While We're Waiting (13 months)

February 28, 2014       - 13 months waiting since our LID (log in date in China)
                                     - 21 months waiting since we began our adoption process
                                     - 40 months (3 years, 4 months) since we began the process of adding
                                        to our family

February was a busy month.  I started off shopping for curtain and roman shade fabrics for Emma's room.

Then Favorite Monkey needed serious surgery to repair his much loved neck.  It's a good thing I majored in Biology in college - mostly it's a good thing this mommy knows how to sew!

We mailed a package to Emma for her 2nd birthday - we included a blanket, lovey, baby doll, outfits, lady bug book and photo album.  (sorry for the sideways photo - blogger and I aren't friends today).

We took a trip to the beach house - it was cold and rainy so we made good use of our time and did some shopping for gifts we need to bring to China - for guides, officials, orphanage director, nanny.

Before the big snow storm, my very talented friend Heather helped chalk paint Emma's dresser (and by helped, I mean she chalk painted the entire dresser while I opened all of Emma's baby dolls and played with Margaret Ann).  She refused to let me photograph her while she worked.  But her little cutie helped out and let me snap her photo.

Since we were having another snow storm just in time for Valentine's Day, I sewed Emma's duvet cover together.

And we watched it snow and snow and snow.

Then my mom and I spent way too many hours working on the roman shades for Emma's room.  I love the end result, but I had an argument with the design and stopped speaking to those roman shades about halfway through the project!

I have a sweet group of friends who spent February planning an adoption shower for Emma.

Since our fingerprints were set to expire on March 5, we had to be re-fingerprinted at the Homeland Security Office in Charlotte.  It sounds very official, right?  When we first visited there in December 2012, I had this expectation of what this very important building would look like.  It couldn't have been more nondescript.  It's certainly an experience.  I can say with a fair amount of certainty that we were the ONLY people there to be fingerprinted for an international adoption.  They were very kind, efficient and prompt.  Fingerprints are good for another 15 months!

We took the boys to see a Davidson basketball game - Daddy's alma mater!  Someone might like popcorn.

Another lady bug!!

I finally have some curtains to show for all the hard work. 

Aidan had a multitasking breakfast - watch a show on the iPad, eat Lucky Charms and rub Favorite Monkey's ear.

We received I-800 approval on February 24th which allowed us to call the NVC (national visa center) to request our Cable Letter for our Article 5 drop off in China.  

So Emma's room is on the way to being finished - shower curtain hung and finishing up decorations in her room.

We celebrated Emma's 2nd birthday with some doughnuts.  We also received some photos of Emma and the birthday cake we sent her in China.

This process is moving along quickly now - look for another update very soon!