Update!

Hi guys.

We are in China...  Internet access is a little weird.  Sometimes we can't get to gmail and sometimes we can, so if you don't hear from us occasionally that's why.

Our hotel in Beijing is really nice, and everything has gone smoothly so far.

[note:  This message is delayed from Thursday, July 25th.]

Leaving tomorrow!

Well, it is FINALLY here.  I can't believe we leave tomorrow morning.  The last week actually went very fast, as we have been so busy wrapping everything up.  We are probably bringing lots of stuff we won't need to use, but better to be overprepared.  Wow, did I really say that?   Overprepared, organized, "ready early" are just not in my vocabulary - but I have to say I think we're doing pretty well.

Cora's blinds came in yesterday, so I was happy about that.  Bank stuff all worked out, my wonderful cousin has agreed to come stay at the house on and off while we are gone to take care of Sheeta (thanks Michael!!), bags are pretty much packed.   Sophie is counting down the hours, now.  If you ask her directly, she will say she is not excited, but I know different.  She is totally excited to go!

We've been staying in touch with our friends from Chicago who are there now.  The tips I have been getting from the other families have been so so helpful.  The adoptive family network is incredibly supportive, so I can't say enough about them.  And also thanks to all our family and friends for all the support thus far!  This is a new experience for all of us, and I know it's sometimes hard to even imagine how this is all going to work.  I just have faith that when we meet this beautiful little girl, so many of our questions will be answered, and things will fall into place.  We are so EXCITED to meet our daughter.  The stress and admin are falling away, and now it's just butterflies and happy tears, thinking that we will finally be able to hug her in 6 days!!

Okay, better run - lots to do today of course!    Up at 4:30am tomorrow, and then our next post will be in Beijing!

Michelle

5 days and counting!

Hello!  I've talked to many of you, but I still need to get this all down.  It's been a whirlwind in the last week.   A lot of information coming at us about Cora and the orphanage, as well as the travel plans being finalized.  I personally get more and more emotional every day.  Happy mostly, but nervous, a little scared, and somewhat overwhelmed by all of it.  BUT, I am mostly excited that we will be meeting our daughter in 10 days!!  

My nesting instincts turned on a bit, when I realized that Cora's room wasn't "really" quite ready.  I remember when sophie was born, I got like this too.  For sophie it was obsessing over valences for her windows.  Jenny and I had to go to 10 stores to find the ones i thought were "perfect".  For Cora, it turned into a rug obsession for her room!  I looked at a million online, and in the end found one that is adorable, but really nothing that special.  The crazy things we do, though!   But we pretty much got over the hurdle, and I have moved on!  Perfect is the enemy of good - I think that is they saying that James keeps telling me.  Good reminder.

My co-workers had a shower for me last week, and gave me some awesome gifts for Cora - dolly, activity books, legos, dvd...can't remember what else, but perfect things to bring with on the trip!  A big thanks to my VI crew who have been my ultimate supporters!

We really are packing now - have things actually IN the suitcases, and a whole staging area.  Between the list the agency gave us, and matt and mary's input, and the WEALTH of info I'm getting from my new friends who are currently in china, I feel like we are really going to be prepared!  I know there will still be things that i wish i would have brought, but overall, we are doing great on the packing.

Sophie is in WI for a few days with my mom and dad and her cousins.  Which is allowing us to work long days to wrap up all that stuff, and then put a lot of time into "admin".  So thanks mom and dad and Jenny and Mike for helping us!  I talked to Sophie this morning and it sounds like she is having lots of fun!

I will put out our final itinerary tomorrow.  But we still leave on the 24th, and are back on the Aug 8th. Getting Cora on the 29th.

I have wonderful, wonderful pictures from our friends the Belling's who are in China now.  Their daughter Megan, is with them now, and will be coming home soon.  They are also close, and Meghan will live in Chicago - so that is cool!!   Again, it is so comforting to hear their stories and updates.  They brought a gift for Cora, and I will post pics below of that.

It's getting so close, we just can't believe it.  James and I are really feeling connected lately, and feel strong about getting through this, though we know there will be hurdles.  Sophie is being a 9 yr old.  We've decided just not to stress about her reactions.  We try to let her get her feelings out as much as possible, but are not pushing things with her.  It will be so interesting to see how her attitude changes once we get to china.  I know she is going to love her sister - she just has to realize in her own time, that Cora is not a threat to her.  She'll get there!

Enjoy the pictures!  They are all from the day that Meghan went back to the orphanage, for her last visit and goodbyes.  Oh, and we found out new measurements for Cora - 42 lbs, 43" tall.

Thanks for all the support and prayers.  Can't wait for you all to be able to meet our daughter!

Michelle

Cora and Meghan

Cora getting the recorded book that we did for her!

Kids clearly interested in book

This smile just melts my heart already!

Update picture from Richard -  i think yellow is her color!

Travel is BOOKED!

After lots of phone calls, we are set with our international travel, at least.  Here's the plan..

• July 24th - Depart at 7:30am to fly to Beijing(anyone want to make a 5am airport run?  Eeeehhh???)
• July 25th - Arrive in Beijing at 7pm 
• July 26-27 - Tour in Beijing 
• July 28 - Fly or bullet train to HeFei (Cora's provincial capital) 
• July 29 - Meet our daughter!!!!   (from this day onward she is in our custody) 
• July 30 - Go to Civil Affairs for adoption registration and apply for Cora's passport
• July 31 - Sight See around Hefei
• Aug 1st - Go to Bengbu with guide to visit Cora's orphanage for day (2 hr drive from Hefei)
• Aug 2nd - Pick up passport for Cora, fly to Ghangzhou
• Aug 3rd - Go to GZ intl healthcare center - TB test and medical exam for Cora
• Aug 4th - Rest Day and sightsee (maybe Safari park!)
• Aug 5th - Pick up TB test results and then rest of day free
• Aug 6th - Visa appointment and oath taking ceremony at US Consulate!  She is officially ours on this day!
• Aug 7th - Pick up visa in afternoon, mostly free day
• Aug 8th - Fly home at 12:40pm out of Guangzhou.  Arrive home in Mnpls at 11:30pm on Aug 8th

I had the craziest day ever.  On top of booking flights, and trying to work, and having Rita fly in, and going to the Travel clinic for our immunization appts (Sophie and I) - it seems we have had identity theft, and are dealing with our checking accounts and now several credit cards that have been stolen/compromised!   So it was non stop today.  And then at the end of the day, I was ALL excited to just go to dinner with James, Sophie and Rita.  Sitting and relaxing.....lovely.  And then I look at my watch and it hits me that we had TWO house showings at 6:30 and 7pm!!  And it was 7pm when I looked.   AAARRGGGH!   Thankfully, our renters are awesome, and they showed 2nd set of people the house.  The first one was a no show.  So i left the restaurant, and raced over there to catch the tail end of the showing.   The guys love the house, and I think are going to take it.  Even though they now know their landlord is a basket case :)  So hopefully they do, and then that is one less thing for us to worry about.  

But even though the day was crazy, I feel really good, and a huge weight off having our flights book, and the schedule planned.  Still have to do the inter country planning, but our agency has a wonderful chinese man that helps with that.  

2 weeks, and we are off!!

Michelle

We got TA (Travel Approval) - and are heading to China soon!

I just read through my last post, way over a month ago.  I had to laugh when I saw the book reports comments, and my procrastinator comments.  Yep, that has not changed, as we STILL have not done the book reports.  Though we have both read the 3 books, now just need to document our thoughts on it.  

But yes, the big news is that we got TA on Friday,  July 5th!  Here is an update of how the paperwork trail wrapped up...

As a quick reference here is the Timeline Overview from LOA to Travel:

LOA - April 29th

1-800 Provisional Approval - May 20th

NVC Notification - May 28th

Article 5 - June 18th                                    

Travel Approval (TA) - July 5th                              

Gotcha Day - July 29th                                            

Consulate Appointment (CA)  - August 6th 

Fly home - August 8th                        

We got the call on Friday, and were completely shocked.  The TA's have been taking about 4 weeks, per our agency, so we were really hoping and praying to get TA around July 12th.  The big wrench in our timing is that the Consulate office in Guangzhou, is closing from July 13 - July 25th.   So if we didn't get TA before it closed, it was another delay.  So when the agency called, I really was just not expecting it.

So what does TA mean?  It means china has finished all the paperwork needed, and given the green light for you to come and pick up your child.   The one piece we didn't know until today was what Consulate Appointment date would we get.  That would determine when we could have Gotcha Day, and when we fly out etc.  We were hoping for a Gotcha Day of July 22nd, but instead it got pushed a week to July 29th.  Still, we are ecstatic.  We know the day we will finally meet our daughter, and we can really get excited now.  Oh, and we better finish those book reports!

We've gotten many things crossed off our list, but still have a multiple pager going on.  So in reality, it is probably okay that we have an extra week to prepare.  Of course, we would jump on a plane tomorrow if we could, we're ready enough!

This is really hard for me to write today.  I have so many thoughts and emotions swirling around in me right now, it's hard to organize them.  I think after getting TA, we honestly finally feel like this is going to happen.  Up until now, it was still very abstract, and a little uncertain.  We are working with a travel agency to book our flights, and hopefully tomorrow, our international flights will be "locked in", as James likes to say lately.  This weekend was a whirlwind; it's funny how you wait for what feels like forever, and you should be 100% organized and ready, but it still feels so chaotic.  

I went into full on social media and "reach out to strangers" mode on Sunday.  There is such a huge and helpful network of adoptive families online in different groups and blogs - but I honestly haven't been looking at that much information out there.  Partially because there is SO much, that it is just overwhelming, and I never know where to start.  Plus, it can suck you in for hours and hours, and I don't really have hours and hours to spare.   But I had been connected with a family in Oregon, who adopted from Cora's orphanage last year, and another couple of families from the Bengbu (cora's orphanage again) yahoo group.  

I had a really nice conversation with the Mom in Oregon, that really helped calm me down.  After reading these books, James and I have really gotten pretty nervous about all the possible things that could go wrong with the process.  I also talked to a Mom here, in Minnetonka, who brought home her 7 yr old last year.  Again, very reassuring, and lots of good information.  And of course always our go to friends/neighbors/cohorts - who just recently brought their little girl home, and talked us into this whole shenanigan in the first place!  Anyway, it really is amazing how easy the internet has made this support happen - I really don't know what people did 20 yrs ago?  Actually, it was probably just less complicated, and better in many ways.  But I digress... 

But the most exciting part, was I got to email back and forth, and read the amazing blog of a family who is in China right now, and just adopted Cora's BEST FRIEND!!  She and Cora have been bed mates for seemingly the last few years, and I guess are best buds.   They got to meet Cora, and gave me a great report.  They said she is very smiley and outgoing, and seemed very happy overall.  It was great to read more about the orphanage, and get some nitty gritty details on how big Cora is, what size clothes she will likely wear, and even get to see an awesome video of them all.  But again, the words smiling and happy and outgoing were just music to our ears.  She is over there, watching her best friend walk away with her new parents, which has to be so so sad for her.  But I really think they are telling her, "your mama and baba are coming soon!".   Her friend, by the way, is doing really great so far, 1 week into her new family life (according to their blog).  Really just amazing - the whole thing.  This family lives in California, and seem wonderful.  Hopefully we can stay in touch.  

We also have met another family from Chicago, who are adopting another classmate of Cora's..  Again, awesome family, and it's just so cool to have connected with them.   They are being kind enough to bring a gift to Cora for us - a story book that James and Sophie and I read, and recorded (hallmark thinks of it all!)  My chinese friend at work recorded an intro for Cora, explaining the book, and that we will see her soon.  So I can't  wait for her to get the book, too!

I am going to post a few of the pics that Chad & Natasha shared, when they went to the orphanage to pick up their daughter, Violet.  And then tomorrow I will post our travel schedule, once we have it finalized.  Oh - james and sophie update:  James is still doing awesome, and was SO SO happy yesterday  about all of this.  It was adorable, and reminded me - yes, holy crap, stop stressing and take a break to BE HAPPY!!   Sophie is struggling, but I think we may be rounding a corner, as of tonight.  We spent a few hours, watching a couple of documentaries on China.  One was of "Wild China" - stories about the countryside and animals and landscapes, etc.  It is so beautiful there, and we all enjoyed that one.  And the 2nd was about China's lost little girls - the whole issue of the one child rule, and how it's impacted the demographic. Also many stories and videos of american families picking up their baby girls.  I could tell Sophie was really affected by it all.  She didn't say too much, but asked some pointed questions, and was getting emotional.  So we are just trying not to push her.  She is a good kid with a big heart.  I know there is room for a little sister in there.

Grandma Rita comes tomorrow, to spend a week with us.  I will write more soon.  And thanks for all the well wishes and prayers.  Keep 'em coming!  :)

Michelle

Cora has the gold sandals on!

My absolute favorite picture yet.  She's got my dimples, as James said!!  This is Violet.

8 weeks out!

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I've written.  Time is really going fast, and then at the same time feels like an eternity.  

We got LOA on April 29th, and were ecstatic!   I can't believe I didn't write about it at the time, because we were so excited after the paperwork snafu that delayed us a week or two.  They ended up accepting the additional medical reports we sent, and gave us the Letter of Acceptance.  Yes, another one.   I feel like all along the process there are so many damn approvals and acceptances, it is just ridiculous.   But we not longer have any anxiety that we are going to get a "no".  It's more like what speed bump will we hit next?   I'm going to give a run down of the dates quick, and what's left.  The red is what we already have:

As a quick reference here is the Timeline Overview from LOA to Travel:

LOA - April 29th

1-800 Provisional Approval - May 20th

NVC Notification - May 28th

NVC Notification to Article 5                                    2 weeks (June 11th)

Article 5 to Travel Approval (TA)                              2-3 weeks (June 28th)

TA to Travel Departure                                               4 weeks (July 26th)

TA to Consulate Appointment (CA)                          6 weeks (August 10th - home around the 12?)

Time in China to complete adoption process              2 weeks

As I am mapping it all out (for the 100th time), I'm realizing we are not back until maybe mid-August.  Sigh.  So much for having a "few months" to hang out as a family before Sophie has to go back to school.    More like a few weeks.

We know we can't control the timing of any of this, but I just can't wait to get TA so we can start making some concrete plans.   One of the big bummers is that we are likely going to miss my brother's wedding.  Paul and Kristin get married August 3rd.  We used to think we'd be back by then, but it's looking pretty likely that we will be in China.  There is still a solid chance we could not leave until after the 3rd though.  So we will just have to wait and see!

So overall, we are just continuing to think about little Cora, and have so so so many questions about her.  There are so many things that we wish we could plan, or figure out, but without meeting this little girl, it's just hard to know?  We've been thinking a lot about kindergarten - will she be ready to go in the fall, in the winter?  What school should she go to? We are meeting with the neighborhood school principal tomorrow morning, and with some people at our church's school this week as well.  Those are the two front runners, but then there is also the  Chinese immersion school down the street, that we feel like we should consider.  We've ruled out Sophie's Spanish Immersion school.  I think that one is pretty obvious.

There is a whole list of other things we need to be researching and getting lined up (doctors, eye specialists, counselors, support groups for us, etc).   So we need to start working through those, too.  8 weeks does seem like a long time, but I know for certain it will be gone, and if I let the procrastinator inside me win, we will be in trouble!

We wish we had some new pictures, or an update of any kind from Cora's orphanage.   We have met a family online that lives in Chicago, who are traveling to BengBu a few weeks before we go.  Our hope is that they can check up on Cora; meet her take some pictures, maybe give her a little package from us.  I need to connect with them again soon - add it to the list!

We do have her room ready, and it's adorable.  We went lavender with white trim, and white furniture.  We've started getting some items, too.  My awesome friends have given me some adorable clothes, and also books, booster seats, and a few other things.  We are trying very hard not to fill up her room with "stuff", as that is something they warn against.  I get that it would be pretty overwhelming to come home to a jam packed house.  Sophie is actually quite jealous because Cora's room is so nice and tidy and simple.  She keeps saying her room is "junky"  - ha ha.  It kind of is, (sorry Sophie!) because you know how kids want to keep everything and put it all on their walls.  So I think we're going to do lots of de-cluttering in her room too.  So yes, the jealousy has definitely already begun.

I do think Sophie is genuinely excited, though, about her little sister.   She talks openly about being nervous about the change, and that she is going to have that "jealous feeling again" (like with Mariola, for those who remember that deal). But we just keep talking about it, and preparing ourselves for many many meltdowns and tantrums from both of them.  But Sophie is going to be a great big sister, and I know she will love Cora in time.

James and I are both working hard at our jobs, which in a way helps the time go faster.  James is my rock when my anxiety starts creeping up into the red zone, especially as we are doing all of our Book Reports (we each have to do 3 book reports before we travel).  I really do pray that he continues to stay calm, and that he also continues to be the most skilled sleeper on this earth.  I was reading tonight that being sleep deprived just 2 hours a night over the course of a few weeks can put you into zombie mode (i guess that is not news to any new parent, but it's been a LONG time since we've been up at night!)  So i think James' ability to sleep anytime, anywhere will really be helpful once this adventure begins.  He continues to be a great dad to Sophie, spoiling her like crazy, because the guy loves her more than you'd think is possible.  So I think he'll have plenty of love to go around for another one.

Okay, I better get to sleep so I stay out of the zombie zone.  Sweet dreams, Cora. 

Love Michelle

Paperwork frustration!

Hello!  We have been on such a good streak this past month, and are beyond excited.   After Cora's birthday, we also got notice that the CCCWA had our dossier, and it was "in process", which means they are looking at it, and we should get LOA in on average of 35 days.  Here is what we got from Madison (our agency)...

Log in date was 2/27/2013 and your went “in process” today!!!!! (March 14th, Cora's bday ironically)

This means your dossier is through translation and CCCWA is currently reviewing your documents and preparing your LOA.  We still do not know exactly when you LOA will arrive; however, I can tell you families are averaging 35 days for this part of the process.  I will call you as soon as it arrives!

As a quick reference here is the Timeline Overview from LOA to Travel:

LOA to I-800 Provisional Approval                           2 weeks

I-800 Provisional Approval to NVC Notification      1 week

NVC Notification to Article 5                                    2 weeks

Article 5 to Travel Approval (TA)                              2-3 weeks

TA to Travel Departure                                               4 weeks

TA to Consulate Appointment (CA)                          6 weeks

Time in China to complete adoption process              2 weeks

So back on March 14th, we were just ecstatic.  We still are, but we've hit a bit of a roadblock. CCCWA is now requesting ANOTHER medical exam for James and I.  Even though they have had doctor's letters and all the info on the world on us, they for some reason need some more.  We got this request last Thursday, and are scrambling to get all the needed info and signatures.  Hopefully we can get this organized by end of the week.  But it's delaying our trip, and we are not happy about it.  I'm still holding out hope that we will get LOA by mid April, and will be traveling to China mid-July.  

We had our own birthday party for Cora, back on the 15th.  Sophie and her friends made a cake themselves, and we sang, and just sent happy birthday vibes to little Cora.  We have started getting her room ready, and have my office all moved downstairs at this point.  We also bought furniture over the weekend, so now we just need to do some painting, and then we will get everything all set up.  Sophie is helping us decorate the room, and she is excited about that.  It's strange to be upstairs and think that soon there will be 3 bedrooms, and 2 little munchkins to holler from their bedrooms, "MOM!  can i have a drink?  MOM, can you come here?  MOM!  Can you fix my covers?".  I really can't wait.  And I need to teach Cora early to holler for DAD :)

I have the paperwork for the I-800 all filled out and ready to go.  So now just clean up this paperwork speed bump, and then pray things get back to moving turbo speed!

Happy spring!  

Michelle

The kids making Happy Birthday Cora posters

Sophie's favorite - the photo bomb.  Hmm...wonder where she learned that?

More drawing!