Sister's perspective

Lily is writing a note to her sister (check out the fancy slippers and velvet dress):

The other night Lily was talking to her "students" after I'd tucked her in for the night (she does this every night). I thought I heard her screaming/crying, so I went running to her room. She asked what I was doing, but when I told her I'd thought I heard her crying she said "Mom, I thought of Willow and I just started laughing!" Here's what she's most excited about:

• Playing Littlest Pet Shop with Willow


• Teaching Willow how to color


• Showing Willow the Children's Museum - she thinks the bubbles will be her favorite


• Getting a Build A Bear of her own (remember when we made a Build A Bear for Willow? Back then I promised Lily that when her sister finally gets here we'd go back and make one for Lily, bringing Willow with us this time). She wants a Hannah Montana dress for it.


• Letting Willow eat rice and chicken and fish (my girl - always thinking of food)


• Watching movies - all of us watching together in my bed

My social worker thinks we'll travel in January or February. We are waiting now to be submitted to the govt. agency that creates the birth certificate - this takes about 2 months to receive. After we get the birth certificate it should be about 2-4 weeks 'til I travel. January is definitely not out of the question, but I'm thinking February based on recent timelines.

O - U - T

We are out. Yes we are. WE'RE OUT! I have been waiting to write those words since last March!!! One more time: WE'RE OUT!

Now we wait for a new birth certificate (with my last name), another DNA test (to prove she is the same baby we started with), a few signatures, etc. etc. I would expect to bring this bundle home in February. I'll get 6 weeks off work to stay home with her, and then she'll join her sister at day care with Diane.

On a side note - I had an email from Sandra the other day. She wrote that Willow has started biting her friends when they try to take her toys. She also wrote that she is usually loving and affectionate and loves to kiss and hug other children. YIKES! Does this look like the face of a biter: I sent her this cute little blue dress. She sort of looks like she knows we're out, huh?

Last time, I promise: WE'RE OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Focusing on the positive

We went to Emma Krumbee's apple orchard with grammy a couple week's ago. Lily had a blast riding the trike/tractor thing, jumping on the hay pile, seeing the scarecrows, playing in the kid band on stage, and leading us through the corn maze:

Chinese Culture camp was at Cragun's resort this year. This is our 3rd year - and Grace has made the trip with us every time. We went for a trolley ride pulled by Clydesdales, hiked along the lake, had a bonfire on the beach, and swam in the pool when we weren't learning about China:

The lake and leaves were beautiful and the leaves were perfect. But more importantly, in case you don't notice, is that Lily believes this is her "Hannah Montana" pose. She claims this one-knee-bent-just-a-little-bit is exactly how Hannah stands:

Tate recently joined us for Lily's first trip to Chucky Cheese's and then a sleepover:

Hay ride at Aunt Gail and Uncle Tom's:

NOT on final reviewer's desk afterall

I found out last week that we are not on the final reviewer's desk. I called PGN myself to ask if they could tell me more about why files haven't been released for nearly a month. Instead of just answering that question, I was transferred several times and ultimately spoke with a man whom I could hear making several calls on my behalf. It seems they were unable to find my file! I was transferred to another woman who asked me to email her so she could take time to locate my file and respond to my email on Monday. Her response indicated that my file was BACK in minor's division because PGN would like their own psychologist to interview Willow's birth mother again. Yes, this will be her 4th interview! My attorney is hoping to get the interview scheduled for this week. Then I'm sure I go back to the bottom of the pile of files waiting to be reviewed and approved.

In the meantime, the reason they haven't released a SINGLE file in a month: Computers are down. I am speechless.

Waiting for final signature

I got new pictures of my girl this week:

My file is waiting for final signature in PGN. We don't know if this is another Kick Out for an error within the file or it it's finally approval. And we don't know how long it will take to get that signature. Apparently the person who has to sign off is behind and has a sizable stack of files to go through and sign.

15 Months old

Willow is now 15 months old. We are still stuck waiting in PGN, which is similar to the U.S. Secretary of State. We just have to wait for their approval and pray I don't get kicked out again for some silly error.

Sandra sent me these pictures last night. She took them at her office, where she works for my attorney. She wrote that Pili is a "daredevil" and she gets mad and fights when they take dangerous things away from her. She likes to look at story books for a long time and she takes everything out of the cabinets at their home. She loves to sing and dance. She says they all "lament" that PGN has not approved yet, but they expect Pili to leave them soon. She knows her leaving will be painful for everyone. She gave Pili the kisses that I sent through email and says Pili is happy almost all the time.

She went to the doctor last week. She weighs 23 lbs and says mama, papa, grandma, grandpa, bottle, milk, bread, water, nene and nena (what do they mean - I have no idea). I'm learning some Spanish from my students this year and have a lot more work to do.

The purple/green dress is one that I sent to her last month. The pink mocassin type shoes are from Beamer - aren't they cute?! I was getting the feeling she'd outgrow them before I got her here to wear them.

They have started calling her Willow some of the time so it is not "unfamiliar" to her. I hadn't mentioned that I'd call her Pili for a while and gradually switch to Willow - now I guess it'll be easier. Maybe this will be our week. I have said that every week since August...

Lily and I get away for a while

Lily and I took a little trip last week. We spent 2 nights camping in Door county first. Lily is cooking our dinner :



We took the ferry to Washington Island. When we were in route to the island Lily asked me "WHERE are the fairies?" I explained the difference between a FERRY and a FAIRY and she responded: "This is not awesome, mom. I thought we were going to see fairies."

We rented bikes (really one bike with a tag-a-long) and did the Sunset Loop through Pennisula State park, which follows along Lake Michigan and through 2 of the state parks. It was beautiful.

After Door County, we spent 2 nights in Milwaukee for a reunion with the families we traveled with to China. Thirteen of the families made it! Seeing all those girls (and their families) was honestly the highlight of my summer. When we met those babies, they were scared and sad and basically inconsolable. Now they are happy, sassy, confident, healthy little girls. Amazing. They played in the pool most of the weekend while the adults visited. We broke up pool time with a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo and dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. I'll include a photo from last weekend and one from 2004 in China:

And lastly, before we went home we spent 5 nights at my parent's cabin. Lily got to fish with the new BARBIE pole papa bought her. Kris "Beamer", Lyle and Alex were there for 3 days, and Lily adores Alex (a little too much according to Alex).

Now we spend the last 2 weeks of summer waiting for news of Willow. I can't believe we're still waiting. I keep praying to be "out" before we go back to school, but it looks bleak to be honest.