Happy New Year

It is the beginning of Tet, the lunar New Year, and we did not receive our approval before the holiday as we were hoping. Now the embassy offices are closed through Thursday, and the Vietnamese aren't "really" back to work before 2/9. We were hoping to get quick approval so a G&R date could be set, so we're at least one week delayed. Now we're expecting approval next week and a G&R on the 16th or 17th of Feb. I start Feb. vacation 2/13, so that's pretty perfect timing actually, at least work-wise. Hopefully this is the last, and shortest, in a long line of delays we've had. Tomorrow marks day #200 since first seeing our daughter's face on July 11th. Thank goodness we didn't know then how long this would take, for I'd have lost my sanity completely (as opposed to only partially!)We'll be there just as soon as possible Bizou!!!

The Planets are Aligning

For the first time, everything seems to moving along in predicatable and quick order. Last Friday, Bizou's file arrived and our I600 (THE most important form of this whole process) was filed at the Hanoi office. Monday evening we had our travel meeting and all of our documents are completed, notarized, and ready to go. We just got word this morning that our file has been officially acknowledged by the USCIS adoption office in Ho Chi Minh City. All that is left is for them to issue and send formal approval back to Hanoi, who will send us the final and best email of all, giving us notice to travel. It looks like our time is approaching. I can feel the Braxton-Hicks contractions now!

Bring on 2009!

Well, things are finally moving along. We found out that our file is expected to arrive at the US embassy tomorrow, which means that acknowledgement should come next week or the week after. We have a phone "travel meeting" set up for next week and our baby's entire Vietnamese file should arrive via FedEx tomorrow, which will give us the report of how she was found, some earlier photos, etc. The head of our agency reported that one possible scenario is for us to travel around Feb. 6 with our G&R ("Giving and Receiving" Ceremony, aka Vietnamese adoption after which we take her with us) on Feb. 9 or 10. If it weren't for Tet, we'd have her by the end of January. After all this time, I cannot believe that we may be within a month or so of holding our daughter in our arms. She will be 9 months old, a whole person, and we have a lot of catch-up to do. Despite the months of preparation we've had, we have a long to-do list of things like getting final papers notarized, shop and pack, talk to our doctor, prepare for my leave of absence,pay bills ahead, etc., etc., etc. We are treasuring our blissfully quiet home and "grown-up" slow meals in the dining room, because their days are numbered!

Winter Solstice

Acknowledge the darkness, be still with it, and carry with you the hope of the returning light.......

Daydreaming.....

I wonder...for how many hours of my lifetime will I hold this hand in mine?