Tuesday, August 14, 2007

One Step Closer

Well, this blog is supposed to be about our adoption info and since I haven't had any lately, I have been just rambling about everything else on earth that I can think of.

So, it is due time to post a paper chase update.

We are just finishing up some of the last papers that our social worker needs to complete her home study report and I hope to have the last one any day now so that we can mail them off to her.

Yesterday, we went to the bank to get our ADOPPT contract and all their official papers (referral request, letter stating we meet the requirements, and the promise to report to Vietnam every year) notarized and we sent them via UPS next day air to our agency. Tracking says they received them today, so that is crossed off the list.

We haven't heard anything about our passports; we applied for them in June and I am hoping that I won't regret the fact that I chose to save a little dough and did not expedite them. I knew they could always be expedited later and yes, I know I still have time before we will need them, but I just want to have them in my hot little hands as they say.
Although, my hands are almost never hot. My Nana always said, "cold hands, warm heart" and I like to think that's the way I am. At least, I definitely have the cold hands part down and aspire to the warm heart part! : )

We submitted our I600A to INS back in June and they received it on June 19th. The website, which was last update July 16, 2007 says they are currently processing petitions received by April 02. I am hoping that in 2 days the website updates and that they have made up some considerable ground on the April date. The day I received the letter for Homeland Security stating that they received the application form, I spoke with a lady who told me the processing time is 60 to 90 days. We are currently at 57 days, if my quick count was correct.

Myke and I had both agreed that we would not be purchasing anything or setting up Chianna's room until we get the referral, BUT that is MUCH easier said than done! Last week Myke came home from running errands at Lowes and announces, "I did something!" in a very cautious tone. He then pulled out a Baby Love bag and carefully shows me its contents: a cute turtle interactive toy, a package of sippy cups and fuzzy pink, little tiny socks. It all made me smile, but especially the socks. I not only have cold hands, but I have ICE cold feet. I wear socks all the time and for Chirstmas last year, Myke bought be the best fuzzy socks ever - in just about every color of the rainbow. So, I especially liked the socks because it made me think about how maybe (hopefully) she will like some of the same things as me.

Last night, we decided to go to the BabysRUs store near our house. I wonder if couples often walk around that place crying. We sure did! It was a very surreal experience and I have to say I am proud that I kept it together better than Myke did! He said to me, with tears in his eyes, "I love this little girl and we don't even know her yet". And, this brought me so much relief because I thought I was crazy in feeling the same thing. WOW, what an experience this whole journey is - really amazing! So, here are the first things I have ever bought for Chianna:
A light blue dog head with a little blanket bottom. Its very soft.
A set of 3 purple bibs: 1. has a butterfly and says "huggable" 2. has a flower and says "so pretty" and 3. has a butterfly and says, "Daddy's Girl" and "Butterfly Kisses". I also bought a matching blanket purple blanket that has a butterfly and is soft and fuzzy on one size and cool and shiny on the other.

Myke also picked out one more thing: a hooded baby towel with a cute duckie on it. This one was for my mom. She ended up with a very quirky duck collection all because duck rhymes with a well known expletive and we would always buy her more and more ducks just to hear her say it. I guess it was just one of those weird family inside joke things, not sure how it really started, but she had lots of F 'IN ducks!

Ok, so if you made it through this long post, consider yourself F 'IN updated! Oohh, I hope I'm not too vulgar for mommy blog land! : )-

4 comments:

Tammie said...

Okay! So I'm Duckin' Updated! (I will admit that "Fudge" is my exchange word for the "F.")

Yes, I cried walking through Babies R Us frequently before our referral. David didn't want to walk through there let alone register until we got our referral. He was so afraid that after all the paperwork, China might deny our adoption request. Our DTC date (now called LID) was 2/28/02. By December I was so depressed that David insisted I register for what Erin would need. It totally changed our perspectives. I became much happier & easier to deal with while it made David realize we weren't going to be denied.

Go Myke! Great job sneaking in a trip to Baby Love! BTW, don't buy every cute thing you see. You need to leave some things for people to buy you. Besides, as the shopping seasons change, so will your tastes!

Jenn said...

Yes... I have cried in the baby aisle of Target myself, making others around me wonder with the Duck was wrong with me. Hee hee.
Thank you Shari. It sounds like you are on your way! Have you joined ADOPPT's yahoo group?

Unknown said...

Hi Jenn,

I have yet to join the group yet, but hopefully I will soon. We just sent in our contract to ADOPPT, so I am hoping to get all the scoop now and the invite to the Yahoo group so that I can be "in the know". Then, of course, that will give me something else to do - like I am not already swamped with computer work!

Vivian M said...

Ok, I love the Duck thing! By the way, the first time we went to the "baby" superstore(s) I heard angels and the gates of heaven opening (and I hate to shop!). Seriously, we cried too. Our first purchase was a large container of baby clothes detergent (don't waste your money, any sensitive skin/perfume-free and dye-free type will do!).