Progress...

Were making progress...Slowly but Shirley...

We got notification today that USCIS has received our I-800 (on Nov. 14th) and are working on our approval. We are told this process will take about 3 weeks for them to send our PA to us. Not sure if that will take a bit longer due to the Thanksgiving holiday this week.

Our Visa applications were taken to the Chinese Consulate in Chicago today and they can be picked up by our courier next week Tuesday and we then sent back to us!

We also found out that due to the Chinese New Year in January that Holt will not be sending families to China after January 6th. Since that pushes travel back for many families that could travel in January it could possibly delay our travel a bit. Keep praying that we can at least spend Robbie's first birthday with him on Feb. 27th!! I have to keep reminding myself that it's GOD'S plan for when we will travel not MINE. And it will all work out!

We were also able to ask our agency for an update on Robbie as our last update was in Sept. So we should see an update on him in a couple weeks!

We continue to ask for your prayers that the end of the paper chase goes smoothly and quickly for us so we can hold our son in our arms soon!

Our LOA has arrived!!!

We have great news to report...After 71 long days of waiting...I got the call on Wednesday evening from Holt that they received our LOA and that she was sending it FedEx overnight to our home!!!
Last Wednesday brought our first snowfall of the season and did we get pounded! We got around 6 inches of really heavy wet snow. And we lost power. Since it was my cousin Katy's Birthday on Thursday my Mom, Makenna and I drove down to Appleton...in the snow, to take her out to Red Lobster and stay in a hotel so we could relax in the pool and hot tub. So I got the call from Holt as I was standing in Toys R Us!!!! I did a happy dance right then and there! So we had 2 things to celebrate that evening at Red Lobster!
Thursday after some morning shopping we headed back home and returned home to no power once again. Makenna had dance and swim lessons and then we spent the night at my parents home. Power was once again restored to our home late on Thursday night. After taking Makenna to preschool on Friday morning I returned home and Derek and I got our LOA signed and our I-800 paperwork ready to go and all was sent out Friday afternoon via Fed Ex!
So the countdown is on!!! We should be on schedule to go to China in February! Now we have to apply for our visa's while we wait for our I-800 Provisional Approval to come from USCIS.
It's so nice to have more of a timeline of when we will be going to China! Let the packing begin!

Makenna Enjoying our First Snowfall



An update on our fundraiser....
We have really been blessed! We have sold 119 pieces of the puzzle!!!
THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to help us bring Robbie home!!!

The Things People Say...

Miss Makenna had a dentist apt. last week and of course she proceeded to tell her hygienist that she is getting a brother from China. This is her favorite thing to share with EVERYONE! It's so cute! Anyway as we were scheduling her next apt. the hygienist was telling me about her visit and that she had no cavities and such and then said "she told me she is getting a baby brother from China" I told the woman that yes indeed she was getting a brother from China. There were 3 ladies behind the desk and all of them, at the same time, said "Your getting a boy from China? How do you get a boy from China?"
I just had to chuckle a bit and once again explain that yes there are boys in China who need homes and how international adoption has changed over the years especially the China program. I am sure we will get a lot of this over the years to come. November is national adoption month so I am happy to help spread the word that there are many kids in this world who need a forever family!
As for our fundraiser I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has generously donated to help us bring our son home. We have sold 93 puzzle pieces and that makes for a total of $930.00!!!! We really appreciate every penny of it as I have started to price airfare! We welcome any and all donations as we work toward our goal of completing the puzzle.
God Bless You All!!!