Nesting While We Wait

We are currently in the point of this adoption where China is processing our "Article 5" (A5) paperwork. This process takes 10 business days and there is absolutely nothing we can do on our end to speed up that process. For some, this is the most relaxing part of the process because they know there is nothing they can do but wait. However, for me it is creating a ton of stress. Why? Because any day after the A5 is picked up, China can issue our Travel Approval (TA). Once we get that approval, our agency will schedule our Consulate Appointment (CA) at the US Embassy. Once that appointment is made, their China rep is able to book the other arrangements including our "Gotcha Day" (the day we will meet her), her medical appointment, and hotel and in-country travel arrangements. But here's the catch...our agency typically requires two weeks from TA to travel departure. Also, there is a "Tomb Sweeping" holiday in China that runs from 4/2 - 4/4. This means the Consulate is closed on 4/4 and most provinces are not scheduling any Gotcha Days that week either. So that means, we need to schedule either a 3/27 Gotcha Day or it will most likely get pushed to at least 4/10. In order to get a 3/27 Gotcha Day, we would need our TA by 3/10. Waiting until 4/10 wouldn't be the end of the world, but that creates another hurdle...There is a HUGE International Trade Show that takes place from 4/14 - 5/5 in the same city as the US Embassy. Of course, hotel rates are higher during that time but the crowd level is also much higher. We are trying desperately to avoid traveling during the trade show. So if we don't get a 3/27 Gotcha day, we will have a decision to make: Either go on 4/10 and deal with the trade show (we would be in that city on 4/14 - 4/19), or WAIT until May 1st to get our little girl. The thought of making that decision is stressing me out! So, what better way to pass the time than to "nest".

We started in her room. It is 100% ready to go. The paint is done, the Reading Nook is ready, pictures are hung and all of her clothes are washed and hung or placed in her dresser. We're really happy with the way it turned out.

Now that it is getting close to bringing her home, Casey also helped prepare our home for her. He took the time to label certain things around the house to help teach her what we call them in English.

We also decided to take the boys with us! They are both super excited. I emailed their school Principal and Vice Principal to ask them if they would have any problems with us taking them out of school for 2+ weeks. They both emphatically told us TO TAKE THEM. They both agreed that the boys will get much more education in those two weeks in China than any two weeks at school. Additionally, in order to save the additional weight of their text books, all of their teachers are willing to allow the boys to keep a daily journal with what we do each day, what they see, what they think and how they feel about what's going on. Not only will this count as grades for them, but we will get to keep their journals as a keepsake forever. I can't wait to read the experience through their eyes. Plus, we feel it will make the transition easier for Cheyenne. She will get to see from day 1 what a family should look and feel like. We believe seeing how we interact with our boys will help her to trust us and bond with us much quicker than if we had her alone for two weeks.

Now we will transition to making packing lists and I may even practice packing everything we want to bring...we are attempting to do only carry on luggage.

In many ways it seems like just yesterday we started this process, but in others it feels like eternity. I know either way, she will be with us soon, but it feels like an eternity away. When I feel down about the waiting period, I read this fortune...ironically, it was in a fortune cookie I ate during my adoption shower. It couldn't be more true!