It's in the mail...

I thought I'd share a couple of things that we've been taking care of since our referral.

We finally decided after some heming and hawing that we were going to try to send a care package. We discussed this so much pre-referral and had sort of decided we weren't going to try because the general feeling is that the CCAA discourages this process, and our agency does not assist with care packages in any way. Then after referrals came we talked even more about it and investigated more possible options. There are services that you can find on the internet that will provide care packages, take care of assembling the package, find what to include, draft a letter/translation if you want, and take care of delivery to the orphanage, etc. These services in my opinion, though convenient, are pretty expensive. Well, then we found out that our daughter is in the "Grace & Hope for Children" foster program and we know we'll get some information from them, so we thought, OK, maybe we don't need to do the whole package thing with sending one-time-use cameras and praying for them to be returned to us used so we could have some pictures of her time there. In the mean time, I also posted a couple of notes to some of my on-line groups asking about successes that others have had in the past with the delivery of care packages. To say the least, the response was hands down in favor of sending something. YES!- send a package! And so began the scramble. We looked up a couple of things on-line for ideas and for Chinese character labels for our family photos we sent, did a little shopping, and slept with the beloved blanket and puppy for three nights before putting them in the box with all the goodies. Here is what we eventually came up with: 2 outfits for Hope, the blanket and puppy, stacking cups, board book, soft tag book, photo album (with labeled pictures of us, Ella, both sets of grandparents, and our house), two cameras with her referral photo taped on them so hopefully her foster family will take pictures of her in their home and with their family, a WI picture book, a bracelet I made for the foster mother, and a very simple "thank you" card I made (we decided so late to send the package that I didn't think we had time for a letter translation). All we could do was pray first that the orphanage received the package, and then that they would pass it on to the foster family. Well, I tracked the package. We sent it on April 28 from our post office here and the tracking site says our package was "delivered abroad" on May 5 at 4:00 p.m. I hope it made it to the right hands. If not, we can rest easy knowing we tried.
Here's the loot -

Package on the way -

The other major mailing of the month was our visa applications. They needed to get to the China Consulate in Chicago. It is so scary to place your passport in the mail. Yikes! So, I've been tracking that package as well and the site says that it arrived at the courier location this morning at about 11:30. She will then take our passports to the offices for the stamp and send them back to us. We should have them safely back in hand by early next week. Just one more thing to worry about right? ;) No photos of this part. How exciting can a FedEx store be anyway?

Shower #4

Yes, you read that correctly...#4. It is hard to believe that is true. Because this process has taken so long and because our time frame has become so extended, we truely just had our fourth shower. Our first was a year ago (May 2006) from my co-workers. Then the Hatcher side of the family had one for us hosted by my mother's sisters (which I'm so thankful for because my grandmother was able to be there last September). Third, was a huge gathering in honor of our little girl at church last fall (October), and now we just had number four. Our good friend Jody hosted a shower for us on Sunday afternoon (with the help of her awesome mother, Joan, and her little cutie, destined to date our daughter someday BTW, Isaac). I had an awesome time. I couldn't believe how many people came! It was such a cool group of people, too. My friend Keri was there who has been one of my best friends since early childhood. We grew up across the street from each other, we graduated from high school a year apart, and we were maid-of-honor in each other's weddings. A great number of my friends from high school (class of '93..go B-W!) were there and it was a blast to see them all again. Then, two of my college roommates came over from my days in Eau Claire! I was super emotional when they arrived (but I guess if you know me at all, you know that is not a stretch). Our new friend Holly came who is in our travel group to China. Her family is waiting for little Ava (who has even more hair in her pictures than Hope!). They are only 3 minutes away in Hammond, so we are very excited to have our girls grow up together. Then, there was the signing crowd...My dear friend Wendy who I started my ASL classes with, and three co-workers made the trek to farm country as well. OH...and I musn't forget the 3 young ladies who came to offer gifts to their new friend Hope also. Our God-daugters Lauren and Hannah were finally introduced to each other and played so well together for the afternoon. I'm thinking those two need to get their little dolls together again. :) And Tessa came with her Mom to hang with the girls for the day. Thanks for joining us and thank you also for the noisy toy (the new Mom said with a slight hint of sarcasm in her voice). :) It was such an unbelievable day for me. Ron and I are so blessed by the friends we have. What more can I say? It is pretty amazing to feel so loved.

Here's the crowd -

Proud Waiting Grandmas -

One of my favorite shots of the day -

And more (you can always click on the photos to see them enlarged a bit) -

A Giant Step Closer

Our TA arrived today!

Our updated I-171H arrived today!

Now we wait for our appointments to be made in China. When they are set, we will know when we have to be in the country. It won't be long now. It is looking like we'll have most of our girls by their first birthdays!

Now, if we could just find a bank somewhere in the midwest with new bills in the vault, I might be able to sleep tonight.

Not all is quiet...

No real news for us today. I was hoping. Maybe tomorrow for our TA? Some families announced the arrival of TA's today so I'm hopeful.

News for others you ask? YEA!!! The CCAA has finished matching through LID's of Nov. 1, 2005! CONGRATULATIONS to all the families seeing photos of their new additions today! It is nothing short of amazing to be handed that picture and to know that the moment you've been praying for and dreaming of for the past 2 (give or take a couple) years has finally arrived. I just finished reading my 200+ email messages and announcements in my "in" box. I can't wait to see pictures! Blessings to all of you. AND, a special answered prayer to announce as well...remember there was a family in our travel group that did not receive a referral last month? Their referral arrived today. We don't have details yet, but I wanted to thank all of you who prayed for them and to let you know that your prayers have been heard!


Ta Ta for now (and maybe a big TA for tomorrow too?) - my pillow is calling (more like screaming) my name.

Good news!

Hope's finding ad has arrived! I got the mail right away when I got home at about 3:30. But...you all should be so proud of me. I waited for Ron to get home and we opened it together. (Thanks for the inspiration Amy.) We were so excited to get this early photo of Hope. She's pretty darn cute!

Also - as of 7:45 tonight, we got the word that Hope is in fact in the care of Grace & Hope for Children. Please click on the link here and visit the website to learn more about the work they are doing in China. We feel so blessed! I'm going to sleep well tonight dreaming of our little daughter. We're on our way Hope. We're on our way.

RUMORS!

Rumors are flying about possible referrals in the mail for the next batch. Typically TA's arrive around the same time. Could this be the week?

Photos added...+ a little snippet of our day

I edited the entry below and added a couple of pix. Check it out if you're interested. Gotta get to bed..but the update for the evening is that the doctor looked over Hope's referral packet. He had a couple of questions, but in general he said that he saw nothing of concern. I was happy to hear that. He also took some time to talk with me about some medications that I may need during travel and wrote a few prescriptions to have filled just before we go. Progress is being made.