Leaving as two, returning as three

2 plane departing plane tickest purchased, 3 returning tickets purchased.

Our travel itinerary arrived today and tomorrow is the final travel arrangements phone call with our agency. We have real dates and times, hotels and flights for our trip. It seems a bit surreal.

One bag is out with baby girl things in it. Now, we just have to work on all the stuff for the big people. And about a million other things.

It's almost here.

12 days to go. 

9.9.10

Happy 2nd Birthday my little short stack. We are counting down the days until you are dancing with us.

With Love,

Dad

Travel Approval!

Our travel approval arrived on Friday, Sept 7! This is the final approval/documentation/step needed! We are ecstatic! Now our agency is planning our trip to bring our girl home. Unfortunately, we didn't receive the TA with time to allow our trip before the National Week holiday (9/30-10/7). However, we are looking forward to our departure date.... Oct. 3. 

Yep, our tentative departure is Oct 3 with our family day tentatively scheduled for Oct. 8. This is actually a pretty significant time of year for us. Oct. 7 is the anniversary of our first date (8 years ago this year) and our girl was found on Oct. 9, 2010. So, two years after she was found, our girl will have her family and we will have her. 

Next week we will get the details of the trip hammered out with our agency. 

But don't think the countdown hasn't started. 

T minus 25 days. 

What are we waiting for?

Our last piece of documentation, the article 5 from the US Consulate, was picked up on Aug. 21. The article 5 is the US saying 'yes, she can become a citizen'. Now, we are just waiting for China to say 'come get your girl'. This is referred to as the travel approval. 

We are really hoping we receive this by next week. Otherwise, we will most likely be waiting to leave until October because of the week-long Chinese holiday. 

So, once again, we are waiting. But so much closer this time. 

Room Update

 Nearly done with our girl's room. I forgot to take a picture of the gray wallpaper that was in the room beforehand. Imagine ugly wallpaper.

Wallpaper removed. Spackling done.

Primer on. What have I learned- old walls suck up paint.

 Chris didn't realize he was learning life skills when he was working as a College Pro Painter.

Lovely sage green.

This fan is in place entirely because of Chris. I would have abandoned this plan and just put the light back up. However, Chris was determined his girl have a fan. There were several technical challenges with its installation which required a reciprocating saw and almost led to a ceiling re-do (thankfully, other people have encountered similar issues and a device has been made for our exact challenge). 12 hours after we  Chris started, the fan worked.

Dresser arrives from Iowa by way of Kansas. Mom polished it up with a new coat of stain and clear coat.

Showered with Love!

Last winter when we found our girl, we told our immediate family and close friends. Both Jacquelyn and Meaghan had tears of joy which they quickly followed with an offer of a shower. While Chris and I were hesitant at first, these two insisted- independently telling us we would need stuff and they wouldn't take no for an answer. We decided to bend to their advanced parenting knowledge. Not one to be left in the fray, my sister AnaMaria jumped into help as well and while she had not hosted a shower before, as a PhD candidate she's an excellent researcher which led to some amazing things. 

Let me tell you, these girls can throw a party.

On Saturday, August 4 at Starkers on the Plaza in Kansas City, I was the recipient of what could be described as the most gorgeous baby shower ever. Seriously, I was waiting for a magazine photographer to jump out and tell me Martha Stewart wanted to feature us.

And while the decorations were beautiful, the cocktails tasty (benefits of adoption!), and the cake divine, the very best part was spending time surrounded by wonderful friends and family who took time out of their lives to celebrate the impending arrival of our daughter and shower her with gifts. It was pretty humbling to realize how much we are cared for in such an outpouring of love and to realize how much our girl is already loved and she doesn't even know it yet.

To the three hostesses, an enormous thank you. You are amazing. And to the lovely ladies who attended the shower (and those who weren't able to make it but sent me sweet messages) thank you for your time and great gifts. With your help, there's a good chance we might actually be ready for our munchkin when she comes home!

Jac reveals her inner crafter with the beautiful paper flowers. Watch out, Martha.

Centerpieces were books of fairy tales with gorgeous bouquets.

Pink fortune cookies with "Welcome Little One!" inside. Perfect!

Beautiful table setting for a yummy seated meal.

Gift table full of pink. And an amazing chocolate cake.

Framed quotes from and about fairy tales. My favorite- "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales"- Einstein

Our sweet girl featured at her shower

My sweet Goddaugther with her Mommy.

The lovely hostesses

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We didn't purposefully coordinate our outfits but it's been happening for 27 years beginning with a pair of maroon and white velco adidas sneakers in 1985.

Now I see why my nieces exclaimed "it's a dark haired Aunt Sarah". With our Mama.

Jeni Cosgrove and Peggy Schmidt, lifelong friends.

Mrs. Seglie and Mrs. Seglie. Ha!

6 months pregnant, Anne made the trip from St. Louis to represent the ND crowd. Thank you, dear friend!

Party pics!

Loving the pink!

My dress from the 2nd birthday pictures and black patent shoes to accompany it from my mom. How fast can I book a photographer for a replay with my daughter?

Becky & Jack, who sported his ND Rookie onesie for the event. Here's hoping for a good season for you, Buddy.

Watermelon martinis and mimosas were enjoyed.

One More Step...

After receiving the letter of acceptance, the steps go faster- about every 2 weeks. One would think this makes things easier on the waiting parents. It doesn't. It's actually harder. We seem so close yet we still can't go get our girl. Argh!

We are very close. We are waiting for the Article 5 pickup. This is the letter from the US Consulate in Guangzhou that reviews our girls file and says 'yes, she can immigrate to the US'. This takes two weeks. And then... China can give us travel approval.  But this can take 2-4 weeks. Argh, again! But then we are on a plane as soon as we can be. Which means if we have to stand on MSPs runway with suitcase in hand, flagging down a jet, we will.

We are asking for prayers.  We are cutting it close to a week-long holiday at the beginning of October in China during which all government offices are close. Our agency wants their families either finished with their trips by the 1st of October or not yet left. So if we don't get our TA quick and get scheduled super fast, we have to wait an extra 2-3 weeks and not go until the second week of October. So please- lots of prayers for a speedy TA. 


Here's the reason we can't wait to leave- the cutest little munchkin ever. Or as C's residents are referring to her- our nugget.

"Who me? I'm just playing here."

Boogie time.
I think I finally have my dancing partner!