We are one step closer to bringing our little girl home! We were TOTALLY surprised to get our LOA (letter seeking confirmation) in 37 days. This moves our travel plans up a good bit- expecting to travel in AUGUST!! 


So, my anxiety hit full speed over the past few days - it was like thinking I was 3 months pregnant when really I just found out I'm 7! I had in my head that Charlie and Edie would go back to school in the fall and I'd have time to "get ready." Change of plans!!


Really working hard on lining things up- turning Edie's room and closet into a space for 2 girls is probably the most concrete thing I can do at this point. Mainly I'm just trying to prepare my heart and mind to be a mom of 3- worried about the transitions for everyone- myself and Everette, Charlie and Edie, and little Song- however difficult or easy they may be-but the nature of which are unknown. It's a different kind of worry than when I was pregnant- as Song will be 2 1/2 years old- full of her own history, comforts, preferences, fears, habits....of which we know nothing about right now.

I'm hoping we go early August to get home in time for Charlie to start first grade on August 20. I REALLY want to be here to help him transition- he is so sweet and sensitive and I think will do better if we are here- but it may have to be my mom helping him, and that's the 2nd best scenario. I've lined up family to be on call as we won't know our exact dates of travel until 2 weeks b4 we leave- thanks family for being so flexible! 


The flip side of me is so thankful to be able to meet my little girl 2 months sooner. I do not want her to spend any more days without a family of her own than necessary. We sent her a care package last week and got confirmation that it arrived- it had an album with 25 pictures of us that were labeled mom, dad, brother, sister, dog, etc... (hope she likes dogs!) She got 2 new dresses, a pair of shoes, hair clips, a stuffed animal- and the package had a disposable camera that I HOPE the caretakers will use between now and August. So at least now she knows who we are, and that we are coming for her. I have heard that the staff at this orphanage prepares the children well for the arrival of their new family- so hopefully she is looking at our pictures often and smiling, like we are of her. 


 The photo above is the latest photo- taken April 2- will ask for another update in a few weeks and maybe get lucky with new pics/info/measurements. OH- and Ev and I have a date tonight to decide on her name! TBA! That's all for now! 

The Chinese believe that there is an invisible red thread connecting people to those they are destined to meet.

It's strange how we already feel so connected to Song. How could we not with that SWEET LITTLE FACE! I have framed photos all over the house- in the kids' bathrooms, the kitchen, staircase- it's like she has always been a part of the family. Now we just have to meet her!

The internet is a blessing these days for international adoption- in some ways, it enhances this "red thread" theory, literally.  I joined a yahoo group of families who have either adopted from or are in the process of adopting from the CWI of Hangzhou- and from one e-mail introducing myself, I got back about 10 responses- from ALL OVER the WORLD- Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada, and of course the U.S. Welcoming families gave me links to their blogs, insight into the city, and most important to me- the conditions and care at the orphanage.

Everyone has had great things to say. We DID get confirmation that Song is not living with a foster family like we originally thought- she is back at the orphanage. My guess is that she was allowed to live with a family while she was recovering from her surgery, and once she was strong that family took in another child to take her place who needed more assistance.

We are sad that she is longer with a family- it was easier waiting to bring her home thinking she is getting individual care - but I don't feel like I can complain from all the good things I've heard about her orphanage. At least she will be used to being around other kids, right?

The orphanage was built 3 years ago, and the pictures I have seen are very tidy, colorful, kid-friendly. It sounds like the staff get really attached to their kids- I have read stories in blogs of caretakers crying when the adopting families visit the orphanage to say goodbye with their new children.

(Side note to explain above- when you first meet your child in China it usually is in a Civil Affairs office in the capital city of the province where your child lives. You then might be allowed to go and visit the orphanage where your child lived - with permission- a few days after receiving custody of your child. This gives you a chance to see where your child lived, meet his/her caregivers, and the orphanage director. We are lucky in that the orphanage and civil affairs office are both in the city of Hangzhou- minimizing travel for us if we get to see the orphanage).

We were told that she goes to "kindergarten" (what a smart 2 year old!) - aka preschool- everyday. I heard they even have a music room! (ummm, Edie's preschool doesn't have a music room!) Most families received some sort of "scrapbook" from the time their child came to the CWI until they were adopted. The kids are dressed well- and her health seems amazing. She is right on track for a Chinese girl- my niece, Safina, who is adopted from Russia (whose birth mother was from Tajikistan- borders China) has almost the exact same measurements as Song- and they are only 2 months apart. It's so awesome that they will be so close in age- and are from the same continent!

LASTLY- THE PHOTO ABOVE....

A family from the Hangzhou yahoo group told me to check with a group called Red Thread Charities- a non-profit based in Minnesota- to see if they had recently been to Hangzhou and might have pictures of Song. Jane Steinmetz works for Red Thread Charities and responded to my e-mail with - Yes, I do have pictures of your daughter from our trip in October :) Hooray! She sent me 5 photos- the one above was the only close up of her.

www.redthreadcharities.org If you have time check out this organization- they travel several time a year to train orphanage staff and facilitate medical and developmental care for the children.

That's all for now. Praying our little friend was hugged today!

Song Wan Qiu

 

Take a peek at our daughter! These were her referral pictures-not sure how old she is in these pics. Think they are months apart.

We are so excited to announce her arrival into our lives. We first knew of her on April 11 (the day before Edie's 4th birthday), and after a SEARCH for her file on the shared list (that lasted 6 excruciatingly painful days) we were locked in with her on April 18 in the wee hours of the morning. We wrote our letter of intent for her later that day (which tells China you intend to adopt this child and why) and we received our PA, or pre-approval from China on April 23.

She turned 2 in February, and is currently living in Hangzhou City (110 miles SW of Shanghai)- either at the children's welfare institute or with a foster family. We have heard wonderful things about this orphanage and feel that she is being cared for in a stable environment, and even possibly by a family.

She was born with a congenital heart disease known as TOF or Tetralogy of Fallot, with secondary ASD. From her file we know that she was suffering from cyanotic spells (turning blue) from a lack of oxygen reaching her body b/c of her heart defect. On another post I will explain what all that means, but she has had open heart surgery already in China to fix this pretty significant problem.  We have been told from U.S. physicians- a pediatric cardiologist- that her surgery was performed well and that she looks great. She will need to have an annual check up with a cardiologist for the rest of her life, mostly because at some point she may need a valve replacement (most likely between the age of 10-20) as her heart grows.

We have asked for updates and are still trying to figure out if she's living at the orphanage or with a family. We are currently waiting on a letter seeking confirmation (most popularly known as LOA). This could take months- so I won't even guess when that will be. We know that at this point, most people we know travel about 6 months after PA (which we got yesterday)- so we are thinking we will travel in October. In the meantime, I will post new updates and pictures- and other outings/family adventures here - don't think I'm a lifetime blogger- but I think it's the best way to update everyone on this exciting journey until we bring her home:)

Also- no name yet! We were convinced that we were getting a boy (we had 2 awesome names picked out) - but have to start over with a girl! We are still in shock that this is our daughter! How blessed we feel!