Our pediatrician called us first thing this morning and said that the file looks fine, and he suspects that Xi YaoYu is healthy! We had some more misunderstandings all day about the form he needed to fill out, but in the end we changed one word, and he signed it. We faxed it to the agency tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be full steam ahead! Of course, that means now they will want us to pay them.
We all woke up quite sick yesterday morning, coughing like crazy, sneezing (me), congested (all), and achey (me). Nyquil to the rescue tonight, baby! I'm going to bed at 8:30pm! Now, in all likelihood, the mama of two sons!!!!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
It's a match!!!!!!
We were informed today that we were matched with Xi YaoYu! Thrilling, shocking, even terrifying! Tripp was not expecting it. I felt that it would happen, but that doesn't mean I am not nervous! It's a big leap of faith accepting his referral, and we aren't going to do that until we make sure that we can get his original Chinese medical file for our pediatrician to review. Then we will get the ball rolling, and boy, will we roll it fast!
Unfortunately we cannot post further details about Xi YaoYu or pictures until we receive Pre-Approval (PA) from the CCAA (Chinese government) to adopt him, which could take 2-3 months. I'm dying to show him off, even though it isn't completely official yet. I don't anticipate that we'll have a problem getting the Chinese file, so hopefully we'll be officially accepting his referral by the end of the week.
Unfortunately we cannot post further details about Xi YaoYu or pictures until we receive Pre-Approval (PA) from the CCAA (Chinese government) to adopt him, which could take 2-3 months. I'm dying to show him off, even though it isn't completely official yet. I don't anticipate that we'll have a problem getting the Chinese file, so hopefully we'll be officially accepting his referral by the end of the week.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Saga Continues...
We have been told that the match will be made for Alex on Tuesday. So we could find out anytime Tuesday, or even Wednesday. So fast, and yet, it seems an eternity until then!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
I may have gone insane...
It's amazing how an innocent, mindless action, such as clicking on a link, can change your life.
That's what I did yesterday morning, and there before me was the face of a little boy in China that I swear is meant to be our son.
His name is Xi Yao Yu. He will turn two on July 5, so that all the men in my family: Tripp, by dad, my brother, and this little boy, would have birthdays within a month of one another. Xi YaoYu has burn scars on his left arm and torso. Otherwise, he is perfect! His expression is one of intelligence, curiosity, confidence, and determination.
I looked at his pictures all day yesterday, and requested his file from his agency, which, by the way, is not the agency we have signed with! China no longer allows adoption agencies to collaborate on adoptions, so we would have to start over on our paperwork- a daunting task. This would also mean that Xi YaoYu would probably not be able to come home until around his birthday, or later.
This entire idea is crazy! We were waiting for a girl! I still want a daughter. Xi YaoYu and Sebastian are only 5 months apart- they would be "virtual twins". But, oh, wouldn't they have a blast together? We were expecting to wait another year, so we aren't ready! We didn't want an older toddler, either. Xi YaoYu is almost the opposite of everything we thought we wanted. But I could look into his eyes for hours. Not even his real eyes- photos of his eyes!
So...I have contacted the agency with a long list of questions. Most importantly, why on earth is this little angel still available? Is there something I am missing? And then the logistical questions: what would we have to do to adopt him?
Stay tuned for an update!
That's what I did yesterday morning, and there before me was the face of a little boy in China that I swear is meant to be our son.
His name is Xi Yao Yu. He will turn two on July 5, so that all the men in my family: Tripp, by dad, my brother, and this little boy, would have birthdays within a month of one another. Xi YaoYu has burn scars on his left arm and torso. Otherwise, he is perfect! His expression is one of intelligence, curiosity, confidence, and determination.
I looked at his pictures all day yesterday, and requested his file from his agency, which, by the way, is not the agency we have signed with! China no longer allows adoption agencies to collaborate on adoptions, so we would have to start over on our paperwork- a daunting task. This would also mean that Xi YaoYu would probably not be able to come home until around his birthday, or later.
This entire idea is crazy! We were waiting for a girl! I still want a daughter. Xi YaoYu and Sebastian are only 5 months apart- they would be "virtual twins". But, oh, wouldn't they have a blast together? We were expecting to wait another year, so we aren't ready! We didn't want an older toddler, either. Xi YaoYu is almost the opposite of everything we thought we wanted. But I could look into his eyes for hours. Not even his real eyes- photos of his eyes!
So...I have contacted the agency with a long list of questions. Most importantly, why on earth is this little angel still available? Is there something I am missing? And then the logistical questions: what would we have to do to adopt him?
Stay tuned for an update!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
How We Began
My husband Tripp and I have been married for five years. Once we decided we both wanted children, we agreed that we wanted to adopt. We are very environmentally conscious and concerned with overpopulation. Neither of us felt, in good conscience, that we could contribute to this epidemic. Furthermore, I was adopted as an infant, so I was completely comfortable with the idea.
Soon after our wedding, I began researching adoption. Very quickly I rejected the domestic route in favor of the international one. I just wasn't comfortable with the concept of open adoptions, and the high risk of one or more adoptions falling through before we could truly call a child our own was not at all appealing.
At first I was attracted to Russia and Ukraine, because I hadn't yet come to terms with adopting a child that didn't resemble us physically. I soon discovered that the programs in these two countries were quite unstable and unreliable. You may or may not come home with a child in the end! That was just unacceptable.
I have several Chinese friends, and so China was a natural place to investigate next. The more I learned about the Chinese adoption program, the more excited I became. Soon there was no doubt that this was where our child would come from. I cannot remember actually arriving at that decision, as it has been years. I cannot remember the conversation I had with Tripp about it. But it must have happened!
Before we adopted, however, we did want to have one biological child. Our eco-selves felt some guilt about this selfish decision, but there it was. It's what we wanted.
We had no idea whether we'd be able to have a biological child, but after yet more research I learned that at my age (30) I should allow a year to try to conceive. We were very lucky and had no trouble conceiving. Our beautiful, healthy son Sebastian was born in 2006. So our adoption plans were put on the back burner, and I lost track of what was happening in China.
When "Baz" was five months old we happened to attend a birthday party for a little girl on our street who was turning two. That party just happened to also be attended by another little two year-old who had been adopted from China. I eagerly struck up a conversation with her mom, and found out that the wait for a child from China had increased far beyond what I had expected. Tripp and I wanted our children to be about 2 years apart in age, and it turned out that we would have to start the adoption process immediately in order for that to be a possibility.
Thankfully I had already decided on an agency, but, as my information was a couple of years old, I requested packets from the agency I thought I wanted (Chinese Children Adoption International), and the "runner-up" from my research. I still felt best about CCAI, so we sent in our application within weeks of that fateful birthday party!
Soon after our wedding, I began researching adoption. Very quickly I rejected the domestic route in favor of the international one. I just wasn't comfortable with the concept of open adoptions, and the high risk of one or more adoptions falling through before we could truly call a child our own was not at all appealing.
At first I was attracted to Russia and Ukraine, because I hadn't yet come to terms with adopting a child that didn't resemble us physically. I soon discovered that the programs in these two countries were quite unstable and unreliable. You may or may not come home with a child in the end! That was just unacceptable.
I have several Chinese friends, and so China was a natural place to investigate next. The more I learned about the Chinese adoption program, the more excited I became. Soon there was no doubt that this was where our child would come from. I cannot remember actually arriving at that decision, as it has been years. I cannot remember the conversation I had with Tripp about it. But it must have happened!
Before we adopted, however, we did want to have one biological child. Our eco-selves felt some guilt about this selfish decision, but there it was. It's what we wanted.
We had no idea whether we'd be able to have a biological child, but after yet more research I learned that at my age (30) I should allow a year to try to conceive. We were very lucky and had no trouble conceiving. Our beautiful, healthy son Sebastian was born in 2006. So our adoption plans were put on the back burner, and I lost track of what was happening in China.
When "Baz" was five months old we happened to attend a birthday party for a little girl on our street who was turning two. That party just happened to also be attended by another little two year-old who had been adopted from China. I eagerly struck up a conversation with her mom, and found out that the wait for a child from China had increased far beyond what I had expected. Tripp and I wanted our children to be about 2 years apart in age, and it turned out that we would have to start the adoption process immediately in order for that to be a possibility.
Thankfully I had already decided on an agency, but, as my information was a couple of years old, I requested packets from the agency I thought I wanted (Chinese Children Adoption International), and the "runner-up" from my research. I still felt best about CCAI, so we sent in our application within weeks of that fateful birthday party!
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