I am trying to get my to-do list complete before China. There are things I would like to get done around the house that won't be that easy once all three kids are under one roof. Not to mention the packing and preparing for China. Though, in truth, if we got the call that we could leave tomorrow. I could get it done in about 2 hours!!
It seems like I am spending a lot of time crunching numbers. I am still uncertain as to when our LSC paperwork was dropped off at the U.S. Consulate and when our scheduled Article 5 pick-up will be, especially since we are contending with Memorial Day. After last week's cosulate closure, I know they are dealing with more pressing matters but I am still being driven mad wanting to know!!! Hopefully our agency can get word or we will get an email from the consulate informing us this week of the whereabouts of our LSC. Our agency told me that it normally takes 3 weeks all in for the Article 5 to be issued. I just don't know if that means three weeks from when it was sent or 3 weeks since the consulate reopened.
Our goal was to travel to China in June. I wish, but proably not. My number crunching has us at mid-July. In truth, not the best time: Quarter-end, heat, humidity, middle of summer, height of summer swim competition and kart racing. It also makes it difficult for some of our family to watch Chloe & Oliver while we are in China. Of course, it would be mid-July.
I have our travel dates in my mind. I think I have it in the "window" of time even though our adoption agency won't give guesstimates. Crunch the numbers again and again and it statistically seems the most likely. So, being the planner, I am trying to be pro-active and make calendars for the kids activities and events. Of course, everyone else seems to be laid-back with the summer details and I am turning out to be the crazy lady bugging them for times of swim meets and practices.
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Oliver keeps asking when Emma Claire is coming over for a playdate. He is very excited but hasn't grasped that Emma Claire is going to live with us. He does talk about being her big brother and loving her. I know Chloe was 5 when Oliver came home and it didn't quite sink in until Oliver was there.
May is almost coming to a close and June will be here--we will celebrate Chloe's 9th birthday, Oliver's 4th birthday, we will get to strawberry picking and enjoy some time on the lake before we go. We also plan to have a real smokehouse BBQ at the track with our friends. All things that we can enjoy before life gets a little more complicated with the addition of Emma Claire.
Also, with Emma Claire coming almost in the middle of summer we can relax into a routine before she is carted from here to there with her sister and brother's after-school activities. LOTS of time outdoors with the little girl to get her acclimated to day and night!! SO, SO, thankful that we are not traveling in winter and cooped indoors trying to get her acclimated!!
And we will get to celebrate her first birthday at home.
Trying to look on the positive side, which isn't always easy with the ups and downs of adoption. It has been almost 4 months since our referral. She will be 10 months old soon. My sister joked and said that as long as it seems to be taking I might start thinking about registering her for kindergarten! I am also fielding questions from friends as to why we have had to send our paperwork to the U.S. government three times for approval (i800a, i800, Article 5). "What's this approval for?" and "When does China get involved?" seem to be the most popular questions lately.
I just want to go to China and get Emma Claire. NOW.
1 comment
I like your number crunching!
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