I took daddy, papa, baba (he needs a few more names!) shopping to pick out some toys for Cora. The toys were a lot harder to pick out than I thought. Everything needs to be on the small side and packable. She is 4 but we were thinking a blend of toddler and baby toys. We could not find anything we liked! Baba picked out a Michigan State tee shirt and a Michigan State cheer leading outfit. It seems that he will have a new cheering squad for football season this year.
I ordered a book that is for adopted children. It is meant to be filled out by the Ayi at the orphanage. It is called The Red Book of Questions. Maureen, an adoptive mother that is a book binder by trade, makes them. She has two styles; basic and deluxe. This refers to the cover and quality of paper and design. The book has 88 questions that an adoptive parent may need or want to know. In the front of the book is a letter to the Ayi stating that we understand that her time is very valuable but we would be greatly appreciative if she could fill out the ones we have marked as the most important to us. A family that adopted from the orphanage that Cora is in sent a book a month before traveled. They got the book on Gotcha Day filled out! The book is done in silk and is a display item. Her website is sharpbooks.com. I will put up a picture when it comes in.
Cora 5 months home
Waiting...
I was looking at blogs today trying to find information about Gotcha Day and packing for the trip. I came across a posting that gave me the "reality check" that I was in need of. I spent most of yesterday angry and pouting; feeling very tired of waiting, tired of paperwork, and tired of dealing with the process. I am ready to just travel and get my girl home.
I am hoping the family does not mind that I borrowed this but it is worth passing along.
Waiting...
Most of us don't like to wait. (Waiting in line at the grocery, waiting in the lobby for a dental appointment that's running behind, waiting for that train to finish as you’re already late). Waiting is ANNOYING and not one of us will disagree as we sit there tapping our foot and muttering under our breath.
Now, if you've ever been part of the adoption world "waiting" takes on a whole different meaning. Not to say that we aren't tapping our foot or muttering under our breath, but it's painfully different and hard for those outside our circle to completely understand.
Why is it so different? It's really quite simple and one word can explain it: L-O-V-E.
Love and complete devotion for someone you've yet to meet, a little someone who you've only seen a few photos of and read a few pages of vague information about. For me, the feelings are intimately similar to when I was pregnant. The hopes and dreams and complete feeling of awe that I had for the unseen, unknown child(ren) I had I carried within my body are the same for those that are born in my heart.
Adoption is waiting. Everything is a deadline and a countdown. Do this, copy that, mail form D-E-F, but not until you receive document A-B-C.
Await this approval, file this government form, notarized this, authenticate that. USCIS, CCCWA, NBC, NVC, Secretary of State, I-800, Article 5, I797, US Consulate, Chinese Consulate. The list goes on and on.
Submit a form and await your approval. Count the days between submission and approval then start again with another part of the process. Tens of hours of work turn into weeks, weeks into months and sometimes months into years.
Around the world a child waits for their family, OUR children wait. Our children wait for someone to love them unconditionally, to hold and comfort them when they need it or simply to the give one-on-one attention where they've never had. This wait keeps them from the opportunities they may never have in their birth country.
Our children are "taken care" of to the best of the ability of the ayi's (nannies) with sometimes scant resources and we are forever indebted to them for this care, but it's not the love of a family that children need and deserve.
As I sit here in the comfort of my home, with running water, electricity, ample food and the love of my family I begin to feel very selfish, no I am selfish. I am spoiled and lack patience. Where else can I be channeling this wasted energy for a greater good? The process is what it is and I need to find peace in it, I am not in control.
YES!!! I want my kids home but my wait is nothing in comparison to theirs. I need to recognize that before I delve into a case of "woe-is-me" and rant about why it takes so long. I have to step off the pity train and remember this isn’t about me no matter how I spin it; it’s my sense of entitlement that’s annoying, not the waiting.
As I look at photos of Cora I know I am not the one waiting, she is, and it gives me the good slap I need to regain my perspective of the waiting game knows as adoption.
I am hoping the family does not mind that I borrowed this but it is worth passing along.
Waiting...
Most of us don't like to wait. (Waiting in line at the grocery, waiting in the lobby for a dental appointment that's running behind, waiting for that train to finish as you’re already late). Waiting is ANNOYING and not one of us will disagree as we sit there tapping our foot and muttering under our breath.
Now, if you've ever been part of the adoption world "waiting" takes on a whole different meaning. Not to say that we aren't tapping our foot or muttering under our breath, but it's painfully different and hard for those outside our circle to completely understand.
Why is it so different? It's really quite simple and one word can explain it: L-O-V-E.
Love and complete devotion for someone you've yet to meet, a little someone who you've only seen a few photos of and read a few pages of vague information about. For me, the feelings are intimately similar to when I was pregnant. The hopes and dreams and complete feeling of awe that I had for the unseen, unknown child(ren) I had I carried within my body are the same for those that are born in my heart.
Adoption is waiting. Everything is a deadline and a countdown. Do this, copy that, mail form D-E-F, but not until you receive document A-B-C.
Await this approval, file this government form, notarized this, authenticate that. USCIS, CCCWA, NBC, NVC, Secretary of State, I-800, Article 5, I797, US Consulate, Chinese Consulate. The list goes on and on.
Submit a form and await your approval. Count the days between submission and approval then start again with another part of the process. Tens of hours of work turn into weeks, weeks into months and sometimes months into years.
Around the world a child waits for their family, OUR children wait. Our children wait for someone to love them unconditionally, to hold and comfort them when they need it or simply to the give one-on-one attention where they've never had. This wait keeps them from the opportunities they may never have in their birth country.
Our children are "taken care" of to the best of the ability of the ayi's (nannies) with sometimes scant resources and we are forever indebted to them for this care, but it's not the love of a family that children need and deserve.
As I sit here in the comfort of my home, with running water, electricity, ample food and the love of my family I begin to feel very selfish, no I am selfish. I am spoiled and lack patience. Where else can I be channeling this wasted energy for a greater good? The process is what it is and I need to find peace in it, I am not in control.
YES!!! I want my kids home but my wait is nothing in comparison to theirs. I need to recognize that before I delve into a case of "woe-is-me" and rant about why it takes so long. I have to step off the pity train and remember this isn’t about me no matter how I spin it; it’s my sense of entitlement that’s annoying, not the waiting.
As I look at photos of Cora I know I am not the one waiting, she is, and it gives me the good slap I need to regain my perspective of the waiting game knows as adoption.
February 10th is the Chinese New Year
I was so caught up in the fact that our paperwork was moving along at such a fast rate that I totally forgot about the fact the February 10th is the Chinese New Year (I even sent Cora and her class gifts!) and that the whole country closes down for two weeks! The U.S. Consulate office closures during Chinese New Year and President’s Day will affect the processing time of our Article 5. WACAP's representative confirmed that our documents were dropped off at the U.S. Consulate and our Article 5 is scheduled to be picked up on March 1. We will receive confirmation when it has been picked up and sent to the CCCWA in Beijing. We may also receive an email directly from the consulate letting us know the Article 5 has been signed.
We found a company that researches finding adds for Chinese orphans. Brian at research-china.org has been collecting newspapers from China and organizing the finding adds for many years. I think as far back as 1999. He not only found Cora's finding add at a few days old, but had an extra copy of the whole newspaper which he sent to us. He made a CD with the information on it and a copy of her add that was photo quality. We were worried that it may not be true so we sent a copy to our adoption agent and she verified the information matched Cora's (there is no way to be 100% sure). The add included the fact that the infant girl had a leg deformity and was found in the same location on the same day and born on the same day as Cora. We are pretty sure it is Cora. It is amazing to have a newborn picture of a child that you are adopting at 4 years of age!
Sasha (big sister/Jei Jei) is getting very excited to get her baby sister (Mei Mei) home and is hoping that Cora will love her new room and home. She is going through clothes, toys, and books and getting everything organized. Sasha even cleaned her room and is keeping it clean to make room for Cora.
New timeline because of the Chinese New Year:
March 1, 2013 Article 5
March 15, 2013 Travel Notice
March 29, Travel to China to bring Cora home!!
We found a company that researches finding adds for Chinese orphans. Brian at research-china.org has been collecting newspapers from China and organizing the finding adds for many years. I think as far back as 1999. He not only found Cora's finding add at a few days old, but had an extra copy of the whole newspaper which he sent to us. He made a CD with the information on it and a copy of her add that was photo quality. We were worried that it may not be true so we sent a copy to our adoption agent and she verified the information matched Cora's (there is no way to be 100% sure). The add included the fact that the infant girl had a leg deformity and was found in the same location on the same day and born on the same day as Cora. We are pretty sure it is Cora. It is amazing to have a newborn picture of a child that you are adopting at 4 years of age!
Sasha (big sister/Jei Jei) is getting very excited to get her baby sister (Mei Mei) home and is hoping that Cora will love her new room and home. She is going through clothes, toys, and books and getting everything organized. Sasha even cleaned her room and is keeping it clean to make room for Cora.
New timeline because of the Chinese New Year:
March 1, 2013 Article 5
March 15, 2013 Travel Notice
March 29, Travel to China to bring Cora home!!
I-800 petition forwarded to the US Embassy
We received our letter from NVC today notifying us that our I-800 petition has been forwarded to the US Embassy visa department in Guangzhou, China. It is waiting for us there as part of our adoption interview process.
Now we wait for 10 business days for our Article 5. This should be February 20,2013.
Our visas came in today!
Now we wait for 10 business days for our Article 5. This should be February 20,2013.
Our visas came in today!
Our visas are done
Our visas are on the way home from the Chinese Consulate! It is really starting to set in that I am traveling to China soon to bring our daughter home.
Received our Provisional Approval
We received our Provisional Approval for Cora today! This letter is from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Department (USCIS) giving us permission to bring Cora into the United States as our daughter. This approval will be sent to the National Visa Center (NVC).
The
next step is the Article 5. A representative from WACAP will take the letter
from the NVC and supporting documents to the US Consulate in Guangzhou, China.
They will review Cora’s US Entry Visa and supporting documents and issue the
Article 5. This is the notice needed for the CCCWA to issue us our travel date.
Our new timeline:
Letter from NVC (1-2 weeks) Feb 08, 2013
Article “5” (10 business days) Feb 22, 2013
Travel Notice (2-4 weeks) March 08, 2013
Travel to China March 22, 2013!!
We sent a package to Cora and her class today for the Chinese New
Year. It is the first package that she will get from us that she will know is
from her Mama, Baba (Dad), brothers, and sister. It is traditional to get new
clothes and money from loved ones. We sent her a traditional dress and a new
winter outfit. Her class will also get a cake and snacks to have a party. Part
of the “package” is to translate a note to Cora to put in a card. It is custom to offer blessings for the New
Year. This is the letter I wrote:
May God guard you and keep you safe. May He give you comfort, health,
and strength. May He send you so many blessings that the day is not long enough
for them all. Every morning we look at the stars and wonder if you are looking
at them as you are going to bed and we say this prayer to you. We cannot wait
to hold you and whisper this to you as you fall to sleep in our arms. We love
you, Baba, Mama, Mike, Shawn, Rey, Max and Sasha
The reason I am sharing this is because I received an email saying
that this letter would never make it to Cora. All email in China is scanned and
censored. The email would just disappear. If it did make it to the Orphanage
Director he would not give it to her because he could get into trouble. I have
totally forgotten about the government’s control over the people. I forget how
good we have it and all of the things we take for granted in the United States.
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