Package on its way to Jade!

I sent off a package to Jade today - I was in two minds because of how young she is, but am glad I did... At least her carers will get to see our latest photos - with Chinese translation of who each of us are - even if she will not understand. I also sent a rattle, cuddle rug (that I have been cuddling :-), lollipops, as well as a panda (I know you are not meant to send stuffed animals, but I have two - It has been in all our "waiting for Jade" family photos - like a pregnant tummy :-) And of course the single use camera - I hope we have the bonus of some extra photos when we pick her up. It felt so strange to know that she might touch these things!!

Photo: Pandy II at Melissa's - Xmas 2006

Enjoy the planning!

Friday was a tad stressful for me... It was meant to be a Xmas work party, but at 3.30pm after successfully couriering all our paperwork to the Aust consulate in Shanghai, I found I had left a crucial document in the photocopier!! It meant a mad dash across the city by train to drop it off, and they finally phoned me at 20mins to 7pm, to say that the page had successfully been inserted into the envelope before it left Melbourne for China!! Whew!!
Note to self... Enjoy this time!! We are given the impression by DHS that we could be looking at the 13th Feb for the handover (earliest)... So now is the time to plan leave, time to book a family trip back to SA in Jan, time to have Josh's 16th Party in Jan (am I really ready for this??? Seems like yesterday this little squirming individual was placed in my ecstatic 24yo arms...), + Plan a CNY stopover trip - Singapore?, Hong Kong? the week before we land in Nanchang on the 11th? 12th?
I spent the day today sorting clothes... Some from Sue (thanks Jacqui), Melissa (thanks Kelsie), Kim, (thanks Princess Jazmin) - into size order... Some lovely things, but I think we have to bite the bullet and do some baby shopping - especially for 00... Look out xmas sales - here we come!! To everyone reading this - We would like to wish you a very Merry Xmas and a Happy and Safe New Year!! May all your dreams for 2008 come true!!
Love Cindy...

Travel Meeting Date

No news yet on when we can travel to Jade - but we finally have a meeting scheduled - on the 9th January with all the families travelling together. We should come away from that meeting with a confirmed date, and then we will be scrambling to get flights!! I expect it may not be until later in February now. I hear from another new Mum in America who was there recently that the babies are well cared for in Jade's Social Welfare Institute but please send good vibes her way anyway... I can't wait until she is in our arms!!

Waiting for news

We have had a busy, busy weekend, with our Scout Xmas party on Friday, Xmas shopping, my work Christmas party at the Crown (where I proudly showed off baby photos to anyone willing to look - sad I know :-) and with a lunch today with dear friends who have followed our journey with advice & guidance along the way. It sounds like we are still a little way off confirming our travel date - but we now expect it will be after Chinese New Year. I can't wait to have a date - 1. to book flights, 2. to organise a handover at work, but most importantly 3. to be able to have a countdown to our "forever family" day... I'm off to try and get some sleep & as little Jazmin would say "Goodnight Jade"...
Cindy...

100 Good Wishes Quilt

I am almost finished the quilt that she will be wrapped in the first time we hold her, but I need to find the time now to complete it. Here is a photo of the work in progress - thanks so much to everyone that donated pieces of material and good wishes - it is so special for her. I have roughly 6-7 weeks to complete it!
Cheers, Cindy...

The paperwork begins again!

Yesterday afternoon after a mandatory 24 hour wait, we visited our Social Worker to sign our Acceptance, and name Jade Kebin Yi Bushell. It didn't take too much deciding!!
We came home with a mountain of paperwork and Alex made the trip into Melbourne today to deliver the required forms to ICAS (Intercountry Adoption Services) and to line up at DIAC (Dept of Immigration and Citizenship) to begin the process for Jades Aussie Visa.
Sadly we cannot find our original marriage certificate, and have had to apply for another. Hopefully, it will arrive by Tuesday and we can get the next lot of paperwork off.
We are still waiting to hear when we can travel, and hope to have our travel meeting with ICAS before Christmas! I need to organise leave as well as our flights, and would love to able to begin the countdown to having Jade in our arms.

Province

I forgot to mention Jade is 6 months and 3 weeks old (date of birth 17th May 2007) and her Province is Jiangxi (the Social Welfare Institute of Yuzhou District, Yichun City).

Introducing Jade Kebin Yi Bushell

Oh my! such cute chubby cheeks...

I am over the moon with this little munchkin already!!

I cannot wait until she is in our arms!!!

It's a girl

It is with pure joy we can say we have been allocated a baby girl:

Name: Kebin Yi (pronounced "Ker-bin Yee")
Date of Birth: 17/05/2007

7 months old!!

She had an issue with foot strength initially, but after a calcium enriched diet is fine!!

More details and a Photo - tomorrow!!

Yay!!!

Cindy, Alex, Joshua, Taylor and Liam

All the unknowns...

Well, after a full on Greek night last night, we went to our Victorian batch 25 get together - reeking of garlic and ouzo!! It was great to get together and share information with our fellow travellers - but there are so many unknowns - boys or girls? likely ages? which province are we going to? when will we get the call? when can we travel? Will it be before or after Chinese New Year? Travel meeting - do we really have to wait four weeks? At least by Tuesday (hopefully) we answer the first few questions...

Journey to Jade

After over 4 years of being in the 'system' to adopt a precious baby from China and our approved file being in China since 14th December 2005, we know are JUST about to be allocated a baby!! The U.S. has been receiving their referrals over the last few days, and Australia is usually a few days behind... The 3 boys are just starting to realise it will happen... Liam was only 5 years old when we first talked to them about adopting for our 4th child - and he has just turned 12!

We will first get a phone call with the babies details (name, date of birth, province, etc) and we get to see the first photos probably the day after!
This weekend is going so slowwwwly... Although we are trying to keep busy.

Last night I ran a "Muck Up" night for the Venturers - with pasta, rice, flour, jelly, tinned fruit, shaving foam, baked beans, tomato sauce, bbq sauce, water guns being tossed around Elcho Park. What a hoot!!

Tonight we are hosting friends over for a Greek night (we have different countries taking it in turns) - so have to keep busy getting ready (why am I on the computer then :-)

Tomorrow we are getting together with our whole batch who will be traveling to China together - also to get their babies.

Monday I have a book party at a friends house and Tuesday night might just be the night!!!!!!!!
Bring it on and bring out the Moe!!!!!!!!

I can't wait for us to see our precious babies face for the first time!!

It is so like the last few weeks of the pregnancy where you just want to see what this little person looks like. Then it turns into more like the ultrasound, where you then have a picture but have to wait and wait to hold that precious thing - Could be January or more likely February that we travel...

I will update the site as soon as we have news!!

Cindy...