Frustration

Today is a very rainy Saturday in our neck of the woods the remnants of a hurricane blowing up the coast. I can tell you the weather is doing nothing to help my mood. I still have been unable to clarify where we are in the process. The adoption agency simply won't answer the question. I have tried every conceivable way to ask the question and they just keep evading the answer. They also seem to think that I can't see right through their evasion. Even more frustrating.Steve says they probably don't have an answer--- Not good enough they are being paid to have the answers if they don't know then who is driving this ship. Even more unsettling!!!! I am having a BTDT feeling because this is exactly how I felt when the wait to travel to Olivia dragged on. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. The biggest frustration of all is that I can't change it. These are the times that try men's souls Trying to be upbeat but today the pessimist is winning. We're off to see the movie PONYO this pm maybe that will help brighten my mood------ All the Best Kate.

Finally

Well my birth certificate is en route to China beginning of this week Yahoo-------. We are not quite sure where we are the process and are having a hard time getting a straight answer,which tells me no one really knows.One person has said that we are now all the way back to May which was our initial assumed LID so technically this little bump has caused us to lose three months. Others have said our dossier stalled where we were when the birth certificate was lost. If that is the case then we must be pretty close to LOSC. Trying hard to not be pessimistic because if we are all the way back to LID then we will be lucky if Matthew will be home this year, Can't even imagine another holiday without him home. Hoping for the best trying to prepare for the worst. Does anyone have any experience with this and may be able to shed some light Help--- Kate.

We're Getting There

My birth certificate is certified and on it's way to HAS and will arrive Monday. Keep your fingers crossed that Fed Ex is on top of their game. My pessimist is coming through and will not be happy until it arrives in China Keep your fingers crossed Kate.

Still Waiting

Just when I think this birth certificate thing is all worked out someone says not so fast. My birth cert had left the China consulate and was en route to HAS Thursday 8/6/09 and we thought we were smooth sailing. WELL--- it turns out that the China Consulate NYC now has a new photocopy requirement for every document they certify my document sat on some one's desk for seven days and was returned unauthenticated. For the sake of a two page photocopy we have now been delayed at least another 10 days. What makes me the most angry is that there is no more human kindness in the world or so it would seem. The person who received the document never considered just simply making a photocopy and sending an FYI e mail to the preparer of the new requirement.It's so discouraging that this will delay our travels about a month. Matthew has to wait for even longer due to a two age document.. Our new plan is to send this document on Washington DC and have it hand carried by a courier which should accomplish the certification in about five days. By the time this is all done this one paper will have cost us 200 dollars to authenticate. Unbelievable!!!!! Today is one of those days where I feel like this will never happen and someone is playing a really nasty joke. I am hoping to be able to post some positive news soon Kate

Almost Back on Track

My birth certificate is on to the last stop on it's travels to China. It was sent and received by the China consulate yesterday from there it goes directly to HAS. The preparer will receive an email when it leaves the consulate hoping by the end of next week then come on LOSC. Keeping our fingers crossed. Kate

Moving Along

Our summer here is flying by. Summer got off to a wet start in our neck of the woods and I can't believe it is almost August. Olivia is in Culture Camp all week and it is something she looks forward to all year. This is a camp started by adoptive families to bring children of multicultural families together to learn about their culture and spend time with other children who share their family situation. Each child has a schedule and they do arts and crafts, cooking, language(Olivia is taking Chinese hoping to help with her brother)and culture among other things. This camp is in it's 30th year, the cost is nominal and it is run by adoptive parents who volunteer their time.I feel so grateful that we live in a community where our children can be raised with such a large group of families just like ours. Next year I look forward to taking Matthew to the preschool program
I had communication Monday from the preparer that my birth certificate is on to step 2 of a three step process so we're getting there. Although the agency said it would not stall our paperwork i believe that we will not receive our LOSC until they have it so I am anxious to get it there.We were initially preparing for travel late August early September but now not so sure it will all happen in it's own time. We are looking forward to family gatherings and long family weekends as we head into August and just enjoying the outdoors I will keep in touch All the Best ___ Kate

Bumps in the Road

Just when you think all is moving along a bump in the road well 2 as a matter of fact. The good news is the CCAA has received our dossier and has begun to process it. The bad news is they misplaced my authenticated birth certificate somewhere. Fortunately when I got our certificates in March I ordered two because they are difficult to get. It is already on it's way to the dossier preparer for authentication it should take about two weeks to process it fully through the China consulate. Pam at HAS was wonderful and reassuring that it would not stall our paperwork as they have a copy of the certificate and they will continue to move our paperwork along and she will express mail it when we receive it. I know in the scheme of things of all that could go wrong this is minor but any bump in the road is upsetting we just want him home and feel we shouldn't''t have to wait because they lost our document Oh well
Bump number two----- China is taking this H1N1 flu thing very seriously and without the boring details they are quarantining people who have even been remotely exposed for seven days. This news does not effect Steve and I as we will take the chance and hope for the best,it has however effected our decision to bring Olivia and we have decided that she will stay home with her Aunt Margie and her family. Our reason for this decision is that if anyone of us becomes ill and test positive for the flu that person will be removed from quarantine for medical treatment and only that person. Potentially if Olivia became ill she would be removed and treated medically and neither Steve not I would be allowed to go with her. Way to big a risk. I am reminded that sometimes parents have to make the really tough decisions.We have assured her that she can stay home for a few days when her brother comes home so that sweetened the deal. Her Dad has also made vague innuendos about a possible 2010 Disney trip so she is on the mend. We had planned on doing the tourist trip before getting Matthew but now we will go to complete the adoption and come home. Even two weeks is the longest we have been away from our girl it will be tough.
Please send us your good thoughts for a speedy authentication of my birth certificate and moving forward --- All the Best Kate