My sisters threw a small "sprinkle" over the weekend. If you haven't heard this term (it was fairly new to me), it's when you don't really need much for the baby (boy #2), but celebrating a new life is always fun! I had a good time and it was exciting to celebrate Charlie. We have also been working on the nursery. We aren't changing much from when it was Graham's room, but things needed to be organized, the mattress moved up in the crib, clothes washed and put away and things like that. It's nice to be getting some of those things checked off the list pretty early. We have a little less than 8 weeks to go, which feels like forever and also just around the corner! At night Charlie kicks like he's trying to break out, but he still has some growing to do, so we'll be patient. Graham has "helped" some with Charlie's room and seems to understand the concept of "brother". I am thankful to his teachers at daycare who talk about babies and brother with him to help him understand as much as he can.
After the appointments this morning, we headed to Raleigh for Immigration finger printing! On June 25 we received notification of our biometric fingerprinting appointments, scheduled for July 5. This was pretty short notice and you don't get to pick the appointment, so I'm thankful Tom and I were both able to work out being off work. I had already scheduled the ultrasound and OB appointment for today and those aren't easy to change last minute either, so we decided to just make a day of it. We had already submitted fingerprints to the FBI, so I guess Homeland Security wanted their own set. The appointment was not at all what I expected. I thought it would be in some dingy government building, in small room, and take forever. We followed the GPS and ended up at a nice place in a new shopping center and we were there about 15-20 minutes. Super easy! We submitted everything we needed for our dossier a few weeks ago and that was sent last Monday to the Alabama government, who will authenticate all of our documents and then someone will courier them to the Chinese consulate, if I'm remembering the process correctly. They go to Alabama first because that is where our agency is based. Once our immigration approval comes through, that will go through the same process, but will be expedited to catch up with the rest of our dossier. Then it's off to China for translation and getting logged in with CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption). This will be around the time Charlie is born and our file goes on hold for a while, but I'm glad we are getting as much done as we can now. I often wonder what our daughter is doing, where she is, what she looks like, if she's happy, if she feels safe, etc. and I am very much looking forward to her being in our arms and knowing all of those things! This has definitely been a faith building experience, knowing that I have to trust God knows all these things about her and she is NOT alone!
Please pray for all of our babies: Graham: that he adjust well to these big changes, Charlie: that he continues to grow perfectly and for an enjoyable last few weeks of pregnancy, and Baby in China: that she knows the comfort of her Heavenly Father, is happy, and her medical, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are being met by those caring for her.
Charlie sleeping with his hand on his forehead. His fingers are so precious.
He looks a lot like his brother!
Sweet little lips :-)
Not the dingy government building I was expecting. You can't take a phone or any electronics into the place, so this is the best I could do on documenting this part of the process!
