So Patty, When Do You Think You Will Get TA?

The question, in the adoption community is always this:
"So, when do you think you will get TA?"

In everyday language, that translates to: 
"So, when do you think you will be heading to China to get your littlest princess?"

Referral Photos in Chinese File, received in June 2011. 

Additional Referral Photos in Chinese File, received in June 2011. 

Photos received in August 2011. First photo update. 

Christmas Photos received in December 2011. Second photo update. 

Chinese New Year Photos received in February 2012. Third photo update. 

  

   Birthday Photos received in February 2012. Fourth photo update. 

   

  

Our journey to Amaris has been nothing but miraculous, and I just think it should end that way as well. Our adoption agency chose our family, out of quite a number of families, to be Amaris' family.

There was never any doubt in my mind that she was ours... because God POURED ON His miracles one after the other and it was absolutely, undeniable, that THIS BABY was ours... down to every-single possible aspect.

This was the precious baby we waited 18 years for.


I think it would be just wonderful, if we landed in China on June 23rd.
This date is special for two reasons: 
1. On June 23, 2010, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I called my mom. A couple hours later, she had two brain aneurisms and died. Medical science revived her and kept her alive a couple more days.
2. On June 23, 2011, our agency, including my now good friend Kathy Junk, chose our family to be Amaris' family.

If we arrived in China on June 23rd, our Gotcha Day would be June 25th.

This would make our Adoption Day, June 26th. 
This date is special because this was the day that my mom entered into Heaven and met Jesus face to face.

I would love for her Consulate Appointment to be July 2nd, but it doesn't seem like it could be...
I think there are about 10 days between the adoption and the CA...
This day would be special because July 2nd, 2010, my mom celebrated her 44th wedding anniversary with my dad, their daughter Kimberly and an un-born, un-named son... in Heaven.

As I look at my calendar and guestimate days... I realize... we actually could be in China before June 26th... making our CA date even possible to be June 26th...

So, I will stop thinking and guessing... although it is fun... and, perhaps, I will go start packing instead.

It's interesting, that we started packing with Gabriella about 6 or 7 months before we left to get her... and, then we re-packed perhaps as many as 20 times before we actually left for China.

Article 5... Done!

If you had asked me in November 2010, when we started this adoption to Amaris when I thought I would get my Article 5, I would have confidently told you about September 2011. 

You can imagine my surprise getting it 18 months later. But, here it is... Praise the Lord! 

I appreciate my adoption friend Courtney and her blog: http://www.china-adoption-online.com that easily explains each step in the adoption process. She does such an amazing job making everything so understandable. 

The Article 5 letter comes as a result of the consulate reviewing our new daughter's visa application (the DS-230) and they make sure it meets the qualifications for an immigrant visa. They sign off that everything is in order for the adoption to be completed. It has been picked up in China (China's date: 5/24/2012) and it will be delivered directly to the CCCWA for our Travel Approval. 

Am I "Buying Time" Again?

Each delay makes me gasp... but, then I remind myself... there has got to be a reason I am "buying time" with EVERY SINGLE step in this adoption.

We know that we started at the right time. I asked God to send us a ladybug back in November 2010 when we could start our process. Three weeks later, He sent one right to the room in my doctor's office. He (God) even had me bring my camera to the office to document it. That's an amazing story you can read under "November" of this adoption timeline on the right.

This is definitely an opportunity to truly learn to TRUST in God and HIS timing.

I think it would be interesting to find out how many days I actually have "bought" over the course of this adoption journey to Amaris... and her sister. Adoptions take 9-12 months... Amaris will be in our arms in June (technically)... which will have taken us  20 months... and, that is WITHOUT her sister.

This photo of Amaris was taken this week, one year ago!

We thought we would be bringing home Annabella at the same time, but God surprised us with a little Giavanna, who we never knew about, and who we believe will be home by Christmas 2012.

My dossier is being positioned for some reason... each step has had a delay of a few days... oh, how I wish I knew the end of THIS dossier story.  We will use it to bring home Giavanna. And, we are HOPING and PRAYING that we can use it to bring home Annabella and Amelia as well.

I am grateful that God is in control and that I have learned early on to trust Him.

My sweet little princess is waiting here in 

79-90 degree F weather this week with 86% humidity and NO AIR CONDITIONING

April 17:   Requested our now 18 year old (then 16 year old) to be fingerprinted
April 18:   Received our I-797C to get her fingerprinted
April 25:   Tyanna walked in for her fingerprints 21 days early
April 30:   Tyanna's fingerprints were approved
May 1:      Tyanna turns 18; received email about Tyanna's fingerprints being approved on April 30
May 3:      Received I800A and I800 in the mail, BUT a date was incorrect
May 7:      I emailed NVC about my NVC letter, received an email back with my GUZ #
May 8:      I800 date fixed and approved, NVC issued the letter to be cabled to the US Embassy in China for Amaris' passport
May 9:      I received the NVC EMAIL and cable that needs to go to China
May 10:    Cable is now in China
May 17:    Notified that our I800 had Amaris' Chinese name spelled wrong; I also received the I800 corrected cable hardcopy via snail mail
May 21:    Our officer at NVC corrected the Chinese spelling of our daughter's name, emailed me and re-sent it to China
May 24:    Day we were SUPPOSED to receive our original Article 5, before it had to be fixed


There is a quote:
God has a reason for allowing things to happen. We may never understand His wisdom, but we simply have to trust His will.

Just waiting and hoping and praying I get to see this seal later today or tomorrow and that our paperwork will still be on schedule for our TA (Travel Approval) to China.

We are Cabled!

On May 1st, Tyanna's 18th birthday, I received an email that her fingerprints had been approved and her I800A and our I800 were on their way in the mail. We received them May 3rd.

I decided to email the National Visa Center (NVC) on Monday May 7th. I was delightfully surprised to receive a response back that afternoon with my GUZ #. 

The next day, the NVC approved us. I received a confirmation email of this approval the following day, TODAY, May 9, 2012. 

Because I had checked my email before 7:30AM, I quickly forwarded the NVC letter to our agency and got an immediate response back. 

Our Letter Seeking Confirmation (LSC) was submitted at 8:10PM this evening. 

It appears to be a standard 2 week wait for Article 5. I am guestimating that, that means our Article 5 will come on Thursday, May 24th. 

Travel Approval (TA) is said to come within 2-4 weeks of receiving Article 5; however, my adopting girlfriends are currently getting their TA's within 10-14 days. 

If this is true, we could have our TA as early as June 4th. Some say possibly June 7th and as late as June 14th. 

Everything is happening so fast now. May Jesus protect your heart and lungs Princess Amaris. Mama, Baba and your jie jie's are coming soon!

Blessings, Boo Boos and Ladybugs... All in a Day!

Last night we landed in Oklahoma City, OK to drive to Lawton, OK to celebrate the graduation of Gabriella's oldest brother, Kai. Kai will graduate from Army Boot Camp on Friday. Today, we got the chance to see Kai for Family Day.

After the Family Day presentation, we hopped in our rental vehicle and headed out to treat Kai to a yummy meal. As we all hopped into our vehicle, Veronica (Kai's girlfriend) noticed that there was a ladybug on Kai's badge... she mentioned something to me because she knows that there is something about ladybugs and our family. 

I reminded her that I believe that God shares a ladybug with us when some sort of good news is about to happen within the next 7 days concerning our adoption. So far, God has always done something amazing within seven days. With every ladybug He has sent, the bug has been within 3-4 feet of us (ie. definitely for us... a God Wink... not a coincidence) and arrives within 7 days. Today's bug, landed on "Fouts"... Kai's badge. I now fondly call this our "Fouts Ladybug." And, another God Wink... this time, for someone new!

Last Thursday, April 26, I had sent Jason to work with his very own ladybug catcher. I took his photo, but he wouldn't let me post it on Facebook... probably because he really didn't think a ladybug would ever come. So, I just posted the comment: I sent Jason to work with his very own ladybug catcher today! 

I sent him with the ladybug catcher because he was losing sleep about one of our daughters still waiting for us in China. He couldn't figure out how she would get in to our arms, much like our other two. I told him that when he told me about her, I fasted and prayed, and God specifically showed me that she was indeed our daughter, through multiple Bible verses. Though God is going to have to prepare MY heart for this little surprise gift, I KNOW that if God has ordained her to be in our family, that HE, will cause a way to make the IMPOSSIBLE happen. I told Jason to take this bug container to work. God wouldn't have shown me all that He did if she wasn't ours. And, if she is ours, which I believe now that she is, she will come. I handed him our ladybug catcher... and this note:  "If God sends you a ladybug in the next 7 days, then you need to completely trust that God will finish what He has started and that Giavanna will come home." 

SEVEN DAYS LATER, God sent Giavanna's ladybug to the name "FOUTS"... In my mind, this is clear, that Giavanna Fouts is coming home. The ladybug didn't come to Jason's work, but she came on the 7th day, half way across our nation, to the vehicle he was driving and to his last name... HOW MUCH MORE CLEAR can it be? God can fly His ladybugs ANYWHERE!

While we were in Lawton, these 3 other blessings were in the our mail back home: Gabriella's Chinese documents, her LONG awaited for passport and our I-800 with Tyanna's fingerprints confirmed as well... all arrived on the same day as our FIRST ladybug today. 

While snapping photos of our FIRST ladybug, we arrived at our yummy meal with Kai. This was his first non-Base meal since February 21st. Grandma and Grandpa Fouts joined Jason and I with Kai's beloved girlfriend Veronica and baby sister Gabriella. 

After our meal, we went back to the hotel to rest before deciding to go to Starbucks. 

When we woke up from our nap, Gabriella and I were delighted 

to see our SECOND ladybug on the wall above our bathroom sink. 

We brought our second ladybug to Baba and 

Grandma and Grandpa Fouts 

while they were sitting in the hotel lobby talking 

(the ladybug is crawling on the left corner of the box)...

The ladybug stayed with us for quite some time. 

I wish I would have placed her on Gabriella's little flower in her hair though. 

The blessings today were already abundant. We decided to go for a walk to Starbucks and grab a drink. 

While these were just a few blessings, there was yet another blessing given to our princess Gabriella just minutes later. She is a lively and friendly little spit fire and gains the attention of almost everyone she walks by. And, if she doesn't get your attention, she WILL make sure she does. She will look you in the eyes and say "Hi", "Good Morning" or whatever she says until you respond. Because of her personality, she gets favorable treatment wherever she goes. Today, the barista at Starbucks gave her a FREE pink cake pop to go along with her requested "coffee mocha please." 

But today didn't end with just ladybugs and cake pops. Our very independent. "I do it myself" little princess decided to follow family out the door without waiting for Mama or Baba. Within less than a minute, we heard screaming... our little one was dripping in blood. She had split her chin open and had busted a back molar tooth (which she spit out as we were driving to the local ER). While this photo doesn't make it look like that big of a deal, when she cried, I could see all the way to her bone. ICKY! I got to spend a couple hours in a hicksville ER... OH MY WORD... can I just tell you that I was COMPLETELY confident that within 2-3 minutes of observation that I could have run that whole ER myself.

Jason and I desperately want to move to China to have our own foster home in Nanning, but, after this experience in an ER in the U.S., I am thinking that moving to a third world country and caring for orphans, might not work for me. 

 We arrrived home late... Gabriella slept well. 

I slept an hour that night. 

The next morning, we woke up and went to Kai's graduation from Boot Camp. 

Our Army graduate... wishing he was a civilian and thinking college wasn't a bad idea after all. 

Kai with his sweetheart Veronica. 

Grandpa and Grandma Fouts

Mom, Dad and Gabriella

Gabriella's boo boo fixed!

Four days of adventure... while we were grateful to be at Family Day, see Kai graduate, hear some of his stories, watch him share some precious moments with family and Veronica,  spend time with Grandma and Grandpa Fouts, and send Kai off the next day to his AIT school (Advanced Individual Training in San Antonio),we are glad to be home once again. 

This is just some of the excitement we have experienced as we await holding our littlest princess: Amaris. 

I-800A and I-800 Received!

Most of our story is posted in the post: Blessings, Boo Boo's and Ladybugs All in a Day!

But, I wanted to announce that our I-800 and I-800A have arrived from USCIS. 

If you look at our timeline on the far right hand column, you can see when we requested our fingerprint appointment for our now 18 year old Tyanna and the process it took from requesting her biometric fingerprints to receiving her approval. It took just 16 days for the entire process. We had a pretty amazing officer and both my homestudy agency and adoption agency contacted our officer to help our process move along. Tonight I will contact NVC to see if our paperwork has been cabled. 

Our I-797, Notice of Action, has given us provisional approval as of Tyanna's birthdate to adopt Amaris! This is our Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country. We have previously filed and received approval for Jason, myself, Kai and Jordan. Tyanna, when we started these next two adoptions was just 16. 

We should expect our NVC cable sometime this week to be wired to Guangzhou and be looking for our Article 5 from the National Visa Center (NVC) a couple weeks later. Travel Approval will be 3 weeks from our Article 5... and then it will take a couple weeks to get our Consulate Appointment in China. 

I am so excited to think that I will be holding my baby in just a few weeks. My heart leaps with joy thinking that we will have our baby girl soon. Gabriella tells everyone she meets, wherever she goes, that she is going to "give baby Amaris a bottle and sing: Jesus loves me this I know." And then she proceeds to rock an imaginary baby and sing... the WHOLE song. She is so excited to have someone little to "play toys" ... which she pronounces "toys-say"... it sounds French when she says it. 

And, just recently, Gabriella learned that she is waiting for a fourth Chinese sister... She has been praying for Amaris, Annabella and Amelia, but Giavanna will join us before the end of this year. Then, we will return for Annabella and we pray fervently for Amelia as well. 

Tyanna Has Been Fingerprinted!

We started our adoption to Amaris and her sister back in August 2010. We didn't officially start paying for this process until Thanksgiving Day 2010, at that time, Tyanna was still 16. There was no reason for her to be fingerprinted, because after all, we would be home with our babies shortly after her 17th birthday.

Well, Tyanna turns 18 next week... and, we are STILL pressing through with the adoption of our next two little princesses. While we thought Annabella was going to come home with Amaris, God has clearly shown us when SHE is going to come home and what is going to happen between now and then. We are blessed. For now, I can't wait to hold my little princess.

Tyanna received her USCIS biometric fingerprint appointment on April 18, 2012 for May 15, 2012. I decided to take a gamble, and walk-in today, April 25, 2012 into our local Department of Homeland Security... the one that doesn't take walk-ins.

We are so grateful they allowed Tyanna the opportunity to get her fingerprints. The ironic thing, NO ONE even asked why we were walking in early. But, believe me, we were prepared to show them the faces of our precious little princesses... just in case! And, it was nice to have Gabriella with us. She is princess proof!

Here is another glimpse of our little princess that is waiting in southern China for her family... our family. To think that she will be in our arms in just weeks just makes my heart leap with so much joy. God has blessed us with His grace and favor to allow us to have such a beautiful princess to call our very own. We were chosen to be her family on June 23,2011 and pray that she will be in our arms by June 23, 2012.

Another I800A wait! Two weeks in the Lock Box!

I got my USCIS email and text today...

Dear Applicant/Petitioner:

Your USCIS application/petition has been received and routed to the National Benefit Center for processing. Within 7 - 10 days by standard mail you will receive your official Receipt Notice (Form I-797) with your Receipt Number SIMXXXXXXXXXX. If you have any questions please contact the Hague Unit at (877) 424-8374 or NBC.HAGUE@DHS.GOV

PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE

It is always encouraging when you finally receive that email/text. We have waited once for biometric fingerprinting for Jason and I and our two boys: Kai and Jordan. But, because these 2 adoptions officially started Thanksgiving Day 2010, a lot has changed. Tyanna will be turning 18 next month, so she too has to be fingerprinted. 

Apparently, even though ALL the language from USCIS in essence says that you do not have to have your 17 year old biometrically fingerprinted as long as your paperwork gets to China before your child's 18th birthday, this is not true (and they will tell you this on the phone and via email). All adult family members and others residing in the home, must be fingerprinted if they will turn 18 prior to your adopted child coming home. 

All I800A documents arriving in the Lock Box wait 14 days. After the wait, your officer gets the paperwork. Fortunately, we did get a good officer. She will be looking for our I800A paperwork to match it up with our LOA and all of our I800 paperwork so that she can send our approval letter to the National Visa Center. 

Once our paperwork gets to the NVC, our information will be entered into their computer system. Within 1-3 business days, the NVC will "cable" (email) our file to the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China. This becomes our approval for our visa petition. NVC will then mail me a letter stating that my petition has been forwarded to the Embassy. If I can remember to ask them to email me that letter so that I can pass it along to my agency, then things will speed up even more. So much to learn, but I am so grateful to my adoption "friend" Courtney who put together the website http://www.china-adoption-online.com She is brilliant and makes adoption look easy. 

This wait begins May 5th and ends on May 19th. In theory, we should then be cabled the third week of May. Wonder what it will actually look like. 

Due to our current delays, our trip will be late June or early July to pick up our littlest princess. I think it would be pretty amazing to get Amaris on June 23rd or 26th... two significant dates in our life... we received a phone call saying that we were chosen to be Amaris' family on June 23, 2011... on June 23, 2010 (a year earlier) we received a phone call that my mom would be meeting Jesus and the rest of her family soon. She left earth to enter heaven June 26th. It was an incredible day... very sad, but also so full of excitement that she could be in His arms... and celebrate her 44th wedding anniversary with my dad, my sister Kimberly and an unborn brother. 

Courtney put together the timeline below... right now it seems to be 4-5 weeks to travel once our paperwork is cabled. 

Our LOA is Here... Last Weeks Ladybug was Right... BUT!

Our LOA is here... last weeks ladybug (a little God Wink) was right!

Our LOA (Letter of Acceptance from China) took 76 days, but the wait was okay because I know that God is in control of all of our paperwork. God sent us a ladybug last week, March 30th (6 days ago) to tell us that good news was coming. See the post just before this one. 


Our agency emailed me and then followed up with a phone call to let me know it has finally arrived. I LOVE Wasatch... they are an amazing adoption agency and so are their employees!


China has accepted us... technically we are 2 months from getting our youngest princess, Amaris... BUT, we are back to square 1 with Tyanna... who is  now awaiting HER fingerprint appointment for our I800A... so, we wait... Amaris waits... but, because of this wait (and all the other waits along the way... all those Divine Delays), there is still hope that Annabella can come home with Amaris!


With this LOA, we should have been able to sign it, scan it and then email it to our agency to get that off for our I800; BUT, because we had to update our homestudy last week due to Tyanna turning 18 next month, wanting to add some new special needs that we are open to, and Jason accepting a new job, we are back to square 1 with our I800A. Hopefully we have an awesome USCIS officer. I am waiting to hear who it is and how he/she will be able to help us move along, but I have learned through this process that our timing is ultimately God's timing. And, He is orchestrating things on behalf of our family. 

A Ladybug and a Promise of Our LOA!

This week, Mulan, Gabriella's Chinese foster sister, 

came to spend 4 1/2 days with us.

Mulan and Gabriella (one of Amaris' big sisters)

Mulan and her mommy Kelly

Gabriella and her mama (me) Patty 

On our adventure to the local zoo, 

we prepared for this group photo of the Fouts and Sullivan-Hofer girls.

Tyanna saw the ladybug pictured below, crawling right next to her.

Ladybugs ALWAYS show up on the day or within a week of good news!

Today I found out that we are "In Process" to receive our LOA...

This is the document that China uses to officially say,

"Yes, you can come get Amaris!"

It is assumed that we will have our LOA in hand this next week!

Found: 3 Lost Photos!

I would have to say that today has been an emotional day... I am not seriously worked up, but I am a bit frustrated learning that there is some paperwork I have to re-do. See the post just before this one for more information.

I guess the good news is, that while I was looking through my files, I felt like God told me to look at Amaris' Chinese file. To my surprise, I found 3 referral photos that I had completely forgotten about. I probably should confess that I really didn't attempt to read her Chinese Referral File, so I just saved it on my computer, apparently for a day like today.

I know God has been filling my Faith Jar (which I wrote about in Annabella's blog this last week) because I may need to remind myself soon of something coming up that might cause me to loose some of my great faith. Well, today must have been one of those days.

I know soon, that my Faith Jar is going to completely fill up though and totally tip in my favor... on that day, Jason and I will hold Princess Amaris and Princess Annabella in our arms forever.

These are Princess Amaris' 3 referral photos from her Chinese File. Thank you God for choosing today to give these back to me.

Another Divine Delay?

What the Heck? 

Please Tell Me This Is a Divine Delay!

Because I am on several Yahoo Groups related to adoption, most days I get 300-400 emails. Most of those emails I just delete; but, I do end up reading a handful of them that seem to catch my attention. Today, I accidentally clicked on an email that I wasn't intending to read, but I am glad I did. 

As a result of reading another mom's email about her 18 year old daughter, I discovered that Tyanna, our oldest daughter, also needs to be fingerprinted. I am frustrated about this because I was adamant that she be fingerprinted with our two boys, but was told over and over that she would not need to be fingerprinted unless our documents didn't make it to China prior to her 18th birthday. 

Well, either I was misinformed OR the rules have changed. I am still not sure which it is. China is constantly changing their rules, which is good in many cases, but I should have gone with my gut feeling on this one. 

So, now, while I was trying to order passports this week, I have to focus on all the various background checks and fingerprints for my oldest princess. UGH! Double Ugh! Heck, let's just make it a Triple Ugh!

There have been so many stinkin' delays in the adoption of our daughters Amaris and Annabella, but after the fact, I have seen God's hand in every single one of them. So, while I really want to stand on top of my desk and scream, I am quietly typing away and reminding myself that this could be another Divine Delay that God is using to put us in the right place at the right time. 

I am CONFIDENT that GOD KNOWS what's up ahead for us and I am sure He is protecting us from something else or getting our timing just right to Amaris and possibly Annabella as well. I know He loves us and wants what's best for us... I know this isn't Plan B... we are still on Plan A, because He continues to lead us in amazing, miraculous ways. 

So God, I will trust in you and make sure I continue to sit at my desk and not stand on top of it... I can't see as far ahead as you can... so, I will trust in you. But, I ask you God to continue to watch over our little princesses still waiting in China for us. Protect their hearts and their health Dear Lord!

Passport Photos in Hand!

As we wait for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from China acknowledging that we can come to China to accept our referred child, we are getting other paperwork lined up. 

This official approval from the CCCWA to adopt Amaris can range from 2 weeks to 21 weeks... with an average wait of about 50 days... though many LOA's have been arriving within 21 days, which is pretty remarkable. We have currently been waiting 52 days and counting... 

I was able to get passport photos for Jordan, Tyanna, Gabriella and I, which means I will get their paperwork off this week to order their passports. 

I remember LEARNING the difference between a passport and a visa LESS THAN TWO DAYS BEFORE we were scheduled to fly out to China to get Gabriella in July 2010. 

They are TOTALLY different things... I had a passport, but I did not have my visa. My husband realized we forgot my visa entry just minutes before midnight... I showered, RE-packed a suitcase, drove to a 24-hour Kinkos to get 4 passport photos, and hopped on the next airplane to California. This story is in Gabriella's blog (SweetPrincessGabriella.blogspot.com)... I felt like I was a contestant on the Amazing Race! With just hours to spare, I got home, re-packed and hopped on my plane to get my baby girl. 

We are trying to avoid this scare... that mistake cost over $700 that day, but if I hadn't hopped on the plane, it would have kept us from our daughter. And, she, my friends, was worth every penny!

Her Wardrobe is Waiting!

Not much going on in the adoption world for our family this last week, so I decided to photograph my "nesting".

I started purchasing the girls summer 2012 wardrobe for Gabriella (age 5), Amaris (then age 1), and Annabella (age 2) when we found Annabella in November 2011.

It has been fun purchasing in "triplets"... this is the girls Naartjie wardrobe. I sure hope I chose the right sizes... Gabriella is pretty thin (she is 5 and can still comfortably wear 3-6 and 6-9 month shorts, skirts and capris), the babies are also tiny compared to their Chinese peers. Sometimes I wonder if this wardrobe might not fit better in the summer 2013.

Need Some Help PRINCESS-izing!

I have 3 very white chairs that need some personalized PRINCESS-izing.

I have thought and thought about this, but nothing is jumping out at me.

I would like to put the girls names on their chairs, and was thinking of putting the words "Princess" on the top back wood slat and the girls name on the bottom wood slat... but, how and with what? Or, are there other great ideas out there?

Each girl has their own princess and "princess stuff":

• Gabriella is Cinderella
• Annabella is Belle
• Amaris is Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)