Slow Down-Hill

I finally received an email update from Great Wall. Sadly, it will be 6-9 months before we get Chanz here :( These are sure to be the longest months of our lives. The good news is, it gives us more time to gather the money that we need, esp. for travel.

I told Tim last night we might as well let go and quit stressing over getting him here. He'll be older than we wish (I would much prefer to have had him right after he was born) but at least we'll have pictures, we can send him care packages, and we can still love and care for him despite the distance, and despite the fact he does not know us yet.

Another bonus: It will not be during the bone cold of winter!

I told Tim we will be sending many cameras, one for each month that we miss!

Falling

I awoke this morning thinking about fall. I love the feel of it every morning, the weak sunshine reaching down so gently like a mom laying her baby down to sleep. I like the way the atmosphere feels, like a young child. I suppose the young feeling should be reserved for spring, but that is how Fall feels to me. Outside one can walk around the yard minus the burning glare of the sun. It's softer now, and more welcoming and friendly. Leaves are falling off of trees, birds are flying away, and insects have hidden far beneath the ground. It isn't a sad leaving, in fact there is a lot of activity. The holidays are just down the way, singing their expectant arrival. There is the celebration of Fall, then quickly followed by Thanksgiving, then soon after by Christmas, and then the celebration of a new year. The beginning of Fall is the preparation stage for all to come. It's an exciting time!

Come Home

Got misty-eyed tonight thinking about Chanz. We just want him home so bad, all the waiting is so very hard. I don't know what he's doing or if he's lonely or happy. Did he play with the toys we sent him for his birthday? Does he sleep snuggled up to the stuffed panda bear toy? What is he like? Does he smile all the time and does he pout? Does he even have a clue that we love him already and can't wait to hold him tight?

Does he have any idea how rotten he is going to be once he gets here? Our first family vacation is already planned.. we're taking him to Orlando to stay in the condo we secured for our future children and to swim and see the ocean and play in sand and just BE. Come home, Chanz!!!!

Houston means that I'm a one step closer to you

This morning we will head down to Houston to get the documents for our dossier authenticated. Basically, the Chinese Consulate of Houston is verifying the Secretary of State's seal on all the documents we had certified a few weeks ago. And they only charge an arm and a leg; completely reasonable fees! cough cough

We are only dropping the documents off. To have them do them the same day costs triple what it costs to go the regular route (which is costing us $280.00). Once we drop off the documents, we are going to try and find a PF Changs, since Tim still has never been, and wonder around town a bit. Some of Tim's family lives in Liberty, which is about an hour away from Houston, so we will meet up with his family for dinner, then head back home.

Full day ahead!

Follow the Road

We were reading the "dossier guide" and were disappointed to read, "Most families can expect to travel within 6-9 months after their log-in date." What?! That is sooo long to wait when we want him here now! We were so hoping to have him home by Christmas but that just may not be the case..

A lot of people show concern because we're adopting an "older" child. If the timeline is correct, he'll be about 2 1/2 years old when we get him. True, we would have loved to have had him home right after he was born, but that just isn't our reality, ours or his. So he'll be a little older; we won't love him any less! There are also lots of people asking me if anything is "wrong" with him. He has albinism. That doesn't make anything "wrong" with him, he just has that condition that he'll have to live with. It isn't anything major, it doesn't affect his character or mental capacity in any way. He'll just have to wear sunscreen more often than most of us do, that's all.

Long story short, this child has no family. None. We are honored to have the ability to bring a child into our home, whatever the age, and give him a family. I don't care what color his skin is or his hair, he'll be ours and we'll be his.

Ohana!

I Certify That It Is Finished

Went to Austin yesterday, got the documents

certified, and now we're back home! Just one final

step: authentication! If they can finish the

process in about 10 days, I will mail the

documents. If it takes months, we'll be making a

trip to Houston.
Counting down, counting down...

GOOD NEWS!

We were able to get some financial assistance! Pathways for Little Feet gave us a loan large enough to at least pay for the orphanage donation, which is a huge sum of money. We are so grateful for companies out there that offer help for families wishing to adopt! We have vowed to support their organization for life. Our financial support will help other families down the road.

We are heading to Austin tomorrow to get our dossier documents certified. The next step will be to get the very same documents authenticated. Then, it is finished! We are getting so close to bringing our little boy home. He'll be here before we can believe it.

I'm beginning the official countdown now. Gathering documents for the dossier is all the prep work, now the real work and waiting begins.