up, up , and away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are off in just 3 short days! Thank goodness I have a mom who is a good packer! We are all packed, paperwork ready to go, looking forward to starting the next chapter of this adventure.  I just can't believe that by sunday, we will see Garrett walk through that door and will get to be with him, hold his little hand, hear his sweet voice!  We are prepared for whatever may come as far as his reaction to this big transition- think good thoughts for him! We are bringing plenty of snacks for him and fun things to play with to ease it along.  Hope we all stay well throughout the next few weeks, and make all of our connecting flights!

Fundraising Update

Adoption day is getting so close!  I want to give you all a fundraising update- for this would never be possible without all of the support from our amazing community and the grant organizations.
Our total adopt cost including travel for my daughter and son is $28,178.
To date, we have raised a total of $20,912.50    (!!!!!!!!)
Of this total, $12,462.50 was from individual donations ranging from $2.50 to $4,000 each
As for grants:
The Fatherless Foundation: $750
The Gift of Adoption: $5,000
The Affording Adoption Foundation: $1,500
We also raised $1,200 at our fundraising party, with so much help from my coworkers at the clinic- baking lovely cakes and treats, bartending, collecting donations- from my brother and his fiance DJing, and from such generous donations of wine and beer, coffee and goodies from
Thanksgiving Coffee
Goldeneye
Fort Bragg Rent All
Claudia Springs
Brutocao
Handley Cellars
Meyer Family Cellars
Greenwood Ridge
Greenwood Gold Apple Juice
The Little River Inn
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
North Coast Brewing Company
and donations for the silent auction from Shani Christianson and her artist friends

Our family will never be able to thank you enough!  You have helped make this dream come true!
We are flying to China on May 18th, will be united with Garrett on May 20th and will fly home on May 30th, arriving just in time to celebrate my birthday May 31st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is good...

Gotcha Day!!!

Our official day to meet and hold Garrett forever is May 20th!  Once he is in our arms- he is officially a part of our family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  a new beginning for us all!!!!

Oh happy day!

TA!!!!

Hip hip hooray for a TA!!!!!!!  We are hoping to travel on May 20th to finally meet our little Garrett!!!! Yay!!!!!

one step further!

I received the I800 approval today! Soon, I will receive the travel approval, and I am estimating that I will be traveling some time in May- YAY!  We had lots of fun this past weekend taking some photos for Garrett, which I was able to send to him in a soft photo album through Ann at Red Thread.  I also sent him a disposable camera to take some pictures before we arrive, and a little note letting him know we are thinking of him everyday, and will soon bring him something fun to play with!

Hopefully, it will ease the scariness a little at least to be able to recognize our faces from the photos I sent.  I wonder how the nannies are preparing him for the big day???????

Three Cheers for The Fatherless Foundation!!

I am so grateful to have been awarded a grant for $750 from The Fatherless Foundation! Hip Hip Hooray! What a generous grant for our adoption! Thank you so very much.

Bal Mandir