we arrive in Fuzhou on Sun. 7/26 at 9:30am, we have only a few short hours until we meet our son! That's right - jet lag and all, we will be a family at 3:30 that day. That is seriously overwhelming, since we will be zombies later in the day.... I predict lots of crying from everyone.

WE HAVE TA!!!!!

We finally got our TA on Friday!!!!

I was hoping it would come in, but when it didn't come on Thursday, I was a serious grump all day....then voila....it arrived. The agency has to confirm our appointment with the American Consulate, and then we would travel on Friday, 7/24. Just 3 weeks from now!

The clock is ticking, and this stuff is for real! We will meet our son by the end of the month. I can hardly wrap my brain around it.

Decision is made

We've made our decision. Jenna will be staying with her aunt and uncle while we are in China. It was not a fun decision. We worry about her ability to handle our absence for 2 weeks. At least she will have her cousins to play with, maybe take her mind off of missing us! It breaks our heart to think that she will not be with us when we first meet Will. We've talked about it for 21/2 years now, and really wanted Will to bond with his big sister in China. But plans change, and we have to regroup and figure out a new way to look at it all.

We're still trying to get his medical info from the surgery he had last month. We still have a few things we need to buy, and then we are set. Theoretically anyway.

A parent's dilemma

We are now facing a huge dilemma. The state dept. has issued a travel alert for those going to China. China is imposing quarantines on people who have an elevated temperature, in an attempt to contain the swine flu. Temps are taken while still on the plane. If anyone has a high temp - they are detained. This has happened a handful of times to different Americans, and 2 adoptive families. Hospitals for those who test positive for swine flu, special quarantine hotels for those who might be infected.

The scary thing is that the families are separated - and Greg and I have decided that we can not take the risk of it happening on our trip. Jenna has to stay home. We are sick over this. Even harder is to decide if she stays with family, or one of us stays home with her, while the other travels. Travel partner anyone? This is one of the toughest decisions we have ever faced.

We're not there yet. We are waiting on Travel Approval (TA), and then the clock starts ticking.....

She Rides!!

4 days ago, Jenna finally decided to learn how to ride her bike. She wants us all to take a family bike ride.....but for that, well, it was obvious. She practiced up and down the driveway, never letting us touch her or help her - "I can do it myself!" The mantra we hear just about every day.

Today we went to the empty high school parking lot, and that was it. It clicked, she did it, and screamed with joy. Round and round she went, never crashed.

It was one of the best days of her life, and ours too. We are so impressed with her determination, and hope she uses it throughout her life.

Care Package for Will

This is a picture of the care package we are sending to Will. It was put together by Ann at Red Thread China - who lives in Guangzhou. He should receive it in a few days. I hope his foster family shows him the album and prepares him a bit - how much could an 18 month old understand about leaving with complete strangers??

New info on Will!!!!

Today we received updated info on Will. We are using a service in China to send him a care package (Red Thread China), and she was able to call the orphanage and get updated stats and a new picture! We are so thrilled. As of this week, he is 30.0 inches tall, and weighs 26 pounds. At his age, Jenna was 5 pounds lighter!

He looks like a little guy now, and wow dig that jewelry! Greg is calling him Tony Soprano. The orphanage told us he had his surgery last month.......we can only assume that means his palate was closed. Totally unexpected. We will still have him evaluated once he is home with us.

We are so happy. Please don't let the swine flu slow down our trip!

There was this great bar fight.....

A bar fight? He wishes! No, actually Greg had surgery on his blocked tear duct the other day. The Dr. had to drill through his nasal bone to create new drainage for his eye. Yes it sounds painful, and yes it IS painful. Poor guy has a black eye to prove it. First pic is the day of the surgery, the 2nd is 2 days later.

I think he prefers the bar fight story.....

Nesting

Things to do before we go to China.....starting with getting rid of the dreaded monkey paper in the office!! There was no way this was going to happen with a toddler around, but luckily, I had Jenna there to help me. She worked on her section for an hour and a half!! Very determined. I never want to see wallpaper again.

Confirmation sent

Today we sent back the LSC to our agency. It hardly seems real! We want to thank everyone for their support, and keep it coming, cause we're gonna need it!

Will's Referral Pictures

Check out the last picture, he's got his package out for the world to see! No doubt that he is a boy. We kind of think he looks like Greg's baby pictures - fat cheeks with little arms and legs sticking out. Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks!!

We're in love, and also scared to death.......

IT'S OFFICIAL !!!!!!!!!!!!

WE HAVE A SON!!!

We got the call today from our agency - our LSC came in!! This is our official referral for Will. His given name is Su Yuan, and he lives in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province. Fujian is directly across from Taiwan on the southeast coast of China. We are so relieved and excited. We waited 6 weeks from pre-approval. Travel is usually in 6-8 weeks, but things may change because of the swine flu. Last night we read that Fujian has 2 confirmed flu cases, and if they refuse to make international adoption appointments, we could be stuck waiting for quite some time. :(

At least we can post his pictures and send him a care package!!

Remember the Alamo!....and good news for friends

Last weekend we traveled to San Antonio - so of course we stopped by the historic Alamo. Jenna looks thrilled in these pics as you can tell. We had a court date to apply for a Texas birth certificate. It seems weird to think her US birth cert will show she was born in China!

Good news for good friends - Terri and Michael got their referral today - after waiting 3 years, 2 months. Their daughter is the same age as Will, and from the same province as their older daughter. (Jenna's too!) We are thrilled for them!!! I truly wanted to shout from the roof tops.

We still have no new info on our LSC. Today is day 43. The window was 30-60 days, so nothing unreasonable yet. I just want to post his pictures and send the boy a care package!!

Our wait continues....

We've Got Nothing But Time

And then there was the waiting. Oh, ....and the waiting. And did I mention the waiting? Sigh. It has been almost forty days since we sent in our Letter of Intent to adopt Will. Day after day after day of running to the computer, checking email to see if our agency has received our Letter of Approval. Day after day after day of looking at the three referral pictures of Will (which we can't even post here until we receive the Letter of Approval) thinking, "How are you doing today?" and "I hope you are happy and healthy", and "I can't wait to meet you and hold you."

I'm sure there is a life lesson in here somewhere. Something about things happening in their own time, the difficulty of expectations and the futility of wanting things to be different than they are. If only I could see it, through all of the waiting.

Lucky Ladybug?

Could this be a sign? I saw a lady bug at the park today - same exact spot as last time. Jenna and I called it our Lucky Will lady bug. Perhaps tomorrow we will get our LSC?

30 days come and gone

Today is day 30 in our wait for our letter seeking confirmation. We certainly thought it would take longer than a month, but were secretly hoping.....oh well.

It is starting to dawn on us that we still have a lot of projects we need to complete before we bring home a toddler! There is still monkey border in our office from the previous home owner - so paint is a must, as well as our gameroom. We have not even started decorating Will's room! We finally bought some new, lighter suitcases for the trip. Our old ones were a joke.

So much to do, but all we really have is time, right?

That Damn Swine Flu

Well, it is official. The CCAA will be delaying the next batch of referrals. How long? Our adoption agency says 2-3 weeks, but anything is possible. Since we are in the Waiting Child program it might be different - those approvals normally just trickle in, and are not part of a big batch. So will we get our LSC around the 8th? I doubt it.

Our concern now turns to Jenna being able to start Kindergarten on time on August 24th. We really want her to start that first week with all of the other kids. That transition is going to be hard enough!

All I can say for today is........ DAMN!!!!

Will There Be a Delay??

This week I read 2 posts of families receiving their LSC - the final letter of approval if you will - for both of them they only waited 4 weeks from their initial letter of intent (LOI). Which would be incredible, because for us that would be on May 8th. Unfortunately, this whole swine flu thing started getting crazy......

The Chinese government agency that handles adoptions (CCAA) issued a statement urging families to delay their travel until the flu scare has passed. They are not prohibiting travel - yet. What does this mean for referrals and travel, well the rumors are flying. The CCAA may hold up referrals and travel approvals for the next 30 days.....which would really bite for us. It would push everything back of course, and there could be a problem with Jenna starting Kindergarten. Don't even want to think about that!!

We'll try to stay positive, and I'll post more info as it comes in.

We have preapproval!!

Last Friday we got a very important email, our pre-approval letter. It basically states that our application will be processed, and our dossier moved into the waiting child program. YEA!

We now will wait 30-60 days for the final seal of approval - the letter seeking confirmation or LSC. After that is received, we will travel in 6 weeks. Hopefully travel will be in July, so there will not be any conflict with Jenna starting Kindergarten.