A Love Like No Other: Visiting with Ashley and Eric

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Visiting with Ashley and Eric

A few weekends ago we went to Baltimore to visit with Alan's parents, his brother Eric and his niece Ashley. We first had Dim Sum with Gung Gung and Po Po, which was very yummy, as usual!! Brady loves getting the turnip cakes, which also happens to be Alan's favorite. Brady also loves dumplings, steamed pork buns and the egg custard "tarts". ( I used all English names because I don't know how to spell the Chinese names of these foods!! LOL)

After lunch we went back to Uncle Eric's house to hang out and carve some pumpkins. Ashley and her brother Preston both play several instruments, so Brady was in heaven!! I have a feeling that before long we'll be buying a keyboard for him!!

Look at that smile!!! Could he possibly be any happier??

I LOVE this picture!!

Helping Uncle Eric scoop out the guts

HEY! What's in there?

Alan getting down to business!!

Getting a little help from Brady. (I'm sorry to say that I forgot to take "after" pictures, so I don't have any of the finished jack o lanterns)

1 comment:

Shana said...: So great that Brady is so in touch with his heritage! I would avoid all loud instruments if it were me, lol:); November 14, 2009 at 8:06 PM

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OUR TIMELINE

1/11/07~Signed on with CAI for Taiwan B Program (either gender)

1/17/07~Approved to adopt from TWCA

1/29/07~Fed Ex'd 1600A to USCIS

2/1/07~First Homestudy appointment

2/12/07~Second Homestudy appointment

3/2/07~Received fingerprint appointment today for 4/11/07

3/12/07~Received FBI and DCF background clearance

3/28/07~Received completed homestudy

4/11/07~Fingerprinted

4/19/07~REFERRAL of baby boy, Lin, Chen-Yu (born 2/5/07)

4/23/07~Accepted referral

5/7/07~Fed Ex'd docs to TECO Miami

5/8/07~Received I-171H

5/14/07~Received first set of update photo's and info today; Received docs back from TECO; took docs to CAI for translation

6/1/07~Dossier sent to Taiwan

6/15/07~Received 2nd set of update photos

6/25/07~Notified of Court Hearing on Aug. 6th

7/6/07~Received 3rd set of update photos

8/6/07~COURT HEARING!

8/14/07~Received 4th set of update photos

8/22/07~FIRST RULING

9/9/07~7th Wedding Anniversary/leave for 7 day cruise

9/15/07~FINAL RULING

9/28/07~Leave for Taiwan

10/1/07~GOTCHA DAY!!!

10/6/07~Arrive back to Tampa as family of 3!!!

2/14/08~Move to Clifton VA.

4/15/08~Emailed Taiwan B pre-approval form to CAI for Baby # 2 (either gender)!!

4/17/08~Contract and $$$ sent to CAI

4/29/08~Received pre-approval from TWCA

7/23/08~Contacted local homestudy agency

7/28/08~Applied to homestudy agency

8/4/08~CAI filed Bankruptcy and closed....almost threw up!!

9/4/08~First conference call with new agency, Gladney Center for Adoptions, who absorbed the CAI Taiwan program

9/12/08~Homestudy Update visit with social worker at our house

9/18/08~Second conference call with Gladney

10/8/08~County fingerprints at police station

10/22/08~Cleared federal and state background checks

10/23/08~mailed forms to CPS

11/21/08~Cleared VA CPS background check

11/28/08~Cleared FL CPS background check (had to be done since we just move to VA from FL)

1/9/09~Fed Ex'd 1600A to USCIS

1/22/09~Received fingerprint appointment for 2/17/09

2/17/09~Fingerprinted

3/25/09~Received I-171H

5/8/09~Received referral of baby boy with medical condition

5/11/09~Declined referral because we did not feel comfortable with the medical condition

6/4/09~REFERRAL of baby GIRL born 4/30/09

6/5/09~Accepted referral

6/8/09~Alan leaves for Norway for the week.. BAD TIMING!

6/14/09~Got all docs notarized

6/15/09~Fed Ex'd docs to Secretary of State

6/19/09~Received certified docs back from S.O.S.

6/22/09~Hand delivered docs to TECO DC

6/24/09~Received authenticated docs back from TECO DC

6/25/09~Fed Ex'd docs to Gladney in NY

6/26/09~Dossier Fed Ex'd to Taiwan by Gladney

6/29/09~Dossier arrived in Taiwan

7/16/09~Notified of Court Hearing on August 12th, 09.

8/12/09~Court Hearing

10/4/09~First Ruling!!

10/28/09~FINAL RULING!!!

11/15/09~Leave for Taiwan

11/16/09~Arrive in Taiwan

11/19/09~GOTCHA DAY!!!

11/20/09~Apply for Visa at AIT

11/20/09~Pick Up Visa at AIT

11/22/09~Leave Taiwan and arrive back in DC!!! (2 days earlier than originally planned b/c we were able to pick up the Visa the same day we applied for it)