Day 12 of LOA wait...

and nothing is happening.

Sorry to get hopes up!

I mean, lots of things are happening!  My dossier was logged in to CCCWA on May 7 (giving me a Log-In Date, or LID, of May 7).  From there, it goes through translation, then review, then match review.  When these steps are complete, then they will issue a Letter of Approval (sometimes called a Letter Seeking Confirmation).  These are running around two months, so hopefully sometime around the first week of July I'll have this document.

The school year is winding down, and I am so excited.  I have a lot of things I want to do to prepare for Ella (little things, like making stuff for her room) that I feel like need to wait until Summer.  We have 24 days (calendar days, not working days) until we are free for Summer!  I am very excited.  This will be my first summer in a long time not working summer school, and I am really excited about that.

No new updates on Ella.  When my LOA comes, they will request an update, so I am hopeful that in another couple of months I will get a good solid update on her.  I can't wait to see how she's grown and what progress she has made!

DTC!!

So it's been a little while since I've posted because there wasn't a lot to post.  Well, now there is!  I am officially Dossier to China!

The dossier is the big pile of paperwork I have been working on since November/December.  It's the piece that HAD to be to China by May 27.  It's on it's way to China 25 days early.  (Yay!)  First, of course, it went through the notarization and authentication process.  Then my agency did a critical review in which three separate people read each piece and checked it for accuracy.  Then they bound it and sent it on its way today!  

There is a tradition in one of my adoption groups of coming up with cute photos to announce that you are DTC.  I decided to paint it on the wall, since I am painting Ella's room tomorrow.  (With help.  LOTS of help.)

The next steps will be (hopefully) quick.  The dossier goes to the CCCWA and gets logged in.  Then I wait some more for my Letter of Approval.  I am so hopeful that it will only be a 60 day wait.  After that, there are a bunch of little steps.  Travel is still 4-6 months away (hopefully closer to 4 than 6!), but this was a huge hurdle to clear.  I get to skip the step of waiting after LID for a match, because I am already matched with precious Ella.  As one friend said a couple of weeks ago, if you break adoption up into trimesters, I am basically skipping the second trimester.  :)  

Just in case anyone needed a refresher on the cuteness...

I am so grateful to each and every one of you for your support over the last 5 months.  This process has been fun because I have the support of wonderful family and friends.  I am thankful.