Well, Yesterday is gone, but it has brought MANY changes for us. We finally received our REFERRAL!!! It's a BOY!!!! Our agent, Kim, was out on vacation the past few days. We expected a referral later in the week, so I wasn't concerned. But as I watched 2 other people receive their pictures and info I got really more anxious to see our child's face and know his information as well! So the director emailed me the info after I sent an email of frustration to my agent on vacation. I called daddy to open it with him while he's at work. He got a call AFTER I opened the 1st document and I had to wait for him before we could read all the documents. Once we read them all, as much as possible since it's not translated yet, here's what we understood so far...............IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!! birthday -- 1/18/2011...............1 mo, 5 days younger than Sierra!!!! His name is XI Rong Chang. I don't know when our docs will be translated, but at least we have the generals and here's what we understand so far................He can cruise and seems developmentally on cue, as much as possible.................though documents are untranslated, they have boxes in English that are checked as well. He has 5 teeth! We'll be able to feed him like Sierra (at least once we get home) most likely! How perfect a transition into our home! I can't believe they honored our change of request from December! I just figured it would get lost in the shuffle...........for the last few weeks I've really been prepping my heart for another GIRL! lol The last doc had THREE PICTURES in it!!!!!! After MANY hours of debate, we have decided on a name! Barring any really horrible translations on his Chinese name that is.............lol Xi Rong Chang will now become known as Seth Tovi Xi Casebier! Tovi means good, so for us that translates into the Fruit of the Spirit -- goodness. All this said, we will be starting a new blog for him since this one does not seem to fit HIM...........:)

August is FINISHED!

As the title says, the CCCAA is FINALLY finished with August as of today........the referrals are mailed out and making their way to the families. There's a SMALL chance that some of the 9/1 LID's were included, but no one knows until the referrals are received. Even so, I really hope we are NOT included because our paperwork for the 800a will not be done until right at the same time we are expecting referrals next month.

OURS WILL BE IN THE NEXT BATCH!!! In a MONTH WE will SEE our BABY!!!! I WILL post a picture as soon as I can and stats.

Then I'll need to truly start working on the nursery, once we know if it's a boy or girl and how old. We need another crib and a portable booster seat. Other than that it's basically clothes, diapers, wipes, and more of the same.

I am FREAKING out right now about travel.........I shouldn't be yet, I still have 3 months (more or less) after referral, but I'm starting to worry that I haven't gotten enough information collected about what to take/not to take etc.

I think I have decided we are not taking the older two. I am concerned that if all of our kids, or us, got sick while over there, it would be a stinking mess. Also, what if they acted up (but that would NEVER happen, right?? lol). I wouldn't want China thumbing their nose at us if that happened..........so Isabelle and Isaiah are going to have to stay at home. Sierra? Well, she is going through that bonding stage right now and I freak out about it possibly affecting her down the road. Belle and Saiah can see us on the computer and understand that mommy and daddy are coming back, Belle more than Saiah...........We also need to do some sort of countdown towards something else so that Saiah will understand that more too.........

Anyway, this month is the most exciting so far for this adoption..........Next month will FAR surpass it though! :)

I-800a application finally mailed out!!!

Well, as of the 15th we have officially started the 2 month wait for getting our 800a approval.
We also are in the last days this month to find out about the new cut off date for referrals. Many hope that we'll finish August. Realistically I HOPE they'll get through the 29th. They are through the 21st right now, but there are VERY FEW before the 28th since it was just "ghost staff" that week in 2006. On the 28th/29th there seem to be alot, but I am hoping enough of those changed to special needs that the workers will be able to complete those days. If not, I am thinking I won't get a referral until May or later.........depending on how bad the slow down would be. It should be really exciting since they're actually in the week of our LID, but since it looks like there may have been a lot of log in's this LID week, it could go back to 1 day a month, or even not having referrals some months (because they didn't finish the entire day, not because they don't have anyone receiving their child's referral).
Please pray for the staff as they continue to place children in the homes that they believe will be a best fit. Pray for the babies that they will be able to adjust quickly to their new homes, and please pray for those waiting for patience.

Also, please pray for us as we continue to wait. If we do not travel during the summer (before mid-August) we do not know what we will do with our current 3 children. We believe that it would be great to take them with us, but right now don't have the funds for that. We also know that there is really only 1 person that all 3 know well enough to be comfortable with for 2 weeks and only seeing us online. This is also an age for bonding with Sierra (15 mo) and Isaiah (31 mo), so I am concerned about how this will effect them, not even considering any jealousy on their parts with the new child. And Isabelle would truly benefit the most from going because 1. she will remember it and 2. She will be able to understand more about how she came to be part of our family.............IF United honors our frequent flyer miles, we should have our tickets covered. Plus we have enough for at least 1 child........but we also would need 2 lap tickets (1 for the new child one way only and 1 for Sierra) and another child roundtrip ticket.......plus the money still for food/souvenirs. We also need to make sure that we have enough while we are there...............I don't really know how we are going to raise much more money at this time with me being a SAHM. I have the coffee fundraiser online still going..........but that's not much. I need another adoption grant from somewhere, but don't know how it would work with so much waiting still. Once we get the referral, it's only a few months later for travel..........:( so please just keep this in prayers.

Thank you!

Terri for the Casebier's

Continuing on.........

Well, as I was excited in October, I am somewhat stalled again here in February. They are through August 21st in the review room, so only 10 more days BEFORE our LID of 9/1............however, it was supposed to be through 8/27 this month since there were "no referrals" for the 19th-27th.........ho hum!

As long as they get through 8/29 next month, I truly believe that we will finally see our child's face in April!!!! What a GREAT Easter gift!!!!

As far as travel though, as one always asks..............It's been said that we will have to wait another 12 weeks after referral to travel under my new I-800 documents -- since the I-600a's have all now expired.........:( Someone else posted that they read somewhere that travel could take up to FIVE (5) months!!!!

I want him/her home before September!!!!! YIKES!!!!!


Another HUMONGOUS change that has come about is that in December we changed our request from "either" to that of a boy up to 2 years old............so we are eagerly awaiting to see not just how young they will refer us, but also what gender they will refer us as well!!! We have a boy's first name picked out, but we won't reveal that until we get a referral...........
As far as Hannah Mei Yi...........we have been fully blessed through "her" adoption............and it's a wonderful name. I will never forget the "process" of adopting our "Chinese daughter"..........even if SHE never comes.......:)