For Christmas, we decorated our tree with pink ribbon (rather than my usual purple one). I even went a step farther and added a streak of red in my hair for good luck (red is lucky in China). I always told Bob that I expected to be matched by the end of the year. Well, we had some hang ups that we didn't plan on. Things took longer than anticipated. When you are working with different agencies, social workers, and governments, things don't always go as smoothly as you plan.
On Christmas Eve, we opened Baby Smith's FIRST Christmas gift from my Mom and Dad. It goes perfect in the room:
Being off, really is hard when you are waiting for things. The business had a good year, and I had all the Quickbooks up-to-date. What to do? What to do? Just wait, worry and worry/wait some more.
On December 31, 2013, we said a quick prayer "Come on now God...I think we've waited long enough. We just want a family". Also, we were waiting to hear if we were #9 (Dossier translated into Mandarin). We emailed our contact that morning to see if we could check something else off our list (little celebrations).
Off to do something else, I went on the computer checking my email and realized that we had some donations to our adoption. HUGE help! Then, as I was talking to a friend online about my other business adventure...Advocare, my cell phone rings. It's our agency (which plays suspense music when they call). Wow I think...I figured that they would email me back about the #9 question. Hmmmm. I answer the phone expecting it to be our main contact. NOPE, it was the DIRECTOR! My hands started to shake. She introduces herself. She asks if we are ready for a referral. I said "we've been anxiously waiting". She explains that it is a girl, 3 years old, birthday August 1st, 2010 (my bday is Aug 3rd, Bob's is the 15th)....as I'm listening I'm shaking...oh shoot I should probably tell Bob (after 5 minutes had passed). As I stand in the door way, the moment Bob sees my face he knows who's on the phone. I ask the director if I can put her on speaker phone so Bob could hear. Bob guides me to sit down because I'm shaking so bad that he was afraid I'd pass out. After she explains about her, an update comes (her original file is a year old) with wonderful news. We ask to review the file. She explains that we have to fill out a Letter of Intent tonight to give us time to have a doctor to review her file. EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK 911!!!
That has to have been the longest hour plus of our lives! The moment my phone bings that the email is here...Bob says that he has to take a shower. Really? Really? I say...NOW? He says that he wants to have a clear head. Now 30 plus minutes later, refreshed and with our Adoption shirts on...we open the email. The first file we look at has this little black and white picture of her. She's beautiful...with her short little hair. We review all parts of the file. The medical blood work is foreign to us, but the other parts look great. We don't get too excited because we want a doctor to review it plus this file is a year old and we will need an update.
2 days later (with only 4 people outside the adoption world knowing what was going on) we get the call from the international adoption doctor that reviewed all the information we had. She is super positive. With Bob being the medical person, he breaths a sigh of relief. We knew that this part in the process Bob would be the person of reason and I'd be the emotional wreck. The cutest part is when he sees her little picture on my phone and gives the phone a hug.
January 16th (over 2 weeks weeks later), we get the update! Everything we prayed for and more. 3 new pictures and 2 videos!
So for those who are counting we are #10 (and have been for almost a month) and hope to move to step #11 (
Letter of Seeking Confirmation from Adopter Acceptance) in
late Feb/early March (when we're allowed to post pics). It still appears that May/June travel is still in
the works as long as no hang ups. We are translated now and have 2 more little steps before #11. We will be getting a rather big bill in the next few days.
We are happy to say that we are OVER THE MOON in love with our little girl.
It is now Operation Bring Home ISABELLA CHEN SMITH!
Love,
Izzie's Mama and Baba
