New photos!

We requested an update a few weeks ago and received new information and photos today! The pink dress she is wearing is one we sent her in a care package. We are so happy that she received her gifts! The dress appears to be a little big on her and it is only a 12 months size. Delilah just turned 20 months on 9/19. She has some growing to do. :)

The big news is that she can now roll over by herself! We are so happy to know that! One step at a time....

Today is the day that we hope to have our Travel Approval. If we get it today, there is a chance that we may be able to leave for China in 13 days! Cross your fingers for us! Tracy

Today is the day we have been waiting for!

Today is day 81 in the wait for our Letter Seeking Confirmation. I knew we were getting close and I hoped that we would get it this week. Lately these letters have been arriving on Thursday so today being Monday I was content to just email Great Wall and ask if they were expecting any packages. Little did I know that a package had already arrived!

I was at my computer (of course!) and the phone rang. I knew right away that it was a long distance call because of the ring. I saw Great Wall China on the caller ID and I froze. I said "hello?" and it was my great friend/GWCA rep Leigh Anne! She actually said.. "So... what are you doing..?" I think I said something back to her about checking my email and she said " You don't have to do that anymore because I have your LSC!". Today was a GREAT day!

Leigh Anne Fed Ex'd our letter and we will have it tomorrow! We have to sign it, get it back to GWCA by Friday, so it can be sent to China to arrive by Monday and be hand delivered to CCAA by the GWCA staff. If all goes as planned, we will be heading to China on or near 10/23/08!

The next thing we are waiting for is Travel Approval. That should arrive in 2-3 weeks. Crossing my fingers! :) Tracy

Updated photos!

We received a wonderful gift on July 12, 2008. New photos of Delilah! The first pictures we had, were her referral photos taken when she was about 9 or 10 months old. She turned 18 months old on July 19th and she has definitely grown!

We are adopting a little girl from China!

I can't believe I can finally say that! I had a dream on September 15, 2006 that I was adopting a little girl from China named Destiny. At the time I was still very hopeful that my dream would become a reality. I keep the date circled on the calendar to remind myself how far we have come. I have a feeling that something about that date is (or will be) significant. Time will tell..

We have learned so much about what it takes to complete an international adoption. There is ALOT of paperwork. ALOT. I want to remember every detail of this experience so I have compiled a list of documents that we have completed.

Our Timeline:
6/30/07 Great Wall China Adoption Workshop
10/15/07 Application to GWCA
10/22/07 Approved for Adoption by GWCA!
10/27/07 Sent contract to GWCA
10/27/07 Sent Application to Adoption Options, Inc. (for our Home Study)
11/1/07 Sent for Forrest's Birth Certificate and our Marriage Certificate
11/5/07 Received Forrest's Birth Certificate
11/5/07 Sent Reference requests to 4 friends for completion
11/6/07 Sent Consent form to A.O.
11/10/07 Applied for Passports
11/12/07 Forrest and Tracy's Medical Exams
11/14/07 Tracy requested Police Clearance Letter
11/14/07 Received Marriage Certificate
11/15/07 Sent for Tracy's Birth Certificate
11/15/07 Sent Marriage Certificate and Guardian letter to A.O.
11/9/07 Kids Medical Exams and Tracy's Livescan (fingerprinting)
11/20/07 Sent Employee letters, Kids Health forms and Bank balance letter to A.O.
11/26/07 1st Home Study visit
11/29/07 Forrest requested Police Clearance Letter and completed Livescan
11/29/07 Received Passports!
12/3/07 Sent for Tracy's Birth Certificate (again)
12/5/07 2nd Home Study visit
12/7/07 Sent 1st packet of paperwork (Mailer 1) to GWCA
12/11/07 Hand delivered I600A to USCIS
1/12/08 Citizenship fingerprints completed
1/22/08 Received completed Home Study Report
1/29/08 Our GWCA paperwork (Mailer 1) has been authenticated
2/5/08 Received I171H from USCIS
2/11/08 Sent Mailer 2 to GWCA
3/11/08 Mailer 2 has been authenticated
3/14/08 Dossier (Paperwork) has been sent to CHINA!
3/18/08 OFFICIAL LOG IN DATE (LID)!!!!!
3/25/08 Received Email from GWCA announcing our LID!
3/28/08 Applied for Waiting Child Program
6/18/08 Received Email from GWCA with list of waiting children
6/18/08 Requested more information on "Girl 0-2 yrs Minor CP"
6/19/08 Saw photo of Yang Heng Xiang for the first time... love at first sight!
6/19/08 Reviewed medical file with family and Pediatrician
6/20/08 Officially requested to adopt her and Letter of Intent (LOI) was sent to GWCA
6/23/08 Requested Home Study Update (to include a special needs child) from A.O.
6/27/08 PRE APPROVAL!
7/23/08 Received Home Study Update

There are more important dates to come. We need to receive the official approval to adopt Yang Heng Xiang. That letter is called the Letter Seeking Confirmation (LSC) We hope to get that any day now..Today is day 74 that we have been waiting for it-so we have to be close! Then we wait for Travel Approval. After that we need a Consulate Appointment. It is looking like we will be in China sometime in October. We can hardly wait!