Care package!

I mentioned a care package in my last post.  We used a lady in China who will contact the orphanage for you, get some basic info and hopefully photos, and then deliver (ship) a care package to your waiting child.  We used her years ago to send Xander a package, she seems to have a great reputation with the orphanages.

Here is what we sent:

The idea is that hopefully he will receive this package (the candies are for the nannies), and they will read him the letter I wrote that tells him we are coming to meet him and make him part of our family.  We hope that they will also show him the photo album and let him see us before we get there.  WE know Xander and Lyla both received the packages we sent to them, and both of them were shown the pictures of us before we got there, so we counting on the same.

Lyla, being older, was able to tell us that she doesn't really remember a letter being read, but she did se the photo album, although maybe just once.  We also sent Lyla a stuffed animal that she brought with her to meet us, but it was very clean, and she clearly had no attachment to it. :)

I love this care package to Max for so many reasons, but mostly for the similarity to Xander's.  Xander got that same bear with a blue shirt (whom we still have and it is now named BamBam), the photo album is the same kind and the silks are the same just a different color.  Xander's photo album came with him and it was filthy, we have no idea who "used" it, which actually makes me sad to think that some of the other kids looked at us, and then we didn't bring them home... :(  Xander's silks were red, and they definitely don't fit him anymore, but it is cool that they are the same.  Now, we have no idea if we will receive any of these items when we get Max, it's the risk you take.

In paperwork news...

On Nov 27 we got our NVC cable.  Um, still, do not really know what exactly this is, just another box to check off.  PEOPLE!  We only have 3 more boxes to check!!!  Our Art 5 (another unknown Hague Convention thing) will be dropped off next Tuesday, Dec 10 and picked up Dec 24.  On Christmas Eve (is it ok to be relieved that China does have a Christmas holiday??) we will officially be waiting for our Travel Approval!!  

So, blah, blah, blah... There is still a SMALL chance that we could travel in January, but if we don't make it before the CNY holiday it will be the 1st week of February.  in about 6-8 weeks we WILL be in China!!!! WAHOOOO!!