LadyBugs, LadyBugs

My daughter and I saw two ladybugs today.

See what I have found about LadyBugs and Adoption:

"Many adoption websites, books, announcements, and other items feature ladybugs. Interestingly enough, this has no roots in Chinese culture (although they are red). The basic story is this: Several years ago in China, as the international adoption programs were beginning to take off, there was a fall season where the ladybug population grew unusually large. This was thought to be a lucky charm for those that were adopting, so now whenever ladybugs are seen, it is said that more beautiful children are being referred to wonderful waiting parents and families."

"From this incident the legend has grown, so that now ladybugs represent happy adoptive families being united with beautiful children in China. Additionally, on Shamian Island in Guangzhou, there is a very special shop a shop catering to adoptive families called The Ladybug Corner. Many adoptive families visit this shop for souvenirs of their journey. Many other China adoption stores, websites, books, announcements and other items feature ladybugs, which have become synonymous with successful Chinese adoptions."

http://siblings.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/ladybugs-part-1

http://siblings.adoptionblogs.com/weblogs/ladybugs-part-2

I-800 Approval

Well that wait is over. Now it is hurry to wait again. The next piece of paper is called an Article 5 Letter.

This is the process for Article 5 Letter. After USCIS provisionally approves the I-800 and transfers the case to Consulate Guangzhou through National Visa Center (NVC). We sent a copy of the approval with DS-230 visa application, copy of the growth and medical reports, original signed LOSC and a passport sized photo of child to our agency. Agency delivers to Consulate Guangzhou. Upon receipt of all required documents and fees, Consulate Guangzhou provisionally adjudicates the DS-230. Consulate Guangzhou signs the LOSC and issues and signs an Article 5 Letter.

Receipt/Acknowledgement Notice

Well it only took seven days to get from Chicago to Lee Summit, MO. They received the I-800 4/10/09 and the receipt was dated 4/17/09. Now it is sit and wait longer for provisional approval. Well I got half the birthday taken care so I have been busy during this wait time. I thought I would put a timeline in this entry.

Received referral 11/07
LOI sent 12/07
PA received 2/07/08
DTC 12/03/08
LID 1/14/09
LOSC/LOA 4/6/09
I-800 approval 4/20/09 Update 4/24/09
Article 5 ?
CA/TA ?

Still Waiting for I-800 approval

Still have not heard about our I-800 approval. Wait we will! This has given me time to catch up or should I say start the birthday bonanza with our families. We as least have a one birthday a week now until Mid-July. Then they are sporadic until around Christmas time. After the end of January, it is sporadic until end of April again. So you can see I need this waiting time to do the Birthday rush! Especially if we are traveling during this rush time. I hope to have them all taken care of by the end of this week. I really need to start packing and getting ready for this trip. It will be here before we know it. Better get busy and wait!

Cast Off and Dr Appt

Hubby got his cast off yesterday! He is now in a walking boot. Physical therapy will start soon. Hopefully he will be limited crutches by the time we travel for Theo. I survived spring break and the number of doctor appointment this week for my daughter. I guess I was getting ready for when Theo gets home and the number of appointment we will have. Daughter is doing great. No braces until her six year old molars are level with the rest of teeth. That could be this fall or next spring but coming soon. This mean bone graph sooner than later for her. Her 6 year old check went well. She is in the 40% for height. After 6 years of being in the 25% we jumped up! Still predicting that she will be 5' 2" to 5' 4". This mean she will be as tall as Mom. I was hoping she would get the tall genes but no such luck.

Lady Bug Sighting

We saw a lady bug today while my daughter and I were visiting the zoo today. Once we got home the boards were listing a bunch of LOA/LOSC today! Such happy news! I know the adoption boards were going to be busy with news since we sighted a lady bug! Now if I could get some good news I would be excited.

Daughter's ENT appointment

Yesterday I took my daughter for her quarterly ENT appointment. Everything went great. She had a hearing test and her hearing is normal! Her ears look good. She still has on tube left in her left ear. She lost the right one about six months after placement. This is her second set of tubes. We hope she will not need another set. It is strongly looking this way!!!!! The scar tissue does not seem to be affecting her hearing. We will be being see him again in July. I even made an appointment for Theo at the same time. I really am hoping to have him by the time of the appointment.

Happy Easter!

Well this will be the last Easter without our son. I really missed the idea of having two kids to wake me up to say the Easter Bunny was here and to have each one the kids sing at church services. Yesterday was hard to see the 3 years at the Easter egg hunt knowing my son is not with us yet! I am not much one for tears but I was babbling and crying until it was time for my daughter turn. It helped that the neighbor's son and my daughter were together for the egg gathering. We even colored eggs together later that day. Their son is 6 months older than my daughter so we have done a lot of things together. They can't wait to add another boy to the cud-de-sac. It is currently dominated with girls. Poor Theo he will be dominated by girls on my side of the family. He will be grandchild #11 and grandson #4. I will have the youngest girl and the youngest boy when we go to my parent's 50 Wedding anniversary party this summer. Atleast I know we will be home with him prior to the party and he will get to be included in the family photo. Hubby side of the family is balanced on the other side. He will be grandchild #6 and grandson #5. That is right my daughter is the only girl on my husband side. And yes boys you are giants to the little princess. I do not think any of the boys are below 6 foot anymore. It is hard to believe the third one will be 21 in a couple of weeks.

Just wanted to say Happy Easter to everyone!

I-800

I got the I-800 form off to Chicago today. I was up late last night making sure all the documents were filled out right. I made sure everything was scanned for verification. Hoping the holiday will not slow down things too much. We start spring break tomorrow! We have a ton of doctor appt set up for everyone. Did not plan it this way it is just how it happens. DD see her ENT every 3 months, we have her 6 year old check and her 6 month dentist appointment. Hubby gets his cast off next Friday. He is looking forward to that! He only had it on for 2 1/2 weeks. Next he will have a walking boot. Well I better get some sleep. Do it now while I still can!

LOSC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah! The day after I finally decided to post about our long wait for LOSC(hence the "81 Days" post), it came! I guess whining helps and 8 is our new lucky number or we will make it his lucky number. We've been super busy with our lives. This week is Library week at my daughter school so I had signed up to read today and it was also the parent volunteer meeting so it was late morning that I saw a message on my cellphone. You could of knocked me over with a feather. Or maybe the sinus infection caused that! I now have a lot of paperwork to do. Time to destroy another forest!

Day 81

I always thought seven was my lucky number. My bio daughter was 7lbs and 7 oz. at birth. She was the 7th granddaughter born on my side of the family. I started labor on the 7th even though she was born on the 8th. But waiting for LOA has turned into the 80's. So lets see what I can make with 8. My daughter is the 8th grandchild on my side. Her birthday is on the 8th. The day of both my husband and I birthday can be divided by 2 to get 8. Our son will be the 8th boy if you combine husband 4 nephews and my 3 nephews. You divide the years we were married before daughter was born by 2 you will get 8. (even thought we were days shy of 17 years)

Current Pic's

Day 77

Today is day #77 in our wait! It is a little tough since another family who has the same LID announced that they have LOA on the 75th day. Wait we will! On the bright side, hubby fractured his heel on March 10th and so the wait is better for him. He had the stitches taken out today and the heel looks great! He finally has a cast! The cast will come off on the 17th of this month. He will transition to a walking boot but can't place weight on it for a couple of more months.