We got our Pre-Aproval (PA) from China!

One more step down! Pam from our agency just called and gave us our pre-approval from CCAA (China). This means they have approved us to adopt Xin Xiao Yi! Now we just keep waiting for our travel approval (the infamous TA)!

More Pictures of our Daughter!

Her little face!

Laura & Xin Xiao Yi

Laura & Xin Xiao Yi

Our daughter on the guitar case. Nalani behind her. Nalani's son, Grant, playing the guitar.

Our daughter on the guitar case. Nalani behind her. Nalani's son, Grant, playing the guitar.

Laura holding our daughter up so that she would be seen in the picture too. Back row on the far left.

I feel so blessed. Ken at Hearts and Hands International led us to a wonderful and kind mother and daughter who had just been in Xinhui. They were there for Hearts and Hands International to help our babies. These pictures were sent by the mother, Nalani, who worked really hard to get them to us. These pictures have her daughter, Laura, in them holding our Xin Xiao Yi. Nalani said that Laura really loved Xin Xiao Yi and referred to her as "My Baby". You can see the love and excitement in Laura's eyes and the love she had even in the group shot wanting Xin Xiao Yi to be seen. This is an amazing family and I feel so blessed to have found them and to get to share Xin Xiao Yi's growing with them.

Surprise Pictures of our Daughter!!! 7 months old!

I have met an Online Angel named Ken! He and his wife run Hearts and Hands International, which provides surgeries, care, food, etc to the orphanages and has been working with our daughter's orphanage! He has pictures of her! He sent me this one and has said he would look to see if he has others. See, I told you he was an Online Angel! :) This picture is priceless!!! The date on the picture is July 6, 2006.

Again, a million "Thank You's" Ken!!!

Pictures of our Daughter's Orphanage

Xinhui Orphanage 2006

Front of Xinhui Orphanage

Garden Gate at Xinhui Orphanage

Playground at Xinhui Orphanage

Drying Diapers on Roof

Xinhui's Crib Room

Yesterday I finally found the right group that were parents with children at the orphanage our daughter is at. It has brought me so much peace to see the pictures of the orphanage she is in. The group is full of parents who have been there or who are going. It is both wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time to have them go there and be so close to her, while we are over here waiting for our travel approval. I am so thankful!

A very big thank you to whoever took these pictures and took the time to share them!

Care Packages Mailed to China!

Yesterday the boys and I mailed 2 care packages to China. I finally decided to put all of our daughter's stuff in 1 box and all of the stuff I wanted to donate to the Jiangment City Children's Welfate Institute in the other. This was easier with the form letter we got. That way I could check on one letter/box that it was a donation and the other that we would like it back.

We ended up sending our daughter:

• 3 cool summer outfits
  
• Disposable Camera for them to take pictures of her life in the orphanage for us
  
• Cute rabbit with chewable hands & feet
  
• Small lovey blanket
  
• Picture book with our pictures labeled in Chinese
  
• Oreo cookies to share with her nannies and friends
  

For the orphanage, we sent:

• 5 tubes of the 40% zinc oxide diaper rash creme. They can't get this high of a zinc oxide in China and our daughter had a pretty bad diaper rash...
  
• Some clothes
  

The post office said it should arrive in about 7 days. Here is hoping it all gets there! Both packages cost us $50/total to mail! :)

Kaleb lost his 1st tooth!

Kaleb lost his first tooth! He announced last Friday that it was loose and finally today it was hanging by a thread. The Tooth Fairy will have to put our address on her list of places to stop! :)

(Click on the picture if you want to see it bigger)

Another Referral Picture!

It is like Christmas around here! We got the packet from CCAI today that has all of our daughter's files and pictures in it. To our surprise there was another picture in it that we hadn't seen. This is a really good one too.

This packet from CCAI is really neat. It even has all of the info I need to send a care package to her. I can't wait to get all of the stuff together to mail for her.

After getting our packet, I quickly wrote up our Letter of Intent (LOI), filled out the Preliminary Assemssment form, and signed CCAI's Service Agreement. Had to go meet Cory at the bank to have the Service Agreement notarized and then ran it all to the post office to overnight it back to CCAI. They should receive it tomorrow before noon and will send it to China tomorrow.

We are on cloud nine around here!

Referral of Xin Xiao Yi

It is with great excitement that we announce the addition of a little girl to our family!!!!

Her name is Xin Xiao Yi (Shin Shiao Yee). She was born on November 20, 2005 (is currently 8 months old) and lives in Jiangmen City Xinhui District Children's Welfare Institute in Guangdong, China. In May she weighed 14lbs and was 25 inches long. According to her records, her favorite toy is a cloth doll and she loves to sit in her walker.

We expect to travel in 3 months to go get her. There is more paperwork to do and we have to wait for China's approval for travel. Once we have that travel approval, we will travel in about 2 weeks from there. Currently the average wait time for the travel approval is 90 days. So maybe in November???

We got the Brown Envelope!

Yesterday we got the famous "Brown Envelope" that contains the paperwork that we take to China with us for the adoption. This doesn't mean we are any closer to getting our daughter. It just means that we have it.

Quilt Block from Susan

This cute Care Bear fabric was sent from my long time friend, Susan. It was so hard picking just 1 Care Bear to use, but I think the heart one is the best for this purpose.

Susan, I will always treasure the years we spent together on swim team. We have both moved on and made even more of our lives, but the memories and our friendship will always remain. I briefly considered making your block with a "Double Mint Gum" theme, but it wasn't something I wanted to have to explain to my daughter. ;)

Quilt Block from Carissa V.

I made this block with fabric that my long time friend Carissa sent me. Carissa, there are so many things that I could have done to represent you, but I felt your faith was so strong that I should represent that. I hope you agree. Love, Lisa

Quilt Block from Eyre Family

This material is from my good friend Beth. Beth, I am sorry it has taken me so long to make your square. You were the first one to mail me some fabric and I wanted to make sure I made a block that really showed you how special you are to me. I have put a great deal of thought into your block. A friend offering a flower just seemed so perfect for you. I know we don't get to spend much time together, but I have always known that if I really needed something, you would be there. As I would for you. Thank you Beth.