My heartfelt thanks!

Many thanks to everyone for your kind words, hugs, and excitement for my family and me!  We are all very excited.  Jenna (my oldest niece) carried Ella's picture around for hours Friday night.  It was pretty cute.  I think it is still sinking in for me what this all means.  This is something I have dreamed about and wanted for a long time - it's hard to believe this is real and happening!

Second - a big thanks to all who have donated to the puzzle fundraiser so far!  What a huge gift!  

The back of the puzzle with the names of the donors so far!

This is what we've got so far, as of 7:00 Sunday evening.  It's a great start!  The border is almost complete.  As you can see the inside of the puzzle has a lot of space to fill.  I mentioned this before, but I would love to have this puzzle sold by Ella's first birthday, which is in eight days (December 9)!  I appreciate so much everyone who has donated so far and who is thinking of donating in the future!  The proceeds of the puzzle will go toward my first agency fee of $2500, which allows me to get going on my dossier.  My dossier has to be to China by May 27.  

A lot of people have asked me what the timeline looks like for bringing Ella home.  The short answer is I just don't know yet.  I have been telling people about 10 months, as it is the average of the times it could be.  The timeline depends on three things:  me, the U.S. government, and the Chinese government.  The me part is probably the easiest to control but the part with the biggest variable.  As soon as I am able to pay my first agency fee and homestudy fee, I will be able to get those two things started.  I anticipate being able to get my dossier together relatively quickly; however, there is a bit of a wait in getting immigration approval from the USCIS (Customs and Immigration).  After that is compiled, and along with my homestudy which becomes part of the dossier, sent to China, the timeline is a little more reliable.  Emphasis on little.  A rough estimate is 4-6 months from the dossier being logged in to China.  SO...if I am DTC by May 27, then 4-6 months would be end of September to end of November.  I'd love end of September, obviously.  I'd also love to be DTC sooner than May 27 too.  

I've just been overwhelmed with all the love and joy I've been surrounded with this weekend.  I'm so very thankful.  What a fun weekend it has been, especially with the Thanksgiving holiday! Ella is one very loved little girl, and I am one very lucky person!  Thanks again everyone!