We are two weeks down till we leave for China.
Due to hectic schedules I've gotten little done with regards to this outside of making Charlie's first doctor's appoinment. And getting a scrip for Scabies just in case.
Oh, wait. I did purchase travel insurance in case we get stranded by a Typhoon like the one that just hit Hong Kong last week.
Still on the to buy list are my skittles, the noodles and bulk quantities of toilet paper.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Baby Charlie
These pictures are from when my agency visited her orphanage for a camp. Feb 2011- She's right around 2.5 years old. I happen to love these pictures because it a) shows that someone in her life held her close and gave her a few hugs and b) she's so darn cute! Enjoy 'Baby' Charlie
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
You Know It's Real When........
Your plane tickets are bought!!!
20 Days till we board a plane to our Charlie. 22 days until she's in our arms!
After a long year of waiting, wondering, paperwork & red tape.......
We really are going to China to get our girl.
August 14th. It can't come fast enough!
It will be even more real after I figure out how to pack 300 Ramen noodles for Kurt and 15 gigantic bags of Skittles for me into a bag.
Sorry Charlie, we couldn't bring you toys to play with...Daddy needed to eat and your mother is like a crack addict with sugar and needed her fix.
(In case you are wondering..yes, we can probably easily buy Ramen noodles in China...but we may be buying spicy octopus flavor and not know it..and that will not sit well with Kurt. Also, sweet sugar is really just not big in the Chinese culture. I have several Chinese friends who grew up in China who won't eat American sweets & everytime they give me Chinese Sweets I'm like...whoa...hold up...there's sugar in this? I don't think so!).
So Ramen Noodles. And Skittles. On the list to buy.
Although-really-follow the blog- because Kurt told me he's gonna try a Scorpion on stick. This is a man who won't eat chicken. I'm holding him to that & it's gonna be captured on film!
20 Days till we board a plane to our Charlie. 22 days until she's in our arms!
After a long year of waiting, wondering, paperwork & red tape.......
We really are going to China to get our girl.
August 14th. It can't come fast enough!
It will be even more real after I figure out how to pack 300 Ramen noodles for Kurt and 15 gigantic bags of Skittles for me into a bag.
Sorry Charlie, we couldn't bring you toys to play with...Daddy needed to eat and your mother is like a crack addict with sugar and needed her fix.
(In case you are wondering..yes, we can probably easily buy Ramen noodles in China...but we may be buying spicy octopus flavor and not know it..and that will not sit well with Kurt. Also, sweet sugar is really just not big in the Chinese culture. I have several Chinese friends who grew up in China who won't eat American sweets & everytime they give me Chinese Sweets I'm like...whoa...hold up...there's sugar in this? I don't think so!).
So Ramen Noodles. And Skittles. On the list to buy.
Although-really-follow the blog- because Kurt told me he's gonna try a Scorpion on stick. This is a man who won't eat chicken. I'm holding him to that & it's gonna be captured on film!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Zodiac Signs- Predicting Charlie's Personality?
I looked up our Chinese Zodiacs so I knew what we all were in case I wanted to purchase some items in China with each of our signs.
I was shocked to see how accurate the descriptions fit our immediate family. I've copied the complete description and highlighted the ones that are particularly relevant traits to us....
Take a look:
Kurt and Becca were born in the Year of the Horse:
People born in this year are cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, and open-minded. Can be fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, rebellious, and stubborn.
(I believe Kurt and Becca do share a lot of the same traits!)
I was born in the Year of the Snake
People born in this year are
Deep thinker, wise, mystic, mysterious, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, intellectual, responsible, calm, compassionate, strong, constant, and purposeful. Can be a loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, narcissistic, and cold
Sarah was born in the Year of the Rooster
People born in this year
Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, and responsible. Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud, opinionated, and gives into empty bravado
I am amazed at how they fit us so well- especially, I feel- Sarah's and mine. And I don't fit any of us into other categories. Isn't that funny how well they fit us? I think so. Perhaps there really is something to this Chinese astronomy?
So let's see- Charlie was born in the year of the Rat....
Will this give us a clue to our little girl's personality?
Will she be:
Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming?
This little girl scheming & manipulative?
No way! :)
Funny enough- Ben is also Year of Rat & he fits many of the description above!!!
I was shocked to see how accurate the descriptions fit our immediate family. I've copied the complete description and highlighted the ones that are particularly relevant traits to us....
Take a look:
Kurt and Becca were born in the Year of the Horse:
People born in this year are cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, and open-minded. Can be fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, rebellious, and stubborn.
(I believe Kurt and Becca do share a lot of the same traits!)
I was born in the Year of the Snake
People born in this year are
Deep thinker, wise, mystic, mysterious, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, intellectual, responsible, calm, compassionate, strong, constant, and purposeful. Can be a loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, narcissistic, and cold
Sarah was born in the Year of the Rooster
People born in this year
Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, and responsible. Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud, opinionated, and gives into empty bravado
I am amazed at how they fit us so well- especially, I feel- Sarah's and mine. And I don't fit any of us into other categories. Isn't that funny how well they fit us? I think so. Perhaps there really is something to this Chinese astronomy?
So let's see- Charlie was born in the year of the Rat....
Will she be:
Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming?
This little girl scheming & manipulative?
No way! :)
Funny enough- Ben is also Year of Rat & he fits many of the description above!!!
Sunday, July 22, 2012
What to Pack?
Now that we are in the three week countdown, it's time to get my act together and buy the stuff we need to take with us to China. Only, this is the most difficult 'packing' I've faced before a trip. How DO you pack for someone you don't know?
I have some measurements. Per those measurements she's barely a 2T in weight & a 3T in height. However, measurements from China are known to be completely off. So what clothes do I bring? 2T or 3T? I decided mostly dresses. In 3T. That way, if they are big..they are big.... but she can still wear them.
What 'necessities' should I bring? Is she potty trained? Isn't she? I don't know. Guess that means Pulls Ups AND underwear. Throw in diaper cream, wipes & flushable toilet paper- so we have that all covered. Can she drink out of a cup? Bring sippies, just in case. Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste & lotion. What if she gets a fever? Or has a cold. Purchase cold medicine, vapor rub, child tylonol & child advil. Because I don't want to have to find that in a Chinese drug store if I need them. What other necessities do I need??? Still thinking........
Here's what I have...
Toys. We have 3 weeks to occupy her. Along with a 13 plus hour airplane ride home. We need some toys. But what is developmentally appropriate? She's bound to be developmentally delayed from being in an institution. Plus, what's her eyesight like? Oh, what to bring??? This is what I have so far......
I think the girls are going to build her a Build-A-Bear as well, and I'll bring that. Along with a blanket & pillow.
Don't even get me started on Kurt and myself. I got a list a mile long for that too. And we have to purchase 9,000 Ramen cups o' soup so Kurt will eat.....
I swear, it really has never been so hard to pack for a trip EVER. Think I'll get it together in 21 days? :)
I have some measurements. Per those measurements she's barely a 2T in weight & a 3T in height. However, measurements from China are known to be completely off. So what clothes do I bring? 2T or 3T? I decided mostly dresses. In 3T. That way, if they are big..they are big.... but she can still wear them.
What 'necessities' should I bring? Is she potty trained? Isn't she? I don't know. Guess that means Pulls Ups AND underwear. Throw in diaper cream, wipes & flushable toilet paper- so we have that all covered. Can she drink out of a cup? Bring sippies, just in case. Shampoo, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste & lotion. What if she gets a fever? Or has a cold. Purchase cold medicine, vapor rub, child tylonol & child advil. Because I don't want to have to find that in a Chinese drug store if I need them. What other necessities do I need??? Still thinking........
Here's what I have...
Toys. We have 3 weeks to occupy her. Along with a 13 plus hour airplane ride home. We need some toys. But what is developmentally appropriate? She's bound to be developmentally delayed from being in an institution. Plus, what's her eyesight like? Oh, what to bring??? This is what I have so far......
I think the girls are going to build her a Build-A-Bear as well, and I'll bring that. Along with a blanket & pillow.
Don't even get me started on Kurt and myself. I got a list a mile long for that too. And we have to purchase 9,000 Ramen cups o' soup so Kurt will eat.....
I swear, it really has never been so hard to pack for a trip EVER. Think I'll get it together in 21 days? :)
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Charlotte Meifang
Charlotte Meifang "Charlie"
Our Charlie is almost 4 years old. She will be 4 by just a few days when we travel to get her. We know very little about Charlie except that she has some sort of vision impairment (cataract of one or maybe both eyes?). We won't know for sure until we get her.
According to the nannies she likes to play games with her friends.
And there you have it. Our extensive knowledge on Charlie. I can't WAIT to figure what she REALLY likes (and doesn't like).
Our time line for our adoption has gone as follows
June 30, 2011: Submit Letter of Intent to Adopt Meifang
July 6, 2011: Recieve Pre-Approval to persue adoption from China
July 2011: Begin Homestudy
January 2012: Homestudy Complete
January 23, 2012 Submit I800A Approval to Adopt Int'l Child from US Immigration
February 14, 2012 Walk in Finger prints for I800A
February 23,2012 I800A Approval
March 2, 2012 Complete Certified, Authenticated Dossier sent to China
March 21, 2012 Log In Date of Dossier by China
June 1, 2012 Letter of Acceptance from China- we are officially approved to adopt Charlie!
June 2, 2012 Submit I800 Approval to Adopt SPECIFIC child from US Immigration
June 14, 2012 I800 Approval
June 23,2012 National Visa Center cables info to US Consulate in China.
June 28, 2012 Agency delivers documents to US Consulate in China for them to prepare Art5
July 12, 2012 Article 5 (Visa documents) issued. Delivered to Beijing.
July 20, 2012 China Issues Travel Approval! We can go get our girl!!!
It's been a long journey & we are ready to bring our little girl home to the family she belongs in! Oh, and to grow out that hair and put a bow in it! :)
Our Charlie is almost 4 years old. She will be 4 by just a few days when we travel to get her. We know very little about Charlie except that she has some sort of vision impairment (cataract of one or maybe both eyes?). We won't know for sure until we get her.
According to the nannies she likes to play games with her friends.
And there you have it. Our extensive knowledge on Charlie. I can't WAIT to figure what she REALLY likes (and doesn't like).
Our time line for our adoption has gone as follows
June 30, 2011: Submit Letter of Intent to Adopt Meifang
July 6, 2011: Recieve Pre-Approval to persue adoption from China
July 2011: Begin Homestudy
January 2012: Homestudy Complete
January 23, 2012 Submit I800A Approval to Adopt Int'l Child from US Immigration
February 14, 2012 Walk in Finger prints for I800A
February 23,2012 I800A Approval
March 2, 2012 Complete Certified, Authenticated Dossier sent to China
March 21, 2012 Log In Date of Dossier by China
June 1, 2012 Letter of Acceptance from China- we are officially approved to adopt Charlie!
June 2, 2012 Submit I800 Approval to Adopt SPECIFIC child from US Immigration
June 14, 2012 I800 Approval
June 23,2012 National Visa Center cables info to US Consulate in China.
June 28, 2012 Agency delivers documents to US Consulate in China for them to prepare Art5
July 12, 2012 Article 5 (Visa documents) issued. Delivered to Beijing.
July 20, 2012 China Issues Travel Approval! We can go get our girl!!!
It's been a long journey & we are ready to bring our little girl home to the family she belongs in! Oh, and to grow out that hair and put a bow in it! :)
The Travel Blog
I started this blog as a way to not only connect our friends and family while we travel to China to meet Charlie. But also as a journal of our travels to the country of our daughter's birthplace.
I want to keep it honest & real....and lay out all our thoughts and emotions as we embark on this journey.
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