Travel Approval is in the house!

We received our travel approval from China today. This is the final piece that is needed to set the travel process in motion! Our agency needs to get a confirmed consulate appointment at the US Consulate in China to plan our trip. This appointment is the last official appointment of our adoption trip. The agency should know by the beginning of the week. One possible date for me to leave is November 24th and return around December 9th-11th. This would most likely make Gotcha Day November 29th! I am so ready to go get our girl! I will be traveling solo this time so Ron can stay home with Manon. I am hoping her super wonderful brothers will stop by for a visit while I am away! She so loves her stinky brothers! Hmmm...I wonder how well she will do sharing them?
Several people have asked me if Sarah knows she is being adopted? We have done everything in our power to let her know but I do not know. We sent her a care package to her orphanage in April that included a photo album of her silly new family and lots of little things to share with her friends. I sent it through the USPS. There is no way of knowing if she received it. In October we sent a care package through Ladybugsinlovefromabove.com. This is an American adoptive mom and a Chinese women that is her partner. Again we sent a photo album. This time I was able to write her a letter about us and how excited we are to be adding her to our family! We also sent some books, treats and camera. We had them include a stamped self addressed envelope back to the ladybugsinlovefromabove. We were hoping she would write a letter back to us but so far have not received a letter... We sent three care packages to Manon before we were united with her. On Gotcha Day she had something from each package. She swears they gave the items to her the day she met us. She also swears she never saw our pictures but she did walk right to us with a big smile so I am not sure... She was in an orphanage and Sarah is reported to be in foster care. I am praying she does know and that she is being prepared for Gotcha day but we will see.
We fist saw Sarah's picture last December and we are so glad our wait is almost over. I keep trying to remind myself that as hard as our wait has been, hers has been MUCH HARDER and MUCH LONGER. Her journey to our family has not been an easy one for her. When we were in China adopting Manon in May 2007, Sarah was still with her family. She was abandoned in July 2007.... That is such a hard thing to wrap my mind around...Please know that this can be a very tough transition for her but the child you see on Gotcha day will not be the same child you see a week later. We will love her through the tough stuff and help her to adjust through her grieving. Her little world will be flipped upside down but in the end it will be for the better....
Thanks for stopping by and I will keep you posted on my travel plans. I am so excited to be able to share this journey. My hope is to touch peoples hearts to help a child in need. There are so many ways even if you can not adopt. I will post more about them later!
My wonderful son Alex (who just happens to be one of my BIGGEST blessings) will post for me while I am in China since blogger is blocked in China. I will email my posts and pictures to him. I have a feeling he may eidt things a little!!!