Our Adoption Timeline

Hey everyone! Well, today I sat down and looked back through the journal that I am keeping for Rebekah and jotted down dates that follow us through the whole adoption process. I was amazed at how much time has passed since we first decided to adopt internationally. For two years prior to this decision, we were working with the Department of Social Services to adopt a baby/toddler and/or to be a foster parent. We never got a child. We finally realized that maybe this was not the path that we were supposed to take to find our baby so we talked about adopting internationally. I called SEVERAL agencies, got packets of information, and we began to choose which route we wanted to take. Here's our timeline:

*June 30, 2005: We decided to adopt internationally.
*July 5, 2005: We called Carolina Adoption Services in Greensboro, NC for an information packet about China and Guatamala adoption programs.
*July 14, 2005: Carolina Adoption Services talked to us about the programs and when we decided to go with the China Adoption Program,they referred us to their sister organization, ABC Adoption Services in Roanoke, VA.
We called them for an information packet and application.
*July 18, 2005: We mailed our application to ABC Adoption Services
*August 14, 2005: We met with our Social Worker, Chasity Dickson, for the first time at the ABC Adoption Services offices in Roanoke, VA
*August 15, 2005: We sent off forms to do our DMV Checks, and state police background checks
*November 12, 2005: Our social worker, Chasity, visited our home for the homestudy.
*November 14, 2005: Doug's physical and immunizations
*November 18, 2005: Susan's physical and immunizations
*December 3, 2005: Training in Greensboro, NC on International Adoption with Carolina Adoption Services
*December 4, 2005: Our final homestudy interview with the Social Worker in Roanoke,VA (ABC Adoption Services offices)
*December 5, 2005: We sent a letter with the Christmas cards explaining the 100 Wishes Quilt and asking friends and family to please help us with
this project.
*December 26, 2005: Susan receives her renewed Passport!
*December 27, 2005: We mailed off the I600A ($685 fee) to INS and documents to Richmond, VA for state authentication. Doug even got us our own FedEX account for all of the mailings we have to do.
*January 10, 2006: OUR HOMESTUDY IS FINISHED!
*February 3, 2006: We got our fingerprinting done with INS in Charlotte, NC
*March 12, 2006: Received our I171H!
*March 23, 2006: Took passport photos for our dossier
*March 24, 2006: Received the last two documents from Washington, DC that had to be authenticated by the state department and the Chinese Embassy. We rushed over to Office Max and made three copies of our entire dossier and mailed two to Sabrina in California so she could send one to CHINA!!!!!
*March 27, 2006: DTC (Our dossier was SENT TO CHINA!)
*April 1, 2006: "China Experience" Cultural Program in Norfolk, VA at the Chinese Pagoda. We met our China Coordinator, Sabrina Chang, from California, and the China Adoption Coordinator for ABC Adoption Services, Carol Galvins. We also went to Carol's house that evening for a potluck dinner and
program by Sabrina about the whole China Adoption Process. It was very informative and we met other couples that are in the various stages of the adoption process.
*May 16, 2006: We bought a rocking chair for the nursery.
*June 9, 2006: We joined the online March 2006 DTC Yahoo Group (The Marching Pandas)which has been a great online support group of other families who are adopting from China and had all sent their dossier to China in March.
We signed up to trade 100 Wishes Quilt fabric/wishes and to participate in the "Secret Pals" program. This is a GREAT group!
*June 16, 2006: Bought a stroller
*June 17, 2006: Registered at Toys-R-Us and Walmart
*June 20, 2006: Received our "Brown Envelope" from the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou,China with papers we will need when we travel to get the baby.
*June 24, 2006: Bought lilac paint to paint the nursery and a rug. We also assembled the crib!
*June 29, 2006: Received an autographed copy of the book, "A Quilt of Wishes," by Teresa Orem Werner (about the 100 Wishes Quilt)
*July 24, 2006: Received our first surprise package from our March 06' DTC Secret Pals!
*August 14, 2006: Received our second surprise package from our Secret Pals!
*August 19, 2006: We painted the nursery and hung the curtains!
*September 16, 2006: We received our third package of goodies from our dear Secret Pals! They are so awesome!
*October 13, 2006: Susan finished the 100 Wishes Scrapbook (we're up to 79 wishes!)
*October 15, 2006: Received the fourth package of surprises from our Secret Pals!
*November 10, 2006: Doug received his updated PASSPORT!
*November 12, 2006: Received the fifth package from our Secret Pals!
*December 16, 2006: Bought an ornament for the tree (Chinese Barbie) in honor of our future daughter and so that she will know how much we were thinking about her even before she came into our lives!
*December 25, 2006: HOPEFULLY our last Christmas without our baby!
*January 5, 2007: Our 9 month "LID-iversary" and we received a box of goodies from our wonderful Secret Pals (from the March DTC Yahoo Group)
*January 15, 2007: Updated our physicals for the updated homestudy we have to do in the state of Virginia. Got the good results on January 23, 2007!
January 24, 2007: Went to the Hatcher Center in Blairs, VA to give them the fabric that I picked out for the rocking chair pads for the nursery. It should take about a month before they have it ready.
January 24, 2007: Received the January Goody box from our Secret Pals. The theme was "The Chinese New Year" and they sent plenty of goodies to enjoy for the celebration.

100 Wishes Quilt Squares! Still going.....

Just thought I'd let y'all know that we're still collecting fabric squares and wishes for the 100 Wishes Quilt. I hope to get this made in a couple of months at The Hatcher Center in Blairs, Virginia. They employ disabled/handicapped people with the most amazing talents! I went by there in October and fell in LOVE with the place. They will sew my 100 Wishes Quilt for a good price and do a much better job than I could ever dream of doing! They are also going to make the rocking chair seat and back pads for only $15.00! I picked out the fabric and just have to run it by next week for them to do that. They do AWESOME work and I can't wait to get the 100 fabric squares so I can get that to them! We would LOVE to have one from you if you haven't sent us one yet! Email me if you need our address!

Little Lamb for Baby Rebekah!

Hey everyone! This is one of the things Doug gave me for Christmas for Rebekah...it's the softest baby lamb! Isn't he cute???

We survived Christmas!

Hey everyone,
Well another Christmas has come and gone and WE SURVIVED not having our baby yet! YOOHOO! Now we can focus on new goals, resolutions, and hopefully a "speedy" referral and trip to China to get our baby girl! As much as I love Christmas, this year was hard. I tried to just focus on enjoying the holiday with Doug as a couple and not think about China, but at some moments it was very difficult.
Anyhow, so what are your New Year's Resolutions? I need to sit down and make a list of mine and then maybe I'll share some here. Others will be private.....hahahahaha.
Thanks to all of you who called and sent emails of encouragement! Oh, by the way, the picture is of Lambchop (one of my presents since I love puppets and have persuaded Doug to get me a few for the baby's room!) hahahaha.....once a kid, always a kid, right?

Christmas Eve

Well, here we are at yet ANOTHER Christmas Eve and no baby in our home. I must admit that it really hasn't hit me until today. Last year, we were so looking forward to this year and sharing our lives with our baby and then here we are with NO baby and things being soooooooooooooooooooooooooo slow in China. We're trying to be patient and stay busy but the holidays just have a way of making you feel so nostalgic and "family-oriented" so we miss being able to share Christmas with a little one of our own. I pray that this will be the last Christmas without our Rebekah and may Heavenly Father keep her safe and in the hands of those who will love her and take care of her until we can as her Mommy and Daddy. Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends.....keep those prayers coming on our behalf. We truly appreciate them! Here's our tree this year and some other Christmas decorations in and around our home. The Chinese Barbie ornament was one we found at Hallmark and put it on the tree in honor of our future baby from China. We were surprised to find it! One picture is of our kitty, Savannah who LOVED to lay on the presents under the tree!

8 Months Down.....How Many More To Go????

Hey everyone! Actually yesterday was our LID-iversary. We have made it EIGHT whole months since our Log-In-Date with the CCAA. We're wondering how much longer it will be. It's hard but we're trying to stay focused on positive things and getting stuff ready for when we DO actually travel to China. Thanks for all of the words of encouragement, emails, and prayers on our behalf.

Kitty Photoshow!

Ok y'all, I'm practicing using all of this "technology" so that when we do get our baby, Rebekah, I can add cool stuff about her. For right now, you all just have to endure more pictures of our furbabies! hahahahahaha

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Cute Little Chelsea!

I love this picture of our kitty, Chelsea, that Doug took! Look at her mouth! She was "talking" to Doug and he actually got a shot of her with her mouth open. Can you tell that we love our cats? hahahahahahahahaha Goodness knows when we get our baby, we'll probably take THOUSANDS of photos a day! Enjoy!

Doug and Tabby Chillin'

I couldn't resist taking this picture of Doug and our cat, Tabitha (Tabby), watching tv together. Can you tell that Tabby is a "Daddy's girl?"

Sock Monkey Ornament

Doug and I were down in Greensboro, NC last weekend and visited a museum where they had these little sock monkey ornaments. I bought one to hang on our tree this year since we don't have our "little monkey" yet. One day I'll be able to tell Rebekah that we got it the Christmas before we got her. Isn't it the funniest looking thing?Hahahahahahahahahaha

November Secret Pal Goodies Arrive!

Our dear secret pals with the March DTC Group sent us our November goodies. The theme for this month was "travel essentials" and included things that we could use when we FINALLY get to travel to China to get Rebekah. It was so much fun opening the box! They sent us a beautiful totebag with children on it (very colorful), a diaper ducky with bags for dirty diapers, disposable washcloths,disposable bibs, a thermos (for mixing formula and carrying it around China), a formula powder storage bowl, a Tide-To-Go Pen (which I LOVE!), and a pretty card. They are such awesome goodies and made it seem more REAL that one day we will be actually going to China and getting our baby girl!

CCAA Update

Well for those of you who are always asking us, "When are you going to get to actually GET your baby?" you need to know that all of that depends on the speed at which the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) processes the dossiers and issues the referrals. This morning we woke up and checked the site to find that they have now reviewed dossiers (the mountains of paperwork that families submit in order to adopt)through January 31, 2006. Remember that our Log In Date was April 5, 2006. I've heard that they always have two months worth of dossiers in the review room at a time so I'm guessing that they have February and March in there now. Hopefully they will review ours next. Yesterday a lot of people online were getting referrals and it has been wonderful to read their exciting news and to dream about the day when it will be our turn! Usually once you get your referral with the baby's pictures and information, you then have to accept the referral, and then you travel 6-8 weeks later. The CCAA has issued referrals for those dossiers with LID up to August 25, 2005. We're hoping and praying that they speed up and hopefully we will get to travel maybe in the summer???????? Keep praying for us and we'll hang in there. Love to you all!

How To Leave Comments Here

A lot of people have sent me emails wanting to know how to post messages on our blog. It's simple. Click on the "comment" at the bottom of each post. You will go to a screen to leave the message. If you are not a blogger, just choose the anonymous option, type your message, type the secret code you are prompted to type and the message will be left for me. If you do this anonymously, please remember to type your name in the message so I will know WHO it is from! Have fun! Susan

Felicity's Wish For Our 100 Wishes Quilt

My online friend, Felicity, sent me a wish and fabric for our 100 Wishes Quilt. Thanks Felicity. I'm glad we share the same LID (Log In Date). Maybe we'll end up in China at the same time when we get our girls!

NC State versus Virginia Tech!

While in Blacksburg Saturday visiting the National Weather Center we were able to also see the campus of Virginia Tech Hokies. Notice that my husband was wearing an NC State Wolfpack Sweatshirt! hahahahahahaha The CERT director, Doug Young, took some pictures of Doug with the Hokie Bird. It's a good thing no one saw him......I think I would have "lost" my husband! hahahahahahaha

Happy Halloween!

Well, it is Halloween. We carved the pumpkin, hung the skeleton in the tree, put out the candy bowl, and took pictures of our cats! hahahahahaha Hopefully next year at this time we will have a little one to take out Trick or Treating and dress up!

Mabrey Mill and National Weather Center in Blacksburg, VA

Doug and I spent Saturday morning at the National Weather Center in Blacksburg, VA with the Danville CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). We love being a part of this organization that seeks to provide emergency assistance to the community in times of need or disaster. They teach you how to take care of your own family and neighborhood in a disaster and then to reach out further to the community. We learned how the weather center plays a vital part to alerting communities in Weather emergencies. It was GREAT! We then took a drive on a small part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and then visited Mabrey Mill! It was beautiful to see the Fall Foliage and to spend the day with our CERT friends!

Daddy Gets Baby A "Pony"

Last Friday we were at Toys R Us and Doug insisted on getting his "little girl" a pony! He looked so cute carrying it out of the store! I guess every little girl needs a pony! I hope Rebekah will love sitting on Trigger's back!

October Secret Pal Gifts

Our secret pal sent us awesome October surprises! Among the goodies were two Precious Moments figurines. One had a little girl holding a pumpkin and the name of it is, "I'm glad I picked you." How appropriate! The other is a beautiful little frame. They also sent us bags of candies (Mounds and Pay Day), two little Halloween books, a Halloween frame to paint, and a sweet card. THANK YOU so much secret pals! You make the wait a little easier to bear! Even little Chelsea loved the box and decided to play in that!

6 Month LID-iversary

Well, today marks our 6 month LID-iversary. It has been 6 months since our paperwork was logged-in at the CCAA in China. Of course we have NO idea how long it will be before we get a referral and know WHO our baby is! We just try to stay busy and keep positive that eventually it will happen. Today is also the Autumn Moon Festival in China.

Baby Gifts From Janice

My mentor at school, Janice Carter, really surprised me this week! For my birthday she gave me a WONDERFUL cake that she had baked and some baby gifts for Rebekah! Janice is one of those people who always has a positive attitude and you just LOVE being around her. I was so surprised! She gave me a little teddy bear applique, a journal that has places for photographs too, and the softest and cutest PINK matching socks (one pair for baby and one pair for mommy)! I cried when I saw the little socks! Thank you so much Janice!!!!!!

100 Wishes Scrapbook Update 09/30/06

Well I have been having a LOT of fun putting together Rebekah's 100 Wishes Scrapbook! The time flies when I sit down to work on it because I enjoy it. I think about how one day SHE will be the one looking through it and reading all of the wonderful wishes for HER! Thank you to all of the friends and family members who have sent us a sweet wish and fabric square for the quilt. Below are some pictures of the pages. Besides the pages with the wishes, I've also made a couple of pages out of the address labels and stamps that were on the many envelopes that were sent filled with such dear sweet wishes for our baby girl. It was neat to see the many many places that the wishes came from. We have them from many of the states and Canada. Thank you to EVERYONE who is so kind-hearted and helpful in this memory-making endeavor. We send our love and heartfelt thank-yous! We have 72 wishes and are looking for a few more so I can begin sewing the quilt. (To see any of the pictures up close, just double-click on the picture)

My Sister Stacey's Fabric For The Baby Quilt

Ok, y'all are going to love this fabric that my sister, STacey, sent for the baby's quilt. It has witches and black cats on it!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I love it! Stacey and I have ALWAYS loved to have fun with Halloween. We would dress up every year and go to a friend's house (Geneva Anderson) and help her hand out candy to the kids that came by. We lived so far out in the country that we NEVER had trick-or-treaters so Geneva would let us come help her. It was a blast! And of course we grew up having lots of fun with it and have many many family memories of costumes, and walking from house to house as Daddy would park MILES from where we were! hahahaha This is just perfect for MY baby's quilt because I hope that she grows and enjoys the holidays as much as we were raised to. Thanks Stacey for WONDERFUL cloth! It will definitely stand out on the quilt just like all of the memories that we shared growing up will forever stand out in my memory! LOVE YOU GIRL!

Thanks Felicity and Mike!

Our internet buddies, Felicity and Mike, from Melbourne, Florida recently went on a trip to Las Vegas. Today we received a surprise box from them with lots of cute things for Baby Rebekah! What a neat surprise! They sent a ladybug cup, Chinese Goodluck Money holders, a magnet, chopsticks, and postcards. There were also some of the tiniest little hairbows that I've ever seen....just perfect for a little baby's hair! Thanks to you both! We were definitely surprised to receive that! We share the same Log-in-Date with Felicity and Mike and hope to one day be in China at the same time to get our babies! Much love to you both!

Our Secret Pals Are Wonderful! (Sept. Surprises)

We are just blown away each month when we get our surprises from our March 2006 DTC Secret Pals! For September, the theme was "Reading Is Fun" and since Susan is a teacher and absolutely LOVES children's books, she especially couldn't wait to see what her secret pals would surprise us with. Upon opening the box, we found books that were tied in with the theme of adoption when we saw the one, "The Lamb-a-roo" by Diana Kimpton and "China In My Heart" by Emma Ling Zhu Davy ( who was six years old when she wrote the book and illustrated it too)! Susan cried when she read The Lamb-a-Roo because it is a touching little story of a baby lamb in search of a Mommy who is adopted by a kangaroo. The lamb notices how he is different from the rest of the kangaroos and tries to find a way to fit in. (We won't give the entire plot away, but is VERY cute!) We also got a little book version of the classic, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle. What an adorable size of this children's classic! Then there was the VERY colorful book called, "Surf With Squirt" that I'm sure ANY child would LOVE because the pages are huge and FULL of color! Also included in the box were three hairclips with school buses and school related things on them and then gift certificates for each of us: Doug got a giftcard for Borders and Susan got a giftcard for OLIVE GARDEN!!!!!! The giftcards were our birthday presents from our secret pals and came with birthday cards. WOW, Secret Pals! You guys never cease to amaze us. THANK YOU!

Little Chelsea Has Surgery

Hey all! Our kitten, Chelsea, had surgery this week. We had her spayed and she is now home safe and sound and doing well. Just thought everyone might like to see her fancy "headgear" she had to wear for a bit to keep her from tearing out her stitches. Isn't she a cutie pie? We love this little cat! Her big sisters, Tabitha and Savannah missed her while she was away and searched the house high and low for her.

Our "Sonogram"

Ok Y'all, yes, I've lost my mind! hahahahahahaha I was browsing the internet and saw this sonogram on someone's adoption site. I LOVE IT! It's the only "pregnancy sonogram" I'll ever have! hahahahahaha Just thought you'd kick out of it. So, yes, we're pregnant! 5 Months and counting as of 04/05/06.....of course we KNOW it won't just be 9 months! ENJOY!

We Wonder How Long It Will Be?

Everyone always asks us how long it will be before we actually get a referral and travel to China to get our baby girl. WELL.....that's not something we really know. When we first started the process, the wait time from the LID (Log in Date)to the Referral was six months. NOW, the estimated time is about 13 months. Then we wait another month or so before we get to travel to China to get her. So, basically we just wait and wait and hope things speed up over there in China. Apparantly this slowing down and speeding up is a common cycle so we're trying to think of it as being our typical "Appleton Luck" hahahahahaha. Keep praying that things will speed up! Anyhow, this little ticker we found will help us keep up with just how long it has been since we were logged-in in China.

Started Rebekah's 100 Wishes Scrapbook

Well, today I started putting wishes that people have been sending in to Rebekah's scrapbook. It was fun to sit down and look at all of them again. We have 63 so we still need 37 more. If you'd like to send one, email me at mommychinaadopt@yahoo.com

Anyhow, I have pictures of the front cover (which I might change), the title page (I need to add the story of the 100 Wishes Quilt tradition), and the first page with wishes from Doug and I for our baby girl. I think I just need a day or two to sit down and work on it for a long time. But then again, if I do a few pages every now and then, I can relax and really enjoy it.

As I made it, I couldn't help but think about the daughter that we will one day have and the joy this book of wishes will bring to her. I can't wait until we can look at them together and have her realize just HOW many people went the extra mile to send us a wish and fabric square for her quilt. I hope that her quilt will come together easily and be something that she will also enjoy and treasure for years to come. The tradition of making a 100 Wishes Quilt could be used for ANY baby ANYWHERE because of the love and wishes for a happy future that are a part of it. Of course this will be my first attempts at making a quilt so it might not be a grand work of art, but I think it will be a work of HEART that will mean much more!
Thanks to everyone that has sent us a wish and fabric square. I'm going to also include a list of people who sent wishes and their hometowns in the back so that she can see the many places that the wishes have come from(from Virginia to California to ALASKA!) What a special memory the wishes book will be for her too! THANK YOU ALL!

"Life is not measured by the number of Breaths we take,but by the moments

that take our breath away"... - Anonymous


I was reading other adoptive couples' posts and looking at their "Gotcha" videos today and thinking about when it will be our turn to experience that moment. Right now the wait is so hard and at times, frustrating, but all of these other parents experienced that too. I am comforted when I see their journals and blogs and read how all of that waiting and heartache was forgotton once that sweet baby was placed in their arms. THAT is the moment I dream about and look forward to. That is the moment that will surely take my breath away!

Susan's Maternal Grandparents

This is a photo of my maternal grandparents, Ruth and William Pruitt. I called them Papa and Nannie and I absolutely LOVED them....especially Papa! He served in World War II and was even at the Battle of the Bulge. He was just like the grandpa on The Waltons.....just the BEST! Nannie LOVED to sing and she used to play the guitar and piano. Papa never had any schooling beyond first grade but he was soooooooooooo smart when it came to practical things and just being Papa. I love this old picture of them because they just look so in love and cute. Of course they had their arguements and hard times but I have so many fond memories of growing up and having them in my life. They openly shared their love with me and I was so blessed to be Papa's "Tootie". I hope that our baby, Rebekah, will feel the love in her new family just like I had growing up. My family has always been the most important thing in my life and home was a place of refuge and safety. I want to carry on the old-fashioned ideals of family that people like Papa and Nannie instilled in me and continue the cycle of strong family bonds. Papa's middle name was McKinley and we've thought about Rebekah's middle name being McKinzie in honor of him and in hopes that she will possess the same gentle nature and enduring spirit. As we go through these months of waiting, we're going to post pictures of family to make our blog a collection of family memories and hopes for the future that we will share with our baby girl.

Painted The Nursery!!!!!!!!!

Well, Doug and I FINALLY painted the nursery yesterday (08/19/06). It is a BEAUTIFUL lilac color and we absolutely LOVE being in there! We still have to get a bookshelf, tall dresser, toy box etc. but we LOVE the room and hope that Baby Rebekah will love it too. The carpet is pink and goes well with the lilac. The room is decorated in a "Bear" motif and "girly" stuff. Very feminine and pretty. We hope that Bekah will also like the color for many years to come! We didn't want to make it too "babyish" but we still may get some decorations for the walls and of course some art work for the walls too. It feels so cozy in the room! I even put stuffed animals on the shelves above the curtains! I set up a table so I can sew her 100 wishes quilt in there and then the table will be replaced with a bookshelf and PLENTY of books which I've been collecting and getting from friends and colleagues (teachers). I have posted a picture of the cutest little gown that I bought. It has kitty cats on it and everyone KNOWS we love CATS! I also posted the diaper bag that Doug got me last year for my birthday with Pooh on it. We still have to get the padding for the rocking chair and an ottoman too but that's what all of these extra months of waiting are for, right? hahahahahaha