Days 1- 3: We made it!

The first two days were a bit boring as we were in flight...and a brutal one it was.  There is simply no graceful way to get through a flight that long in Coach class...enough said.  I was able to do some dozing, Susan was not.  We were a mess when we got here, which is perhaps why they gave us an immediate room upgrade when we checked in...I think it was their "Long Flight/No Sleep" promotion.  The room is really lovely, a suite...and the beds are divine (those have been fully tested!).  We are at the Marco Polo Prince Hotel on the Kowloon Peninsula in Tsim Sha Tsui.

We did a really nice Hong Kong Island tour today.  Saw Victoria Peak, Aberdeen Fishing Village and Stanley Market.  We took lots of pictures, but we are not having any luck sending them between devices yet...so I will post them as soon as we get things figured out.  We are having more technical success with our tablets, not so much our phones.  The good news is that I was able to Skype with my Dad so we are all set for the big Hazel meeting.

Until I have the tour pictures ready to post, I'll stop for now.  We leave Hong Kong tomorrow for Nanning, WHERE WE WILL MEET HAZEL ON MONDAY MORNING!!!!!!

Ready to go...

These past four weeks have been a whirlwind...closing things out at work for a long break (I go back in February, 2013!), completing Hazel's bedroom and playroom and getting her initial wardrobe together :-) (hopefully, most of it fits), planning our trip and finishing up the last of this darn paperwork, today, I start packing...we leave in just 48 hours!!!!!

Hazel, here we come!

PS. I updated the timeline with all the latest goings on...also our travel itinerary.  Link at the top of this page and on the right.

Still Waiting

Well, it's been 60 days since I received my referral for Hazel ZiRui and sadly, we are still waiting to go get her.  The process is still moving along (I am moving through it as fast as humanly possible) and we are getting very close...I fully expect to travel to China in November.  I've updated the timeline to show where we are if you'd like to take a look (link at the top of this page).

Meanwhile, Hazel ZiRui is now 33 months old, ARGHHHH!!!! 

Giving Back

Knowing how very fortunate we are (I am and Hazel will be), my sister and I asked attendees at my recent shower to consider giving an orphanage donation instead of a shower gift.  We had an overwhelming response to this and as a result were able to send a large care package full of clothing, toys and lollipops (!) to the QinZhou SWI (Hazel's orphanage), along with some tea for Hazel's nannies.  I received confirmation that the package arrived this week.

I added a small disposable camera with a request for someone there to take photos of Hazel with her friends and nannies at the orphanage.  If all goes well, I would receive this back when we meet her and she will have these treasured photos forever.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Most importantly, donations made at the shower have enabled us to sponsor one of the other children at the orphanage.  The sponsorship will allow for his support in a wonderful foster care program that will help prepare him for adoption (Hazel had the good fortune to be in this program).  We will receive quarterly reports on his progress.  We are absolutely thrilled to be able to do this and really thankful for all the wonderful support!    

The Shower

Been a while since I posted, so I will catch everyone up to date.

Starting with the shower.  My sister hosted a shower for me and Hazel on October 7 at a nearby Asian restaurant (the food was fabulous), decorated for the day with Chinese lanterns,  cherry blossoms and orchids.  It was absolutely lovely attended by about 30 friends and relatives.  We requested that attendees bring their favorite childhood storybooks...Hazel received a wonderful library of books!  I can't wait to start reading with her.

We also requested that attendees consider an orphanage donation instead of a traditional shower gift and we had a great response to this...more about this in another post.

One of our friends who is starting up a custom cake business made the cake, it was both beautiful and delicious.  My sister came up with these custom  shower favors...chopsticks decorated with cherry blossoms and custom fortune cookies that read "Happiness is finding your forever family - Hazel ZiRui Curley 01-11-10".  

The quilt was brought out for all to see...many of the contributors were there.

My sister (with help from my Dad and my niece, Sarah) completely outdid herself...it was a lovely party.  Afterwards, we only wished we had more time to mingle and chat.
 

Hazel's Care Package

I got another message from Ann today, this time with a picture of the care package she has prepared to deliver to Hazel at the Qinzhou SWI from me.  I am hoping some of these little comforts will tide her over until we can get there.

On the lower left is a book that I created for Hazel (made on Shutterfly) to help introduce her to her new home and family...lots of pictures of her Poppy, her aunts and uncle and her cousins (as well as her dog and her chickens!).  I was able to find the Chinese characters to describe each picture and added them in hopes that someone there will "read" it with Hazel. Wish I could be there when she gets it. 

Hazel Update

Been a few days and I have been caught up in a flurry of paperwork.  My Seeking Confirmation Letter was sent to China and my Petition to Classify an Orphan was sent to the US Government...two major steps, so things are moving along.  I also had all of Hazel's paperwork reviewed by her new pediatrician and he gave it all the big "OK".

Then this morning, I got this gift.  I have been in touch with a woman in China who provides services to families that are adopting (Ann, she is wonderful) and she was able to get me some more current pictures and some additional information for Hazel ZiRui.  I estimate these to have been taken in the last three months (the previous pictures were most likely at least 6 months old). 

The other really important piece of information I received was her shoe size!!!   In the translated paperwork I received, I was told she LOVES shoes...likes to change them several times a day.  I'm telling you, a match made in heaven!!

I have a daughter

I am almost too happy to bear it.

On Friday, August 24, 2012 at 10:42am, I received a referral for my daughter (via email and telephone).  Her name is Min ZiRui and she was born on January 11, 2010.  We will call her Hazel ZiRui.  Hazel is currently in residence at the Qinzhou Social Welfare Institute and in foster care in the Guangxi Province, China.  I am still processing information and have a ton of paperwork to do (not that I am not familiar with that!), but in the meantime, here's Hazel and some of the basic information I know about her (I think she is my perfect match!):

Name:  Min ZiRui, will be Hazel ZiRui (ZiRui means Lucky Violet and is pronounced "tze-wray") 
Date of birth:  Monday, January 11, 2010 
Birthplace:  Qinzhou City, Guangxi Province, China (this is in the south of China, on the seacoast, on the Bay of Tonkin) 
Current location:  Hazel is in foster care during the day and returns to the orphanage at night.  This is a really good thing.
Height:  about 33 inches
Weight:  about 25 lbs.


More about Hazel:
   - She is a moderate sleeper.
   - She is active and loves toys.  She loves books and can turn the pages on her own.
   - She can walk and climb stairs on her own (must get busy childproofing!).
   - She is potty trained!
   - She has 20 teeth.
   - She likes music.
   - She can jump off the floor with both feet.
   - She doesn't appear to know her colors just yet (we'll get Aunt Suze on the case).

Still a few more bureaucratic steps in the process, but I expect to travel to China to bring Hazel home in November.  Aunt Susan, her godmother, will travel with me. I may get more information in the meantime and will keep everyone posted.

Still cooling my jets

Well, it has been a nail-biter this month.  They are later than usual with referrals for July, by about 10 days and during those 10 days, things have been really silent, no rumors at all.  Things finally broke today and it has been posted by China that they have referrals on the way for LIDs through 9/19....my LID is 9/20.  Yep, missed me by a day.

The good news is that I WILL be in next month's referrals and this gives me a few more days to prepare.  I am in the process of extending my paperwork so I can get to China and back before it expires.  Since it now seems likely that we will travel to China in November, the extension is definitely necessary.  And I think I have some painting to do...

A word about the Red Thread

As my wait comes down to days and weeks rather than months and years, a word about the red thread legend and adoption from China.  I have not bought into a lot of the trappings, but this particular proverb (shown above) did strike a chord with me.  My interpretation (and of course I had one) was to assemble a bracelet of small red glass beads which I donned on 9/20/2006 and have worn every day for the last 5 years, 9 months and 18 days.  I looked at it every day even when I was putting thoughts of the adoption on the back burner to maintain my sanity during this horrendous wait...it's been a good reminder. 

For more about the Legend of the Red Thread (aka the "red string of fate"):  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_string_of_fate

The thread is growing shorter as my match date/referral date approaches! 

Will it be July or August?

The Rumor Queen (a blog that many in the China adoption community follow) posted her predictions yesterday and today.  Despite a larger than usual batch of referrals for June, her predictions show that they still may not get to me (9/20/2006) next month.  She thinks perhaps only to 9/19, which would mean August for my match.  So, down to the wire, but still keeping me guessing.  Talk about pins and needles!

The Rumor Queen also predicts that referrals for July will come around the 23rd.  And I should mention that they blew by the prediction for June by 3 days, so there is still a lot of hope for July.

Unbelievable...

Well, well, well, referrals came yesterday and they made it through 09/15/06.  My referral date is 09/20/06.  09/15 was a Friday, so theoretically, the next referral date is 09/18/06.  Based on that (and I don't like to get my hopes up), it is almost certain that I will receive my match in July...OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so ready.

The Waiting Game Picks Up

Been a while since I updated, but the good news now is that things are picking up on the adoption journey (who would have though, right?).  Last month, they started processing dossiers from the month of September, 2006!!  While they only got to September 4, they are still FINALLY in September.

What this means, I will most certainly receive a referral THIS YEAR!!!!   I know, I've said that before, but unless they stop completely, I am very close.  Right now they are processing just a couple days at a time...there are so few people still waiting, that there are very few referrals on any given day.  Referrals for May will most likely come this week--each batch gives a better view of how much they are processing and when they will get to me, but best bet is July or August...coming really quick.  Note that the July or August would be for the referral then we (Aunt Susan and I) would travel to China about 3 months later in October or November.  Unless something drastic happens, Hazel will be home with her family for Christmas this year!

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS PEOPLE!!!!