Adding another scallywag..

Ok, so it's a small step, but it's a step closer nonetheless. Today we heard back from USCIS that they have gotten our i-800a application. It took 15 days to get this notice. Here's to hoping things keep moving along nicely :) Next step, fingerprint appointment and hopefully soon after that an i-800a approval :) Now that will be a HAPPY day!

R*d Thr*ad Ch*na sent our little cutie and her caregivers a care package today! I love the PJs Ann picked out. I wish I could see our little lovely's face when she gets her goodies. Hmmm, I wonder if she'll share that candy :)

I received these new pictures of our sweetness yesterday. It made my week!

Along with the pics came an update, she is doing great! I cannot wait to kiss those chubby little cheeks!

This is a little girl who has no idea she's waiting for us. She has been through so much in her two little years. She is attached to her caregivers, LOVES to eat and loves to play outside. This is our little girl! While we wait I'm having fun dreaming about her days with us, her days as a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a cousin, a niece.. They cannot come soon enough!

I've been waiting for the day that I could start my own adoption journey blog! This blog will keep all our peeps informed about our journey to Gemma. Just as I've been excited for the time to start a blog , I am even more excited for the day that I'll be in a hotel in China posting pictures of her in our arms!

Let me fill you in with details of how we got here.

A few years ago I started thinking about adoption. I would go back and forth between wanting to do it and thinking we were complete. Every time I'd think we were a complete family though, I'd cross paths with someone, or read something, or see something that would water that adoption seed a little bit more. I also needed to get Patrick on board. Finally, this past February a friend and I got together and I truly believe God used her to get that seed growing. In one morning I just knew it was the plan God had for our family and amazingly enough, God had persuaded Patrick too. For the next few weeks, we did a lot of praying and researching about adoption and decided that we were going to adopt from China.

On April 14, 2009 we sent in our application. I thought that we had months and months until we would get a referral but on May 4, at 7:23 in the morning, I got an email from our adoption agency. They had locked a file for us. After medical reviews by our pediatrician and a few other Drs we sent in our LOI to adopt a 2 year old little girl from Hefei, China.

We're now waiting on out our i-800a to be approved so that we can send in our dossier to China.