Na Na and Gra Gra....

Happy Mother's Day!

We love you...from your Grandkids xoxoxoxoxoxo

LOA to China

I got an email from our agency confirming that out LOA was sent to China today. It has been exactly 3 months since we were matched with our girl....

YEAH for the Mermaid!!!!!

Care Package

We decided to send the Mermaid a care package. The Mommies in our Yahoo group that have children from the same SWI (Social Welfare Institute aka the orphanage) encouraged me to do it. They stated the Director of the SWI has been very open to visits and has helped to prepare the children for adoption. They got me the address and we spent Sunday getting the photo album labeled and everything packed in the box. I took a picture of what we put in it. Here's the list... a pair of capri jeans, a yellow top with ladybugs, socks, underwear, ladybug bubbles from the shower, Dora fruit snacks, a pound of lollipops, Dora's brother/sister mermaid dolls with a dolphin, hand soap and lotion, a disposable camera, a drawing from the Pirate and a photo album of us! It took 45 minutes to get it ready to mail at the post office. Fill this form out, then this one, tape this on it...blah, blah, blah! When we walked out, Ted laughed...he thought the line of people should have applauded! It will take a week to get there. She should have in on Monday, May 12th. I hope she likes what we sent her...

The Pirate, My Little Man

I am so proud of him. He is growing up so fast. I couldn't believe what he did tonight. We came home from mailing the Mermaid's LOA back to China and he told me he wanted to release his butterflies he has been taking care of. So, we went out in the yard and the Pirate talked to the butterflies. He told them he was going to let them go and he wanted them to fly to China and tell his baby sister we were coming to get her soon. He then put them down and opened up the net and out 2 flew!!!!!!

My baby is growing up....

The Pirate's Kindergarten class...

did the sweetest thing. The kids in his class made the Mermaid cards for when she comes home. They drew pictures with fish, seaweed, starfishes and mermaids and wrote "Welcome Home!". The cards are so cute and the Pirate was so proud to bring them home. His class came by my classroom and presented them to me. I hugged each one and said thank you. They are the cutest kids....

LOA! LOA! LOA!

We got our LOA today....we actually signed it! It came UPS and it was just one paper...that's it. We carefully took it out, read it several times and finally signed it! We wanted to make sure we marked the right box. It was dated for April 28th (Monday) and our agency got it on Thursday from China. Not too bad, huh? We took pictures of it and while we signed it. We took off to the UPS store to overnight it back to the agency. The pirate kissed it before I put it in the envelope and that was it.

Now ...we wait for our TA. (travel arrangements)

We got the call!

At 1:14 pm, Ted got "the call". We have been waiting 78 days for this call...but who's counting? Our LOA was received at the headquarters in Illinois. This Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is the letter that states China has officially reviewed your dossier and they want you to either accept or decline the invitation to adopt. DUH.....we ACCEPT! The papers will come tomorrow, we will sign and make copies and then overnight them to Illinois. They will send them to China for the CCAA to approve our TA (travel acceptance/arrangements). This letter states the reason for our trip to China and is needed to enter the country. This process takes between 2 and 4 weeks. Then we set a consulate appointment, buy airplane tickets and then, pack! We could be in China in 5 weeks!!!! We are so excited!
Couldn't understand why Ted showed up at school today....I kept looking at him, saw him with the flowers in his hand and realized what was going on. It was very sweet....
I am not sure I will be able to sleep tonight...I hope I can. I want to have sweet dreams of the Mermaid!