Welcome to our blog.....Searching for Kassandra. We will update this before we travel to meet Kassandra, during our trip in China, and after we are home adjusting to our new lives....together.
For all of you who have been patient and supportive during this jounrney....thank you. We could not have made it through a more than two year wait without all of your love.
Cautious, optimistic, nervous and stunned, it looks like the end is in sight.....we are getting really close to our referral.
The China Center For Adoption Affairs (CCAA) in July 2008, matched babies to families through the dates Jan 25th, 2006. Our referral is Feb 8th, 2006. (The Country was basically closed from Jan 28th to Feb 5th, for Chinese New Year.) Our "best guess" for August is that they will match families through Feb 6th, 2006. Then we will get our referral in SEPTEMBER!! YEAH!! We are hoping to see a picture of our daughter's face in September and travel to meet her in October. (This is where the "cautious" comes in.....our best gueses have always taken longer throughout this process but all fingers and toes are crosses.)
What's next you ask???? After we receive our referral, we will have it translated into English and sign off to accept it. The acceptance is then sent back to China via DHL express. Approximately 3 weeks from when the acceptance is returned to China, we receive our Travel Authorization. Our Travel Authorization gives us permission to travel to China and at this point, we can finalize our travel & lodging arrangements. All said and done - travel is usually around six weeks from referral to travel.
For those of you who do not know....Mema and Papa (Chris and Italo) are traveling to China with us. I have been teasing Mom stating this is her way to "guarantee" she is third to hold the baby. Her response is "At least I'm not looking for first or second." (LOL)
We will be bringing our laptop with us, so this blog will be the best way to keep in touch with us while we are in China. We will be updating it as much as time and Kassandra allows. Please feel free to follow us along on our journey of a lifetime.
Post soon, Kristin and Bill
5 comments:
Hope the CCAA makes it to the 8th in September (it could happen)!!
From Nina (RQ)
Hi. We also have a Qidong daughter. She was 2 when we brought her home in 2002. Congratulations!
Andrea
California
Here is our Gotcha Day from 2002
http://www.youtube.com/esteesmom
I'm so happy for you both. I know this is a very exciting time and I want to thank you for sharing this personal time wiht us. I'm keeping watch for updates. Holly
again i want to say i am proud to get my sister this is awsome dad
Lovely Kassie! Welcome to the family! You're already in our hearts. Can't wait to meet you! Hugs and love, xoxo Aunt Bev
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