Merry Christmas to us!!!

We received our last 171-H. This gives us immigration approval until August 24 of 2012, heaven help us if we haven't received a referral by then.

Looks like we will be next...

The latest rumor is that they have matched to the 29th, we are the 30th. Stinks to have been so close, but exciting to be next! This will give us something spectacular to look forward to in the New Year! So excited for all my May buddies.

And we wait...

You would think that after 4 1/2 years waiting would be second nature. Guess it's just not MY nature. Hope that we will hear something soon, I have been telling myself that I will be okay to not be in this batch. I am coming to realize I will be crushed if we don't make it. Trying to remember what this is all about (not me) and just deal with it. I'll let you know how that goes.

Matching!!!

The latest information we have heard is they are matching. I am hoping our agency will post this on their weekly Wednesday update. We are praying we will make this batch.

For those who are not familiar with the Ch*na adoption process, matching is when they physically choose a child to be matched to your dossier. A dossier is all of the documents and photos you are required to submit to Ch*nese governement. After matching is complete they will then be mailed to our agency and presented to us. This information will include her name, age, location, medical information and various habits. We will then accept our referral and the wait for travel approval will begin.

Oh and today happens to be our 54 month LID, we have had our paperwork in Ch*na for 4 1/2 years!

Just a reminder about my giveaway on Ni Hao Y'all

Just wanted to give you a reminder about the giveaway on Ni Hao Y'all today. I am giving away a $50 gift certificate for my custom signs. You can use it to purchase any wooden sign. Go HERE to see the post and leave a comment. You can get additional entries by posting it on your blog or Facebook. You also need to be a follower of Ni Hao Y'all, but that is easy. Who wouldn't want to follow this great family!

30 Days of Giveaways

I'm participating in Stephanie and Ni Hao Y'All 30 days of giveaways! Watch for a great offer on signs! I can't wait to see all she has to offer. Just a reminder that all of the proceeds from our signs go to our adoption!

Hanging on by a thread...

We made the projection for this next month, barely. RQ has us listed as the cutoff, this means we will either just make it in, or just miss this month. I am hoping she is being cautious in her projections, her track record is + or - 1 day. We are going to prepare to be in the next batch financially, but the next, next batch emotionality. As we know by now, nothing is predictable in international adoption.

Shoppin' with a Purpose!

Linny at A Place Called Simplicity is hosting a great fundraising opportunity for adoptive parents. Please check out all the links for some great gift ideas with the added bonus of helping more children find their forever families.

We are fundraising for the last portion of our travel expenses. We have a 5/30/06 LID and are in the NSN program with Ch*na, we are hoping for a referral in November or December. It is looking more and more like we will have a December referral. The jury is still out whether it will be early or late December.

I have created custom wood signs for the last 6 or 7 years. I sell them online and this has allowed us to save and pay for the bulk of our adoption expense. This business has an incredible blessing for our family. You can also see my signs Here I only sell the wood signs but, receive all the profits from them.

All of my signs are hand lettered, on 5 1/2" pine boards, unless noted. They are then distressed, stained and affixed with a hanger of your choice. I offer both photo brackets on the back and wire hangers. All signs will be $10.00 to ship, please allow 2 weeks for your sign to arrive. I custom make each sign, so feel free to change your color or font size.

Thank you for looking.

email me at chinathistime@yahoo.com with orders and any questions.

Good Wishes quilt!

After nearly 4 1/2 years, that is over 1,600 days in case you were wondering, we are finally within reach of our referral from China! We are anticipating a late November or early December referral. This is when we will receive our daughter’s basic information, photos and her location in China. While we are waiting, we are creating something called a "100 Good Wishes Quilt."

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite family and friends to contribute a square patch of cloth. The patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

If you would like to contribute to this project, we would love it! Here is what we would like you to do:
1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from clothing or from a fabric store. It can be a design and color that you like. It could be a bit of fabric that you've used to create something else wonderful for your family.
2. Cut one 8X8 square from the fabric. Also, cut a scrap piece of that same fabric that you can attach to your wish card.
3. Include your "good wish note" and attach the scrap piece of fabric. Be as creative as you would like. It can be as simple as on a piece of paper, or you can make it like a scrap book card. We will place all your wishes in a scrapbook.

If you would like to participate email me at chinathistime@yahoo.com and I will send you our address. I am hoping to start this in November, so I would love to get them as soon as possible.

Again we are still in for November

Smallish chance (would take a God sized miracle) to be in for October. The last batch that made it into the Spring 08 column was in March. So it can happen, will it? I guess we will all have to stay tuned!!!

I am not going to get my hopes up, I think it is best we plan and prepare for a late Nov./early Dec. referral. Any earlier, will be gravy.

We also received our pre-placement packet via email yesterday. This is very exciting as it means your agency thinks you really are getting closer to a match. They send this out 2-3 months before match. So there you go!

Starting to really have the nesting urge, we are painting and cleaning and sewing and all sorts of things around here. I have too many projects in too short of time. Sometimes I wonder what I have doing for the last 4 1/2 years. Then I remember that I have 3 kids, a husband and two home business. I guess that has kept me busy. I am looking forward to pulling everything back and just enjoying the miracle of life, family and adoption.

The stork is in the air!

Our agency is saying that the latest batch of referrals is in the air. No word on the cut-off, we are hoping they got further than the 17th that was projected. We are still holding out hope that we are next, next. We have started moving the girls to their different bedrooms and I am hoping to start on the baby's room next week. I am trying really hard to stay optimistic, while not getting to set on a November referral. We have had our plans shattered too many times in this process. Congratulations to all my May buddies that will soon see those sweet faces they have been dreaming of.

ARG!!!!!!

Still more waiting!!! No word on when referrals will arrive or how far they will cover!!!! Can you say frustrating!!!!!!

Still in for November!!

So far we are still in for November, according to Rumor Queen. This means she has projected that if everything continues as it has for the past several batches that we will be in. This does not account for any random fluctuations in weather, illness, or emperors loosing their groove.

So to mark the occasion I thought it would be helpful if the girls had a way to physically track our progress. So after some quick crafting. Voila!!! I actually shamelessly stole the idea from another adoptive mom. Hope she doesn't mind!!

FOURTEEN LOG IN DAY"S UNTIL ITS OUR TURN!!!!!

Whoo Hoo! They have reached May 15th 2006 LID. This means there are only 14 days of files ahead of us. We are hoping for a referral in November if everything moves along as it has for the past 6 months! We are praying we can receive her in Ch*na by December 30th!!!

Congrats to all my May LID buddies. Happy tears of joy for you today!

So I missed the 50 month mark!!

I seem to only post on our monthly LID anniversary. Last month I missed it over vacation and this month I missed it over a new puppy. After much deliberation we named our new golden retriever puppy Kimber. She is very sweet, and I think is preparing me for getting up in the middle of the night. She is now at 10 weeks sleeping through the night, however I am now up for the day at 5. We have started walking in the early morning and I think it will work out best when school starts soon anyway.

In adoption news, just waiting to see what the next batch of referrals is. Hoping they make it far, but just not getting on the roller coaster...

Our oldest daughter is preparing to leave for college. She has an interview hopefully tomorrow for a great job on campus. She is getting excited to start this new adventure. I know she is going to do great. We will miss her, but she is ready.

So I am thinking about changing the name of my blog. I am wondering if I name it something family related and not specific to adoption if I will post more. I think part of me is guarded after so long waiting. Like I don't want to fully go there until I have a referral in hand. Not sure, still thinking...

Dh and I celebrate our 17th anniversary this weekend. So amazed that it has been that long, yet seems like forever. Love him to pieces, can't imagine being married to anyone else.

Well enough update, will post when news of referrals come in. I have so many May LID buddies that I can't wait to see matched. I am sure I will spend referral day in tears. I can't even imagine what it will be like when it is our turn. Sigh...

Missed th 49th month, but we are into May!!!

We were on vacation for the 30th so no number. That's okay, I am so excited to report matching for May has begun!!!! I can't wait to see those sweet faces united with their forever family. Whoo Hoo! I am prayerfully praying for October, but realistic that it will most likely be November or December.

48 Months!

This post is a little late, but here just the same. I am hoping beyond hope that we will receive our referral before the end of the year. I can't believe how fast this 4 years has flown by. My oldest who graduated today was in 8th grade when we applied. I would never in a million years have believed she would be in college when we finally received a referral.


We are so proud of A and the young woman she has become. She is truly as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. We wish her the very best and know she will be wonderful in whatever path she chooses.



And finally, M celebrated her 8th birthday today! She is a girl that LOVES to celebrate her birthday. We were able to have a special party the night before, so she would be able to shine. A was also gracious about celebtrating graduation and her little sisters birthday on the same day.

We had a fun day, and enjoyed celebrating with all of our family.

47 months!

We have one more month until our big 4 year anniversary. What a day that will be, our oldest daughter graduates from high school, our youngest turns 8 and its our LID anniversary. What a special day it will be, I think we will be so focused on the happy parts we won't have time to dwell on the sad.

46 Months!!

Here we are again with another month down. The rumor today is they have matched through April 17th, that leaves us with 42 days logged in before us. Whoo Hoo!! I am excited and hopefull that the C2A2 will continue matching the files as they have children available and not by numbers of days!!!!

Have a happy, blessed Easter.

45 months!

Here we are again at another milestone I could never imagined we would see in this adoption. The latest buzz around referrals is very exciting, I am trying to put it in the back of my mind and carry on. Every time we get excited, thing seem to fall through. As a result, I have worked really hard the last several months to guard my heart. I guess time will tell.

AHGG!

I have some cute photos from Chinese New Year! Blogger will not let me post. Maybe it has something to do with me only posting numerals for way to long.;)

Our FCC Chinese New Year Party

We had the privilege of joining our FCC group for Chinese New Year again this year. We have the best group of families, they are so excited and encouraging. Every year we struggle with making the decision to go or not and every year we walk away so blessed. The girls had fun, LL has reached the age where she is too "mature" to participate in the dragon dance, but M is right there with all the kids. LL blessed us so much this year by choosing the party over a basketball game. When we began this process we were advised to make sure our children were on board with adopting. They consistently amaze us in their commitment to bringing home their little sister.

44 Months!

Here it is again, another LIDversary! I am starting to feel the nesting urge again, but am still hesitant to start. I have a funny feeling that after waiting 4 LONG YEARS our referral will suddenly be here. I am hoping to maybe start doing a few household things that I would like done before we travel. My kitchen cupboards and interior doors all need a good touch up, as do a few walls. Then of course I need to finish a few graduation related items. Then maybe I will start on our 100 good wishes quilt and then her lifebook. I will keep you posted.