We Have PA!!

Grace called today and we have PA!!! That means that China has approved us to be Oakley's parents and she's really going to be ours! AND, it means I can finally send her care package -- I'm anxious for her to have the photo album I've prepared in hopes that one of the nannies will help prepare her for our arrival.

I drove to the agency this afternoon to pick up our PA and the original photos they sent in her file, along with all of her original medical forms. I'm SO happy to have the photos and I'll use them in her Life Book as we begin to share with her the incredible story of how she joined our family. These pictures were taken when she was just four months old .... just look at that hair!

On This Day .... We Give Thanks

I'm a member of several on-line support groups -- one with other families who have adopted, or are in the process of adopting from the same Social Welfare Institute (SWI, aka orphanage). It's wonderful to learn from those who have "been there done that" and I've gained so much insight from these folks.

The day after Thanksgiving I received an email from Karen, who is adopting from the same SWI. Our agency put us in touch months ago, and I'm thankful for the contact. Karen's little girl, Caeleigh, is just a few months younger than Oakley. I'd mentioned before to her that I hope Caeleigh and Oakley are friends and that we get the opportunity to travel together. Her family is a little further along in the process, so that's unlikely, but I'm praying that our paperwork will travel the channels quickly!!

Anyway ....... Karen emailed me to let me know that another family is in China now, adopting their beautiful baby girl from the same SWI and they've taken pictures of every child and posted them on our online group's website for the other families!! Oakley and Caeleigh are standing side by side in one of the photos, wearing identical yellow sweaters (the same one she wore in her referral photo). Now I REALLY hope we get to travel together. It breaks my heart to think about Caeleigh leaving with her forever family, and Oakley remaining behind to wait for us.

It means so very much to see updated photos and I've studied each and every detail. So on this day, I give thanks to the Strand Family for taking the time to photograph each child so the parents waiting to travel can see their beautiful faces.

I physically ache for my little girl ....

October Accomplishments

1. 10/09/06 -- Submitted application form to AHH in consideration of Xin Xiang, aka Mya
   
   
2. 10/12/06 -- AHH MATCHED US WITH MYA
   
   
3. 10/13/06 -- Mike and I met with Stacie at Adoption Assistance regarding Home Study amendment
   
   
4. 10/19/06 -- Submitted LOI and PAPL
   
   
5. 10/22/06 -- Cancelled our contract with CCAI; sent letter to inform them that we've found our baby girl on another agency's waiting list

We Have a Name!!

Thank goodness! After months of deliberations we have finally reached a consensus and we think it suits her perfectly.

With great pleasure, we introduce ...

Oakley Xin Curd

The Name Game

STILL …. no name.

• Tatum is out, per Michael and Sawyer;


• Willow is out per me (because my sister, Lori, forwarded this photo to me .... remember Willow, the movie? Willow is on the right);


• Hagan does not like Evan;


• Sullivan is still trying to convince us that Eileen Kotino is the most beautiful name in the world ... go figure

We've now thrown Aden (although I think it may be too close to Hagan) and Brimlee into the mix. I like Sloan, but Michael definitely doesn’t want to use a one syllable first name … it’s too awkward with Curd.

Paperchase

We've amended our Home Study to reflect Xin Xiang's age and today we submitted our Letter of Intent (LOI) and Prospective Adoptive Parents Letter (PAPL) to AHH. The CCAA (in China) will review these documents and will hopefully issue a Parents Approval (PA), meaning we've received approval to adopt her, pending acceptance of our dossier. We are REALLY anxious to receive PA because then we can send her a care package!!

New Photos!!

We received new photos of Mya today. Bless her heart ... she looks so sad. And they've shaved her little head. I understand why ... to reduce the risk of lice and for ease of care ... but it seems like one more indignity she has to suffer. I understand that some agencies will start to let their hair grow once they know a family is coming ... I hope this is the case. I'm ready to go get her NOW!!


She looks so much thinner without all those layers of clothes on. I've magnified the photos as much as possible so I can study her little hands and toes. Sawyer likes the way she tucks her bottom lip in and Sullivan likes her Mickey Mouse sandals! She's ADORABLE!!

We STILL haven't decided on a name for her, although we'll definitely use Xin, her Chinese name as her middle name. We have a top four list (for now):

1. Willow


2. Tatum (Tate for short)


3. Hadley


4. Ramsey

We can't seem to reach a family consensus, so we'll continue searching for the perfect name.