STATUS REPORT

Last Thursday we mailed our passports (gasp, choke, not in the least bit easy, Kids) to Great Wall so that they could mail them and the ever present paperwork to the Chinese consulate in Houston.  I've been counquered by the suprise fee monster.  I held out for as long as I could but now, if anybody says the word "adoption" to me I just hand them money.  Please, don't try it.  I have no defenses left.  The VISA fee was $130 each, but by the time we paid for the courier and the mailing and GWs fee it was closer to $385.  I just want my baby.  We also have had to get an addendum to our home study, since I changed jobs in May.  The bright side of that is that we received it in the mail the day after I called our social worker, Earlene Logan with Oklahoma Home Study.  Earlene Rocks!!!  Tomorrow Ben is mailing the addendum, a copy of our I-171H and the requisite cover letter to the orphan officer at USCIS so that our home study can be updated and mailed to Guangzhou.  He's sending it registered mail even though it only has to go across town.  At this point we are taking no chances.  We are waiting for TA (Travel Approval) and hope to receive it around the first week of October.  Of course, I think there are some holidays in China around the first week in October, so I hope that doesn't hold things up. Cheryl, at Carter's, e-mailed me on Friday.  They received the clothes that I returned and that whole scenario should be made right by the end of this week.  Ben and I bought Maisy a fuzzy blanket at Target.  I think he secretly wanted it for himself but it avoided a lot of sideways glances if he bought it for the baby.  Our pharmacy received the prescriptions we paid for, from Dr. Jane Aronson in New York City, I don't think we got them all.  I have to check on that. I'm out of Ezekiel and in Daniel now.  Bobby picked up a book for me at the public library, of his own volition, entitled Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven.  I started reading it, and let's just say that I'm glad I'm going to China in 2009 and not 1986.  It's not a dirty book by the way.  Although, I was a little taken aback when I saw my son carrying a book with that title.  Bobby is home from a Boy Scout trip.  Abby is in cheer and loves it.  She currently has a bad allergy cough and I've got to get Ben to have the carpets cleaned and to paint the main rooms before the baby comes.  Call it "enforced nesting"!! It was anticlimactic, but our dossier made it into Review this month.  It took 21 months.  I'm not sleeping very well lately.  I think it must be anticipation. Hold on Maisy, Mommy and Daddy are coming!! Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory, Amy

It's a nevus, Charlie Brown...

All three of you,(okay, four counting my new pal, Robyn) already knew that we were on the WC List and that Maisy would have some sort of special little thing goin' on....but, for those of you who are new to this here blog, it's called a nevus.  It's like a mole, only bigger.  Sometimes, if a nevus is not removed it can become cancerous.  We already have a doctor here in OKC prepared to remove MeiMei's nevus.  His name is Dr. Hildebrand and I think he is an absolute gift from God.  And, everyone knows how I feel about doctor's in general with a few notable exceptions:  Holla! doctors Barki, Davey, Rayan (sp) and Haag!!!  Anyway, Dr. Hildebrand actually goes to China every year to help babies and children there.  He's so awesome!! We just feel so fortunate to call Maisy our own.  Despite the nevus, if you can't see all that cuteness going on then, well, you must be blind.  I figure some folks will have something to say (please try to remember what your mama told you about "sayin' somethin' nice or sayin' nothin' at all) and then, I'll do my best to not tell them how insensitive and dumb they are.  I'm just as proud as punch of my kids---all of them---they are the best kids for me and I pray that God makes me worthy to be their mama.  I asked Abby the other day how she was going to help take care of her sister and she said, "Wif yuv!"  You betcha, with love.  You just can't beat that.    We should be going to China on or around the first of November.  Maisy's Letter Seeking Confirmation will be here tomorrow and then we'll sign it and send it right back.  My baby will be home for Christmas (and probably Thanksgiving).  What a miraculous gift.  We are so blessed! Peace to You and Yours, Amy

Introducing...Margaret Rachael "Maisy" Root!!!!!

Here she is, our long awaited baby girl.  Maisy currently weighs about 18 pounds and can stand for a moment by herself.  She will be about 10.5 months old when we finally get to hold her in China.  She's all we've dreamed of.  Thank you, God. Love, Amy

Approval!!!

Today we received approval for our adoption.  I feel like shouting it from the rooftop---if only I could haul my rear up there!!  We weren't expecting our approval until the end of October.  Again,  The Great I AM has sped things up.  I had been praying that we would be able to hold Maisy before she turned 1 year old.  Now we will be doing just that.  We are slated to travel around November 1.  I'm terrified and excited at the same time.  We are now awaiting Travel Approval.  Hold on MeiMei, here comes Mommy!!   I tried to take Maisy's stuff back to the Carter's outlet store and that didn't work too well.  I ended up in tears.  But, today I called the customer service line and Cheryl, the lady who answered my call, is going to help me tomorrow so that Maisy doesn't have to suck-in when I dress her.  I'm back to loving Carters.   I'm so stoked.  Everything is working out at work so that I can be gone (I'm telling you my job is a dang good gig.  The folks I work with are great.).  And our delightful and delovely Katie Pie is going to watch Bobby and Abby while we are in China.  Katie is the best!!!   I am just praising God for all of the blessings He has given us during this long adoption journey.  Thank you, Lord for my daughter and for loving me and my family so much.    Joy Unspeakable to and Full of Glory, Amy