Departure Date!!!!!!

Well, we finally know when we're leaving - August 23rd!!! 3 more weeks and Rob and I get to meet Miss Hannah! Strangely, we don't have a return date yet, but everything about our agency seems pretty strange. They tell us that we'll know the return date soon - let's hope that means days and not weeks! I did a giant shop at Target today - most of our travel stuff - it was pretty overwhelming. Lots of disposable bibs, placemats, wipes, baby food, etc. for Hannah and lots of meds, protein bars, thermoses, backpacks, etc. for us. My Mom and Dad came over yesterday with Riley's crib and we put that together, so now the girls' room really looks like the girls' room! I'll have to post a picture. I'm so excited that this is all finally happening and thank the Lord that tomorrow is August 1!!! We made it through the longest June and July of my life. We also received Hannah's "finding ad" which is a picture and short description of a found child in China. It is part of the legal process there mainly in order to give the birth parents a chance to reclaim their child. Hannah's ad came out in a local Donguan paper called the "Southern Farmer's Daily" on November 30,2006. She was just as chubby cheeked and adorable as in her referral pictures and maintains her very solemn expression. A very smart businessman in Utah tracks down these ads for you and translates them as well. It's an important part of her history and I'm glad that we have it. Well, on to waiting to hear about when Miss Riley gets to meet her sister....

Pix from the baby shower!

Happy Half Birthday Hannah!!!

Little Hannah En Ming is 18 months old today! We were kinda hoping that we'd be in China to celebrate with her but I suppose we will have to wait. Still no word on the travel dates. I'm starting to build up a level of anxiety similar to what I felt right before the referral came, which is not good. What's particularly frustrating is to see that most of the families that got their referral when we did are traveling to China this week! I really must stop reading the Rumor Queen website. Too depressing. Riley and I are having a fun summer week - we went to the NY Hall of Science, Stony Kill Farm, the lake, the pool(it's finally open!!!) and are hitting the waterpark today. Rob's play in Cape Cod opens tonight - Break a leg, honey! Happy 1/2 Birthday Hannah!!

TA has arrived!!!

Our travel approval has finally been received by our agency, so we have jumped the final paperwork hurdle in getting to China to get Hannah!! Hurray! Now our agency can make a consulate appointment and book our travel and hotel. We should know very soon what our exact travel dates are - Hallelujah! Interestingly, Riley and I were hiking today and a ladybug landed on her arm at about the same time that we got the email from the agency. Cool,huh? (Many folks in the China adoption community believe that a ladybug sighting is very significant in terms of baby news). I will post again when I have the dates. It's a happy day!

Holy Cow! A Baby Shower?!?!?!

OK, I have never been more surprised in my life! On Friday night, July 20th, I popped over my friend Becky's house with my other pal Lisa just to hang out, gossip and watch a movie. Turns out, I'd been had! A slew of fantastic friends and family were lying in wait to shower me with presents!! As soon as Rob gets back from his job at the Cape, I will post pictures that prove I had no idea because I'm not wearing any makeup whatsoever! Hannah is more eagerly anticipated than even I thought - what amazing, thoughtful gifts! I am still so overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and family. Our life is truly blessed. I am also impressed by the acting abilities of my parents, Lisa, Kara, Michelle H. and Camille. (Rob's always been a good actor, so he gets no kudos). I talked with all of them in the 24 hours leading up to the shower and no one let on even a little bit. Well done! Now I'd really better start packing - I've got some great stuff to put in the luggage. Still no definite word on the travel dates yet. Rob is going to London in a couple of weeks and will need the passport that our agency has to obtain our Chinese visas, but with any luck, we'll have that all sorted out by then. I keep telling myself only 4 more weeks(I hope) and we'll finally be on the plane to Guangzhou and Hannah En Ming! Thanks everybody for the love, gifts and prayers - you are incredible!

More info on Hannah!

Happy to report that the translated medical report finally arrived and our little cutie is healthy and well! We were surprised to read that she was a preemie - clearly she has caught up in her weight gain. She got her 1st tooth at 10 months and had 4 teeth at her 1st birthday. She also could stand with support by 11 months. Hannah is active, loves to smile, and enjoys crawling and walking around in a "baby car"(walker). She gets up at 6 AM(ah,yes,of course), naps from 12-2 and bedtime is at 10PM! She clearly does not need as much sleep as Riley did. She eats 4 meals a day and apparently loves milk. It's all great news. Now I really cannot wait to go meet her! Still no news on our travel dates and I was a bit depressed to read on the Rumour Queen site of someone with our log-in date traveling on Wednesday! Why can't it be us? Picked the wrong agency, I guess. Well, Riley and I are off to play on this hot summer day. Oh- camping was a blast and we are all covered in mosquito bites but happy.

Still Waiting....

Just wanted to pass along the news that we are delayed for travel because of some paperwork that was improperly filled out by some other couples in our travel group. Very frustrating particularly when you realize that the agency didn't catch it before sending it to China. So, rather than leaving at the beginning of August as we'd hoped, they are now telling us to prepare for the week of August 20-25. AAAAHHHH! I'm getting a little impatient here. In better news, the Rumour Queen reports that TA's(travel approvals) are beginning to arrive at some agencies, so perhaps we will at least get some definite dates very soon. Meanwhile, the Bissinger family spent the weekend unearthing and cleaning toys, clothes and shoes for Hannah. We are rapidly realizing what a tiny space we live in and she's not even here yet! I predict, by the way, that Hannah will wear a different outfit every day of her life from 19 months- 36 months. I am not joking - please do not even think about buying this kid any more clothes- the hand-me-down situation is in full effect! (That last comment is primarily aimed at my Mom:)) We also found out, after some research, that the orphanage workers are actually speaking Mandarin, so the 5 lessons we've had in Cantonese were, although interesting, pretty much a waste of time. Live and learn. If I ever need to ask someone if they understand English in Cantonese, I'll be ready. Rob is rapidly becoming a hot ticket to hire in NY. He has landed 3 design jobs all in the past month - a musical at Paper Mill Playhouse in NJ, a play in Cape Cod and a first national tour of "ChittyChitty BangBang"! I'm so proud of him - it's about time! I hope everyone has a happy 4th'o' July and I'll post again when we're back from our camping trip this weekend.