Diaper Bag

My good friend Susan, who I have known since we were 6 years old, sent me this adorable diaper bag for Olivia.

Busy, Busy, Busy.....

Gosh, I shouldn't even be posting (since I am so busy).... but I am a great procrastinator.

Tuesday I volunteered my last day at Catholic Charities Adoption Center. The ladies were so nice, they got me a pretty floral arrangement. I will miss seeing them once a week. Wednesday, I got my hair cut & colored, then I ran errands.

So, today I am home trying to get stuff done around here. I need to go up to Olivia's room. Silly me started the packing in there.... big mistake. I need to put all the stuff in a suitcase and move it to the guest bedroom.

Well, I need to get busy. By the way, I am doing laundry, so I am getting something done.

One week from today we will be on a plane heading to China. YEA! I can't believe it is almost here. YEA!

Colette

Can you say shoping????

I went to Gymboree yesterday and found these adorable clothes. I sure hope I did ok on sizes. I can't wait to try them on Olivia.

We have booked our plane tickets.

We leave 2 weeks from Thursday!

We finally got our consulate appointment. This is our last appointment we will have in China. It is with the United States Consulate. We will then get Olivia's passport the next day by 6:00 p.m. This is a day later then our agency was trying to schedule. What that means is we will be in China one more day. We will leave China Saturday morning (March 10) and be home Saturday night. This is with gaining 13 hours, with the time change.

We will be gone a total of 17 days. UGHHHHHHH! It will be worth it, but I hate to be away from Megan that long. I am sure going to miss her.

Itinerary for our trip to bring Olivia home!

Confirmed travel dates are as follows:

Thurs, Feb 22 - Leave the US
Fri, Feb 23 - Arrive in Beijing China
Sat, Feb 24 - Sightsee in BJ (TianAnMen Square & Forbidden City, the Great Wall)
Sun, Feb 25 -Fly to Olivia's province (Changsha, Hunan)
Mon, Feb 26 - meet Olivia (Gotcha Day)
Tues, Feb 27 - adoption procedure with registration and notary
Wed, Feb 28 to Mon, March 5 - sightseeing and free days in the province
Tues, March 6 - Fly to Guangzhou, (date to fly to GZ is subject to change)
Wed, Mar 7 - medical exam for children
Thurs, March 8 - ACS appt
Fri, March 9 - receive our child’s visa about 6:00pm.
March 10 - departure from Guangzhou (going home)

Baby Shower

My friends the Two Debbie's gave me a baby shower for Olivia.

I received lots of nice presents for Olivia. Megan also received some nice gifts too. Megan was at the shower, she just isn't in any of the pictures. I am a bad mom.

Janie, Debbie, Kelli, Amanda, Olivia, Sherri, me, Karen, Debbie & Julie. Stacey was there too but she left before we took the picture.

Olivia..... look how much fun is waiting for you!

Things are sure looking different around here..... can you say "toddler"?? When I walk downstairs in the morning I am startled to see baby furniture. I never thought this day would come.

In this corner there use to be a big desk. I was planning on buying a kid's rug but found this rug. The print is similar to our curtains in this room. There still is a "Little Tike's" toy-chest upstairs in Olivia's room. I guess I will leave it so she will have something to play with while we are upstairs.

Process to make a baby paper ready.

1. When a child is found, the local police conduct an investigation and the local adoption center assists in placing the child in an orphanage.

2. The department of civil affairs make an announcement in the adoption of abandoned infants and children whose biological parents can not be ascertained or found. The finding ads are in place for 3 months.

3. Once the 3 month period is over, the orphanage director and the local adoption center prepare the child's abandonment certificate, birth certificate, medical report, orphanage report and the child's daily schedule.

4. The child's paperwork is sent to the CCAA to be processed and then matched to a family's dossier.

Not all children are abandoned at birth. This can affect how old the child is at referral time. Also, it is up to each orphanage director to determine which children's paperwork will be gathered and sent to the CCAA. They refer children as young as 6, 7, 8... months old.

Another Picture

I forgot to post this picture of Olivia. This was the first picture that we seen of her, it was in black and white.

Olivia

Xinhua Orphanage

This is where Olivia is.... waiting for her family. From what we understand we wont be able to see the orphanage. They will bring the babies to Chansha (the capital of the Hunan Province) to meet us.

Olivia, Mommy is coming to get you soon. I can't wait!

February?? Maybe??

When we received our referral we thought we wouldn't be leaving for China till March. Well... our agency is actually saying (maybe) we could leave as soon as February 22nd! At first I was excited! Then I started looking at expenses. If we travel the last 2 weeks of February, it will be higher for our airfare (because of the Chinese New Year,). If you know me very well... you know this is killing me, because I am such a penny pincher (or as others have called me.... cheap).

Oh well, we have no control over the process of the adoption.... I have found that I need to let it go and try not to control the process. It is not possible with the adoption process. I have heard that adoption is not for the weak (or cheap) of heart... boy is that true. But, after going through everything we have with Rachel I will do anything to bring home a healthy child.

Colette

Sleep.....

WOW! What a last few days. Last night Bob and I went out to dinner to celebrate our new daughter. We both still have grins from ear to ear on our faces.

We got up early this morning went to church then to the grocery store. I think that was Bob's hint of saying we needed some food in the house. As I told you before I haven't been doing my household chores. My goal for the week is to have all of the Christmas decorations & dishes put away and have a spotless house by Friday. Do you think I can do it?? It will be hard to focus, since all I can think about is Olivia

I guess I really haven't been sleeping well these last few weeks with the anticipation of receiving our referral. Anyway, I just woke up from a 2 hour nap.... it was lovely. I need to make sure I get my rest I don't want to get sick before or during our trip.

I guess I should get off this computer and get some stuff done.

Colette

Olivia Xin Walker

Still waiting...

I have been very patient today waiting for the UPS man to deliver our package. The package will have 3 more pictures of Olivia. Well, I am no longer patient. Hurry up UPS man, there is a mommy that wants to see her baby.

We finally received it at 7:30. As you can tell by the background, I still have up my Christmas decorations. I guess someone has been preocupied lately to get anything done around the house.

Colette

Map of China

Olivia is living in the Hunan Province. It is toward the bottom of the map. More then likely we will fly into Beijing then to the Hunan Provine, then to Guangdong Province.

It's a girl..... Olivia Walker

I just gave birth.... at least it feels like it! We got the call at 11:30 a.m. This is what we have been waiting for.... our REFERRAL!

Chinese Name: Xin Min Ya
Translation: 'Min' means people and 'Ya' means elegant
Birthdate: March 12, 2006
Province: Hunan
City: Changsha
Medical: (as of September when she was 6 months old)
16.6 pounds and 27 inches long and has 2 teeth

We chose to name her Olivia, we are not sure on the middle name yet.

We are all so happy!
Colette

PATIENCE

I am having a hard day today. It feels as though I will never get to see a picture of our baby. No news on packages today. Hope to hear something soon. Still hopefull that we will receive our referral next Thursday or Friday. Below is a poem that I keep on my frig to keep me going. Colette


Patience is a hard discipline. It is not just waiting until something happens over which we have no control: the arrival of the bus, the end of the rain, the return of a friend, the resolution of a conflict.

Patience is not waiting passively until someone else does something.

Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are.

When we are impatient, we try to get away from where we are.

We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else.

Let's be patient and trust that the treasure we look for is hidden in the ground on which we stand."

--Henri J.M. Nouwen

Christmas Morning

Here is Megan after opening some of her presents!