Were we are at

We are waiting on ART 5 pick up and that is scheduled for March 9th!  Yea!! Ken is working on our visas and I am working on a packing list.  Addie's backpack came in the mail and I cant wait to start packing it.  Time to get the gifts, already got the red bags, not stressing on that this will be the 4th time and no one seems to really care.  Its getting close!!! Still hoping for beginning of April.  Also waiting on an update. Please come this week!!!!!!

What its really like

I removed a post I had posed several days ago.  Not because I am embarrassed or feel it was harmful in anyway now or later to Teddy.  But because whether or not advice or comments were meant to be positive they were not what I was looking for.  It was to make others aware that we don't always know how our children (or other people in general) feel and think.  To take the time to stop and really make sure daily that you know how their day is going.  Ted is doing great. He has many people who love and care about him and he will be getting professional help at school and outside if needed,  We thought he was doing well with the move we made almost 2 years ago but now we know he isn't.  We thought he was bonding and feeling secure in the family but maybe he isn't. We do know that Ted loves attention, he loves to be the loudest in the room and always right, he pouts easy and always thinks someone else has made out better then him.  These are issues we have worked on for 5 years but now its time for some outside help. 

Now for the title of my post.  Isn't it interesting we go to other families adoption blogs hoping to find out what its really like, how a child has transitioned into your family. But we get is "oh they are doing wonderful" "its like they have always been with us" "It was a wonderful experience".........Then when you read one that puts some real stuff out there you get comments like "Do you think you want your child to see this someday?" "Should this be on a public forum?" Its sad, I think we make people who suffer feel like they suffer alone (in life in general).

Now back to posting about our current adoption were everyone is waiting for cute pictures of our daughter and our journey to China.

Packing

We traveled in April for Lilly so we have been to China this time of the year before but I am having a hard time packing!  Not sure why but I just don't feel like it.  Ken and I both got new suitcases (mines purple) and I've been buying a few things and making list.  I bought these black pants from Old Navy that in the review someone wrote were GREAT for long flight travel.  I don't plan on wearing them on the plane but they seem really easy to wash in a sink and will look nice for the day we meet Addie.  I don't plan on dressing up but jeans and a T shirt isn't what I want either.  So this is what I have so far for clothes:

Wearing Yoga pants T shirt and sweat shirt on plane
Jeggings
black pants
tan capris

Sweater (button up)
red/blue/black short sleeve shirts
maybe a skirt (I like to wear skirts)
Swim suit? there is an indoor pool

I think I have all of Addies clothes figured out.  I know I can buy there but I really like to have the clothes washed before she wears them.  Well there will probably be a clothes update as it gets closer.

Up date

Too few and too far in between is how I blog! So here is what's been going on.  Our I800 has been approved. Ken called on my Birthday (2/13) and they told him it had been approved on 2/11 and sent to NVC.  He called NVC but it hadn't been put into their system yet and told him to call back middle of next week.  So hopefully it will be approved by Wednesday and we can get the information we need to file the DS260.  Then on to the next step.  We are still hoping to travel in April.  We are asking for an update on Wei Kang Hong this week.  When she was at Little Flowers we got new pictures at least once a month.  Now that she is back at the orphanage we get nothing.  Its been almost 2 months I'm a little  nervous to see a new picture of her.  They kept such good care of her at LF and now she is on so much more medication for the seizures .  We have plenty to keep us busy here so I think the time will pass quickly.  We are almost done with the painting for her side of the room and when that's done we can bring in the crib and her dresser.  I have clothes to wash and bedding to buy and that will happen the end of February.  Lots to do! 

No LSC BUT I800 Sent

Ive been putting off writing a post until we received our LSC/LOA and we were told last week we had been approved and  would have it this week BUT NOTHING!!! So when the phone rang and the number was our agency YEA? NO it still isn't here.  BUT (lots of buts here) our case worker wants to file our I800 and get things started and then when our I800 comes we will sign it and she will email it off to NBC and ask them to interfile it with the rest of our paperwork.  Hoping this will save a couple of days. So I would say that is good news! So our I800 was sent today. Next step approval! This wait is hard. Even knowing this it isn't any easier. It also doesn't get any easier the more times you do it. The kids are getting so anxious they really wish they were going but even if we changed our mind their passports expired (that's on my to do list).  I will miss them sooooooo much but I don't want to think about that yet.  Here's hoping the next steps are speedy ones.

Lots happened this week and hopfully more next week!

Well we know we were getting close to the average wait right now for LSC/LOA and I've been a little anxious. The wait average right now on one of the sights I stalk is 65 days.  We got an email from our agency on Thursday saying we had passed the reviewing department and was being passed on to the matching department.  The matching department agreed to issue our LSC as soon as possible.  Then Fri (yesterday) our status switched to matched which means they have issued our LSC!!! So our agency should have it (hoping early) next week!!!! Then what you ask? We have already filled our the I800 and it is waiting at the agency for our signed LSC to be sent our. Then we WAIT again (imagine that) for our I800 to be processed and our TA.  I've asked what the average time is from LCS to TA (travel approved sorry I forget not everyone speaks adoption) is and haven't heard back yet.  I'm thinking 60 ? So travel in April!!!??? Lets keep our fingers crossed BECAUSE with all this good news came a new update and they have her on two meds Phenobarbital and Topamax and having seizures "occasionally" but they don't know if she is having them before or after they give her the meds. So are the meds causing the seizures?  We just so much want her home and get her to our Doctor and get her evaluated so we know how to help her.

Up date

A couple of weeks ago we asked our agency for an update on Addie's height and weight.  We are planning on sending it along with the list of drugs they have recently put her on to our Doctor.  What we got back is that she has been moved back to the orphanage from Little Flowers.  She has spent pretty much her whole life at LF and now to be moved back with strangers.  My heart breaks every time I think about it.  Just one more thing to make this wait harder.  Like we need more help with that!