Visas on the way (Thank you LORD!)

Today was the day for our visa pickup.  I may have explained before that with the visa, you hire a courier near a Chinese embassy to take your documents, pick them up, and send them back to you.  There were a bazillion special instructions for how to fill out each line correctly, how to mail it, how to create the correct shipping label, etc.  I had to print out a page of instructions to send with Matt to make sure we did the right thing when he went to mail it.  And then there was the issue of my visa having to have a waiver attached b/c I work for a church (saying I wasn't there on work-related business) and having to be submitted later b/c it was a limited one that was only good for 3 months.  

But we got it all mailed and I felt good about it....until I started hearing about the new visa photo requirements and several folks getting their visas rejected.  No smiles, both ears showing, head exact right size etc.  Gray took my photo.  That's right.  And I was kind of smiling and you could see 1 1/3 ears.  And I took Matt's and there were a few shadows.

We don't get an email saying all is good once it's picked up.  We have to dig out our prepaid envelope tracking # and check it.  So this afternoon I began checking and nothing.  But thank goodness I just checked and the envelope is headed our way.  Whew.  Now we just need that I800 approval.  I'm hoping by Friday.  

The good news with this extra wait is that it's looking more and more likely we will be on schedule with our neighborhood friends, who were just a bit behind us.  

Didn't get any pictures, but the first of our neighborhood adopting families is about to leave for China in 2 weeks, so we had dinner as a group last night--last hurrah.  I think we are all a bit excited and a bit nervous!  Thank goodness for Lisa and Dennis, who give us lots of expertise and comic relief!!

On another note, I finished painting for a bit this past weekend.  It has been good to do some things I've needed to get done, like cleaning, getting ready for Julia's birthday, etc.  I loved the painting though, and I hope to get back to it.  And as time-consuming as it was, thanks to lots of support from family, friends, and strangers, it really was a huge fundraiser for us.

China Blog Pics

A lot of these pics I got once I finally figured out how to navigate to the older posts with the help of a Chinese speaking friend. The others that have the same little girl in the foreground came from a Facebook friend whose daughter was adopted a few months ago. She is from the same province as Allie, has the same type of CHD, went to Little Flower and then the same foster home, and was adopted at about 1 1/2 years like Allie will be. So cool! Too bad she lives in Texas!! Anyway, see if you can spot Allie in these pics. Her hair is always my key to finding her. 😍😍

Jeannie Mha! so cute.

December 18, 2016

Alicia WI love the one she's photobombing through the tunnel! She has the sweetest little face! :)

December 19, 2016

Setback

We've been waiting on our immigration approval so we can get on with getting our ducks in a row on the China end.  Was thinking it should have come earlier in the week and turns out it would have but we (well, I) messed up something with our paperwork and we got a letter today with a paper I didn't get Matt to sign that we'll have to mail back on Monday and continue waiting for the approval paper.  Can't say I'm shocked because this application had it's own checklist of things to submit, but I did check off that this paper was signed.  Oh well, nothing to do but press on!  I think our chance to go January has passed us by so hopefully February will work if I don't mess up something else!

In the meantime I am wrapping up the last of the painting orders and I've sold most of the stuff left from the last show.  We are up to about $23,000 raised of the estimated $30,000, so that's pretty awesome and definitely never thought we'd get that much help.  Thanks to each of you who have been a part of that!!!  

By HollyC392 at 8:19pm

  

5 people like this

Sarah ZI know the delay is disappointing -- but you didn't "mess up"! You've managed an OCEAN of paperwork so well; give yourself the credit you deserve. Amazing total of money raised--hooray!!

December 13, 2016•Edit•Delete

November Allie:)

HollyC392Pigtails!!

November 15, 2016•Edit•Delete

HollyC392She got her stuff finally!!! And we got pictures:) Can't wait to show Gray that she is pointing to him!!

November 27, 

Jeannie MOh I LOVE this. Getting to 'hold' her family 💚

December 9, 2016Sarah HSuch a big smile!!!!! Was the doll in her package?

December 4, 2016

HollyC392Yes. Julia had some like that she used to love so hoping Allie would like it too.

December 10, 2016

More Steps

This week we've done some important things in the adoption process.  We submitted an I800 application with lots of supporting documents to US Immigration so Allie can become a legal US citizen once she hits American soil.  And thanks to lots of help from Matt, we got our China travel visa applications sent off yesterday.  You have to have them hand delivered to the Chinese consulate in Chicago or DC so you send them to a courier who takes care of all that.  There are a ton of tiny details you have to get right on the application itself and on the process of mailing to the courier, but hopefully we did it all!  I had to have a waiver on mine (because I work for a religious organization) saying my trip is not related to my job.  So interesting.

Anyway, there are still a handful of steps where we get some kind of approval and send off some kind of application.  It all sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher right now, as did most of what we went through already, until we were actually at that step and could see what it was all about.  I think the next thing that will come is our I800 approval from Immigration, which takes several weeks.  So time to wait again.

In the meantime, I have a small prayer request.  The package we sent to Allie with the book of our pictures, blanket, etc. has still not arrived in China.  Presumably it's held up at customs and could be released any time, but the post office here could not track it at all.  They said don't worry yet, but it has been over a month, so I'm a little concerned and just want her to be able to have that book!  So would you pray the package makes it to China soon?  Thank you!

And now....back to painting.  One week till the show!!!

Gene RYou're amazing Holly!

November 20, 2016•Edit•Delete

Cindy CPraying & expecting Allie to receive her package soon.

November 20, 2016•Edit•Delete

LOA!

We have been waiting almost a month since we were logged in to get the famous LOA, which I always think of as "Letter of Acceptance" but is really something like "Letter Seeking Confirmation from Adoptive Family".  Anyway, we got it yesterday!  This is just another step in the process, but an important one that enables us to file the I-800 with US Immigration so that Allie can come over and be our daughter.  We also get to apply for Chinese visas now and we're supposed to put the date of travel as 6 weeks from our application date...which stopped me in my tracks a bit...6 weeks...so not ready...but it will be more like 8-12 weeks when we actually travel.  Still thinking February after Chinese New Year.

Speaking of not feeling ready, I have just been nonstop going lately.  We had a second craft show last weekend and it was so busy getting ready for that while trying to fill orders from the last one.  And now we have another one next week and I'm still trying to fill orders.  And receiving orders.  We've raised 2/3 of the cost of the adoption, including grants which is just amazing.  And I love the painting.  But I don't have have time for ANYTHING.  So gotta try to get through this show and then it should be better just filling orders.  Yesterday I was driving to work and listening to a book on tape because, as mentioned before, I don't have time to read.  The cd finished and I couldn't reach the next so I put in a cd I made several years ago with songs that are really meaningful to me.  With nothing else filling my head, I let myself ponder all that's been going on lately, particularly Allie.  Tears immediately came to my eyes as I thought of the reality of what we're doing--the overwhelming part and the blessing part.  I realized I am going to need more time to process and in the car right before work is probably not my best option.  

Just can't even believe how God has worked out this thing I've been praying and hoping for for many years.  And like what's happened several times before, on this day I was feeling emotional and connected with the Lord, that afternoon I got the call about our LOA.  I know things are going to be hard, but he keeps showing me that he's right there showing his love to us through it all.  

First Craft Show:)

Our craft show was a huge success! I had been painting and crocheting since summer, Cindy had made a ton of jewelry, and we had invited the whole neighborhood and all our local friends and family. Then my friend Susan, who is also adopting from China, joined in with her stuff and invited people. Susan and I were both overwhelmed at the crew that showed up. When you are trying to sell stuff that you made, it can be hard to think that people would be interested and it's hard to ask for help, as we have been doing this whole adoption with the financial aspect. So to see our house packed with folks who were so supportive and so interested in buying our stuff was hugely encouraging. We finished our puzzle too, which is just awesome. We ending up getting $2600 in sales for our family and Susan made a bunch too!!! So thankful for this community. (Now back to painting for next weekend.... :) )

November 5, 2016•Edit•Delete

RickHow wonderful for you! What beautiful work! Wish I could have been there. Let me know about the next show/event

November 6, 2016•Edit•Delete

HollyC392The final one is Winter Wonderland show at the Greenway on 11/26.