TA!!!!

Our TA has been issued! This means we have permission to go get our girl. This morning I was reading email and all of a sudden I saw our coordinator's name and the letters TA. Dallas was in the other room and said he heard me gasp. We weren't expecting it until at least another week. This changes everything. We should now be able to leave on April 12 and get Alyssa on April 15. This is a whole month earlier than we had thought. We are still in shock. So much to do, so little time. God is good, all the time!

Unplanned Haircut

Grace was one sad little girl this morning. While I was fixing Julia's hair she decided she would brush her hair. She managed to get the brush completely tangled in her hair. There was no way for me to get the brush out without cutting her hair. Grace was not happy! Fortunately you can't
tell I cut out a big chunk. I don't think Grace will ever do that again.

Acceptance

At the end of last week Dallas and I had to face the fact that we wouldn't be travelling in April. There is a trade show in one of the cities we must travel to and there is the Labor Day Holiday the first week of May that causes closures. Our agency just doesn't see a way for it too happen even if we get a very quick travel approval.

When adopting it is so hard to see your child and not be able to go get them as soon as possible. It has been 10 months since we first saw her picture. Even though we have never met her, she is our daughter and we want her home yesterday.

The good news is Alyssa is coming home and we are on the home stretch. Our new plan is to leave on May 10 and return on May 25. Our agency coordinator thinks this is a very possible scenerio. We would get Alyssa on either May 13 or May 14. Normally you receive your child on a Monday but some provinces bring them on Sunday. Grace came to us on a Sunday and in Alyssa's province this sometimes happens too. We are really hoping for Sunday, it is Mother's Day. Before this can happen we have to get our TA(travel approval) and then set up our CA(consulate appointment).

By leaving on May 10 Zachary will be able to perform at his band concert. He would be missed since he is the only trombone player. Kristopher will also be finished with the spring semester at NC State. We will be able to move him home before we leave.

It is great to now have a plan. We will soon know if it is God's plan too. We certainly hope so. We should know for sure in a week or two.

My Secret Pal Strikes Again

I received another gift from my secret pal today. So exciting! Grace was the lucky one this time around. Grace got a set of her favorite Legos... one of the new Friends sets and a Cadbury egg. She absolutely loves these! Once we have time to take her to the store to spend her birthday money she may have the whole set.

Sorry no photos tonight. Grace had a big time at a friend's house and fell asleep on the way home. She was one exhausted little girl. Most likely visions of Legos are dancing through her head.

Article 5 Pickup

It's Friday, March 23 in China. Today is the day our Article 5 is picked up and sent to the CCCWA. It should arrive in Beijing in 2-3 days. We are officially waiting for TA(travel approval). The average wait for TA is 2 weeks. I am predicting ours will come on April 5.

This is one of Alyssa's referal photos.

Grace's Big Day

For the last month we have been counting down days. Finally the big day arrived...Grace's 7th birthday. She was one excited little girl!

First God blessed her with 5 rainbows on the way to school. This girl loves rainbows so much that rainbow is even her favorite color.

After a great day at school Grace posed for a few pictures.

Tonight was the elementary school's talent show so off to the talent show we went for a couple of hours. We finally arrived home to open presents.

It was time to pose with Zachary and the Lego cake he made.

May all your dreams come true,Gracie Mei!

Julia

Our 9 year old daughter, Julia, loves playing basketball and looking for bugs. When she was 6 she told me she didn't like dresses anymore. At least she will still wear them for church and special occasions.

She has come so far since coming home from Russia in December 2004.

Surprise

Ever since I was a kid I have loved getting the mail. These days it is primarily bills but my love for getting the mail out of the mailbox has not changed. Dallas and the kids know if they get the mail before I can that they are not to look at it. I am sure they don't always abide by my silly rule but I like to think they do.

Today was a great mail day!! We got the official letter stating we had been cabled. Don't really need it just nice seeing it in black and white. I got some things I ordered for Alyssa that were a great deal. There was a cookbook and soft book that I had bought to support an adoption in process. The last package was the best of them all.... a package from my secret pal.

I am in several adoption groups. I love them! Everybody is so supportive. Nobody gets it like another adoptive parent. We can vent,cry,laugh, and just be there for each other. It is awesome! Anyway one of my groups is doing a secret pal exchange. We encourage each other during the long periods of waiting by sending notes, cards, small gifts, etc.

Today my secret pal blessed me with a nice note and the cutest pajamas for Alyssa. These are perfect for our trip to China!

A Ladybug

There have been many ladybug sightings lately. We must be getting closer to meeting our youngest daughter.

Article 5 Drop Off

It is 7:17 p.m. in China. Alyssa's visa packet and other information needed for the Article 5 should have been dropped off. Now we wait. It takes exactly two weeks to process.

Cabled

So excited! Our paperwork has been cabled to China!!! We are getting so close. In about a month we should know when we going to China.

Thursday is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week. Good things happen on Thursdays. We received our LOA on Thursday, our I800 was approved on a Thursday, and we were cabled on Thursday!

Grace- April 2008

I was looking through our old blog and found this video. Isn't Grace adorable? Where oh where did the time go? She had been home about 8 months. She had her first palate surgery 2 months home but she still couldn't say many words. A little over 2 years home she had p-flap surgery and her vocabulary took off. These signs were so helpful those first couple of years. Even though Alyssa doesn't have cleft lip/palate we still plan to teach her basic signs.

In The System

Very excited to say were are in the National Visa Center's system. That means we may be cabled tomorrow. This week is progressing just like I had hoped.

Alyssa's Room

We are converting what was originally our living room then our office into Alyssa's bedroom. The walls were already rose so we plan to leave it that color. Dallas and I have no desire to paint especially since it has 12 foot ceilings. We found the perfect crib set that matches the walls. Our problem is we don't know what colors to accessorize with. Can we use pink even though the walls are rose? Should there be a different accent color? When it comes to decorating Dallas and I are clueless.

Great Weekend

How could our weekend be anything but great after learning our I800 was approved on Thursday?

Friday night and Saturday morning our church was holding a marriage conference with Pastor Jimmy Evans(author of Marriage Today). We laughed and we cried. So glad we decided to attend. The littles had a great time in the kids program and the bigs had fun helping with the children.

We didn't do much today since we went to the Saturday night service. We did go to our favorite lunch spot, Costco. Where else can you feed a family of 7 for under $20.00 and that includes dessert? We,also, found a couple of adorable outfits for Alyssa. Hope I am guessing the right size.

Praying this is another week of big things. We need our I800 packet to get to NVC(National Visa Center), be cabled to China, and receive the pdf that it has been cabled.

I800 Approval

Today, we received one of the best emails we have ever received. It stated that we had been granted provisional approval for our I800. I know that doesn't mean much to those not in the adoption world so just trust me it is very exciting news.

Our I800 application and approval along with our I800a application, approval and Fu Hao Ling's file will be sent 2 day airmail to the National Visa Center. NVC will look over it, make sure all is in order and cable it to China. Once we get the email that it has been cabled we can move on to the next step.

We are getting so close...

Photo has nothing to do with my post. It is a cute picture Grace took of herself. The heart is her thumbs.