Friday, March 25, 2011

We are moving!

just our website!! We are making the move to a site that we used for Zoe and know we can access easily in China! Here's our new site.....

www.babyjellybeans.com

go to the "search websites" and for childs first name put: jd and last name: freeby. the password for this is qingqing.

thanks!
Liz and Steve

Thursday, March 24, 2011

crazy blog

This site is wonderful but also frustrating! I can't change the timeline on the side as it just won't let me anymore. I know when I go to China that I'll need to have a differant blog so I won't worry. Apparantly blogspot doesn't work well over there so I'll probably change to journey to me. Matter of fact....I may start working on that in the next day or so and then post it on here what that info will be.

Still waiting! We got an update on him yesterday with a few more pictures and then our SW said we need to read the update and then sign if we're still interested in pursuing him. WHAT?!?!?! I was thinking...what is in this update that we need to figure out if we'll still adopt him. I opened it up and it's basically our same info. Hmmm, let me think.......YES YES YES YES YES, we want him!!!! DUH!

Next week we should get our Article 5 letter and then our TA(travel approval) comes anywhere from 2 - 4 weeks later! I'm voting for the 2 weeks (if they want my opinion!). After we get our TA...it's only about 2 weeks until we travel. I think that will be so surreal and I can't believe it is ever going to happen....i hate waiting!

Wooohooo!

Monday, March 14, 2011

NVC...part 2 I guess!

Okay....just got an email and I think our NVC was approved and we're now ready to get our article 5!!! With the new Hague rules there are a few more steps than when we adopted Zoe.

NVC- (National Visa Center) : within 1-3 business days, the NVC will "cable" (basically emailing/sending electronically) your file to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China. This is approval of your visa petition.

Here's a re-cap (I think this is right) of what we have left:

Article 5: If the consular officer approves the application, he'll send the convention country's Central Authority - it oversees adoptions in the country - an Article 5 Letter, stating that you're a suitable adoptive parent and that the child will be able to enter and reside permanently in the US. You cannot adopt a child without the article 5 letter. after that........

TA (travel approval): We then get approved to travel and things should really start happening fast. Once we get TA, we will probably travel in about 2 weeks (or less?!!?!?). after that......

CA (Consulate appointment): this will be about a month after TA and it's our last thing we do in China before leaving for home.

So that's it in a nutshell....things are moving along and our little sideline "to do" list is slowly dwindling and heading to the "ta done" list!

NVC and our paperwork

We got a confirmation that our paperwork has reached the NVC. Praying it's a quick process and we hear REAL soon! I can't believe how close we're getting yet it feels a million miles away still. I'm so thankful they will send our letter via email as we will get it WAY faster than mail.

Please please please please....hurrry this up!!!!

Dear Sir/Madam:
Your inquiry has been received at the NVC. The adoption petition you mentioned in your letter has recently been entered into our computer system and assigned the case number listed below.
You will be notified once this case is forwarded to the assigned US Embassy/Consulate General.
Case Number: *******;

Beneficiary's Name: ***,QING QING
Preference Category: IH3
Your Priority Date: 17Feb2011
Foreign State Chargeability: CHINA - MAINLAND CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, VISA UNIT
1 SHAMIAN STREET SOUTH
GUANGZHOU 510133
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Once this case has been forwarded to the assigned US Embassy/Consulate General, the NVC will send a copy of the approval letter via email.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Visa time!

We now can send for our Chinese Visa's to be able to travel to China!! I get so excited with each step and then it's funny cuz everyone says "so when do you travel?" or "what does that mean?". I always feel foolish saying we still are witing to travel but we need to get through each of these steps in order to be able to travel to get him!

Soo....now I send $140 per visa (there's 3 of us) and then pay a courier (don't know how much they are yet). That's the sucky part of adoption is the expense of everything.

As we get closer I'm thinking of possibly sending JD another cake or something to let him know we are coming and hopefully explain a bit more about adoption and giving him the heads up about coming to live with us. I'm so sad for him to leave behind all he knows but I do know he will be loved, well cared for and a HUGE part of our family so that is a great thing. He will have so many opportunities in America vs. China that I know we're doing what's best for him.

anyway....off to fill out these visa paperwork and get that going!!!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Approved!

We got our I800 approval today!! Form I-800 is our Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative. It's your approval from USCIS to adopt the child you were matched with specifically.

Meaning....that the LOA is China saying we can have JD as our son and the I800 is the United States is saying the same thing!!! Woooohooooo!

Before I get too excited.....we still have a few steps to go before traveling but I'm thrilled we are as far as we are!!!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Birthday celebrations......


It's so nice to have our LOA and know we can send JD stuff! We sent him a package which I believe I blogged about and then sent a cake through Ann at redthread. It's quite spendy to do but I wanted to reach out someone and let him know we're thinking of him. I was delighted to get pictures back from his "birthday party". Hi birthday was 2/15 and he didn't get his cake until at least a week or 2 later. With Chinese New Year and Valentines, the places that deliver cake were too swamped and we knew it would be late. It's quite the fancy looking cake! Not sure about all that yellow frosting and the fruit but the kids in the pictures seemed to enjoy it so that is all that counts!
He looked so happy handing out cake to his friends and little treats that came with it. I really want to post pictures but I'm so afraid as my agency has said it's frowned upon and I don't want any issues right now that would result in a delay or worse! I can email them though....so let me know if you'd like to see them! (I just can't post them on public sites).

The wait is hard....but will be so worth it! Right now Zoe is helping me wash his new clothes and underwear and then I'll put them in his dresser until it's time to pack.

Monday, February 28, 2011

prediction.....

According to my sister....we leave in 6 weeks (Saturday) to get JD. Hmmmm.....love it but that would be a long shot!

This past weekend my mom jumped into the freezing cold lake to do the polar plunge for special Olympics. It was her 3rd year and so she's a pro by now! I'm thinking next year I just may try and join her! BRRRRRR.....but it's for a good cause. As I thought about this past weekend it dawned on me....I will have my very own special Olympic! With JD's dwarfism he's limited in some ways but really, will have a normal life just like any other person. He will always have to make some amends like a stool by counters, sinks and to reach things or to have a reaching stick to be able to get things that are just too high. But really....I cannot wait to see who this young man is going to be. I'm praying for a happy, healthy and well adjusted person. I'm so happy he can be anything he wants to be in life and will not always be labeled as the "short one". In China they don't look too fondly on people with disabilities but in America he can be all he wants to be. Oh, he'll still be stared at, possibly laughed at and have to work a bit harder to show who he is but ya know....I feel he's going to be something important! The first important thing will be for him to be a member of our family...how LUCKY are we?!?!!? I am so blessed and honored that God has chosen him for us and cannot wait to meet him.

yikes...I rambled a bit, sorry! I'm getting so anxious to meet him, hug him and just know him and can't wait!!

Singing off as the proud mom of JD! (oh yea and Jake, Joey and Zoe too!!!)

Monday, February 21, 2011

We interrupt this adoption for a snow day!




That's Jakes car a bit buried! and then the aftermath of outside life!! Laying in the snow is so fun!!!


Well...surprise, it has snowed in Minnesota!! I can't believe how much snow we've already gotten this year and now....it's snowing some more! I went to try and snowblow the driveway but couldn't get it started and shoveling was too hard!!! it's so thick and heavy. When Steve came home we both went out and it was so nice out....I gotta say, it was really fun.

Here's a few shots of today. Oh and on the adoption front, still waiting ( I know...shock) and I had a cake and stuff sent for JD. I'm praying he gets the stuff we've sent him and can enjoy the cake. It's late for his birthday but by the time I was given the okay to send something to him it was too late for a cake. Being his birthday is the day after Valentines day it was too busy and they couldn't do it until this week. It all works out in the end though...right?!?!!?

Still praying for speedy times!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Package sent

I finally got a package sent off for JD. I was told only a padded envelope as boxes aren't guarenteed to get to him. I sent him pictures of all of us and the house, a disposable camera, a couple matchbox cars, pens and a notebook (he seems to love them), candy, a Vikings hat and a note telling him how we can't wait for him to be in our family and told him all about us. When I mailed it they said it would take about 8 days to get to China. I'm hoping the orphanage brings it to his foster family so he can have his things and see our pictures.

Next thing is I want to send a cake but when he's in foster care I'm not sure how that works. I will investigate! It's fun to do things though as we wait and I"m hoping the time will go by quickly.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

LOA!!!!!

We have LOA......we have LOA.....we have LOA!!!!!

I cannot believe we received the call before China New Year! I was convinced it wasn't going to be until after. Soooo.....now we wait again! Our social worker is sending in for our I800a so we must wait for that. that's the immigration part. She said typically it's been about 3 months from now until we get our travel approval...hoping not quite as long but we must wait and see I guess.

We can now send him a package with some goodies, pictures and a letter. She said since my website is not password protected I need to wait to post his picture. My facebook is protected so I will put it on there!

Happy dance

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Gung Hay Fat Choy!


I think that is right anway....meaning Happy Chinese New Year. It's one of the biggest Holidays for the Chinese. Many businesses close down and families gather for the week to celebrate. The unfortunate part is that the CCAA (who processes the dossiers) will be shut down from Tuesday Feb 1 - 8th so NO work will be done. This means that realistically we won't hear about our LOA until at least a week from now. UGH...but what can you do?!?! I guess we celebrate Chinese New Year and be merry! The official New year day is Thursday February 3rd and Zoe and I will be going to a play that day with some friends and then hopefully to Chinese dinner at night with the family.


We are entering the year of the Rabbit! Here's a blurb about that: People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog.


You are a Rabbit if you were born 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011. If you have a January/early February birthday it's not always easy to just pick your year....you'd have to search to see when New Years fell on the year you were born to know. In our family....we have no Rabbits!

Monday, January 24, 2011

paperwork...paperwork...and more paperwork!

I'm in the paperwork stage again and have to say....loving it!!!

So we got a big packet in the mail from our agency today with lots to do. I'm thinking it's filing for the I800 but then again I think I'm not too understanding of the process here! Here's what we have:
child info...nothing new, he still has dwarfism
photos...ones we've already seen, but still so darn cute
agreement for referral acceptance....ummmmm, yah...duh, we will take him
person letter of acceptance ...We promise to love him and give him all we can
childs medical and family background report ...no family history (sad face)
I800, I864 and DS 230 application.....no clue
vaccine waiver...so happy they changed this, we can get his titers first and see what he needs
acknowledgement and release of liability for travel (smile)
child info confidentiality agreement....meaning, we can't post pictures yet
and of course the billing statement!!! LOL...this time we owe nothing...WOOOHOOO

So that is the gyst of what's going on. We had to get some notorized and then others just signed and hopefully we can get this sent back tomorrrow or Wednesday at the latest. We are still waiting on the LOA but it's nice to have some paperwork moving again....to let us remember we're soooo close

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Weekend away!

I had a fun scrapbooking weekend! I went with about 12 other ladies to a house in Crosslake where we scrapbooked, watch a movie, ate, visited and just relaxed. It was so nice to get away but I did miss the family! It was good to be home but needed a relaxing weekend.

I should have made time for homework but now...I'll need to really get cracking on it! UGH...such a procrastinator.

I could possible hear this week about our LOA... and praying I do! We are getting closer and closer to Chinese New Year and then the CCAA (who will process our paperwork) closes down from 2/1 - 2/8 so NOTHING will get done during that time.

Off to do homework but hopefully will post soon....WITH a picture when we get the OK!!!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

LID

Our LID is 12/29/10!!! So come on LOA.

The rough thing is our SW said that typically we would get our LSC (letter seeking confirmation) in about 2 months.....2 MONTHS!?!?!?! I don't like that but I"m having faith that it will come WAY sooner. I believe the LSC is the same as LOA by the way.

So pray pray pray....that it comes in record time!!! So although I'm really excited about the LID date, I'm hoping for miracles with the LOA!

On a happy note though.....the column with our time line is showing more things DONE that TO DO!! love that

Monday, January 17, 2011

Chinese fortune

Steve, Zoe and I went to our favorite Chinese restaurant today, it was soooo yummy!!!

Here's my fortune I got:
"stop waiting! Buy that ticket and take a trip today!"

LOVE IT....I wish I could buy my ticket to China and get that boy of ours!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Quiet....

It's all quiet on the homefront!! I'm learning a new system for my job so my mind is swirling with that. Plus on Monday I start school so I will be very very busy. BUT...not too busy to keep pacing and waiting for our LOA. I'm praying for speedy turnaround and would love a 2 week timeframe but I know that is very unrealistic but wouldn't that be just awesome?!?!!

Today I need to work (thankfully back at home) and wait for slumberland to deliver our new King size bed! I ordered new bedding on line and that is suppose to come today as well so it's going to be wonderful sleeping tonight....all snuggled in our BIG bed with the doggies!!! LOL

So...I will continue to wait for our LOA and know that when it comes....I'll be screaming with excitement.