9 more days until we travel

Today we received our visas for travel, wired the remaining money for the trip to China and bought diapers for the first time ever. Let me tell you, of all three things, it was the diapers that was the most profound for me. Mom and I sat in the living room, looking at them and getting all choked up. Like the car seat, the diapers seem to make motherhood not only real, but inevitable. Do you realize what a cool word that is... inevitable! It's so complete, like a done deal. Aw... David thought I needed jewelry, roses or perfume to make me happy, if only he knew, it was the diapers that did it for me. :) Let's see if I'm still as excited when they're used.

David informed me today exactly how many days, hours and minutes we have left until we leave for China to meet Eva. Is it necessary for me to report that he's been having troubles sleeping and concentrating also?!

China Time (time conversion chart)

China time is 13 hours later than central daylight savings time. Yes, I should be working, but instead I am dreaming of China and a little girl who lives there...

Travel Plans

I experienced my first ever conference call, yeah... I've finally moved into the 20th Century. I'm teasing, it was actually pretty cool. We met our China travel mates on the phone, as we conferenced with our adoption agency regarding our travel plans. I think my favorite piece of information was that the hotel we will be staying in has goldfish that can be seen under the sidewalk, which apparantly is a popular and delightful attraction for the little girls. I must admit, I'd like to see that too.

So... our travel agency is sending the tickets, the visa application is on the way, we should receive our official itinery early next week, and in two weeks we get on the plane. Today, Eva turns 13 months old. Just think, for her next monthly birthday, she'll be here in the U.S. annoying the cats and delighting David and I. It's very strange how two weeks can simultaneously seem like "this is taking forever" and "oh-my-gosh, that's so quick!"

17 more days until we meet Eva...

Today we send off our visa application to the courier in Washington D.C. He said we should get it back next Thursday. It is our last major paperwork that must be accomplished prior to travel. Whew!

This long weekend, David and I are planning to give the house a spring cleaning and finish baby proofing it. I finally found those little plug-in plugs. I'm going to have to figure out where to put the crystal, and we need to check the batteries in the smoke detectors. I need to figure out how to put together the high chair, and I also am going to install the baby seat... can you believe it, my car is going to have a baby seat! It seems so concrete and surreal, simultaneously. A baby seat means a baby and a baby means we're actually, really, truly parents. Please don't think me crazy, but when I drive around town with that baby seat, I'm going to be pretending she's in it, minus the fussing of course. That's the great thing about pretend babies, they never cry. However, no question about it, I'd rather have the real thing... 17 more days.

19 more days until we meet Eva...

We have booked our flights. David and I will be leaving out of Thief River at 4:00 p.m. on June 9th, and will arrive in Changsha (Capital of Hunan Province) at 10:00 a.m. on June 11. I counted it up, and it is 21 hours on the plane. The rest of the time is layovers and the time change due to flying East. We will return on the 3:40 p.m. flight to Thief River on June 21st.

So, in 19 more days we will meet Evangeline in person for the first time, and that will be on the same day that we arrive in Changsha, following two days of travel. I expect that she will fuss and cry because she is being taken away from everything she knows and is being given to strangers. Here's the point: More than anything, David and I are looking forward to becoming first time parents to a crying, fussing 13 month old child, who has never heard English before, while tired and exhausted from travel. I wouldn't change any part of it! 19 more days...

Twenty more days!!!!!

In twenty days we will be in Changsha, meeting our daughter for the first time! Our appointment with the US consulate in Guangzhou is June 19th, and we will get Eva on Sunday, June 11 in Changsha. That means we will be leaving for China on June 9th, and will return around the 21st or 22nd. Okay... I am breathing...

Travel Approval

Today is a big day. Today is the day that the post office guarenteed that Eva would receive her package. Today is also the day we received travel approval from CCAA (Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs). Our agency social worker sent the travel approvals along with a request for an appointment to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. The appointment we are given will determine travel time. We will travel two weeks before the appt. with the consulate. We will know by Monday when that will be. Yippee, and Yahoo!!!!

Eva's first package

I sent Eva's package to China today. It only cost five dollars more to send it express, guarenteed mail, so I thought "why not?" Little did I know that I was going to send them all in a quandry. Apparently they've never sent a package express to China (or anywhere overseas) in our little, tiny post office, and it took everyone in the building to figure out how to do it. In any case, I am assured that she should receive it by next Thursday.

Pictures of Eva's Room

These are pictures of Eva's room. As you can see, we are ready!!!!

Package to Orphanage

Today I finished putting together our package to send to the orphanage for Eva. We put in a talking picture frame, where both David and I said "Hi Yi-Yi, I love you" in Chinese. At least we hope that's what we said. My friend, Mei, wrote her name on the frame in Chinese Characters. Also, we put together a little photo album for her caretaker, which Mei wrote captions for. In addition we are sending some candy for all of the children in the orphanage, a disposable camera and a couple of little toys that make sound, since our daughter apparantly likes toys that make sound. Mei is translating a letter for me to include in the package. I hope to send it off to China this week. I am so thankful for Mei and what she has done for us. It is humbling to realize that someone would be willing to give so much of themselves for us and our daughter. God has brought some pretty amazing people into our lives and I thank Him for each of them...

Marching along...

Yesterday we met with the pediatrician. I liked him, and I think he'll be great for Eva. He said that she was healthy and developmentally on target. I was happy to know that he is willing to help us in any way, including letting us email or call him from China.

And today... the agency has officially sent all of our acceptance letters to China. The China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) will receive them on Monday when they return from break. We're hoping for travel approval soon.

It's getting closer...

Referral Acceptance

Our referral acceptance was delivered today, and Evangeline Wu Yi is ours.

Today I met with my friend from Hong Kong for lunch. She helped me learn to enunciate my daughters name and told me the meaning of the name in Chinese, which is more than just the translation of each word, but how they are traditionally used together. An individual translation means "Wu = to dance, to wield, to brandish." and "Yi = depend on, near to." She told me that Wu Yi is a very very uncommon name, and that it is a strong name. As a name, for a female, it means not only to dance, but to be center stage, that she will draw attention, and captivate, and men will want to do things for her. (I guess the orphanage workers thought she was beautiful too.) She told me that it is a very mature name, good for a woman who was 21, but not a child, and she kept repeating how unusual it was, but that our daughter would like it very much when she grew up. After reading her information written in Chinese, she said that she was very active and suggested that we should give her dance lessons, and try to keep up. Whew! Is it all right for me to ask, "What have I got myself into?" without it sounding ungrateful.

Xiangtan orphanage Inside

The pictures of the Xiangtan orphanage were taken from the Half the Sky foundation website.

Xiangtan Orphanage Outside View

Xiangtan Orphanage

Eva is in the Xiangtan Orphanage, near Changsha, which is the capital of Hunan. Her orphanage is one of those sponsored by Half the Sky Foundation. Pictures of her orphanage can be seen from their website: http://halfthesky.org/02CentersPrograms/centers/xiangtan.html. You can click on the image to enlarge it. I feel fortunate that Eva was in this orphanage. They have only three babies to each caretaker, and each one is given some individual time. She appears to have attached to her caretaker, which is a wonderful thing, as it enhances the likelihood of complete attachment to David and I.

I have learned that Eva is fond of toys that make sound, and her favorite toys are the ringing bells. She kicks her covers off of her feet when she sleeps, she is sometimes obstinate, is active, outgoing and curious. I think she's going to fit right in!