CHINESE NEW YEAR

2014 Year of the Horse

Happy Chinese New Year!  Brandon and I treated Ivy and 9 of her friends to a CNY party.  We got a video of the party which was pretty much chaos!!!  But what party with 10 two years olds isn't chaos???  They seemed to love the cake and fruit.  In the video Ivy was very patient and sweet waiting her turn for bites of frosting.  Some of her friends were a little more vocal about NEEDING that frosting!  I love that she will be able to watch this video later.  It also makes me feel better that she will fit right in here.  This house of mostly men is very loud most days!  Hopefully the extra noise will be a comfort to her.

We also got some questions answered about her from the orphange workers.  Her nick name is Fan Fan!  She is described as easy-going and clever, but can sometimes be capricious! Sounds like one of her brothers.  Praying that last one is a translation error!!! HA! 

Our Article 5 (LAST STEP BEFORE OUR TRAVEL APPROVAL) was dropped of on January 27th and will be picked up on Febuary 20th.  We have an extra week of waiting in there because of the CNY holiday.  We should know very shortly after that when our exact travel dates are and buy our flights!

Love the Peguin shirt and her hair is growing. Please don't cut it!!!!

Ivy's brothers enjoying the snow in Snowocalypse 2014

Red Thread

Brandon designed this picture for Ivy's room

We received our LOA on day 65 of our wait.  It was such an amazing and hectic day!  We had gotten word the day before that our LOA was in the match stage.  And then it totally surprised us and showed up from China the next day.  Usually the document takes 1-2 weeks to travel from the match stage.  So this meant I woke up Brandon (he worked night shift the night before) and we all loaded up in the car to the agency to sign YES!

That day we also sent out our I-800 paperwork.  This is the US immigration paperwork to approve our specific child.  We already have pre approval but now we need the final approval from the US.

Other things we did this week:

• Applied for our Visas to travel to China
• Finished our last adoption education (who knew there was so much education needed)
• Put together the final pieces of our puzzle
• Put together Ivy's bed and started working on her closet. I LOVE PINK!
• Started gathering items for our travel

So when do we think we will travel?

Our best guess is some time in March (10 weeks). 

Things to do in the coming weeks:

• Apply for Ivy's Visa
• File an Article 5.  Which is to inform the foreign central authority that U.S. competent authorities have determined the prospective adoptive parents are eligible and suited to adopt, that the child may enter and reside permanently in the U.S.
• Wait for our TA- Travel Approval
• Request our CA- Consulate Appointment
• Book our Flights
• Travel to CHINA!

I keep having to remind my heart to calm down.  It is so excited and aching to hold my precious child for the first time.  Please keep us in our prayers!