More pictures!

I also found a link to some pictures of the Luoyang Center, where Maya has been living since May 2005. Click here to see the photos and read a little bit about Half the Sky foundation, the founders of Luoyang Center.

This is such GREAT news. These babies look so well taken care of! Half the Sky foundation does amazing work and has been providing assistance to chinese orphans since 1999. I'm sure that I will share more as I learn more!

Details...details!

I received my referral package today via Fed-Ex. Lots of details in that one little package...medical all looks good, I checked her weight and height at her 10 month check up against American weight/height charts. She was in the 48th percentile for weight, 38% for height, and 33% for head circumference. These are by American standards. She was much higher on the Chinese weight/height charts...so, at least I know she's being fed well!

Her motor development as of Feb, 2006 seems quite good, too!

Now for the "personality" traits (these are the boxes that were checked to describe Maya at about 9 months)

active
restless
fond of imitating
having a ready smile
fond of playing with toys
having a ready smile
fond of quiteness
quick in reaction
fond of playing games
obstinante sometimes (oh my!)

So...that is what I know about my baby! I cannot wait to meet her in person!

It's a girl!

Chinese Name: Dang Hong Li
DOB: May 1, 2005
Province: Henan

More to come!

Longest day....

EVER!

And it's only 8:42am

Oy!

Monday it is....

My agency confirmed today that referral calls will be made on Monday.

For those of you who have NOT been listening for the past 20 months :) --- the referral is when I get to see who the China government agency (CCAA) decided I get to be a mommy to. I will receive a picture, her date of birth, information from last medical checkup, basic personality traits (as described by her ayi's - nannies), etc...

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The stork is flying!

VERY good news today! My agency has confirmed that the next batch of referrals is in the air! Should land on their doorstep tomorrow or Monday. Should be getting THE CALL on Monday or Tuesday (maybe Wednesday) of next week. I'm gonna be a MOMMY!

Stay tuned...next post should include a picture of a very special (and long awaited) little girl!

I've been tagged by Kelly

Here goes..

I am...waiting
I want....to meet my daughter
I wish....it was November
I hate....waiting
I miss....Maya
I hear...the radio and various house noises
I wonder...where Maya is
I regret...leaving my teaching job
I also regret...when I am fearful to the point where I miss exciting opportunities
I am not...tall
I dance.....like a fool
I sing....wonderfully (in the car, shower, and at church)
I am not always...organized
I make...noises
I write...when I feel like it
I confuse...others, daily!
I need...to see my daughter's face - THIS month, please!
I should...stop obsessing about the adoption
I start...alot of things
I finish...only the important things

If you are reading this (all two of you), consider yourself tagged..

3 Friends....

It has been an amazing month so far...and it's only going to get better. Let me fill you in on the "back story". A little over a year ago, I met two other women from the St. Louis area who were using the same adoption agency as me (CCAI). We began to have dinners together, once a month, at Sesame's Chinese (of course!). We shared our ups and downs...our disappointments with the the slowdown of the referrals...and our excitement about adding to our families (Kelly and Robin) and becoming a new mom (ME!).

Kelly had 2 daughters and was waiting for their third. Robin has a daughter and a son, and was waiting for their second daughter. Me - well, you know that story.

Fast forward to a few months ago, well beyond the time when we all thought that we'd be meeting our new daughters, and some things changed. Kelly and her family followed a dream to move to a place near the Ocean. Kelly also made a change from China adoption to Gautemalan adoption.Robin and her family decided that they were open to adopting a child with special needs.

Fast forward again to August. And here's what we have. Kelly and her husband Kevin just returned last weekend from meeting their new daughter in Guatemala. She is a beautiful 3 week old baby girl, named Kathelyn. They expect to complete the adoption at the beginning of 2007 when they will bring Kathelyn home. Robin received a referral today for her precious daughter, Lauren. You can see a picture of Lauren below. And me? Well...I should be seeing a picture of sweet Maya by the end of this month.

Somehow...someway....we have all become moms at the same time.

Amazing how that works, huh?

P.S....if my reaction to Robin's referral is ANYTHING like my reaction to my own...I don't think that I'll be able to see straight for quite some time!

Congratulations Kelly and Robin!