New Photos and We Have Our Travel Date!!!

Yesterday I got an email from our travel advisor and she said we'd know our travel date the next day.  So I woke up this morning and thought, "Wouldn't it be so awesome if we got new pictures of Hannah on the same day we got our travel date."  I didn't think we really would, so I didn't check my email right away.  But when I did, there they were--the photos from Hannah's birthday party!

It looks like she had wonderful party, and now we get to see that she has a foster father too.  They both seem to really love her, and I can't blame them.  She's so adorable and seems so sweet!  I know now more than ever that it will be tough on all of them when she leaves them next month.

Speaking of next month, drum roll, please...our travel date is May 6th!!!  And Gotcha Day is May 10th!!!  We finally know when we will meet our little girl!

Now I'm really motivated to get the rest of my projects done for Hannah.  I have another dress, a blanket, a purse, and a doll dress to make.  I just hope I can get to them today.  I've spent all morning printing photos and calling people, and now I need to let everyone know on facebook!

We are now at 35 days and counting!

Dancing Stars Help with the Wait

I just finished watching the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars, and toward the end, I realized something.  Before this season is over I'll be in China with my little girl, probably even be bringing her home!  Wow, that thought makes it REALLY seem close. 

Last week I heard from our travel advisor again, and she informed me that our Article 5's were taken from the American Consulate in China over to the CCAA. The Article 5's are the paperwork that approves us to adopt Hannah.  From this point, it should be 2-3 weeks until we get our travel date!  She also said that she estimates we'll travel the last week in April.

Even though I like the cast of Dancing with the Stars this season, it just somehow doesn't seem quite as exciting as usual.  It can't hope to compare to the excitement I have of meeting my daughter for the first time, but I'm hoping it will help the time go by faster during these last weeks.

Birthday Care Package

Shi Lin's birthday was on February 26, and we sent a care package on the 16th, but since it took 3 weeks and one day to arrive in China, she still hasn't actually gotten it yet.  Ann at Red Thread China emailed to let me know she got it, and then she added the items we ordered from her to it and took a picture of it all.  She mailed it a couple of days ago, so Shi Lin should get it within the next couple of days.  She said in the email that she would get her birthday cake after she got the package. 

In her package, I included a couple of outfits, one 3T and one 4T, and in the note to Shi Lin's foster mom, I asked her to photograph her in the outfit that fits her best.  That way, I'll have a better idea of what size she wears, and what size clothes to bring when we go to China.  I also included two wrapped gifts for her to open; one is a little jeweled crown and the other is a little set from Fisher-Price called Precious Places, Willow the Woodland Princess.  It's a really cute set with a tiny little princess, a hat, a tea set and some chipmunks.  I chose Willow because she has black hair and brown eyes, just like my girl!

In the package, I also put another photo album, with more photos of extended family, and a framed family portrait of us.  The birthday package we ordered from Ann included a doll, candy, a camera and a birthday cake, and then I added a bag for her to put her belongings in when they bring her to us.

I can't wait for Shi Lin to get her presents, and wish I could be there to see her open them.  I also can't wait until sometime within the next week or so when we'll probably get new pictures of our little princess!  I put in the note to the foster mother to please take pictures of her enjoying her presents.  I also put a self-addressed, postage paid envelope in the package, and asked the foster mother to write me a letter telling me all about Shi Lin.  I really hope she does this!  I got the idea from a friend who did the same thing, not expecting to actually get a letter back, but did!  It may be hard for a lot of people to understand, but when your child is thousands of miles away from you, every little tidbit of information you can get about them means the world to you.  So that letter, if it comes, will be something I'll treasure forever.

I'm still hanging on, thinking that any day now we'll get a call or an email telling us our travel date.  I'm still sewing outfits for Hannah, and now I'm crocheting too.  Waiting for her has really reawakened my creative side, and that is such a blessing!  I used to be a more creative person, but had gotten so burnt out between college and then my portrait business, but now I feel revived!  My little China doll is already bringing so much good into my life.

Estimated Travel Date and Creative Therapy

We found out recently that our estimated travel date is April 23! We were filling out our Visa applications, and were told to put this date down as the estimated date. It's later than we had hoped, but is still so close, I'm not complaining!

A blogger friend of mine has posted about retail therapy helping her through the wait for her daughter, and I so agree! That helps, and something else that works for me is, well, "creative therapy," I guess is what I'll call it. What I mean is I'm obsessed right now with making my own clothes for Hannah. I like styles that are a little different than what you can usually find in the stores, and even when I find them online, they are so expensive. And I like the fact that no one else will have the exact same outfit as Hannah. Below is the first outfit I did. I'm now working on a dress, and ordered two absolutely adorable patterns from Portabello Pixie. I'll be working on a dress from one of those patterns as soon as I finish the current dress. Portabello Pixie patterns are designed by Sandi Henderson, who also designs fabrics. If you haven't seen her work, stop by her website and blog. I fell in love with them immediately when I saw them! 

Here is the first outfit for Hannah I completed: 

A detail of one of the ruffled pockets:

  I also made a matching hair bow (I'm a little obsessed with hairbows right now too!

In addition to sewing, my sister got me interested in crocheting again, so I'm working on a practice hat right now.  Once I'm done with that, I'll go get some new yarn and do a hat that will coordinate with one of Hannah's new outfits.  I'll post some pictures of the finished projects soon. 

I just can't wait to get Hannah into all these adorable outfits!

Happy Birthday, Darling

My little empress is turning 4 today! I sent a birthday care package last week, but it probably hasn't arrived yet, so I hope Shi Lin's foster mother will do something special for her. I wish so bad I could celebrate with her. It's such a strange feeling to not be with my child on her birthday.

It was a little over six months ago that I first saw Shi Lin's precious face in those referral pictures. I had wished so bad that we could be going to China around her birthday, but it was not to be. I can't wait for all the future birthdays she'll celebrate with us! I was at the store a few weeks ago looking for birthday decorations for Miles's party, and Tinkerbell and her friends caught my eye. I wanted so bad to be buying those for Hannah's party. I've never gotten to do a "girly" birthday theme. I'll get to next year for sure!

I know Shi Lin has no idea how much I love her and will be thinking about her all day (if it's even possible for me to think about her more than I already do!). I wish she could know that I hope she has the best and happiest birthday a four-year-old can have.

At the top of this post is the cover of the birthday card I made for Shi Lin and sent with her package. It says, "Happy Birthday, Darling," and on the inside I put, "Happy Birthday, We Love You."

Just One Child

I was talking with another adoptive mother the other day, and she mentioned an idea that really struck me. What if every family in the United States adopted just one child? What an idea! What a dent we could put in the number of orphans there are in the world! And it would be so simple!

Now I know that not every family in the U.S. is able to adopt a child, for various reasons, but I believe there are WAY more that could but do not. For many, the thought has never even occurred to them. For some, they've thought about it, but don't think it's for them. Others think it's too expensive. Or they think it will be more trouble than having a child by birth. Some have fertility issues, but are determined to find a way to have their "own" biological child. And some of those people, after exhausting all attempts at having children, still don't consider adoption. There are so many reasons and excuses for not adopting. And I do know it's not an ideal situation for everyone. But I just wish more people would be open to the idea of it, just entertain it in their thoughts for a while. Read about it, find others who've adopted and see what it's been like for them.

Millions of children around the world will never know what it's like to call someone "Mommy" or "Daddy." They'll never experience the comfort of a kiss or a hug from a parent. They'll never sit at the table at dinner time, discussing the days events. They'll miss out on having someone cheer them on at a tee ball game or clap for them at a dance recital. Or just simply knowing their parents are right there in the next room if they need them for anything. These are simple, everyday things that children born to a forever family take for granted. And we as parents (or future parents) take these things for granted too. It's too easy to forget that not all children are as blessed as ours. So we take the easy way out and continue to forget. This should not be so.

I'm not trying to guilt-trip anyone, or act like I'm better than anyone else because I'm adopting a child. It's not like that at all. It's just that I'm so much more aware of the plight of orphans now that I'm in the adoption process, and I've made it my life's mission to raise awareness of adoption , so that maybe I can reach families who never thought of it as an option for them.

Please spread the word in any way you can. Use my story if you want as a conversation starter. And pray, pray, pray for more people to think of these children and how one of them could be their own. A child is a child, whether they were born in the United States, China, Russia, or any other country. And children bring so much joy to us, no matter how they come to us. Just imagine, if every family that could adopt would adopt just one child. Give just one child support, just one child a home, just one child parents and a family. A family that they could call their own forever. I can't think of many better things that could be done in this world.

The Joys of Waiting

While we are waiting for the news of when we can travel to get Hannah, sometimes I get a little impatient (well, maybe more than a little!). But other times I stop and think about that I need to actually enjoy this time, instead of just letting it go by with anxiety and impatience. I realize that I've only got, at the most, about two more months, to have things the way they are in our family right now, with just Chip, Miles and myself. Only two more months to be the mother of an only child. Only two more months to have so much one-on-one time with my son.

It's not that I'm saying once Hannah is here, that it will not be as good as it is now. It will be just as good, probably even better in a lot of ways. But it will be different. The dynamics of our family will change--forever. This is such a good and wonderful thing, but it will take some adjustment for all of us. While I love change, I can't help but feel a little saddened at the passing of a phase in our lives. I'm sure many parents feel this when they have their second child.

What I'm trying my best to do right now is to just soak up what life is like for us at this point. To consciously notice the way things are so that I'll remember this time fondly, instead of remembering all the stress and anxiety of waiting. This short time before we bring our daughter home matters. It matters a lot. It has helped me to live in the present, something I've known I needed to work on for a long time. I've been living concentrating on the future for many years. When Chip and I were engaged, all I could think about was getting married. After we said, "I do," all I could think about was buying a house. Then when we bought our house, I was still in college, so all I could think about was graduating. After graduation, all I could think about was having a baby. It seemed that every time we reached the next step, I was already on to obsessing over what was next. Rather than enjoying the milestone we had reached, my mind was elsewhere, in a time that hadn't come yet. How sad to work so hard for something, then not to enjoy it.

So here I am now, thinking so much about the future again. It's very hard not to think about our daughter, whom I already love so deeply. But I've realized that God chose her for us and is paving our path to her. We will get her at the right time, in God's time, so there's really no need to worry or stress over when it will be. It will come eventually. I'm so thankful that we don't have a 3-4 year wait like so many others do. But even when we were originally on the 3-4 year plan, I still had this attitude, and it would have been what had gotten me through that long wait.

I'm using this experience to remember to have patience when I'm waiting for something in my life, whatever it may be. To slow down and enjoy the present, and steal those precious moments with those I love the most. For this day shall never come again.