Kids, Cameras and Questions

We have been asking for updates on the kids for many months with no luck. So, I decided to hire "Ladybugs In Love" to send a care package including introduction letters, candy and cameras to each of the kids. I also asked them to call the orphanages and request measurements and answer 10 questions about each of the kids. I received the answers back on Kylie Gail right away. So here she is!  Kylie Gail is 5 1/2 years old,  is 43.75 inches tall (just 3/4 inch shorter than Lilly Rose)  And weighs 44 pounds. (same as Lilly Rose!)  She is living in the foster family appartments at the orphanage and is reported to be a happy and adorable child. 

We Are Moving Along the Path To China and Making Plans.

The Before

We are making plans for the girls room this week. The big boys (Aaron and Caleb) prepared the walls and painted the ceiling.   Our daughter-in-Law appointed herself the designer.  She painted the walls herself to make sure they were perfect.  She also has some cute decorations and painted this chest.  You can see the before and the after.  Nice Job Julia!

The After

This week has been busy!  Monday we received our provisional approval of our I-800.  That night, I sent the email to the Nationa Visa Center and received a email back on Tuesday saying the petition was logged into their system.  Today, Thursday, we received the email that it was approved and cabled to Guanzhou.  HooRah!  I emediately forworded it to the Agency and received news it had just been emailed to the agency Rep, also in Guangzhou. So tomorrow, Friday, it will be combined and turned in to the embassy for the final approval.  It will take 2 weeks and the agency rep picks up                   our "Article 5" letter and delivers it to the              
 CCCWA in China who will issue our final travel
 approval. (takes 3-4 weeks)

We now anticipate to leave sometime between August 23 and 30th.  I am hoping to be able to make arrangements 2 weeks in advance so the air fare may be a bit cheaper.  We will go to Chongqing first and pick up Kylie because Bobby is in Guangzhou and we have to end up there anyway.   So this part of the plan is a forsure.  We still do not have a statement from the Chongqing Province as to whether or not they will allow us expidite. (Leave Chongqing early and have the passport overnight curriered to us in Guangzhou) This would cut out stay by three days or so and thus decreasing the cost.  If they will not do that, we will be in China the full 21 days.  

After our trip in 2007, I went back to work and Keith stayed home with the kids.  I had Horrible jet lag, but Keith and the kids did great.  We will repeat this pattern again this trip.  The only differance is that the kids will need to go back to school.  This may give us some challenges.  The new kids will be kept at home for awhile learning english and getting their medical exams.  We have an HMO they pay well but are a bit slow to get the kids into the system.

I am trusting the Lord that he will allow the pieces to fall into place.  All will go smoothly and we will return safely with the kids and our sanity.

Update on the paperwork

Well,  0ur I -800 was sent and we receieved notice it is there and being processed.   Now we wait.  God willing and the devil does not interfere, we expect the approval next week sometime.  Meanwhile, we applied for passports for the kids and received them in record time.  We had to send in, not only Lilly Rose's Certificate of Citizenship, but her original adoption certificate.  That was a bit scary, as it is irreplaceable.  We did receive it back in no time at all.  PTL

We then filled out the applications for Chinese visas for all of us, $560, just to be granted the priviledge to go into China. $70 for the currier to the Consulate.  I supose that is cheaper than me taking a day off of work, so we both win.

My cute Grandson

Aiden 2 yrs. old

I am featuring my Grandson, Aiden.  This little bundle of energy sets a new tone to the word "active".   He is so much like my son, Steven.   He is a good traveler, especially with a  DVD player.  We went up to Santa Rosa to visit my sister, Rosanne and her family.  Except for the terrible traffic, it was a great drive.

By the way, we sent out I-800 paperwork off via over night and it took 4 days.  I will be having a talk with the Fed Ex people.  I think a refund is in order.  We should have our receipt by this Monday and the approval a week later. ( July 2 )

My sister in law Pam Bean is having a raffle for this beautiful ladybug blanket to help raise funds for her adoption of of 6 year old Blossom.  It was made by her sister-in-law Michelle specifically for this raffle.  Donate for a chance to receive this beautiful blanket.  Michelle spent over 50 hours making this blanket. Each ladybug was individually made and then crochet into the blanket. The blanket measures 39 inches x 39 inches. For a $5.00 donation you will have a chance to receive this beautiful blanket. This blanket can be given to a new mom as a shower gift or a new addition to the family through adoption. What a wonderful story behind why it was made. I know this is short notice but the drawing will be held next Sunday the 17th at 6:00 p.m. PDT. Asking for prayer that there would be many participants.  Contact Pam Bean @ pamelabean@rocketmail.com  Or go to www.alongtheblossomtrail.blogspot.com  for a pay pal connection.

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary, Mom and Pop

Vern and Gail Bean   June 8, 1962


These are my parents when they got married 50 years ago.  Life was was not easy.  She had 4 kids, no child support and was "OLDER" then he.  The wedding was not going to happen, as the Ex had not paid his interlocutory fees to finalize the divorce.  Vern took care of that when he sold his baritone horn to pay those fees off, so they could get married.  Still the wedding was a no frills affair in the yard of his parents house.  They were not able to have a wedding cake or guests.   On their 45th Wedding Anniversary, Gail lovingly bought Vern a brand new baritone horn. 

We will be having a Celebration Dinner in Honor of my parent's  50th Wedding Anniversary on August 4, 2012, in Fresno, California.  It is centrally located and the costs not too high for lodging.  There we will eat, dance, walk down memory lane, and Vern and Gail will finally have a Wedding Cake to replace the one they missed out on 50 years ago.      

We Love you Mom and Pop,  Thank You for your sacrifice, so that your children could have a good life.  You made life worth living and encouraged us when we did not deserve it.   Thank you for encouraging us to determine our own relationship with God then follow that to the fullest.             

 Thank you for NEVER giving up, never loosing HOPE, and ALWAYS being there.  for richer, for poorer.  
In sickness and in health. 

LOA on day 36 since LID

We Received our LOA (letter of acceptance) from China today, June 1 2012, just 36 days since LID.  This my friends, is some kind of record. I had heard of someone who got it on 37 days, but I never thought it would happen to us.  We have been so behind in our timeline since we received pre-approval.  Always having complications with every step  I became so overwhelmed at the reality, I think I shocked my friend, Nurse Diana.  I was both crying and talking and alternately speechless. Well, lets say she has never seen me speechless....