We received Travel Approval today. The adoption agency sent an email this morning letting us know that it was received and that they have faxed the consulate appointment requests to the US Consulate today. Hopefully we will know when that is going to be on Monday or Tuesday so that we can make travel arrangements soon.
This is really exciting and moving really fast. We bought the gifts for the officials and orphanage director today in Pagosa Springs - some homemade caramels with nuts. They are really good and should travel well in the suitcase.
Looks like it will be the second week of December for travel - the week after next!!!
Friday, November 28, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Possible Travel Dates
Our agency called this afternoon and lo and behold, we are probably going to get our Travel Approval on Friday or Monday of this week. The earliest we will travel is December 10 or 11th and come home on either December 24 or 25th!!
We will in all likelihood meet our son on Sunday, December 14, 2008 (in the afternoon). We should know for sure next week which will give us about 1 week to get travel arrangements made - we can do it!!
We will in all likelihood meet our son on Sunday, December 14, 2008 (in the afternoon). We should know for sure next week which will give us about 1 week to get travel arrangements made - we can do it!!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Preparing for our Son
In the last week since we received our LOA, we have reviewed the travel packet 2 and all the requirements as well as applied for our Travel Visas. We did all of the paperwork and dropped off at the adoption agency when we were down there for Chinese School this morning.
The Rooster did much better at Chinese school today. Last week Ms Helen (Lao Shi - her teacher) was not there and she was having a fit. So I did what every good mother does, I caved and stayed in the classroom with her last week. (I was not the only parent in the room).
This week, when she say Lao Shi Helen, she was happy to run right into her class and didn't look back to see where I was. That's the way it should be - my independent little Rooster who really seems to love going to learn Mandarin with her new friends.
The little Horse's bedroom is coming together -we ordered the mattress for the bed and it arrived at 7:50 a.m. on Wednesday morning. I have to say that the company does have great delivery - The Denver Mattress Co. - this is the second mattress we have gotten from them in the past 6 months (Rooster is in a big bed too) and both times they have come 10 or 15 minutes before their scheduled window. Now that's refreshing!!
Still need to get a lamp or 2, but he is all set in the room
Thursday, November 13, 2008
What a Difference A Day Makes!
We got our LOA today!! Just when I thought that we were really in for the long haul and had awhile still to wait, I got the call this afternoon from our agency that they had our LOA!!
Daddy Horse has already gone down to sign and I will do so in the morning. Our agency will then send off to China tomorrow!
Our agency said that we will probably travel in five to eight weeks -- earliest possible date would be about December 18th and the latest is about the 2nd week of January.
We wait for Travel Approval which should be about 2 weeks, we assume, and then we should know better.
I will post pictures of the Little Horse and the little Rooster soon.
Daddy Horse has already gone down to sign and I will do so in the morning. Our agency will then send off to China tomorrow!
Our agency said that we will probably travel in five to eight weeks -- earliest possible date would be about December 18th and the latest is about the 2nd week of January.
We wait for Travel Approval which should be about 2 weeks, we assume, and then we should know better.
I will post pictures of the Little Horse and the little Rooster soon.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Little Horse
The Little Horse who we are waiting to adopt is still in Jiangxi Province, China. Here are the statistics of the progress:
1/30/08 - Received file from adoption agency for review
2/05/08 - Accepted Referral of the Little Horse
2/07/08 - LOI (Letter of Intent) sent to China
2/19/08 - PA (Prior Approval) received from China
2/20/08 - Adoption Application approved by agency
3/28/08 - USCIS Filing (documents to the US Homeland Security ( Yes - the same people that make you take your shoes off at the airport) Department)
4/12/08 - Fingerprinted for USCIS
7/??/08 - We finally receive the one piece of paper that we need from the Airport Security people to adopt our son
7/17/08 - Dossier delivered to adoption agency
7/25/08 - Dossier To China
7/28/08 - Received confimation that China received the Dossier
7/30/08 - LID (Log In Date) the date that China officially logs in the dossier
We were initially told that we would travel to China within 3 to 5 months from the Log In Date, but today is the 11th of November and we still do not have the LOA yet. It is unlikely that we will travel to China prior to the end of the year. This makes me profoundly sad. We so wanted to hae the Little Horse home by Christmas.
1/30/08 - Received file from adoption agency for review
2/05/08 - Accepted Referral of the Little Horse
2/07/08 - LOI (Letter of Intent) sent to China
2/19/08 - PA (Prior Approval) received from China
2/20/08 - Adoption Application approved by agency
3/28/08 - USCIS Filing (documents to the US Homeland Security ( Yes - the same people that make you take your shoes off at the airport) Department)
4/12/08 - Fingerprinted for USCIS
7/??/08 - We finally receive the one piece of paper that we need from the Airport Security people to adopt our son
7/17/08 - Dossier delivered to adoption agency
7/25/08 - Dossier To China
7/28/08 - Received confimation that China received the Dossier
7/30/08 - LID (Log In Date) the date that China officially logs in the dossier
We were initially told that we would travel to China within 3 to 5 months from the Log In Date, but today is the 11th of November and we still do not have the LOA yet. It is unlikely that we will travel to China prior to the end of the year. This makes me profoundly sad. We so wanted to hae the Little Horse home by Christmas.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Chinese Zodiac
Since we named the Blog after our children's Chinese zodiac signs, I thought I'd look into just what that means and explain it here.
Mommy Wood Dragon
Dragon people are the most eccentric in the Chinese Zodiac. Soaring high into the serene heavens, they can be stubborn, passionate, excitable, honest, and brave, wear purple and walk barefoot in public fountains. They listen to their own drummer, thank you very much, while the rest of the world stands in amazement. People always admire their individuality and feisty personality. Dragons are capable of doing great work for mankind and they inspire trust in almost everyone. The Dragon symbolizes life and growth and is said to bring the five blessings: harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. Dragons are majestic creatures. These Dragons are the chivalrous knights and guardian angels of life, generous with their friendship, compassionate, even heroic, in their deeds. Showing great tolerance towards others, they move easily among all social strata and travel extensively, opening their minds to new things. Brave as matadors, their courageous lives are truly inspiring. Natural curiosity leads Wood Dragons to pursue very interesting career paths. The dichotomy is they are successful human beings but not all that successful in their careers, despite all the help they get from friends and mentors. Fortune comes to them anyway! Now, as you know, the chances of winning the lottery are pretty slim, but Wood Dragons just might do it. Rainy days or sunny, good fortune seems to shine on these money magnets, just like magic. The Wood Dragon is steady as a rock when it comes to Love & Relationships. They just don't believe in love at first sight. To them, love, relationships, and marriage follow a progressive course, evolving naturally and slowly out of friendship. Once the love bug catches them, their love is deep and passionate. The Wood Dragon partner is loving and supportive of the loved one's needs and love is never taken for granted.
Daddy Wood Horse
Horse people have a balance of the best kind of qualities. Have you ever seen a wild horse on the beach, with flying mane and flaring nostrils, every muscle bursting with life and je ne sais quois? Without a doubt, the Horse is the standard for grace, strength, rhythm and nobility. They have an amazing capacity for hard work. As a result, they know great success and financial security in their lifetimes. Often quite ostentatious, they enjoy being with large crowds and always seek out the grand and magnificent. They need people and have a weakness for those of the opposite sex. You can often find Horses at concerts, music festivals, and the Super Bowls of life. The Wood Horse is a magnificent creature, full of dignity and proud bearing. These very intelligent beings climb to high places by sheer force of personal magnetism and good-natured daring. Because of their extraordinary leadership, Wood Horses have many followers and many admirers. A sturdy oak of society, the life of the Wood Horse always holds up under scrutiny. Under tense deadlines, Wood Horses rear up with conviction and passion and make quick decisions with split-second reflexes. Their judgement is always on the mark. Wood Horses work hard -- they play hard. They make a lot of money -- they spend a lot of money. Generous to a fault, they conceive grand wonderful ways of having fun and always invite friends to raise a toast to memory-making. In Love Life, every day becomes a memory maker, filled with treasures of the mind and spirit. Love partners know the Wood Horse is a "keeper", faithful and loyal to the end of time.
Girl Wood Rooster
Rooster is often seen as the original strong silent type, not unlike the Humphrey Bogart and Greto Garbo prototypes. Most people consider them quite eccentric. Sad to say, relationships with other people are often strained. They are quite moody and can be too outspoken. They are often self-centered, but can be quite brave when the situation calls for it. On the other hand, Rooster People are quite talented and capable. They are always devoted to their work and have a reputation for being the hardest of workers. Rooster People are deep thinkers and are pioneers in spirit. They can experience the greatest of joy in complete solitude. Even though often alone, they rarely experience loneliness. Instead, they enjoy their own company and feel solitude helps them in their quest after knowledge. You can often find the Wood Rooster behind the scenes or in solitary activities. They love bookshops with strong espresso and offbeat music groups, particularly modern jazz or chamber work. They are reserved but at the same time can be quite sociable, too, when the occasion calls for it, always considerate, gentle, and easy going, always liking to please others. They can quickly overcome bad feelings. No one ever feels threatened by their company. On a bad day, the Wood Rooster can be so mild-mannered, it's easy to ignore them. But on a good day -- and there are many good days -- they are proud and very articulate in expressing their views. In fact, their quiet exterior belies an intense talent in persuading others to their point of view. People are amazed they can talk so much! Most days, Wood Roosters depend on others way too much. The most important thing Wood Roosters MUST do is to develop an independent streak, to look inside themselves for strength; their careers, financial life, relationships, and very happiness depends on this!
Boy Water Horse
Horse people have a balance of the best kind of qualities. Have you ever seen a wild horse on the beach, with flying mane and flaring nostrils, every muscle bursting with life and je ne sais quois? Without a doubt, the Horse is the standard for grace, strength, rhythm and nobility. They have an amazing capacity for hard work. As a result, they know great success and financial security in their lifetimes. Often quite ostentatious, they enjoy being with large crowds and always seek out the grand and magnificent. They need people and have a weakness for those of the opposite sex. You can often find Horses at concerts, music festivals, and the Super Bowls of life. Philosophical, with tongue firmly in cheek, the cheerful Water Horses are open to the ironies of life. Their sense of humor permits them to laugh at things they can't control. With infinite patience, they know that most problems are really quite small in the scheme of things. (Traffic jams? No problem!) and they try not to let their own personal feelings get in the way. Like all Horses, those of the Water persuasion are very career minded with a high sense of responsibility and accountability. Their years are filled with many hardworking days and nights. Careers are filled with both storm clouds and tropical tradewinds - Horses simply flow with the wind. Because of wise choices, they experience a pretty stable financial fortune in later years, sometimes with unexpected results. Stability is also a big time word when it comes to Love. Love is like the many splendored thing described in song. For them, love means eternity. When they pledge undying loyalty, devotion, tenderness, and caring, they mean it. A partnership is always built on a strong foundation and, like a masterpiece, is designed for life everlasting.
Descriptions from www.tuvy.com (not an advertisement for the site just giving credit where due)
Mommy Wood Dragon
Dragon people are the most eccentric in the Chinese Zodiac. Soaring high into the serene heavens, they can be stubborn, passionate, excitable, honest, and brave, wear purple and walk barefoot in public fountains. They listen to their own drummer, thank you very much, while the rest of the world stands in amazement. People always admire their individuality and feisty personality. Dragons are capable of doing great work for mankind and they inspire trust in almost everyone. The Dragon symbolizes life and growth and is said to bring the five blessings: harmony, virtue, riches, fulfillment and longevity. Dragons are majestic creatures. These Dragons are the chivalrous knights and guardian angels of life, generous with their friendship, compassionate, even heroic, in their deeds. Showing great tolerance towards others, they move easily among all social strata and travel extensively, opening their minds to new things. Brave as matadors, their courageous lives are truly inspiring. Natural curiosity leads Wood Dragons to pursue very interesting career paths. The dichotomy is they are successful human beings but not all that successful in their careers, despite all the help they get from friends and mentors. Fortune comes to them anyway! Now, as you know, the chances of winning the lottery are pretty slim, but Wood Dragons just might do it. Rainy days or sunny, good fortune seems to shine on these money magnets, just like magic. The Wood Dragon is steady as a rock when it comes to Love & Relationships. They just don't believe in love at first sight. To them, love, relationships, and marriage follow a progressive course, evolving naturally and slowly out of friendship. Once the love bug catches them, their love is deep and passionate. The Wood Dragon partner is loving and supportive of the loved one's needs and love is never taken for granted.
Daddy Wood Horse
Horse people have a balance of the best kind of qualities. Have you ever seen a wild horse on the beach, with flying mane and flaring nostrils, every muscle bursting with life and je ne sais quois? Without a doubt, the Horse is the standard for grace, strength, rhythm and nobility. They have an amazing capacity for hard work. As a result, they know great success and financial security in their lifetimes. Often quite ostentatious, they enjoy being with large crowds and always seek out the grand and magnificent. They need people and have a weakness for those of the opposite sex. You can often find Horses at concerts, music festivals, and the Super Bowls of life. The Wood Horse is a magnificent creature, full of dignity and proud bearing. These very intelligent beings climb to high places by sheer force of personal magnetism and good-natured daring. Because of their extraordinary leadership, Wood Horses have many followers and many admirers. A sturdy oak of society, the life of the Wood Horse always holds up under scrutiny. Under tense deadlines, Wood Horses rear up with conviction and passion and make quick decisions with split-second reflexes. Their judgement is always on the mark. Wood Horses work hard -- they play hard. They make a lot of money -- they spend a lot of money. Generous to a fault, they conceive grand wonderful ways of having fun and always invite friends to raise a toast to memory-making. In Love Life, every day becomes a memory maker, filled with treasures of the mind and spirit. Love partners know the Wood Horse is a "keeper", faithful and loyal to the end of time.
Girl Wood Rooster
Rooster is often seen as the original strong silent type, not unlike the Humphrey Bogart and Greto Garbo prototypes. Most people consider them quite eccentric. Sad to say, relationships with other people are often strained. They are quite moody and can be too outspoken. They are often self-centered, but can be quite brave when the situation calls for it. On the other hand, Rooster People are quite talented and capable. They are always devoted to their work and have a reputation for being the hardest of workers. Rooster People are deep thinkers and are pioneers in spirit. They can experience the greatest of joy in complete solitude. Even though often alone, they rarely experience loneliness. Instead, they enjoy their own company and feel solitude helps them in their quest after knowledge. You can often find the Wood Rooster behind the scenes or in solitary activities. They love bookshops with strong espresso and offbeat music groups, particularly modern jazz or chamber work. They are reserved but at the same time can be quite sociable, too, when the occasion calls for it, always considerate, gentle, and easy going, always liking to please others. They can quickly overcome bad feelings. No one ever feels threatened by their company. On a bad day, the Wood Rooster can be so mild-mannered, it's easy to ignore them. But on a good day -- and there are many good days -- they are proud and very articulate in expressing their views. In fact, their quiet exterior belies an intense talent in persuading others to their point of view. People are amazed they can talk so much! Most days, Wood Roosters depend on others way too much. The most important thing Wood Roosters MUST do is to develop an independent streak, to look inside themselves for strength; their careers, financial life, relationships, and very happiness depends on this!
Boy Water Horse
Horse people have a balance of the best kind of qualities. Have you ever seen a wild horse on the beach, with flying mane and flaring nostrils, every muscle bursting with life and je ne sais quois? Without a doubt, the Horse is the standard for grace, strength, rhythm and nobility. They have an amazing capacity for hard work. As a result, they know great success and financial security in their lifetimes. Often quite ostentatious, they enjoy being with large crowds and always seek out the grand and magnificent. They need people and have a weakness for those of the opposite sex. You can often find Horses at concerts, music festivals, and the Super Bowls of life. Philosophical, with tongue firmly in cheek, the cheerful Water Horses are open to the ironies of life. Their sense of humor permits them to laugh at things they can't control. With infinite patience, they know that most problems are really quite small in the scheme of things. (Traffic jams? No problem!) and they try not to let their own personal feelings get in the way. Like all Horses, those of the Water persuasion are very career minded with a high sense of responsibility and accountability. Their years are filled with many hardworking days and nights. Careers are filled with both storm clouds and tropical tradewinds - Horses simply flow with the wind. Because of wise choices, they experience a pretty stable financial fortune in later years, sometimes with unexpected results. Stability is also a big time word when it comes to Love. Love is like the many splendored thing described in song. For them, love means eternity. When they pledge undying loyalty, devotion, tenderness, and caring, they mean it. A partnership is always built on a strong foundation and, like a masterpiece, is designed for life everlasting.
Descriptions from www.tuvy.com (not an advertisement for the site just giving credit where due)
Monday, November 3, 2008
First Post on new blog
Well, I have decided to try blogging using this format for a change. It has been awhile since i have posted anything on the other site so here goes.
We are in the process of adopting our second child from China. We have been matched with a boy who is now 6 years old way back in February 2008 and have completed all of the paperwork. Currently we await the LOA go (Letter of Acceptance) from China. Our Log In Date (LID) was July 30, 2008, so we have now been waiting over 3 months.
Once we receive the LOA, the Travel Approval should come about 2 to 3 weeks later and then we will proceed to China!
We are in the process of adopting our second child from China. We have been matched with a boy who is now 6 years old way back in February 2008 and have completed all of the paperwork. Currently we await the LOA go (Letter of Acceptance) from China. Our Log In Date (LID) was July 30, 2008, so we have now been waiting over 3 months.
Once we receive the LOA, the Travel Approval should come about 2 to 3 weeks later and then we will proceed to China!
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