Well, I started the Internet adoption training courses while we were in Florida. I've now completed two of them: Attachment and Bonding & Culture and Identity.

I knew China made it particularly problematic for children to find their birth families due to the prevalence of child abandonment, but I assumed it was difficult to find the birth families in just about any country. I found it interesting that in some countries, the birth mothers have to provide information about their own birth and any siblings the child may have. In Guatemala, the mothers surrendering their children have to give a DNA sample, as well as a lot of biographical information.

I learned that most adopted children (even if adopted in infancy) don't grasp the idea that they've suffered a loss (loss of a birth family) until school age. Since we're adopting a school age child, I wonder if she's already begun coping with that loss.

However, since we are adopting her at an advanced age, she will for sure have to deal with the pyschological loss of culture and language. It is suggested that we try and incorporate occasional Chinese meals in our lives. We should also include some Chinese toys and/or dolls that resemble her. We will also celebrate things like Chinese New Year with other local families who have adopted Chinese children.

Brock and I have slowly come to the realization that we will be a multi-cultural family in more ways than just appearance.

The three of us landed safely in Florida yesterday afternoon. Grandma & Grandpa Reynolds picked us up at the airport in Punta Gorda (a bit further of a drive from the usual airport we fly into in Fort Myers) and we stopped at an Applebee's in Fort Myers for a LATE lunch on the way home. The weather was GORGEOUS, though that's supposed to change today.

Right next to their computer, Grandma has placed an enlarged (5X7) picture of the little head shot we have of Shaling. I've thought several times how things might be different when we come down next year. Hopefully, Shaling will be able to get in the pool with Preston. She might experience her first boat ride. I hope she enjoys it as much as we do. Plus, the weather down here is much more in line with what she is used to in Shenzhen City.

Well, we're leaving for church in a bit. God bless all who continue to follow us on our journey.

Home Study Not As Close To Finished As I Thought

We had our final interview/home study visit last night. It went very well. Brock and I both enjoyed the conversation.

However, I found out that our book reports, internet-based training, and seminar training all has to be completed as part of the Home Study. In my organizational notes (you can see those in one of my earliests posts on this blog), I had all of those items written down as part of the Hague requirements (an international agreement the United States entered into with 50 other countries, starting in late 2009).

I collected another character reference letter last night as well and received the forms in the mail that our doctor hadn't quite completed. Brock is taking them to the doctor's office over lunch. Also, the adoption agency hasn't yet received Brock's state police clearance. He submitted his fingerprints almost 4 weeks later than I did, so I'm sure the clearance is forthcoming.

We also finally met Lynne, who is Guanghui's future mother! She seems so enthusiastic. We hope to go to dinner with her and her husband Joe some time when we get back from Florida, so that we can get to know them better.

Speaking of Florida, we leave Saturday morning for our annual trip to visit Grandma & Grandpa Reynolds in Marco Island. I'm not sure if I'll be posting while we're there or not. So, if you see several days pass without an update, don't give up on us...I'll jump right back in when we return Easter weekend.

Shaling & Guanghui

As those of you who've been following our adventure from the beginning might remember, there is another couple in the Rochester area adopting a 9-year-old boy (Guanghui) from the exact same welfare district in China.

I inquired a few weeks ago about the size of the welfare district and the possibility that they might know each other. It turns out that the school age children are in foster home type of settings, eight kids per house. I almost cried this afternoon when we were informed that Shaling and Guanghui are in the same house...living like brother and sister.

How awesome that they will have each other for emotional support as they make this monumental transition in their lives.

Preston's Interview & Glitch in the Paperwork

Our Home Study social worker called last night to tell us that our doctor missed a question at the bottom of the form he had to fill out for each of us. She's mailing the forms back to us so we can take them in to be completed. I am hoping they arrive before the end of the week so I can get it fixed before we leave for Florida.

Brock finished his first book on adoption and is getting ready to do his first book report.

Preston completed his interview with our social worker (via phone) last night. He answered basic questions about himself such as his name, his age, his school, what he liked to do for fun, etc. He also had to share his feelings on having a sister. Brock and I were not home at the time (there was a babysitter with Preston), so we're both feeling very curious about the conversation.

However, the social worker indicated that Preston was very poised and comfortable. She was very impressed by him. Preston seemed very happy this morning when he was talking to his dad about the conversation. He seemed as if he enjoyed talking to her. He says he told her he's always wanted a brother or a sister and he can't wait to have one.

Shaling's Sizes

Found this quote from an adoptive parent:

"I realized at the start that whether a child is biological or adopted, one does not know all the ingredients in the package. That is what growth is all about. A child is the slowest flower in the world, opening petal by petal, revealing the developing personality within."

We are filled with anticipation about watching Shaling blossom.

I got some updated size information today. If I've converted the measurements and shoe sizes correctly, she is roughly 48 inches tall and weighs 50 pounds. I'm hoping a clothing store will be able to help me guess fairly accurately on clothing sizes with that information. Her Chinese shoe size (34) is roughly the equivalent of size 4 here in the U.S.

It is my plan to take at least a few clothing items over to China with us, as I believe she mainly has shared items donated to the orphanage. Since the adoption completes the second day we're over there, she will spend the rest of the 10-14 days with us. It'd be nice for her to immediately have some clothing of her own.

If anyone reading the blog has a daughter close to Shaling's size and has some clothing size advice, I'll gladly take it!

Ok, I finally got the final two pieces of paperwork needed to finalized our Personal Financial Statement. It came to about 40 pages total. At lunch today, I mailed it, along with the medical documentation (physicals and medical release letters on all three of us), to our home study representative.

Now, we just need to have our final visit and the home study portion of our paperwork will be complete.

Next on the agenda is to finish up the other requirements for Madison Adoption Associates. These are things like 20 hours of adoption & parenting training, book reports (we EACH have to do three), and more.

We are still waiting to hear when our informal classes to learn Chinese will begin.

We are also looking forward to my mom and Aunt Ann coming up sometime to help decorate Shaling's room.