HERE SHE IS!!!!!!!!!

Here is Eleanor Yan Lin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She is VERY HEALTHY, with BETTER THAN AVERAGE weight, head circumference, etc. And, she is definitely her mother's daughter -- her favorite activity is listed as "massage" and she is reputed to be quite a healthy eater. And, with those dark, deep set eyes and dark hair, she is definitely her father's daughter!!!! (Note: You can click on each photo to see it larger.)

More details later .... we are thrilled.

Fuzhou SWI - Our daughter's current home

As we wait for the pictures and documents (perhaps tomorrow ... we hope!), here is a look at the Fuzhou Social Welfare Institute (SWI).

Also attached below is a photo of the 3 of us waiting, waiting to see the three wonderful photos of Lin-Lin (though, oddly, Tyler has morphed into a 10-year-old girl in this particular family photo).

We hear tell there is one photo of Lin-Lin in a red car, one in a bouncy seat and one "passport style" face shot. Well, we will just have to sit tight and wait just a little bit more!

Hope everyone has had a relaxing weekend.

IT'S A GIRL! THE FIRST BITS OF INFO!

WE GOT THE CALL!

Our daughter's Chinese name is: Fu Yan Lin
This name was given to her by the Fuzhou Institute in Jianxi where she is staying. So her surname, like all of the babies here, is "Fu." Her first name is Yan and her middle name is Lin. That means she probably goes by "Lin-Lin," since the middle name is often doubled.

She is 10 months old -- July 17, 2008 is her birthday.

Now ... we wait for the translation of documents (health/medical history) and, once that is complete, it will be sent along with photos -- ETA 2-3 days -- not yet sure how the holiday weekend will factor into that.

We are especially relieved because of the circumstances surrounding the last month. Did you know that, just as a butterfly's wings can start a ripple effect that leads to a hurricane someplace in the world, a pig's sneeze can result in a completely dejected aura in our household!? Our referral is approximately 3 weeks behind schedule due to the flu and China's resulting concerns regarding matches and travel. We are so happy it was a 3-week delay and not longer.

This post would not be complete without thanks to the China team at our agency, who have been empathetic, informed and consistently responsive and helpful during this long process. We can't wait to travel to China with this expert group and our fellow travel families!!!!!!!!!

Thanks also to Rumor Queen (a professional woman, wife and mother of two girls from China) who manages a website that aggregates global information about the status / pace of international adoption from China. "RQ" has made the lives of us waiting parents more entertaining and more informed throughout the past 3 years and we are all indebted to her (whoever and wherever she may be). In fact, it will be a nearly impossible to break the habit of following her site closely each month (I know this from all the families who are long home from China who continue to post on the site!):
















WE LOOK FORWARD TO POSTING PHOTOS SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOME VISUAL IMAGES FOR TODAY

OK. Just a couple more thoughts. At right is how we are feeling this morning (with thanks/credit to the creative RQ cyber-friend who has this amusing Tommy C shot on her site!)


AND ...
Here is the real behind-the-scenes machination of THE CALL:














AND FINALLY ... at bottom is what is happening right now via DHL to Chicago:

IT'S HAPPENING

WOW. Direct from RQ:

CCAA Website Update
Two agencies are reporting that the CCAA site has changed to show referrals through March 14th. The reviewed through date remains April 30th.
If you are expecting a referral in this group and wish your blog to be listed in the Babies! post then please list blog URL and blog name in the comments to this post.

We should be receiving THE CALL from our agency today or tomorrow -- we will hear baby sister's name, birthdate and province. Then we wait while docs are translated and, 2-3 days later, receive the full packet including photos!!!!!!!!!! More to come!!!!!!!!!!!

ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH, it has been a long 38 months (and that does not even count our paper chasing months!) But we have made it. Finally.