Miles and Miles to Mylei: One step closer

The long and winding road

Miles and miles to Mylei has become the long and winding road to Emme. If your new to our story, Mylei's foster parents would not return her to the orphanage. So, after much debate and counsel, we decided to let her go.

God has graciously blessed us with a new child, Emme.

I imagine the scene to be heart wrenching. A young mother placing her precious baby girl at a Passenger Transportation Center in H*pu Town (Guangx* Province, Ch*na). The mother then hiding and watching through tears as someone finds her baby and takes her to the Children's Welfare Institute of H*pu Town.

That mother's painful loss will become our joy and blessing. As East meets West, our family eagerly anticipates never being the same. We invite you to be part of our journey.

Key to Chinese Adoption Abbreviations

CCAA- Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs

Waiting Child- A child with a special need.

DTC- Documents to China

LID- Log in Date This is the date that our paperwork was logged into China. It put us officially in line. It works like getting a number at the deli. They move through the line in order according to one's log in date. When we started we were told we would receive a referral in 6-9 months.

LOI- Letter of Intent This is a letter sent to the CCAA asking to adopt a child on the waiting child list. In the letter, you tell them you understand the child's condition and list a plan for treatment.

PA- Pre-approval

LOA- Letter of Acceptance

TA- Travel Approval

CA- Consulate Appointment

Our Timeline

Jan 2006-May 2006- Our paperwork was put together and sent to China.

June 15, 2006 - LID

March 17, 2008-LOI sent to China

April 17, 2008-PA

May 2, 2008-LOA

May 23, 2008 TA everyone else at our agency received theirs, not us

May 25- Found out foster family would not return Mylei to the orphanage

June 17, 2008- NEW REFERRAL

June 18, 2008- LOI sent to China for Emme

June 26, 2008-PA

July 11, 2008-LOA

Aug 4, 2008- every one at our agency again receives TA- except for us

Aug 7, 2008- TA... after threatening lives:-)

Travel- September 4-18, 2008

Sept 16, 2008-CA

Friday, July 11, 2008

One step closer

We received our LOA today!! Yippee! FTIA already has the paperwork in the mail so that we receive it in the morning. We sign it and overnight it back. In other words, hurry up and wait!! Next, we wait for travel approval! Don't ask me how long that will take- nothing has gone as it was "supposed" to go. We think the worst case scenario would be the first week of September. We are praying that we don't have to miss her 1st birthday- August 30.

6 comments:

Unknown said...: Oh I'm SO thrilled to hear you got *something*!!!! YEAH!!!!; July 11, 2008 at 1:05 PM
Michelle said...: Congratulations on the LOA. It will go quickly now - and keep trusting in God's perfect timing!; July 11, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Pumpkin Head Baby Co said...: Praise the Lord! Almost there!; July 11, 2008 at 2:06 PM
The Gang's Momma! said...: congrats - loa is huge. glad for you all!; July 11, 2008 at 5:17 PM
rachael said...: YEAH!!!!!! I am still pushing for July 24th. :); July 11, 2008 at 9:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi April,
I believe your daughter's foster care may be sponsored through the Grace &Hope foster care program. If you would like more details about the program, you can go to the website www.grace-hope.org or email me at AileenBerry@grace-hope.org .
Aileen Berry
Melbourne, Australia
Hepu CWI Volunteer for Grace & Hope; July 13, 2008 at 8:26 AM