Okay, I really have some catchin' up to do! Last week a stomach virus hit Hudson like a ton of bricks. We couldn't keep any fluids in the poor child for about 30 hours and were on the brink of having to admit him to the hospital for IV fluids. Finally, Wednesday evening, he began improving, praise the Lord! Just in time, too, cuz we were scheduled to leave for a little family getaway on Friday evening.
We had been going back and forth about going on this mini-vacation to the Smokey Mountains ever since our news of Ava, but since we had pre-paid a major chunk of the cost and it was non-refundable, we decided to go ahead with it. This would also be our last trip together as a family of 5.
Anyway, I was upstairs packing, and decided to jump in the shower. Afterwards, I checked my phone to make sure I hadn't missed a call from my darling husband. I had missed a call, but it was a number I didn't recognize. I checked my voicemail and it was the China Program Director from our agency, Tina. She said to call her immediately. My heart was in my throat. Surely it wasn't our SCL(seeking confirmation letter-AKA LOA) It wasn't supposed to arrive for weeks, maybe months. My shaking fingers somehow managed to dial her number. Our SCL had arrived that morning!!!! She said she couldn't believe it herself and when she saw it she got chills. Wow!! What a way to start our vacation!!!
Okay. Another image I've had in my mind for years. Our family anxiously waiting together for the brown stork (UPS guy) to deliver our referral info. then have several teary-eyed pictures taken with the said stork as he handed us our package containing our beloved daughter's info. Well, we were in the Smokies so the package went to my sister's house and sat on her dining room table until we returned last night. So far, this journey has been so different than all the images I've been dreaming about, but I wouldn't change one second of it!
Oh, we did have a fabulous time on our little getaway, even if that blasted stomach bug hit me right in the middle of it. I will post more a little bit later about our trip and a few pics, too. I'm heading to work a little later for my CPR re-cert.
Oh, and here's a little info on our angel:
Chinese name: Wu AoYao
Birthdate: 12/5/07- a little over 16 months old
Currently in foster care in Wu Wei City, Gansu Province, Peoples Republic of China
Weight as of 11/08- a little over 18lbs
chicken soup and a flashlight
11 years ago
1 comment:
Tammy, your Ava is a darling! I'm so happy for your family. I didn't realize her SN was a form of spina bifida. In addition to Owen's cleft lip and palate that were repaired in China, he was also listed as having spina bifida occulta (the most common and least serious form of SB). However, once we got him home and settled, we had an MRI done and his spine is perfectly normal!? (just misdiagnosed). Don't be surprised if you get your TA in the next two weeks. That's the timeframe it was for us. Our LOA was sent 9/26/07, got our SCL came back right before Thanksgiving, received TA two weeks later and we left for China Jan. 3, 2008. Get ready for a thrilling journey!!
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