When it rains...

The wait continues to be difficult. Two families have gotten news that their babies had passed away or were to ill to be adopted. I had a need to know she was okay, so I paid for an update and received pictures and new measurements less than 24 hours later! How, who knows?  

I was shocked by how much older she looked...

and how confident she looked standing.

She weighs 19 pounds, has 6 teeth, is 29.5 inches tall and wears about a size 5 shoe.

The next set of pictures came from another Love Without Boundaries drop off, the SWI was given towels and diapers.

Totally and completely adorable!

The government is closed until Wednesday, We are still in translation (meaning our paperwork is not even at the place where it can be approved) and it means we are looking at August travel.

Parker has been asking about "my sister" constantly and I keep feeding him lines about the paperwork traveling on a boat to China.

COME ON LOA!

The Wait and a Good Cause

UPDATE: FULLY FUNDED: IN ONE DAY!!!!!

Day 47 of the LOA wait has arrived! I woke up to an email from our China coordinator saying the dossier is still in translation. She put a call into China, last evening, which I appreciate that we have an agency that will check into the wait. That being said 3-4 more weeks at least once we get out of translation. Say goodbye to July travel....not being a pessimist (as my Dad has accused me throughout this wait) Just being realistic...

So in China's eyes we have waited 47 days...but in reality it has been 7 months and one week, for us...but for Evelyn she has been waiting for 466 days...without her Mom and Dad, without knowing a family, without the proper stimulation.

I love the idea of being productive and something good coming out of the wait. Us waiting Moms stick together, we must, we are living this together! I am lucky to have found another waiting Mom, Ashley, who's daughter is waiting at Evelyn's SWI...and we have the same timeline! She saw the delivery from Love without Boundaries and decided to see what the SWI needs. And so was born....

The Incubator Project

http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2012/04/16/the-incubator-project/

Many are shocked when hear about babies being "found" in China...The country is not like home, mothers cannot make formal adoption plans, but they do, they leave their babies in public places where they know they will be "found" Many watch from a far to be sure their baby is taken into care.

I do not use the word "abandoned" those are two different concepts. Our Evelyn was found, so she could have a family who was able to care for her.

Often, these babies are not born under medical care and may be premature. If the SWI had an incubator think of what they could do for these little babies!

A HUGE thank you to Ashley for starting this project!

Easter and the obvious

Parker was thrilled about Easter this year, he kept asking for "so many rabbits to come to his house" He picked out carrots "with the long green tops" and insisted he leave water out for the bunny. We spent the weekend with my family at the lake, complete with adult egg hunts. It was nice weather for a run and a boat ride.

Coloring eggs

Helping rake the leaves off the beach

He "helped" me make these cupcakes to take to daycare and Easter. By helping I mean I had to threaten to baby gate him out of the kitchen, he wanted to eat their beaks and eyes.

Leaving out the carrots and water for the "rabbit"

The bunny left him a scavenger hunt for his basket. He was thrilled to find "lego Thomas"

Egg hunt with Grandma and Papa

The basket from Grandma and Papa had this fun toy!

Of course we had a great holiday, but Evelyn was missing. Her home coming seems to slipping further away. As I have mentioned, despite almost 7 months of waiting we are only on day 37 with China. Hoping to find out where we are in the LOA process this week, fingers crossed we are out of translation and on to the process part.

There are some waiting families whose dossiers are still being translated after 90 plus days! I hoped to have out LOA in under 70 days. There are so many unknowns right now...basically we sit and wait.

I am out of ideas...I am training for a half marathon (all I do for 8 miles is run numbers for potential travel dates in my head), gobble jelly beans, read, joined a book club, talk to other waiting Moms, and working extra.

Come on LOA!