I-800A

We received our I-800A yesterday! Pretty exciting we needed to renew this because we switched to Special Needs. We just got fingerprinted for the second time on Monday of last week and got the approval notice one week to the day. We are super excited hopefully our I-800 will be as quick. They recieved our paperwork on Wed of last week so hopefully we will at least get the receipt this WEd.

getting ready for Travel

Well today I have off for the first day in about a month. So I am taking full advantage of the day to get some things together for our trip to China. Ryan and I went shopping yesterday to get all the medicine they our friends and agency suggested we bring with us. So now we have a little box of medicine for both Emma and us. We bought all our travel shampoo, soaps razors and etc. We went shopping also for our gifts to give to the nannies, caretakers and our guides. We heard they like to get chocolate so we purchase different Hersey's candies with these cute Disney bags. When I get to China I will fill up the bags and tie them with some ribbon. We also bought Phillies hats and flip flops. One Yankee cap because the day Emma was born we got her newspaper from China and the sports section was about the Yankees no other baseball team but them so we figured they must like the stinking Yankees. we also bought them a hat with the liberty bell. I am also going to get them a couple sets of earring and necklaces from the bridal shop. We have to find out exactly how many gifts we should bring to make sure we have enough. One thing we were told was not to bring anything made in China, well the hats and flip flops both were. It is very hard to find items not made in China. But the candy and jewelry won't be made in China. We finished up all the painting in the nursery, so here are a couple pics before the crib and decorations go in. We ordered our crib and furniture, which my parents and sister bought for us. What a wonderful gift they are giving us. They place we got it from said it won't be in till April so it will be some time before we can finish the room up. My sister is letting me borrow her changing table and rocker from her son. Which will be really nice. I like having something from my nephew. We went out yesterday to try to find Emma the same toys that are in her pics from the orphanage but no luck. We did find one ball that was the same but we really want to find a drum that rolls with a handle on it. It seems she really likes this toy and would to have it at home for her when she get here. Hopefully we will be able to find it in China if we can't find one here.

Our Care package arrived

Ann from Red Thread emailed me today to let me know our package got there safe and sound. She is so nice I forgot to include in my note that I made Emma a blanket and me and Ryan slept with it for a couple weeks and we really wanted her to have it and get familiar with our sent. So I let Ann know that and she will add it to our letter for me. That was so nice of her. She is going to ship it to the orphanage tomorrow for us. In the meantime she did call to see if she could get any updates or new pics and they said right now the weather turn a cold so they don't want to take her outside until it get warmer in fear of her getting a cold. So now we have to wait for the weather to get a little warmer until we see some new pics. I am not really sure why they can't take her pic inside. But I am not going to complain. Evertying has been going fast and smooth for us this is just one little thing. I can wait a couple more days. I know you can't get a cold just from weather but it is nice to hear that they are worried about her and want to keep her healthy, that says allot. I feel great that she is being well taken care of. Thanks Andrea for posting about you experience. Its always nice to hear from other Zhangshu families.

Zhang Qi Fu

Let me formally introduce you to our daughter, Emma Lin Inch. Her Chinese name Zhang Qi Fu which means Special Blessing and she truly is special blessing to us. Emma was born April 15, 2009. She was born Premature and was found in the pediatric ward in the hospital of Zhangshu City. She is living in Zhangshu city SWI. Everything we read about Zhangshu SWI seems very positive. The other families that have traveled there all say there baby were well taken care of. They said they all were healthy and happy. They all seemed well fed and when they had there gotcha day, they were dressed nice and were clean with fresh haircuts and manicures. Even the families that adopted from Zhangshu chipped in for a care package to send to the SWI for the babies and nannies. That really says alot. We are happy to know our baby is being well taken care of until we can come get her and bring her home with us. Emma's weight at 9 months was 18 lbs, we are hoping to get an update soon. I cannot wait to see new pics of her. We sent her out a care package and we are waiting to hear if it arrived yet. We sent Emma a blanket I made for her. Some cloths and sock. Some snacks for the babies and the caretakers and a doll for Emma. We also included a picture book of for Emma to meet us. I sent a couple pics of Me and Ryan and my mom and dad. Google is great I typed in words i wanted translated and it translated all these words into Chinese so I could attach them to each picture.
We know Emma likes things that crinkle and she likes egg yolk soup. She likes complete quiet when she sleeps also does not like any cover on her. Right now we are in the process of decorating her Nursey. I got a blind that blocks out all light so I hope that help her sleep. We do have two dogs that like to bark so as for complete quite I don't know what I am going to. I might have to get better cutains for our windows so the dogs can't see whats going on outside and wont bark. Well it will be really nice having her home for the summer. we cant wait to take her for walks outside and in the park. going to the beach and most of all A phillies game.

One day later!

Wow what a day yesterday. I have heard rumors this weekend that LoA coul be coming out on Monday but I didn't beleive ours would be sent. I really thought after reading people's blogs and Rumor Queens blog that we were not going to hear anything until April 15. So I got to work around 2 in the afternoon and was setting things up when my cell phone rang. As my phone was ringing two customers were walking in the door. I almost didn't answer my phone usually when I am at work I don't answer my cell. Thank God I answered because it was my socail worker Sarah telling me LOA arrived. I couldn't scream or get very excited because standing in front of me were a bride and her bridesmaid ready to pick out bridesmaids dresses. So I put Sarah on hold and rushed them into the room with bridesmaid gowns and returned to phone call to tell Sarah I be there in an hour to pick up the paperwork. I couldn't hang up with her quick enough to call Ryan. I don't think he beleived me when I called him. I joke around alot but this would never be something I would joke about. I called my mom made her come to work and off to our adoption agency to sign our paperwork and we are now just waiting for a phone number so we can next day it to Texas for immagration to give us the ok. Then we wait for Travel Approval. We can't wait. Yesterday we had plans to go to my cousins house for dinner, just a nice dinner for me and my cousin John. Well I call Rose to tell her abour LOA. When we got there it was a nice suprise she had champagne ready for us and a nice toast. This is all very exciting for us. Hopefully this month will fly by and all of our paperwork will process and get back to us sooner than later.
Congrats to all the other families that got to see there baby today!!! We wish you lots of luck and hopeing you LOA's and TA get here really soon.

Letter of Acceptance

We just got word, we received our Letter of Acceptance!!! I will post more tonight. We are super excited.

Red Thread

Wow the more I think about the red thread the more things I am realizing. Well we started the adoption process Jan 19th 2009. Well that was the offical date we gave Living Hope our application. This Jan 19th we recieved our referrall of Emma. A couple days before my b-day. Our LID was Aug 6. Aug is Ryan b day and the 6th of Oct is our wedding anniversay. Emma's bday is April 15th also Ryan mom's bday month.
Well hopefully we will travel in May which will really tie the thread together by May being a really important part of my life. First my mom's bday is in May also my nephew's and grandmother bday. And what a wonderful mothers day present that would be for me.