One Pot Asian Pasta

*1/2 lb boneless chicken breast cut into small chunks
*12 oz whole wheat fettuccine or linguine  broken in half
*4 medium carrots cut into 3 inch strips
*1 medium red bell pepper cut into strips
*1 bunch green onions, white parts sliced and green parts cut into long strips
*4 cloves garlic minced
*1/4 cup soy sauce
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*1 teaspoon cornstarch
*1 tablespoon sugar
*1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I always leave these out…..just not a fan…..)
*4 cups chicken or veggie broth
*1/2 cup water
*2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil


Add all the ingredients to a large pot.  Cover and boil.  Stir and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cook until most of the liquid is gone and chicken is cooked through.

Now What?

Now that we are no longer stuck with immigration I've had several people ask "now what!?!?"  

It's a complicated and quite confusing process from here on out so I thought it deserved its own blog post.  

I will do my best to break it down for you!  

When Immigration issued us an approval they mailed a copy to us and a copy to the National Visa Center.  The National Visa Center will put the approval in their system and forward our paperwork to the US Consulate in China.  Once this is done the NVC will issue us a confirmation number.  

Once we have that number we can then fill out an electronic form called the DS-260.  This will complete our paperwork until we are in China!!! (HIP-HIP-HORRAY!!!) I am hoping to be able to complete this form within the next week.  Once the DS-260 is complete our agency will send all of our paper work to the US Consulate in China.  

At the Consulate they will review ALL the paper work and ensure it meets the proper standards.  Hopefully they will then issue us our approval.   It is called Article 5 and is #11 on the chart.  It typically takes about two weeks.  The Article 5 is then forwarded to the CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption….step #12). 

After a few more weeks the CCCWA will issue a Travel Invitation (step 13)!!!!!  Once we have the Travel Invitation our agency will schedule an appointment for us to have our visa interviews at the Consulate….then they will book our flights!!!  

If everything runs smoothly it is very possible for us to be traveling in October.  However there are several factors that could affect our travel time.  China will be celebrating national holidays in a few weeks and this could slow things down.  Also, our agency typically books one travel group per month depending on how many families across the US are ready to travel.  We are hoping and praying that we can travel in October but also aware that it could be November before we leave.  Thank you so much for following our crazy journey and for all your love and support!!! We cannot wait to go get our boy!!!!!!!!  

Cuteness Overload!!!!!

The last few weeks have been such a roller coaster.  Up and down.  Happy and frustrated.  One day we  got a beautiful update of our son.   The next day I learned I made a mistake on our paper work that could set us back weeks.  I had been warned by other adoptive mamas that the journey of adoption is constantly changing...constantly a wave of emotions.  And while I have cried out of sadness and anger the last couple of days....today has been.all.joy.  First we got an update from our agency that included a precious video and lots of pictures!  Then I was shocked to find a double jogging stroller delivered to my front door!!!!!!  Beyond thankful.  Thankful and humbled.  We still have a long way to go to get to our son (we are praying for travel in October).  We still need prayer for paper work and immigration to get smoothed out.  But today I am enjoying the tears of joy.  The bliss.  Enjoy some major cuteness!!!!

A miracle of an update

What are the odds?  Seriously what are the odds that a sweet Knoxville family would be in our son's orphanage today!?  What a miracle.  What's even more of a miracle is that they were able find our son.  Kai lives in the largest orphanage in his province.  It houses between 600-800 children.  And yet this sweet family was able to see Kai and deliver his care package to him. Thank you God!!!!  I went to bed last night hoping that sometime this morning I would get an update.  I was woken up in the middle of the night by the sweetest text messages from my dear friend Erin Lee.  (Rebecca, the mommy in China, is friends with my friend Erin.  Rebecca sent an update about Kai to Erin because she couldn't find my email.)  This is the text message that I got in the middle of the night...

"You've gotta get up and read this email I'm about to send from Rebecca!!!!! SHE MET KAI!!!!!!! GET UP GET UP!!!!!  Oh sweet friend are you up?!?!?!  I just received it and I'm so excited I'm about to jump out of my skin for you please get UP!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Hehehe  I've never been so excited to jump out of bed and check email in the middle of the night!!!!!  Here is what the email said...

"Erin, We just got back from visiting the orphanage!! I have so much to tell you, but very importantly I need you to tell your friend Katie that I was able to hand deliver Kai's care package!!!  I stroked his head and he is such a beautiful boy!!!!!  He was very very happy.  All the care givers were smiling and talking to him and loving on him so much!!  The director of the orphanage said he was in the hospital recently for a fever...a simple cold.  He did still have a wet cough....kinda like you get at the end of a cold.  Kai has the best smiles!!! I just want her to know that he is beautiful and so cared about here in Jinan!!!"

What.a.gift.

There are no words to describe the comfort and joy this email gave me.  To know that he is doing well. To know that he is happy.   To know that he is loved.  Such a gift.  Thank you all for praying and for sharing in our joy today!!! And thanks be to a Heavenly Father who hears our cries and who answers our prayers!!!!

Meet Kai.

There are approximately 573,000 Orphans in China.

In just a few short months there will be one less.

It is my joy to introduce you to Kai.

He is just over a year old 

and has completely stolen our hearts!!!  

We are so thrilled to be able to share him with you and cannot wait to bring him home!!!!!!!!

Waiting

Several people recently asked me where we are in the adoption process.....so I thought I would update with a blog post.  Sadly we are in the same place in the process that we were over seven weeks ago.  No movement.  No news.   Nothing.

When we were matched with Kai our Dossier had to be translated...which we found out was completed on April 30th.  Next it needs to be reviewed, then matched with Kai's files.  Once this is done the Chinese government will issue us a "Letter of Approval" or "LOA" (international adoption is all about the acronyms...).  The LOA is super exciting because then Kai is officially matched with us and we can share his beautiful face with the world!!!

Right now we are waiting to hear that our dossier has been reviewed......it should be any day now...so we wait.  And let me tell you......waiting is not something I am good at........I'm actually pretty terrible at it!!!!  I check email a thousand times a day......I stalk adoption groups to watch other families timelines unfold....I stare at Kai's picture and cry......I'm awful.  I've had thoughts of calling our agency and busting out into A Great Big World's "Say Something".........say something.....anything........any updates would be great.  I won't.  But I've seriously considered it.  Instead we wait.

A Book For Kai

Ava wrote a book for her baby brother who is not home yet....

It may need some interpreting...

But here it is...

Ava's Book For Kai. 

I am your mom and Dad

I am your mom.  I am your Dad.  We both will always love you.

Even if you do not feel like it...we still do...

"You do not!" you say....We still love you little one...

If you don't feel good, tell me my child.

I say "it looks fine...I see..."

"Is there love," you ask? Yes! There is love! 

This book will end soon...so let's talk...

Here it is about to end!!!

Oh! It is ending.  The End.