Take a closer look...

I am completely smitten with Frances and usually only look at her chubbylicious face and take in her overall cuteypieness. By the way, Frances is about to celebrate her first birthday, and her dossier has been with the CCAA since April. She's in foster care and I wonder why she hasn't been adopted yet? Very mystifying. But I digress.... Today I looked past Frances to her surroundings. She's sitting on a worn, tattered chair. This is China and they don't know about "shabby chic" decor. It isn't a fashion statement - it's one very used and broken-in/broken-down chair. The concrete floor and the patched wall behind her gives some more clues about her living situation. It breaks my heart to see this. The economic boom in China is affecting the few, not the many. As far as Frances is concerned, her foster family appears to adore her and I believe she gets an abundance of love... but that chair and that wall are a reality check.

Frances!

This is Frances, one of the two foster children we're sponsoring through Love Without Boundaries. She's 10.5 months old and so adorable and precious. According to the social worker report, she's also lively, smart and happy. Everyone in her foster family loves her (what's not to love??!!) and her favorite food is noodles. Ooooh, I wish I could scoop her up to hug and kiss her. What a cutie!

New Friends...

Last weekend we met our new friend Dee for coffee... but first we met on the Rumor Queen website, got in touch, and it turned out we lived only a few miles apart!! Dee and her husband are waiting for their daughter Amy. Their LID is 8/24/05, so they're getting close!

Of course, nobody knows what to expect from the CCAA. Rumors are swirling again. They're going to refer seven days! They'll refer two weeks! They'll get through August! (hope so, for Dee's sake). But truly it's just a guessing game.

Right now, the closest thing we have to a crystal ball is the FORECASTER. Check it out if you want some idea of when your referral may arrive. (warning: best taken straight with a martini chaser).

See Yuan See! (part II)

Five months ago we helped to sponsor Yuan's eye surgery through the wonderful organization Love Without Boundaries. I'm thrilled to report that she has had her cataracts removed and her sight restored! There are dozens of other children at LWB's website in need of help. Please, take a moment to see their faces and read their stories. You can make a difference!

ANNIVERSARY

Today is the seven month anniversary of our LID! It's also the one year anniversary of Great Wall China Adoption officially accepting us into the adoption program. We started on this journey exactly one year ago. And how did we spend this momentous occasion? How else? We waited in line for three and a half hours at the USCIS. The building was beyond capacity so we had to wait half an hour lined up outside, standing in the direct, hot sunlight. Then we got to move inside where we were directed into seats by the soldiers - er, civil servants who work at the USCIS. These guys get a real kick out of telling people what to do and what not to do. They may have received their training in Iraq. At a detention center. I'm serious.

After that lovely experience was behind us, we went to the doctor and got our remaining Hep. A and Hep. B shots. Ahhhh, good times.

And you know what? It was a truly great day. We could actually DO SOMETHING that made us feel we were getting closer to our daughter in China. We're coming, Kavanna!!

EXTENDING THE I-171H

EXTENDING THE I-171H!! Even if you're just starting the process, this bill may affect you!!

Currently the I-171H expires after 18 months. There's a bill in Congress that seeks to extend it to two years. The House will reconvene after Labor Day, so it's important to contact the members of the Judiciary House Committee on Immigration and urge each of them to push this bill through. Unless the bill passes this Committee, it will never get any further. The House members on this Committee are located here:
http://judiciary.house.gov/committeestructure.aspx?committee=4

I just emailed everyone on the subcommittee, and hopefully if lots of you will do so as well. Together, we can effect some change!! This is what I wrote:

My husband and I are writing to request your support for the Helping Families Adopt Orphans Act(SB HR5888). The I-171H is currently valid for 18 months but for those of us adopting from China, the wait has doubled and is continue to lengthen, requiring us to re-do this paperwork, a considerable financial burden ($2500-3000 for some of us, given that we also have to renew our homestudy). Extending the I-171H to two years would help thousands of families across the country, as well as keep the already backlogged USCIS from the burden of having to renew all the paperwork. We urge your support for this legislation! Sincerely,

Feel free to cut and paste this message on your emails. Emailing the entire subcommittee only takes about 15 minutes. I urge everyone to write the members of this subcommittee and help get that bill passed!!