Last trip to Target????

Well, went to Target for the third time in one week. I cannot imagine anything else we need but I am sure something else will pop up. Otherwise, our packing should be good to go......

next Sunday we will be in Nanchang, China

Getting excited. Stressed. Not sleeping (because of Bennett mostly). The packing is pretty much done. A large list awaits though...... Need to have some wine with dinner tonight. On top of things, my tooth is aggravating me. I'm bummed it is hurting.

Happy First Birthday Xiaoyue

If I was with her I would give her cupcakes like this, kisses and hugs, and wishes for a wonderful year.

Xiaoyue is officially one! Her birthday is August 11 and it is well into the morning of her special day in China. I hope something special is done for her. We will celebrate when she gets home. So very much to celebrate......

I'm packing......

Actually, I'm almost done......

We got our consulate appointment today. It is 8:30 a.m. local time, August 31st, in Guangzhou, China. Sooooo, what does THAT mean? It means we leave in ten days! We are going to leave late the 19th or early the 20th. Should meet Xiao Yue on the 22nd in Nanchang, China. Many meetings and some travel later, we should be able to leave China on September 3rd. Again a bit tentative but we are working crazy busy with the travel agent right now....

And for those who know me, I AM packing light unlike the above photo. Also those are not my legs (I wish!!!)

updated info

This is the note we were forwarded from China:

Update information for Du Xiao Yue
-August 7

She will be one year old soon. She is open and active.  She likes to smile, likes to play putside.  She is getting along very well with other babies in her room.  She likes to watch TV, especially catoon programs.  She can say "Baba" and "Jie Jie"(older sister).  She can sit alone, and can stand by holding something.  She can understand simple words of caregivers and she can read face expressions.  
 
Length:  70cm. (27.5 inches)
Weight: 8kg (17.5 pounds)
Head size: 45cm
Chest size:  44cm
Foot length: 12cm (4.7 inches - size 5) this is prob. off
Teeth: 4 

Xiao Yue's room - done

before

after

before

after

window treatment, better photo of the two patterns

Howard worked really hard getting the painting done and furniture moved about a hundred times. I had to rework the curtains a bunch of times due to the overly subtile pattern on the circle fabric. I did make the curtains and the crib skirt. Thanks mom for getting the fabric I had seen weeks ago. It is really cute and I am sooooo happy you got it for us. There is some empty wall space but that will be filled in time with photos and maybe even some mementos from China.

WE GOT OUR TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!

Today our travel approval came to the house of our agency worker. She is in CA but her brother is housesitting and took care of getting things electronically to her. So as I understand this......

She will send an application / request to the consulate in China requesting an appointment. This request goes electronically. Once THAT date is set, the Provence where Xiao Yue is needs a weeks notice for us to come. Sooooo, we hope to know travel dates by the end of this coming week.

The chances of us leaving in ten days is very, very slim. (it would be best for us though with child care needs). Realistically, it will be us leaving in two weeks. BUT, it could be longer than that. Again, it out there in the universe waiting for answers.

This is getting crazy exciting!!!!!!!

waiting for TA

I am not sure who is out there...... but I thought I would sign in and tell you all what has been going on. We are waiting for our Travel Approval (TA). Once China sends the approval, things should happen fast - at least we hope. The TA will come, then our agency asks for an appointment at the US Embassy. Once we are given that date, an appointment in Nanchang will be set up to meet our daughter a week prior to the embassy date. I am still hoping and praying that I get to meet her and be with her for her first birthday on Aug. 11. We would have to get our TA next week and all would have to go SUPER smooth for that to happen but I am going to keep hoping........

We have not gotten any updated information. I am also hoping for that soon. I really need for these travel plans to go smooth so Howard is back for an easier start for the school year and Bennett is able to be taken care of with our "plan A". Please all, cross those fingers and keep us in your prayers. Xoxoxo

here is our daughter

Du Xiao Yue
born: August 11, 2010
province: Jiangxi

We are waiting for translations to know more information. Her name is loosely translated to little moon. WE ARE OVER THE MOON!

R4 rumor - engines ready!

The symbol above is from the web site China Adopt Talk (RQ / Rumor Queen presides). Tonight just before I was putting away the iPad, she posted that she is moving the rumor of referrals being finished and sent to an R4. An R4 is:

"Rumor that we feel good about. It comes indirectly from a source that is usually right, or it is coming from multiple sources, but just not quite enough to give it an R5 Designation yet. This is the first rumor that I put my reputation behind. It is listed on the Scorecard."

This is huge. She says it may be tomorrow or Friday! WOW!!! Gosh, hope I can sleep. Was up last night from 2-3:30 a.m. so who knows? I just hope all skipped families like us are in is batch.

heard it though the grapevine

The gossip coming out of Spain is that the CCCWA finished this batch of referrals. They went up to the LID date of July 6th, 2006 and that they have been sent.

What this MIGHT mean for us: if all information has been correct that we have been given, we are expecting our referral in the next batch. So, if this rumor is correct, our referral should be on it's way here. Again, a rumor, but I am told a reliable source. Now, let's just pray that we are NOT screwed over again.

feeling a bit unraveled

Feeling like I am unraveling a bit. Finding better perspective is hard. No news from China.

I did have a visit from mom last weekend. She helped me with my yard sale. It was a great but short visit. We got rid of a lot and all the money is put aside for China. It was fun as four other neighbors also had sales. It was a nice experience getting ready and working with people on my block. We are so fortunate to live on a great street.

I feel like it is Thursday and it's only Tuesday. By the way, I never did learn how to fix a knitting problem like the one above.

one week

It has been one week since the referrals from China started coming in for this batch. I was so crazy excited one week ago. And nervous. By Wednesday I was nervous that something was wrong and it would not ever be coming. Still don't have a clear picture what is going on. It is hard when people say that it will be ok, will work out. I do not know that, do not feel that. Just wish I had solid information as to when our daughter will be matched to us.

a lovely "virtual" community

I want to make a minute to thank a very special "virtual" community that I have become a part of. I have already mentioned the site China Adopt Talk. There are threads of conversation that cover everything from adoption - zoos and all in-between. They have been a great source of information and support these last few months. I want to share with you the type of support I have been given recently:

Who is still waiting for their referral?  I know Monique is waiting, anyone else?  I think this would be a great thread for encouragement for all the families still waiting for their babies.  Let's bump this thread up often...we don't want any June babies to be forgotten until they all come home!!   We're pulling for you and holding our breath right along with you!!  Feel free to update us and vent here as well!!

The other day my big girls noticed we had not taken down our beads/ counting off LID's we had 5 still hung up, and we are home with our baby. I told them we would leave them up till ALL of June has their referals, so those beads can just hang there a little longer while we wait for your baby then. It will happen.

These are the types of comments that warm my heart and keep me going. And there are so many, many more. Thank you all (esp. the Junies)....... from the bottom of my heart.

holding on to a small pebble of hope

I am hearing a few stories of families getting their referrals in the last two days. One family was told there were some computer issues going on in the China office. These types of stories, although just as fustrating for those families, leaves me with a small pebble of hope that our referral may come sooner than later.

I'm angry and my hands are tied

No word coming today from China as to why our case is in the matching room. I am unfortunately hearing of a few other people getting screwed over too. There is a family in Norway that has to wait because they were asked for new info back in 2007. A second family in Norway has no idea why they didn't get their with a date of 6/22/06. Someone here in states got an incorrect referral and it is supposed to be fix and back by next week. That gives me a small amount of hope that at least they CAN get something turned around if needed.

I am VERY, VERY angry today. And very scared. Trying to move myself away from this again emotionally but it is hard. I feel like we are still on the edge of a cliff waiting for the next shoe to drop. It was one thing to have a problem last month, we weathered that. To have this happen too? Very suspect if you ask me. YES, I call my agency everyday. They are trying.....

The referrals that did come in are super sweet. It is amazing how many girls are 5-6 months old! Wow, I would just love it if our daughter were that young. I would like a bit of space age wise between Bennett and his sister but time will tell. I'll let you all know if I hear anything. Thanks for the continued support.

today's feelings

I woke today feeling sure I would get to know who my daughter was. Finally after five years. I got my call midday when DHL would have brought the referral. The agency said it was not here. She had called to China and her agent last night to inquire. Sure enough, our case is in the matching room still. Why? NO IDEA. Suppose to be a few there but who knows. I was crushed. We were to be matched last month and there was a problem now we are TO BE IN THIS BATCH!!!!

The thing that upset me most is when agency said " I'm not sure when it will get done, weeks?". What the Fu€£ WEEKS!!!! When I stopped crying, spoke to Howard and calmed down, I called her back. She is as upset as we are, well not AS upset but you get the picture.

I requested another call to China for the agent to go back and find out ANY and all information she can. ESP. when they think the case will go out. I am pissed off, scared, annoyed, sad.

Hoping for some positive info by end of week.

pins and needles

I am on pins and needles today. Got little sleep. Can't wait to get our call.
The champagne is chilled! Oh please let it be today.......

anticipation

We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway, yay
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

- Carly Simon


She says it best. This feeling is driving me insane.
I hope I am out of my misery tomorrow...

some numbers

4 years, 8 months, 18 days between the last two posts
4 years, 9 months, 6 days since our LID in China
(LID is "log in date" and is the measure of when you will get a referral)
0 the number of years to go, we are hoping it is a matter of months
1 son born in December 2008
3 houses lived in since we started this process of adoption
$123,456.78 dollars we have spent so far..... OK.... just kidding, but it feels like it!
$.10 the cost of the tea bag I am sipping on while writing this
3 the number of cell phones I've gone through since 6/18/06
0 divorces, Howard is amazing

There are, of course, more numbers (I am told an infinite amount) but this is what popped into my head this afternoon.