HERE IT IS!!!
After 58 days from our PA (pre-approval) we finally received the phone call that our LOA (letter of acceptance) from Ch@na arrived at our agency on 4/1 (April Fool's Day)!! Rather fitting with how everything has happened! Relief doesn't even begin to describe how I felt!! I was always paranoid in the back of my mind that somehow Ch@na was going to say no or something because our LOA was taking 5 times longer than everyone else's. I got word on the previous Thursday that Ch@na had sent it out so I already knew that it was "on it's way"!! This is the official, beautiful, motherload of paper from her country that says YES to us adopting her and yes, we ARE her parents!! We know that from LOA to travel time is normally between 8-10 weeks so that would put us at the beginning of June. That night we celebrated by going to Build a Bear to make Anelyn's bear. They overnighted our LOA to us to sign the next day. It arrived as the kids were getting on the bus via FedEx!! The kids wanted to watch us sign it so we took it down to their school and invaded the principal's office to sign our LOA before we overnighted it back to the agency. I made a blank copy for the kids to sign also :)
Well, we filled out a bunch of more paperwork (our visa applications, I800 form (that declares her an immediate relative to us), her visa application...
Currently, our I800 is at USCIS in the process of being approved. I talked to our officer this afternoon and it should get approved on Monday. Then they mail it to NVC to approve her visa (I think). After a few days there we get "cabled" (paperwork goes to the US Embassy in ch@na via email) and we wait 2 weeks for Article 5 drop off and pick up. All of these steps are very confusing and I'm not even sure I have them squared away in my brain!! After Article 5 pick up we then will be awaiting our TA (travel approval). Once we have our TA, we can be on a plane the next week!!!!
So, I have been busy packing, packing, and packing. Trying to clean and ...Oh, we decided to have our big yard sale NEXT WEEKEND!!! We always wanted to have it before we traveled to help raise money for our travel expenses and next weekend is the only free weekend we have until we are on a jet plane!!! So, we are having a yard sale!
I am anxiously awaiting next week because 1. we will get our I800 approval which means another step crossed off the "steps to Anelyn" list and 2. our agency will be back from Ch@na with hopefully some pictures and a video of miss A!! Um...this week really needs to hurry up because this momma really needs to see her baby!! My dear friend is in Ch@na now getting her daughter and she FaceTimed me this morning and oh, it makes me ache to go!! I can't wait!! Even though it's gonna be hotter than hot when we go and humid as all get out, I'll just be a stinky, frizz headed mess, but I don't care!!
Here's some things we know about our daughter (per our paperwork)
1. she is stubborn
2. she can wave "welcome" and goodbye
3. she is active
4. she has to sleep beside foster mother's bed with foster mom patting her back (oh heaven help me!)
5. she doesn't like strange places and will be upset and want to leave
6. when someone has food in their hands she will keep silent and reach for the food (sneaky little thing!!)
7. her favorite foods are meat soup/fish soup/boiled eggs (oh my goodness gracious!!)
It looks like we have our work cut out for us! lol
Here are the things you can continue to pray for:
1. The rest of the paper work steps to go smoothly
2. Anelyn's heart as she grieves the loss of her foster family and begins to bond and attach to us
3. Logistics...flights, trains, hotels, luggage and communication with our kids at home
4. Overall health...for hubby and I, for Anelyn, and for the kids at home and their caretakers
5. Safety...as we travel to three cities within Ch@na as well as the flights to and from there
6. Adoption process...Her passport and visa to be granted quickly, her medical exam to go well, and no other paperwork problems!
7. Eli and Olivia {and the people caring for them}...that they don't miss us too much as I know we will miss them tremendously!!
8. The HEAT...silly, I know but we are going when it is going to be plain, flat miserable there and this red-head gets overheated easy and I'm really afraid I'm going to be a hot, grumpy mess!! Not to mention having a 17 month old strapped to our chests!!
Thank you for your continued support and prayers! We are going to pray this girl home and I know God can prepare her heart for us!!
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