Baby's Room Finally Finished!

We Are All Booked!

Our flight is finally booked. We leave on November 3rd and return on November 18. We are going to be flying on United. Our agency will arrange for all in-China flights and hotels. We will be staying at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou. http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/eng/public/index.asp
The White Swan is located on Shaimian Island in Guangzhou. Shaimian Island is very small and very Victorian in appearance. I will post more information on our destinations as I receive it from our agency.

More Pictures From Shower!

What A Surprise!

Yesterday, my friends in work surprised me with a Baby Shower! I was so surprised..I guess I live in a bubble because I really had no idea! We received some truly great gifts. We are blessed to have so many wonderful and supportive friends. I don't know what we would do without them. Here are some pictures from the shower!

Our Preliminary Flight Information!

Our travel agent has sent us our preliminary flight information. We are just waiting for Great Wall to approve, then we can book! Here you go:

11/3: Depart Phila. at 8:05 a.m. ; Arrive Chicago at 9:33 a.m.
Depart Chicago at 12:05 p.m. ; Arrive Beijing at 3:40 p.m. 11/4

We are going to be very, very tired!!!

We leave from Hong Kong on 11/18 at 11:35 a.m. and arrive in Chicago at 11:40 a.m. (5 minute flight HAHAHA)

Our flight from Chicago leaves at 4:00 p.m. and we arrive in Philly at 7:33 p.m.

We can celebrate our first holiday with Elizabeth: Thanksgiving!

We Finally Have Our Travel Dates!!!

We will be leaving for China on Thursday, November 3 and returning on Friday, November 18! Great Wall said that we should be getting the baby on November 8!! Time is really going to fly now.

Extra Tour Day

Guy and I decided that we will be going over to Beijing two days early to take an additional tour. Great Wall will have someone meet us at the airport and we will stay in the group hotel. The tour is called The Beijing Cultural Tour. This tour will take us to The Temple of Heaven, The Beijing Zoo (lots of Pandas) and the Summer Palace. It doesn't cost that much and hey, what is money anyway!!

Once the rest of our group arrives the next day we will take the Beijing Cultural Tour. We will see the Forbidden City and Tian'an Men Square and the Great Wall! Both tours start at 8:30 and go until dinner!!!

More on this later!

We Got Our Travel Approval!

Last night we got the email from our agency that our Travel Approval had arrived. Great Wall is requesting appointments at the U.S. Consulate for November 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 7th. If we get one of these dates, we can be travelling in three weeks!! OMG! It is finally almost here!!!

Visa Application Off To New York

We sent our Visa applications off to New York yesterday! The Chinese Consulate in New York City does not allow you to mail Visa applications to them for processing, so we had to hire a courier to do the legwork for us. We sent the package off Federal Express so they should get it this morning. Hopefully we will get our Visa next week -- although, there is yet another Chinese Holiday next week and the Consulate is probably closed for a few days.

There are also rumors that our TAs will be coming this week...let's keep our fingers crossed!

Waiting on TA and Shopping!

While we are waiting for our Travel Assignment (TA), we are preparing for our trip to China. Last night we went to Robinson Luggage and bought some items: electrical converter, money belt, TSA locks for the luggage, a back pack so we can put the laptop, digital video camera and digital camera all in one spot and various other little travel stuff. Then it was off to Cherry Hill Mall. I needed some Clinque stuff (I know, not trip related, but I needed some stuff anyway) then to the Walking Store. Guy and I each bought a pair of Merrells -- they are light hiking sneakers -- we need comfy feet in China!

We got to put a lot of checks on our To Do List!!

Happy Birthday Elizabeth

Today is Elizabeth's first birthday! We are happy and sad at the same time. Happy that it is her birthday, and sad, because she is not yet with us! We will be coming soon!

New Picture of Orphanage

Here is a new picture of Elizabeth's Orphanage!

Waiting on Travel Assignment (TA)

We are still waiting for our TA. The TA comes from China after they receive your acceptance of the referral. Our acceptance went to China on Friday, September 9. Our agency said that it could take 3-4 weeks to get the TA. Apparently the people who got referrals the month before us are just getting their TAs, so they are a little behind. Great Wall said that we should be traveling the last week of October/first week of November. They also said that all travel will be done by November 12.

Our Translated Growth Report

We received our translated growth report today. Here it is:

Growth Report on Cen Xiaobei

Cen Xiaobei (Cen is the surname of child in the institute, Xiaobei means bud.), female, was born on Sept.20th, 2004. She was found abandoned before the gate of Hengfeng Civil Affairs by the staff Wang Yonghong on Sept.30th, 2004 and sent into the institute the same day. When she was found, she was wrapped in the quilt, next to her were a bottle, 2 bags of milk powders and some clothes. We did a full checkup for her, she was in good health. Our doctor estimated her DOB to be Sept.20th, 2004.

She is living in the institute. She is healthy and develops well. When she was 1-month old, she had good sucking ability and normal appetite. When she was 2-month old, she began to laugh. When she was 3-month old, she could make sounds like Ah, Oh. When the caregiver talked to her, she would burble to reply. If the caregiver patted her hands, she would giggle. When she was 4-month old, she could locate sound if she heard someone called her, and then smile to the one. If she woke up without seeing her caregiver, she would cry sadly. But she would stop crying as soon as she heard the caregiver’s voice. When she was 5-month old, she began to understand the adults’ facial expressions, recognize familiar people, and babble to people or objects. When she saw her bottle, she would be very excited. Her thumbs are flexible. She would hold a toy but stare at another one. If the toy dropped down, she would look for it. She liked to listen to the music. She could raise her head when sitting and could stand up with assistance. When she was 6-monthold, she became lovelier. She could walk in the walker. All the staff of the orphanage loves her very much. She likes them to take her to play in the outside.

Now her main food is mixture of milk powders, cereals and honey. She has 5 meals per day and about 200ml per meal. She also eats some noodles, eggs and biscuits. She sleeps through the night with the light on and likes to sleep with her caregiver. She is outgoing and energetic. She likes shopping best. Her relieving is good.

Prepared by Hengfeng SWI
March 25th, 2005

A Week Ago Today...

Our lives changed forever! We received the call from Great Wall that they had our baby! Now we are just waiting for the CCAA to send our our travel assignments. Elizabeth's orphanage is located in Jiangxi Province, near the city of Nanchang.

Jiangxi is known as the "porcelain city" with a history of 1700 years of porcelain-making. It is a subtropical climate (lucky me and my hair)! It is situated on the eastern bank of the Yangtse River.

The orphange HengFeng Social Welfare Institute seems very nice, but old. From what I have been told it is a very poor orphanage, but they take very good care of the children. Here are some pictures:

There is always tons of information on the web about everything! I found a Yahoo Group that is just for HengFeng parents! They have so much information!

That's it for now!

Cathy

Elizabeth Looks Like Us!

They say that the CCAA really tries to match the baby with the parents. What do you think? I have looked a many of the other referral pictures for other families and it is really amazing how they match the parents perfectly!

Elizabeth was born in The Year of the Monkey

People born in the Year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses of the cycle. Clever, skillful, and flexible, they are remarkably inventive and original and can solve the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn't be successful but they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable. They want to do things now, and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects. Although good at making decisions, they tend to look down on others. Having common sense, Monkey people have a deep desire for knowledge and have excellent memories. Monkey people are strong willed but their anger cools quickly. They are most compatible with the Dragon and Rat. (Guy & I are Rats!)

Introducing Elizabeth Grace Harris

It is with great joy that we announce the referral of our daughter, Elizabeth Grace

DOB: 9/20/04
JiangXi Province
HengFeng Social Welfare Institute
17.25 pounds
24.5 inches long

Hopefully we will hear very soon when we can go to China and bring her home!!

THE STORK IS LANDING!!!

We just heard that our agency is starting to make the calls!!! More later!

The Waiting Continues......

We got an email from Great Wall that said the referrals should be here on Tuesday! :( Now we have to wait all through the long weekend for word, and there is nothing we can do about it!

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

Still waiting for "The Call". We both really hope it comes before the weekend or it is going to be a long, long weekend! Everyone keeps asking, "Did you get the picture?" I want to yell Yes, but I can't!! Please let it come today!

Stork Is On The Way!!!

Just a quick update: We received an email from our agency today saying the the Stork has left China! We should be receiving the baby's picture very soon!!! It could come as early as Friday!!

Word from our Agency

Our agency, Great Wall China Adoption, sent us an email yesterday saying that the CCAA (Center for Chinese Adoption Authorities) will be mailing the referrals by the end of this week (today). We should have our referral by next week sometime! It is so hard to believe that it is finally almost here, after almost a year. We started this whole process on August 7, 2005! Keep your fingers crossed that the referral gets here fast! I don't think we can stand another weekend of waiting!

Where Are the Referrals!?!?!?!?!?

We are expecting our referral any day now so everytime the phone rings or an email comes through, we get excited. I am expecting the referral on Monday, just because it is my mother's 65th Birthday! Let's keep our fingers crossed!! In the meantime we are still working on the baby's room. Here are some pictures:

Closer and Closer

Our referral is so close now! Everyone around us is so excited for us! The best estimates we can get is that the referrals will start coming out next week some time. Even though it has been a year since we started this whole process, it has gone pretty fast!

The baby's room is almost finished. Lisa, my sister, is coming over to paint a mural on the wall on Saturday. We are also picking up the bureau/changing table on Saturday. Hopefully the carpeting will be installed next week. I will be sure to post some pictures once the room is complete. Right now it looks like a baby warehouse!

Baby's Room Update

The room is coming along. We finished all of the painting last weekend and picked out carpeting. The room is pinkish/lavender so we chose a pearl gray carpet. Hopefully the carpeting will be installed next week. My sister Lisa, is coming on Saturday to start the mural painting. She is going to do a tree in one corner and then we are going to stencil some butterflies, ladybugs and other nature characters on the walls. Once we get that done, we can finally start to set up the room!!

Officially in the Matching Room!

We got an email yesterday from our agency that said we are officially in the Matching Room. The Matching Room is where the CCAA matches the baby with the parents! We have probably been there for a while, but now at least it is official.

Our agency also sent us our "Referral Packet". This is loaded with information with stuff we have to do to get ready for referral. This is sure to keep me busy!! I love lists!

God willing our referral will come by the end of August! This past year went so fast!

More tomorrow.

Well It is Finally August!

August is here! This is the month we are supposed to receive our referral. It was one year ago yesterday that we were accepted by our agency, Great Wall http://www.gwca.org, to start the process of adopting from China! It really doesn't feel like a year. We were kept busy gathering our paper work and doing everything you need to do with it. Time seemed to go really fast.

We are also one step closer to getting the baby's room done. Yesterday we primed and painted the closet. Tonight we are supposed to stop at a carpeting store to look at what they have and hopefully pick something out. Once the carpeting is installed, we can finally start setting everything up!

More tomorrow.

Referral Time Is Getting Closer!!!

I can't believe it.. after all these months, we can finally say our referral is almost here! It is always hard to tell how the CCAA will run, but we should be getting our referral sometime in August! We still have so much to do to get ready. The baby's room isn't finished: we need to paint the closet and get a new carpet, and, buy some clothes! We can't buy clothes until we know the baby's size and age!!! I guess we go from being excited to nervous all in the same day. I know everything will work out in the end!

Main Table!

Basket of Favors!

Candle Centerpiece

Friends & Family

Friends & Family

Beautiful Travel Dress

Little Dress

More Gifts

Opening Gifts....continuted

Opening Gifts

Cake

Doll with Homemade Outfit

Surprise Baby Shower

Well, my family surprised me with my baby shower on Saturday, May 28! They held the shower at the Rose Briar restaurant in Holmesburg, Philadelphia! The shower was so beautiful! We had a lovely meal! The favors were chocolate covered fortune cookies with a little silver lady bug charm tied with a "It's A Girl" Ribbon! Guy and I got so many beautiful gifts for the baby. We are blessed to have such a wonderful family and good friends! I will try to post some pictures of the shower!

Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookie Favor from My Baby Shower

This is the Red Thread Bracelet my sister Lisa gave me for Mother's Day!

Mother's Day

On Mother's Day, my sister Lisa and her husband Rob invited the family over for brunch. Everyone was there: Lisa and Rob, Art, Ruthann, Zach and Jake, my parents, and me and Guy. Lisa gave me a red thread bracelet. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that reads: "An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break." The bracelet symbolizes the red thread. (I will post a picture of the bracelet!) It was a great Mother's Day! Guy gave me my first Mother's Day card, my sister Lisa gave me a card too as well as my mother-in-law and sister-in-law!

I can't wait unitl next year when the baby is with us on Mother's Day!

Adoption Travel Meeting

Tomorrow our agency, Great Wall, is having an adoption travel meeting. We are very excited to be going. We will get to meet some people who have travelled already, but mostly people like us, who will be going to China very soon. They are going to go over all of the specifics of what to pack, what we will be doing, etc. More to follow on this!

Crib Set We Picked Out

Finally Made It To Next Room!

Well, we got an email from our agency and we are finally in the Review Room! Next stop...Matching Room! We are still looking at August for referral! More news to come!

Four Months To Go To Referral!

The latest batch of referrals come in for people whose dossiers went to China in October, so the CCAA is still running at 6 months. That means we should get our referral sometime in mid-August. Hopefully we can travelling in late September. Everyday I read this website: www.thestoryofyou.com. This website has on-line journals of people who are currently in China getting their babies. It is so much fun to see the pictures and read their stories!

In the meantime, we are still in the process of fixing up the baby's room. I think we are going to paint the room lavender with white trim. I will post of picture of the cribset we decided on. It is really pretty!

Finally Received our LID

After, what seems like months, we received our LID (Log In Date) and it is later than we expected. Our date is February 21, 2005. Because of the Chinese New Year on February 9th, no dossier's were logged in for two weeks! So this officially starts our countdown to referral when we will receive our baby's picture! So if the referrals continue at a six month pace, we should be getting her picture around August 21! Let's keep our fingers crossed!

The Brown Envelope Finally Arrived

We finally received our Brown Envelope from the US Consulate in Guangzhou. The envelope contains the paperwork we will need to submit when we are in Guangzhou to complete the US end of the adoption. It also contains the medical papers that the doctors there will fill out when the baby has her medical exam.

Every milestone brings us closer to Elizabeth.

Still Waiting for the LID, Chapter 2

Everyone who was DTC (dossier to china) in late January and February are still waiting for their LIDs. LID means log in date..the date your paperwork gets registered in China. Our DTC date was January 28. Our log in date should be sometime the first week in February. The Chinese New Year was February 9th so that is probably the reason we haven't received our date yet. Let's hope it comes this week!

Still Waiting for Our LID

Well, we are still waiting for our LID (Log-In-Date). The LID is the date that our paper work is officially logged into the Chinese government. Our paper work went over to China on 1/28 so I am pretty confident that our LID will be sometime the first week of February. The Chinese government usually sends this information to the agencies 6-8 weeks after the paper work is received in China! I will keep you posted!