TRAVEL APPROVAL IS IN!!!

Woo hoo! We got travel approval at 10am today!!! We are so excited. We were so surprised though because our agency told us there would be no way to get it any sooner than this coming Thursday as families have never received TA before two weeks. We only waited one week!!! That's what I'm talking about... Why couldn't everything have gone this well?? It doesn't matter because we will soon be on our way:) We have been given a tentative date of May 12th for departure.... We have to wait for the consulate to verify our appointments and then we will have a definite date for departure. I can't believe that three weeks from today my daughter will be in my arms!!!! We can't wait:))

1 week down

Well, we are one week into the wait for the travel approval!!! We are praying everyday for it to come on in.... We really aren't expecting it though until week after next at the very earliest. But hey, we will take it just as soon as they'll send it:) I've started our packing and we are just about ready. We just need to pick up one more list of stuff and we will be set! Hooray!!! When they call with that TA we will be ready to board that plane:) Everything is really starting to feel real, although another 5-8 weeks away does seem so far in the distance. We know that it will fly by though.... I'll post with any news of course!!!

Article 5!!!

Hooray! We got news today that our article 5 had been picked up and would be delivered to the CCAA by Thursday, April 14th. The article 5 lets the CCAA know that Makalynne has been approved for a Visa to get back into the US as a citizen. Now..... We are finally on our last step!!! We can hardly believe that we are at this step in the adoption process. Now, we just have to wait 2-9 weeks to get our formal travel invitation from China to come get our little angel:) What???? We really cannot believe this!!! While they say it can take up to 9 weeks, the average is 3-4 weeks so please pray that it comes sooner rather than later.... Jenny, our travel advisor is really expecting to see our travel approval come through by the first week of May. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS:-)
We also think this is pretty cool how things are working out. This week we have really been trying to re-evaluate things since we are going to be traveling after the kids get out of school for summer. After careful consideration and weighing all pro's and con's, we have decided to take them with us on this journey. We really feel that they need to be a part of this process from the very first day. Makalynne will probably adjust better too. We are so very excited about our forever family day! We will keep you posted.

We got another update:)

Last Monday, I requested our agencies waiting child specialist, Cori, to get an updated picture and measurements for us. Well today.... Here they are! That was the fastest update ever... I wasn't expecting it until next week. But I was so grateful to have it arrive early! If we could just continue to get things early, I would be one happy momma!!! However, I'm unsure if our article 5 will be able to be picked up this week as apparently the Chinese are off for Tomb sweeping Holiday and are closed through Wednesday of this week. Oh well, we are still going to stay positive and hope for the best:) We were so excited to see our little princess in the photos today. She looks absolutely beautiful and she even looks happier in these photos. (Or maybe that's just her momma thinking she looks happier because I'm so happy to see new pictures of her, lol). Please continue to pray for our family as we hold on for this last couple of steps. Looking at other families travel approval dates and actual travel times, we are anticipating travel by the first of June. However, we are really still praying for the first of May... Makalynne truly looks well and we couldn't be happier!!! We also sent her a care package along with a photo of our family and a letter written to the nannies of her orphanage. It won't be long but we really need prayer to get us through this last stretch of time. Hold on Makalynne!!! We love you so much and we will be on our way soon:)

A little Early:-)

Well, we were hoping that our packet would be dropped off at the consulate for article 5 processing on Monday 3/28/11 or yesterday 3/31/11 at the latest... Well, I emailed Jenny Monday to see if it had been dropped off that day. She emailed me back Tuesday and informed me that it had actually been dropped off the Friday before 3/35/11.... What?!!! I was so excited. Finally, something working in descent time:) So we are just waiting to see when it gets picked up. As of right now, we are scheduled to have the article 5 picked up next Friday, April 8th!!! Then........ alll we wait for is travel approval from the CCAA so we can get our consulate appointment set up and get on that plane!!! Hold on baby girl, we are almost there:)) Keep praying!!! PLEASE!!!!!