Visiting Miss Zia Joy

We took a little trip to Kansas for the dedication of Sophie and Gary's daughter, Zia Joy. It was a nice drive and a fun getaway. I doubt they have a lot of trouble with traveling salesmen, unless they are very lost! Their house is a trick to find the first time, but in a nice and very secluded location.

Gary and Sophie's place.

JUST KIDDING!!!!!
Gary built this neat little cabin 100 yards or so from the house as a getaway and picnic spot.

Kim and Miaya on Miaya's first hayride.

This is fun!

Riding into the Kansas sunset with Gary on the tractor (it was Sophie's dad's), and Sophie with Zia Joy

Three "China Moms", Tammy, Kim, and Sophie with Miaya and Zia Joy

Miaya and Zia

The trip down was good, but we learned a hard lesson about accidentally getting in the drive through lane at Burger King in Maryville, Missouri on game day! The rest of the trip was uneventful, we found our hotel with no problem, and then found our way into the boonies to Sophie and Gary's.

After the hayride, we returned to the cabin for a cookout.

Thanks Grandpa!

Miaya got a new toy this weekend. Michael's mother, sister and niece came to visit and surprised her with a new International Harvester pedal tractor. When the carton was opened to assemble it, Miaya immediately grabbed the steering wheel and took off.
After a few minutes, she came back and "helped" Michael sort the parts as he prepared to assemble it. Cousin Kassondra helped distract her and they played in the living room.

When the tractor was ready, and the cameras and camcorder were ready as well, Miaya was called in. As she rounded the couch and saw the tractor, she ran straight to it and climbed on. Though her legs are a bit short to reach the pedals, she quickly learned to straddle it and push along backwards.

On Monday after Miaya and mommy returned from school and daycare, she ran straight to her tractor and patted it before doing anything else. When her legs get long enough, that tractor will surely get a workout.

Michael's father always gave the first grandchild in each family a pedal tractor. Though he was not around to see Miaya come home to her forever family, he made arrangements for Miaya have one. So thank you very much Grandpa, and thank you Grandma and Aunt Laurie for delivering it.

Wishing Them Well!

Our friends Sophie and Gary are in China right now, and should be holding their new daughter in their arms!

Welcome Zia, to your new family!

Cutest When Asleep?

Is this cute or what? An early Sunday afternoon nap attack.

A Sad Farewell

Nike (left) and Diva, October 2007

Diva, June 2007

We lost a member of our family today, our cat Diva passed on this morning after a rapid decline in health. After we had been home about a week we realized that she had lost a great amount of weight, and was not eating. A trip to the vet did not reveal much, and after a few days of frustration we went to the vet again, and for a couple of days, it looked like she might be holding her own. Finally one of the vets at the clinic was able to feel a mass in her abdomen, possibly a tumor. This morning, before we had fully decided what to do, we got the news that she had weakened and passed on.

Diva came into our lives the last spring (1999) we lived in Illinois, appearing at our house one morning. Friendly and eager for attention, we brought her with us when we moved to Iowa. She proved herself to be housebroken, and well trained by whoever had been her previous family. We estimated her to be about a year old when she came to us as she did grow some more, although she was never a very large cat. She was a great companion for Kim during the several months when I was finishing up farming obligations in Illinois, and when I was making numerous trips moving our goods to Iowa.

Shy around strangers, she was warm and affectionate to those she liked. In the times when she was allowed to sleep in our bedroom, she could tell when bedtime was approaching, and would grab a few bites of cat food, get a drink of water, visit the litter box, and be waiting for us on the stairs. Quite a good bit of planning for "just a cat".

In a way, she was our first "baby", gave us unconditional love, and seemed to know when we were sick or down and needed some extra affection. Playful and fun, she learned several "tricks" over the years. In the later years, she took some abuse from Nike, our younger cat, but she got back at him by attacking him in the middle of the night when he was asleep!

We will miss her, and think of her often as the days become weeks and then months. She brought us joy and amusement as well as unconditional acceptance. We hope that her spirit now dwells in a kind and gentle place.

The Rainbow Bridge

Things are getting better!

It is getting better around our house, the first week we were home in Iowa was brutal. Miaya took nearly a week to adjust to the 13 hour time difference, and no one got much sleep that week. Finally on Sunday night, she went to sleep at a near normal time and slept through the night. There are still problems getting her to sleep some nights, but things are generally improving and becoming more "normal" all the time.

The trip to China seems more and more like a dream, but one look at Miaya brings the reality back. We feel more blessed every day, and soon it will feel like we have had her forever. Oh, yes we remember the long wait and how it felt like it would never end, but that has paled in the reality of finally having our daughter home where she belongs.

We can see so many advances in her development in the month we have had her, she is now toddling around, and soon will be walking with ease. Her coordination is improving, and her verbal skills are improving, and although talking will take a while, it is no longer all baby babble. She easily recognizes mommy and daddy, but is still open to meeting new people. There have been real challenges, but her smile makes it all worthwhile.

Home And All Those Things

An armload of Miaya for Cousin Nora

We did make it home in good order, the trip on Amtrak was good, although for the last two hours of the trip we were ready for it to just be over. A chocolate break brought things back into perspective, I guess low blood sugar does have an effect on your attitude. Kim's Aunt Carol and Uncle Kenny, and her teacher friend Belinda and Belinda's mom and sister met us at the station in Creston. Miaya scored big points with Aunt Carol when she went right into her arms. We made a quick stop at WalMart for necessities, grabbed late supper at McD's drive-through and hit the road for the last 20 miles home. A big thanks to Belinda who looked after the house, cats, and dog while we were gone.

We got to see some of the flooding in the Burlington, Iowa / Gulfport, Illinois area where the train crossed the Mississippi River. It will be a long time before all the water drains away, and many people can return to see what can be salvaged of their homes, farms, and businesses.

I guess I should step back a little bit and tell about our arrival in Champaign, After gathering our planeside luggage, we paused in the gate waiting area to change Miaya into her party dress that cousin Kassondra picked out for her over two years ago, change her diaper, and collect our wits a little before heading out to meet some of Michael's family.

We rounded the corner and there, out past the security point was Michael's mother, sister Laurie, and nieces Kassondra and Amy. AND, a woman with a very large video camera! It was Checky Beckford, a reporter from Channel 15 TV in Champaign. Michael's sister Laurie had called the station about our story, gave her the address for this blog, and she decided to do a story about us, our Illinois connection, and a little about international adoption in general and some about adopting from China specifically. She did a great job on the story, got the facts straight, and put together a nice piece. We were the second or third story on the 1o o'clock news. It took a lot of concentration to sound coherent after being up around 26 hours at that point, and spending nearly 20 hours on airplanes! But, we pulled it off.

There was also the little fact that we were about an hour late leaving Guangzhou on the flight to Tokyo! First, they had to work on the air conditioning on the plane, then there was a line of severe storms to the north that prevented flights from taking off for a while. With only a ONE hour layover in Tokyo, we knew we were in trouble! On arrival in Tokyo, we had to wait for space at the gate, and we were getting really worried. Then came the announcement over the PA that would all passengers NOT connecting to Northwest flight 26 to Detroit (we were to be on NW 26) please remain seated to allow those who were to exit quickly -- yeah, that REALLY worked!! After we finally got off the plane, there were NW people with signs directing us directly to gate 22 as they were holding the plane for us! It was a mad dash up and around and across, frustrated by the security checkpoint, but we made it. Less than 10 minutes after we stepped on board, the doors were closed and the plane was being pushed back from the gate. Now we were free to wonder for the next 11 hours if our luggage had made the flight as well. The appearance of our gate-checked stroller was a good indication when we arrived in Detroit. (yes, all four suitcases made it) At the security check in Tokyo, they confiscated Kim's sewing scissors (short, blunt nose), the same ones that had made it through at least 5 other security checks including the same checkpoint in Tokyo. It had been a bit worrisome in Guangzhou when there was a special security point for NW 28 passengers (our flight), and another security check on the jetway just before boarding.

Irene, Miaya's possible cribmate, and her father and godfather ("Two Men And A Baby" as we referred to them) were also on flight 26 to Detroit. The two girls must have been close, because whenever Irene cried or fussed on the long flight, Miaya would turn around to look for her (three rows back), yet would ignore the cries of any other baby on the plane.

The first week home is kind of a blur, Miaya was kind enough the share her cold with Michael, and he was really out of it for several days. That plus trying to get a schedule established, and getting Miaya changed from China time to Iowa time made for a very sleepless and exhausting week. Things are getting better, Miaya is going to sleep easier, and earlier now, and we are beginning to recover. We felt very helpless, clueless, and inadequate on those long sleepless nights as we tried to convince an overtired toddler that it really was time to sleep. It really did not help on the occasions when, about an hour after she went to sleep, she would be standing in the crib screaming, so mom or dad would go to comfort her, and at the first touch, she would giggle and laugh! A great little actress this one is.

MorePictures for Ms. Sophie!! Per Your Request.

Early morning on the plane.

Do I look Pretty Mommy?
Miaya at the Champaign, Illinois airport in her party dress ready for her family debut.

Extreme Cousins!
Amy (in black) age 25, and Miaya age 14 months, the oldest and the youngest.

Miaya at her first antique tractor show.
Take a close look at the sign! A big thanks to Uncle Jon for the surprise.

Miaya meets Cousin Jennifer

Miaya with Uncle Jon (Michael's brother).
Thanks again Uncle Jon for bringing the tractor Michael inherited from his father to the show.

Miaya with Aunt Dee

Newest American Citizen

Detroit, Michigan - July 10, 1:32 PM EST

Miaya Annalyn Marie Fourez became America's newest citizen when Northwest Airlines flight 26 touched down at Detroit Wayne County Airport. Under the Child Citizenship Act of 2001, Miaya became a citizen the moment she landed on American soil. The law confers immediate citizenship on minor children adopted abroad when both adoptive parents saw the child before the adoption was finalized overseas.

Back In The USA

Yep, we are back on American soil, though not all the way home to Iowa. We are in Eastern Illinois visiting Michael's family, and will continue the trip home to Iowa in a couple of days. We were sweating it for a while, as we are returning to Iowa via Amtrak, and flood damage had closed the rail line across southern Iowa. But, the line has been repaired enough to allow traffic, and we will be able to keep our original travel plans intact.

I have been a bit lax in my blogging lately, but we have been caught up in getting to know our new daughter, and in enjoying our last days before returning to reality. In Guangzhou we visited the Chen Family Temple, went to a Buddhist temple where our babies were blessed in a traditional ceremony, enjoyed time in a local park, and haggling with shopkeepers on Shamian Island for souvenirs. Eating at Lucy's, a semi-American style eatery near the White Swan Hotel, and at the Cow Bridge Thai Restaurant were also high points of our stay. Of course, the highest point of all was the hair-raising bus trip to the American Consulate to get Miaya's visa and other paperwork for entry to the United States. None of us had a death wish, but we were not so sure about the driver! As we settle back into "normal" life, I will review my notes and the 1,700 or so photos to post more about what we saw and experienced.

Worth A Thousand Words -- And Then Some!

Quality time with Mommy in Nanning

Roommates?
Based on pictures we received, and Irene's (in green) parents received from the Guiping orphanage, we think that Miaya and Irene were cribmates. Miaya certainly seemed to recognize her when we were taking the picture. We were told that Miaya was always concerned when her cribmate was gone.

My new life as a pack mule.

A sleepy traveler.

On the bus in Guangzhou

Happy Miaya at the White Swan Hotel

Gotcha Day Video

The things we talk about!

We talk about pee
We talk about poo
We talk about every
little thing they do
(with apologies to Toby Keith's I want to talk about me!)

But that pretty much sums up our days right now, we should probably have a scoreboard for who's child has done what! Miaya passed her final milestone of the "necessities", it was a memorable one - and it was quickly hustled out of the hotel room. The topic of conversation when our group meets for meals or in the hallway, etc usually involves the bodily functions of our children.

Today was a light one, a late start, then a trip to WalMart here in Nanning. This Supercenter is a lot smaller than one in the States, and the selection of many things is much more limited. It is located on the second and third floors of a building near downtown. The shopping carts steer on all four wheels, and brake automatically when you ride the conveyor between floors. We were able to find several things we wanted, although it was a bit of a treasure hunt interpreting/guessing at the labels on some packages. We had lunch at a KFC downtown before heading back to the hotel and a free afternoon,mostly spent resting, a heavy rainstorm postponed till tomorrow a visit to the Peoples Park a few minutes from our hotel, a beautiful park where people gather for all kinds of activities.

Miaya is coming out more all the time, she recognizes both of us, and wants us both near whenever she has her nap. I did not know it was possible to feel so much love for someone so fast.

Where Miaya Is Now

What more can I say?

Except that under Chinese law, she is ours now and forever! This morning, we went to the government offices and signed all the papers and promised to "never neglect, abuse or abandon" her, and that yes, we did want to adopt her. Once we get her passport, it's onto Guangzhou, and the American Consulate for her visa and other paperwork. Nine more days, and we'll be back in the States, and 12 more days and we will be home.

We Have A Daughter

Please join us in welcoming Miaya to our family.

It was the longest day of our lives, the waiting all day was horrible! Then the moment almost came too quickly, as the babies were swiftly passed out to the waiting parents. Jin Yu Zhu, now to be known as Miaya has been a "perfect baby". Our guide/facilitator has repeatedly warned us that we may not get a "perfect baby", and that there may be issues to face. It has only been a few hours, but so far it has only been smiles, giggles and laughs. She has eaten well and enthusiastically, and enjoyed her bath. Oh, we know there will be some rough times ahead, but so far it has been great.

This is where Miaya will be soon!

We walked into our room in the Majestic Hotel in Nanning, and there it was -- The Crib. Ordinarily not an imposing sight, but in this case a glimpse of things to come. It hit us both hard, tomorrow night this simple crib will be occupied by OUR daughter!

At 3:30 pm tomorrow June 30, we will be at the Ministry of Civil Affairs office where we will meet Miaya for the first time. She will arrive from the orphanage in Guiping (guay-peeng) where she has been living,in the company of three other girls, several nannies, and the orphanage director. Tuesday, we return to the office where we will file the papers to permanently adopt Miaya, after that, under Chinese law, she will then be ours forever.

Up Against The Wall

The Great Wall.

And it sure is just that. It would be hard not to be impressed by the defensive wall that surrounded much of China's heartland. Never really tested in battle, the wall was was eventually overcome by changes within in China.

Still, when climbing the steps on top of the Wall near Beijing, it is hard to ignore the sheer physical effort it took to construct that section on a near vertical mountainside. The steps are small, and intentionally uneven to impede any invading force that might try to use the top of the wall as a pathway for troops. No records were kept of the human toll of building the wall, but thousands of workers were driven to total physical exhaustion to complete the project.

I started the climb with unclear intentions of high I might climb, and soon began to wonder about why I should do it at all. After pausing a few times to rest, the grade actually became a little less punishing, and I pressed on. At the first tower, there is a small shop to one side where you can have your picture taken with the Wall in the background and have it printed on a plastic card for 40 Yuan, about $6. So, I have photographic proof that I am a "Hero Of The Great Wall", or as I prefer to say, "Proof That I Am An Idiot!". I did climb further on, reaching the second battle tower before turning back. The descent was as I had feared, even more difficult! Finally I discovered that faster was the easier way to travel, using the handrail for assistance, and keeping a sharp lookout for those uneven steps. With a serious case of "Jelly Legs", and soaking wet from the heat/humidity of the day, I successfully reached the bottom. Others in our group climbed much farther, but I was satisfied.

The views were fantastic, and I got a lot of great pictures along the way up and down. Yes it was worth it, and although I dreaded the sore muscles I anticipated for the next day, they never really appeared.

It's Forbidden

The City, that is. Today we toured the Forbidden City, the huge complex that was home to numerous Chinese Emperors for many years.

The day began with at Tienanmen Square, then directly into the Forbidden City. I won't try to describe it in detail other than to say that it seems to go on forever and is extremely impressive. The film "The Last Emperor" was set there, and is the only motion picture filmed inside the actual Forbidden City. The outer sections served as places for various government functions, with increasing levels of privacy until the actual residence of the Emperor and his immediate family was reached. The outer semi-public areas and plazas are devoid of all trees and bushes that might give cover to a potential assassin. Only when the most private area is reached are gardens and trees to be found.

Day 2 - Beijing Sightseeing

After not really enough sleep, we were up and ready for the first tour of Beijing. After the bus driver successfully threaded his way through the chaotic traffic, our first stop was the Beijing Zoo, and the Panda Exhibit, especially the new Olympic Panda House, the 8 Giant Pandas brought in especially for the exhibit.

The next stop was the Summer Palace of the Chinese emperors. A very serene place overlooking a man made lake constructed to look like a real lake in western China.

Our final stop was the Temple of Heaven, a large complex dedicated to prayers for various things, including the Hall Of Praying For A Good Harvest.

Catching Up - The Flight Over

The flight was long, and at times tedious, the leg from Des Moines to Minneapolis was smooth and ahead of schedule. The next part, from Minneapolis to Tokyo was 11 1/2 hours, and got tedious at times, but was overall a very smooth trip. The seats were good, but the cabin was on the 747 quite warm at times. We flew far enough north to see the icepack on the Arctic Ocean.

The final leg was the exciting one, it took much longer to load the plane, then we were in a long line to take off. Storms all along the route from Tokyo to Beijing caused route changes, and headwinds slowed us as well. Thunderstorms along the final 300 miles made for a very bumpy ride the whole way. We arrived in Beijing 45 minutes late, and finally got to the Poly Plaza Hotel about 11:30pm.

We Are In China!!

Long Flight, Very Tired-Must Sleep Now!

More Later

Michael And Kimberly

-- It's getting REAL now!

Getting There, And Back

Our itinerary looks like this:

6/25 Depart Des Moines ---> Minneapolis ---> Tokyo ---> Beijing
6/27 Tour Beijing, travel group has Peking Duck dinner
6/28 Tour Beijing - Tienanmen Square, Forbidden City and Great Wall
6/29 Fly to Nanning, Guangxi Province
6/30 Gotcha Day - We are united with Miaya!!!
7/1 File adoption papers - in China's eyes Miaya is ours Forever - We are a Family at last!!!!
7/2 Shopping
7/3 Sightseeing
7/4 Sightseeing, get Miaya's passport
7/5 Fly to Guangzhou, Guangdong Province
7/6 Sightseeing trip
7/7 Miaya's visa picture and medical exam for entry to USA
7/8 American Consulate paperwork
7/9 American Consulate for Swearing In Ceremony
7/10 8:20 AM (local) Depart Guangzhou ---> Tokyo ---> Detroit- Arrive 1:45 PM, Miaya touches American soil and becomes US Citizen! --> Champaign, ILL - Arrive 5:31 PM CST July 10.
7/10, 9:12 PM CST - Collapse completely due to total exhaustion.
7/11-12 Visit Michael's family and friends.
7/13 Board Amtrak at Rantoul, ILL for return trip to Creston, Iowa, arriving at 8:41 PM CST.

(Please pray that the Mississippi River floodwaters recede and Amtrak resumes service on the line across southern Iowa, or this whole thing falls apart!)

Eight Days -- Again!

E i g h t D a y s until we hold Miaya for the first time. Eight days till we become a family. Eight days till we hold and look upon our daughters face. Eight days till we are complete. The schedule says we will get our daughter at 2:30 pm on June 30, about 1:30 am CST.

In a few days we will board the first of several airplanes that will carry us to our daughter's homeland. We are looking forward to the trip, not only to be united with her, but to also learn about and experience some of the culture of her land. There is also an element of fear as we face the responsibility we are about to assume.

Packing Dilemma

It looks like a lot of stuff, but after the packaging is off, it gets smaller, and not all of everything goes. But, still it's a challenge deciding what goes and what stays.

But, we have it easier than the adoptive parents went to China 10 or more years ago, proliferation of WalMart across China, as well expansion of local retailers have made finding baby needs much easier than it was then. I read of one family's experience some years ago where no disposable diapers were to be found because the previous wave of adoptive families had bought the entire supply! We are going prepared, but realize we cannot possibly anticipate everything.

Our Motto: "Pack Light - Pack Smart - Be Prepared"

Gotcha Day

Gotcha Day is how many people refer to the day their adopted child was place in their arms. "The day we got you".

Well, ours has been scheduled for Monday June 30, at 2:30 pm in Nanning, the capital of Quangxi province.

Yippppppeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TA-da

TA

We got our TA - or Travel Approval late Friday!!!!

That means our referral acceptance document has been processed, and that Jin Yu Zhu is still there, healthy, and available. Just one more step, we are now awaiting confirmation of our appointment at the American Consulate in Guangzhou. After that, our agency will backtrack to determine our departure date.

Whew!

Sorry about not posting more about Miaya, but with finishing up on the moving, and work, and etc, it has been a very busy few days here.

What more do we know? Well, she was found on the steps of the Middle School next door to the orphanage, and there was a slip of paper in her clothing that gave her birthdate. We have also seen the Chinese text of her Finding Advertisement that was published in the local newspaper, we also have the English translation. She is described as an active, outgoing baby, and in December she was beginning to crawl.

I cannot begin to truly describe the way I have been feeling now, relief is probably a big part of it.
Relief that we finally knew who our daughter was, relief that the endless uncertainty was behind us, and relief that we could begin to really live our lives again. Also, relief that we now had something to show that we really were doing this thing!

WE FOUND HER ! ! ! ! !

WE GOT OUR REFERRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jin Yu Zhu (Soon to be Miaya AnnaLyn Marie Fourez)

We were pretty sure it was coming, but thought it would be Monday. Apparently the courier service was extra efficient, and got here sooner.

Here are the early details:

Chinese Name: Jin Yu Zhu, (Last, first, middle names) (pronounced Jean You Shu)
Born: May 15, 2007
Weight: 17.5 pounds
Height: 26 inches
Living in: Guiping Social Welfare Institute (orphanage), Guangxi Province (Southern China)

Bummer!

It does not look promising, but then we pretty much knew that already. The latest from the rumormongers has the cutoff looking to be January 9, 2006. This is good and bad, five days were crossed off the calendar, which good, even though there was a weekend in there. The bad part is that according to the survey on the rumormonger's website, January 12 may be a pretty large day in terms of applications, which raises the possibility that it may not be included in the next batch.

If we miss the May referral batch, and wind up in June, this would likely put our travel time in the weeks leading up to the Beijing Olympics, when airfare, hotels, and everything else is expected to be costlier, and airline seats will be harder to book.

Time will reveal all, and there is also the possibility that the winter storms in China delayed the paper work on some children and that they may just now be arriving in the CCAA office on Beijing, raising the possibility that more children will be available for placement the next time around.

Panic Time??

The Caller ID said Great Wall China Adoption -- I thought about having a panic attack, but decided not to. It was our referral counselor verifying contact information in case we did get our referral next week. I knew it was not THE CALL, but still it threw me off balance for a moment.

The rumor mill is unusually quiet for the end of the month. Normally at this time, rumors of all kinds are flying around, but it's very thin. What little is out there seems to focus around a cutoff date of Jan. 10 to Jan. 13 of 2005. With our Jan 12 LID date, we are "on the bubble", and it's a delicate balancing act. I have the suspicion we may miss it by 1 or 2 days, but that would pretty much guarantee a May referral. Whatever the case, we will get some life changing news in a few days.

Things are very hectic, the adoption countdown, getting our stuff moved to the new place, and making plans for the disposition of the last of the farm business. We have been busy packing and have moved some things, but have a long way to go. At least it's only 7 miles this time, not 400 like the last time.

Will We? Or, Won't We?

In about 10 days or so, we will find out if our turn has come! I think we will fall short a little, but there is the chance we could get our referral in early April. If we only miss it by less than four days, then we can be pretty certain of May!

We have so many other things going on right now that we are not obsessing, but still it's right there all the time. The little girl who will be Miaya is waiting for us right now, even though she does not know it.

Please help us hold her in our hearts until we can hold her in our arms.

A Little Trip - Pt.2

The business part of the trip was educational, we learned a lot about policy issues in agriculture, and how the lobbying process works. Along the say, we met both of Iowa's senators, and a number of other top officials. We got the security process down pretty well, but it's always a kind of roulette game, you never know what each metal detector will trigger on.


On our free afternoon, we visited the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum was closed for renovation. Seeing so many pieces of aviation and space history was a bit awe inspiring, especially looking at the primitive aircraft, and contemplating the courage it took to fly them. Of course, those machines were cutting edge technology at the time. It was interesting the see the number of international visitors there.

Although the fabric was replaced some years ago, this IS the original Wright Flyer, 105 years old. The engine is not the original, and the propellers are from a later Flyer, but it is the ONE that all of todays aircraft are derived from.

Later, we took the Metro out to Arlington Cemetery and visited the Kennedy grave site.

What would our world be like if events had unfolded differently on that day in Dallas?

I remember well the day it happened, the shock felt throughout the nation. The feeling that the world had turned upside down for a moment. That this sort of thing was supposed to happen elsewhere, not here, not in our land.

There were a number of school groups there, and we were a bit disturbed by the lack of respect exhibited by some of the students. Surrounded the graves of those who in some cases sacrificed all for our freedom is a sobering experience.

A Little Trip

We took a little trip to Washington D.C. last week with the Iowa Farm Bureau. It was a legislative/policy trip, so it was part fun and part very serious. I had been to DC before, but it was in 1969 - 39 years ago! I feel very old when I say that.

But, to back up a little, on the night before we flew out of Des Moines, we had supper with another waiting family in Des Moines. Both they, and their neighbors have daughters from China, so we got our "Baby Fix" that night. Supper was Chinese Hot Pot, a new and interesting experience for us, and one I would be more than willing to repeat. They also had two house guests from Tajikistan who were on an exchange visit. We had excellent conversation, and one of the men made a very good flatbread that served as part of the desert. We learned a lot about what to expect, and for while, felt a little less alone as we shared in their experiences.

The flight to Washington was smooth, and arrived on time. We were supposed to tour the Capitol, but due to some mix ups at the hotel, we were left behind with no idea where to go. It all worked out well, we joined up with another lady and braved the Metro (subway), and toured most of the monuments and memorials on the National Mall. It's kind of neat, up the escalator from the Metro station, walk about 50 feet, and your e there, right in the middle of the Mall, not far from the Smithsonian. We were able to see most of the monuments and memorials in the area.

Hopefully this boy's reflection is the only way he will ever appear on a wall.

We spent a while listening to the volunteer at the Vietnam Memorial, he knows his stories and tells them very well.

A Good Chance

There is a good chance, probably 50-60% that we will see a picture of the girl who will be Miaya next month. If that doesn't happen, then it is probably better than 90% likely that we will get the referral notice in May.

With an April referral, we would likely be traveling in the last half of May, and the May referral would have us in China in the last half of June.

Either way, we are getting close. We are happy, scared, worried, a bit impatient, and wearing a lot of goofy grins!

Back In The Deep Freeze!

Last weekend, mild temperatures and lots of sunshine pretty much got rid of the snow we have had for so long. Oh, it was not a lot of snow, but a nuisance none the less. However, the thaw, and the rain Sunday night turned our lane into a mud bog! It's a good thing we traded the minivan for the all wheel drive Mountaineer a couple of years ago. But, the rain changed to snow, and now we have snow and mud filled frozen ruts to deal with - depending on the time of day.

It looks like Canada is kind enough to send us another blast of frigid air this weekend, but luckily only a few flakes are expected.

We are so ready for spring!

Babies!! March Referrals Arrive

The referral batch for March started arriving in the US today, so far no official word on the official cutoff date, but it appears to be January 4, 2006.

We want to say congratulations to Cris and Brian Catlett from Arkansas who got the call today! We met Cris and Brian in Des Moines for lunch last winter, a very nice couple. It makes the process a little more real when someone we've met is seeing their child's face for the first time.

Eight Days This Time?

We are hearing rumors that the cutoff date may be January 4, 2006.

This would be 8 more days crossed off the calendar!

Eight days closer to Miaya.

Eight days closer to being a family!

That would leave eight days until our January 12, 2006 Log In Date comes to the top of the pile.

Eight days till we see Miaya's face in the referral picture.

EIGHT DAYS till we start the countdown to the day we hold Miaya in our arms.

Isn't eight a wonderful number?

Attitude Readjustments

What a difference a day makes! Well, not really a day, more like two years or so. It still amazes and astounds us that we are within reach of referral. Yes, the chance is pretty slim of something happening in March, but if good progress is made this time, then April is possible, and May is more likely. It just kind of sneaks up on us occasionally "hey, it's really going to happen", and quicker than we will expect.

We are both getting a bit scared, this has been so far off in the future for so long, that it was safe and easy to think about. At least now, we are working on the reality of Miaya instead of just the concept of Miaya. We are still getting our heads around it.

Update On Cutoff Date

It's official, several days ago, we learned that the cutoff date was December 27, 2005. So that does make us the 16th day ahead. Some of those 16 days are weekends, and no dossiers are logged in over weekends.

Hopefully there will be no problem clearing the rest of December and getting into January with the next batch. Obviously there is no real way to tell what will happen, but April is still looking like a possibility, and if not, then May looks real possible. So far, families have been traveling right at 6 weeks after getting the referral.

We do wonder how the winter storms might affect referrals in the coming months. Orphanage personnel have had their hands full just keeping the children warm and fed, and transportation problems could delay paperwork reaching the central office. Oh well, only time will tell.

China's Orphans In Danger From Winter Storms!

China has been paralyzed by the worst winter storms in over 50 years, and as is usual, the poor and disadvantaged are hit hardest of all. For nearly a month, some parts of China have seen heavy snowfalls and ice on a near constant basis. Deep snow and much below normal temperatures are wreaking havoc throughout wide areas. Throughout a large portion of China roads are impassable, trains are stalled in snowbanks or stranded due to massive power outages. Power generation is a problem due to coal shortages caused by rail shutdowns. Power lines are down in many places, and it may be months before power is restored everywhere. Millions of people who normally travel home for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations have found themselves stranded as travel by train, bus, and air is sporadic at best.

Many orphanages are in desperate straits, electric outages, shortages of fuel for heat, broken equipment with no way to repair it, shortages of food, skyrocketing prices as local supplies dwindle, and the lack of safe drinking water are putting children in danger. While conditions at all affected orphanages are not known, news is getting out from a few.

Half The Sky is a charitable organization that helps support orphanages with supplies, equipment, and educational support. They also supply medical assistance to children needing life saving surgical intervention. Half The Sky took their name from a speech by Mao Zedong decrying the lowly status of women in Chinese culture, saying that "Women hold up half the sky".

Please follow this link to see updates on the conditions at the orphanages supported by Half The Sky.

We would like to call your attention to Half The Sky's Little Mouse Emergency Fund . Half The Sky does not normally function as a relief agency, but they are bending their own rules in this situation. They are hoping raise funds to bring in or purchase emergency supplies of food, diapers, blankets and warm clothing, and heaters and other equipment to help the children in danger. We have made a donation to the emergency fund, as the little girl who will become our Miaya could well be one of the cold and hungry children in danger of frostbite and/or sickness as the crisis conditions continue. If your heart leads you to follow us in making a donation (and we don't need to know who you are), the children, their caregivers, and all parents of children from China as well as those of us still waiting to be united with our angels will be grateful.

Thank you,
Michael and Kimberly

16 Days!

Referrals have begun to arrive, and so far the cutoff date is at least December 27, 2005. This covers 8 LID days, and is more progress than most people were expecting to see. People have posted that they got THE CALL who have the LID of 12/27/05.

This would leave us 16 LID days from referral! Whoa, it's beginning to get real around here! This gives us a good chance of referral in April, and a better chance in May.

(LID=Log In Date, the date an application dossier was logged in (registered) at the Adoption Affairs office in Beijing, China.)

When good rumors go bad!

There is a website operated by a woman who calls herself the "Rumor Queen" who deals in rumor and occasional fact about International Adoption from China. On occasion she has good information, but too often, it is simple unsubstantiated rumor, and sometimes outright fabrication. The following was posted to another site after much rumination about her site, and the doom and gloom attitude of many of her loyal readers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Somewhat embarrassed looking man standing at the front of the room) "My name is Michael and I read the Unsubstantiated Fabricated Information Queen!"
(Group of people seated in a collection of rickety mismatched folding chairs) "Hello Michael"

Sometimes I think we need a kind of meeting process to better understand why we are so willing to make ourselves even more miserable in this waiting situation. Way back when we were at the end of this long line, we did not know how long it really was, it kind of went down the block away and around the corner and out of sight, and we were somewhat ignorant and happy in our ignorance. On the various forums we joined, there was always speculation about the next batch and when it would be issued, and how many LIDs would be covered. Time crept along, we turned that corner and discovered the line ahead of us appeared to stretch far away and maybe take another turn.

There emerged a source, no matter how dubious, who seemed to offer some kind of inside information, and served as sort of tawdry clearinghouse for bits of information about the process. In time this has grown to gain a kind of questionable legitimacy, whether deserved or not.

Yes, I follow that source, a kind of guilty habit, rather like perusing the tabloids in the checkout lane to see the latest "Alien Baby Pilots UFO For Air Force At Area 51" headlines. The most disturbing part of this phenomenon actually appears in the comments area where the readers take the most mundane bit of information and in short order turn it into a full blown panic situation. The recent removal of the status box is an excellent example of this. Within a few hours of the change, the assembled mob had created numerous dire scenarios of nefarious changes soon to happen in the CCAA offices, along with dragging out several old rumors and hoaxes that had long since been discredited.

There was a time when I looked at that source and got depressed by what I saw there. Now it's more amusement and exasperation at how otherwise rational (I assume) people can can go so completely insane over trivial matters. I have begun to suspect that some of the greatest instigators may be scoundrels who are not in this process at all.

"Ignorance is bliss" comes to mind quite often. In part, the problem is a cultural one, we in the western cultures have become accustomed to relatively open exchanges of information, and now we are dealing with a different culture and a bureaucratic structure where information is a commodity to be controlled and rationed. And, we are struggling with it.

Many of us here are awaiting what may be the most profoundly life changing event we will ever have, holding our first child in our arms! In this context, the emotion saturated atmosphere is inevitable and understandable. Time, and the passing of generations has changed the way we view adoption. Never really shameful, but usually unmentioned, adoption has come into the open. I am sure most of us have droned on and on to family, friends and random strangers about our experience and the process just as we would about a long awaited pregnancy. Another thing that was not talked about in the past.

We humans are a strange lot, we create the bogeyman under the bed, tell tales about things that go bump in night, and weave stories about the sounds and the glowing eyes just beyond the light of the campfire. Seldom are we able to relax and wait for events to unfold as they must and in their proper time. We seem to be a species that loves to marinate itself in anguish, fear and frustration.

I once heard a story about a blacksmith who occasionally appeared to intentionally hit his thumb with the hammer, setting off a string of expletives better not included here. When confronted about this, he finally admitted it was true. Why then do you do it? "Because it feel so good when I stop" was the reply.

That's all I have, please excuse me as I must go put some ice on my thumb,

Michael

The Terrible Two

We hit the "Terrible Two's" today, the Second Anniversary of our application dossier being registered in China. After two years we are still waiting and hoping. Over the most of the past year the referrals issued covered about 6 days of paperwork each month. IF this rate holds then we could reasonably hope for a referral in about 4 months. But, that's if everything goes our way.

Welcome Home Chani!

I forgot to mention that Kathy and Matt returned safely from China with their new daughter Chani. Such a beautiful little girl. We hope they will come to Iowa sometime to visit family so we can meet them. Click on the title above to read their journal.

It's Got To Get Better --- Doesn't It?

The latest batch of referrals came out December 31, 2007. The cutoff date was December 19, 2005, leaving 24 more days of paperwork till our LID of Jan 12, 2006 come to the top of the pile. Yeah, it's kind of discouraging as we had been rather hoping for more progress this time. At this rate, it could be 5 months or more till we get our turn. But, we think it will be sooner than that. We are hoping for an April referral, and it could possibly happen.

We are approaching the second anniversary of our application being logged in at the CCAA office in Beijing. And, then there was the 4-5 months of chasing the paper required to document just about everything in our lives to convince the Chinese and US officials that we are not bad people and could maybe just possibly be trusted to raise a child. We have lived this adoption for 2 1/2 years now, and it permeates every aspect of our daily lives. Friends and colleagues often ask us how things are coming along and if there is any progress yet. We appreciate the interest and know that it is sincere and comes from the heart, although it also serves to remind us that Miaya is still in China, depending on someone else to care for her.

We read the online journals of other adoptive parents, both those waiting as we are, and those who have returned with their angels. We feel both joy and sadness as the words and pictures flow over us, joy in their happiness and sadness in ---- well, you know. Seeing those faces helps us keep the faith and hang on a little longer. As we approach this anniversary with still empty arms, we are filled with a strange mixture of emotions, hope and fear and frustration and longing. And the knowledge that it will happen, but still no clear idea of when.

Thoughts and Reflections

Winter so far --- It's been a busy few weeks here, the short lived ice storm I talked about earlier was followed by a more intense ice storm that paralyzed much of the Midwest for days. Hundreds of thousands of people lost electricity for up to two weeks. Se were lucky here, as we did not lose our power except for a few hours a couple of days later. The surprising thing was that for over a week after the ice, we had very little wind. As bad as it was, we were only a 30 mile per hour wind away from a true disaster. We have had some snow, but nothing really bad so far, just enough to keep the cows from being able to go to the fields to graze, so we have been using more hay than we had hoped.

The Political Process --- The Iowa Caucuses will soon be over, and I can hardly wait. Not that I am political, I will just be happy to see all the politicians go away. The Iowa press always acts as if having the first Presidential elimination event is some kind of an honor, and I guess in a way it is, but it sure plays havoc with everyday life. It seems like there's a presidential candidate behind every bush and rock (and under some of the rocks as well). The whole spectrum seems to be represented, including the fruits and nuts on the fringes of both parties.

December 14, 2005

It's official, the cutoff date for this batch of referrals is Dec 14, 2005. The 6 days of paperwork covered in the past month is disappointing in terms of progress, but some batches have covered only two days, so it's not so bad. We are officially in the 29th position in line at the referral window. It will be several months yet, but as we are moving closer it is beginning to get a bit scary.

A young woman who has family here in our town, is on her way to China right now with her husband to be united with their daughter. In a few days they will be holding her for the first time. Please remember Kathy and Matt in your thoughts, and pray they have a safe journey.

We hope to be following in their footsteps in a few months. We have speculated about this before, but with babies often being less than 1 year old at "Gotcha Day", the tiny girl who will be Miaya must surely be living somewhere in China at this moment. We can hold her only in our hearts and pray that she is well cared for and content as she unknowingly waits for her forever family. It is difficult to know that your child is halfway around the world in the care of strangers.

And we can only keep waiting.

We'll know more soon!

The rumormongers are predicting the next cutoff date to be December 14, 2005. If that holds to be true, the CCAA will have covered 6 LID days worth of applications, about average for the last 6 months or so. This would put us 29 LID days away from referral. Given the about 6 day average progress per batch since May '07, we could reasonably expect 4 to 5 months until it's our turn. We still have hopes that it will be February or March 2008 when we get our notice. If that is that case, we would likely be traveling in April or May.

As we approach the third Christmas since we began this process, we are not in despair, but do feel sadness at marking yet another big family event as a couple and not as a family. But then, we have marked so many already.

What a storm!

I've never seen an ice storm like it, 15 hours after it started, nearly all the ice had melted, leaving tree limbs as about the only evidence it had happened. Most such storms leave the area paralyzed for several days, with people out of power for days or weeks.

We came out of it in pretty good shape, just the one big tree destroyed -- not really a big loss, we knew it was hollow and in bad shape any way. A few other limbs down, but nothing really bad.

Do you want Ice with that?

Well, we didn't want ice, but we got it anyway! By late morning, the temperatures had risen above freezing, and the ice was beginning to melt. However, this old maple tree we had been worrying about anyway succumbed to the weight of the ice and split into several pieces. We knew the tree was hollow, and as you can see in the picture, it really was! The best part was that nothing else was damaged. When the weather clears, we will get the local tree service to come cut down the rest.

Kim emailed this picture to Channel 13 TV in Des Moines, and they used it several times on their storm watch broadcasts.

35 Days To Go!

The official cutoff date for this batch was December 8, 2005. This means there are 35 days of Log In Days until they reach our January 12, 2006 date. Just the realization that we are just over a month of dates away make this whole affair more real! Even though it will be several months until we get our referral notice, we are beginning to get a little nervous, scared, and well, a little bit terrified.

Reality Is Getting Closer

We should soon be seeing another batch of referrals, and the big question is how far into
December 2005 this batch will go. The various rumormongers seem to have settled around December 8th. This would be the largest number of day in many months, and would be good news for everybody. If so, this would mean we are 35 days away away from our Log In Date of January 12, 2006.

It will doubtless take several months to reach our log in date, probably 4 to 6 months at least, but getting near the one month mark makes it a little more real.

Almost Made It!

Every year we try to make it into November before starting the furnace the first time. Well, this morning it was just a little too cool in the house, so we threw the switch. Maybe next year!

Miaya's Stuff --- Still Waiting

We have been attempting to "declutter" our house a bit, and Miaya's room, though far from finished is beginning to look a bit less like a construction site, but for various reasons it's on hold for a while. Shown above is the bookcase/shelf unit we built for her. As her room is to have a garden theme, it is designed to look like a garden arch. On the sides are planter boxes which will eventually "grow" silk flowers and ivy. On top is a teddy bear Kim has had since college, and Miaya's ladybug Halloween costume (hopefully she'll be here to wear it next year).


The close up picture shows some the things we have been collecting for her, and some of the secret pal gifts we have received. Some of the items on the shelves also remind us of how long the process is taking. The Asian girl doll is one we found in a clearance aisle while we were paperchasing, and were really embarrassed about when our social worker saw it during our home visit. The Noah's Ark play set on the top shelf used to make animal sounds, but the batteries have run down. There's the stroller, highchair, and folding play yard (thanks Sophie and Gary) and so many other things still unused. The crib is in her closet, still unassembled, and the giant suitcase we bought for the trip is now overflowing with her clothes and other goodies.

Looking back, and a little ahead

Last night I was looking back at our previous posts on this blog, and contemplating how optimistic we were. Of course, that was before the referral slowdown really hit with full force, before the scandal in Hunan Province, and before the slowly grinding siege type mentality took over. Buying our first baby items, beginning to make plans for a nursery, it all seems so long ago now. We have slowly collected many things for Miaya, and have become accustomed to seeing them sitting there -- still unused. The crib is still unassembled, the nursery only partially done, it would be more difficult to see the room ready but empty. In the months since we bought those first baby things (and we were nervous for our social worker to see them), we have wandered through the baby section in many stores, occasionally picking up something on sale or clearance. Though always with a kind of "hopeful sadness" in our hearts.

Don't get me wrong, we're still optimistic, and the adoption WILL happen, but when the target keeps moving, it does get discouraging at times. We get an update called "Places Everyone" from our agency, Great Wall China Adoptions, after every referral batch is issued which shows where everyone's LID date stands in relation to the last batch, and what stage they are in, Translation, Pending Review, Review, or Pending Referral. It only shows the dates documents were mailed to China, and the dates they were logged in, not names of applicants.

We have slowly moved up the list, and now have 5 mailing dates resulting in 4 LID dates ahead of us, we are definitely closer. (Great Wall mails application dossiers to China every friday.) This puts us in the sixth slot, and it's very possible we may be four to six months away from getting the referral if the process remains the same. Supposedly, after November '05 clears, the number of applications drops considerably into early 2006. If the number of children becoming available remains about the same, then our hoped for day may come sooner.

Travel Goodies!

Thanks to our Travel Buddies for the latest round of travel goodies! We recently received a package with Disposable Bibs, Baby Einstein baby toys, and a really neat travel formula dispenser. (Kim babysat for one of her colleagues a few months ago, and she had one of the formula containers and Kim thought it was very neat.)

Can We All Say TWENTY?

Here we are on the brink of twenty months since LID, and the ever moving target of our referral is still moving. Most of this year has gone to clearing the applications from October and November of 2005, and 5 days remain to be covered from November '05. Supposedly, December and January were much lighter in the number of applications, so, process may speed up some. Assuming that there are enough paper ready children to keep the process moving.

We have also passed the two year mark since we were accepted by our adoption agency to apply to China. So many milestones, and still we have empty arms. We will be getting fingerprinted this week as part of renewing our I-171H at the Citizenshp and Immigration Service, which is our proof of being pre-approved to bring a foreign born orphan into the Unites States. Our first document was good for 18 months, and expired in May.

To renew, we had to dig out the birth and marriage certificates, get new criminal checks, have our homestudy updated, and new medical fitness letters from our doctor. The fingerprints should be the last hurdle in the renwal process, and as I don't remember being a menace to society lately, then it should go forward smoothly.

We still have faint hopes of getting our referral by Christmas, but those hopes have dimmed somewhat with the recent batch of referrals only covering 4 days, with the cutoff date being November 25, 2005.

I Know The Feeling

Just like this spray plane, sometimes I begin to wonder if this adoption will ever "get off the ground". I don't know if it was engine problems, or if he was overloaded, but this pilot failed to make it into the air at the Creston, Iowa airport.

18 Months And Counting

We are now at 18 months and 1 week since our log in date, and no real idea of when we will get our referral. July 12 came and went with no tantrums and without too much despair. There are lot's of rumors flying around about what the next referral batch will include. It's something that happens in the last half of each month, when waiting parents are beginning to anticipate the next batch of referrals.

The last cutoff date was November 14, 2005, and given recent progress, it seems unlikely that the CCAA will finish the November LID in this next batch. So, it looks like we will not be getting a notice any time soon. Right now we are hoping for our referral in November, which could possibly get us home right at Christmas. Who knows, it COULD happen. Or, maybe we'll be singing Christmas carols in China.

But, it could also be January, or February, or March. It WILL happen, that much we know, it's just a matter of when.

It's hard to believe -- Unwanted Anniversaries

Two years ago we decided to pursue adoption to build our family. After much research and soul searching, we decided to seek our daughter in China. At the time we felt assured that by the second anniversary of that decision, we would have her home and be amazed as she discovered the world around her. But, things have changed, the process slowed down, and we are still waiting to be matched with the girl who will be Miaya.

We will likely see several more anniversaries of various kinds come and go before we are finally united with her. The end of August will see the second anniversary of being accepted by our agency, then on January 12, 2008, it will be two years since our paperwork was officially registered in Beijing (also called Log In Date or LID). Before that, July 12 will mark 18 months since our LID, and we still have several months to wait before we are matched with our daughter.

There is still a small chance that we will have her in our arms before Christmas, or even be in China at Christmas time. It's more likely that we will be traveling sometime in early 2008. It is hard to be positive about it, but we're trying to look on the good side of everything. Constantly having to tell people "No, nothing to report, we're still waiting" gets more difficult all the time.

Man are we proud!

Kim's nephew, Alex McCarty had a great night of high school baseball last week. His 14 RBI's (Runs Batted In) broke the previous Iowa state record of 12 in one game, and his two grand slam home runs tied the record for grand slams in a single game. In all he had three homers in the game against East Union High School of Afton, Iowa, and was credited as the wining pitcher. Corning High who has had a mixed season this year defeated East Union 37-1.

Time gets away

I sometimes forget how long it's been since I have posted here. Not much new to report, it will probably be November or December before we get out notice that we have been matched with the girl who will be Miaya. We would likely travel within 8 weeks getting the referral notice. It will likely be a less than merry christmas again this year. Or, there is always the possibility we will be in China at Christmas -- What a Christmas Present that would be!

I don't want to whine, but.......

I really don't, but sometimes it really gets me down and I hate feeling this way. Oh, I've felt this way before. Before I met Kim, no matter where I went, it seemed that the whole world was all paired off, and I was alone in being alone. Then when we were trying to make a baby, it seemed like all the world was pregnant and we were the outcasts. Now I see other fathers with their children, and again the feeling of being the outsider.

Yes, I know we'll have her eventually, but why so long to wait? Oh, I know all the reasons and understand them, but my heart still wants her here now, not months from now, but NOW!! I think we're both scared as well, she will change our lives in so many ways that we cannot even imagine. But, we're as ready as we can be.

In a few months we'll get the notice, time will stand still for a few weeks, then the frantic rush to finish last minute details and get to the airport. We know all will not be "perfect" when we get her. She will have been taken away from everything and everyone she has ever known and thrust into the arms of strangers who look, talk, act, and smell different from everyone she has ever been around. It will be an adjustment for all of us, she to so many new experiences, and us to having to care for this small person who depends on us for everything.

But, we are ready and want it so badly, the good and the bad!

I hope you dance

Dear Miaya,

"When you get the choice to sit it out or dance; I hope you dance!"

Perhaps it is trite to find philosophy in a popular song, but sometimes one can find so much meaning. We all face choices and opportunities that can be scary or daunting to even contemplate, let alone to have to make. Your mother and I made the choice, and began this "dance" to find you and we are so much richer for it already.

I hope you take the chance to live life with gusto and passion, take opportunities when they come, and try the road less taken. At the end, I hope you can look back and have no regrets.

I hope you dance long and find joy in every day.

With love,
Your Dad

Spring, and that hope thing

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast" - Alexander Pope

Spring flowers are poking their heads up, the daffodils are beginning to bloom in sheltered places! The time of renewal is here, the gray dull days of winter are nearly behind us and new life is beginning. Another spring and another new beginning, hopefully our new beginning will be here sooner rather than later.

Assuming she will be 11 to 14 months when we get her, and estimating we are united in November, then she has been born and is living somewhere in China. In an orphanage or a foster home, or in what province, we will not know for several long months yet. But we can be sure she is there when we send our good thoughts her way.

In the meantime, we will be renewing various documents, and clearances here in the United States. Our "Pre-Approval To Bring A Foreign Born Orphan Into The United States" aka I-171H from the Citizenship and Immigration Service will expire shortly, and must be renewed. The USCIS will require another fee of $545 for this, and we will also have to renew our fingerprint clearances for another $140 . Our home study will also have to be updated along with Iowa criminal checks, and etc. The good part is we already have most of the required documents i.e. birth and marriage certificates to complete the renewal. And, the documents in our Dossier (application) in China do not "age", so we do not have to renew anything there.

At least, it's something to do!