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)