A Love Like No Other: Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Merry Christmas!

I'm very, very happy with our Santa photo this year!!! Brady looks like such a proud big brother, and somehow we managed to get Emily to look in the right direction. She was VERY curious about Santa, she took a good long look at him before turning to the camera. And Brady surprised me this year too. He's never been "afraid" of Santa, but I wouldn't say he liked him either so I was pretty surprised when he walked right up to Santa and waited for him to pick him up. And after the picture was taken he stayed on Santa's lap and told him he would like a teddy bear and a rocking horse for Christmas!! He's getting one of those for sure!! :-)

5 comments:

Shana said...: I love this picture of the kids!!; December 14, 2009 at 8:21 PM
Debberoo said...: Oh yeah that's a great shot!; December 15, 2009 at 5:18 AM
Rydley said...: What a convincing Santa! And your kiddos are so cute. I love Emily's outfit!; December 15, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Stefanie said...: What a fantastic photo with Santa! Eiley wouldn't go near Santa last year, but I still have hopes for trying this weekend. We'll see.

Also LOVE the blowing raspberry video of Emily :-) I always think that is so much fun - right up until you get a big wad of spit in your eye ;-); December 15, 2009 at 8:23 PM
Tami said...: Very cute photo. I can't believe how big Brady is. And Emily looks so cute. Very jealous, Anna is terrified of Santa this year. After he left our house she kept peeking around the corner to make sure he was really gone.
Cute Christmas card also, loved the outfits.; December 29, 2009 at 8:13 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)