Thursday, September 15, 2011

Approved for I800

Heard from our officer this AM that yes, we were approved and should get our notification in the mail soon!! Even though this was only 3 weeks, it felt like forever. Probably because we are just getting so close.

The next step is getting a pdf in email from the National Visa Center (NVC) that they received the approval from immigration and have put our information into the system for the US Consulate. This is so our son can get his Visa to come into the United States.


This will take about a week. Then I need to get that letter to our agency, who then gets it to the US Consulate in China. Waiting for Article 5 (that is what this is called for Asher's Visa) takes almost exactly 2 weeks.


 Following Article 5, the information from US Consulate in China goes directly to CCWAA in China. This is the Chinese organization that handles adoptions. These are "the" important officials for our adoption. Once they receive Article 5 for Asher's Visa they begin issuing our Travel Approval (TA). Again, this step varies in time (the average being 3 weeks). They will issue our TA back to our agency which gives us approval to go to China and get Asher, it is good for 90 days. But of course, we will want to go as soon as possible to get him! 

Friday, September 9, 2011

Daydreams- (as we are still waiting on USCIS approval)

Things I look forward to when meeting our new son (In China):


1. The first time we meet- even if he is scared and untrusting (which will actually give us information that he is progressing normally with bonding to his last caregivers).

2. The first time I get to hold him and look into his eyes with big smiles. I want that first impression to be just like it was with my newborn babies.

3. His first smiles for us. None of the photos we have him is he smiling. We are partly thinking it is the culture, but maybe he isn't used to getting pictures taken, maybe he is a sad. I have heard from many other adoptive families that their children did not smile in photos either, but that it quickly changed once they became more comfortable with them.

4. Hearing his sweet little voice. He is already talking, although because of his cleft issues we aren't sure how much can really be understood by this toddler.

5. Seeing him in his cute little boy clothes. Every photo we have so far, he is dressed in pink.

6. Feeding him a bottle and snuggling him. We so pray he will allow us to do this.

7. Seeing him interact and play with Lenea. She can't wait to meet him and be a big sister to him.

8. Trying to speak Chinese to him and getting a laugh out if his confused expression. Our attempt to learn some phrases is going very slow!

9. Learning about his culture and seeing where he came from, with him by my side.


10. Seeing his daddy love on him and learn all of the above with me. Jay is probably more excited about this little boy than even I am.