We originally started our adoption journey right before Christmas of 2006. Noah was 3 and we wanted a sibling for him. My sister was adopted from China so we already felt a kinship with China and were thrilled that we would be bringing a little girl into our family. The adoption process in China became increasingly slower and our wait time was increased from 18 months to longer than 4 years. We decided to switch into the Child of Promise program with Holt to adopt a child with a minor/correctable medical need. On the night of January 19th, 2 months after we'd switched programs, we received a call that we were matched with our beautiful daughter. We fell in love immediately.
Throughout the last 7 months since we received that first picture, I have written letters to Charlotte to show her how she is already a huge part of our lives, even if we have yet to meet her.
You are going to be the best dressed little girl ever! Julia gave you a bunch of her clothes from when she was littler. Then she told us you are her "B.F.F." (Best Friend Forever)! you are a lucky little girl to have such a good friend!
We took Noah to get his passport today! We want to make sure we have everything ready as soon as they tell us we can come get you!
I am having so much trouble concentrating at work! All I want is to know you're safe and to be able to hold you and kiss you! It seems many other families have gotten updates and I am dying to know what you look like now--your picture is almost a year old! So to keep myself from going crazy, I'm focusing on all the things I want to do before you come so I can spend all my time playing with you!
Today I went to get refingerprinted for the state of NJ. The woman who did my fingerprints was named Charlotte and I told her all about you! Then she told me her daughter's name is Valerie--just like Gambie!
Gambie and I worked on recovering a chair for your room today. It is a chair that belonged to PJ's family and all the babies in our family have been rocked to sleep in it, including your brother. I can't wait to hold you and read you stories in it! Noah practiced holding your baby doll when we were finished so he would be good at holding you!
We went today to get our fingerprints updated for immigration--for the third time!
2/24/10
Dear Charlotte,
I have so much trouble concentrating on anything! I just want to look at your pictures! I have them over my desk and my heart beats faster every time I look at them. I always hope that people will ask who you are so I can brag about you. I can just imagine your little voice saying "jie jie" (older sister) and "a yi" (aunt) since the orphanage told us you can say those words. I hope you continue to call your aunts "a yi" forever! Everyone talks about how adorable your little chubby cheeks are--I can't wait to smother them with kisses! I wish I could tell you how much I want you to be here with me--all I can do is hope that the aunties are telling you about your new family. Your brother is drawing you a picture today and we are going to send you a package with pictures of us and a CD you can listen to and the picture Noah draws of our family. I love you my little one!
3/10/10
Dear Charlotte,
Daddy and I got bad news last night. It turns out it could be another 7 months before we get to hold you in our arms! Daddy and I are both so sad. I have calls in to everyone I can think of at the adoption agency to see why it may take so much longer than we anticipated--my heart aches thinking of you waiting there when you have a family waiting desperately for you!
We sent your package and it's on its way to you!
Love,
Mommy
3/23/10
Good news again little girl! The 7 months was wrong and most likely we should get our LOA any day! After that it's 8-12 weeks before we get our travel appointments and then 3-4 weeks before we leave. We're on our way--hold on!
4/7/10
Dear Charlotte,
It's now been 86 days since we got your first picture. I called the adoption agency yesterday to make sure they hadn't forgotten about us. I can't wait to hold your little hand, kiss your little cheeks and show you all the fun we are going to have. You feel so far away and yet when I go to sleep at night I think about you sleeping in your bed while I'm sleeping in mine. I fell asleep last night thinking about wearing a red bracelet made of thread and wishing I had thought to put one in your care package so your nannies could tie it on your wrist and we would match until we are joined. All I can do is trust that we will be brought together when the time is right.
I love you.
Mommy
5/4/10
Dearest Charlotte,
We're getting closer to you! Our red thread may have been a bit tangled but it's straightened out now and we have our letter of acceptance! It should only be 6-8 weeks before we hold you in our arms!!! I can't wait! You have so many people here that already love you--I will try to keep all the notes I've gotten from our family and friends so you can read how loved you already are. Hurry up TA!
Love,
Mommy
Uncle Taylor called me today to congratulate us on moving ahead on our journey. He said he can't wait to meet you and is upset that he has to wait two weeks longer than we do to hold you! He told me he wants to be the one to take you to the zoo for the first time!
5/10/10
Guess what Charlotte! Kelly Petru and Aunt Madi are going to throw a shower to give you all brand new stuff so you don't have to use the stuff that belonged to your brother! It's going to be at Gambie's house on June 13th. All the people who have been waiting so desperately for you will be there with presents for you!
5/12/10
Dear Charlotte,
We're getting everything together to send away for our visas--Daddy is at home working on it right now! We're a little worried that Aunt Madi won't be able to come with us because Gambie and PJ did not receive all the paperwork they were supposed to and she may not have enough documentation to go. But we're hoping she can! She calls you her baby and says she's going to be your favorite! She'll be so disappointed if she is unable to travel with us.
5/19/10
Dear Lottie Baby,
We are leaving tomorrow for our last vacation as a family of 3! We're going to FL but as I'm packing I keep thinking about what I will bring for all of us when we come to China. The closer it gets the harder it is to wait. I made an appointment for you today at CHOP and it felt so great to say you were my daughter! The appointment is for August 2nd so we have to be home by then!
5/26/10
Hi Baby Doll,
We just got back from FL Monday night and I am ready to go get you! I haven't been able to concentrate on working because all I want is to have you in my arms. As far as I can see, since I am constantly checking on-line, we could get our TA next week and then go three weeks or so from then. I'm so tired of all this waiting. It's getting harder and harder the closer we get.
6/2/10
Dear Charlotte,
I'm ready to get off this roller coaster! I just want to hold you in my arms! It seems there is a back-up again which may delay when we are able to travel to China. I look at your picture constantly and wonder what you are doing. My heart aches that I've missed so much of your life already! But I know you are being loved by the aunties and all your friends and that God has a reason for you needing more time there. I love you so much little one!
Daddy and I are going to make a huge list of things to do tonight to get us ready for you. I bought you a sippy cup yesterday! Daddy says his office is designing a building in Beijing--he thinks that is a good sign for us!
Love you,
Mommy
Another good sign--tonight I was washing my hands and there was a white butterfly with a black spot on her wings sitting above the sink. Daddy put her in a cup and we brought her outside. The next morning I was telling Noah about it and he went to look in the cup--she was still there! I dropped him off at school and when I got back she was gone. Then Gambie told me she was watering a bush without any flowers on it and suddenly hundreds of white butterflies with black spots flew out of the bush! We think it's a good luck sign!
6/3/10
Dear Charlotte,
We went to Noah's last baseball game and then out for dinner with Zach, Julia, Jen, and Dan. On the way to the restaurant I got an email saying we got our Travel Approval!!! I have never been so excited! We are waiting to find out when we leave to get you!
When we got home there was a huge poster with your picture on it that said "Wishes do come true!" There was a butterfly balloon attached to it. When I called Gambie to thank them (because who else would have left it!?!) she put Aunt Madi on the phone and she told us she is going to be able to come with us! We are all so excited to meet you!!!
6/4/10
We had an impromptu celebration tonight with Gambie and PJ, Jen, Dan, Zach, Julia, Marlin, Claudia, and Michael. We ordered Chinese food and made "Charlottinis" with red thread through the olives. When everyone was leaving and I was cleaning the kitchen Jen told me to hold still--there was a ladybug in my hair! It's another sign Baby--we'll be there soon!
6/8/10
Dear Charlotte,
No definite dates but we got our Consulate Appointment for July 13th and we're tentatively scheduled to leave on June 30th to come get you! We will go to Beijing first and then fly down to Guangzhou where we will meet you. I started packing this weekend and Gambie and I went out and bought all sorts of things for you! I can't wait!!!
