I-800Aaaaaaahhhhhhh

Finally, some action. 

Adoption has a lot of hurry up and wait.We have been in "wait" mode for a while. Waiting is not fun.

Adoption is marked with many hold ups and many small victories. Today was a good day. 

     We had our last home study visit in early July. Since then, we have been waiting for our social worker to write up our home study. This is the physical document that talks about Jason and I, our relationship, our kids, our jobs, and our families. It says why we want to adopt and what type of child our social worker says we are qualified for. In other words, its super important. We couldn't go any further without it. 

     In the state of Illinois, after the social worker approves you, your home study still has to be approved by DCFS. Illinois is the only state that has this extra step. Unfortunately, there is only one lady in the entire state that does this job. What we thought would take less than a week ended up dragging out for what felt like forever. 

     Finally today we got it. The golden ticket. Our home study and DCFS approval.

So what does this mean? Now we can move on to the next step. 

Now we can apply for our I-800A. So what's that? According to our agency the I-800A is approval from the US Government-specifically the FBI, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-for us to adopt internationally. 

We filled out more applications, made more copies of our passports, birth certificates, and marriage licenses and wrote another check. 

Oops, didn't realize I was wearing my F*CK cancer shirt. I think Big Jim would have wanted it that way.

I rushed home as soon as I was done with my last patient (sorry kid whose stitches I took out too fast) to make it to the post office before it closed. 

We made it! That is one important envelope. On its way to Texas. 

So what happens next? I wish I could say we're getting close, but the truth is we're not. Now we wait for this I800-A approval. That step has been taking on average 55 days. So we wait again. 

Here's what I know so far- This is hard. Really, really hard. It takes one million times more patience than I have. It takes 100 times more organization than I usually have. This is NOT for wimps. 

Here's what else I know- It's worth it. SHE is worth it. I am already head over heels in love with someone I've never met. So really, it doesn't matter how many times we have to sign our name. It doesn't matter how many copies we have to make at 9:00 at night. It doesn't matter how many checks we have to write. All I've seen is 5 little pictures. All I've read is a few translated words written by someone who doesn't love her. 

IT'S ENOUGH. 

I KNOW she is worth it. No matter what. 

August Care Package

Last week we sent Zi Shu another care package. I had thought we would send her one every month. I'm not sure if that's what we should do or not? My practical side wonders where she could put "her" stuff? I have no idea if she has a cubby or a locker or really anything that is just hers.  

So the care packages may be as much for me as they are for her??

Regardless, care package #3 is on it's way to Luoyang, Ch*na.

I managed to fit a lot into that box. 2 outfits, another disposable camera, a princess play phone, a Minnie Mouse, chex Mix and Dove chocolates for the nannies, suckers for the other kids, a nanky, and a photo book. Aunt YaYa snuck the tiniest little purse in for her too.

Her nanky. I got her bedding on Etsy and had the same lady make matching lovies. It is so soft! I did get 2 of these made in case she doesn't get home with this one.

The photo book turned out SO CUTE. It's a chunky board book. 

Who Loves Zi Shu? In English and Chinese.

I pray she gets it and her nannies read it to her. I have to hope that seeing pictures of us in advance will help prepare her. 

Can you imagine what those Ch*inese nannies must think when they see our family? I have visions of her nanny taking it around to show all the other nannies. I know I totally would! Or maybe Ch*nese nannies aren't snarky?

Magic Kingdom part 2

 

After Dumbo we were out to meet some characters. New Fantasyland holds Pete's Silly Sideshow where you can meet Daisy, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald. The boys love meeting characters. They don't say much, but neither do the characters so it works. We brought Penelope's picture with us.

 

I think Daisy was excited. Daisy's handler was a super sweet girl. She told us she was adopted and thanked us for adopting our kids. Believe me, no thanks needed, it's our pleasure

Mam-Minnie has poodles too!

 

Goofy is very tall!  

 

 

 

I was super excited to get Zi Shu her first Mickey ears.

 

I have bought the kids so many different versions of these over the years, but this was the first time I got to buy pink :).

 

I decided we will wait till she is with us to get her "Penelope" ears.  

 

We are lunch at Be Our Guest. We had eaten dinner there at Christmas and loved it, but I wasn't able to get a reservation for this trip (hangs her head in shame). Lunch is counter service so no reservation needed. Honestly, the food was too fancy for the kids, but still very cool to eat in the Beast's Castle.

 

Not sure what Dex was doing here? 

 

Just hanging out at Gaston's Tavern

 

We rode the Little Mermaid Ride. Very cute. Quincy Loves it.

 

Tea Cups! Jason doesn't do these. 

"Those tea cups messed me up right here" Jason Fulton, 2006

 

The Carousel was closed. Boo. We still got to try to pull the sword from the stone. Denied. 

 

We met Mickey and some princesses before we left for the day. 

 

 

The Princesses all got new dresses. They were beautiful! Luckily Q didn't tackle Cinderella (he has before)

Aurora was beautiful. Very chatty. 

Rapunzel was hilarious. She played with Dex's glasses for a while. 

 

Penelope, all the princesses said they can't wait to meet you! 

After this is was back to the Poly to SWIM!!

 

We had dinner at Ohana. We love Ohana, in fact we love it so much that we ate there twice this trip. It's another "hard to get" reservation. All the salad, noodles, pot sticker, veggies, wings, and meat on a stick you can eat.

Top it off with banana bread pudding with ice cream and caramel sauce. I've never sent anyone there who hasn't loved it.

We headed back to the MK after dinner.

Jason, Quinn and I rode TTA. We LOVE this ride. It's slow but its one of my favorites. I'm guessing Gabe and Dex were riding Space Mountain while we rode this.

After that we did Monster's Inc Laugh Floor. No pics, but believe me, its really really funny.

 

 

Off to Adventureland for Q's FAVORITE ride... 

 

Pirates of the Caribbean. The line was 20 minutes long. For us, that's really long. No fast pass so we waited. That's how much we love Quincy ;). We could see the boats when the line broke down. We waited at least another 15 minutes there. All the while, the guy in line behind us was talking REALLY loud on his cell phone. In another language. I think it was Portuguese?? He was face timing so every once in a while he would show whoever he was talking to what was going on around him. His wife didn't look nearly embarrassed enough.

 

We all loved POTC, worth the wait.

 

After that we headed back to the Poly. We watched wished from the beach and went to bed. Great day with the people I love the most in this world!

First Day of School

Back to school already. Sigh. Summer was way too short. I'll admit it, summer is an easier time for me. With a teacher hubby, it's very nice not to have to worry about getting home at a certain time to pick kids up each evening.

At any rate, back to the real world.

We started with Pre-K open house for Quincy. Quincy will be by himself in class this year, last year he and Dex were in the same Pre-K class. I think he was a little nervous to go without Dexter, but the teachers always said they didn't play together that much.

Q rocked his "pity the fools" shirt Jill Bierman gave him.

Apparently he was happy to make himself right at home in the reading area. 

Dexter starts kindergarten this year. Don't get me started on how fast time is flying with these kids!

The next night it was back to Ste. Marie for Dexter's Kindergarten open house. 

He found his table. 

Dex is in the same class as Drake Wolf so he's happy.  

The night before the big day. Clothes out and ready to go... 

Gabe is in the 8th grade. He is taller than me. He was NOT interested in holding his "First Day of 8th Grade" sign. He was terrified I was going to make him hold it in front of the school. Tempting, but I didn't.

Ready to GO!!

Neither appreciated Quinn's photo bomb (Pre-K didn't start till this week). 

I promise he was much happier to go to school than he looks in these pictures.

Tricked Gabe into this quick one.

Waiting for the school bus. Doesn't he look just precious?? BTW-one advantage to adopting-you can brag about how beautiful your children are because you don't get to take credit.

Aren't they beautiful ;) 

We're on Roger's bus again this year. From what I hear Roger is THE best. At least that's what Dex and Q tell me.... 

One last look back and my baby was off. No longer a baby. A big kid who gets to eat school lunch on a tray. Sniff Sniff.

He's back! He had a great first day. He's loving school so far.  

Monday was the first day of Pre-K. Quincy wore the same Abercrombie shirt that Gabe and Dex both wore on their first days of Pre-K. He didn't wear it last year because he and Dex had to match. Matching trumped tradition. Don't worry, they're back to matching. 

Quinn helping himself to left over birthday cake for breakfast. I took the first day of kindergarten of but not the first day of Pre-K. In my defense, it wasn't his first first day since he went to Pre-K last year.  

These pictures are what happens when you ask a man to do a woman's job. Sigh. I really do appreciate the effort. Thanks honey. 

Dex looks like he is in pain. Apparently Steve Goebel from 1989 picked out Gabe's outfit.  

So, all is well with school for everyone so far.

Now we get back into the routine of school/football/football/football/football/football.

Once things get going I love this time of the year. Mostly :).