We Are Almost There!

Yesterday we got our Article 5! This is the last US approval that we need under the new Hague process for international adoptions. Our agency's liaison picked up the signed Article 5 from the US Consulate in Guangzhou and immediately sent it on its merry way to the CCAA. They will have it in their hands on Monday morning. Hopfully we will receive our final Travel Approval (TA) in the next couple of weeks.

We are ready to go as soon as we have TA in hand! I have pretty much everything packed. Our passports with entrance visas are here. All I have left to do is stock up the cupboard and fridge with food for Brian and the girls at home and make our final travel arrangements. Abby has her little backpack filled with her art supplies, travel journal, and books. After waiting for what seems like forever, it is so exciting to know that we will be in China very soon.

Two More Photos!!

Oh my!! How much more can my heart take today?? We just got two more photos of Ruby!! I'm not sure she is going to want to leave her SWI. Their yard has more toys than ours does!

Updated Photos of Ruby

Yesterday I ordered a care package to be sent to Ruby through Ann at Red Thread China. This morning I woke up to an e-mail with these two precious updated photos! Ann also got updated measurements for us. Little Miss Ruby now weighs 19.8 pounds and she is 29 inches tall. That puts her in the 5-10th percentile on the growth charts for a 15 month old. It looks like we have another little peanut on our hands.

L--O--A ! ! !

Three tiny little letters that mean SO MUCH to waiting families!! This is a HUGE step forward. We are now officially approved by the Chinese government to adopt our precious little girl. Hopefully we will only have to wait a couple more months and Ruby will finally be in our arms.

Baking Cookies for Santa

Today the girls baked Sugar Cookies to leave out for Santa tonight. I am sure that Santa will appreciate all the love and tender care that went into these very special creations. We made lots so that the big brothers can have some too when they come home for Christmas tomorrow.

Excitement!

More Excitement! I'm not sure anyone will sleep tonight.

Maddie is sure Santa will LOVE these.

This is serious work!

Some cookies got a bit more icing than others

Snowed In

We have been snowed in since last Saturday. Western Washington just isn't used to this type of snow and without tire chains or a four-wheel drive vehicle we can't get out of our driveway. At last measure, we had almost a foot of snow on the ground in our yard. So we just had to make the best of it. Sledding down the driveway, building a snowgirl, and rolling around in the snow kept the girls busy for a couple of days. Now they are ready for the snow to be gone -- to be honest so am I! It's sort of funny hearing people in Seattle wishing for rain.

What can I use to make her face?

Ellie and our Hawaiian SnowGirl

Abby became very adept at sledding down the driveway

Hey, no problem, I can walk just fine in this slippery stuff!

Oops -- maybe not!!

Look at what we got!

We received the best Christmas present this morning! A dear internet friend is in China to bring her daughter home. She was allowed to photograph our Ruby! Oooh, I so want to hug this little baby and pinch those cheeks. OK, I can make it through the next three or four months of waiting to travel, I think, maybe . . . .