Waiting on TA

Well we are on the last leg of our wait. Tomorrow will be 1 week of waiting for our travel approval and it could be 1-2 weeks more. We could be leaving a month from now! I'm in a flurry of trying to think of what needs to be done and trying to get things done, which can be related to nesting:) Besides that Matthew and I are going to boy scout camp just after school ends next week. We will be in North Carolina for a week without wifi or phone. Our travel approval might arrive while I am there so I will have to leave it up to Andrew to take care of it.
Incidentally, it was when we were at camp last summer that we made the decision to adopt Jinbao and I had to write up our letter of intent on the bus on the way back because I had two days to get it submitted. I also had to gather all the other items and get passport photos of all of us the next morning which was father's day. That was the start of all the endless paperwork and waiting involved with international adoption. After a year we are finally almost finished and will meet our son!

Care package

We received pictures this morning from Ann of Red Thread of the care package we are sending Jinbao. We sent a photo album of family pictures with labels so Jinbao can get to know us. We also sent a pillow with our family picture, a short note letting him know we are coming soon, and a self addressed envelope so he can send us a letter if he would like. I really hope he sends one before we go.
As far as travel is concerned, the prices for flights have gone up a lot for the summer. We may not be able to bring the kids and we had really hoped we could to let them share in this experience. But the price for tickets has doubled. Also, Makenna has expressed being afraid to go because it may bring up bad memories and she has a fear of getting lost from us:( but at the same time she does not want to miss such an important trip. I will let her decide....
Thanks for following! Donna

Getting closer to Jinbao

Today I received word that our article 5 will be picked up May 23. This means that Jinbao will be issued a visa and the next wait is the last step-Travel Approval. TA as it is called takes 2-3 weeks from article 5 pick up. Then travel can take place 2 weeks later. We think we will wait until the beginning of July because Matthew has an important appointment scheduled for June 28 that we would like to get over with first before we leave. I am getting very excited and nervous because I hate to fly!
I am sending Jinbao another care package that includes a photo album labeled with our family members and a pillow with our picture on it so he can get familiar with our faces. Hopefully Ann of Red Thread will send a picture to us before she sends it out.
This post is also an experiment because I am trying to post to the blog via email. I am practicing this in case the VPN is not working in some places in China. Well let's see what happens.....

I800 approval

We received our I800 provisional approval today in the mail dated April 27, 2012. This is a very important step because it is the immigration approval specific to Jinbao. Thing will move very quickly now. Incidentally there is a myth that when you spot a ladybug you should hear good news about you adoption. Last Friday (April 27) I was a work in a patient's room on the third floor nowhere close to access to the outside where a bug could come in. I saw a ladybug crawling across the ceiling. I was helping my patient do exercises so I gave her a rest, pulled over a chair and climbed up to take a picture. I normally wouldn't do something like that but what are the chances of seeing a ladybug on the ceiling of a hospital room when you are waiting for good news on your adoption? I heard a noise behind me and turned to see the family members had come in and were watching me take the picture! All I could say was that I saw a ladybug. One of the men just said he sees lots of coach roaches everyday in his line of business. (he had an exterminator shirt on) Whew! Got away with that one!