LOA!

We were notified by our agency Monday that we had received our Letter of Acceptance from China. This is our official approval adopt Xia Run Le, soon to be Lillia Wren Tarver (Wren). It seems that our request to expedite her adoption has been granted as it normally takes 2-4 months for this part of the process and it has only taken 1 month and 1 day. It is my understanding that this doesn't frequently happen so we are very thankful.

We will not know when we will travel until 2-4 weeks before we actually travel. The sooner the better!

Grace and Hope for Children Video

I wanted to share the link to a Grace and Hope for Children video on YouTube that I came across. Grace and Hope sponsor children to be placed into foster care. It is of a trip the staff took to different orphanages in Guangxi. While watching it, I saw our sweetie for a second, which was so very exciting. She was actually smiling a little! I believe the woman that is holding her is her foster mother. The trip was in April of 2009.

She's around 46 seconds into the video in a white sweater with red trim. I'd know that button nose anywhere, lol.

here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlzwRTS2Tlo&feature=channel

2nd Care Package

We sent a 2nd care package 2 weeks ago but haven't received an update or pictures yet. The package contained some things we forwarded to the care package service and some things they purchased for us. We sent a lovey, clothes, toys, books, candy, disposable camera, letter and ginseng for the foster families. I wish I could see her open it. We did receive her new measurements.

height :80cm
weight :9kg
feet :12cm
head :45.5cm
chest :46cm

Update Photo

This is the update picture we received after sending the first care package. It was actually taken months earlier but we were excited to get it anyway! We were able ask a few questions and these are the answers we received:

1. What are her favorite things to play with/activities?
She likes to play with electric toys has lights and makes sound. She likes to ride on children toy car and kick balls.

2. How often does she turn blue? daily? weekly?
Run Le turns blue after she had heavy activities or when she crys hard (occasionally) or walk upstairs to fourth floor by holding nanny’s hand. But she will be obviously better after she stops crying or resting.

3. What are her favorite foods?
Milk, bone soup, chicken broth, cracker, banana, apple.

4. Describe her sleeping arrangements/nightly routine
She gets up at 9:00am, eat congee at 9:30am; lunch at 12:30pm; Nap 1:00pm – 4:00pm; 200ml of milk before nap; 4:10pm 200ml of milk and some snacks; dinner at 7:00pm; 200ml of milk at 10:00pm; 11:00pm go to bed; 4:00am 200ml of milk. She must have milk before bed.

5. What makes her laugh?
when you pick her up, play with her or when she plays with other children, she is very happy.

6. What are her fears? How comforted?
She is afraid of the sound of fireworks and some sound comes abruptly. Just hold her tight and talk to her gently will calm her down.

7. Favorite song/lullaby ?
She likes soft music and some children songs.

8. Is she walking on her own?
Yes.

9. Has she had surgery and/or taking medications?
No surgery, no medication.

10. Any illnesses?
She had four times of upper respiratory tract infection; twice of bronchitis; and acute gastroenteritis once.

11. her updated measurements:
Height: 78cm ; Weight: 9.2kg ; Head: 45.5cm ; Chest: 46cm ; Foot: 12.5cm ; Teeth: 12.

First Care Package

Our first care package included toys, books, candy, letter, blanket, photo album with pictures of our family and home, and a pillow with our picture on it. We hope that the foster family will show her the pictures of us and explain who we are in a may that she can understand.

First Picture

We applied for her on her 2nd birthday, (December 18th) and have been pre-approved by the Chinese government for Xia Runle. The adoption process has officially begun, and like a rocket! (retained an agency, begun the home study, getting any and all manner of documentation together-calling Illinois, Alabama, Jamaica, TX Dept. of Vital Statistics)

The agency projects that we could get her in the Fall at the earliest and Winter at the latest. We are going to submit a request to expidite the application due to her medical condition as it is exceedingly likely that she will need surgery (maybe more than one). Fortunately we are in the best place in the world for it.

The name Lily (as seen below) is a name that they use on shared lists (lists of available orphans that agencies share) and is not her real name. She was orphaned at 5 months and was placed with a foster family at 6 months and is still with them today.

We will travel to China for a couple of weeks to get her when the time comes. She is from the city of Nanning in the Guangxi province (at bit northwest from Hong Kong) in China.

Now we wait,
...but the payoff will be worth it!