Thank You Secret Buddy! Now Chloe is ready for her bath.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
I didn't buy it!
These were presents from some very dear friends. Missy got Chloe the book, and her sister Cindy got Chloe the cute ladybug and Lily dolls. Thank you so much! Cindy remains very optomistic and thinks that Chloe will be here by next Christmas (even though I told her it was impossible)
New Favorite Internet Store
I know I said I wasn't going to buy anything else, but who am I kidding, I shop, it is what I do. I found a new store (new to me anyway) called Little Misty's Boutique and it has the cutest, most adorable little girl (little boy stuff too) things. I bought Chloe some hair bows (with headbands since she probably won't have any hair when we get her) a cute little dress with a ladybug and her name, a personalized ladybug backpack/diaperbag and some other things I won't mention just in case my husband is reading this! Check it out! http://www.littlemistysboutique.com I will post pictures when it all comes in.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
I Had to buy it!
Ok, so I am looking at the stuff in the baby girls section, trying really hard not to buy anything, when I happened upon this t-shirt. I had to buy it.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Picture of December Secret Buddy Gift
Blaine had already opened up his gift when I finally got a chance to take the picture, so it is not included. Thanks again secret buddy!
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Thank You Secret Buddy
A special thanks to our October 2006 DTC Yahoo group Secret Buddy for all of the wonderful items for the Dec. 2006 exchange. We love the little outfit for Chloe, as well as the hat, mittens, cocoa, cookies and special gift for Blaine. Thanks so much!
Congratulations
Congratulations to all of the September 2005 families who received their referrals today!
100 Good Wishes Quilt
These are some of the "SQUISHES" we have received so far for Chloe's quilt. For those of you who do not know, we are making a traditional Chinese "100 Good Wishes Quilt" for Chloe. We are collecting 8x8 scissor cut or 7x7 rotary cut squares of pre-washed, 100% cotton fabric for a quilt for Chloe. Along with the fabric, friends and family, as well as other China adoptive parents, are sending special good wishes for Chloe that have the same pieces of the fabric attached to them. We will put these good wishes and fabric swatches in a scrapbook so that she can match the quilt squares with the wishes when she gets older. The idea is that she will have an heirloom quilt with the good wishes of family and friends to wrap around herself. If you haven't taken part in Chloe's quilt yet, there is still time. We are only about 50%of the way there. Thanks to everyone who has contributed squares and wishes "SQUISHES" to Chloe's quilt so far. Her quilt will be beautiful. If anyone out there would like to contribute a fabric square and wish or maybe trade fabric squares and wishes for your own 100 Good Wishes Quilt, please contact me at Courtisme@aol.com
Some of Chloe's New Toys
These are some of the items we have purchased for Chloe so far. I am trying to stop myself from making purchases, but when I see something that is a ladybug, panda bear, or an Asian doll, I can't help myself.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Adoption Timeline
January 2006 - We decide that we are ready to add to our family again and begin looking into our adoption options. We decide on international adoption, and the country of China, and begin looking for agencies dealing in adoptions from China.
January 27, 2006 - We mail in our application to GWCA.
February 3, 2006 - While in a cab on our way to the Hard Rock hotel in Orlando for a fun weekend we get a call from GWCA saying that out application had been accepted. We start to think of names, and stare lovingly at every little Asian child we see the entire weekend.
February 7, 2006 - Begin collecting documents for our Dossier.
February 9, 2006 - Joe has his physical and I order Joe's birth certificate from TX, mine from LA, and Blaine's from AR.
February 22, 2006 - Courtney's physical
February 27, 2006 - Joe and Courtney have their blood work done.
Also in February - have police checks done and ask 5 friends for personal reference letters for the home study.
March - receive birth certificates, prepare home for home study, make sure all police checks are done, get back results of physicals and blood work, get employment letters, insurance letters, financial statements and letter from doctors saying that my Crohn's disease won't interfere with my ability to parent a child, and get everything notarized at the Dr.s office because the physicals have to be signed by the doctor in the presence of a notary. I am sure I left something out.
April 7, 2006 - First home study visit with just Joe and I - 3hrs.
April 14, 2006 - Second home study visit with just Joe - 1hr
April 17, 2006 - Third home study visit with just Courtney - 1 hr
April 27, 2006 - Fourth and final home study visit with the whole family and walk through of our home
May 11, 2006 - Receive draft of our glowing home study to proofread. Everything looks great! Thanks Paula (our social worker was awesome)
May 18, 2006 - Mail first part of our Dossier to GWCA for them to have everything authenticated by the Secretary of States in TX, LA and AR, and by the Chinese consulate in Houston.
June 5, 2006 - Finally mail in I-600A to the CIS office in New Orleans. They are finally open and have finally returned to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
June 28, 2006 - Receive fingerprint appointment letter. Would leave right away to be fingerprinted but husband is away on business and we are leaving for Disney World on July 2nd for Blaine's 4th birthday.
July 10th - get fingerprinted for our FBI check. All we need now is for it to come back OK and for BCIS to issue us our 171 saying that we are pre approved to bring an orphan from another country into the US to be our child.
August - Didn't hear anything
September 23, 3006- WE GOT OUR 171 YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25, 2006 - After getting the last of our documents notarized we mail the rest of our Dossier to GWCA for review.
October 13, 2006 - GWCA informs us that this is our DTC date.
November 13, 2006 - GWCA informs us that this is our LID date, now we officially can start waiting. Current time frame from LID to referral - 15 months with an expected increase to at least 18 months to 2 years, possibly more:(
January 27, 2006 - We mail in our application to GWCA.
February 3, 2006 - While in a cab on our way to the Hard Rock hotel in Orlando for a fun weekend we get a call from GWCA saying that out application had been accepted. We start to think of names, and stare lovingly at every little Asian child we see the entire weekend.
February 7, 2006 - Begin collecting documents for our Dossier.
February 9, 2006 - Joe has his physical and I order Joe's birth certificate from TX, mine from LA, and Blaine's from AR.
February 22, 2006 - Courtney's physical
February 27, 2006 - Joe and Courtney have their blood work done.
Also in February - have police checks done and ask 5 friends for personal reference letters for the home study.
March - receive birth certificates, prepare home for home study, make sure all police checks are done, get back results of physicals and blood work, get employment letters, insurance letters, financial statements and letter from doctors saying that my Crohn's disease won't interfere with my ability to parent a child, and get everything notarized at the Dr.s office because the physicals have to be signed by the doctor in the presence of a notary. I am sure I left something out.
April 7, 2006 - First home study visit with just Joe and I - 3hrs.
April 14, 2006 - Second home study visit with just Joe - 1hr
April 17, 2006 - Third home study visit with just Courtney - 1 hr
April 27, 2006 - Fourth and final home study visit with the whole family and walk through of our home
May 11, 2006 - Receive draft of our glowing home study to proofread. Everything looks great! Thanks Paula (our social worker was awesome)
May 18, 2006 - Mail first part of our Dossier to GWCA for them to have everything authenticated by the Secretary of States in TX, LA and AR, and by the Chinese consulate in Houston.
June 5, 2006 - Finally mail in I-600A to the CIS office in New Orleans. They are finally open and have finally returned to Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.
June 28, 2006 - Receive fingerprint appointment letter. Would leave right away to be fingerprinted but husband is away on business and we are leaving for Disney World on July 2nd for Blaine's 4th birthday.
July 10th - get fingerprinted for our FBI check. All we need now is for it to come back OK and for BCIS to issue us our 171 saying that we are pre approved to bring an orphan from another country into the US to be our child.
August - Didn't hear anything
September 23, 3006- WE GOT OUR 171 YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25, 2006 - After getting the last of our documents notarized we mail the rest of our Dossier to GWCA for review.
October 13, 2006 - GWCA informs us that this is our DTC date.
November 13, 2006 - GWCA informs us that this is our LID date, now we officially can start waiting. Current time frame from LID to referral - 15 months with an expected increase to at least 18 months to 2 years, possibly more:(
Nursery
We chose Ladybugs as the theme for Chloe's nursery. In many cultures, ladybugs are a symbol of luck. In the China adoption community, ladybugs are considered lucky, and many swear that ladybug sightings mean that referrals are on their way.
Chloe Paige
This blog is dedicated to our journey to our baby girl in China. In January 2006 we started this journey with Great Wall China Adoptions. On October 13, 2006 our Dossier was finally sent to China, and on November 13, 2006, our Dossier was received and logged in at the China Center for Adoption Affairs. We hope to travel in 2008, at the latest, to pick up our daughter, whom we will name Chloe Paige.
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