Care Package

This is the care package Ann at Red Tread China put together for our Chloe. She said that Chloe should get it some time this week. I love the shoes! Too cute!

Damn Swine Flu!

...enough said!

Because China is taking this Swine Flu thing way too seriously, we are probably not going to be traveling this month, or next month for that matter. They have temporarily suspended Travel Approvals (according to several sources) so who knows when we will get there. In the mean time, I have ordered a care package through Ann at Red Thread China and an orphanage phone call through Ladybugs N Love. Both are going to try and get updated pictures and measurements as well. I will let you know as soon as I hear something.

Update

They cut her hair :(
The good news is they didn't shave it off, they just cut it shorter. Don't worry, I have bows for all hair lengths!
OK, so at the end of April we got our I-800A approval (approval from the US to adopt an orphan from a convention country) and we were finally able to mail off our I-800 (petition to classify convention adoptee as an immediate relative) and our DS-230 (Chloe's Visa application). Once those go through the system (I am simplifying it here) we can get out TA (travel approval) and our CA (consulate appointment) and finally go to China. Oh, our passports and Visa's should be delivered back to us today as well. So, we are looking at travel in June right now. Yes, I know it is taking a long time, don't you think I know that? Trust me, I am READY to get on a plane now!

This is what happens when a Texan tries to boil crawfish!

I promised Joe I wouldn't post this. I lied! In case you can't tell, that is a big hole at the bottom of a big pot.

Silly Blaine

I asked Blaine if I could take some pictures of him while we were waiting for the crawfish to boil, and this is what I got.

Happy Easter

The Easter Bunny came and he brought baskets for Blaine and Chloe! Blaine's favorite thing was the i-tunes gift card. Maybe now he will stop trying to stick money in the computer to buy songs, games, and videos.

Clone Trooper

Blaine loves to play Star Wars. He wears this Star Wars costume constantly (I think it is a Clone Trooper). I have to steal it to wash it while he is at school. This is actually his 3rd one like this. He wears them out!

Easter Egg Hunt with Neighbors

Easter Eggs and Cupcakes

Tomorrow we are having a little Easter Egg hunt party at our house for Blaine's friends in the neighborhood (very last minute). Blaine dyed Easter Eggs, and we made cupcakes together to share with his friends.

NSU/LSU Baseball Game

OK, I haven't posted about Blaine in awhile, so here you go.
Blaine loves LSU. We don't know why, his dad and I couldn't care less about LSU, we went to NSU. When we heard that the Demons were coming to Baton Rouge, we decided to take Blaine to his first college baseball game. We sat with the Demon fans of course, with Blaine decked out in his LSU garb. He had a great time, and can't wait to go back. By the way, the Demons gave the Tigers a run for their money, but ended up losing at the last minute.

Blaine got at new hat at the game. I guess he is trying to look at it here ;)

Family pic, blech



Waiting for the game to start

Before the game we ate dinner at Walk-ons

Chloe's room and "stuff"

Hand smocked dress from Maw Maw (she bought it, didn't make it, ha, that's funny)

Closet full of clothes and toys

My mom thought she needed some Bling

Some of Chloe's Dolls



Care package

Chloe's Kitchen

Pictures of our beautiful girl!

Look what I got this morning! Isn't she beautiful? Her hair is growing out! I am so ready to go and get her. This waiting is killing me! We finally sent off our i-800a paperwork off three weeks ago today, and on Monday we got confirmation that they received it. We should get a letter today telling us when to get our fingerprints done, and then two weeks after that we should have our approval from the US gov. After that, we send in our I-800, do some other stuff, and wait for our travel approval. If we are lucky, we will get to travel at the end of next month, but no later than June!!! We are already planning our first vacation (I bet you will never guess where)as a family of 4! Wow, I can't believe this is actually happening. You can't even begin to imagine how very happy we all are right now. The only thing that could make us happier is actually having her with us, finally!
Blaine is supper excited and tells everyone that he is going to be a big brother. He loves to look at her pictures and talk about her. He asked me the other day if she was just walking around China looking for us. He is so worried about her, and wants her home with us. After I told him that she lives in a huge pink castle and is being taken care of by nannies (what he calls my sister) he felt a lot better. OK, off to do some more shopping. I have lots of pictures of all of Chloe's new stuff, and her completed (somewhat) room. I will have to save that for another day!

China's Lost Girls

Update!

It turns out that Chloe did have the chicken pox, and has recovered nicely. We also got an update on her height, which is currently 83 centimeters (32.7 in)and her little feet are 13 centimeters long (5.12 in). We are not sure how much she weighs, but are guessing around 25lbs. She is tiny, and currently in American size 24months clothing, and size 7 shoes. Joe and I laugh that we will have kids on totally different ends of the growth charts. Blaine is 95% for height and weight, and has always been that way, and Chloe is 10% for height and weight on the American growth charts but 50% on the Chinese charts.
I went to the travel clinic today to get my vaccinations for the trip, along with some needed prescription medications that are recommended. One of the prescriptions is for the prevention of malaria (huh, what? why?), and the other is Cipro (for traveler's you know what). I also got a prescription for Ambian to help with the jet lag (which I get flying to California, so it will get used for sure).
Chloe's room is coming along nicely. This weekend Joe primed the wainscoting, so now I just need to get myself to the paint store for the paint.
I have gotten a few things together to attempt another care package delivery to Chloe at the orphanage. I mailed one to her just before Chinese New Year, and she has not received it. I am guessing it is now lost, and so I will try one more time. I got her a little teddy bear (a classic Winnie the Pooh) and very fluffy and soft blanket sprayed liberally with my Chanel Mademoiselle perfume so that she recognizes my scent, two disposable cameras for the nannies to take photos of her for us to have developed when we pick her up, some jelly beans and candy for the nannies and kiddies, and a little dress. I am also enclosing a little photo album of her new family and home. I hope she gets this one. It isn't cheap to mail stuff to China, which wouldn't be a big deal if she was actually receiving the care packages I send.
In other news, our home study is complete and we should be able to mail our I-800A this week. This will take anywhere from 30-90 days to be approved, after which we can finally go to China. Please pray that it is closer to 30 days for approval. We are ready to meet our little girl and to have her part of our family!

New Picture from Agency!

Our agency sent us this updated picture of Chloe today. It is for her Visa. I also found out that there has been an outbreak of Chicken Pox on Chloe's floor at the orphanage. I am not sure if she has them, but chances are good that she does. I should find out more on Wednesday. Please pray for her.

A Bigger Smile!

That's our girl on the right! How I love to see her smile!

A Smile!

More Wagon Pictures

Our Chloe is the one in the stripped shirt! Thank You to the member of the Xi'an CWI Yahoo group for the pictures of our girl!

Pictures of Chloe?

I found this picture which I believe is of Chloe (and friends) riding in a wagon on the grounds of her CWI. It is dated September 2008. I believe she is the one on the right. A number of families who have previously traveled to the CWI to pick up their own children, have posted their pictures on a Yahoo Group dedicated to families and friends of the Xi'an CWI, and I have found a few who may be her. What do you think?

Xi'an CWI

These are pictures "borrowed" from parents and volunteers who have visited Xi'an CWI, which is where Chloe has lived her entire life. I hear some people call it the Pink Palace. I have been told it is a very nice orphanage (they wouldn't let you visit if it wasn't).
On Friday we had our homestudy update, and everything went well. We still hope to travel in May, but would be delighted to travel before then;)