Well... we finally got our I-800 approval from the US Citizens and Immigration Services last Friday. It was then two-day mailed to the National Visa Center (NVC) where we are waiting for everything to be looked over. We are HOPING we can get the documents 'okayed' and then our agency rep in China will walk them in to the US consulate on Tuesday. This will take exactly two weeks. If our documents are walked in next Tuesday, they will be ready on December 18th. Yes, this part is a long process, BUT I would rather do this now than in country or when we get home. Once Vivi is in our arms and we sign for her, she is ours. We don't have to prove anything to a judge or official when we get there. When we land on US soil, she is a US citizen.
After our Article 5 is picked up, we wait for Travel Approval (TA). TA could take anywhere from one week to four weeks. We cannot move forward until we get TA. When we do get TA, we have permission to go get her, and we will be scrambling with the quickest dates we can get. We may even be leaving one week after TA. Right now, everyone at my stage is fighting for January travel. Chinese New Year is in February, and this will shut down all adoption stuff for about three weeks. We will be delayed almost a MONTH if we don't get there in January.
Just a warning... I will probably be singing "All I Want for Christmas is my TA!" for most of December.
Donation Information
We've had a few people ask about making donations to help us with our adoption costs and we are forever grateful to everyone who has helped in getting our Vivi home. We have been blessed to receive a grant through our church in Katy, TX that set up a 501(c)3 account for our family's adoption expenses. Through this account we can accept donations and also receive company matching gifts if your employer has that type of program available. To make a tax-deductible donation, all you need to do is send the donation to this address...
Lifesong for Orphans
Attn: McDonald #2929
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744
Please write MCDONALD #2929 in the memo section of the check, so it will go to our account. We do get 100% of the donation; Lifesong just provides a way for it to be a tax-deductible charitable gift, which has been a huge blessing for us!!!
*Update*
We were cabled on Friday, which means our paperwork will be walked-in on Tuesday. This means pick-up will be on 18th. We will then start the TA wait!
Vivi Update
In September, our agency sent their medical team to Vivi's orphanage. I finally got back their report! Here are some test results from the physical therapist...
At 14 months...
Her gross motor skills were at an 11 month old level. Her fine motor skills were at a 9 month level with some emerging skills at the 10-11 month level. Her self-help skills are at a 12 month level with emerging skills at the 13-14 month level. Her language skills were at a 12 month level. She kisses, waves bye-bye, blows kisses, learns quickly per her nanny, likes to eat, dances to music, puts phone to ear and is very attached to her nanny.
Ya'll these are great results for a child living in an institution! Vivi Cate- You go, girl!
Family Update:
I have done a fairly decent job with adoption updates, but I have FAILED at family updates, and that is the purpose of this blog. The lack of pictures on this thing is embarrassing... what's even more embarrassing is the pictures from our camera have not been uploaded to our computer since JULY. That is just sad. Random make-up posts coming to a blog near you. Because these two kids I have here at home right now are pretty awesome, and we have had an exciting few months.
My kiddos with my first baby, Gracie Dog. She is the best dog ever but is completely, ridiculously spoiled. She prefers to sleep with a pillow and blanket, and she refuses to go outside in the rain... unless I stand outside with her.
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