Visa for Colombia

What are you doing tonight?  We're just hanging out over here complete our visa application for the Colombian Embassy...YIKES!!!!  This is all truly happening!  When we started the process of course we knew we would get our daughter....but seriously....WE ARE GOING TO MEET OUR DAUGHTER!  Those words are amazing, magical, beautiful!

Today at school my student's (Debi) took me on a bird walk of sorts when we were learning about the Statue of Liberty.  I was mentioning to them that on the tablet it says July 4, 1776.  So we started making connections about fireworks, 4th of July, Freedom (what that means) and then one of my amazingly smart first graders said "yeah, like in China you can only have one child.  If you have another one you have to kill it."  WHAT?  I gasped in my head!

So of course I had to clear this up and I proceeded to talk about how some of these children end up being adopted.  Then some kids asked "what's adoption?"  So I put on my best first grade explanation of "adoption" and boy let me tell you there were a lot of great questions from my little students!  Then at the end of the explanation I drove the point home by saying "Well you all know Alejandra right? Guess what?  She is adopted."  I let this sink in for a bit and they were in shock at first.  By then end of that  lesson I had 32 enlightened and empowered first graders who understood just a little bit more about the special blessing of adoption.  Now, to my fellow teachers, I did not teach to one objective ;).  But, I think this lesson left my students with a bit more knowledge than any standard could ever ask for.  The word adoption initially brought on little nervous laughs and horrified looks from my students, but by the end they thought "adoption was AWESOME!"  One little girl said "when I'm a mommy I am going to adopt too." BIG HEART SMILE!

As if that high wasn't enough...I came home to a big hug from my little A and a UPS package with all of the original referral documents on tiny A.   We got to look at the official (one and only) picture of our sweet doll.  She has on a sassy little dress with hearts all over it, pink Bubble Gummer high tops, striped knee socks pushed down, a little pink hoody, short brown hair (like buzz cut short) with a white headband, and YES...earrings!  We received clarification from CHI and I will be able to post her picture once we get a travel date.  We should hear something within the month.

I-800, 864W and DS 230

More forms sent off to our agency today and our acceptance letter was officially translated and sent off to ICBF.  I got clarification from our agency and we should be able to post a picture once we receive an "encuentro" (Gotcha Day) date.  So maybe in about a month you will get to see a picture of our tiny A.

Our Acceptance Letter was sent out today!

This weekend we bought 2 carseats and some matching girl outfits.  Alejandra picked out a pillow pet for her baby sister and said "no" to all of the bedding sets we showed her for tiny A.  So we will continue looking for new bedding for baby.

A couple of weeks ago we brought out all the plastic tubs of clothes for our tiny A.  The closet is full of clothes for this little one.  We will be painting the nursery and getting it all ready for her.  Alejandra is excited with all of the changes and loves to be a part of the decisions involving her sister.

She carries around a picture of her baby with her and gives her spontaneous kisses. We are floating on a cloud of happiness!

Tiny A!

January 31, 2010

On this date Mark, Alejandra, and I woke up in Anaheim, California after another great Disneyland trip and took the drive back home to San Marcos.  We went out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant Lourdes and had a nice hot bowl of chicken soup.   It was the perfect family day…

Back in Bogotá, Colombia our second child was born.  They were healthy, happy, and had finally arrived to join our family.  We were finally notified that our child was ready for us on January 13, 2011.  After a couple of weeks of waiting for paperwork we were able to officially accept our referral.  Now we are happy to share with you the arrival of our child!

On Monday, January 13, Mark and I were fortunate enough to have a day off from work.  We woke up early and as we were chatting we jokingly mentioned that today would be a perfect day for ICBF or CHI to contact us and tell us of our referral because we were both home together.  I asked Mark if he had any feelings as to when we would receive our referral and he just shrugged and said, “it will happen when it’s right.”  So off we went to Trader Joe’s to buy groceries with Alejandra in tow.  As we were driving down Melrose, Mark said, “Maybe today they will call us.”  I brushed it off reasoning that CHI was probably closed for Martin Luther King Day…little did we know J

So we got to Trader Joe’s got through the grocery shopping with Alejandra leading the way with the mini child cart and mamí trying to keep up with her so she wouldn’t crash anyone or anything!  As we rounded the corner and were eyeballing the thousands of bread choices Mark felt his Blackberry vibrate in his pocket.  It was a missed call from an unfamiliar area code so he dismissed the call.  As we decided on “Ezekial Low Sodium” bread my mom called from home.  She told Mark “Children’s Hope just called and wants you to call back.” 

In that instant with whole-wheat mini pita pockets in one hand, Ezekial bread in the other and one foot holding Alejandra’s mini cart we knew our child had arrived.  Mark turned around and said  “CHI called” we both smiled and tried the best we could to remain calm and not run out of the store and abandon our carts full of groceries.  We did the “adult” thing and finished up the shopping, dashed to the checkout register, and then bolted into our car.  We called Nichole at CHI and then she said the words we had been waiting for “Congratulations we have your referral!”

Our hearts were racing as we listened to all of the details of our child’s short life.  We learned that balls are a hit and that naps are still a favorite.  We also learned that soon they would be one year old and we wouldn’t be there to share that milestone.  We were told that whatever plan ICBF had for us in Putumayo had not panned out so our file was sent back to Cundinamarca (Bogota).  Then we begged for a picture and hung up the phone.  Within the minute we saw a sweet face smiling back at us on the Blackberry screen…ADORABLE!

We then had to clear up paperwork and this is when the excruciatingly painful waiting began.  We wanted to tell everyone we knew about our child, but we waited to make sure all of the paperwork fell into place.  It has been awful not being able to tell people about this wonderful blessing.  We have had to dodge the question “How’s the adoption going”” by saying, “Oh, we’re just waiting.”  So family and friends the waiting is over.  We are proud to announce the arrival of our...DAUGHTER…which we will lovingly nickname Tiny A for the time being ;).  Thank you for following along with us on our journey and for celebrating every small step along the way.  We appreciate your understanding of our little secret for the last month.

Tonight we finally showed the picture we had been staring at for the last month to Alejandra.  She was OVERJOYED to see the picture and began making plans about what they would eat together (macaroni and cheese), and where she would sleep,  and that they would share toys.  This big sister is ready!

Now we wait for more paperwork to clear up and we should hopefully be in Colombia by late April or early May.  We have been told that from acceptance to travel is about 2.5 months.  It can be less time if all the paperwork is processed in a timely manner.  We will keep this blog up to date on travel and Gotcha Day dates.  Colombia here we come!

Retail Therapy (cont'd)

I really hope we get that referral all squared away soon because I'm afraid of what else I will purchase.

Today, I was browsing Amazon and wanted to buy "The Connected Child" and "Toddler Adoption the Weaver's Craft" well it was only $9.99 on the Kindle as opposed to $14.00+ for print.  So I purchased them in the Kindle edition and then called Mark and told him to turn on his wireless so he could upload the books.  Being the awesome husband that he is he suggested I finally buy my own Kindle instead.  So, I did it.....it will be here on Thursday....can't wait!

1 year ago...

One year ago today Mark, Alejandra, and I were all sitting on the couch enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday.  We aren't big Valentine's Day gift givers but today Mark said he had a gift for the family.

Initially when we adopted Alejandra we knew we would be back to bring home our second child but the matter of "WHEN?" was what was up in the air.  At certain points we would go between "maybe never," "today," to "in a few years."  But, lately we had really been discussing the possibility of beginning sooner, rather than later.  What we did know for certain was that we both needed to be 100% ready for this second addition.

2.24.10 - Initial application off to CHI

So on Valentine's Day 2010, Mark pulled us aside and told Alejandra "we are going to get your baby brother or sister from Colombia" and so it was!  Paperwork began and this whole year has been a whirlwind of notaries, apostilles, letters, fingerprints, applications, FedEx, and many appointments.  Time has both flown by and moved at a snail's pace.

Alejandra is also excited to welcome her baby home.  Last Thursday on our way home from school she said "Mamí yo quiero ir en un avión."  I asked her where she wanted to go and she replied "a Colombia."  I asked her why Colombia "Porque quiero ir por mí baby."  She made me get teary-eyed and all I could muster up was "yo también."  Then, we finished the last few minutes of our drive in silence.  I couldn't speak because I thought I would loose it.   I don't want Alejandra to feel anxious or worried at all so we are so careful to always present the wait to her in a positive way.  We've been preparing her for this transition for a whole year now and I think she is BEYOND ready too.

Retail Therapy

Stating the obvious:  All this waiting is really hard!

So on Friday I (Debi) had a day off from work and a few hours to spare.  I decided to hit the mall and buy the one thing I've spent hours researching.  I need to be ready to carry 2-4 changes of clothes (at least one for each child), diapers (probably for the newest Adelman), 2 sweaters/jackets, snacks, a camera and of course a wallet.  I wanted a backpack because I need to be hands-free with Alejandra.  But, I wanted something girly.

Makes me smile :D.

What beautiful bag would suit all of these needs?  I narrowed it down to the Ju-Ju Be BFF and Petunia Pickle Bottom(PPB) Boxy Backpack.   I had said that I would wait until the referral, but I needed something tangible to show that this little one was coming soon. So off I went to the mall to search for the perfect diaper bag.  I tried on both bags, looked at myself in the mirror and then went with the PPB Boxy Backpack.  Now I just needed to make a color choice.  Again....repeat the try on, look in the mirror routine.....Finally, I took the plunge.  There were other purchases made (but none I would EVER admit too).  But, more importantly I was able to not obsessively think about the referral for at least 3 hours.  A tiny mind diversion for a few hours.

Then I brought it home and stored it away in the closet in the nursery :(.  Back to waiting and that knot in my stomach has returned....Again we wait until Monday.  Patience...patience...patience....

24 weeks...

Our dossier was shipped off to Colombia 24 weeks ago.  Soon....soon ;)!