So this is what has been (and is) our FuLan timeline:
On Feb 4th we got the call from our adoption agency in Texas. We were sent a photo of FuLan and told her bday (4/17/2007) and where her orphanage is located. Cody videotaped the whole thing. It's totally surreal (and hilarious).
After that, we spent the day flipping out over FuLan because we were in love and then I went shopping before we celebrated with our parents and Cody's brother, Jon.
Then we had to wait on FuLan's health report (more waiting) to come so we could have a pediatrician look it over. Our agency wanted us to wait to accept the referral until we had signed off on her health report. We were told that everything looked good. She is a little delayed in her motor skills but that's just from being in the orphange. She'll catch up!
During that time, we got in touch with the other familes from our agency to make sure that we're all on the same page and timeline. All of the adoptive parents in our group must sign their LOA's (Letter of Approval). One of the families we don't know that well and the other one--we LOVE them. They are from Texas and I feel like we have been friends forever. It's like we're taking a crazy trip with our friends and their daughter (who is in the same orphanage as FuLan--and I bet they are friends!!)
We then sent in our VISA application paperwork to Chinese Consulate. (Never enough paperwork!)
Meet up with our friend, the infamous lawyer, Eric Clark, to notarize our signing of the FuLan referral acceptance letter.
Start getting a packing checklist together. (OY). We are each allowed 44 pounds including all of FuLan's clothes, medication, diapers, food, toiletries, etc. WE WILL BE SO OVER. Wendy, from our travel group--my new best friend--has been AMAZING. We are always checking with each other (me with her more than her with me) about what and how much to bring. The packing list is out of control.
Have our favorite pediatrician, Todd Marcus, fill a ton of prescriptions for FuLan. We need to bring everything from Baby Motrin to Scabies and Lice medicine (fun).
The LOA's are sent back to CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) so they can register our formal acceptance of the referrals. I think we had to do something that involved a courier but I can't remember.
After that we just waited to get our VISAs in the mail from Chinese consulate--not the good kind of VISA though. I can't use this one at Henri Bendel.
We get re-fingerprinted downtown(for the third freakin' time!!)
Get our 3rd in the series of Hepatitis B shots from Dr. Michael Kobernick (Best shot-giver ever).
CCAA confirms that they got our LOA's and issues TA's (travel approvals).
(THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW--We are waiting for our TA's now...anxiously waiting).
Once our agency receives the TA's, our coordinator will contact the US Embassy in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province to set up consulate appointments for everyone in our travel group. We need the date for this appointment so we can plan the rest of our China trip. Plus, the Consulate Appt is when FuLan will become a US citizen. We will be there for a few days before getting FuLan and then we have to wait for this last appointment at the Consulate before we can take her home.
Once our agency has this appointment date, we will have a rough estimate of our travel dates.
We (meaning Cody) will then schedule our flights to China. We are going to go to FuLan's province first with our friends from Texas. Our adoption agency schedules in-country flights and hotel arrangements.
That's the dealio!
Basically, I live at Target and FuLan's checklist rules my world.
Cody is knee-deep in paperwork and flight arrangements.
Floyd doesn't know what the hell is going on...
On Feb 4th we got the call from our adoption agency in Texas. We were sent a photo of FuLan and told her bday (4/17/2007) and where her orphanage is located. Cody videotaped the whole thing. It's totally surreal (and hilarious).
After that, we spent the day flipping out over FuLan because we were in love and then I went shopping before we celebrated with our parents and Cody's brother, Jon.
Then we had to wait on FuLan's health report (more waiting) to come so we could have a pediatrician look it over. Our agency wanted us to wait to accept the referral until we had signed off on her health report. We were told that everything looked good. She is a little delayed in her motor skills but that's just from being in the orphange. She'll catch up!
During that time, we got in touch with the other familes from our agency to make sure that we're all on the same page and timeline. All of the adoptive parents in our group must sign their LOA's (Letter of Approval). One of the families we don't know that well and the other one--we LOVE them. They are from Texas and I feel like we have been friends forever. It's like we're taking a crazy trip with our friends and their daughter (who is in the same orphanage as FuLan--and I bet they are friends!!)
We then sent in our VISA application paperwork to Chinese Consulate. (Never enough paperwork!)
Meet up with our friend, the infamous lawyer, Eric Clark, to notarize our signing of the FuLan referral acceptance letter.
Start getting a packing checklist together. (OY). We are each allowed 44 pounds including all of FuLan's clothes, medication, diapers, food, toiletries, etc. WE WILL BE SO OVER. Wendy, from our travel group--my new best friend--has been AMAZING. We are always checking with each other (me with her more than her with me) about what and how much to bring. The packing list is out of control.
Have our favorite pediatrician, Todd Marcus, fill a ton of prescriptions for FuLan. We need to bring everything from Baby Motrin to Scabies and Lice medicine (fun).
The LOA's are sent back to CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) so they can register our formal acceptance of the referrals. I think we had to do something that involved a courier but I can't remember.
After that we just waited to get our VISAs in the mail from Chinese consulate--not the good kind of VISA though. I can't use this one at Henri Bendel.
We get re-fingerprinted downtown(for the third freakin' time!!)
Get our 3rd in the series of Hepatitis B shots from Dr. Michael Kobernick (Best shot-giver ever).
CCAA confirms that they got our LOA's and issues TA's (travel approvals).
(THIS IS WHERE WE ARE NOW--We are waiting for our TA's now...anxiously waiting).
Once our agency receives the TA's, our coordinator will contact the US Embassy in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province to set up consulate appointments for everyone in our travel group. We need the date for this appointment so we can plan the rest of our China trip. Plus, the Consulate Appt is when FuLan will become a US citizen. We will be there for a few days before getting FuLan and then we have to wait for this last appointment at the Consulate before we can take her home.
Once our agency has this appointment date, we will have a rough estimate of our travel dates.
We (meaning Cody) will then schedule our flights to China. We are going to go to FuLan's province first with our friends from Texas. Our adoption agency schedules in-country flights and hotel arrangements.
That's the dealio!
Basically, I live at Target and FuLan's checklist rules my world.
Cody is knee-deep in paperwork and flight arrangements.
Floyd doesn't know what the hell is going on...
