Dossier: The end is near!

It's so exciting to see our Dossier 'paperwork' phase coming to an end! We have a packet that goes to the U.S. gov this week and once they approve it - our final packet goes through our agency (for a final review) and then on to China.

Once everything is mailed to China, we move into the Referral phase. This phase puts us on the actual waiting list to be matched with our child!!

Of course that's when the real waiting begins... But I'm clinging to the belief that it will all happen at the perfect moment.

In the meantime, thank you for checking out our stores (etsy or coffee fundraiser); the next big payment is right around the corner...

Home study approved!!

Our home-study has been completed, approved and is now in our hot little hands! I am SO relieved to have made it through this rather draining portion of the paper-chase.

Next, we send it to our government with a form and a payment...

Then we'll have to wait for the USA to approve us.

Thanks to all our friends and family who have been supportive with their love, reference letters and fund-raising participation!

Don't forget to buy a bag of coffee and maybe a drawing or two, every little bit helps us to bring our daughter home.

Coffee Lovers of the World: help us bring our child home!

I am TICKLED TO DEATH today... I found this REALLY great opportunity for Chris and I to raise money for our adoption.
A fair trade coffee company will give us $5 for every bag of coffee sold to help us adopt our daughter!!

It is a win win win opportunity...
Coffee lovers buy coffee that they would buy anyway, free trade workers in developing nations are able to work in a job that treats them with respect and helps them to overcome poverty, our international adoption is funded... Do you have goosebumps yet?!

So please help our cause by buying coffee from our online store: www.justlovecoffee.com/kateandchris
**You do NOT have to start a membership, you can just buy it by the bag at the bottom of the store page.

Thank you!! (And please spread the word...)

It's a lifestyle thing...

As part of our second mailer, we have to include 'lifestyle photos'. These photos illustrate to the Chinese government how we spend most of our time. They use them to help match us up with a child that fits that same 'life' speed.

Since both of us are fairly calm people, I wanted to make sure the CG were able to see that side of us... But let's face it, when you are living your quiet life - you rarely take photos of it.
Therefore, our lovely friend Jen came over to take a couple shots of our normal day to day. Hold onto your hats people, we like to READ!

Half-way through the paperchase

One mailer down... one to go... Say a little prayer that they don't reject any of it's contents!

We have our doctors forms finished, financial documents in order and half our home study complete. I'll be happy when this portion is over, and out of our hands!

The coolest thing that has happened so far
One of Chris's best friend's sister 'Bianca' (you got all that?! whew!) comes from sort of a semi-psychic or very 'sensitive' family.

Anyway, Bianca spent the night in our guest room, (the future nursery for our little one). The next day she said to Chris I had a dream about your adoption. I dreamt that you and Kate adopted your Chinese daughter and named her 'Insert the secret name that the two of us have chosen'!!!

Chris couldn't believe it, and well, I do believe it. And am taking it as a VERY good sign that we are on the right path. The rest will take faith and a lot of patience.

Turn Your Head and Cough...

Chris is a little beat up after his pre-adoption doctors appointment. The poor guy had a tetanus shot, blood work AND a T.B. test all on his left arm. Not to mention all the other poking and prodding!

I too felt the pinch, as I still had to complete my T.B. test and a few other exams that they somehow forgot to order when I initially came in.

Fortunately, we get our results/doctor paperwork finalized Friday. No offense to the Hippocratic Oath-ers, but I am SICK of dealing with them! (pun intended...)

Traffic Jams, Roadblocks, Frustration, Oh MY

As we headed to our initial 'intake meeting' to assign us with our adoption social worker and get an overview of info...We enjoyed a ridiculous traffic jam. (In desperation, I took a photo of the road ahead...) We were at a standstill for an hour and subsequently an hour late for our meeting (thank goodness for cell phones!). Fortunately, they were beyond nice and able to squeeze us in anyway.

As the paperchase continues, we continue to exercise patience... Not my talent, but I hope to get better at it.

And throughout this process I would like to award my doctors office with the honor of 'worst customer service EVER'. What should be just one visit and a follow up for test results/document signing has turned into 6 visits because they keep forgetting to read the check off list of tests I need... and lost both our blood tests (taken on separate days) and Chris's urine...grrr... Our fluids are lost in the hospital Bermuda Triangle.