Here's our timeline so far...we'll update as new milestones occur.
11.02.06 A lovely young girl is born somewhere in China and somewhere in the USA the Bragg/Torbenson family begins paperwork for their second adoption.
11.03.06 The little girl arrives at the Lianyungang SWI and is named Lian Tian Xin (Heart of Heaven.)
11.27.06 We submit an Application and Medical Condition Checklist to our agency.
12.11.06 Application approved. We start on all the reams paperwork for our dossier.
3.26.07 We are done paperchasing! Our dossier arrives in China.
4.10.07 We are logged in with the CCAA (the agency in China that handles adoptions.) Now the wait begins in earnest.
5.24.07 We are surprised and thrilled to get a call with a possible match. (See blog entry "The Call" for the whole story!)
5.25.07 We spend a very LONG Memorial Day weekend researching and networking to learn more about Tian's medical needs. We are unable to reach any Doctor's who specialize in her condition. Despite this, we are staring at a beautiful little face and know we want her to be our daughter. We just need to know that we can provide the care she needs.
5.26.07 Jeannene does extensive research online and makes contact with several families whose children have similar hands and feet to Tian's. She get photos and video of these kids, not only walking but running, doing gymnastics and karate. It sounds like her feet will likely be totally functional. We've found other families to be a wonderful resource
5.29.07 We talk to Dr. Laurel Benson at Children's Hospital in Denver. She confirms what Jeannene has learned from online families. This little girl will need some medical care, but will be able to do whatever she wants to! We accept Tian's referral. We have a new daughter and Clio has a sister!
5.31.07 Our official match day! We submit our Letter of Intent to China. Clio is very excited to be a big sister! We get to tell everyone!
6.7.07 We get our Pre-Approval (PA) from China! Wow that was fast! Let's hope the rest of our paperwork goes as quickly! This will be the long part of the wait. It is usually about 1-3 months until the next step when our file will move out of the review room in China and into the Match room.
July 07 We wait....
Aug. 07 And wait....
Sept. 07 And wait...
9.7.07 Day 99 and still waiting. We get a brief update on Tian, but sadly no new photos.
9.8.07 Day 100 A very hard day. Around this time we learn that there has been a problem in China with many families' files. Ours is among them. They were delayed in translation and had to be redone. Then went back to the bottom of the pile, so to speak. We have been waiting longer than many families do and it is SO hard. We are told we will likely wait until mid-Oct. to hear anything.
10.1.07 Finally! We have our Letter of Acceptance...the paperwork is moving again. We get this wonderful news just before the CCAA closes for a week long holiday. Jeannene is in a much better mood! (But many of the poor families caught in the same delay are still waiting. We have bonded through the uncertainty and it is hard to be moving forward without them.)
10.18.07 Oh yes! Our Travel Approval is here. This one came extremely fast considering they were closed for a week. We are thrilled and start to make our travel plans. We will just barely miss her first birthday, but will be on our way.
10.31.07 - 11.17.07 IN CHINA!
11.2.07 Tian turns 1! Happy Birthday Sweetie!
11.5.07 Tian is in our arms!
And they lived happily ever after...
2 China 4 Tian
Join us on our adventure to China as we adopt Tian Xin, our beautiful daughter and Clio's litle sister. Her name means Heart of Heaven and she has certainly captured ours!
Jeannene, Dane and Clio
The Bragg Torbenson Family
Jeannene, Dane and Clio
The Bragg Torbenson Family
1 comment:
SOOOOO glad we can finally follow along now that TA has arrived!!! I can't wait to watch the travel and the bringing her home and the forever after. EXCITING!
I read back at your "the call" post and I tell you it takes me back to when pictures were popping up on our agencies screen every five seconds and a call had to be made. I remember calling EVERYONE and ANYONE who could tell me something about SHFM; no one of course in that short time frame. I remember finding the limb difference group and being so super excited that a mom, not just any mom, but the wonderful Amy B. emailed me instantly and the feeling that is was okay and the right choice and all that came from her pics and short info about Sean. Our concern was the same, not the difference, but could she walk. We didn't know until after LOI--the info was too old and she was too young at the time of info to walk anyway (at referral she was 18 months and running like a wild woman!)
We went on blind love and want and just knowing. I can't imagine my life without M now, I just can't. Through all we have been through (emotional mainly since she was 25 months when we went to China), but the surgeries too, I still just cannot imagine her as not my daughter.
I hope we get to meet you all in person soon!
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