A Joyful Heart

Home at Last!

2007-11-16T08:26:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone.

We are home at last! Deanna did great on the 24 hr trip home. And she loved seeing the family and friends that came to visit.

We've been spending the past week trying to establish a routine. Deanna was still on China time while I adjusted to EST really quickly. The big deal is that Deanna now likes baby food. While in China, she would only take bottles and we were having 8-10 bottles a day. Now she likes oat cereal and the stage 1 Gerber foods.

She's had some medical tests done and we're waiting for the results to come back. We'll see the doctor again next week.

Here are some pictures of her at home. In the first one, she is sitting in her sit-n-play and looking at herself in the mirror. In the second one, we are going for our first walk in the stroller. She went out to meet the neighbors and they all had a good time.

The Moment We've all Been Waiting For!

2007-10-30T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Greetings from Chongqing China.

I have so much to blog about, but if you are here, I know why. Everyone wants to see pictures of Deanna. Who could blame you? She is so adorable! So I'll post a picture here and then blog more later.

I do have to give a little background first. Deanna and I met Sunday night at about 10:30 pm (10:30 AM in the US). She is very shy and reserved. She smiled for me the first night and the next day. She really likes to be cuddled and kissed. Her muscles are underdeveloped and she can't hug back or put her arms around me, but she throws herself at me so I hold her and she pulls my hair to get my face near hers so I can kiss her.

Today (Tuesday) she laughed out loud for the first time. She thinks her Uncle Dean is hysterical and he had her laughing for a long time today. That was the greatest sound I've ever heard.

Here are some pictures of their laughing session.

It's All Coming Together

2007-10-19T06:01:00.000-04:00

The itinerary for our trip has been finalized.

Here are the plans:

Oct. 27 Saturday - Depart for China
Oct. 28 Sunday - Arrive in Chongqing, China at about 8pm (8am EST)
Oct. 28 Sunday - Family Day! Meet Deanna that evening
Nov. 2 Friday - fly to Guangzhou
Nov. 6 Tuesday - Consulate appointment
Nov. 7 Wednesday - receive Deanna's visa
Nov. 8 Thursday - depart China
Nov. 8 Thursday - Everyone back at home!

Getting Closer!

2007-10-09T20:39:00.000-04:00

I have my consulate appointment so the agency is planning my trip to China. "Family Day" is scheduled for October 29th! So I will be holding Deanna in 20 days!

Last week I sent Deanna a care package. It felt so great to be doing something for her. I sent her a blanket and a little Elmo and a photo album with pictures of her, and me, and the house. I hope that she wants to look at the pictures of herself and will notice me too! Hopefully it'll help her to be more comfortable with me when we're together.

So I'm getting closer...

Thanks for checking in!

Happy 9 Month Birthday Deanna!

2007-10-02T06:55:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Deanna's 9 month birthday. I thought about her all day (but I guess I think about her all day every day :-). I hope her day included cuddles and hugs and laughter and joy.

Our travel plans are still not final, but I hope we will be together for her 10 month birthday.

I know we'll be together for her first birthday and every birthday after that.

Making Plans

2007-09-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

Things are starting to happen. :-)

The agency called yesterday and they have our TA's and have requested CA appointments. The plans aren't final, but it looks like we'll be leaving for China somewhere around October 26th and will head home around November 8th.

I should have Deanna in my arms in 4 weeks.

What's Next?

2007-09-25T08:51:00.000-04:00

So the big question on everyone's mind is... "when can you bring little Deanna home"?

Right now I'm in another waiting phase. I'm waiting for my Travel Approval (TA) from China. Once I have TA, the agency can make my Consulate Appointment (CA). The travel will be scheduled around the CA appointment. So right now, I'm still waiting for the TA and there isn't much new news until that is ready.

But this time, I don't mind the wait at all. While the 3 years of waiting was painful, I am ok with this part of the wait. (Or at least I am today. If it goes on too long then I may have a different story.) The most likely scenario is that our group will travel to China at the end of October and be home the first week in November. It could be faster than that, but probably not much slower.

I've been keeping really busy getting ready for her to come home. It's so much fun! I'll post more about that later.

Oh, and by the way, I bought Deanna a "Baby's 1st Thanksgiving" outfit this weekend. Yeah! Deanna will be home for Thanksgiving. This will be the best one ever! Yeah!

Thanks for checking in!

Sweet Deanna

2007-09-23T16:04:00.000-04:00

These past 2 weeks have been so amazing. I am so thrilled that Deanna and I are now a family. And in a short while, we'll be united in person. I am walking on air. Nothing else in my life compares.

The reaction from family and friends is so intense. I am blessed with the most loving family and friends that anyone could hope for. And Deanna is loved so much- and everyone cannot wait for her to arrive. Thank you to everyone who has made this celebration so special.

I am so in love with sweet little Deanna. I can't stop looking at her picture and dreaming of when we'll be together. And I love her name - I've named her for my 4 brothers and sisters whose names all start with a "D".

I've been very busy lately getting ready for her arrival. I'll post more about the next steps later.

For now, I'm still walking on air...

It's A Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-09-04T11:57:00.000-04:00

Introducing the newest addition to the C family.... the most precious and beautiful little girl in the world.... Xiu Hua Mei.

She is 8 months old and is currently in Chongqing City, China.
Here are more pictures of her:

This has been a totally surreal morning. I sat by the phone with my palms sweating and my heart racing like crazy. Then "the call" came from my agency... and then the email with these amazing pictures. Words cannot describe what this feels like. I am happy, elated, overjoyed, humbled, thankful, grateful, and mostly blessed.

Something in the Air

2007-09-03T05:50:00.000-04:00

The CCAA has updated their website to say that referrals are done for this month. Woo-hoo! That means my referral is probably in the air on it's way to my agency. I can't believe it's Labor Day - DHL doesn't deliver today so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see my daughter's face.

On the positive side, the chances of getting my referral tomorrow are like 99%. Woo-hoo again. How will I ever get through the day today? I'm already up at 5:00am checking other blogs to see what information is out there. It's not a holiday in Europe today, so I'll be looking for posts from waiting adoptive parents in Europe to see if they get their referrals today. If they do, then those waiting in the U.S. should get theirs tomorrow. Did I say woo-hoo?

I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself.

My First Blog

2007-09-01T16:26:00.000-04:00

Thank you stopping in and reading my first blog - I'm glad you're here.

Today is September 1st. For more than 3 years, I've been on an incredible journey to begin my family. This long wait has been difficult, but my dreams will be coming true in a very short while.

Somewhere, halfway around the world, the CCAA has matched me and a child and we are already a family. Isn't that amazing?

The CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) sends out referrals once a month and we are in the next batch. Rumors say that those referrals are in the air via DHL already. That means I will see my precious daughter's face in a number of days. I've waited 3 years, but these last few days are killing me. But it is so worth it.

Please join me on this journey. Your support means the world to me.

D