A pattern is forming - whenever I get exciting Cora News, I am at work! Last week, I opened up my Gmail, and saw a note from Madison, saying they had an update. I quickly launched Gmail on my work computer, saw these pictures and started bouncing up and down on my chair (I sit on an exercise ball, so literally bouncing!), and hailing my best pal and boss over to "look, look, look"!! I am so thankful to have such a great friend at work. She supports me as I get choked up at every turn, happy or sad, and is very sweet.
Cora seems to be having a great time at what we think is a New Year celebration, as it is the year of the snake. Love the little snake hats, and the animals in the background. Seeing her smile, and dancing with her friends in her classroom is wonderful. And that spunk is great!! She'll need that to hold her own in this house with her crazy dad and sister.
Below is the other information that was shared with us:
She talks clearly. She can express herself well. She likes picture books. She has not started learning writing yet.
She likes playing games, blocks, dancing and shuttlecock.(we don't know what this is - maybe badmitton?)
When the weather is good, caretakers will take her downstairs to play. There will be field trips in spring and fall.
She likes Miss Chen, her teacher. Most of her friends in her class will be adopted. She is called Chunwu.
James and Sophie were really excited to see the new pics, as were the rest of the family. Sophie was telling someone the other day that we are "RBC". I know she meant "DTC", which I thought was really cute. She doesn't say too much, but I know she is excited for her sister to come home.
We also got notice from the lady who helps put together the care packages in china, that Cora's package is all ready to go out this week! Most things that are sent are for the orphanage as a group - clothes, shoes, candies, tea for the nannies. Cora will get a birthday cake, and little stuffed animal, and a photo album with 25 pictures of us. We kept the pictures to just James, Sophie and I - and then a few of the grandparents. We thought too many big white people might be overwhelming! They encourage us to send things that all the children can use, so we will be putting together a box in the next few months. If you want to donate in any way, just get in touch with me. But for now, we are dying for Cora to get her little gifts, and we just wonder what she will think of it all. She will surely be told, at that time, that she has a new family, and will be coming to the united states soon. It's hard to fathom what will go through her little mind. We hope she can somehow feel us loving her from far far over in Minnesota!
In the next week or two, we should get some pictures from Cora receiving the cake, etc. More squealing will happen from me, I am certain!
As far as paperwork and timing, I don't know anything new. We have not gotten our official LID (log in date) from China. But I'm not even sweatin' that. There are lots of steps that need to happen before we can travel. I know I said June before, but I think we will be lucky if it is July or August, after looking closer at the timeline. But we keep praying that it will be sooner than later, and as always, that Cora Chunwu is happy and loved while she is waiting. She is too young to understand what 4 months or 6 months means. But she knows what cake means, and I hope she enjoys it!!
Michelle
