Signed, Sealed Delivered - She's Ours!

Day Two with Cambree.

Signed...Sealed....Delivered....She's Ours!

Today we got up early and headed back to the Civil Affairs office where we met Cambree yesterday.  This is the same couch we found her on less than 12 hours ago. After a bath....after a change of clothes...lots of cherrios and puffs....and a hairbow!

As we started the final paperwork, the director said this is very serious.  You must understand that there is no turning back if you sign these papers.  Then she ask me the worse question I have ever heard..."would you like to give her back to the orphanage director today or do you want to keep her"?  Are you serious??  Please, where do I sign to get this thing finalized??

So, we quickly signed the paperwork and sealed it with her foot print in red ink.

 

 

 

Look at those little fat feet!  Love it.

 



We finally got a sweet smile that made our heart rejoice!

Gotcha Day!

Day one
Gotcha Day!

This morning I woke up as a mom to two wonderful babies. However within a few hours I would be a mom of three.
As we sat there and waited I'm was overcome with excitement and anxiety. I cannot believe we finally get to meet her today. Our appointment at the Civil Affairs office was not until 3:00 pm. So all day we just had to wait.... Wait... And watch the clock.
Finally it was time. We made the 30 minute trip in the worst traffic ever. As we finally entered the building I heard a baby screaming.
There she was Wu, Guo Yun.
So things started off a little rocky.....

Then I introduced her to puffs! She likes to eat about 5000 times per day so this made her very happy.

Then she met the love of her life Baba ( daddy) and would rather I leave her alone. Don't worry I'm winning over her heart with snacks!

So after the whirlwind of paperwork was over the lades turned her over to us. These ladies were from the Kunming City Orphanage and one was the director.

We finally get to leave the Civil Affairs office. 

So after a long hard day we took a bath and headed off for bed.

Today this little angel,started off as Wu, Guo Yun belonging to the Kunming City Orphanage......and now goes to bed tonight as Cambree Jade Condra belonging to her forever family.

China here we come

After over a year of paperwork it is finally time to go pick up our daughter. I'm freaking out a little!!

I have packed everything but the kitchen sink, cried all the tears you can imagine, have more sticky notes around here than Office Depot has in stock, and checked off my to do list a million times.  It is time to leave for China!
Tonight was the last night that our little family of 4 will have dinner together again. The next time we are together we will have our new addition.

So, tomorrow is the big day.  The day I must step out of my comfort zone.  I have never left my kids before longer than a hot second.  I have never been away from home this long before.  I have never been on a plane this long before.  Oh and my word.....I so hate to fly. Praying my plane doesn't just fall out of the sky (because that happens every day).  I pray my medication works or poor Chad might ask to be moved to another seat.....or ask for me to be put in with the baggage.

I have thought so much about what that first day will be like when she is placed in our arms.  I can only imagine how scared she will be. That completely kills me!  Leaving the only people she has ever known, her culture, her language, her home.  She is going to be thrown into the arms of a stranger.  I'm sure she will be thinking - who are these fat white people.  I ask Chad if I should do spray tan tonight so maybe it would take off the glow of white..ness.  He reminded me that the blonde hair will still be enough to scare her to death.  So, I decided against the spray tan.  Not only would she think her mom smelled terrible....with orange crusty ankles but in a few days she would think a new mom arrived when the tan wore off.  So, I pray she likes me!  White....blonde hair...blue eyes and cannot speak a lick of Chinese!

Last post from the USA!  Hopefully I can post in a few days with a little miracle in my arms.

 

Official Travel Approval Has Arrived!!

The moment we have been waiting for has finally arrived. We have officially received word that we are approved to come pick up our daughter!
The sweetest part of the letter says “we have agreed that this child who is in the care of Kunming City Children’s Welfare Inst be place with you for adoption. Please travel in person with this notice to proceed”. Rip my heart out!

Exactly one year, and three weeks ago today we started our adoption process. Now here we are at the end of the journey, but it’s really just the beginning.
We will leave Atlanta on March 22^nd to begin the LONG journey to the other side of the world. I’m really not sure if there is enough medication that can be given to get my on a flight for that long…..but I know that God didn’t bring me this far to let me go now. Then, on March 25^th we get to pick up this sweet baby! After receiving these updated photos, I’m pretty sure I could swim to China and get her tonight.

We stay in her city of Kunming China until Friday, March 29^th to finalize her adoption. We will then leave for Guangzhou China, where on April 2^nd we have an appointment to meet with the US Consulate to receive her VISA. Then on April 4^th we will begin the LONG journey back home.
Now it’s time to freak out a little! I’ve already mentioned I don’t fly very well. The next big problem is I have never been away from my kids more than a hot second. My heart is breaking thinking about leaving them for that long. I know that they will be in great hands, but not MY hands. Pray for Nana and Mimi as they take care of them for so long. Pray they get rested up now…. and bring their tennie shoes….and maybe some benedryl for bedtime.
I am completely a procrasinator. I haven’t even started packing yet and getting ready so the next 2 weeks I’m going to be on crazy lady mode. Time to get things ready!

Things are starting to move!

Each time I go to Kroger I feel like I always get in the slowest moving line.  This past year that is how things have seemed.  I have felt like we were trying to get to China in a very small boat across the ocean.

Nothing really moves fast in the adoption world.

However, the past few weeks things have started to move.  I guess we have traded in the kayak and got a faster moving model.

There is light at the end of this long tunnel.

This week we received word that our last immigration paperwork had been approved.  For those of you who have lost count, yes that is about step number 4856 million....however, we are only about 3 more steps away.  This paperwork we just received was our petition to classify her as an immediate relative and get this little Chinese wonton into the USA.  Our steps left are for our paperwork to go to the National Visa Center, then onto the US Embassy in China so the adoption can be completed, schedule a few appointment there in China, then wait for the long awaited news that we can come get her. So, yes things are starting to pick up. 

On another note.....as things get closer I realize that Cambree Jade is for real.  Don't get me wrong...yes I know she has been "for real" a long time, but when you have a picture to match your dream and it almost time to go meet your daughter a whole new level of fear begins.....and a prescription of zantac is needed.  Since we received her file I knew that she was from Kunming China and the Kunming City Children's Welfare Institution. 

Doesn't it look beautiful!!!!!!  Well, guess what she isn't there.

So, over the past few months I have been on every website, blog, and adoption group forum that you could imagine.  I ran across a wonderful lady named Julie who was traveling with her family to Kunming to adopt their daughter this week.  And the best part was their daughter was from the exact same orphanage as Cambree.  Of course I emailed her to say "please see if you can see/get a picture/get any information you can on my baby!  I gave her Cambree's Chinese name, birthday and the only photo I had which was taken at 9 months old.  As if Julie didn't have enough going on she was happy to see what she could find out.  Today she and her family was able to tour the orphanage.  She was able to see the infant room and meet a few of the ladies who worked with the babies.  She ask about Cambree and although they knew exactly who she was, we learned that she was not living there at the orphanage.  Cambree is currently living with a foster family away from the center.  She will remain with them until a week before our arrival.  At that time they will bring her back to the center for one week to wait for us to arrive - can you say "rip my heart out".  That is the worst plan I've ever heard of.  She will be an emotional hot mess!  My heart hurts for her just thinking about that process.

As I called my friend tonight to share a few......tears....she reminded me of something special.  Our baby is getting some individual love, and care, hugs and kisses and will know what love is all about.  So, tonight I pray for this very special foster family that is taking care of my child. This Chinese nanny who is the only Mama that Cambree Jade has ever had.  I pray that she is giving her all the love and nurture that she can until our arrival.
Isn't that amazing that God placed Julie in my path to get updated information on Cambree.  How cool is that!

More December Birthdays!

Happy birthday to my baby girl.
December 18th
Today on the other side of the world, in Kunming China, my youngest daughter turns one year old!  I'm not there to throw her an over the top birthday party, watch her get icing all over her face from her first birthday cake, take a million pictures or sing happy birthday to her.  Other than missing her acutal birth, this is truly the hardest milestone to miss.  Although right now we are seperated by an ocean, I know that God has her in His hands. 
When we received her file there were many reasons I knew that she was mine.  We had to laugh because she had a December birthday.  Out of 6 little kids in our family, 4 of them have December birthdays.  So, of course she belongs to my family......she has a December birthday.
So, today we celebrate without her.  However, you better believe that next year we will have one big party!

Happy birthday to my Cambree Jade!  Your family loves you already and cannot wait for you to arrive.

Our second celebration is the birth of my first nephew. 

Yesterday on December 17th we welcomed the arrival of Cooper James Williams three weeks early.  He weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and was 19.5 inches long.  Oh....my....he is so adorable!  I am over the moon thrilled for Jennifer and Jamie.  This precious son came just at the right time.  Not only is he just beautiful, he is also sweet as can be.  We are already in LOVE!  I cannot believe these two babies will have birthdays one day apart.  Best friends these two will be.   So, today we also celebrate Cooper!

Happy birthday Caden!

Eight years ago on December 1, 2004 at 2:43am God allowed me to become a mom to my little athletic, energetic, fireball from heaven.  Caden amazes me with his talents.  Although he hates school, I'm pretty sure he can do anything you can imagine outside with his hands.  I cannot believe how athletic such a tiny little guy can be.  I cannot walk and chew gum at the same time, but he can play any sport that has a ball.  He says he can hear me over everyone else at the ballpark as I cheer for him.  Maybe he will play for the Braves one day.  You could offer Caden a trip anywhere and he would choose to play outside.  He lives outside regardless of the weather from sun up to sun down.  Seriously!  Nothing makes him happier than to be in the dirt.  I never knew that one little guy could make me cry harder than I've ever cried, laughed harder than I have ever laughed, worry myself sick over everything, and want to pull my hair out on any given day.  I realize each day how inadequate my mom skills are and how many mistakes I make each day. However, despite it all, he loves me anyway. 
After 6 1/2 years of being an old child I had no idea how he would react when Callie was born.  He took pride when she was little feeding her a morning bottle, and rocking her to sleep.  Now at 8 years old and 16 months old it is hilarious to watch them play together.  She is tough as nails thanks to her big brother.  He is so good to her and she just giggles when he comes home from school each day.  I think he will always be her protective big brother.  Pretty soon he will have 2 little girls that will be wrapped around his finger.  How fun it will be to watch the little girls try and keep up with him.
Caden Lee I love you!  Happy birthday!