Accomplishments

Hi all,
Over the weekend, we received our dossier packet, asking for all of the documents that we will be sending to China. Included in this are: background checks from the PH police (done today), certified copies of our birth and marriage certificates (requested online Saturday), a letter from our social worker (mailed out today), letters from our employers (requested), medicals (done over the summer), copies of passports (done), family photos (done), a letter from us, stating among other things that we are not adopting this child for the purpose of servitude (done), financial statment (done).

Our WACAP China Team coordinator called today, and said that our I800 will be mailed out this afternoon. This is a good step. We hope that within 3-4 weeks we will be given an appointment for our second round of fingerprinting. When we have I800 approval, our dossier will go off to China : )

So, although I feel good about what I accomplished, it is difficult to accept how long this process will take, no matter how quickly we do our part.

Here's some info on Hunan, China to hold you over until we have any news on the process : )

Located in the south central part of the Chinese mainland, Hunan has long been known for its natural beauty. Hunan is surrounded by mountains on the east, west, and south, and by the Yangtze River on the north. Hunan's mixture of mountains and water makes it among the most beautiful provinces in China. For thousands of years, Hunan has been a major center of Chinese agriculture, growing rice, tea, and oranges.
When to go
Hunan has a humid, subtropical climate. The monsoon rain falls mostly in April, May, and June. July and August are uncomfortably hot and humid. The best time to visit is in the fall, when temperatures are cooler and the rainfall lighter. For persons who live in cold northern climate, traveling to Hunan in the winter can be pleasant. After all, any place that grows oranges can't be all that cold. Low temperatures in winter are usually above freezing, with daily highs around 10C. Annual rainfall is around 1,250 - 1,750 millimeters (49.2 to 68.9 inches). Northern Hunan has more climate extremes than southern Hunan. It can get colder in the winter and hotter in the summer.
What to see
The headspring of life, Dongting Lake, is frequently mist-covered in the early morning. It is the second largest lake in China. Yueyang City, located on the shore of Dongting Lake, is home to one of China's three famous towers. Yueyang Pavilion was originally built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The present pavilion is of recent reconstruction, built in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
In 1982, China established its first national forest park. Zhangjaijie National Forest Park was established in a particular scenic area in northwest Hunan. The park is especially known for its quartz-sandstone rock formations, bare stone sculpted by nature and set among green trees and frequent clouds.
The high and steep Mt. Hengshan is frequently snow-capped in the winter, contrasting with the subtropical fields that one sees below it. It is one of the five most famous mountains in China. Known for its precarious cliffs, it is a holy mountain for both Taoists and Buddhists.
The region along the Yuanjiang River is especially well known for its serene beauty. It takes its name, the Peach Blossom Fountainhead, from a work of Chinese literature from the Jin Dynasty (265-420). Tao Yuanming wrote about an isolated Utopia-like paradise where generations of people had escaped from the difficulties that others had experienced. The Yuanjiang River region has been a travel destination since ancient times.
Historic Changsha, one of China's famous cultural centers, is the capital of Hunan Province. It is also a tourism center, offering its visitors many historical sites and other places of interest.
Highlights
Hunan's cuisine has its unique flavor. In Hunan, nearly every dish tastes hot, and delicious. The people of Hunan like eating peppery foods.
Hunan's products include Xiang embroidery, one of China's four famous embroideries. It has high artistic value. With 200 years of history behind them, the chrysanthemum stone carvings of Liuyang are vivid and exquisite. Liuyang City is known for its firecrackers, which are popular all over China.
Many great people have come from Hunan Province. In ancient times, Quyuan, a patriotic poet, committed suicide by throwing himself into the Miluo River. The story of his death and the search for his body started the tradition of Dragon Boat Festival. Chairman Mao, idol of the Chinese people, was born in Shaoshan. Zhu Rongji, one of the important leaders in the country, also comes from Hunan Province. Such famous people show that Hunan is a place that has cultivated talent as well as being a destination for tourists.
With abundant natural resources, Hunan covers 210,000 square kilometers (81,000 square miles). It is adjacent to Jiangxi Province in the east, Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province in the west, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Autonomous Region in the south, and Hubei Province in the north. Hunan has a total population of 64,400,700. It is multiethnic, with Maio, Dong, and Yao being the most numerous minorities. Their unique cultures and ethnic customs attract numerous tourists.

Update

Got a quick update on Junie today - she is about 30 inches tall, about 25 pounds, and cuter than ever : )

Here is what they said about her likes and dislikes in the SWI:

She likes to play games and see new things.
She is fearful of darkness and thunders.

She sleeps alone in her own bed.

Not much to go on, but we'll take it! We are hoping to hear from WACAP's China team in the next few days to hear about our I800 and anything else we might need to be doing now! Anyone out there who would like to teach me some Chinese?

New photo

October Update

Well, we are about 4 months into the adoption process already! Can't believe it.

The good news is that our homestudy has finally been submitted to our agency, WACAP. They asked for a couple of revisions from our social worker, and the final draft was mailed back out today. Our file now moves on within WACAP to the China team, who will handle everything from here on out. As our final homestudy is approved, our documents can move on to US immigration.

In other good news, we were able to submit a few questions about our little Junie, and hope to receieve an update and new photos in a couple of weeks - very exciting!!!

So, while we wish things were moving faster, at least they are moving. Today, Quinn said that when Junie comes, she will invite all of her "little" friends to come over and meet her sister. The girls find it so hard to wait - and there is still such a long way to go!