Just got these princess knobs for Gabi's Dresser

Two days ago I purchased a dresser for Gabi's room.  We are getting it on Saturday.  Yesterday I found on the internet these "Princessy" themed knobs for the dresser.  So excited about them.  They are handpainted and so girly.  Cannot wait to see them.  As some of you may know, Gabi's room has two castles and is also a bit princessy, so it should fit in just fine.  I will post pictures later. 

Our China Travel Visas Have Arrived

Just got home and guess what I found in the mailbox?  OUR CHINA TRAVEL VISAS!!!!!! Oh, we are coming my baby Gabriela, Mami, Papi and Sebastian are coming to get you!

As of yesterday WE ARE CABLED!!!!

Very early this morning I received an email from the National Visa Center, better known as the NVC, to indicate that they had already sent our 1800 approval to the consulate at Guangzhou.  They also enclosed the letter, which was dated June 25, date in which it was notified to the consulate.  This is pretty big.  Now we only get to wait for the Article 5 approval, which should take between 2-3 weeks, and then for the Travel Approval and Consulate Appointment.  Then we are off to plan our trip to China to unite with our daughter.
Today I called the agency, to make sure that they had received the NVC letter, and was told that they had already sent it to Guangdong, so our Article 5 package is on its way.  I was also told that we may expect to travel in mid August.  We cannot wait.
p.d.- Yes, I know, us adoptive parents tend to talk in a sort of lingo!!! From 1800 a to 1800 to NVC to Article 5 to TA to CA... Have you gotten the hang yet?

My son just told me that he had a dream about his little sister Gabi last night

Sebastian, my 5 year old, came up to me around 10 minutes go to whisper to me that he had a dream last night about his little sister.  He said that he dreamt that we were in China, and that he saw when she was put in our arms.  When I asked him how he had felt about it in the dream, he said: SO HAPPY!!! I think this was so cool.  He is such a wonderful little boy, and I know he is going to be the best older brother.  In fact, what is so funny is that Seba is the one that repeats along with me our Chinese lessons, which we listen to in the car, along with me.  I love my children!

p.d.- Today is Sunday, and my dream for tomorrow is for the NVC to e-mail me the letter that I need to send my agency, so they can finally send the Article 5 package. 

Where is Gabi at

Jiangxi Province

These are some tidbits on the province of Jiangxi, in Southeast China, where Gabi is at. 

Situated on the south bank in the middle reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze)River, Jiangxi is bounded by Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Guangdong Provinces. Area: over 160000 km2.
The province is surrounded on three sides by mountains and hills, with hilly lands occupying its central part and a vast plain lying on the northern part. The five rivers-Ganjiang River, Xinjiang River, Pojiang River, Xiushui River and Fuhe River, all drain into the Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China.
Jiangxi enjoys a subtropic humid monsoon climate.The annual mean temperature is 16-20° C. The annual average rainfall is 1200-1900 mm.

The province possesses a lot of mountains and clear waters. Mt.Lushan, Mt. linggang and Mt.Longhu are all national major famous scenic areas,especially Mt. Lushan Scenic Area is a summer resort renowned both at home and abroad. There are also many other famous tourist attractions, like Longgong Dragon Palace) Cave with fantastic scenery. Jiangxi is also a province with revolutionary tradition, where the August 1 Nanchang Uprising had taken place.
Porcelain and porcelain engravings are the most famous local products in Jingdezhen. Bamboo woven articles in Yanshan, fire crackers in Wanzai, fireworks in Pingxiang, also enjoy good fame in China. The traditional local products-Yunwu tea of Lushan, green tea of Wuyuan and bamboo shoots in Mt.Jinggang, etc, are all famous.

Our Chinese Travel Visas Are on the Way to Puerto Rico

Today I received a wonderful e-mail from our courier service, who has been wonderful so far, to let me know that our 3 passports with the Chinese Travel Visas are already on the mail.  This makes everything so very much more real.  We are getting nearer my dear Gabriela.  There is nothing more that I would like in this world than to have my two babies with me.  I dream about the day when we are all doing something as simple as watching TV while the 4 of us are in bed, with Gabriela and Sebastian and Gabriela just lying there in between their Mami and Papi.  Every day it hurts more not to be able to just hop on a plane.  I seriously try not to dwell on that aspect, but it is very difficult and it is beginning to take its toll.  My baby, your MAMI is going to give you at least 100 hugs and kisses every day to make up for the ones we were not able to give you before meeting you.  We just pray every day for God to keep you healthy and to let you know somehow that we are coming to get you as soon as we can.  

The Care package was Delivered Today, we received e-mail of NVC receipt and I sent a second care package for Gabriela

Today was a good day.  I went to the post office around 1:00 pm, and was told that the care package we sent Gabriela on May 30 had been delivered TODAY at 10:16 to the orphanage.  Needless to say this are exciting news.  

Today I also sent a second care package to Gabriela through my friend from CAWLI Emily, who has been a great friend through all this.  She will be able to travel earlier than us to China in order to get her daughter, and has been so nice to let us send another care package to Gabi through her.  This time I am sending another camera (at the time I packed it, did not know that first pacakge had been delivered), a doll and additional pictures.  This time I included a picture of our family in which i included a picture of Gabi and one of us 3, and put a label of "our family".

And of course my friend Emily's daughter will also be getting another doll just like Gabi's.  I think of her daughter as another sister of Gabi's.  I am sure that we will all meet later on in life, and our daughters will get together.

One month ago today we saw our daughter for the first time

Words cannot describe how I felt exactly one month ago when I received that call at 1:37 pm indicating that our referral had arrived.  I got very nervous.  The person from our agency calling said it was normal.  I was hyperventilating and am pretty sure I was making no sense.  I learned my darling Gabriela that you were 6 months old, which made me cry pretty hard.  I knew that I would be able to still enjoy baby moments and some firsts with you.  Then I learned that you were in Jiangxi and then I asked whether I could call her back in 2 hours so Babba could also be on the phone.  I felt bad that he was not included.  I got off the phone and received the most precious email message in my life: your pictures.  There were three pictures, which you have already seen, and I felt instantly in love.  I then literally ran from my office to the parking lot, with the printed pictures of you so Babba could see them, and came home so we could call the agency as a family.  At exactly 3:30 pm we called the agency.  This time I had a list with us and got a lot of questions answered.  Oh my dear we are already a family of 4, and let me tell you my darling Gabriela, you have made us the proudest papas of the whole universe.  Your older brother is also very happy. 
p.d.- Just for the record, you do look like a Gabriela, just like your brother always thought so.

So frustrated by the bureocracy of the paperwork

S

UPDATED PICTURES FROM GABRIELA

Yesterday our agency sent us 3 updated pictures from Gabriela.  They are even date stamped.  Were taken on May 31, 2012, 1 day before she turned 7 months.  She looks so big and beautiful, and has changed so much.  We are so totally in love.

Our darling Gabriela Mercedes Anli turns 7 months TODAY

We will begin this blog by celebrating our daughter Gabriela's 7 month birthday, which is today. It is a sweet and sour day for us, because more than anything we wish we could celebrate with our daughter, and tell her that her mamma and babba and her older brother love her very much. Just know Gabriela, when you read this one day, that if we could have hopped on a plane and just get you, we would already have done so.