Our Timeline to Gracie . . . . . . . .

1. (March, 2006) Paul Ray, "Well you can adopt" Joking ???? Maybe
2. (March, 2006) Adoption is on my heart!!!!
3. (April, 2006) Momma & Daddy discuss Adoption, Baba needs lots of prayers!!
4. (May, 2006 - Mothers Day) Mom chooses an agency CCAI, Daddy still iffy!
5. (July 4, 2006) Daddy gives me your middle name. Noelle
6. (July 30, 2006) We signed the application
7. (August 3, 2006) We mailed the application (UPS - Overnight)
8. (August 7, 2006) Daddy gets a phone call from Kathi at CCAI, We're Approved!!
We mailed our announcements that we are adopting.
9. (August 9, 2006) We mailed back our Orientation Packet (UPS - Overnight)
10. (August 11, 2006) We received Password from CCAI
11. (August 23, 2006) Took Passport Photos. Meet Penny online (Summerville CCAI Family)
12. (August 24 & 25 2006) Moma & Daddy apply for Passports
13. (September 6, 2006) Our SW, Linda (From Child of the Heart) called
14. (September 30, 2006) First Homestudy Visit
15. (October 7, 2006) Second Homestudy Visit
16. (October 20, 2006) Filed our I600A and had our Fingerprints taken!!!
17. (October 28, 2006) Our Last Home study Visit
18. Received rough draft of home study report.
19. (December 7, 2006) Received approval letter from DSS. They sent to the report over to immigration on 12/01/06.
20. (December 18, 2006) I called immigration again today! (called last Monday) Our home study was received and approved on the 11th and approved on the 15th. The very nice lady said it most likely went out on Friday, if not it would go out today!
21. (December 19, 2006) OUR I171H ARRIVED TODAY!!!!!!! PRAISE GOD!
22. (December 27 & 28th) Drove our documents to Columbia to be certified by the state.
23. (December 27, 2006) Sent Paul's employment paper to TN to be certified by the county and state.
24. (January 4, 2007) Received Paul's papers back from TN.
25. (January 5, 2007) Send all certified documents (13) to courier to deliver to Washington!
26. (January 12, 2007) Received all documents from Washington!!!!!!
27. (January 16, 2007) Mailed our Dossier to CCAI!!!!!!!
28. (January 17, 2007) Our dossier arrived at CCAI at 10:00 am!
29. (January 22, 2007) Passed critical review, on the way to Colorado.
30. (January 23, 2007) Delivered to CCAI in Colorado at 9:19 am.
31. (January 26, 2007) Our dossier is sent to CCAA.
32. (January 29, 2007) Our dossier is DELIVERED to CCAA!!!!
33. (February 11, 2007) WE ARE LID!!!!!!!!
34. (July 11, 2007) We decide to submit a Medical Checklist for the Special Needs Program
35. (July 16, 2007) Mailed our Medical Checklist to our Social Worker
36. (July 19, 2007) Received faxed copy of MCC from our SW
37. (July 19, 2007) Faxed our MCC to the waiting child program
38. (Fri, Nov 30, 2007) Today I seen the most beautiful little girl on our agency's website. I immediately called and requested her file. They had a list of families wanting to see her file. But this little girl was made for our family. I would worry about her all weekend long. Paul Ray said if it's meant to be, it will happen.
39. (Mon, Dec 3, 2007) Received a phone call from Pam asking if we still wanted to see this file, I said are you serious, yes we do. She told me again that her vision was poor, that's ok, my heart already belonged to her. We sent her file to our eye doctor.
40. (Wed, Dec 5, 2007) We called Pam around 11:30 am to let her know, this was indeed our daughter, how do we bring her home. Our beautiful little girl, Lu Xin Ming born 6/10/04.
41. (Thur, Dec 6, 2007) Received our referral package from CCAI.
42. (Mon, Dec 10, 2007) Sent our LOI to CCAI
43. (Tue, Dec 11, 2007) Our LOI was sent to China
44. (Tue, Dec 25, 2007) We received our PA (pre approval) What a Great Christmas resent!!!!
45. (Sat, Jan 5, 2007) Received Home Study Addendum
46. (Mon, Jan 7, 2007) Sent CCAI Home Study Addendum (by Wed it was sent to China)
47. (Wed, Jan 9, 2007) Received Travel Packet 1
48. (Thur, Jan 24, 2007) Being Re Fingerprinted (received notice 01/14/08)
49. (Mon, Jan 14, 2008) Received Adoption Travel Training CD from CCAI
50.

YES!!!!! IT'S REALLY TIME FOR A HAPPY DANCE NOW! WE'RE DTC!!! YES! YES! YES! Our DTC is 01/26/07

I have been waiting to hear that our dossier was sent off, hoping it would go off this week. We've been moving our office and I have not had access to a computer today, well low and behold look at the email that was waiting for me. Even better than hearing it was sent, is hearing it is there.

To: Paul & Peggy Winge
From: CCAI Dossier & China Departments

Congratulations! Your dossier has been delivered to the China Center of Adoption Affairs.

We will notify by email as soon as we receive your official log-in date (LID) from CCAA, and then you can go to the CCAI website to download Dossier Log-In Date Packet. This can take approximately up to 5 weeks from now. Please notice that this wait time can vary due to CCAA’s LID processing speed.

Sincerely,
CCAI Dossier & China Departments

01/22/2007

It's Happy Dance Time!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!! Can you feel the excitement!

Our Dossier passed critical review, Jamie from CCAI called me at 3:41 pm today, I was on the way home from work. I was so nervous, I think she laughed at me. (In a nice way)

Our Dossier is now on the way to the main office in Colorado for translation and binding, then off to China we go!!!!!

Praise God! Its been in his hands from day one and will continue to be. Gracie will come home in his time.

01/23/2007 UPDATE

Our dossier was delivered this morning to the Colorado office at 9:19 am!

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles.

Isaiah 40:31

It's Official, we are finally done with our paperchase. Our dossier will arrive at CCAI tomorrow morning!!!!!! It's been 5 months, 2 weeks and 3 days since signing the application!

It's a Happy Happy Happy Day!!!!!! We're holding out on the celebration until we pass critical review! Oh and my son told me last night as I was doing the Happy Dance, and I quote, "Don't ever do that again"! The nerve of that child!

Update: Our Dossier arrived at CCAI at 10:10 am this morning!

We just took some more pictures to finish up for our dossier! I really take horrible pictures! Here is one of the betters ones! Our dossier should hopefully go out on Tuesday and arrive at CCAI on Wednesday!

Time for Another Happy Dance!!!!!!!

Our docs arrived safe and sound from Carol at "Dependable Adoption Courier Service" this morning. She received them from us Monday morning and I got them back this morning, safe and sound! Now we can put it all together and send it to CCAI next week! I'd recommend her to anyone.

One step closer baby girl!!!!

Let's take a ride. . .

I drove to Columbia today to have our papers certified by the state! I get to go back tomorrow because 3 of them were not worded correctly! Thank goodness I am on vacation this week!

One document I have to send to Nashville, lets pray it makes it back and does not sit on someones desk.

IT"S HERE!!!! OUR I171H ARRIVED TODAY 12/19/2006!!!

I am so happy it is finally here! I will drive it to Columbia next week and then overnight it to Washington DC after that. You know I am on vacation, its only a 8 hour drive, we'll have to see???? It will be at our agency's office early January.

On another note, I opened my email today to find a note from our agency saying they are concerned with my medical history (?) and we need to have our dossier in by April 13. Well that is not a problem but now my nerves are working overtime, and what if the CCAA decides at the last minute not to grant us a daughter. I don't think they understand, this child is a part of me. I am still waiting on a call from our agency.

UPDATE

I just got off the phone with Jamie in the Dossier Dept, she is working overtime tonight. I just love her to death. I would have never slept tonight. She answered all my questions, and we are good! She had sent the email just to make sure!!!

WHEW!!!! Now, where does that dance line start? My DH told me all day not to worry, I should know to listen to him by now.

Time for another happy dance! I got a letter in the mail from DSS today. It was a copy of their approval letter they sent to the immigration office on Dec 1.

OK, now once we get the form from immigration it goes with the dossier to the state first, then I believe to Washington and then to our Agency. Once our agency gets it, it is there for about 15 days, it goes through critical review and then translation. Once all that is done, they will send it to China. Then once we are logged in, we begin the wait!

Gracie, we are another step closer babygirl. I'll continue to pray that God will keep you safe and that the wait time will decrease.

On another note, my DH comes home tomorrow, I cant wait to see him!

Update:

I just heard from our SW. DSS called her about 5 days ago needing something else on DS since he is an adult. She faxed that over to them the same day. She said I should be getting something from them anyday now, which means my I171H should not be tooooooooo long in coming. Hopefully my agency can send off our dossier first of the year. I was really hoping to be logged in by the end of the year.

There is another CCAI family in Goose Creek! Glenda & Bo / They are leaving on Thursday to bring home their daughter from China. They will be home on Christmas Eve. What an awesome Christmas Present. Let's keep them in our prayers for a safe trip. God is gonna have Gracie surrounded by little playmates that look just like her.

I just left Homeland Security a message as well as our Social Worker, trying to find out our status! I guess my patience has worn thin.

What a day!

We did our last SW visit and guess what, she emailed us a rough copy already!!!!!


I did get to meet Louise (the other lady from Moncks Corner who is adopting from China), she bought me the dvd, National Geographic China's Lost Girls. How sweet was that. Everyone should see this dvd. Thanks Louise.

WHEW!!!!! The homestudy visits are done! One more thing done. The great news is our SW has already starting writing the report and should have it to the agency we used by Monday. Awesome, if it is ok to her, then she will email us a copy after our approval, they will forward to DSS!!!!! We're coming Gracie.

We're still waiting on my doctor, we both have to go in again and give more blood, my DH is not happy. We are also waiting on the employment letter for Paul Ray, the first got lost in the mail.

Cross your fingers and say a prayer, we could be DTC by the end of the year. What an awesome Christmas gift that would be!

God has put another family near us. Hopefully we'll get to meet today. We met online and she also lives in Moncks Corner. Her dossier has been logged in since Jan 06!

Our other church family adopting from China was DTC 10/20/06!!!! I'm still trying to meet her. She is a busy woman and our church is HUGE!

Gracie will have lots of little girlfriends to play with.

Fingerprints . . . .

We are scheduled to get these done on 10/20/06.

Another step closer babygirl!!!!!

October 6

15 Years Ago Today . . . I was lucky enough to marry the man of my dreams.

1 Year Ago . . . . I gave my life to Christ and it just keeps getting better. God does make such a difference. What a wonderful way to live your life.

Donna, thank you for the most wonderful gift. It wouldn't have happened without you.

Our first homestudy visit went ok, our next one is this coming Saturday. 10/07/2006, one day after our 15th wedding anniversary, can you believe its been that long. She comes to our house on the 21st. Guess we'll be doing some serious cleaning on the 20th.

Our biggest issues seems to be getting everything we need from our doctor!!!! I came home from work sick today and laid down only to dream that our doctor quit . I'm hoping it was the fever!!! Because it was not a good dream.

I'm gonna try and post some of Gracies things here. We finally found the software for the camera.

This first pic is of SOME of the beanies that Granny Winge has given us over the years. I knew we were keeping them for a reason.





This is her PJ's. That seems to be what I buy PJ's and onies, since we don't know her size!!!! Which is a good thing for my husband's wallet. If all you NON pink people will notice, she has a set of yellow ones.


This one has some of the goodies she got from the mountains. Her mam-mam (my mom) bought her most of this and some clothes. I love her big pink teddy. The foot says "God Loves Me"







HER FIRST BARBIE! Now I ask, it was on the clearance rack, how was I suppose to leave it there!!!








Some more books!

"A Quilt of Wishes" was written by a lady who adopted from China. It is a great book. The little panda you see above the book is her very first Christmas Ornament! Its a little panda wrapped in a quilt that has little ladybugs on it.

Does everyone know that we have Less than 80 days before Christmas!!!! We all know how much I love Christmas. Maybe that is why her daddy gave her Noelle for her middle name. Only 2 more to go until we have a little one in the house again, not that we dont enjoy Paul & Brandon, its just not the same as when they are little.

This is my all time favorite! This is the first thing that her Daddy said I could buy!!!! Yes I did ask, (we were still making 2 house payments at that time). I hope that Gracie loves it as much as I do. It even has her name on it.

Paul Ray wont admit it now, but she is going to be such a daddys girl!!! You just wait and see!

He is such a sweet man, its just taken its time to shine through!!! I wouldnt trade him for all the money in the world.

Homestudy Update:

Everyone say a little prayer, our first appointment with our Social Worker is after church next Saturday. 7:00 pm.

Gracie, we are another step closer to you baby girl, I love you more each day!!!!!


A Great Big Thank You;

I wanted to say thanks to Bonny, Nicole and Liz for writing such wonderful reference letters for us.

They really mean alot to us.

We love you.

To the Mountains We Go!

This past weekend my mother and I made a trip to the mountains of NC and TN. It was a nice trip. We went to the Biltmore, rode the Smokey Mountain Railroad Train out of Bryson NC and then on to Cherokee and then Pigeon Forge, (where they had the biggest car show I have ever seen- If I had only known we would have skipped that part), but all in all it was a nice get away. Needless to say, Gracie got lots of goodies. She got a pair of moccasins from Cherokee, a big cuddly PINK teddy bear, some books off her wish list (my favorite is Gigi, Gods Little Princess) another Christmas ornament, more PJ's (and hey one of them was yellow /for all you people who think she will be sick of pink) a very soft pink blanket with a matching stuff lamb and some more socks. I'll post some pics of some of her things just as soon as I get my camera software reloaded (which I have to find first)

Homestudy
just an update, Paul Ray has finished his autobiography, so we should be able to get our first appt soon.

Our Social Worker called last night!!!!!! I thought we should all do a happy dance, but my DH and son thought I was crazy!!!!! Anyway, she is sending me everything I need to get started there.

On a serious note, she asked me about being a transracial family????? My thought on this, "I never really considered us that way" Um, maybe because I have that Phillipeana blood in me, I dont know. I just think of her as my daughter.