Now waiting for travel approval!

Elliott's room is ready....

His clothes are all washed and folded....

We have our LOA, our I-800 approval, our Article 5 approval, and our Chinese travel visas....

Now all we need is our Travel Approval!



We have been waiting for one week, as of today, for our travel approval.  So it really is at this point, an "any day now" waiting game.  According to most recent RQ statistics, the average wait for TA is 20 days, but it has come in as early as one week for one lucky family this month.  Once we get TA from China, our adoption coordinator will secure our consulate appointment (CA) at the US Embassy.  This is also known as the "exit interview" and it comes at the end of the trip in China, and it is where we get the final blessing to bring Elliott home as a U.S. citizen.  It is the final chapter in the legal adoption process and the end to the paperwork chase.  Once we get that date, we work backwards to arrange a pick-up date for Elliott in Harbin, either at his orphanage, at our hotel, or at a civil affairs office.  There are lots of other details, too, as just about every day in that two week period has something to be accomplished, but at that point, once we have TA and our CA we can buy plane tickets and know when we will be leaving and coming home.  

Matt is back to school, and he has a great group of students this year and it looks like he's off to a great start.  The girls and I have been keeping busy, and enjoying these last few days of summer, before Madeline starts her first grade school year next week.  I am quite sad that I am going to miss out on our time together during the week, but am happy to share in her excitement for another school year.

Picking raspberries.

Painting with water colors.

Riding the horses.

Reading books (yes, this one does say "Christmas", it's Charlotte's favorite book!).

Playing with friends.

And playing with our farm animals.

We love summer!