Keeping Busy

Just checking in with everyone. We still do not have our LID but am assured by HAS that not hearing a date does not mean we are not logged in it just simply means they have not been given a recent update. The optimist in me says that all is well, the pessimist says that maybe there is a problem with our paperwork , today the pessimist is winning. Therefore I am trying to focus my energy in a positive direction. My family has been trying to familiarize ourselves with some very basic words in Chinese to help us along with our communication with Matthew. We have purchased a children's picture dictionary recommended by HAS which is certainly helping. In doing my research I have also found all the family adoption merchandise available for families and children adopted from China. There is a mountain of things available for bringing the Chinese culture into out multi cultural family YEAH. I am faced however with the challenge of not only bringing the Chinese culture to our home but also the Vietnamese culture. Olivia obviously is very proud of being Vietnamese and quickly corrects people when they assume she is Chinese. So I now face the challenge of striking a balance in our home. That is the productive way I will use this energy while waiting for an update of our LID. I will keep you posted-- All the Best Kate

Happy Birthday to our Beautiful Boy

Dear Matthew--- Today you turn two and from half a world away Daddy, Mommy and Olivia are sending our love and hoping that on some level you can feel it and know how very much we wish we were with you today. We are sad today but also happy in knowing that this will be the last birthday you will spend without us. We will celebrate today with a small cake and we will sing Happy Birthday to you Olivia will blow out your two candles( she loves to blow them out even if they are not for her).Each day gets us a little closer to you and as soon as they tell us we can come we will be there as fast as we can! Your room is almost finished. as we have been working on it we have enjoyed imagining you in it.We look forward to the day when we can hold you and love you and when you will be ours forever. Love Daddy, Mommy and Olivia

WE ARE DTC !!!!!!!

We are DTC 4/30/09. We just received a telephone call from HAS saying they have reviewed our dossier. There are no corrections( I guess third time is a charm LOL) and it will be to China via DHL tomorrow morning. We can presume our Lid is about two weeks later but they will give us a definite LID when they get it. We are jumping for joy at our house. Hold on Matthew-- Daddy,Mommy and Olivia are coming All the Best-- Kate.

One Step Closer

Our dossier is finished sent and received by HAS yesterday. We are a very short time away from DTC. I can't wait to be able to write those three little letters. I will update as soon as we have any news. All the Best Kate

Olivia's Big Day

Olivia and my niece Siobhan had a beautiful day on Saturday. The pictures speak for themselves. All the Best-- Kate

Day 6

We are on day six of a approximate 10 day weight for the final documents to be returned from the China Consulate. When Steve and I forwarded our initial documents to the preparer we inadvertently forgot to sign one of the documents. This held them up from going with the original documents. So again we wait. I keep reminding myself that we are getting closer. It seems,recently at least, that the LOSC have been coming more quickly the last group in 75 days. So we wait and pray for a swift travel plan. Matthew's room is all painted and now just needs the finishing touches and we will put up the crib and his bed. I can't wait to walk into that room and see it all ready for our beautiful boy.
Olivia's first Holy communion is this Saturday and they are predicting beautiful weather.I will post pictures as soon as I have them.Hoping everyone is enjoying the Springtime--- All the Best---- Kate.

Hooray!!!!!!

I just received the call from our homestudy agency that our 171H was received by them this am.Yippee!! Now that will need to be certified which they are taking care of and our 171H and our homestudy will join the rest of our dossier and be forwarded to HAS.We are now officially done waiting, wondering and worrying about our documents.The next step is DTC. Today is a good day!