Preparing to go to China

I left this blog kind of abandoned as we prepared to leave for China.  But now that we have been home for a little over nine months I want to go back and share about our journey.

February 20, 2017 we go the call and email with the match we had long been waiting for.

That night we sent off the information to the International Adoption Clinic at John Hopkins and Little Hearts Medical for a medical review of Emma's file. We wanted to know as much as we could before we officially said yes. We felt in our hearts that Emma was the one but we wanted to be smart about our decision and be prepared for what we would expect to happen next.

By the 21st Little Hearts Medical had the review done.  On February 22nd we had an email back from John Hopkins as well as a phone conversation with the doctor from John Hopkins.  We took notes on what everyone said.  We felt the initial reports were all very hopeful. It seemed that she was stable and with correct medical intervention Emma could lead a happy and normal life.

On February 22 we emailed CCAI our Letter Of Intent to Adopt (LOI).

On February 24 we got a "soft copy" (email) of our Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from China. We had to sign that we accepted our daughter.

On March 2 we were able to send 5 questions.  Here is what we sent:

 1) Tell us about when Pu Bing Bing gets upset or frustrated.
What makes her mad? What helps her calm down?

2) Tell us about when she was brought to the orphanage.
Was she left with any items or a note? How did she get her name? And her birthdate?

3) What are some special memories you will have of Pu Bing Bing?

 4) Do you have any baby pictures of Pu Bing Bing?

5) Tell us about her sleeping.
Is she attached to a special nanny? Does she sleep with someone or alone?
How does she go to sleep (rocking or laying down alone)?

On March 3 we got an update with a few reports and a video.  We sent these off to John Hopkins and Little Hearts Medical for their thoughts.  There was so much medical terminology that I didn't understand, and while I knew it had to deal with the heart I just couldn't tell alone how serious it was.  

Because we were coming up on a year since we had been LID, our home study and I-800A form needed to be renewed before we could do the next step of I-800.  This was excruciating for me to learn. It was another hold in our process. Something else to hold us back.  

March 8 we received out updated home study. We had to wait for the receipt number from USCIS so on March 10th we sent it off.  We then had to wait for the 1800A to renew and the I800 to be approved.  

March 10th we received an updated report.  While I didn't understand all the information one this I did understand was on the 1/4/17 report was the words "poor prognosis."  And that terrified me.  

The medical reviews said that it was due to her mitral valve regurgitation. There were also questions about her pulmonary hypertension listed in some reports and not on others. So then we began to question about expediting Emma home.

March 13th we received word that both forms had been received by USCIS.

There are two "sides" of adoption. The China side and the USA side.  As far as the China side, our paperwork was flying through and already seemed to be on the expedited level.  Our LOI (2/22) and our LOA (2/24) was an amazing turn around!  So what really was needed was for us to see if we could expedite the USA side.  I had no idea how to go about this.  CCAI gave us some tips but weren't sure if it was even possible for our case since Emma was stable.

March 15th we received an update with picture and Emma not only had an NG tube but had gained three pounds!  Even in the pictures you can see her filling out!

But I met another adoptive mama of a CHD girl that they were trying to expedite home and share with me how to help expedite the USA portion.

March 16th the doctors at Little Hearts Medical looked to determine if Emma should have a medical expedite.  March 17th they responded that they did believe she needed to be expedited.

March 18th I received the expedite letter from Little Hearts Medical.  They were instrumental in this portion of our journey as they wrote the letter stating the medical necessity to expedite Emma because of her heart condition.  I knew it was vital for Emma to come home, but reading the expedite letter made me realize how serious it was that we bring her home right away.

March 21 I tried to get Emma registered at our local pediatrician to begin setting up all the necessary doctors.  When I tried to register her earlier the people were really difficult.  However, that day when I called there was a really kind and helpful lady and as I talked with her she said she had adopted 3 times domestically! That was just another thing that God did to give me beauty in the midst of our wait. 

A blessing we received through out this whole adoption process was the village of new friends we made in the adoption process.  Two of those families were able to visit Maria's Big House of Hope while we still waited.  This the message I wrote on Emma's private group:

I want to share about the goodness of God in the form of the care center that Emma is in. I have never been there but three other adoptive mamas have recently shared with me and I want to share with all of you.

This is from an amazing friend who just went to Maria's a few weeks ago and went to see if she would be able to see Emma. She couldn't but she sent me this. "Girl that place [Maria's Big House of Hope] is amazing. It's like you can feel the Holy Spirit. They're just amazing and they LOVE those kids. She is being prayed for and over living there."

I got this message last night from a sweet adoptive mama who is in China now to pick up her child and went to see if she could see Emma and get pictures for me. "I went to Maria's today. I asked if I could take pics of your daughter just in case and they said no. But, they said she is doing really well. I asked three different people separately about her and they all mentioned that she's doing great. They did say that she's in their ICU unit, but I think that's where they put all the kids with slightly more serious issues.
We were so impressed by the facility and when I showed them her pic they each said "Oh, that's [Emma's Chinese name]."

I wavered between tears about the ICU and being calm. It isn't the ICU like America. More of an isolation unit and floor where they do care for their sickest babies at Maria's.

Then I was messenging this other adoptive mama and she had my number from something else and she called me. I don't know her. But God told her to reach out to me and she did! God bless her for doing that. She told me her daughter had been on the same floor of Maria's her whole life. She said, "You have hit the jackpot of orphanages." She went on to talk about how careful and clean and loving it is at Maria's. AND get this, the doctor, Dr. Steve, lives on the ICU floor. Emma has immeidate care 24/7 from a doctor. This mama said they give their babies baths everyday and that Emma probably has two nurses a day and night nurse and is getting the best individual care.

How blessed and amazing is this adoption community?! I have been so humbled and blessed by those I have met on this adoption journey and I wanted you all to know how God is answering our prayers for Emma's care.

The fact that she needs to be on the ICU floor does make me cry. It does hurt my mama heart. But God is bigger. God is good and He is giving me peace. Continue to pray. I am hoping to hear good things from the USCIS department, and praying that they will say they can expedite her file.

Thank you for joining us on this journey!

As you can see, the news of Emma needing to be in the ICU floor scared me, but what a blessing to know she was SO well cared for and loved.

March 23 we received an email from out USCIS officer that they would not be able to expedite until our fingerprint refresh came back. We then asked if we could just get new fingerprints (someone had mentioned that it can be faster than a refresh). 

March 24th we were told that we couldn't do a new fingerprinting and needed to wait until something happened that was a problem with refreshing our fingerprints. 

March 29th we received a CT that Emma had done the week before. We were confused and questioned why this had been done, was she sick? What happened that caused her to get a CT?  We were told that another family had looked at her file and had requested the CT.  Somehow it the messages to and from China it was lost that we never requested one.

A happy surprise came in our mailbox April 3rd as BOTH our I800A renewal and I800 approval were there! While our USCIS officer hadn't told us they were expedited it was clear that they had been able to expedite it once the fingerprint refresh had come through.

The next step was now the National Visa Center for Emma's pre-visa approval and information.

April 3rd I emailed the NVC and requested the expedite, same as I had with USCIS, and included the letter from Little Hearts Medical.  

April 6th I mailed off Matthew, Edmund, and my visa applications for China.

I emailed the NVC every day.  I figured it couldn't hurt.

On April 6th I posted in Emma's Facebook group: All that bugging help! We got the NVC approval letter and filled out DS-260 (visa application for Emma). Monday it will all be delivered to the US Consulate in China. Sunday we will email our expedite letter and pray that they expedite our Article 5!

April 9th I emailed the US Consulate in Guangzhou a request to expedite Emma's file.  April 9th is Sunday, but since China is ahead it was their Monday. 

April 12th Edmund woke up in the early morning hours and asked for water.  I checked my email and saw that the US Consulate had issued our Article 5! 

April 12th I waited for CCAI to open and then asked them how long they thought it would take before Travel Approval came and we could travel.  They estimated 2-3 weeks! I was ecstatic!

April 13th I posted this in Emma's Facebook group: Family Day (or Gotcha Day) is always on Monday. If we traveled in 2 weeks our Family Day would be May 1, but that is a holiday in China. So we wouldn't be able to go them from what I understand. Sooo...May 8 is the next soonest. Now we still don't have any official travel notice but would you pray, that if it is God's will, we could meet Emma May 8?

April 14th we received our China visas!

April 18th I posted this: We have TRAVEL APPROVAL!!! Okay. Deep breath. Now we wait for the US Consulate to give us our appointment date and then we will know exact dates for travel. Because we are being expedited we might travel NEXT Thursday if we get a consulate appointment!! 🇨🇳💛🌎 Which means I was wrong about dates, we would possibly be holding Emma by May 2nd! 😍💕#onestepcloser #almosttimetobooktickets

And then this on April 19th: WE ARE LOOKING AT TICKETS!! Which means we are officially leaving on Thursday, April 27!!!!!!!

I received a call on April 19th while I was at a play date with my mom's group.  We were at a park painting rocks.  I couldn't believe it when they said we would be traveling in 8 days to China! I was so excited I couldn't think straight.

April 20th Edmund began to get sick. From April 20-26th we were in and out of our local pediatrican's office. He had medicine to take and breathing treatments to do.  We ended up having to take his  to China with us along with his medication. 

April 26th I received two confusing updates. One was that she was off the NG tube (that made me relieved because I was terrified about using the NG tube and what if it came out? Plus I had asked local areas if they could teach me to put in an NG tube and no one would help me) and then the other report said she was still on it.  I didn't want the NG tube but I didn't want her to be sick either.

That night we drove to the hotel near the airport to try and sleep and then take a big long airplane ride with a three year old.