HAPPY MOON FESTIVAL!!
Today, 9/22/10 is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in China. This is a national holiday, celebrated throughout China. We've been praying and thinking of Miao today, as she celebrates this national holiday. We pray she had a great day, enjoyed time with her friends and enjoyed the care package we sent in honor of this holiday.
This holiday is time for friends and family throughout China to gather and give thanks....similiar to the western holiday, Thanksgiving. In China, friends and family gather in the evening, under the Harvest Moon to eat together and give thanks. Today, we are giving thanks for the blessing of being chosen to be Miao's parents.
Blessings,
Earl & Sharee
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
I800 Approval
YEA! ANOTHER STEP CLOSER!!
We're another step closer to Miao's homecoming!!! When calling the USCIS office today for a status on the approval, to our surprise, approval was granted on September 16!!!! AMAZING...amazing because we were told the paperwork would take 10-14 business to ship from the Texas lock-box to Missouri. Today was day 13 but approval was granted on business day 9!!!!
We anticipate recieving the hard copy in the mail, very soon. Tomorrow will be the one week mark and for some reason all of our USCIS paperwork has been received on a Thursday....so, perhaps we'll have the hard copy tomorrow!!!!!
Receiving the I800 approval is a big step in our thoughts....we now feel receiving the TA is "just around the corner." In reality, it's probably another 6 weeks or so......recently, TA's have been processed rather quickly but with the Moon Festival holiday in China, things may slow.
I'll post again when we receive the I800 approval in the mail. Let's hope you hear from us again, tomorrow.
Blessings,
Earl & Sharee
We're another step closer to Miao's homecoming!!! When calling the USCIS office today for a status on the approval, to our surprise, approval was granted on September 16!!!! AMAZING...amazing because we were told the paperwork would take 10-14 business to ship from the Texas lock-box to Missouri. Today was day 13 but approval was granted on business day 9!!!!
We anticipate recieving the hard copy in the mail, very soon. Tomorrow will be the one week mark and for some reason all of our USCIS paperwork has been received on a Thursday....so, perhaps we'll have the hard copy tomorrow!!!!!
Receiving the I800 approval is a big step in our thoughts....we now feel receiving the TA is "just around the corner." In reality, it's probably another 6 weeks or so......recently, TA's have been processed rather quickly but with the Moon Festival holiday in China, things may slow.
I'll post again when we receive the I800 approval in the mail. Let's hope you hear from us again, tomorrow.
Blessings,
Earl & Sharee
Sunday, September 19, 2010
I800 Status-10th Business Day Has Come
We finally hit business day #10 of waiting for our I800 to arrive the Missouri office!!! As you may recall from an earlier post, when calling for a status, we were instructed the I800 application had not reached Missouri...it was still at the lock-box in Texas and will take 10-14 business days to arrive the processing office, in Missouri.
Day 10 was on Friday, 9/17--mom's birthday! We are praying our I800 did in fact, reach the office and this upcoming week, we'll receive word it's been approved. We are trying very hard to wait until Tuesday, 9/21, business day 12, before calling the USCIS office for a status.
It will be music to our ears if when calling we are told it's been approved! Please pray with us the I800 is processed swiftly and without request for further information. We are hoping to receive the hard copy of the approval, no later than the last week in September.
Day 10 was on Friday, 9/17--mom's birthday! We are praying our I800 did in fact, reach the office and this upcoming week, we'll receive word it's been approved. We are trying very hard to wait until Tuesday, 9/21, business day 12, before calling the USCIS office for a status.
It will be music to our ears if when calling we are told it's been approved! Please pray with us the I800 is processed swiftly and without request for further information. We are hoping to receive the hard copy of the approval, no later than the last week in September.
Little Brother's First Holiday Season-The Fun of Halloween!
The weekend was spent searching out the right Halloween costume for Sterling. This will be his first holiday season and to start it off, is Halloween!
We are thrilled to be sharing the holiday season with Sterling and look forward to next year when Miao is home to share with us in the fun of Halloween, the gratitude of Thanksgiving and the blessing of Christmas!
Here are a pictures of Sterling in his Chef Costume:
We are thrilled to be sharing the holiday season with Sterling and look forward to next year when Miao is home to share with us in the fun of Halloween, the gratitude of Thanksgiving and the blessing of Christmas!
Here are a pictures of Sterling in his Chef Costume:
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Preparations for Miao
Preparing for our daugther's arrival!
To prepare for Miao coming home, we have been busy putting plans into place, possible considerations and researching all the information possible to help make as smooth a transition, as possible.
We learned last week, the largest Mandarin library outside of China is found right here in our hometown of Houston!! This alone is a great resource because our daughter has said in one of her letters, that she enjoys reading. Not only will it allow her to browse for reading material in her native language but she will have the opportunity to speak Mandarin to those working at the library. Praise God for this beautiful finding!!
We have a local Chinese Church in our area that we plan to attend with Miao. This will not only allow Miao to learn of Jesus Christ in Mandarin and a style that she will best understand but also allow her to communicate with others that speak her language. When researching this church, we also learned of an additional local Chinese Church that offers English lessons! Another blessing!!!
We've been communicating with Miao via letters through a care package service (Gifts To China With Love) and repeatedly she has mentioned the concern over the communication barrier. So....we want to expose her to as many people that speak Mandarin, allowing her the chance to communicate with others that speak her same language.
We have an electronic translater that Miao will use to help communicate with us, other family members, friends and at teachers at school.
We will continue to brainstorm ideas that will be helpful to Miao, as she transitions to a new environment, new culture, new language, new foods, new smells, the idea of a family, etc.
To prepare for Miao coming home, we have been busy putting plans into place, possible considerations and researching all the information possible to help make as smooth a transition, as possible.
We learned last week, the largest Mandarin library outside of China is found right here in our hometown of Houston!! This alone is a great resource because our daughter has said in one of her letters, that she enjoys reading. Not only will it allow her to browse for reading material in her native language but she will have the opportunity to speak Mandarin to those working at the library. Praise God for this beautiful finding!!
We have a local Chinese Church in our area that we plan to attend with Miao. This will not only allow Miao to learn of Jesus Christ in Mandarin and a style that she will best understand but also allow her to communicate with others that speak her language. When researching this church, we also learned of an additional local Chinese Church that offers English lessons! Another blessing!!!
We've been communicating with Miao via letters through a care package service (Gifts To China With Love) and repeatedly she has mentioned the concern over the communication barrier. So....we want to expose her to as many people that speak Mandarin, allowing her the chance to communicate with others that speak her same language.
We have an electronic translater that Miao will use to help communicate with us, other family members, friends and at teachers at school.
We will continue to brainstorm ideas that will be helpful to Miao, as she transitions to a new environment, new culture, new language, new foods, new smells, the idea of a family, etc.
I800 Receipt Notice
We received a receipt notice for our I800 with a receipt date of September 2!!!!! Basically, it confirms the I800 has been received at the Texas lock box. It will now be sent to the processing center, in Missouri. (I think it's Missouri)
I spoke with our USCIS caseworker on Thursday. She said our I800 has not been received by their processing office but it will take 10-14 business days and cannot count the recent Labor Day holiday. We are now waiting for it to arrive her desk.
She also added, once it reaches her desk, she reviews it within 24 hours and will either request additional information or approve it.
Okay, doing the math using the September 2 receipt date and only counting business days....10 days will be September 17 and 11-14 days is the week of September 20. We pray it is received by Friday, 9/17 on the 10th day and we receive the paper approval, week of September 20.
Receiving approval the week of 9/20 will help push things along, as we are sure hoping to travel by end of year. We really need the approval before end of September for this to happen because there are still 2 more steps before the TA. (NVC wiring approval + Article 5 = Travel Approval)
We are sharing in the joy of another family who is currently in China and in a few short hours, will be meeting their older daughter in person, for the first time!!! She is at the same orphanage as Miao!
I spoke with our USCIS caseworker on Thursday. She said our I800 has not been received by their processing office but it will take 10-14 business days and cannot count the recent Labor Day holiday. We are now waiting for it to arrive her desk.
She also added, once it reaches her desk, she reviews it within 24 hours and will either request additional information or approve it.
Okay, doing the math using the September 2 receipt date and only counting business days....10 days will be September 17 and 11-14 days is the week of September 20. We pray it is received by Friday, 9/17 on the 10th day and we receive the paper approval, week of September 20.
Receiving approval the week of 9/20 will help push things along, as we are sure hoping to travel by end of year. We really need the approval before end of September for this to happen because there are still 2 more steps before the TA. (NVC wiring approval + Article 5 = Travel Approval)
We are sharing in the joy of another family who is currently in China and in a few short hours, will be meeting their older daughter in person, for the first time!!! She is at the same orphanage as Miao!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Moon Festival Gifts
Care package for Miao in honor of Moon Festival
We sent another care package to Miao in honor of the national holiday, "Moon Festival" also known as "Mid-Autumn Festival" Our care package was sent via Gifts To China With Love.
The care package service is working toward putting together a party to include the other families children, that also sent a Moon Festival care package. Miao should return to the orphanage for Moon Festival, as she returns with each major holiday in China. It will be great if the director agrees to allow these children to celebrate together because Miao will be at the orphanage, with the other children! We know a few other families that have children at the orphanage and are also participating in the Moon Festival party.
What is Moon Festival?
One of the few most important holidays on the Chinese calendar, others being Chinese New Year and Winter Solstice and is a legal holiday in several countries.
On one autumn evening each year, (this year it is September 22) people throughout China celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival ie: Moon Festival. Like Thanksgiving, this is a time for families to gather and give thanks.
On the traditional Chinese calendar, the Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when the moon is at its fullest. On our Western calendar, that translates to a different date each year, between mid September to early October.
Traditionally on this day, families and friends will gather, to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon and eat moon cakes and pomelas under the moon together.
For generations, moon cakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus-seed paste or Chinese dates wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg can be found in the middle of the rich tasting dessert. People compare moon cakes to the plum pudding and fruit cakes which are served in the English holiday season.
Our Care Package to Miao
We sent Miao a Mid-Autumn care package that included the popular moon cakes, a bag of candy, fresh fruit and a disposable camera. We also added in the package, a t-shirt and a letter. Our letter was in response to the last letter she wrote us. She asked for additional information on her new school, her bedroom and her concern with making friends. She very much sounds like a typical teen, friends are the utmost important factor in a girls life at this age. She's concerned over how to make friends given the language barrier. She's excited about her new family but is anxious and nervous about the move. In each of our letters, we try very hard to convey the message that we understand her concerns and are here to help and have explained to her ways we plan to help overcome each anxiety she mentions. We also convey repeatedly that we are her forever family, she will be our daughter forever and how much we love her. Please pray with us that God will fill Miao's heart with a sense of peace. While she is excited about a new family.....she's also very nervous.
Pictures of her Moon Festival Gifts:
We sent another care package to Miao in honor of the national holiday, "Moon Festival" also known as "Mid-Autumn Festival" Our care package was sent via Gifts To China With Love.
The care package service is working toward putting together a party to include the other families children, that also sent a Moon Festival care package. Miao should return to the orphanage for Moon Festival, as she returns with each major holiday in China. It will be great if the director agrees to allow these children to celebrate together because Miao will be at the orphanage, with the other children! We know a few other families that have children at the orphanage and are also participating in the Moon Festival party.
What is Moon Festival?
One of the few most important holidays on the Chinese calendar, others being Chinese New Year and Winter Solstice and is a legal holiday in several countries.
On one autumn evening each year, (this year it is September 22) people throughout China celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival ie: Moon Festival. Like Thanksgiving, this is a time for families to gather and give thanks.
On the traditional Chinese calendar, the Moon Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when the moon is at its fullest. On our Western calendar, that translates to a different date each year, between mid September to early October.
Traditionally on this day, families and friends will gather, to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon and eat moon cakes and pomelas under the moon together.
For generations, moon cakes have been made with sweet fillings of nuts, mashed red beans, lotus-seed paste or Chinese dates wrapped in a pastry. Sometimes a cooked egg can be found in the middle of the rich tasting dessert. People compare moon cakes to the plum pudding and fruit cakes which are served in the English holiday season.
Our Care Package to Miao
We sent Miao a Mid-Autumn care package that included the popular moon cakes, a bag of candy, fresh fruit and a disposable camera. We also added in the package, a t-shirt and a letter. Our letter was in response to the last letter she wrote us. She asked for additional information on her new school, her bedroom and her concern with making friends. She very much sounds like a typical teen, friends are the utmost important factor in a girls life at this age. She's concerned over how to make friends given the language barrier. She's excited about her new family but is anxious and nervous about the move. In each of our letters, we try very hard to convey the message that we understand her concerns and are here to help and have explained to her ways we plan to help overcome each anxiety she mentions. We also convey repeatedly that we are her forever family, she will be our daughter forever and how much we love her. Please pray with us that God will fill Miao's heart with a sense of peace. While she is excited about a new family.....she's also very nervous.
Pictures of her Moon Festival Gifts:
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| Moon Festival Care Package |
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| Our Letter to Miao |
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| Hello Kitty T-Shirt, an extra gift we added |
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
Little Brother, Sterling!
While this blog is dedicated to Miao's adoption journey, we decided to include our family happenings, while waiting to bring our beautiful daughter, home!
Here are pictures of family night, last weekend when we all contributed to the preparation of brownies.
Sterling has been home with us for 9 months and 14 days.....while we recently learned he has a severe speech delay, tonight he learned to sign and partially speak, "I love you, mama" and "I love you, dada." We've been working on this one for about a week. A very special Labor Day weekend!
Here are pictures of family night, last weekend when we all contributed to the preparation of brownies.
Sterling has been home with us for 9 months and 14 days.....while we recently learned he has a severe speech delay, tonight he learned to sign and partially speak, "I love you, mama" and "I love you, dada." We've been working on this one for about a week. A very special Labor Day weekend!
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| My Very Own Apron |
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| Watching The Brownies Cook |
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I800 Reaches Destination
Our I800 application reached its destination as anticipated, on 8/31/10 and signed for at 8:41 am!!! We'll patiently wait another week, allowing 2 weeks and call the USCIS for a status.
Here are the final steps toward bringing Miao home:
I800 Received by USCIS: 8/31
I800 Approval:
NVC Letter:
Article 5:
Travel Approval:
Forever Family Day/ie: Adoption Day:
We are getting close...only 4 more steps before travel and the 5th step, WE ARE THERE!!! I'm looking to other families to learn the current wait time from LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) until receiving the TA. A travel approval is required for travel to China and all the paperwork we are curretly completing and waiting are all required for the travel approval.
Sterling's adoption was 2 months to the date, with the LSC arriving 9/11 and the TA arriving 11/11...we are praying Miao's TA comes equally as quick..or quicker.
I will speak with the principal at my school about the upcoming plans to take FMLA. It's feeling more real with each day!! We've been waiting since the end of October, 2009, almost a year and the wait has seemed so long but now, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!
A couple of families we've been communicating with who also have older daughters at the GZ orphanage are now traveling to bring their girls home. One family returned this past weekend and the other family, departs this upcoming Friday. It's exciting to watch the unfolding of their adoption!! We are thrilled for them and look for the day when it is "our turn"!!!
Here are the final steps toward bringing Miao home:
I800 Received by USCIS: 8/31
I800 Approval:
NVC Letter:
Article 5:
Travel Approval:
Forever Family Day/ie: Adoption Day:
We are getting close...only 4 more steps before travel and the 5th step, WE ARE THERE!!! I'm looking to other families to learn the current wait time from LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) until receiving the TA. A travel approval is required for travel to China and all the paperwork we are curretly completing and waiting are all required for the travel approval.
Sterling's adoption was 2 months to the date, with the LSC arriving 9/11 and the TA arriving 11/11...we are praying Miao's TA comes equally as quick..or quicker.
I will speak with the principal at my school about the upcoming plans to take FMLA. It's feeling more real with each day!! We've been waiting since the end of October, 2009, almost a year and the wait has seemed so long but now, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!
A couple of families we've been communicating with who also have older daughters at the GZ orphanage are now traveling to bring their girls home. One family returned this past weekend and the other family, departs this upcoming Friday. It's exciting to watch the unfolding of their adoption!! We are thrilled for them and look for the day when it is "our turn"!!!
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