19 months and counting

June 14th marked our 19 month long in date anniversary. We have to be closer but the line feels longer and longer.
I think what I dislike about the wait the most is the feeling that we are waiting for time to pass. It goes against what I know is healthy.
Our friends are on their way back from China as I type. We are very excited to meet their son. The blog is Journey to baby Miracle on the right.
I got my first quilt square from friends or family. Of course it was from my mom. I love it. It will go into the album. I am inspired to start working on the quilt now. We have several squares but we don't know the people they are from.

China

I haven't posted in a while. We really don't have any news on the adoption front.

The earthquakes in China have caused so much devastation, I am not comfortable posting about my agonizing wait at this time. As you have probably seen on the news, the people in China are suffering a great deal.

Lots of Good News!

We have had lots of great news in the past couple of weeks. First we officially got through the review room. What a relief!
I also started a new job. I like it very much, I am just trying to get used to all the new responsibilities and longer hours.
We have a new niece born April 25th. Her name is Callie and we are thrilled!
Our very dear friends whose blog is available to the right (journey to baby Miracle), got their LOA today! It has been a very long wait for them and we are so happy for them. Our Godson will be home soon!

Review Room

Today we found out our Dossier (information about us that is in China), is out of the review room. This is a huge milestone for us. Our agency said it is not official but all of November is though review. I am generally not an optimist, but I am choosing to look at this positivly. Besides the fact that I want this to be true, I have found that a lot of things with this adoption that start out sounding official, actually are not. See, the negative had to come out. But we are very happy about this news. In fact, we will indeed go celebrate at our favorite dining spot. We will probably buy something else for Amelia to top it off.

Let is Snow!

Brian and Lily

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Me, Lily, & Margaret

This was a wonderful weekend. Our dear friend Margaret and her daughter Lily came to spend the night with us. We got several inches of snow and decided to stay in for the weekend. We loved having them stay with us! We missed her husband Wes, who was busy with clinical rotations to help complete his nursing degree. It is a blessing to be able to share time with great friends.

New 171-H

I haven't posted in a while. We really haven't had any adoption news to post. We still aren't through the review room yet. We didn't know what the review room was when we started the process. I assume most of you don't know either. The review room is where they decide if we can adopt a baby from China or not. I initially thought that was determined with our application. That is not the case. The Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (In China), decides. They haven't gotten to the people who have started the process when we did. We are still in limbo.

On a bright note, we did recieve our new 171-H (immigration form to bring an adopted child into this country) today. Our old one expired. We now have 18 months to get Amelia home before this one expires. Our new fingerprints expire in about 14 more months. It is unlikely that we will make it to China and back before that.

I see that I was unable to keep it on the positive side. It has been a rough week on all levels.

Today marks 15 months of having our information officially logged in to China. We were of course already supposed to have our daughter by this time. I am over that part of it. That is 15 months we won't have to wait again. The time we wait is not as big of a concern to me as wether or not our we will ever get Amelia. Lately I have become more convinced we will get our daugther. I am committed to focusing on enjoying now and not trying to wish away days to "hurry up and get there already". It is hard. I sometimes wonder when she will be born, or if she is already born. I then wonder what I was or will be doing on that day. I am certain I will have been thinking about her. I am always doing that. Thanks for joining us on the ride.

M