Another Month Passes

We have just reached the 34th. month since our log-in-date. Although we don't have day 29 this month, we'll count it as today. I did a couple other calculations and we have officially waited 1036 days since log in. Our official paper work was started 38 months ago or 1161 days.

Here's another look, 2 months before we applied, our youngest son turned 4 years old, he's now 7. OK you get it, we have waited way too long. Each month that passes I hope there will be a speed up. There are rumors of a speed up in the near future, just not this month.

Referrals just came out, it looks like they got to March 6, 2006 families.

You Might Be Adopting from China If......

Here is a cute poem making it's way around China adoption blogs

~You know that I-600 & I-171 aren't highways....
~You've been expecting a baby for over 3 years....
~You understand that it's 2006 in some parts of the world....
~You've "paid for" 3 citizenship's, but never brought anyone into the U.S....
~Your home study is followed by a number (i.e. #3 or #4)...
~You know that babies come in batches...
~You've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime...
~You own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big)...
~You look twice when you see a lady bug...
~You're more interested in what will happen in March 2006 than in March 2009...
~You know people who understand when you talk about 2 day months & 5 day months...
~Your due date hasn't changed by days, but by years...
~You know who the Rumor Queen is ...
~You know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather...
~You've waited so long, they re-checked your fingerprints to see if they changed...
~When you speak of "that time of month" you're talking about CCAA updates & referrals...
And finally...
You might be adopting from China if you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

Quilt

A sneak peek at something else handmade, but this time not by me. This project is way over my sewing abilities. I hired a quilter to fill in for me! I can't wait until she's done.

Most China adoptive parents have a quilt made that is called 100 Good Wishes Quilt. They have friends and family send them a small piece of fabric of their choice as a good wish, once 100 pieces of fabric are collected they are made into a quilt for the newly adopted child. Well I'm not that organized, and I don't believe I even have 100 family members and friends! So this is what Jadyn will have as her quilt.

I picked out the fabric combinations with help from some nice ladies at our local quilt shop. The finished size will be approximately 40x50 and look quite different than this sample, this is one panel, Jadyn's quilt will have 4 panels. I will share a picture as soon as it's done!

Thanks to a nice friend with resources we learned the writing on the quilt says "Beautiful Child" and that the pattern has the Chinese characters upside down! Jadyn's quilt will have them correctly placed.

Jadyn's Doll

Well here she is, one cute 15" handmade Asian doll. She was a little harder than I anticipated, I don't know how to use embroidery thread and that was step 1, her face.

I must have torn out her lips 3 times. After I got the stitch down Thanks to my husband, I know go figure! it went pretty quick.

My intentions were for this to be a toy doll, but her silk outfit is pretty fragile, I'm not sure it will handle all the love a little girl will give. The silk frays very easily, it wasn't fun to sew with.

If any of my local adoptive Mom friends would like to borrow the pattern, you are welcome to it~ I even have lots of embroidery thread and black yarn left! I would recommend cotton fabric for her clothing, unless you are very patient.

Also her body is made of craft velour, and I could not find it locally, I had to order it on-line. The color is camel, the price was less than $4.00 for 1/2 yard.

Overall I'm happy I'm done with her. She turned out just like I had hoped!

Congratulation's Boys!

G is in the center of the top picture and #7 on left in this picture

Yes, this site is dedicated to our daughter in China, but I just have to post.......

A BIG "Congratulations" to her big brother and his hockey team for taking 3rd. in State this weekend!!!. Great job guys!

The boys were 1 goal shy of 2nd. place and having to travel to Alaska for a regional tournment.

Thank you boys for stopping at 5 goals! did I just type that?

Good job Big G, you had a great season, we are very proud of you!

Another Asian Doll

Yes, I'm making her! I couldn't resist. She will get a few alterations to her facial features and a pretty Asian outfit. I will post a picture of her when I'm done.

I love to sew and did it all the time when my kids were small. Somehow I've become busy and don't have the time. Or maybe I shop too much and don't need to sew anymore, I'm not sure which. I'm making doll view 5 with doll view 4 style of clothes.

Jadyn

The girl’s name Jadyn /ji(a)-dyn, jad-yn\ is a variant of Jade.

The baby name Jadyn sounds like Jaden, Eadin, Eaden, Jayden and Jadine. Other similar names are Jalyn and Jady.

Jadyn is a very rare female first name and a very rare surname (source: 1990 US Census). Displayed below is the baby name popularity trend for the girl’s name Jadyn.



According to this chart, we are not the only ones who like her name, but 0.1% can still be considered rare, I suppose?

Here is the Chinese name for Jadyn:

The Golden Ticket

It has arrived, our Immigration approval! aka... I171-h. This is our 3rd time applying for and receiving approval of this document. You may have read in an earlier post this document expires every 18 months.

90 days before expiring we make the 1 hour and twenty minute drive to our "local" Immigration office to have our finger prints re-scanned. They expire every 15 months, and it must verified that we still haven't committed any crimes.

While waiting for our finger prints to come back clean! we gather all the required documents to apply for our renewal. This consists of our birth certificates, copies of our passports, our original home study, the 2 updated amendments to our home study, our last 2 approved (now void) I171-h forms, marriage certificate, the I600-a which is the form you use to apply for the I171-h and lots of money.

Unfortunately, we had a little drama come along with this renewal, I got a call one afternoon from Officer D. with the Immigration office asking me for a copy of a certain license from our home study Social Worker. Long stressfull story short, she made good on the license and Officer D. and I were happy again.

Ames and I are still unsure how this important pieces of paper was over-looked by Immigration the last 2 times we applied and received approval.

Please, please, please let this be the last time we have to renew this document!.

China Doll Snap Shot

Remember when you learned to drive a stick? yeah me too!. That's how I feel with my new camera. Stuck!

So many setting so many manuals. This camera even came with 2 cd's called "Nikon School".

I'm really trying to learn the custom setting so I don't use it as a point and shoot camera. It can do so much more. Here are a couple of Jadyn's dolls close-up that are pretty sharp. (double click on the picture to enlarge)

I ordered myself a new lens a couple of days ago, but as my luck would have it everyone else wants it too. It's back-ordered, I should get some real nice pictures with it due to the fast shutter speed.

Come to find out my smart husband went to photography school in his younger years and he remembers quite a bit. I also have some very helpful, camera smart friends that are very willing to answer my questions. I'll get there someday.