Family in China now needs our help and prayers!

This family is in China adopting their 4 year old daughter. I do not know them, I only learned of their situation days ago. Their daughter has tested positive for TB, but she is not contagious. Yet, the US will not give her a visa! This is a new law as of July 1.

So let me get this straight...anyone from anywhere else can get a passport and come to the US, and we don't know if they are positive for TB. But an adopted child? This 4 year old, who already is calling her parents Mama and Papa, will have to go back to her orphanage. THIS IS CRUEL!!!

If you know anyone who can help, please make a phone call. And even more importantly, SIGN THIS PETITION! If this happens to us, I don't know what we'd do. This family is already financially strapped. There is not much more they can do because they both must return to the US.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/build-families-not-barriers.html

Travel Info!!!

Oh my! I knew life would speed up, but I had no idea that the next 10 days will now be mapped out for every minute of the day! I need to finish my classroom! I learned who my sub will be, and I'm very happy. We will meet next week. We worked out the details of Dan's leave, and God came through in a huge way, but it's complicated to explain. Just suffice it to say God knows our needs and meets them! Today is finishing Ty's room and taking Dan to my classroom to do the "guy" stuff. I need some nails for letter cards, help with things that require a ladder (I'm afraid of heights), etc...

OK, here's what I know about travel:

Aug. 11th: Go to Sea Tac
Aug. 12th: Fly out early AM, one stop in San Francisco
Aug. 13th: Arrive in Beijing, staying at Wangfujing Grand Hotel
Aug. 13-16: Tour Beijing
Aug. 16th: Fly to Nanjing in PM, staying at Mandarin Garden Hotel
Aug. 17th: GOTCHA TYSON!!!!
Aug. 18th: Adoption Day
Aug 19-21: In Nanjing
Aug. 21st: Fly out to Guangzhou in PM, staying at White Swan Hotel
Aug. 22nd: TB test and shots/Medical Exam for Tyson
Aug. 23rd: Open
Aug. 24: Results of TB test
Aug. 25: Consulate Appt.
Aug. 26: Take Oath, get visa
Aug. 27: Fly from Guangzhou to Shanghai to San Fran to Sea Tac!!!

Wow! Unreal that I'm even typing that. It looks like several of us from RQ are going to be in Guangzhou at the same time. If anyone reading this has stayed at Wangfujing or Mandarin Gardens has any advice, let me know. I think someone said to bring ear plugs if staying at the MG. I bought a whole container!

Please be praying for us as we embark on this amazing new part of our journey. We are specifically concerned about H1N1/Quarantine in Beijing, that Gotcha day will go as well as possible, and that the TB test will be negative.

Have a great day! And THANK YOU for your support over the last crazy few months!
Jolene

CA CONFIRMED!

Can you believe it? Something went right AND in a timely manner! We got our first choice for the Consulate Appt, Aug. 25!!! Too much to do now, more later! Thanks for your prayers. God is so good!

TRAVEL APPROVAL! It's here!

Yes yes yes! It's really here. I got the call today around 12:15 while shopping. I actually missed the call if you can believe that. My phone was in my purse, but I must not have heard it ring. Weeks and weeks of waiting for the call, and I missed it! Good fun!

So, we are hoping to get a CA (Consulate Appointment) for the 25th. I will post the itinerary later. Gotcha day should be Aug. 17th!!!

I am sooooo happy. In two weeks, I'll be on a plane to China. WOW! Thank you to everyone who has followed our journey and prayed for us. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am. :)

Thoughts of Summer

So our temps were in triple digits today. I am not accustomed to this, and yet it was a glimpse of our trip to China. It looks like temps from Beijing to Nanjing to Guangzhou range in the upper 80s to lower 90s. I hope it stays that way and goes no higher. This 101+ degree stuff is not for me.

So I was thinking about the question I get asked a lot as a teacher, and that is, "How's your summer?" This particular summer I only get asked that by those who I haven't seen in awhile and don't know I'm adopting. The words I really want to say is, "This summer has been the worst summer of my life." All the PAPs (prospective adoptive parents) out there, especially waiting for TA, know what I'm talking about. This wait is horrific. For two weeks, I did basically nothing but stalk the internet forums and blogs just looking for word that TAs were mailed.

But for all of the bad comes good. The PAPs know what I'm talking about here: That feeling of, "Oh my goodness, we are really doing this. We are really going to China and bringing a child home with us!" It hits you like a ton of bricks at the oddest of times. I won't be sitting in front of the TV with my lap top when K-bear is at her friend's house because I will be cuddling, swinging, walking, talking, and loving on my new son. It's going to be the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, but we're up for it and more than ready. As ready as we're going to be.

Although so far this has been the most boring summer of my life, by the time it is over, it's going to be life-changing, and we'll never be the same!

We are hoping for TA tomorrow! Between the heat and the anticipation, I'm not sure how I'm going to sleep tonight.

No TA, but good news!!!!

I got an unexpected call this morning. Evidently my agency found out that my TA has been issued. This most likely means it was mailed today and is on it's way! We should see it Wed-Fri, and then we can request a consulate appt, then we can celebrate! Tentative departure date is Aug. 12th.

But I've had my hopes up before, so I'm just going to keep praying and hoping that all will work out. I feel so much better now! Tyson, we're coming buddy! Hang in there!

The road to Tyson, Part 5

I had no idea this story was this long, but I guess that's why it's a journey!

So we had been praying about what to do. It was early/mid November, and we just needed a break through. We were scared and nervous. On one hand, we felt like if we had doubts about his small stature and measurements, we should not adopt Li Chen. But on the otherhand, that's what sn international adoption is. There will always be doubts no matter what. More information usually means you have more questions! The door wasn't closing all the way. But at last, Dan said he truly felt we shouldn't move forward, and I cried and cried, knowing that if we weren't both on board 100%, we shouldn't move forward.

So I woke up the next morning and I was checking my email. I get a verse of the day, and here's the verse I read:

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

This verse is in response to God chosing David to be the next King of Israel. The Lord doesn't see people as man does. David wasn't the biggest or strongest--God rejected those. God looked at David's heart. At that moment, I knew Li Chen, our Tyson, was meant to be ours. I called out to Dan to read the verse. When we soaked in the context of the verse, we both had tears. We knew that this is bigger than us. Maybe it's not so much us choosing Tyson, but God choosing us for Tyson. We could have a child with perfect measurements, but that child may not be meant for us. I believe God made us go through all of this to see if we could really trust Him. And when we were about to give in, God clearly spoke to us and answered our prayer.

I got to school that morning, and my told my good friend and teaching partner Lori about how God finally made it clear to us. She asked, "What time?" As it turned out, at the same time as this was happening, Lori and our pastor's wife were praying for us and our adoption! Lori has been with me on this journey everyday, and without her, I am not sure how I would have coped on a day to day basis.

So, there were still moments of thinking...we're really doing this?! Wow! I still didn't make a big deal about it in the adoption community, but slowly I began to blog and be part of the sn adoption community. It took me a long time to feel safe, but my prayer was answered. God made it abundantly clear, we are supposed to adopt this little boy.

Am I still nervous? Yes, who wouldn't be! I'm traveling across an ocean to a place I've never been to adopt a boy who needs a cleft palate surgery. Well, I guess when I put it like that, it's scary. But really, I'm excited beyond belief. I am going to be a mom, Dan is going to be a dad, and K-Bear is going to be a big sister!

So that is my story of how we came to the decision to adopt Tyson. I hope it helps someone out there. Obviously, I don't know how this is all going to turn out, but as I wait for TA, I can tell you that God has stretched my faith into places I didn't know existed. He has reshaped my heart, and all I can do is give God the glory.

Now, let's get Tyson home! My prayer is for a TA this week so we can be home before the end of August with Ty. Can you pray for us too? I know so many of you are. I am truly blessed to have everyone reading this in my life and following our adoption journey as we travel to Tyson!

The road to Tyson, Part 4

We left off with the locking of Tyson's file--Chang Li Chen's file. I am going to give the short version of teh next 2 months.

We had both decided that as long as we got positive news from the doctor, it was a go. So we talked to a doctor who specializes in looking at adoption files. It was a 12:30 conference call. I was at school and arranged with our fabulous, wonderful PE teacher (who also happens to be a great friend!) to take my students for an earlier PE time. Dan was sleeping from working graveyard shifts. 12:30 on the dot, the call came. First, the doctor thought he looked great! She knew a lot about cl/cp, as she had also done a similar adoption. With that said, she was very concerned about his measurements, particularly his head measurement. This little peanut was not even on the US/CDC growth charts in height, weight, and head circumference. This could lead to some problems down the road. Also, in his pictures he was propped with pillows, and we figured that he was 11 months old. But he had also just had surgery. Did this mean he had a serious developmental delay, or was he just behind due to his rough start in life and would get back on track? The hard part was we weren't quite sure when the measurements were taken, but we figured it had to be between 8 and 9 months of age. His lip repair was at 10 months, so what the doctor wanted was updated measurements and to find out if he was walking yet.

So this was not what we expected. We had expected a clear "YES" or "NO". Not a "Let's get more info..." Well, that ended up not being so easy. First we tried a service to get the info, but of course, early October was "Harvest Festival" so all was shut down for the week. I waited a few days into the next week, and I finally emailed this service, and the email back said that the orphanage would not reveal any information. I called the agency in hysterics. How can we make an informed decision with no information? On one hand, there was medical risk. On the other hand, any referral is going to have risk, and there were too many good things about little Li Chen. First, his sn was one we knew we could handle. Second, he was sponsored by Half the Sky, which means he has experienced love and hopefully attachment and bonding. Third, in his pictures you could see him interacting with people, and most of his paperwork showed a child who was on track, other than not sitting up unattended. But my own daughter, who was one month premie, was not sitting up without a pillow until 8 months.

So my agency asked CCAA for updated measurements and asked some questions. We knew we many not get the info in a timely manner, and if not, we may have to pull our LOI. I was a wreck. I walked around with this heavy heart and guilt. Maybe we shouldn't have put in our LOI. We thought he was fine, but now we didn't know.

Finally, on October 31st, we got the update. He had grown, and he was now bearing weight on his legs and walking holding onto things. For a 16 month old in an orphanage, this is very typical, so we very happy about that. His length/height was now on the chart, but weight and head circ was not, but he had made growth and was closing the gap to getting on the charts. We forwarded this on to the IA doctor. She still was hesitant about his head size, and the following week she sent me a huge article about people with microcephally, which just means that a person has a headsize that is more than 2 Standard Deviations from the norm. In plain terms, it means a small head, and mental retardation, low IQ, etc... can go along with this condition. I just thought he was proportionally small, so he'd be OK. Some doctors believe this to be true, others do not. They believe small head=small brain.

I began locating blogs, asking questions, searching yahoo groups, and anything else that would help us make our decision. Is he OK? Will he be OK? Could this get any worse? We prayed, our chuch connect group prayed, our friends prayed. Our prayer was for God to make it clear whether or not we were supposed to adopt Li Chen. And everyday, God did not make it clear, and we were more confused and frustrated.

And then one day, it was clear. Until the next post...(I told you it was a LONG story!)

Our day at the beach!

On Wednesday, when I thought this wait couldn't get any worse (hahaha!) I decided that we needed a night away. So I booked a room at a hotel at the beach for a night. Here are some pictures. In the NW if it's not raining, it's a good day! So even though it may look cloudy, we still had a great time.

Another weekend, no TA

Ugh! Could we speed things along, just a little bit? Tyson needs us, and we need him! Next week will be 9 weeks waiting for TA. I remember back in December when I was trying to figure things out for timings. People had Consulate Appointments 2 months after their LOA. Well, 2 months after LOA, I'm still sitting here, and my son is still there. I am still over a month away from a CA. I am starting to get very worried about things like growth, attachment, long-term issues, etc... He should not be there this long, and I hope someday he can understand this process and know that we did everything we could to get him home. I hope he realizes it is the powers that be who let him down, not us.

So Monday is the key again. If we get TA on Monday, we'll travel August 5th. If not, then we hope for the 12th of August. I really hoped we'd be able to spend part of our summer with Ty. That dream is slipping away. Sorry for the sad post, but that's how it is.

MORE INFO:
I just spoke with my agency. It is now reported that TAs were NOT mailed. My agency is getting conflicting info from C2A2 after being told earlier in the week that TAs were being mailed out this week. So based on this info, the best we can expect is TA next Wed. OK, I am in tears and may not stop crying all weekend.

The road to Tyson, Part 3

So we left off on our trip to get our fingerprints in Seattle, with a slight detour to our agency's office in Tacoma.

At 10:30 am, we arrived at our agency and sat down with our sn coordinator, and we actually looked at the shared list! It was amazing, and more kids had been added the night before. When we saw this little boy, Chang Li Chen, we were very interested, but with the emotions still running high, we were hesitant. He had a repaird cleft lip, unrepaired palate, and a smile that could light up a room! We looked at a few more kids, and when we went back to look at him again, there was one less file, and we couldn't find his name! Our hearts just dropped...we were in disbelief, but yes, that's how fast it happens with the shared list because it is viewed world wide. But, we did find him, and we LOCKED HIS FILE!!! So wow, what a morning! We already had an appt with the UW international adoption doctors because I made the appt with the first referral, so we just called them to give them our new story and sent them the new file of Li Chen.

When we walked out of the agency, we felt good, like a weight had been lifted. We did not go in with the intention of locking another file. And if we hadn't thought his file was gone, I don't know if we would have locked it. But I'm telling you, I was looking at the same computer screen, and his name was not there. Then it was. When we thought he wasn't there, that's when we knew we wanted to adopt him.

The wave of emotions in 24 hours was amazing, to say the least. Cleft lip/palate was a need I kept coming back to all the time, but we were open to others. Somehow, I knew that would be the need our child would have. And yet, our journey on our decision to adopt him was not over. Not even close.

The road to Tyson, Part 2

September 2008 would prove to be a life changing month.

After submitting my special needs (sn) checklist to the agency, I found Rainbow Kids. As I was looking, there was a little girl on there with a sn that was one we checked off on our list. As fate would have it, she was with our agency! So I took a shot in the dark and emailed our agency. The next day I got an email back to call the agency. We never discussed that little girl, but it sure got the ball rolling. I learned about the shared list and how it worked. The coordinator asked about our gender preference, and we said either. She said, "Are you sure?" I couldn't imagine why not. Our homestudy was written for either gender. She said we might even matched in September! Our I-800A was already at USCIS, so we should be logged in (LID) to China by the end of November, and travel by April if we were matched this month. Wow!!!

So each night I wondered if the shared list came out. The next day I'd be teaching, with one eye at my computer seeing if I had that email I had been waiting for. Finally one morning, there it was: Call the agency. We had been matched with a little boy! I don't want to go into the specifics on his sn, but we thought it was one we could handle. But it was worded very strangely. Nevertheless, we were so excited and began to write our letter of intent. I also had to stay after school and write sub plans because the next day happened to be our finger print appt in Seattle.

That night, something was bothering me about the wording of his sn. I began to research synonyms for one of the words, and I suddenly had a heat running from my neck to my spine. If it was in fact what I thought it was, we could not handle it. We slept on it, and when I woke up I knew we couldn't bring this child to our family. My husband agreed 100%. To go from thinking you've found your child to letting him go is so gut wrenching. My heart just ached that we couldn't accept this referral. I was very angry with God. Why would he place this child's file in front of us, knowing full well that we could not handle his need?

So we dropped K-bear off at school, and off we went to Seattle. Our appt wasn't until 2, so we decided to go to IKEA and where ever else the road took us that day. We left emails and voice mails with our agency saying we could not adopt this child. On our way, our agency called us back and told us it was OK to not accept the referral, and it was actually very common. They asked us to stop by the office because they would show us how the shared list worked. Through my tears, I said OK.

If you are reading this, and you have declined a referral, you know how hard it is. It sucks. I thank the Lord that I had that day off for finger prints because there is no way I would have been able to teach that day. One thing we did know now, it was very clear what kind of need we could handle and wanted to take on. We had been nervous about cleft lip/palate, but now, it was a need we were very interested in. It was a need we knew would fit with our family. We were still open to others, but for some reason, I always came back to this need. I had read the cleft palate story and had done my research on it.

So here we were, feeling like something had died within us. Our family had 4 people for a short time, and now it was back to three. The only word I can describe it as is empty. The roller coaster of emotions in 24 hours, from the elation of the referral to the sadness of declining the referral, all within a day. I was literally ill. We knew God did this for a reason, but why?

Until next time...

The road to Tyson, Part 1

I've been asked in many ways: What is God trying to teach you? I've asked God that many times, and I've asked myself that many times. I have read 1st and 2nd Samuel trying to figure it out. I am faithful to God, I do what he says, but I'm not perfect. I relate a lot to David (not the whole cheating thing of course) in that he wanted to do what was right, but he has weaknesses. My weakness is my impatience. I tend to blow a fuse now and then. I am also a mover and a shaker. I have no problem making things happen with a phone call, and email, or an in-person visit. If there's one thing you don't do, it's waste my time! So I am trying to stay positive and keep my eye on God. I know I am supposed to get something out of this, but what? More faith? patience? love? strength? endurance? maybe all of these things! Or, maybe it is to share my journey and faith and encourage others in their adoption process. I have learned so much from others as they have shared their stories, so maybe it's time to share mine. Not just the good, but the bad and the ugly too. Adoption is a beautiful thing, and so is giving birth. But when I had K-bear, I was shocked at how truly disgusting the actual birth process was! My beautiful dd K-bear was the result. And Tyson will be the result of this long, arduous road, which is not always rosy.

So then I think of the road to Tyson. How did we get here? If you have read my timeline on the side of the blog, you have a basic idea. But what you don't know are the heart wrenching details, some of which I have never shared with many people, only my closest of friends. I'll start with some of the amazing things that God did just while assembling our dossier.

1. The day I met with our agency and chose to officially adopt was Good Friday, March 21, 2008.
2. Whenever I was in a hurry to mail something to the agency, there was ALWAYS a close parking space at the post office with a short line.
3. When we had our medicals, we knew we had to have the paperwork notarized in front of us and the doctor. We prayed before we left, and when we got there, the Dr's office had it all worked out! We told them the situation, but we didn't act on it. They did! Wow!
4. We actually had our dossier almost ready in 2 months.

You see, God could have closed this door many times. He could have said, "No, this is not your road," and closed the door. But he didn't.

At the end of May 08, our social worker told us that the USCIS decided Dan needed child abuse clearances from every country he lived in: Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia. We had to give those countries six months to respond to our requests. I figured then that this was over. In August, we were ready to give up, but there was something in me that just couldn't give up. After a lot of tears, we got a call in August that said Dan didn't need the clearances because those were combat situations. So at last, the homestudy was complete, and on Aug. 22nd, our paperwork was received at USCIS. We soon got fingerprint appointments for Sept. 18th.

So all summer I became numb to the process. So now, I needed to get our pictures for our dossier done, and to get our special needs checklist done. This was one thing I did work on throughout the summer. I researched on the web, I ordered books, read blogs, and joined yahoo groups. I was a sponge, soaking up all the info I could find.

This is a good place to stop. The point is, I think, that God could have closed the door, but he didn't. He kept it open. I was so excited! Little did I know what would happen in the month of September.

If this was a book...

...this would be the part that I would be reading and thinking, "Get on with it already!"

No TA...again, which means Tyson spends another week in the orphanage. We now hope to leave August 5th. Yes, I said August.

Map of Jiangsu Province--where Tyson lives

So if you have figured out where the province of Jiangsu is, you might want to check out this map of the province. Tyson is in the city of Changzhou, in the southern part of the province. That is where he was found, so we assume that is where he was born, although we'll never know for sure.

When we go to China, we'll stay in Nanjing, which is the capital of the province of Jiangsu. Tyson will be brought to us here, known as GOTCHA DAY! Most orphanages are not allowing visitors right now due to keeping the H1N1 virus away from the kids. That I totally understand, but I think it might be nice to at least visit the city of Changzhou. I'm not sure how far it is, but I've heard a few hours. Maybe someone out there can enlighten me! I am not sure Kacie would do riding in a Chinese taxi for a few hours. She gets car sick just going 45 minutes on good highways with steady cruise control.

So Changzhou is where Tyson is, and Nanjing is where we will be staying in province for about 5-6 days. Nanjing is east and a little north of Changzhou. It looks like both cities are on the Yangtze River.

A new week...almost!

It's Saturday, and a beautiful one at that. I just stained a section of our fence, and I finally decided it was OK to start preparing for Tyson's arrival again. You see, last week I stopped everything. I did not shop, did not work on his room, nothing. In fact, I closed his bedroom door because I cried each time I stepped or even looked in there.

But it was nice to know on Thursday and Friday to not expect anything. That should sound depressing, knowing that your TA will not be coming to you, but it was a relief just to know that it would not be arriving. Waiting and expecting is excruciatingly painful; but I cannot control when it will arrive. I have heard that in addition to my TA paperwork being in the wrong department, the person who signs TAs at C2A2 has been sick. If someone did sign AND mail them Friday, only then will we see them Monday. I just think that is a slim chance for us.

I do expect to see it next week and leave on August 5th. I think that is the reality. And even though it ticks me off, I have to be OK with it. Do I have a choice? No, I don't, and that is what God is showing me. He's in control, not me.

No TA, but got info as to why

I guess it would help if my paperwork from the US Consulate was in the right department at CCAA. That would surely help speed things up, don't you think?

I am soooooooo angry. I'm sure you can figure out what happened.

I have truly lost faith in this whole system. If God is trying to bring me down to an all time low, it's working. I should be getting ready to be on a plane next week. Instead, my paperwork sat in the wrong department for two weeks. CCAA says they are processing it as quickly as possible, but we probably won't see anything until Monday at the earliest. If it's not here by then, then our travel is delayed another week.

I'm sure there's a reason, but I just don't get it. So God, when you want to reveal your plan...I'm ready to know what it is, because right now, I'm just beyond any emotion. I'm almost numb.

I love my dogs!

Actually, only the pug (Rocky) is mine. The Boston Terrier (Sadie) is my mom's dog, but I love her like she was ours. This video was taken in Spring at least a 1.5 years ago, maybe even more. And it's quite long, so don't feel like you have to watch it all. They don't play like this anymore, after all, they are now over three years old.

I have nothing to report on the adoption at all, so enjoy the video! (oh, you may want to pause the music at the bottom of the page) :)
Jolene

No TA today...7 weeks since LOC

Our TA did not come today. If our TA can be here by next Monday, we will leave the 29th. Our agency is going to call today to make sure it is being processed. My son has to live yet at least another extra week in an orphanage. We will now not meet him until August.

I am sickened and saddened beyond words. Kacie will miss her summer camp. Football party in August will not happen. Less time to help a sub prepare for the new school year. The summer is slipping away, and Tyson isn't here to share in it.

This sucks. Period.

Where we are going--the tentative plan

I have had several people ask me where we are going in China and will we get to do any sight seeing. The answer to that is yes, we hope! Here is a map so you can see where we will be. There are 4 flights total. But this is always subject to change. For now, here's what we hope/plan to happen.

1. Sea Tac to Beijing. Beijing is on the east side of the country. Here Dan, Kacie, and I will see the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiannamen Square, and other tourist areas. Approx 3 days.

2. Beijing to Nanjing. Nanjing is the capital of the province of Jiangsu. Nanjing is about two hours from Tyson's orphanage in Changzhou. Tyson will be brought to us in Nanjing because that is where all of the provincial offices are that will make the adoption final. Approx 5 days.

3. Nanjing to Guangzhou. Guangzhou is south and then slightly east of Nanjing. Guangzhou is the home of the US Consulate. All adoptive families go through Guangzhou. Tyson will get his medical examination here to get his immigrant visa to enter the US. When Tyson steps off the plane, he'll be a citizen. We will stay at the White Swan hotel, and from what I hear, it is very nice. But, it will be hot!!! The end of our stay will be our consulate appointment (CA) and the swearing in ceremony.

4. Guangzhou to Sea Tac. I am leaving with one child, coming home with two. I am not sure if this has fully hit me yet, and I am not sure how the logistics of Sea Tac to home will work out.

PRAYING FOR TA TOMORROW! I am not sure how many more days I can handle this.

Status of TA and Travel

There is still no TA, so I had counted out leaving the 22nd. However...we have one more day. So, if TA comes Monday, we can still leave as early as July 22nd. If it comes after that, we'll be looking at July 29th. So that's where we're at! I really hope this is the last long weekend I have to wait on something.

If TA comes on Monday, travel may not be established for a day or two. If you look at the clock on my blog, you'll notice that day here is night in China. Therefore, the agency has to wait and call in the late evening to be China's morning in order coordinate the travel plans. We leave on a Wednesday. Not sure why, that's just how our agency does it. The agency makes all the travel plans, which is good because I'd be clueless. This all centers around the consulate date. The consulate date is the last thing you do, then everything is scheduled backward from that.

Please keep praying that no one on our plane to China has H1N1, and pray that we will make it there safely. Also, continue praying that Tyson is healthy and growing! Thanks!

A beep, or a ring?

High pitch noises were never so important. If my cell phone beeps, it means I have an email, which means my agency might be telling me that DHL did not bring my TA. So every time I get a beep, my heart sinks. But alas, no emails from my agency today.

If my phone rings, home or cell, I jump 5 feet and and run to the phone. But, alas, no calls from my agency today.

So now it's 4:30 and the day is over, and tomorrow, I'll do it all again, and hopefully with better results. Come on TA!

No TA today...6 weeks since LOC

I didn't expect TA today, but one can always hope. I am now on that roller coaster again, holding my cell phone until 2:30 everyday, hoping it will ring and my agency will be on the other line saying, "Your TA has arrived!" But it didn't ring today.

The RQ stats at this point do not look good. The average is 22 days after your paperwork goes to CCAA to get TA, which would put us leaving not until August. I don't know what day mine was sent, so I am going off of the day I found out, which was June 30. That makes today 7 days, which is why I would not expect to see TA until at least Friday at the earliest. However, I am only one week behind a family with my agency, and they received their TA last week, so if you go by my agency's timeline, this week is certainly in the timeframe.

I probably won't post again until I get TA since the journey to Tyson is now at a red light until we get that precious green one! Praise God that my paperwork sailed through the I800 paper trail with no issues!

And now we wait for TA...just that one last piece of paper, Travel Approval! At that point the consulate date is set and we can make travel arrangements. Oh, and at this point, Kacie is going.

Thank you for your prayers. I appreciate every one of them!
Jolene

Happy Fourth of July...a day early!

I will probably not post tomorrow, and since I'm sort of stuck to the couch now, I thought I'd post quickly. I am not feeling well, but I'll be OK. It's not a flu or anything like that. But I certainly didn't get all the stuff done yesterday that I wanted to, but I made great progress! I went through all that I have and still need to get. Wow! I still need 2 more large suitcases! Kacie will get one (assuming she goes) and we need one just for gifts and other items for Tyson. The good thing is that when we give the gifts in Nanjing, then we'll have more room for shopping! The question is...how will we fit items we buy in Beijing into our bags before we go to Nanjing? We think we might take an extra bag in our suitcase. I am glad I'm doing all this now. I really hope TA comes next week so we can leave the 22nd. And when TA comes, I know my brain will shut down, just like it did for LOC.

I also started washing Tyson's clothes. He has plenty of new and used clothes, more than I thought. I have a plastic bin for the 4T and up clothes so I don't have to deal with those til we need them. We dressed Kacie in a lot of sweats and sports clothes, so I set those asside for Tyson. The hand me downs make great day care clothes--no worries about stains! I have also been buying some clothes too, especially for China. The funny thing is, who knows what's actually going to fit! He has quite the assortment of Seahawks and Mariners clothes already. Now we need to get some UW shirts.

Well, Happy Fourth of July! I can't wait for Tyson to be a US Citizen and join our family. Our plan for tomorrow is to actually go to a wedding! Our town has a big festival on the Fourth, and Kacie just loves it. So she and I will hit that in the afternoon, then my friend gets married near there at 4:00. We'll go to the reception, then come home to do fireworks. Dan has to work, of course. So Happy Fourth, and be safe!

I'm getting out of here today!

OK, all this stuff is giving me a migraine. TB test, quarantine, waiting for TA, oh yeah...AND I'm bringing a child home who has special needs. Did I mention I'm a little stressed?

I am outta here! I have some stuff to do today, thank goodness. I think I'm going to print out some packing lists later and start inventorying what I still need to get.

I heard I need a thermos because kids don't drink anything cold. So how do they drink juice? Anyone who has BTDT is welcome to comment! I need all the help I can get!

Have a blessed day!--Jolene

On to CCAA, next stop TA!

I found out today that our paperwork has been sent on to Beijing for Travel Approval! If we get it by next Monday, we'll leave the 15th. Slim chance, but it could happen!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Tyson will be home soon!

To take her, or not to take her...that is the question!

It's only 9:25, and the LOAs and TAs are already rolling in on the RQ forum! I love these days, they are so exciting. Those letters mean that families are being made! Yay! We know ours is not one of them, as we have not had word of Article 5 being signed, so we are assuming our paperwork is on someone desk or shelf. Still.

So the big question here is this: Do we take Kacie to China? Here's why there's no right answer to this question:

Taking her means that we could all be in quarantine. If anyone three rows in front or behind us has flu symptoms or a fever, we will be in a qurantine hotel for up to 7 days. Maybe she'd finish that math book or actually do some reading? Not a bad thing. OK, I know I shouldn't make light of the situation, but really, what can you do? 7 days in a hotel for us would not be a bad thing. We all have electronic toys to play with. The bad part is if one of us actually gets H1N1 (Like Lola's family). But if Kacie ended up with H1N1, there is no guarentee we could go to the hospital with her, although we'd fight like hell and hopefully the embassy could argue that she's only 8 and needs her parents. That's the worst case scenario. But it also means that we are all together to get Tyson, as a family and that she is there to meet her brother, and her brother can begin to get to know her too. That's been the game plan all along.

If we don't take her, she will miss out on the opportunity of a life time. She will be without her mom and dad for 2-3 weeks. Oh, I know my family and friends would take good care of her, that I don't worry about. But we would miss her intensely and immensely and she would miss us. And chances are that we'd get there and be fine.

So, we have decided to continue to pray and asses the situation carefully. We are praying that when that coveted TA arrives, that the decision will be crystal clear, one way or another. So for now, we lean on God to direct our path. I often think about Proverbs 3: 5-6, but it has never been more true than now for our family.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct your path."

Lola's story has a happy ending. They are all out of quarantine and they have their new daughter Rory! All is well. And we will be fine too, no matter what direction God takes us.

Happy Birthday Kacie!

Kacie's 8th birthday was last Friday, but we had her party last night--a sleep over party! Yes, I am insane. And very tired. But the girls were fantastic!

And in case you didn't notice, my children will have birthdays 3 days apart in June: 19th & 22!

PICTURES of TYSON!

I couldn't believe my eyes last night. The orphanage sent pics of Tyson's birthday! I was floored at how much he had changed, but his eyes are exactly the same. His nose look fantastic! Then I got a little worried because he is so serious in all his pictures. But many adoptive parents have said they went through the same thing. We try to read too much into the pictures, and a birthday party is chaos with a lot of stuff going on. It can be overwhelming. So here are a few pictures! Look at all that hair, and notice the nanny (I think from half the sky, that's what her shirt says!) holding his arm down. I'll bet he wanted to get into the cake! Also, Ann from redthread told me it is normal for them to change clothes during pictures, so some pics he's in white, others he's in orange.

Praise reports and decisions to make

I have praise reports!

My friend waitingforcaileb got her LOA on Monday after waiting 7 months! I was at school cleaning my classroom when I got her email. I was so excited for her! Praise God!

Shirlee has her daughter Q! Praise God! Her sister did an update on her blog. It sounds like things are going as planned.

Lola Granola has a date/time her family will be released from quarantine: Saturday at 5:30 am, which will be around 2:30 Friday for us. They were upgraded to a better room and it seems that no one else has fallen ill. Continue to pray for her husband.

So, now we have a decision to make: do we take Kacie to China? I think it's easy for people outside of our family to say "NO!" But if you know us, you know that we are tight. Three Muskateers. I think Kacie's birth and the fact that she has been our only child in our home for 8 years also has something to do with it. We are all watching Lola's family carefully. She is blogging about once a day from her cell phone. Statistically, the chances of the worst case scenario happening is slim--very slim. If the embassy can assure US Citizens that children will not be taken from their parents, then yes, she will go. If not, we will be praying about it. A LOT! This is not how we planned this, but God will show us what to do. That we know!

Tyson is Two Today!

At least I am so incredibly busy today that I won't have time to dwell on how sad I am that I'm not spending today with Tyson. Ann at RedThread was sending him a cake and photo album of us, which mean by now he knows about us and knows we're coming. Wow!

I have to finish officially cleaning out my classroom. Then I have a class from 4-8 tonight and 8-2:30 tomorrow. Then busy with Kacie Wed/Thurs. Somewhere in there I have to clean my house because it is filthy!

So after Thursday, I will be on the mission of packing for China. I don't want this to be last minute. I have the gifts I need, I picked up the antibiotics, ordered cleft bottles, ordered an Ergo carrier, I have chosen my car seat that I will buy, I need to finish Tyson's room... But really, I think I'm in a good place!

I am thinking of Lola Granola and her family who is in quarantine in China. I am also thinking of Shirlee who is in China now and is getting her daughter. Blogger is down, so she can't update. I am also thinking of "waitingforcaileb" who is over 200 days waiting for LOA. It's ridiculous, but she is staying strong! Praying for you all!

Pray for "Lola" and her family

I am not sure of her name, but she is known as Lola Granola in the adoption community. Her family was quarantined in Beijing after they had already been there a few days because a person behind them on the plane had the H1N1 flu. They had a great attitude about it, and they felt fine and did their swabs to be tested. The just go the results back, and her husband tested positive, and some of the others aren't feeling well either. Three adults, three children, and the Chinese officials may separate the children from their parents. They are off to the hospital and will not have internet access. We are all very worried about them. Please pray for this family. It's a worst case scenario.

Cable to NVC TODAY!

I called NVC today and was totally surprised to find out that our file had been cabled (send electronically) to Guangzhou TODAY! It was a great feeling and a great way to end the day.

Today my Bear turned 8. Bear is my daughter, who has asked to be called Bear online from here on, so that's what we'll do. I was telling her how people gave their kids different names online, and her nickname has been Kacie-Bear since she was born and looked like a little teddy bear under the incubator and lights in the neo-natal intensive care unit.

And not to be forgotten, today was the last day of school! It will be a busy summer as I prepare for first grade before leaving for China. I still hope for a a departure by the end of the July to go to China. One family was quarantined today due to a passenger on their plane having the flu. I have no other info than that, but I know that 3 adults and 3 kids are quarantined until Wednesday to see if they develop flu symptoms. How awful!

Info not cabled yet!

Update: I was approved 8 days ago for I-800. I just called NVC, and my paperwork has not been cabled to Guangzhou YET!

Can just one step be within a reasonable time frame for me? Just one? Why does paperwork sit on people's desks when a child's life and health is at stake? WHY!!!

Paperwork arrived at NVC!

I called this morning, and our paperwork arrived at NVC on Monday, June 15th! So then I asked when it would be sent electronically to Guangzhou, and the reply was, "Hopefully in a couple of weeks." WHAT???

Wait a minute, the RQ chart that we share our stats on says that it only take 6-8 days from approval to cable (filing paperwork electronically), so it should get cabled on Thursday of this week, according to averages. So I said that I knew that others only took a week, and she said I could call back next week and see. But I also know my agency will be checking daily too in Guangzhou. So, I will call on Friday to find out the status of this.

Once the paperwork goes to the US Consulate in Guangzhou, we know we are getting close!

Birthday Care Package for Tyson

I always hoped I wouldn't have to do it, but I had to. I sent Tyson a birthday package. He will get a cake on his birthday, June 22, and he will be 2. We sent a 6 page photo album with pictures of Dan, Kacie, myself, our house, backyard swingset, and his bedroom. Hopefully this will help him transition by recognizing us in China and recognizing where he will live. I was hoping to get some info, but Ann didn't have any. That's OK though, I know our orphanage isn't easy to get info from.

This is getting so real! How do you love and miss someone so much, and you've never met him/her? It's easy, when you're an expecting mom. No matter what form it takes, adding a child to your family is an exciting time.

I800 approval confirmed and Level 6 of H1N1

I emailed my I800 officer just to make sure the approval did happen after hearing of some mishaps of a few people on RQ. I got a nice email back that said yes, we are approved! So the big crazy pile of papers is getting ready to be sent to the National Visa Center.

Well, the WHO moved H1N1 to Level 6 today. That just means that the virus is now in more countries, not that it's more severe. It'll be interesting to see how the world reacts. I think (hope) that China just continues its current practice and doesn't make things worse in terms of quarrentining travelers.

I800 will be approved today!

I called our officer at NBC Hague to check the status of our I800 since we didn't have a notice of receipt yet (it'll probably come today). Our file was on her desk and she said she is approving it today! One step closer. She said it should be at NVC early next week--I'm calling Monday! On the RQ charts, it looks like a bout a week turn around before they "cable" it (I had to learn that term--it means they scan it and send it electronically) to the US consulate in Guangzhou.

Keep praying! I'm a few days past the average on this step, but not bad. I'd say late July/early August is realistic for travel. Hopefully this TB thing will be worked out by then AND the swine flu scare will be over too. But I'd go today if I could get Tyson home.

My beautiful girl

She's going to be 8 in less than 2 weeks. Where did the time go? I'd do anything for this girl, as crazy as she is! She's ours! 8 years ago she was born 5 weeks early with Respiratory Distress Syndrome, sepsis, jaundice, not holding her body temp, etc... But she was just as beautiful then as she is now, and now she is healthy (and mouthy) and beautiful! I think I let her get away with a bit much because of how much love her and how so close we were to losing her. Where does the time go?

Thanks--I'm calling tomorrow

Thanks to everyone who responded to my vent! Ugh, no notice again on the I800. Why am I always last? Why????

Well, no use in complaining. I'm calling in the morning. It will motivate me to wake up by 6:00 am to call. Hopefully it's approved and I can relax.

Jolene

If I can't vent here, where can I?

I have needed to vent this, and since this is my blog, this is where I'm venting. If you don't like it, stop reading. I have massive anxiety that I am trying to give over to the Lord. It's not that I don't trust Him, of course I do, but I am merely flesh. Though I choose to walk in the spirit, the flesh returns.

Today is day 12 since sending the I-800. Not a peep from USCIS/NBC or whoever it is. Nothing. And I want to call them, badly, but I don't know if I should.

People on RQ with similar dates as mine are getting TAs. I knew it would happen, as I watched them get their LOAs while I waited and waited. But now, it hurts. You see, I should be with them. I should have had my LOA in April, and I should be close to TA and getting ready to travel. No, I should have TRAVELED in April, but USCIS took their sweet 104 days of time on my I-800A. So instead of being close to picking up my son, Tyson sits in the orphanage, probably starving due to his cleft, and I sit and cry. I wonder...does he even know about us? And if he does know about us, will he forgive us for taking this long? Does he even know what it feels like for his belly to be full of food? Or to have a hug and kiss before bed? Or that he has a Jie Jie (big sister) waiting to play with him, and she cries because her brother is so far away. And most importantly, does he know the love of Jesus, and that God is going to care for him and love him all of his life? No, he knows none of it.

So the mayor of New Orleans has been quarrentined in Shanghai because he was sitting near a passenger with flu symptoms, maybe H1N1, and so I wonder...Will we even get into China? And now with the new TB requirement, will I get out with my son? Will my daughter be OK to travel with us?

On a positive note, I picked up all prescriptions today, and I have the gifts arranged. I began to clean my classroom. I am excited to teach first grade next year.

That's my vent. I wish I was getting ready to travel now. This totally sucks, and I hate that word, but it does. I want my son home.

Sleepless Saturday June 6

I am off to school to get some packing done, along with grading 1 million papers. I will NOT miss this part of sixth grade next year!

My agency really had no news about the new TB requirement in China, except to say that there should be some discussion on it next week. It amazes me how God puts one obstacle after another in front of me, and yet I come through each one stronger than before. Throughout this process I have learned to love and seek God in all that I do. I could be a total basket case right now, but God is bringing me through it all. God told me years ago I would teach 1st grade again. When this opportunity came to move to first grade, I didn't jump at, I just said I'd do it if needed. I let God place me where he wanted me. In that, there is comfort. But people ask, "Are you excited to move to first grade?" Well, it's hard to be excited about it when there is an adoption that will be taking place shortly! For that, I am excited!

We saw Night at the Museum/Smithsonian last night at an IMAX. A spendy little outing, yes, but we don't get a lot of family time, so we had a great evening, and Dan had never been to an IMAX, so it was pretty fun.

With that, enjoy your weekend! There are light showers right now...I am so glad we did our yard sale last Saturday--sunburn and all!

The Checklist!I

Money--yes! Bank of America came through in many ways.

Prescriptions for Tyson--yes! They will be ready for pick up tomorrow.

Gifts--most of them. Still need a director gift and some more candy for provincial offices.

It feels good to have a handle on the little things.

Now there's the TB fiasco. Our own governement--the CDC-- has a new law as of July 1st. All children 2 and over must be tested for TB. If they have it, they have to stay in China for who knows how long! Ugh! That is the shortened version. My agency should have more info tomorrow, and I'll explain more then. In the meantime, please pray for me that my nerves will be calm until then.

The new wait for TA

We were told Monday that our paperwork has arrived in China and it is being taken to consulate where it is waiting for it's friend, the I-800 from the US! Then together they become an Article 5.

My garage sale was a success on Saturday! I made almost enough to make my car insurance payment that I totally spaced off (we pay 3x a year). God provides!

The school year is winding down, and I am starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. If I haven't said it already, I am moving from teaching sixth grade to first grade next year. Wow....crazy timing for that, but I think it will be good too.

The weather here is hot and sticky...we don't do hot and sticky very well in the Northwest. So we need to go water our plants! Yeah, that's about as exciting as it gets around here.

Oh, I shopped for Tyson! Diapers, little swimmers, bibs, pajamas....wow, this is happening!

Travel Approval--How it works

Many people have asked what we are waiting for now, and it's the TA, or Travel Approval. Here's how it works--the short version.

Yesterday we signed our Letter of Seeking Confirmation (LOA/LOC). We made copies of it. The original goes back to CCAA in Beijing to confirm that yes, we do want to adopt Chang Li Chen. The photocopy goes to the National Benefits Center somewhere in the midwest (Chicago I think...) along with a form called the I-800. There are also forms called DS-230 and I-864W, along with medical info for Tyson. This is all to get Tyson's visa. Once the NBC approves it, the approval is sent to the US Consulate in Guangzhou, where it is signed, and then it is known as the article 5. Then the article 5 is sent to the CCAA in Beijing where it is matched up with the LOC that we signed, and then we get Travel Approval!

Piece of cake, right?

God is always on time and always provides!

We found out that one of the fees for our trip is $250 more than anticipated. I have assumed there would be a lot of these, and I didn't exactly budget for it, but I just more or less trust that God will provide where we may fall short.

So I looked at Dan yesterday and said, "Well, there's $250 I didn't plan for, but I think we'll be OK." He looked at me and said, "What about that stimulus money?"

On Saturday we got a letter that said that Veterans with disability (Dan has a back disability from Desert Storm) get .....are you ready for this.....$250 as part of Obama's new stimulus package! The money is supposed to come sometime before July 11th.

So is God's timing perfect? Yes! and Does He provide? Yes again!

The secrets of the LOA no one told me about...

I got the call about my LOA yesterday at 1:30. My heart thumped in my chest--I could actually feel it! I was ready for bad news...it was all I seemed to get. So when I heard the words "It came", I was elated! But here's what I didn't know: The secrets of the LOA.

No one warned me that I wouldn't be able to focus or concentrate on my teaching for 1.5 hours. Thank goodness for wonderful students! I took the following day off to get paperwork done and mailed, so I had to make sub plans. What should have taken 45 minutes took 2 hours. My concentration level was zero! And of course my wonderful colleagues offered their congratulations too. I wasn't prepared for the great joy it would bring. Glory to God! No one told me that I would be on the highest of highs for another 8 hours, wanting to shop and get everything ready! Well, a few people told me this: I only slept 3 hours.

Then what goes up, must come down. While still totally elated, I managed to throw up this morning from nerves I'm sure. Then I got a migraine. I was so sick I couldn't even shop today! I am still nautious, head still pounding, and just plain exhausted. But I'm still happy! But no energy whatsoever.

Here's a secret someone DID tell me, and I'm passing it on to you if you are an I-800 Hague family: DO YOUR PAPERWORK NOW! I had all of mine done, all I had to do was some touch ups, and mail it off. I can't imagine getting my LOA, then having all that paperwork to do. It would have zapped me. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's your visas, I-800, DS 230, and I-864W. I think that covers it.

So anyway, we are really crossing our fingers for a speedy TA (Travel Approval) so we can travel in July. Whoooo Hoooooo! So much to do! So exciting! and I'm sooooooo tired.

AT LAST!!! LOC came today!

It came! Finally, I think it's day 125, or maybe 126? I don't even know anymore...I'll wait for someone else to count it for me!

We will sign the Letter of Confirmation tomorrow for "TYSON LI CHEN POWELL".

Looking back at holidays and our journey

I had no idea how many holidays were in the US and China. Here is our journey and the correlating holidays:

Mar. 2008: Good Friday/Easter weekend, decision to adopt!
Oct. 2008: trying to get update on Tyson, China's Harvest Holiday
Dec. 2008: received I800A approval, trying to get authenticated, Christmas and snow!
Jan. 2009: waiting for LID, Chinese New Year
May 2009: wanting info on where LOA is, Chinese Holiday (similar to our Labor Day)
SWINE FLU
May 2009: HOPING for LOA, Memorial Day

It has seemed like at every turn, there has been a holiday. I'm not complaining, I just think it's interesting. I'm sure there are more, but that's all off the top of my head.

No news today, hopefully tomorrow!

LOA update

We just spent a few nights out at my parent's house. It was a good get-a-way and distraction.

The LOA didn't come Friday--obviously, or I would have been screaming it out through my computer. The agency called me at about 2:10 on Friday, and I could hear it in her voice. I said it before she did that it didn't arrive. I handled it surprisingly well, in my opinion. In fact, God is really doing a work in my heart like never before. I am challenged in ways I didn't think possible.

The plan is that tonight the agency will call CCAA to see where it is. I am hoping to hear something tomorrow or Tuesday about where the LOA is. Most likely they will not tell us it is in the mail, but we need to make sure it is in the right place and on it's way.

Please remember our fallen heroes, our veterans, and their families this Memorial Day weekend.

Timing

Well wouldn't you know it...the one day that I did not expect LOC, and guess what? China started mailing again on Tuesday. My problem was resolved Wednesday. Hopefully they were able to mail it Wednesday and I'll see it tomorrow. Otherwise, another LONG weekend!

Going shopping...nothing like retail therapy.

I may know why my LOA is later than the rest

Even if LOAs do start arriving tomorrow, mine will not be there. We found out a few days ago that my payment was lost at CCAA back in January when my dossier was submitted. My agency has all the documentation that proves that we paid, so as of China's workday on Wednesday, they agreed to forward it on to the next department....who knows what that means or where it is. Yet we were told April 30th is was being processed.

So, IF IF IF it was mailed on Wednesday, we may see it Friday. I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY doubt that. But, my agency is on top of this, and they said they will call again on Sunday night (China's Monday workday) and find out where the LOA is. Even if it was mailed on Wed DHL, we may not see it until Monday anyway. And then of course, there's the variable of whether or not China is even mailing LOAs. I do think they have to come soon.

I have totally given all of this to the Lord. He is in control. I really mean that, like no other time in my life. Right now I am working on my relationship with God, and as long as that is my focus, everything else will work out. Please continue to pray for Tyson and Kacie. They both need it more than I do!

Timeline on the side bar

I have posted our adoption Timeline on the side bar of my blog. The timeline was hiding under blog entries, back when I was figuring all this out. I think it will help people to see how long this really can take and where we are.

A beautiful weekend!

We couldn't have asked for better weather this weekend. Yesterday after school I decided to call Kacie's friend and her mom to take a walk at a nearby park and campground. There is a paved walking trail about a mile long, and it is fully wheelchair accessible, thus the paved trail. There is a very small play area, so after the walk the kiddos enjoyed the swings, money bars, slides, etc... while the other mom and I chit chatted--what I do best! I thought Kacie and Tyson having 6 years between was a lot, but her kids have 10 years in between! It's sort of fun to talk to her and see what we have to look forward to!

So then Kacie had her friend sleep over, and of course, they should call them "non" sleep overs, because they don't sleep! Kacie had a softball game at 1:00, and she looked like a zombie. Did I mention it was like 80 degrees? For here at this time of year, that is HOT considering it was in the 50s three days ago. Tomorrow we have church, game at 3:30, then small group for church. Should be a fun day!

As for the adoption...huh? What adoption? BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT FEELS! I've waited almost 4 months for LOC. August travel is our best case scenario at this point. Gotta love this swine flu! But, CCAA could just decide to send LOCs, so there is still hope. On RQ, we haven't seen a good sized batch of LOAs in a month. A few have trickled in (wish mine would be one of them since I know it's ready!). God has been talking to me through this, and I know it's a test of faith. It's not my time, it's His, and it's part of the bigger picture.

The hardest part at the moment is Kacie and her feelings. She actually cried the other day. She doesn't believe this adoption is going to happen. It's not like she can see a growing belly or anything tangible. We keep telling her it's getting closer, and then we get the rug ripped out from under us. She is a confused little girl, very mad at China right now. She wants her little brother! It breaks my heart.

So, we are going to enjoy the beautiful weekend that God has given us. I hope you are enjoying yours!

How long will this go on?

So my life has been on hold for this adoption now since September. I have loved this little boy from half a world away for almost 8 months. If I had learned I was pregnant in September, I'd be having a baby by now!

With Swine Flu now in mainland China, it is really looking like things really are going to slow down. There were some Travel Approvals on Friday, so I figured for sure we'd see LOA on Monday. Nope.... I knew they wouldn't come today, we hardly ever see a first round of LOAs on a Tuesday on RQ. "We" are all the waiting parents who gather at a site called China Adopt Talk to compare wait times and offer undying support to each other. It's very cool, and I've met some really amazing people.

Back on track...so yeah, we saw NO LOAs. And, other agencies are reporting that referrals and mailings have stopped. WHY!? Well, I know that China doesn't want a repeat of SARS. The CDC says H1N1 is not to be an issue. I can understand not visiting orphanages. I would even skip the trip to Beijing. I just want to get my son home and get my life going.

I cannot plan for next year. I thought I'd have LOA by now, and I could tell the school district I'd be traveling this summer, and I'd take time off Sept/Oct/and maybe Nov too. I really wanted to travel in the summer to not take sick leave, and it was looking like it would work out so well. This is the part where I yell, "Why God?" I know I know, His timing is perfect, everything happens for a reason, yes, I know. But with a HUGE grade change as a possibility, this just complicates things even more. I was becoming OK with a July travel. Now it's looking like August at best. I seriously thought I had this all worked out...God is laughing at me.

I am just sad for my little boy and time we are losing with him and he is losing with us. The bonding that would have taken place over the summer would have been amazing. Please keep Tyson in your prayers. Thanks!

Silent Saturday

I returned home from camp with my sixth graders, and still no LOC. I packed my phone around for three days, and even drove my car out to the camp hoping I'd need to drive back. Nothing. In fact, other than a few on Monday, there were no LOA/LOC sightings. Oh, I HOPE for early next week, but I say that every week.

Camp was a blast! If you've been to camp, do you remember, "This is a repeat after me song!" Oh yeah, it's STILL ringing and resonating around in my head! The kids were fantastic, no major injuries, no discipline issues, just lots and lots of 11 and 12 year old fun. The kids go through field studies on plants, animals, water, and soil. We do fundraisers all year long to go. We have an amazing parent group this year who spear headed a ton of fundraisers. Usually the kids have to pay a little bit, but this year we raised enough so no child had to pay.

Kacie went to an event called Young Authors this morning. This has been around our area since I was in elementary school. It's for kids who want to participate. Students write a book at home, then they go to an event where they listen to an author, do a writing session, and then a session where they share their book. Then the books travel to different schools and kids from different places read them. Unfortunately with budget cuts, this program may be cut next year. Bummer because we already had next year's book planned: "Kacie's trip to China!" In my district, the budget cuts are horrible this year and are expected to be worse next year. I am thankful to have my job!

Let's hope I get a belated Mother's Day gift next week in the form of an LOC!

Going away, just for a few days

I am off to Sixth Grade Camp tomorrow! It's a good time with my students, and although it's a pain to be gone for 2 days, it's so great to see the kids so excited. Dan took Thursday off to be with Kacie, and my good friend will take care of her tomorrow until Dan gets home. Then Friday I'll be home before she gets out of school. It will all work out.

So I am driving out to camp, which is an hour away, with the hopes that I'll have to drive home on Thursday to sign an LOC! Wishful thinking, I know. But a girl can dream... If China mailed it on Monday, it could be here tomorrow! If it comes on Thursday, my agency has to overnight it to me, so I can take care of it on Friday.

Well, I still have to pack for camp! Have a great week, and I'm hoping for lots of good news when I get back! I'll have email access, but not sure about web access.

The game plan and my choices

After the events of yesterday, here's my game plan:

1. I am taking Kacie to her friend's house for the night.
2. I am taking my husband out to dinner.
3. I am going to enjoy my Saturday with my family--Kacie has a game if it doesn't rain.
4. We are going to see "Walking With Dinosaurs" on Sunday in Seattle.

I am choosing NOT to count days for LOC anymore. I'm sure I will in my head, but today is 100, and with China not sending LOCs (according to my agency...I know others are saying otherwise),
why even bother counting? I am choosing NOT to expect LOC next week. I am choosing to be happy. I cannot control the CCAA like I think I can. I cannot control when I travel.

I continue to trust God. He knows how this will unfold.

Have a wonderful weekend! I am choosing to!

I should be happy...Day 99.

I should be shouting it from the rooftops, but instead, I'm horrified to even say it.

My LOA/LOC is ready to be issued. I should be happy, elated, screaming! I should be jumping around like a crazy person. Instead, I want to crawl in a hole and cry. My agency contacted CCAA last night to find out about all of the rumors that CCAA is closing due to Swine Flu, so they asked about my LOA too. I have been so afraid it was in the wrong department. I was told today that yes, it is being processed and will be issued when CCAA is again sending out approvals.

Did you read that? My agency said that CCAA is not sending out LOCs/LOAs, TAs, or anything else at this time. And tomorrow is a holiday in China. Basically, China is strongly recommending that no one travel at this time. That I understand, but I don't understand why they are stopping all regular paperwork. That is ridiculous! So instead of it being sent out this week and getting it next week, I am guessing that I am looking at a MINIMUM of 2 more weeks until I get LOC. That means Mid may, which means August travel! UGH!!!

My poor little boy...I am so sorry...

Day 97 and losing it!

If LOC doesn't come, I may go crazy from lack of sleep. When I finally do fall asleep, I have the weirdest dreams and I wake up on and off. Then morning comes, and I can't get up from being so tired. Stress headaches are happening a lot. Please Please Please God, let LOC come today!

Sleepless Saturday Day 94

Kacie had a sleepover, so they are sacked out in the living room. I woke up with yet another migraine, so the coffee is on as we speak. Busy days around here. I had to get more passport photos of Kacie for her visa because I have no idea where the orignals are. Not a big deal, just more running around for us. She had a game again last night and got 2 hits! They only play 2 innings, and everyone bats. They use a pitching machine, and they get 5 strikes. On her last at bat, she had 4 strikes, and I was so nervous, then she hit the ball and it rolled out to the grass! She also got to be pitcher AND catcher last night. I told her that's the most action she'll see all year--LOL! Other than 1st base, those are the busiest places to be on the field.

So after the game I asked her if she was nervous when she didn't have a hit after 4 strikes. She said, "No, I just prayed to God in my head that I'd hit the ball!" Dan and I were very proud of her for that. It is nice to hear her say she is praying on her own, even if it is just to hit a ball! We know she prays a lot. We have another game at 5:00 tonight, but it's looking gray outside...we shall see if the rain sprinkles or pours!

Here in the NW there are many words for rain: drizzle, sprinkle, light rain, heavy rain...it's 6:45 am, and I can't think of any more, but you get the idea. I grew up in a temperate rainforest. You don't just say, "It's raining." That has too many meanings! Sometimes you just say, "It has rained three inches today," and that is enough said!

Well, have a great day everyone! Good bless, and if you didn't read the blog below, you should! Tyson is growing!

Edited: 5 hours later, Kacie and her friend went outside as precipitation fell from the sky. I said, "Kacie, it's raining! Get a jacket with a hood on!" Kacie's response: "Mom, it's not raining, it's only sprinkling!" See???? There is a continuum of words for rain here!

A Tyson Update! Day 91

I got a measurement update on Tyson, and he is growing! I'm not sure if I've ever blogged the entire story of our decision to adopt, and maybe I will, and maybe I won't, but for now, believe me when I say I am THRILLED that I can plot his measurements on a CDC growth chart (US) between the 3rd and 5th %iles!!! I haven't been able to say that, so this is just incredible.

He is 22 months old exactly today!
Height: 31.5 inches (80cm)
Weight: 23 pounds (10.5 kg)
Head Cir: 18.1 inches (46 cm)

Also, he likes to drink milk and sweet juice, and likes to eat anything sweet, and his favorite toys are ones that he can push or pull. He will fit in with us nicely!

I sent him a care package through redthreadchina.org. The lady's name is Ann, and she is so sweet! Above is the care package I sent, and you gotta love the cars shirt and toys to go with his bedroom theme!

I did not blog yesterday about being at day 90, but I have to say, I am at peace that we do not have LOA/LOC. Now I can say that it should happen any day, and my agency is starting to get me ready for travel with paperwork, so it's an exciting time!

Thank you for all of your support and prayers. God is fulfilling his promise of taking good care of our little guy until we can get there and bring him home.

Kacie's first game of the year

I almost forgot! It's baseball season, and Kacie has moved up to pitching machine. Being a late June birthday, we kept her in T-ball an extra year last year. They get 5 strikes, which is nice, but boy an inning is looooooong! She was up twice yesterday and had two hits! I am so thankful for baseball season, it keeps my busy to forget this wait for a few moments of the day. She plays for the "Angels", and what little Angels they are! She is still in swimming twice a week too.

New I-800A arrived!

We are 88 days into waiting for LOA. But the real news is that the new and improved (and should have read that way to begin with) I-800A arrived in the mail yesterday. Not a big deal, but just a relief that it's in my hands. Tomorrow I'll fax it to the agency.

Today is a beautiful day, and we are all going to church together, then coming home to a big yard work day. Usually we've done our big spring kick off yard day by now, but we still had freezing weather last week, and snow keeps coming off and on. I am very rookie by any standards when it comes to flowers, but I learn a little more each year.

Enjoy your weekend, and thanks for reading! Keep the prayers for Tyson coming. Thank you.

PS: Thank you for ALL of the comments! I appreciate the support and I read each one and value them all!

Day 84....no news

I saw LOTS of LOAs today on RQ, and I wish so much I could join the fun! It is heartbreaking that Tyson will be at his orphanage only that much longer. I know God has a plan.

Praying is hard. I have to allow God's will to be done, so I just pray that God is covering and nourishing my baby! This morning I felt like I was screaming in my prayers, crying out to God to help me through this. I know that I am being molded in this process and my heart is being prepared.

I am much better this week than I was two weeks ago when LOAs came. It's still hard, but I'm OK. Hopefully the new I-800A approval will be here in the mail tomorrow! Any news is good!

Getting a NEW I-800A approval!

Wow, nothing in this adoption has gone this fast. Evidently the good people at USCIS are issuing us a new I-800A approval with special needs category and 0-3 years with no fee since they did have the home study update but didn't use it when giving our first approval. Thank you to all who have prayed for this situation. The new I-800A approval happened today, and we should get it in the mail at the end of the week.

Now, I can back to the business of waiting for that LOC. Day 82 today!

Day 80 and a lot of memories

Top: Here is a picture of Tyson's room, and now most of what is in the other two pictures is now filling his room and a corner of my living room. UGH! Yes, we went with a small (and cheap!) toddler bed, thinking that as soon as he's tall enough, he can have Kacie's twin bed and we will buy Kacie a double bed. I remember when Kacie went to her big girl bed, and I was so afraid she'd fall out, even at 2.5 years old.

Pics 2 and 3: Here is what my house looked like after bringing in all the stuff from the garage.

Today we had no plans AND Dan and I were both home (that happens twice a year!) We decided to clean out some shelves the rafters in the garage of Kacie's baby stuff--clothes, blankets, chairs of all kinds, you name it. I sorted it to see what we can keep for Tyson and what will go into a garage sale that Dan's mom is going to coordinate to help us earn spending $$ for China. To say it was an emotional day is an understatement: I cried twice and even a little as I type. Certain outfits, certain toys, so many memories. Kacie will be 8 in June. For those who don't know, she was a premie. she was only 5 weeks early, but she did have respiratory distress and was in the NICU at Tacoma General for 3 weeks. She stopped breathing once. So yes, lots of memories and emotions. I can't look at her walker and not think about how she had chicken pox at 11 months old, and it was the best two days I ever stayed home with her. She didn't know anything was wrong, so she was happy and cruisin' in her walker to children's music all day long in just a diaper.

Although the spring cleaning had to happen because of the adoption, today was really about Kacie. The Lord has blessed us with a beautiful, caring daughter. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her. And now we wait for her brother to join us and complete our family.

Happy Easter Everyone!

More on the I-800A

My agency is awesome. I lead a very busy crazy life (like we all do) and I read about agencies who basically make the clients do everything. Well, my agency emailed USCIS, and they are pulling my file and will review it early next week to see why the I-800A approval was wrong. It's one less thing to worry about...well, I'm worried of course, but it's nice to have someone going to bat for me, and if they will fix it, I may not have to pay the $340! Nice!

As a side note, last year on Good Friday was the first day I met with my agency and we offically decided to adopt. Good Friday was on March 21st last year, but never the less, it brings back those memories of how excited we were to add to our family through adoption.

To be continued next week! Meanwhile, it's day 79 today waiting for LOC/LOA. My agency just says that LOCs take 4-5 months if matched before LID. Of course I hope they are wrong!

The REVENGE of the I-800A!

If you are Hague family or in the adoption community, you know this isn't good. Really...it's an annoyance that can be fixed, but still, very annoying. Long story short.

We started out nsn but quickly switched to sn. We did a hs update and sent it to NBC in November. When we got the I-800A approval, it approved us for healthy 0-18 months! WRONG! But, our agency didn't think it would be a problem since we would file I-800 after LOC. So we went ahead and got our LID. China just wants an approval. But the US wants it exact.

So fast foward to a few weeks ago when I was working on the I-800 just to get it ready for when LOC came, I started getting that "something isn't right" feeling. Maybe it was God tapping me on the shoulder. So I emailed my agency, and guess what? It is a problem.

So, the agency said I had to file Supplement A of I-800A and pay another $340 to US Dept of Homeland Security. However, I know that it was the fault of USCIS/NBC, and we have documentation to show that they had the homestudy update and didn't look at it. Over the phone I was even told that they actually put it with another family's file with teh same last name, but when I called the put it with mine! So hopefully, NBC will make things right without filing supplement A and $340.... and in the meantime today is Day 78, but my agency still feels we are very far from LOC. I guess I have this issue to distract me a bit.

To be continued...

Day 73, spring break, beeps, and other info.

After such a depressing start to the week (happy for others of course!), my husband and I decided to get away for a night on Thursday to celebrate our anniversary. Today is our 11 year anniversary, but he had to work, so we settled for celebrating early. I came home to see more LOAs, and not one is mine. I did finish the paperwork so that when LOC does come, it can be mailed off immediately. That is one piece of advice I've been given several times, so that feels good to have done. Thanks for the advice! So it has been an uneventful spring break, but I've worked on Tyson's room, and hopefully we'll get LOC soon to fill that room with a little guy! In the meantime, I'm trying not to get my hopes up for anything this month, but it's hard.

All of the beeping: I am also excited to have a new cell phone! It takes beautiful pictures, so hopefully I can post more often with pictures. I did not get the web browser , but I did get the email option. I can't believe the difference a nice phone makes, but so many beeps! We also got a home security system installed on Tuesday. Ugh! I'll grow to like it...especially when Dan works nights. But if you don't turn off the chime, you hear, "beep beep beep, front door open" everytime you open a door, and with 4 doors and as much as we go in and out, it's annoying. I did figure out how to turn it off.

Thanks for the comments, it really helps get through the wait. It's sad that Tyson has to spend so much more time in the orphanage, when we are ready now! Hindsight is 20/20, and there are so many things I'd do differently. But, I would keep my agency! They are the best. They are Faith International Adoptions from Tacoma, WA. It is a small agency, which could be the reason for the longer wait, but I'd rather have an agency with personal attention than a large one that doesn't know my name. And who knows if there's any truth to that either regarding wait times for LOA/LOC. If anyone would like information on my journey or my experience with my agency, feel free to leave a comment, and I will get you my email. I am happy to help, and it makes this wait feel like it's for a purpose!

As for my faith, I know this is all happening for a reason. I've been reading I Samuel, and earlier in the week I was really identifying with how the people of Israel wanted a King like the other nations and took their eyes off of God. I feel like I did that earlier in the week, and yesterday. I must stop comparing my situation to others and remember to keep my eyes on the Lord, for He is in control.

Have a great week everyone!