Our first little 'hiccup'

Apparently there was a miscommunication and/or misunderstanding on the time frame it takes to submit paperwork to China.  It just left the United States yesterday afternoon.  We are looking at it arriving in Beijing by Friday, and having it hand-delivered to the CCAA at the end of next week.  Drats!  It looks like July travel is, at this point, out of the question.  The best we can hope for us August or September.  *groan*

So what's a girl to do with all this nervous energy?  Clean the house, of course!  And read everything I can about Chinese culture and international adoptions.  I've read three books so far this month (in addition to my college coursework).  We purchased an audio CD with book on "Chinese language for adoptive families" and found a helpful CD-ROM from the library to help us with pronunciation.  Simple phrases like, "Do you have to go to the bathroom" or "Are you hungry or tired?" or "Let's go on an extremely long airplane ride and travel for twenty-four hours straight" might come in handy!  There's actually a translation for "Please don't pee your pants" which I am hoping NOT to use.  :o)  I have found everything I can about Harbin City, too, which is where Elliott is now.  It just makes me want to go NOW.  It's hard to explain, or even to understand, how I can be so attached to this little guy having never seen him face-to-face, but it's very real.  I think a good analogy would be to say it's like getting attached to the girls while I was pregnant with them.  This time, unlike my pregnancies, I have a good idea of what he is like and what he looks like, but have to give up the tummy kicks and the growing belly I used to rub (Charlotte LOVED having her feet tickled... still does!).  It's different, but it's the same.

So while I anxiously await confirmation that our paperwork has been formally accepted in Beijing, I will focus on being grateful that the process is still moving forward and try to calm the type-A side of myself that is screaming inside.

Happy Wednesday, everybody!  Stay tuned.     :o)

Elliot update!

Hallalujah!  We received an email from our contact in Beijing who had contacted the orphanage for us to get updated information about Elliott.  After weeks of waiting, she received an email with their answers and two updated photos of Elliott.  He is happy and healthy, a good eater who likes most things he's served (which makes me hopeful that he'll adapt to our American cooking quickly.... I hope!), he has 20 teeth so far, he runs and jumps and climbs stairs independantly, and has caught up on the growth curve: he has gone from the 20th percentile to the 60th!  We finally have some measurements, too!  So now we can get some boy clothes ready for him.  He's 33 inches tall, so I have to look at the growth charts I have in the girls' baby books and see what size they were in then.  But the best part of all were the pictures.  I can't stop looking at them.  He's so cute!  I can't wait to bring him home and get to know him and to see him become part of our family. 

No update yet on a log-in-date from China.  I am hopeful that it will come any day now.  :o)

Spring is coming!

The sun was shining and I was home from work today, so that means it's time to ge outside and get this farm in shape for the spring and summer months ahead!  I was in my 'zone' today, and spent a couple of hours in the barn, rearranging, cleaning, and (as Matthew would say) 'dinking around'. I loved it.  My barn is "my" place.  I'm surrounded by my beloved animals, by my equestrian hobby, and it's a space that brings me peace.  I would be lost without it.  I got a LOT accomplished today and I feel great about it. 

I also took the time to bake a homemade peach pie with Maddie today.  It wasn't on my 'to do' list but sometimes the best things in life just aren't. That was an hour I will cherish forever, even if the pie isn't going to last 24 hours.  :o)

We are still waiting to hear when China logs us into the 'system'.  Our paperwork should be there soon.  I need to start putting together a book of all of these early memories and dates together for Elliott.  I'm not great at scrapbooking, but I think it's going to be an important piece of his life when he grows up and appreciates such things. An online (chat group) friend of mine just got her LOA (acceptance letter) from China yesterday.  She waited just five weeks.  I pray, pray, PRAY that we get ours back just as quickly.  I want so badly to travel in the summertime to get Elliott.  I just don't have the patience to wait until fall, and then have Matt miss out on some of the important bonding time when his classroom calls him back for the school year.  Pray with me!  :o)