LOA signed

The envelope didn't arrive until this afternoon.   Eric brought the girls to the office and we got everything signed and put into a courier bag for Monday. 

I thought we'd get the original referral package, but we didn't.  I was hoping the original pictures were better, was wanting the little passport photo and was even hoping there was updated anything.  We don't even know if he is in foster care. 

Shockingly the loa was dated Sept. 2.  Only took 26 days for loa and then 25 days to get here.

Giant leap of faith. 

I know you're all going to ask 'how long now?'.  No clue.  Usually 8 weeks after loa.  However,  we have no travel group, it's a new computer system and there aren't many Canadian families adopting from China anymore and not much for a tracking system.

I soooo wanted more pictures of our son today.  Sigh.

LOA! LOA! LOA! LOA!

LOA!!!

SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS!  LOA, LOA, LOA, LOA!!!

LOA BABY!!  We're coming Luk. 

For everyone tracking...51 days for LOA.  We'll see the date stamped when we get it.  I don't know how many days it took to get to Canada and then from the Ministry to our agency, the official number will be lower.

Sunrise just called Luk's LOA (Letter of Acceptance) is in their office, going courier to us today.  Hoping we'll have it tomorrow and then we can sign it and send it back to Sunrise before the weekend and they'll send it to the Ministry in Victoria and from there back to China.  In the past we've signed and hand delivered to Victoria to save time, but CCWA is closed all next week so there is no major rush. 

The LOA is where we started with the girls.  It was a part of the referral.  This is the major difference between non special needs adoption with China and special needs adoption with China.  Right now is where we're used to starting.  Typically it's five to eight weeks to travel after LOA.  We're not with a group and will travel on our own, so still NO clue when we'll go.  Next we wait for travel approval, TA.  This is the document we take to China and hand over when Luk is placed with us.

Such a relief to get to this point.  Luk is ours.  Not much can go wrong at this point.  I'm going to sleep soooooo great tonight. 

Blue!!

The project is underway. 

Celebrating Luk's 2nd Birthday

Our little man is two today.  The last birthday he will celebrate without a family.

We are soooo ready to go get him! 

Mid Autumn Moon Festival

The moon just starting to rise.

Lili asked to read the story this year.

Jia is helping Lili with light to read by.

 

 We had our walk at Crofton with a few more families than usual.  Fun evening.  The weather was fabulous, the moon was bright orange and sooo clear.  We were all at the perfect spot for viewing and we watched it rise over Saltspring.  Our thoughts were with Luk and we all had a turn carrying his lantern.

On Saturday we went to the Victoria dinner, no moon gazing and we didn't join the short walk across the street to the park but moved our car instead.  Jia had a blast at the park playing with Kalum and Dagen.  Mostly Kalum but she really likes to play with Dagen too.  She is enjoying playing with the boys in preschool too so we see that as a possible good sign that she might adapt to having a brother.  Fingers crossed.  She certainly isn't going to be happy when she realizes she's sharing Mom and Dad.

We're still working on getting her sleeping mostly in her bed.  Right now, she goes up with me to my bed and Eric moves her.  She tells us she wakes up in her room by magic.  She told me the other morning 'Mom, I just appeared in my bed'.

Sunday morning
Jia - MOOMM!?
Me - ya'
Jia - you in your bed?
Me - yes
Jia - you cuddling with Dad?
Me - yes
Jia - groan, sigh, ugh
Me - you can come and cuddle with us
Jia - NO THANKS, I'll cuddle with Fei
Jia - stomp, groan, stomp, Fei?  you cuddle Jia?
Fei - um huh

And that's how it's going getting Jia into her own bed.    

Luk's room.

Ekk!!  So exciting, Eric started working on Luk's room today.

Life carries on.

Keeping Luk up top on the blog :)

Dumbo, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pluto.  Superior pancakes from Mr. E.

On Sunday our neighbors son came over and told Eric and Scott that he planned to sit on our bank, in the light from our house and shoot a buck.  Seriously.  Eric told him no but he responded with 'I'm just letting you know so you don't report the shots'.  So, Eric promptly reported it before there were shots.  He spent hours and hours on the phone on a Sunday afternoon with RCMP and Conservation Officers.  In the end after many phone calls, they were able to reach the young man and let him know that NO WAY could he bait them with apples, hunt at night or shoot anything within 100meters of a home.  Plus there is NO HUNTING in our area.  Right in front of our giant picture window in the kitchen.  How on earth did that young man feel any of that was OK.  My goodness, kids in the kitchen getting their cookies and milk for bedtime snack, watching one of their beloved deer from the field dropped by a gun.  I'm still horrified.  Even in  the nicest of neighborhoods there are whack-a-doodles.

Lili got a referral to a spine clinic at Queen Alexandra in Victoria.

Beautiful setting.  Waiting room was amazing.

Lili is now having her scoliosis monitored at the Queen Alexandra.  She'll be going every six months.  The new Dr. we met was awesome.  He doesn't feel there will be back surgery but wants to keep a close eye on it.  He has told us she likely has only one year of growing left.  He works with all bones and was able to look at her feet for us.  He isn't worried about the clicking but did say that there are some bones in her feet that are fused and she will be looking at surgery for that down the road.  For now, continue with expensive runners and keep him posted about pain.  He didn't restrict any of her activity at this point but was clear that Highland isn't helping any.  She then met with physio who taught her some exercises to help with the pulled muscle on the opposite side of her curve. 

 

Oh, and the nice new Dr. is a part of the neuro team that does spina bifida clinics, so we told him about Luk and he said he'd see us soon with him.

Autumn Moon Festival is tomorrow.  We're meeting up with a few people and doing the Crofton walk and having our round snacks and tea at the end.  I bought these lanterns a year ago, finally got to putting their first name characters on them today on my lunch hour.  I think they turned out fabulously, can't wait to show the girls.

 

Not much new on the Luk front.  I had moon cakes, cameras and a family photo sent to Ningdu.  Paid express so that the moon cakes would arrive in time for Autumn Moon. 

 

I'm not sure that we mentioned Luk's special need during the referral.  I'm shocked that no one has been asking.  Thank you for letting him just be a kid first.  His need is that he has Spina Bifida.  We have no idea what his level of needs will be.  Reading in depth is scary.  I've joined a couple support groups.  I think we're well versed in what worst case scenarios could be and we'll continue to hope for the best.  One day at a time.  Drs here aren't concerned when looking at his file.  We're not dealing with a sick kid or one that has shortened life span.

 

 

Finally allowed to post pictures of Luk!!!

I called the agency today, day 38 of our LOA wait and was told that they now have the key working, they can see our status and we are waiting on official paperwork.  We are reviewed, approved and matched.  Fonnie is away next week so let me know that Deliah would handle our paperwork.  Sounds like they expect the actual paper LOA any time now.  Wow.  I love Sunrise, I really do, but I do wish the good news flowed better/faster.  I'm delighted with the news, would have been delighted as it happened too.  Also heard that they did match another family at the same time but that family turned their file down and so we are on our own for this trip.  In the meantime...we are finally allowed to show off the pictures of our handsome little guy!!

Introducing our Son and Little Brother

Ning Tian Feng

 

Born September 23/2011

Living in the Ningdu SWI

  Ningdu County, Jiangxi Province, China

 

Soon to be named

Luk Tian Feng Nelson

 

 

  It feels surreal today.  Such happiness, we can't wait to meet him!  Oh, he's 14mo. in the pictures and this Mama sure would like an updated picture!  I know the pictures of Luk are poor quality.  Hoping my own scan of the originals will turn out better when we finally get them.

 

Fei and Jia are both from Jiangxi.  Luk's SWI is right inbetween Lili and Fei's.  Very cool.

 

Disney, money and Jia's own desk.

Jia told Eric she wanted a bath in the kitchen sink.  I was happy to oblige. 

Making dreams come true, one by one.

The girls have been complaining that their piggy banks are full and they need to make deposits to their bank accounts.  We finally sat down last night and did some counting.  I won't post the amounts, lets just say those are fat rolls and it was about 70% more than I estimated they had.  What thrifty little savers they are.  Even Jia had a great amount.  Wild. 

Holding their tickets to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Special Event!

 

We need costumes for the Disney trip and I suggested we use our rat ears and tails from three years ago.  Jia doesn't remember them and so it was obviously on her mind all night because this morning she got right to her desk and started making mouse ears on a headband to take to Disneyland.  How cute is that?!  Oh, and the desk, Lili and Fei have their own desks at school but she doesn't, I told her she could use the table in the kitchen as her desk but she said it was just a table, I taped a sign on the table that says 'Jia's Desk' and now it IS a desk.

Eric showing off his new green mouse ears.

There is good news coming in the next post.  Doing up this post to keep things in order.  Bursting to do the next one though!! 

Big changes around our place.  Eric and I have taken back our own bedroom.  We want everyone sleeping in their own bed before Luk comes home.  Jia isn't thrilled with this plan and there are some tears, so often I have to lay with her in our room and we move her once she is asleep.  She loves waking up in her own bed like a big girl.  I don't have the heart to hear her cry, especially about sleeping so it's obviously going to take a while to get this done. 

Next change, the girls are helping Eric with their lunches, they have to plan what they want and leave a note for Eric.  He doesn't mind making the lunches but he is tired of thinking of what to make.  So, the really cool outcome of this is that for many, many years, and through several different therapists we've been trying to get Fei to ask for food and suddenly she is doing it, every night.  She is very clear about what she wants.  Eric and I are thrilled.  Huge progress.  Also, seems more likely she'll eat it if it's what she really wants. 

Also, the girls moved into a class of older girls for dance and they both seem happy with dance this year.  Jia on the other hand, refused to dance on her first class, slept through the next one and insists she is NOT A DANCER.  She loves to sing and dance at home, so we know that's not true. 

Jia has done fabulously with pre-school.  No issues.  We were so sure they'd call us to pick her up  that we went for coffee on the same side of the highway so we could get to her faster if they called.  I know everyone thinks we joke about her intensity, and we do in large part but we seriously didn't know if she could handle pre-school.  I think she's a bit disappointed that it isn't more school like.  She wants to read and write desperately.  Yesterday she learned how to play musical chairs at school and wanted us all to play with her last night.  The nice friendly kind where everyone gets a chair, every time.  Love it.

Biggest change.  Eric is coming to China with me to get Luk!!  Yay.  My Mom and Dad have offered to take the girls.  I think Mom is mostly excited about it.  Perhaps a bit nervous of Jia for two weeks.  I'm hoping we have some friends who will help give Mom a bit of free time.  We're used to her intensity and business but I'm sure it will be a lot for my Mom who will be on a crash course.  Again, partly kidding, partly not. 

So, as a part of Eric coming and the girls not, we're making it up to them by taking them Trick or Treating to Disneyland to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Special Event!!  How exciting is that?!  We've been talking about going at  Halloween time for two years.  Nelson Road Trip.  Jia was just beaming when we told her last night.  Lili and Fei are happy to go but they just can't reach the excitement level a three year old can :)

Now, to go do the much more exciting post!

Jia starts pre-school

So excited.

She was thrilled to finally have her first day of school outfit on and told us all that today she is a big girl just like Lili and Fei.

Sob.  I held it back until we were in the car on our way to a coffee shop for a wee date.

She settled in at the drawing table and didn't even look up as we were leaving.

We asked if she had fun, she said no she was scared.  She was pretty delighted to have done the day with great success! 

Another new school year.

Grade 5

Grade 6

They were calm and happy this morning.

Grade 5 & 6!! 

 

Jia's first day is on Thursday, she was wanting to start today because "Jia's a big girl now".

Had friends telling us this weekend they've never heard a kid speak in third person before.  Hmmm...all three of ours have done it.  Jia does it when she is wanting to be babied or is trying to be cute.  We all think it's sweet.

Our last summer camping trip, five families, 11 girls (poor Luk).  We had a great time.  Jia loved, loved, loved having Emily for a few days.  She's asking to see her some more for 'just one more little play'.  I'm hoping we can find some time for some Sept. and Oct. camping. 

Lili learned how to ride her bike with no hands on this trip, she is keen to get back out there to practice some more.  We came home Monday afternoon and then last night I saw on the news that Parksville had a flash flood that evening!!  Pictures were super scary.  Read one woman's comments on the news site, she said they were eating dinner outside and the sky was blue and ten minutes later their basement was flooded.

Little Miss did a fabulous job of riding on the trail-a-bike.  So great that she would have nothing to do with her little pink bike. 

I took some time to do a little art project, Eric kept Jia and Lacie away so I could work in peace.  Lacie looks like she is having a bliss moment in the sun.

What a great weekend.  It's a bit tricky to get 11 of kids in one spot, but we managed and they were great sports about the picture taking.  We did some in a different pose and Emily is holding Luk's photo at the end, as the littlest of the group, but of course still can't post his picture.

My little project.  So cute.

Lili stayed with me while I hunted for all the toes.  I don't normally take this kind of time for my own projects.  I'm quite proud of how the photos turned out.