Article 5 Letter

I am finally feeling like this adoption is really going to happen. Ever since we began the process of adopting from China, I have felt like it just isn't real -- that it isn't really going to happen. Even when we had our LOA I kept thinking something would happen. Then we had our problem with USCIS and I thought -- we will lose this little girl over a paperwork problem. But, it got sent to our agent's supervisor and she did a wonderful job getting things solved and actually did it pretty quickly. 

Now we are waiting for our Article 5 Letter pick-up, and then we will wait for travel approval (TA).

I am thinking we could actually have travel approval by Christmas or maybe a week or so after. Then we will hopefully travel in January. That seems so soon to me right now after it seeming like it might not ever happen.

Abigail and I both have our visas now so we don't have much more to do. When I went to Bulgaria in the summer of 2012 to meet both of our girls, my daughter Emily traveled with me. It was a great trip and we actually had a very good time. We spent a week in Varna and then another week in Vetren. Abigail was suppose to go back with me on the second trip to pick the girls up, but Sarah had some medical problems and we ended up having both girls escorted. So Abigail didn't get to travel. She was disappointed and since we were pretty certain we would never adopt again I felt kind of bad. So, as soon as we made the decision to adopt from China, I knew that Abigail would be traveling with me. 

I love this time of year and now I am feeling pretty excited about finally meeting both girls. I have never adopted from China so I don't really know what to expect. I don't even know what size either girl wears or anything. The last height and weight we have on them is over a year old -- almost a year and a half. 

Such a beautiful time of year -- I have been trying to get outside and enjoy this season with the kids.

Bella just radiates joy -- all the kids adore her. Hard to believe that three years ago at this time of year she wasn't even here yet -- still in an orphanage in Vetren.