China Adoption Forecast

I checked out a pretty cool site called China Adoption Forecast - http://chinaadoptionforecast.com/.

When I put in my LID - this is when they predicted I would get my referral...

"Our prediction for LID 2005-11-03: our best guess - a weighted average of recent CCAA velocities, guessing that CCAA will perform about as well in the future as they are performing now, but might return to previous trends: 2007-02-26. "

Now this estimate will only stay true if the CCAA does not speed up or slow down from the current amount of matches they make each month. I am still hoping for a speed up though!

Solid Food Swap

Look at all my goodies! My Nov LID group had a solid food swap this month. My swap partner was Traci in TX. She sent me cups, spoons and a hot water feeding dish. I haven't really collected any solid food items yet, so boy do I need all of these things! Thanks Traci!

China Shoes

These are the cutest shoes ever!

My sister's friend Naomi went to China this past spring for four months as a student teacher. Naomi bought these shoes and gave them to my sister to give to me. My sister gave them to me on Saturday night. Naomi was so sweet to think of me and Doug! I can't wait for Briana to wear them!

Another Consignment Shopping Spree

I hit a couple of consignment sales Saturday morning with my "partners in crime"(ha, ha!) Kathy and Mick. These are just a few of the items I found! Some of these items have never even been worn! For around $40, I bought a ton of clothes and two small toys. Unbelievable!

I can totally see how consignment shopping can become addictive!

August 9th

Good news! The CCAA matched 18 days of referrals. It definitely better than the 9 days last month! They matched through August 9th. With a November 3rd LID, there are just under three months of dossiers in front of us. I am so hoping I will be in China in the spring!

More Painting

Ok - this is more tedious than I thought. I painted 18 planks (two coats) yesterday and I have a ton still to do. This will be pretty when it is done, but boy it is a ton of work!

Deer Family

Last night I looked out the window and saw a deer family in the nature area next to our home. There were two females and two fawns. Doug grabbed the camera and took pictures through the window so they are kind of dark, but I am happy we got something!

Chair Rail and Baseboard

I spent the afternoon in the basement painting the chair rail and new baseboard for Briana's room. Doug had to remove the current baseboard because we need a baseboard that the wainscot panels will fit in to. Now I need to work on painting the panels. That is going to take a while!

December Out Of Review

Congratulations December LIDers! Welcome to the "Out of Review" club!

Now let's get a move on in the matching room!

Painting Day

We did it! We finally started painting the nursery on Saturday! After removing what little we did have in the room, we got to work. We painted the walls about three-fourths of the way because we are going to apply wainscoting to the bottom half of the wall.

I was so happy when I saw how the paint was drying. It turned out exactly how I wanted it to. Doug and I picked the swatch, and the store tells you it will dry darker, but you don't really know how it will turn out until it is on the wall.

The next step is painting the wainscoting, touching up the crown moulding with white paint and then putting up the wainscoting. Doug said it shouldn't be too difficult. I hope he is right!

Asia (our spoiled kitty who is currently an only child) watched as we coated the walls carefully with soft green paint. I think she knows something is coming to change our lives. And I don't think she is too happy about it!

My First Swap Gift

I went to the mailbox this afternoon, and there was a wonderful surprise inside! I received my first swap gift from my friend Becky in Wisconsin! We are members of a small swap group of 4 women (including me!), and this month's theme was "Bathtime Can Be Fun".

Look at all the wonderful goodies! She did such
a wonderful job finding all these bath items. And
I especially love the knitted washcloth for Briana! Thank you Becky!

And Becky received a referral for her new daughter who she is naming Charis Fu Li. What a beautiful name! Congratulations Becky!

Weekend In Elijay

Doug and I enjoyed a very nice weekend at Doug's parents' vacation house in Elijay. I just sat on the back porch looking at the Cartecay River and read a book the whole weekend. I find that when I am home, I don't just sit and relax - I am always thinking about the next thing I have to do. Doug and I are trying to enjoy a few more "just us" trips before Briana arrives!

Doug put on waders and took these pictures from the middle of the river.

Bought Paint For The Nursery

Doug and I took another big step today! We bought paint for the nursery. We bought a pale green color called "Toffee Shoppe Green". Doug put crown molding up a few months ago but we haven't done anything else since. We will start painting in about a week or so!

Timeline

Here is the timeline from the moment we started our China adoption...no wonder I am tired!

06/03/05 – Requested application from Children’s Home Society and Family Services (CHSFS)
06/11/05 – Received application CHSFS
06/13/05 – Chose Gloria Merlin of Cradle of Love Adoption Agency as local social worker
06/16/05 – Hired Leslie Krejci of The Paper Trail to help us
notarize and certify dossier paperwork
06/20/05 – Had fingerprints done with GBI to get Criminal History
reports
06/21/05 – Sent application to Children’s Home Society and Family Services for China Adoption
06/23/05 – Application accepted by Children’s Home Society; Spoke with Dr. Jimmerson about scheduling physicals
06/29/05 – Doug’s Physical
07/05/05 – Sent in I-600A application to immigration (CIS) & met Gloria Merlin at her office for first home study appointment
07/11/05 – Received appointment for fingerprints with immigration
07/14/05 – Lisa’s one on one home study interview with Gloria Merlin
07/21/05 – Doug’s one on one home study interview with Gloria Merlin
08/04/05 – Home visit with Gloria Merlin for home study
08/08/05 – Completed and mailed international adoption training paperwork required by CHSFS
08/10/05 – Gloria Merlin receives GBI Criminal History reports stating no criminal activity
08/13/05 – Had fingerprints done with immigration (CIS)
08/15/05 – Join FCCA (Families with Children from China in Atlanta)
08/16/05 – Lisa’s Physical
08/23/05 – Gloria Merlin sends home study to CHSFS
08/25/05 – Home study approved by CHSFS
08/26/05 – Gloria Merlin sends home study to the CIS
09/09/05 – Received CIS approval (I-797) and faxed to CHSFS
09/16/05 – Leslie Krejci sends notarized and certified dossier documents to CHSFS
09/19/05 – CHSFS sends dossier documents to Chinese Consulates (Georgia and California) for authentication
10/03/05 – The date China referrals start to drastically decline each month
10/17/05 – CHSFS receives authenticated documents back from consulates
10/18/05 – Dossier to China date (DTC) - Home study, authenticated documents and I-797 approval sent to China (Group GG)
11/03/05 – Dossier logged-in China (LID) and moves to translation room
02/16/06 – Joined the FCCA Wait Group
03/06/06 – Get immunizations for Hepatitis A and Tetanus
03/30/06 – Introduction meeting with Dr. Bob Smith (who will be our pediatrician)
06/22/06 – Dossier moves into review room
08/27/06 – E-mail Gloria Merlin to schedule a home visit in October to renew home study because home study and I-600A will expire in March 2007
09/01/06 – November dossiers (finally) move out of review room in China to await matching

10 Months

I am 10 months paper pregnant today! Boy, I am way overdue!!!

Doug and I just got back from a beautiful wedding on Saturday in Huntsville, AL. We so enjoyed spending time with Doug's side of the family. Now we plan on enjoying a relaxing Labor Day.

CCAA Website Updated

We are through review! It is official! What a happy day!

CHSFS said November was through the review room a few weeks ago, but it is so nice to actually see it in writing!

Now it's time to start painting the nursery!