Shortly and Soon

O.K. Any parent that has gone through adoption, knows these two familiar "S" words. And yes, they are used quite frequently in the adoption world when you are waiting for that next important paper step. (Very general words that can mean almost anything.) Words that give you hope. Hope that your going to hear something "soon".
We are on day 67 waiting on that LOA. (letter of acceptance) And we are expecting it "shortly"!!

Our Time Line to Jade

November 14th 2006: Jade is given life by her birthmother somewhere in Fuzhou, Fujian China.

December 1st 2006: Our red thread journey began when our path intermingled with another family who had just recently adopted a little girl from China. I believe they were our messengers from above, letting us know that our little girl was waiting for us.

March 3rd 2007: Went to a Chinese New Year Party for familys with Chinese Children.
Met our Social Worker there and had our first meeting for the homestudy.

April 20th 2007: Sent in our adoption application to agency #1.

May 2007: Started collecting paperwork for our dossier and setting up appointments for physicals, ect.

October 2007: Waiting on our Homestudy and getting anxious to be DTC.(Dossier to China) Reading and researching everything out there on the internet.

November 1st 2007: Saw first draft of the Homestudy.

November 12th 2007: Saw Wang You's referral listed with another agency. We knew she was the one meant for us! Shes ours!! Thank you Heritage! We switch agencys immediately.

January 23rd 2008: Homestudy complete! Finally feel like we're making progress.

January 29th 2008: Sent in the I 600 A (immigration paperwork)

February 26th 2008: Fingerprinted at the USCIS

April 3rd 2008: Received the 171 H in the mail!!

April 10th 2008: DTC!!! (dossier to China)

April 24th 2008: LID!! (log in date)

June 22nd 2008: Here we are on day 60 waiting for our LOA. (letter of acceptance)
Yes, waiting some more and not so patiently!!

Here is the journey of a little girl who has stolen our hearts.

Where it all began. Many years ago when I was a child of 12 years, I witnessed many Vietnamese orphans land in the USA, "Operation Baby Lift", during the Vietnam War looking for homes. I begged my mother to go and give a child a home and family. (I also wanted a little sister very badly, being the youngest of six), but my mother and father were all ready done creating their family. But my heart went out to these children who needed a family. AS the years past, I married and had 3 beautiful biological children. Our life was full and complete, or so we thought. Then one day, God planted that seed back into my heart about adoption. I came across a couple who had recently adopted from China, and wow, let me tell you, I just knew it was right. I started discussing it with my husband and doing research. After many months of research, we just knew our daughter was in China waiting for us. We both could feel it so strongly, as this was something we had talked about on and off through out the years. And now, the journey begins....