I am a believer in Jesus Christ, a wife to my best friend Jeff, blessed mom of Sophie, born 1997, Emma, born 2004, and Owen, born in March of 2008 and just home from China this past June! I have two furry children, spoiled golden retrievers Abby and Shadow. I am a full time teacher of an engaging bunch of third graders. I love to read, scrapbook, write, be immersed in music and hang round the people I love. House cleaning didn't make the list, sorry.
"There is no greater exercise for your heart than reaching down and helping to lift someone up."
~Bernard Meltzer
Owen's Adoption Timeline
October 19, 2006 LID--(Log-in-date) Our dossier (big bunch of documents including everything on us but our third grade report cards) is logged in to the China Centre for Adoption Affairs. We are officially in line for a healthy baby girl.
January 20, 2009--After feeling that pull for some time, we fill out an online application for the Special Needs program with America World. We are still "in line", but adding this application changes everything. A referral could come at any time they receive information on a waiting child who matches the description of a child we've said we are open to accepting.
February 9, 2009--We feel led to make a couple small changes on our special needs checklist. The most significant change is unchecking the box "female", and checking the box "either".
February 28, 2009--We receive a call from America World. There is an 11 month-old baby boy, repaired cleft lip, unrepaired palate. Are we interested? We receive his photo and his file, put a 48-hour lock on his file, seek medical advice, pray, pray, pray, and realize we have found our son.
March 2, 2009--We send in our LOI (Letter of Intent), or EA (Electronic Acceptance) of Chen Li Wen.
April 2, 2009--We receive our PA (Pre-Approval) to adopt Chen Li Wen, whom we have named Owen Li Trubey. This is China's response to our agency's request on our behalf to adopt Owen. They will begin the process of pulling our (very dusty??) file that has been sitting "in line" since October of 2006 and match it up with Owen's paperwork and move things forward for us to adopt him.
April 15, 2009--We receive our LOA! This is a huge milestone--the all-important letter of acceptance from China that means they have processed all the adoption papers that can be done before we arrive, and all that is left is to receive our TA--Travel Approval. From there, it will be only 2-3 weeks! We were told to expect the TA in a couple of weeks, and that we could expect to travel mid- to late MAY!
May 8, 2009--TA!!!! We got a call today that our Travel Approval was received at America World!
May 28-June 11, 2009--Trip to China to bring home Owen...we brought the girls along. It was an amazing trip...exhausting, exhilarating, and everything on the spectrum in between. We wouldn't have done it without them...they will remember this trip to bring home their baby brother all their lives.
June 1, 2009--GOTCHA! Owen Li Trubey is placed in our arms and we are forever a family.
YEA!!! So glad you will be in the comfort of your own home again!!
ReplyDeleteYayyyyy.
ReplyDeleteSweet sweet baby boy is going home!!! He has been such a trooper and we are thankful that everything has gone well!!
ReplyDeletePTL!! I am so glad that you get to bring your little man home...Praying that all goes well and that you all sleep snuggly in your own beds!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Tanya
SOSOSO excited that you guys are probably home!!!!! Praying for continued healing for Owen!
ReplyDeleteHugs to you!!!!