Care Package #1 Has Arrived!

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MY PERSONAL BLOG ON 3/23/09

I have been tracking the progress of Da Xin's first care package and just found that it has arrived at the orphanage several hours ago. I am not sure how long it will take to get to Da Xin, who is living in foster care, but I am excited that she will be getting it SOON!!! To think that she will soon be seeing pictures of her forever family, including her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. Oh, I hope she likes us!! I so wish I could find out what her reaction is.

Of course, I hope she gets all of the contents, too, along with the money we sent her. Since she is 10, our agency suggested we send her some Yuan so that she could write us back. I am so excited to think that we could be receiving a letter from her in the near future. Our agency will translate it for us, thankfully.

I don't think I've mentioned this, but Da Xin's measurements are identical to Leila's. Identical!! So, Leila was our clothes model for the care package. I'm hoping the measurements are accurate and that everything fits her. We enclosed four disposable cameras and asked her to take pics of her friends, teachers, caregivers/foster family and her favorite places. In the next care package, I'd love to send something to her foster family. Anyone have any ideas?

I know one thing... I need to cut back on the size of the next package. Shipping to China is so not inexpensive. Ouch!!

We're DTC, Baby!

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON MY PERSONAL BLOG ON 2/11/09

Oh yeah, today is an exciting day! Our dossier is finally on its way to China!! Oh, happy dance, happy dance. For someone who never thought she would be paper-chasing again, I am so glad to have this part completed. It is such a weight off my shoulders. Plus, I just sent in our 11th and final week of adoption homework required by our agency. YEAH!! Now, it is starting to become so real - that in the next six or so months we will be traveling to China to bring home our daughter. That we will soon have a "tween" daughter in our house. Yikes!!

Our dossier - Each document handled four times: 1) Signed by us and a notary; 2) Signed by the County Clerk to verify the notary (an extra step in our state); 3) Secretary of State Seal; and 4) Chinese Embassy Seal.

Mia walks around the house these days saying she wants her "udder Da Xin (Da Sheen) Leila." She calls her "her other Leila", because in Mia's mind, Leila means sister. It is so cute.

And whenever Leila draws our family now, she includes Da Xin in the picture. Here is a recent picture of us going for a swim (apparently in shoulder pads). :) Da Xin has the long braids.

And because it is all finally becoming so real, I broke down and purchased a duvet cover and shams for her bedroom last night. I know I said I wanted to wait and ask her favorite color, but I lack patience and surely one of these colors will work! I really wanted to bring red into her room and I saw this one and knew it was perfect. (Thanks, P*B Teen! And Tisha - You'll love this... it's called the K*ensington Floral pattern!) I'm going to pull out the pink and red accents, not the blue like in the picture. Oh, the creative juices are flowing. I hope when it arrives in the mail I'll like the real thing. I thought it looked girly, but appropriate for an 11-year old.

On the dresser in this picture, you can see little Asian dolls. In the picture in the catalog, it has a matrioshka doll sitting on the bed. How appropriate is that!?!

Thanks to everyone for your support during this adoption. I really do feel your prayers. Please continue to pray that God prepares Da Xin's heart for this adoption and prepares her foster family as well. She has been with them for more than four years.

As of today, our agency said it is running at least six months from LID to travel. That means we may be missing her 11th birthday in early June. But I know it will be in God's time. And if He wants us to be with her on her birthday, we will be. I am still praying for that.

The next exciting step is that she will be told about us after we are logged in. She doesn't yet know she has a forever family waiting for her. After LID, we can send our first care package. I have been collecting things for a few months to send to her. Oh, I can't wait to get to deliver that package to the post office!! Oh, happy day!