Our Little Ladybug is growing...

On October 18th I was sitting at a traffic light and looked at my email messages on my phone and I had an update...the sun was shining so beautifully and I felt so full knowing I would know just a bit more about you...as soon as the email opened. I was thankful for a long red light and was able to read about our little "bug" and then I saw a new photo too...our little girl is growing up and is just precious. I believe this information is current so she would be 23 months old when these measurements were done.

Height :77.5cm =30 1/2 inches she has grown 3 inches since May
Weight :9.5kg = 20.9 pounds she has grown 3 pounds since May and is over 20 pounds now
Head :45cm = 17.7 inches
Chest :46cm = 18.1
Feet :12cm = 4.7 inches almost a size 5 foot
Teeth:16 she has 8 more teeth since May

• She can run
• She can use a spoon to eat food
• She can count one
• When she watches TV,she copies dance part a lot
• She also can wave bye
• She is not picky with her food, she loves to eat tomato,grapes ,but she does not like to eat apple
• She also loves to play with balls
• She knows how to go to the toilet by herself
• When her foster mom does laundry,she will get a small chair and set on her side
• She is a very sweet child .

She will soon be 2 years old and it breaks my heart to know what we are missing, but in the bigger picture we will have a lifetime of memories together and she is in a family environment and you can tell she is loved by them and we already love her. Counting the days until we are together....

Sisters...

A vision that will take your breath away...

A Gift...

We were able to send a special gift to our sweet little Ladybug II and this is what it looked like...

There were pajamas and a soft blanket for Ladybug II and a stuffed "hello kitty", then tea and candies and cookies for her foster family and a disposable camera and a letter with photos of us...her first time seeing us.

This view makes me think there might have been 2 cameras...I can't even imagine what it will be like if we get some new photos or updated information...she will be 2 in one month.

DTC...

...This stuffed ladybug was laying on the sidewalk outside our court house one day in September when I went in to get some papers authenticated...I took it as a sign...and took a photo...

So after nearly 365 days...of paper chasing our documents are on their way to China...just in time for them to get back from the holiday and review it. This makes me excited and anxious...excited as in getting closer anxious in that...there is still much to do, funds to raise and hurdles to clear....so with that we will celebrate briefly and then put our noses back down for the next portion of this journey and what to expect...

DTC: October 9, 2009

LID: usually within 2 weeks to a month of DTC, this is when the clock officially begins counting.

LOA: --Letter of Acceptance, after your dossier is reviewed by the CCAA, if there is no question by the CCAA, they will then issue LOA to notify you that they final agree for the adoption. It will take about 3-4 months from DTC to receive LOA on average. I have seen families get this in 60 days...not often but recently.

I-800 approved: additional steps for I800 process

Cable: additional steps for I800 process

Article 5: additional steps for I800 process

TA: Travel Approval, after the CCAA receives signed LOA, they will issue TA. Once we have travel approval we will travel fairly quickly usually within a month.

CA: additional steps for I800 process

Travel Dates:

What Does It Mean...the Acronyms...

CCAA: China Center of Adoption Affairs - organization responsible for all aspects of inter-country and domestic adoption in China

PAP: Prospective adoptive parent

AP: Adoptive parent

SW: Social worker

DTC: Date to China - date dossier was sent to CCAA in China

LID: Log in Date - date CCAA registered receipt of dossier

NSN: Non Special Needs - what the healthy child program is called

SN: Special Needs - “children with medical needs” program

WC: Waiting Child - new term used for older child or child with medical needs and Special Needs program

SWI: Social Welfare Institute - this is what the orphanage is called. There are often disabled and older adults living in SWI’s as well

CWI: Children’s Welfare Institute - this would be an orphanage strictly for children under the age of 16

LOI: Letter of Intent - letter issued by PAP to CCAA asking to adopt an identified WC, outlining understanding of need and care plan

PA: Pre-Approval - issued by CCAA to PAP approving LOI contingent upon approval of dossier

LOA/LSC: Letter of Acceptance/Letter Seeking Confirmation - formal approval of LOI signed by PAP’s confirming adoption of WC

TA: Travel Approval - sent to PAP when all immigration docs are ready and child is made ready by SWI

CA: Consulate Appointment - this is when the official adoption ceremony and appointments for visa & medical exam are confirmed. The travel itinerary is based on this date

PAPERWORK...Pregnant...

In the adoption world when your paperwork is done you are "paperwork pregnant" and believe me with the stress of the paperwork and the weight that I believe I have gained due to the stress of the paperwork...I feel a little BIG! What feels even bigger is my heart...it is beginning to feel REAL! Last Thursday I picked up mine and Ellie Lu's passport photos and made copies and then after work took our dossier to the UPS store and mailed it to our agency...this was of course after having created 3 duplicates of it. One to send with and 2 for safe keeping here.

What a relief to have the paperwork done...NOW WHAT...

Our dossier will be reviewed and hopefully pass and then it will be mailed on to China...this is called DTC. Our file will then be reviewed in logged in and then we will be LID. These are both big miles stones as once we are LID then it could be 60-90 days until we receive our LOC...Letter of Confirmation which invites us to China.

Once we receive that there is another round of paperwork and VISA applications etc and waiting and then in another 60-90 days travel to China. Of course at any time anything can change, but this is generally how this will happen in the program we are now in. So say a little prayer that our paperwork is in good order and that it is processed expeditiously and that soon we will be on our way to bring "Ladybug II" home.