Last night we went to our local FCC CNY celebration. We had a great time, and the families who worked at putting it all together did an excellent job! The kids were so adorable, performing in their traditional silk outfits.
We met another family last night who adopted from Yue Lu's orphanage! Their daughter is 9 years old, and is such a sweet girl. We really enjoyed talking to her and her parents. They were so sweet and brought their daughter's lifebook that the foster family put together for us to see.
Three families now have told me that the children at Yue Lu's orphanage are very well taken care of and the foster families are very sweet and loving. I really wish that all the orphanages could be that way.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
New Pictures of Yue Lu!!!
A very sweet woman named Jaclyn adopted a girl from Yue Lu's orphanage in December 2009. She just sent me pictures of Yue Lu that are from a photo album on the Hefei CWI yahoo group. They are from August 2009. I have applied to the group and am still waiting to be accepted. Yue Lu is in foster care, and so was this woman's daughter. For all we know, they may have the same foster family. I am looking in to finding out who Yue Lu's foster family is. I am learning so much from several adoptive parents, and everyone is so helpful and giving me great information!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's Day / Chinese New Year
We had a nice Valentine's Day. We went to the movies (finally saw Avatar), and had dinner at a nearby family owned Italian restaurant. Our last Valentine's day before having Yue Lu with us.
I finally painted Yue Lu's room today. It is now a light green called 'autumn mist.' The colors of her bedding are green, pink, and white. We still need to get a twin sized bed, and I want to get her a small desk and bookshelf. I'm planning on sending her a care package soon, and I want to include a photo album with pictures of us, the dogs, the family, and her room.
Today is also the start of Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival. It lasts for 2 weeks and it is a major holiday in China. Most people are off of work and travel to be with their families. On the eve of Chinese NY, families have a big feast and then light firecrackers. I hope Yue Lu was able to have a nice celebration with her foster family.
Next weekend is our local FCC Chinese New Year celebration. I believe there are well over a hundred families in Jacksonville who have adopted from China. The children are so adorable and we're looking forward to seeing them perform traditional Chinese dances.
I finally painted Yue Lu's room today. It is now a light green called 'autumn mist.' The colors of her bedding are green, pink, and white. We still need to get a twin sized bed, and I want to get her a small desk and bookshelf. I'm planning on sending her a care package soon, and I want to include a photo album with pictures of us, the dogs, the family, and her room.
Today is also the start of Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival. It lasts for 2 weeks and it is a major holiday in China. Most people are off of work and travel to be with their families. On the eve of Chinese NY, families have a big feast and then light firecrackers. I hope Yue Lu was able to have a nice celebration with her foster family.
Next weekend is our local FCC Chinese New Year celebration. I believe there are well over a hundred families in Jacksonville who have adopted from China. The children are so adorable and we're looking forward to seeing them perform traditional Chinese dances.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Ladybugs and Chinese adoption
In Chinese adoption, seeing a ladybug is a sign of good luck, or that good news is coming (ie. that a referral is coming). It's an adoption community thing, and has nothing to do with Chinese beliefs.
We were in the NSN (Non-Special Needs) adoption program since 1/22/07, and switched to SN/Waiting Child program on November 18, 2009. The Waiting Child program consists of children who are older and healthy, or have a variety of special needs. A week before switching programs, a pediatric therapist at work was in the office with one of her young patients. He had a ladybug on him. The therapist took the ladybug off her young patient and put it on my finger. It was a light red ladybug with faint black spots. I felt that it was a sign of good news to come. After talking about switching to the Waiting Child program for over a year with Brad, we finally applied and I was immediately able to see pictures of available children. It was the first time I saw Yue Lu. It wasn't long after that, that I just knew Yue Lu would be our little ladybug. Although a lot of families have switched to the WC program, some are still waiting for many months or even years to be matched to a child that fits with their family. We feel so blessed that we were able to find Yuelu as soon as we changed programs.
I'm not superstitious, but I will always wonder if that particular ladybug was a sign that Yue Lu was coming.
We were in the NSN (Non-Special Needs) adoption program since 1/22/07, and switched to SN/Waiting Child program on November 18, 2009. The Waiting Child program consists of children who are older and healthy, or have a variety of special needs. A week before switching programs, a pediatric therapist at work was in the office with one of her young patients. He had a ladybug on him. The therapist took the ladybug off her young patient and put it on my finger. It was a light red ladybug with faint black spots. I felt that it was a sign of good news to come. After talking about switching to the Waiting Child program for over a year with Brad, we finally applied and I was immediately able to see pictures of available children. It was the first time I saw Yue Lu. It wasn't long after that, that I just knew Yue Lu would be our little ladybug. Although a lot of families have switched to the WC program, some are still waiting for many months or even years to be matched to a child that fits with their family. We feel so blessed that we were able to find Yuelu as soon as we changed programs.
I'm not superstitious, but I will always wonder if that particular ladybug was a sign that Yue Lu was coming.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Pre-Approval!
We were pre-approved by the CCAA on 2/3/10!!!!
(I'm just starting to really set up this blog, so some of my posts are after the fact!)
So this means that we are now waiting on LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) from the CCAA, which can take 30-100 days (!), then after that it should be 2 months until we travel. So, the earliest we can be in China is 3 months, and the latest would be 6 months. I keep reading different things, but for families under Hague and who have not completed a dossier, their time frames are on the long end. Fortunately, I continued on under I-600A (non-Hague) paperwork, so our wait should be on the shorter end (if there is such a thing!)
(I'm just starting to really set up this blog, so some of my posts are after the fact!)
So this means that we are now waiting on LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) from the CCAA, which can take 30-100 days (!), then after that it should be 2 months until we travel. So, the earliest we can be in China is 3 months, and the latest would be 6 months. I keep reading different things, but for families under Hague and who have not completed a dossier, their time frames are on the long end. Fortunately, I continued on under I-600A (non-Hague) paperwork, so our wait should be on the shorter end (if there is such a thing!)
Learning Chinese!
After only a week of practice, I can speak some very basic Mandarin! I am learning with Pimsleur CDs and am really enjoying it! It's only by repetition and hearing the spoken words over and over again. There are no books. I am more of a visual learner, and I sometimes write out how I think the word would be written. I think the only good thing about having a long drive to work is learning my daughter's language!
I just ordered a CD today from a family who has adopted. They made a CD of basic words and sentences in Mandarin that will help parents to communicate with their new child. I can't wait to get it! Families are mentioning translator devices. I will have to check that out as well. I keep hearing that at Yue Lu's age, she will learn English fairly quickly. I just want to be prepared though, and have her not get upset of frustrated if she can't communicate with us.
Wow...I just can't wait to meet my new daughter and hear her little voice!!
I just ordered a CD today from a family who has adopted. They made a CD of basic words and sentences in Mandarin that will help parents to communicate with their new child. I can't wait to get it! Families are mentioning translator devices. I will have to check that out as well. I keep hearing that at Yue Lu's age, she will learn English fairly quickly. I just want to be prepared though, and have her not get upset of frustrated if she can't communicate with us.
Wow...I just can't wait to meet my new daughter and hear her little voice!!
Nesting!
The past couple of weeks we've been organizing the home, buying stuff for Yue Lu's room, and getting rid of anything we don't need or use. Brad has done a great job cleaning out the garage, putting up shelves and creating more closet space. I just need to paint Yue Lu's room and get some furniture for her.
January 30, 2010
OUR THIRD AND FINAL I-171H Approval!!! (Approval to adopt an orphan)
Yes! Today we received our third I-171H form from the Dept of Homeland Security/USCIS that states we are approved to adopt an orphaned child. This form is good for 18 months, and fingerprints expire after 15 months. Since we started this whole process in 2006, we’ve had to apply and be fingerprinted 3 times! The LONG wait and TON of paperwork (that has to be done just right) is enough to drive anyone crazy.
The USCIS initially denied us this third time around stating that our home study was deficient. They did not like the wording our social worker used for the ‘requested child’. I had to have our social worker change the wording after waiting for a week for our agency to advise us on the matter. I then sent the updated home study to USCIS by certified mail so they would have this new home study by their requested date. It took the post office 7 days to send it within the same city! Therefore, they received it a day late. I literally freaked out when I checked the tracking number online and saw that it was not delivered until the following day, a Saturday, and that USCIS would not pick it up until Monday. I feared that they would make us start ALL over again. Thank you USPS for being so expedient and giving me some extra gray hair! Fortunately, someone at the USCIS liked the new wording and approved us. One less headache and no more I-600A forms! Woohooo!!!
January 29, 2010
It’s been 8 days since our LOI (Letter of Intent) was sent to China. This is the official request to the CCAA to adopt Yue Lu. Our agency told us it would take 2-4 weeks for PA (Pre-approval) from the CCAA. I’ve seen a few PA’s back within a week. Come on CCAA..bring on the PA before Chinese New Year which is Feb. 14th this year.
I went shopping for bedding and stuff for Yue Lu’s room. I can’t wait to paint the walls and get her room ready. Still need to look for furniture.
January 28, 2010
One week and counting since our LOI was sent to China!
January 22, 2010
Third Log-In-Date Anniversary
Unbelievable… it’s been 3 years since our dossier was logged in to China. It was 7 months before that date that I started the adoption paperwork. It normally takes 3-4 months to complete the dossier, however, I did it on my own and made some mistakes. There were also errors from the wording the notary used on some of the paperwork and delays by our social worker. So, it took much longer than expected. This whole process has been longer than expected…but now I’m just starting to see the light at the end of this very long tunnel!
January 21, 2010
Our agency emailed me today to congratulate us on being one step closer to Yue Lu. Our LOI (Letter of Intent) was sent to China. We should have PA (Pre-approval) in 2-4 weeks. I am so happy and relieved! Finally!!! We’re looking at 3-7 months to travel to China. Please be closer to 3 months!
OUR THIRD AND FINAL I-171H Approval!!! (Approval to adopt an orphan)
Yes! Today we received our third I-171H form from the Dept of Homeland Security/USCIS that states we are approved to adopt an orphaned child. This form is good for 18 months, and fingerprints expire after 15 months. Since we started this whole process in 2006, we’ve had to apply and be fingerprinted 3 times! The LONG wait and TON of paperwork (that has to be done just right) is enough to drive anyone crazy.
The USCIS initially denied us this third time around stating that our home study was deficient. They did not like the wording our social worker used for the ‘requested child’. I had to have our social worker change the wording after waiting for a week for our agency to advise us on the matter. I then sent the updated home study to USCIS by certified mail so they would have this new home study by their requested date. It took the post office 7 days to send it within the same city! Therefore, they received it a day late. I literally freaked out when I checked the tracking number online and saw that it was not delivered until the following day, a Saturday, and that USCIS would not pick it up until Monday. I feared that they would make us start ALL over again. Thank you USPS for being so expedient and giving me some extra gray hair! Fortunately, someone at the USCIS liked the new wording and approved us. One less headache and no more I-600A forms! Woohooo!!!
January 29, 2010
It’s been 8 days since our LOI (Letter of Intent) was sent to China. This is the official request to the CCAA to adopt Yue Lu. Our agency told us it would take 2-4 weeks for PA (Pre-approval) from the CCAA. I’ve seen a few PA’s back within a week. Come on CCAA..bring on the PA before Chinese New Year which is Feb. 14th this year.
I went shopping for bedding and stuff for Yue Lu’s room. I can’t wait to paint the walls and get her room ready. Still need to look for furniture.
January 28, 2010
One week and counting since our LOI was sent to China!
January 22, 2010
Third Log-In-Date Anniversary
Unbelievable… it’s been 3 years since our dossier was logged in to China. It was 7 months before that date that I started the adoption paperwork. It normally takes 3-4 months to complete the dossier, however, I did it on my own and made some mistakes. There were also errors from the wording the notary used on some of the paperwork and delays by our social worker. So, it took much longer than expected. This whole process has been longer than expected…but now I’m just starting to see the light at the end of this very long tunnel!
January 21, 2010
Our agency emailed me today to congratulate us on being one step closer to Yue Lu. Our LOI (Letter of Intent) was sent to China. We should have PA (Pre-approval) in 2-4 weeks. I am so happy and relieved! Finally!!! We’re looking at 3-7 months to travel to China. Please be closer to 3 months!
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