Merry Christmas!

Today was a wonderful and fun Christmas with family, but I'm happy to say that it will be our last Christmas without E!  We all kept commenting on how much we wish she were here.

To celebrate the day, I re-wrote a traditional Christmas song:

Twelve Steps to China (sung to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”)

On my first step to China my wishes brought to me… a little girl called Emmilene.

On my second step to China my wishes brought to me … two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my third step to China my wishes brought to me… three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my fourth step to China my wishes brought to me … four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my fifth step to China my wishes brought to me…five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my sixth step to China my wishes brought to me…six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my seventh step to China my wishes brought to me…seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my eighth step to China my wishes brought to me…eight trips to FedEx, seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my ninth step to China my wishes brought to me…nine packing lists, eight trips to FedEx, seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my tenth step to China my wishes brought to me…ten mailman stalkings, nine packing lists, eight trips to FedEx, seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On my eleventh step to China my wishes brought to me…eleven stacks of papers, ten mailman stalkings, nine packing lists, eight trips to FedEx, seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

On twelfth step to China my wishes brought to me…twelve-plus hour flights, eleven stacks of papers, ten mailman stalkings, nine packing lists, eight trips to FedEx, seven months of worry, six notaries, five years of bills!!!  Four background checks, three blog members, two agencies, and a little girl called Emmilene.

Christmas Eve

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree

I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
                             -From "All I Want for Christmas is You"

Christmas Eve Celebration.  Pass the vino.

Tonight was another awesome celebration with family and friends, with one little thing missing...Emmilene, we all wish you were here!

All Smiles

Everyone is all smiles around here lately, including Emmilene!  We were delighted to get an updated picture of her today.  It was taken on November 25 and she's smiling!  Probably because her hair is growing in.  She sort of has a faux-hawk, or perhaps she has the same hairdo as her Daddy.  Either way, she's as cute as ever!

We are making our lists and checking them twice (and three times and four times...).  Just to run down the dates:
Thursday, January 5:  Leave for China
Friday, January 6:  Arrive Hong Kong
Saturday, January 7:  Arrive Nanning (Marriott)
Monday, January 9:  Gotcha Day / Forever Family Day!
Friday, January 13:  Arrive Guangzhou (Garden Hotel)
Wednesday, January 18:  Consulate Appointment
Thursday, January 19:  Arrive Hong Kong
Friday, January 20:  The longest day of my life, um, I mean travel day to arrive home in USA!  Emmie becomes a US citizen!

We are so very excited.  I remember thinking during the summer that it felt like we were never going to get here, but now it's only weeks away!  Everyone, please cross your fingers that this last stretch goes as smoothly as possible, given that we are trying to get ready for the biggest trip of our lives and complete house renovations and move.  Lots of stuff all at once, but with the support of everyone, we know we can do it!

Adoption Celebration

Today was a perfect day of food and family and laughter.   Auntie Sue Sue threw the most beautiful shower for Emmilene you can imagine.  More than one person said it was the best baby shower they had ever been to.  Every detail was attended to from the "Signature Cocktail" (Mai Tai) to delicious Chinese food to the panda cupcakes and the fortune cookies personalized with little "Emmilene" messages on them.  Even the staff at the Chinese restaurant commented that the bamboo and lantern decorations were the best they had ever seen...I think they offered Sue a job planning Chinese celebrations!  P and I had a great day, and even more importantly, everyone else did, too.  Everything was perfect. 

I can't say enough thanks to all of our family and friends who were so generous and thoughtful, and an extra special thanks to Emmie's Auntie for planning such a special day.  Little E will have everything she needs thanks to all of your generosity!

Tracy, Patrick and Emmilene

Pandas!  Almost too cute to eat.  Almost.

Perfect except that we all cried.

Patrick loving all of the attention.

TA!!!!!! Emmie, here we come!!!!!

So, scratch that last post that I had just written for today about long waits/short waits, being #10 on the list..............................

We're going to China!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Still no consulate date yet, but we got our Travel Authorization giving us permission to go!  Unless things are totally booked up at the consulate, I think we are in good shape for pre-CNY travel.  We should find out shortly.

Of course, P has been in London all week for work (not exactly the best timing for a trip, but that's another story...).  So, I was on the phone with him as he was getting ready to board the plan, telling him to have a safe trip, not get poisoned by airplane food, blah blah blah.  We said goodbye, and AS SOON AS we got off the phone, our agency called our house saying we got TA!  I immediately called P back to give him the news, and he had shut his phone off for the flight!  So he missed the news by about 2 minutes!  Now I have to sit and wait until late tonight to tell him the news.  He has no idea what's waiting for him when he gets home!!!!

I am so excited!  This is the very best Christmas present ever!!!!

Steps to TA! (original planned post for today)

Here's the latest chart from RQ (nickname for China Adopt Talk--an online community of people who are adopting or have adopted from China).  As you can see, we've made it to green!  That means, we are next in line for TA!  The chart shows that we have been waiting for 8 days now.  No one really knows how long it takes to get the TA...for some it's super fast, for others it takes longer.  And, much like the rest of the paperchase, there's no rhyme or reason.  I didn't show the entire chart, but for reference, it goes to 170 and we are #10!!!  Woo hoo!

Walls Coming Down

Tricked you!  You thought this was going to be another philosophical musing about adoption and bridging the gap between two cultures, blah blah blah.  There are plenty of blog posts out there covering that topic much more eloquently than I can.  This post is about the walls coming down.  Literally.  Coming down.  Like, "too late to change your mind about making those two rooms into one!"

My mom is listening intently as I describe my grand scheme to eliminate the wall.
I might also be dancing.

As far as I can tell, it sure seems as if the wall is now obliterated.  Let me check...

Why, yes, indeed!  We found it!  Here's the wall!  No turning back now!  But, why would we? 
Look at how delighted P is!  Or is he just excited about his McD's hot cocoa on this chilly night?
Stay tuned...

Expecting

On one of our hundred trips to Babies R Us to test drive the SWEET Mercedes-style stroller we picked out, we pulled into the closest spot:  "Parking for Expectant Mothers."  Hm...am I, or aren't I an expectant mother?  Now, I know why those spots are there, and we backed out leaving the spot open for mothers with bellies bigger than mine.  But it got me to thinking.

When people say that someone is "expecting", it conjures up much more than just the physical aspects of having a baby.  New happy family, giggly baby, no sleep, lots of "Kodak moments."  Isn't that us?  Besides the obvious physical differences, I think I am very much like an "expectant mother."

I have been in love with E since the first moment she was a glimmer in my eye.  I'll always remember the feeling I had when I told P about her.  I don't feel her inside of my belly, but I feel her inside of my heart.  I think about her constantly, talk about her, and dream about her.  I wonder how she'll feel, smell, sound, and look.  I have dreams for her.  I want her to have the best life possible.  I want to give everything I can to her.  I want to give her our love, and I want her to love us back.  I want to build lots and lots of memories together as a family.  I worry about her, and I want her to be healthy and happy.  I'm extremely protective of her, and won't tolerate anyone who would dare to hurt her.

On a more physical note, the closer it gets to her arrival, the harder it is for me to sleep.  I crave Chinese food more than I ever have!  I am overly emotional about everything--I cried watching Frosty the Snowman melt on TV.  I'm nervous and worry I won't know what to do with this new little person.  We are definitely nesting...buying a house, preparing a nice place for her, cleaning, organizing packing lists, reading books, trying to buy things for the best we can with minimal information about her size, tying up things at work and home, and so on.

So, while I don't need that first-row parking spot so I can have an easy walk into the store, I am very much "expecting."

Don't Try This

No, of course I don't mean adoption.  Adoption is the best!  Everyone should try it!

But...

Do not--I mean it--do NOT try to buy a house during the last month or so of your adoption.  Adoption is stressful enough, and trying to buy a new home and remodel it and furnish it and move into it will push to you the end of your rope.  We had no choice, but if you do have a choice, just say no.

Why, you ask?  Because this could happen to you:

1.  Today is your closing!  Yay!  You show up early looking all professional, checkbook and a brand new Bic in your hand.  Your lawyer, on the other hand, shows up late.  See, he wasn't the lawyer you expected...your guy was busy, so your law firm decided to send a fill-in.  Tie?  Blazer?  No way!  The guy doesn't even have on socks and it's winter.  He announces to you and the seller's attorney that he's "subbing" and "knows nothing about this closing."  What a great impression!  Things are certain to go downhill from there and guess what?  You don't close!  Ha Ha!  Joke is on you!  No, nothing you did wrong, the seller's attorney tells you...but you'll have to wait a day.  You know, just ratchet up the stress a little more.  And delay things, which leads me to my next point...
2.  The contractor you have lined up to do some work on said home gets peeved at the ONE DAY delay and--ha ha--bails on you!  Isn't that a riot?!  Really, one day later and the job is off?  Aren't you fickle!  So....
3.  When your renovations should have been happening, instead, in all of your "free" time, you will be interviewing 50 new contractors to do the job.  Fun!  A free education on load-bearing walls, moving electrical outlets, and LVLs.  Cool!  And...
4.  If you happen to buy a new home that--while larger and nicer than your tiny condo--has some "interesting" shaped rooms, none of your old furniture fits!  Isn't that surprising!  So, you are basically starting from scratch with no furniture.  And, to top it off, every piece of furniture you like takes 8-12 weeks to get!  Well, la-di-da!  You'll be HOME from China, and you'll all be sitting on bags stuffed with leaves or trash instead of a sofa!  Guests coming over to meet your new daughter?  No problem!  Just ask them to bring their own chairs!
5.  You get the idea.

All of this delightfulness while you need to be shopping for your trip, packing, thinking about travel arrangements, wrapping up work, and reading those last 10 or so adoption books you wanted to get to.

So, take it from me, unless you live in a teepee, don't buy a house during latter stages of the adoption  process.  Well, if you live in a teepee, as long as your home study worker will approve it, stay there.

Rant over.

The Name Game

P and I give nicknames to everything.  We aren't "T" and "P" on the blog because we are in some sort of undercover witness protection program.  We actually refer to each other that way.  We tend to talk in initials, such as, "MB was a madhouse today" (Market Basket), or "We need some Charles Shaw at TJs" (Trader Joe's), or "What did R and C do today?" (my parents).  We also refer to places by initials, like those bumper stickers you see on cars.  "BBH is my favorite place," or "Should we go to OGT this weekend?" or, "AMI is like the Caribbean for cheap!"  (Boothbay Harbor, Ogunquit, and Anna Maria Island).

So, it's no wonder we have a dozen names for E.  P was having lunch with a former colleague, and he referred to E as "Q."  Bewildered, his pal had no idea who "Q" was.  So, we realized, this one tiny girl has a huge list of names:

• Emmilene
• E
• Emmie
• Quan Quan (which we used to pronounce this way and now we realize it's acutally more like "Chahn Chahn")
• Q
• QQ
• Q-t-Q
• Q-squared (I was a math major)
• Queen Emmilene (rhymes)

Just to name a few.  Here's a bumper sticker I want to put on our car next to "ME" and "AMI" and "CC":