Two Steps Forward!!!

Found out today we got our:

Yeah!!!

And, then upon forwarding that approval to our awesome agency, found out we would have:

TODAY as well!! (well, actually it is tomorrow in China time, so it is recorded as 10/18!)

We now wait exactly 2 weeks and then our Article 5 will be picked up. Our list is shrinking!!    

LOA

I800 Approval

NVC cabled
Article 5 Drop Off
Article 5 Pick Up (takes exactly 2 weeks)

TA (usually takes 1-3 weeks)

CA (usually takes 1 day)

Right now, it looks like travel could possibly be the end of November.  :)  I spoke to our travel agent this evening just to touch base.  It's possible we could even travel the week of Thanksgiving, but that of course is the worst time of the year to travel in the US.  It's just too early to know for sure yet though.  Unfortunately, all of these decisions will be made at the last minute! 

We don't know if Emily was told we are coming.  We've sent photo albums, letters, and gifts, but don't know if she was given those.  We also don't know if her foster family knows yet.  Please continue to pray for Emily.  Although we are waiting and longing for her, she is not waiting for us.  It will be a huge transition, and we pray that she will begin to feel secure with us and feel our love for her. We are so excited to meet her and experience her country!

We are hoping to fly into Beijing first and tour for a few days and get acclimated to the time change.  China is 12 hours ahead of us.  We will then fly to her provincial capital, Nanning, where we will meet her on what they term "Gotcha Day."  It's the southern pink province on the map.  Emily is from Guilin which is 5 hours away. On Gotcha Day, she will be brought by her orphanage director and nannies by train or van to Nanning.   Even though she is in a foster home, her care is overseen by the orphanage and they will bring her, not the foster parents.  What a long, difficult day that will be for her.  :(  From that moment on though, she will be ours!!  We stay in province for about 6 days to do paperwork and then will fly east to Guangzhou where the US Consulate is.  We stay there one week to have a medical check done and to complete her immigration paperwork.  We will then probably go to Hong Kong and fly home from there.  Can't wait!!