No News Today...

There was a lot of activity on other boards today with people receiving their TAs...but no news for CHI today :-( Hopefully we will hear something tomorrow or at least by Wednesday.

There is still a lot to do in order to get ready for travel, so even though I am more than overly anxious to get TA, there is still a lot that has to be done. I still have to do some shopping in order to get us ready to travel. My list is ready, but I haven't got everything checked off just yet.

Hoping to post good news soon and sending love to my Anna.

Great Weekend...

We had an awesome opportunity to be a host family this weekend at Barren Heights Retreat Center. Barren Heights is a "camp" like retreat facility for families with special need children. The retreat is totally free to the guest families. It allows the families time to relax, enjoy and play with their children, have some personal time for the moms and dads, and gives host families a chance to serve guest families and express the love of Christ.

Barren Heights was an inspired dream of a couple that have worked, prayed and sacrificed in order to provide a mini-vacation to families who might not otherwise be able to escape. Families with special need children are faced with obstacles in order to do anything. I have been witness to the beginning of their dream and seen it come to a reality. It truly is an amazing place and we were so honored to be a part.

There were times that I really had to focus in order to not get emotionally upset. These families who love their children, just like I love mine, who see their children suffering everyday. Whether physically or mentally, they just want the best for their children. They have problems like every other family, but they are compounded by other issues their children are facing. That made me sad. But then, to see the courage and determination of the parents and to hear the dreams of the children, I was inspired.

I enjoyed every single second of my time and loved watching my boys interacting and helping. Jacob had sweeping duties on the basketball and tennis courts and Carter was the garbage man of the pavilion. They did their jobs, sometime having to be reminded, but they did them. They didn't complain and they were able to experience first hand how good it feels to help others. Plus, helping others isn't a chore...they had a blast! They enjoyed all the kids there. Carter actually told me that it was the best weekend he had ever had.

In the future, I hope that we will be able to host again. It was a weekend I will not soon forget. www.barrenheights.com

Reminded of my blessings and sending love to my Anna.

Bring It On...

Rumor has it, well actually our agency has been told, that TAs are in the printing room. Our agency suspects that ours is in this batch. They are believed to be arriving at the agency at the beginning of the week. Bring It On!

I filled out our consulate appointment request form today - exciting! We have requested CA the week of June 11, June 18 or June 25. They will start with June 11, then 12, 13, 14, etc. until we get the earliest appointment possible. I am guessing that we will get June 18, which means that we would be leaving for China around June 4...yes count it, that would be about 18 days from now, which means we could have Anna in our arms in 19 days!!! Of course this is all dependent on what we can get and when, could be earlier, could be later.

I just sit in shock really...I know this is the end result of this process, but the reality of finally being united with Anna is just "unreal". I am breaking out in sporadic crying episodes...I am soooo ready to hold her and for her to know that she has a mommy and is loved very much. Oh yea, she has a daddy too :-)

We received our visas back today. The courier picked them up on Tuesday and they arrived this morning. She was really good and would definitely recommend or use again. Carol Fredrick's Dependable Adoption Courier Service - http://dependable-acs.com/index.html

The picture above is from another online family friend that are in China now adopting their sweet baby girl from Anna's orphanage. Thanks Missy! She just looks like she is ready to come home too...not too much longer Anna - we are coming!

Seeing the bright light at the end of this adoption tunnel and sending love to my Anna.

Good Morning Sleepy Head...

We are so blessed to have gotten another updated picture of Anna. We actually have two online-family friends that are in China right now with their daughters who are from Anna's orphanage. One couple went to the orphanage today and was able to get a picture of Anna for us. The other couple is scheduled for a visit tomorrow, so maybe another picture in the morning!!

They said that she was just waking up and was standing in her crib holding onto the rail dancing and jumping around - Parker will have a break dancing partner! They commented on her sweet smile...yes, I am beaming! They said that they were so impressed with the orphanage and the nannies caring for all the children.

I have been an emotional mess today. Seeing the pictures, reading about how she acted after waking up all energetic and happy, and then reading their blog and their experience at the orphanage. The adoptive mother said that their daughter was wonderful during the visit. Never offered to leave her side and seemed very comfortable to be there, not scared - huge blessing. Hopefully she, Anna and all the babies do not have bad memories of the orphanage, but felt/feel safe and cared for there. She also said that she was quite overcome with emotion as she stood in the midst of all the babies.

She told us that she patted Anna on the head and told her that "mommy is coming." Oh, my chest is just heavy...I want to get my baby girl.

Thank you Kenna and Jeff for the wonderful pictures!

Praying for my patience in waiting on God's perfect timing and sending love to my Anna.

Happy Mother's Day...

Every holiday since finding Anna has been difficult. This one was no different. I felt guilty for feeling sad being surrounding by the most beautiful boys in the world, but there was someone missing - my Anna. The day began hard as I opened my closet and saw her clothes hanging. Some days are just harder and today was one of those days.

But, even though my heart was heavy, longing for my daughter to be home, I couldn't help count the three beautiful blessings around me. I am the luckiest mother in the world.

So happy to be a mother and sending love to my Anna.

Getting Ready for TA...

As we anxiously wait for our TA, we are trying to get things ready for our trip to China and Anna's arrival to her new home. Our Visas are at the Chinese Embassy being processed. Our courier is scheduled to pick them up on Tuesday, so hopefully they will be here by Thursday or Friday. We are picking up items for our trip and to finish up Anna and Parker's room.

We are hearing from others in the adoption community from a different agency that packages with TAs are coming for those with LOAs at least through 4/19...we are 4/27, so maybe, maybe not. God knows and it will be the right timing for us when it comes. There are still a lot of things that need to be worked out, so I am going to trust that He is working them out perfectly.

I am very excited thinking about the reality that I will be holding Anna very soon. I have been doing sooo well with the wait lately. I am thankful to God that he has given me peace and has allowed me to focus on other things. I am doing some contract work for my former employer and it has been a great help, both financially and emotionally. I have been able to work at home and make some extra money that is really helping us out as we are trying to keep many "irons in the fire".

God has been so good to us. He has been faithful to me throughout my life, but within the last year, He has really revealed His faithfulness to me. He has gone above and beyond what I could have ever imagined. I am just humbled and so blessed to be able to be a part of this miracle - becoming Anna's mommy.

Thanking God for His goodness and sending love to my Anna.

What's New?

Well, nothing extremely exciting, but.....there is something new and anything to do with Anna excites me. Today we received our "Big Brown Envelope". It is the packet that adoptive families receive which contains a congratulatory message from the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China and the needed paperwork to finalize the adoption and citizenship on the US end. We will take all the papers with us to China. They will be completed and presented to the Consulate once in China.

We are also sending off our Visa applications to a courier today. She should have them by Wednesday and hopefully, we will have our Visas by end of next week, or the beginning of the following. We were also sent the tracking number of our LOA/SC. It is currently in Beijing waiting for delivery to the CCAA. Hopefully after it arrives, we will have our travel processed within 13 - 18 days. WOW - I can't believe we are this close :-) !!

Thursday night I finally found the bedding I am using in Parker and Anna's room. I also picked up a couple more pairs of pj's, socks and some nanny gifts. Friday, I went out to finish the needed items for the bedding, a couple more gifts for the orphanage director, notaries, adoption registrars and various officials. My bedroom is starting to pile up - my sister will kill me after all the cleaning out. I need to start packing things I know I have to take to get them out of the way. I also picked up the paint for the room and got the trim and walls painted. Parker's bed is finished, except a few throw pillows and Anna's comforter is done. I still lack her sheets, bed skirt and pillows. I hope to finish all that up this week sometime - we'll see.

Getting closer to travel and sending love to my Anna.