Crunch Time

Our China coordinators contacted us last Friday to let us know that though they are still waiting for our travel approval (TA) to arrive, they want us to be ready to travel on very short notice.

We may be leaving in about 2 1/2 weeks! Can you believe it?!

Stew and I are furiously tying up loose ends, mailing off our visa applications and a care package to Helen, and generally getting ready for the biggest trip of our lives. I'll post here as soon as we know when we're leaving and of course, we'll blog and post photos from China!

Stay tuned...

Campaign Bring Helen Home Soon

Stewart and I are waiting to receive our travel approval (TA) so we can make our flight arrangements. We're hoping to hear something very soon so our agency can try to maybe squeeze our group in at the end of September. October is a bit of a complicated month where we're going (Guangzhou) with a couple of holidays at the beginning and a big trade fair happening the last two weeks. All this making accommodations very expensive and difficult to find. If we can't get there by the end of September, October isn't looking so hot. We've decided not to go down that road and what that would mean unless it's clear that's what's going to happen. Don't like wasting a perfectly good worry on something that may not even happen. I prefer to spend my worrys on things that count, like how we're going to entertain a 10 month old on a plane for 15 hours.


And so...once again, fingers and toes crossed, please.
We want to see that TA come quickly and a September U.S. Consulate appointment!

Helen JoXian Pokorny

Let me say a little about that middle name. Xian is her given Chinese name and Stew/I felt strongly about honoring that. As some of you may know, my mom passed away a number of years ago and her name was Jo but she went by JoAnn (combining her first and middle names). It was important to me to incorporate a part of my family into Helen's name along with Stew's surname. As I repeated "Helen JoAnn Xian" to myself it seemed liked too much. So, I did some creative thinking and came up with JoXian (pronounced Jo She En), my mom's name and her Chinese name smooshed together into a cool little, unique combo. I think it's got a nice feel and we love it - Helen JoXian Pokorny.






Helen is in Guangdong Province, way down on the southern China coast. We'll be traveling to the city of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province to meet her. Guangzhou also happens to be the city where all Americans adopting in China have to pass through because the U.S. Consulate is located there. You can find Guangzhou on this map by locating Hong Kong in the lower right-hand corner and then moving a little bit north-west. See it?

We're busy, busy with all the preparations. This weekend we should be able to finish painting the nursery and then we can start moving everything in and setting up the crib. I'll post some pictures when it's all done. Now that we know how old and how big she is, we can get things more settled on our end and start buying clothes for her (doesn't THAT sound fun?!). I've been looking over packing lists that BTDT parents have sent me and trying to come up with my perfect hybrid list. I've promised myself that I won't pack for this trip at the last minute, which would be our usual modus operandi. Friends have recommended either just getting the suitcases out now or using the crib for the same purpose, just tossing everything in as we go and organizing it all later.

I almost forgot to mention one of the MOST important things we know about Helen...she's a "heavy sleeper"! WOO HOO!!

OUR LITTLE PEANUT!

We received a couple of additional photos and I'm not sure what to do with myself when I look at that face. We're just about ready to post her full name we've chosen but we're still discussing middle name options. Soon, very soon.

In the report we received from the orphanage, they said she "is very full of life" and has "a very good personality". She is "lively, energetic, and loves to smile. She likes to play with other children and to play outside." Perhaps we've got another triathlete in the family? She can sit alone and hold her bottle by herself, and stand with support.

We're turning in our acceptance paperwork on Monday. Our agency will then begin working on setting up all of our appointments in China. Once those are set, we'll know when we need to leave. The usual time frame is 6-8 weeks after referral.

Stew and I have received SO many kind emails, calls, and comments from friends and family. We're overwhelmed with JOY! WOO HOO!

Is she the cutest, or is it just me?

HERE SHE IS!!!

Stewart and I got THE CALL from our social worker about 4:00 on Friday afternoon! She gave us just a few bits of info to hold us until they can get everything else translated.

She's a beauty! (And she and I share the same birthday! What do you think about THAT?!)

Yang Xi Zi Xian

Born: December 6, 2006

She'll be 8 months old on Monday.

DHL where ARE you?

Our agency was closed yesterday for the day and they haven't received their DHL delivery today. I spoke to them earlier and they were very nice but said they're not expecting anything until MONDAY now.
However, it is my belief that the DHL trucks are being delayed in the area of our agency because it is located so close to the bridge collapse (not to mention the fact that Laura Bush is here visiting the site) and getting packages to where they need to be must be quite a hairy ordeal for DHL. That, or the driver is eating his sandwich right now (hey, a guy's gotta eat!).
Hope is in the air as long as there is still someone at our agency on a beautiful Friday afternoon.

I can't imagine having to wait for two more days!
In a word, torture.

Update:
Our SW just called and confirmed that the agency is open until 5:00 and
encouraged me to give it up for today.
I will not give it up until after 5:00.
(Do you think our peanut will grow up to be as stubborn as her mom?)

We're O.K.

Stew and I have been getting concerned calls so I just wanted to put up a quick post to let all of our friends and loved ones know that we're ok.