Care package

We're making slow progress on our adoption.  Our move slowed us down a bit, as we had to have a home study update done for our new residence.  We managed to get that done in just two weeks - which allowed us to receive our USCIS approval at our new address, saving us the hassle of filing an address change.  It worked out wonderfully, but meant we're a few weeks behind where I'd hoped we'd be.  That delay, and the extra five weeks the homestudy took with our California social worker have us very nearly using the entire six months we were given to get the dossier to China after our pre-approval.  But despite the various delays, our dossier (all the paperwork we've been gathering since early January) should finally be ready to go to China this week.  Praise the Lord!  So the rest of the process is a wait for approvals.  We'll wait for China to review the dossier and issue an LOA (Letter of Acceptance), which we sign and return.  Then we wait for China to issue a TA (Travel Approval), at which time we make airline reservations to travel to China for Gotcha Day.  Both of these steps can take up to 90 days...so we could be looking at yet another six months before we can go to China.  Sigh.  We've got lots going on as we settle in to our new community, so we are staying focused on that and trying not to get too anxious about the 'when'.

In the meantime, we've received permission to write a letter and send a little something for her birthday.  I am so excited!!

Faith turns 9 on July 2nd.  I saw this shirt and just had to buy it for her.  The little lamb is wearing a shirt that says 'You are loved' with a small embroidered cross beside that.  We'll add some candy for the other children at the orphanage before we seal up the box.  I am so excited to be sending this to her!

This week we also sent her a letter of introduction.  If she didn't yet know a family was working to adopt her, she will soon. Our agency's facilitator in China will translate it and deliver it to Faith, who might, we are told, write back to us!  We can only hope.  I am so excited to be able to send her the letter and gifts, to know that she finally will know that she has a family working to bring her home.  I wonder if she is excited or simply scared.  I am praying for her well-being during this transition - such a humungous change for her.

Leaving California

After 12 and half wonderful years in California, we are headed to Oregon to start a new chapter in our life together.  As we have prepared to depart, we find ourselves trying to cram in just one more California adventure, week after week. First it was a Friday afternoon spent riding the cable car, eating chocolate at Ghirardelli Square, and buying souvenirs along the waterfront.

Then it was off to Muir Woods for a Saturday morning walk among the redwoods.

And then some after supper bike riding in the warm California sun. (Hard to believe our boy has graduated to a two-wheeler.  Didn't he just learn to pedal his trike?)

California has been good to us.  But we are excited to find out what awaits us next.

Time for an update

It was time for a new look on the blog.  A big thank you to Blogs with Purpose for the help in redesigning the header and giving us a fresh new look, complete with pictures of each one of my blessings (and their significant others).   Our latest blessing, who waits for us in China, is over in the sidebar.  Just as soon as we travel we will move her on up into the header.  Still hoping that happens in August!

And just in case you are wondering what's up with the process.  Our homestudy should be on its way to our placement agency and then the USCIS next week.  Fingerprints, here we come!