I realized that if I didn’t do our journal in stages that it would take forever to load and read. Hope you have enjoyed our story so far.
June 1, 1999 – WE HAVE PASSPORTS!!!! I am so excited. I was afraid that we wouldn’t get them in time for a June or July DTC. I am starting redecorating Cassie’s room today. I moved out the furniture that she didn’t need anymore and made curtains to match her new "big girls" bedspread. I hope this weekend to get her princess wall border up.
June 2, 1999 – Mom called last night and my Uncle Dave passed away. I know he was sick but it is such a shock when it happens. I know he is with God so that helps. But he will be missed. His funeral is Saturday.
June 3, 1999 – My Mom is ready for babies to visit. She bought a high chair and playpen (that will hold 3 little ones) at a garage sale. She also found the cutest dress for Vickie. We have a few things gathered. But I am waiting until after the DTC to get much. I am also waiting to decorate the Nursery until then. I am doing it in Noah’s Ark with pink patchwork quilts. The Noah’s Ark fabric I found had cute little farm animals along with the normal wild animals. It even has pandas on it. Then I want to get medium stained wood furniture. I also plan on recovering my glider rocker to add to the room. I found the cutest border paper with little bunnies, doggies, and teddy bears that are holding blocks that spell out BABY.
June 15, 1999 - We are done with our Home Study Wahoo!! We are now just waiting on the INS I-171-H to arrive the Social Worker who did the home study said to start looking for it around the 8th of July and then all our documents are off to China!! I know that I am hopping beyond hope but I really feel like we will get our referral by Christmas. My Mom gave Jeff and I lady bug pins to wear until Vickie comes home. They are a good luck symbol in China and my Sister in Law gave us a book on adoption. So I guess our whole family is getting excited as the Paperchase draws to a close. I can't wait to be just waiting and not worrying about what document goes where and how to get it there.
June 16, 1999 - We now have all of the money for our travel and fees for our little one. It is so nice to know that we have all of the expenses taken care of. We have even budgeted for decorating the nursery. I can’t wait until DTC so I can get started. But we have been talking about moving to a bigger house so I may have to wait until then to start decorating.
June 19, 1999 - We went up to Denver today for the CCAI Family Reunion what a blast. Cassie had a ball. We sat with a group that traveled in 1996 and their little ones were all about 4 years old what a nice group of people. We all loved the dragon dance and just seeing all of the cute babies that had just recently came home was so awesome. I can hardly stand the wait already what will I be like by February.
June 29, 1999 – We spent the day at Mom and Dad’s with Jim and his family. I gave Jeff a red thread bracelet from Vickie. Cassie gave him a Rockies Baseball Shirt. We had a wonderful day. We gave my Dad a collection of 50’s and 60’s music.
June 25-27,1999 – We are going up the USAFA for Field Day this year. Cassie is so excited that she will get to operate the radio again. She is still studying for her Amateur Radio License but just isn’t ready to test yet. This will also be the first time out in our new camper. We bought a pop-up that sleeps 6 and is self-contained.
July 4, 1999 - Another holiday to mark off as the last with out Vickie. We had a barbecue at Mom and Dad’s then down the street to the Montgomery Wards to watch the Fireworks. Cassie read to Brianna for about and hour this afternoon they both really enjoyed it the twins are getting so now they can interact together. Cassie is so happy to finally be able to do things with her little cousins.
July 9, 1999 – We came home tonight to about 8 inches of hail. What a mess the basement is full of water now. So I guess it a call to the Insurance Agent. Still no I-171-H, but we did buy a new camper so we would have room for Vickie next year.
July 13, 1999 - We had very disappointing news today. I called Kathy at CCAI about our 171 not being here yet. She called back this afternoon and our Social Worker hadn’t even turned in the Home Study for them to send to Adoption Alliance yet let alone is it at the INS I guess she went on vacation. Kathy said that we might now have 5 more weeks to wait now we can’t possibly have a July DTC. I am so sad and a little mad. I have been crying most of the afternoon.
July 16, 1999 – Jeff and I have been talking and we have decided to start our own business we are going to call it eBusinessesWork. I am going to design web sites and Jeff is going to do business programming. I need to have something to do to keep my mind off of the adoption and the pit falls that happen. I know that we will have Vickie in Gods own time but I still want her NOW!!
July 26, 1999 - Kathy called this morning our documents are back from Adoption Alliance and she Express Mailed them to the INS today. I am doing the "Snoopy Dance". I don’t think I would ever make it if I hadn’t so much support from our families and the APC list.
July 29, 1999 – We are leaving today to take Cassie to spend Wray Daze with her Grandma Verna Lou. We will get back on Aug. 2. We are still not sure how all of Jeff’s family has taken the news that we are adopting from China yet. I know that his Mom is happy for us we just haven’t heard much from the rest of his family.
Aug. 3, 1999 – Cassie said that she would like to start school today we have had her curriculum for quite some time now. I guess she wants some thing to help pass time also. She wouldn’t have her supplement school this year (they lost their place to hold classes) so we will have to help her with activities out side school. We had a great time in Wray and Jeff’s family is just as excited as my family about Vickie.
Aug. 7, 1999 - WE HAVE OUR 171 IN OUR HANDS!!!!! Wahoooo!!!! Now we go to Denver and get them all certified then off to Carrie in Chicago!!!
Aug. 8, 1999 – We got Vickie’s Crib today I fell in love with a crib at Burlington Coat Factory’s Babyland but it was a little over budget. But I found one just like it at Wal-Mart for much less. It is perfect now if the builder would get his act together we would have some place to put it. We have decided to move to a bigger house and the builder has decided that he could use this house as a model or something and is working on a trade for us. I just wish we knew for sure.
Aug. 9, 1999 – We took our dossier up to Denver and Jeri at CCAI look it over for us then we took them to the Secretary of State to have them Certified. We will pick them up tomorrow. We took Cassie to the Zoo so she could see the baby polar bears. They are so cute.
Aug. 11, 1999 – We picked up our Dossier from the Secretary of State and Fed Exed them to Carrie (with Special Deliveries) our courier in Chicago she called that she received them. She will take them to the Consulate tomorrow and Fed Ex them back to us either Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Aug. 18, 1999 - We received our Dossier from Carrie with Special Deliveries today we took it up to CCAI this afternoon. We were told that we would make the August DTC (Dossier To China). So in about six months we will be getting our match and see what our new baby will look like!!!! I can't believe that we are finally done with the paper chase.!!!!
Aug. 28, 1999 - Today the Colorado Springs Chapter of CCAI had their desert in the park at Bear Creek. We all had a great time. But seeing all of those sweet Chinese little ones sure made me miss Vickie.