Reflections on our Adoption Journey

Now that we've been home with Eliana for over 2 weeks, we've had time to reflect on our journey through the entire adoption process. A few questions that have crossed our minds are:  Was it worth it?  Would we do it again? Would we do anything differently?

Let's start by answering the first question; was it worth it?  Absolutely!  All the trials and tribulations of paperchasing, waiting, and traveling to China were a small price to pay for that sweet little girl that is now our daughter.  Knowing what we know now, we would definitely go through the process to adopt our little angel.  But, will we do it again?  The answer to that is a certain no.  We feel now with our three wonderful children our family is complete and there will be no more children for us.  The strain both financially and emotionally (on all of us) of a fourth child is not something we want to pursue.

The question of what we would do differently is a bit trickier.  Of the aspects of the adoption process that we could control, there is nothing we would change.  We would not change our decisions on our agency, country, sex or age of child, or special needs.  The aspects of the adoption process that we would like to see changes of course, are the aspects we cannot control.  This would mostly include aspects regarding specific parts of the whole process.  We'll probably do more detailed posts on those issues another time but for example while we have no objections to the "donation" we had to make to the orphanage, we think there is room for improvement in how we had to make it.  Another example would be that we didn't have our in-country travel itinerary until just a few days before we left and there were aspects of it we would have done differently if we could have.

So, what is the future of this blog?  While, we recently started a "Krakower Family Blog" to document our family adventures (with pictures!  email me for the password but we do restrict it to family and friends) we will keep this blog going to discuss specific adoption related issues as they come.  While there will be no more status updates and posts might be less frequent we do feel there are many issues relating to adoption and our family that we would like to keep discussing.

Ready to Go!

We're all packed and ready to go. We decided to spoil the boys a bit today, we took them straight from school to get some ice cream "dinner" and then did pizza for "dessert". We then had an extended bed time and to top it off Benjamin choose "The Red Thread: An Adoption Story" as one of his book tonight. It was really hard putting them to sleep tonight knowing we won't see them again for over 2 weeks but we know we're leaving them in good hands and we'll be home before we know it. We're left them some guilt gifts and a paper chain so they can tear off a link every day we're gone and once all the links have been torn off, we'll be home!

Anyways, this will probably be the last post on this blog until we return. We do have every intention of keeping this blog going to discuss various adoption related activities. Until then follow our journey on our trip blog.

Praying for a safe journey!

Final "Family of 4 outing" and packing!

After a wonderful final "family of 4" outing to the Melting Pot it's back to packing.  We posted some pics of the mess in our room on the trip blog, but we still have lots of work to do!

We do want to mention how wonderful dinner was tonight.  We had made a reservation at the Melting Pot earlier in the week and told them that it was going to be our last outing as a family of 4 before we went to China to adopt our daughter.  When we got there they had balloons, a teddy bear, and a card waiting for us (on the house!).  It was very touching.  We then had some yummy melted cheddar cheese and even yummier melted chocolate 'smores (melted milk chocolate with marshmallow and graham crackers).  At the Melting Pot you have your choice of several fondue chocolate combos,  I though the "Yin-Yan" would have been appropriate but since it mixes dark chocolate (which Beth doesn't like) with white chocolate (which Benjamin doesn't like) it would have been up to Eli and me to eat it all...hmmm maybe not such a bad idea after all!  Anyways, many thanks to the awesome people at the Melting Pot (in Columbia, MD) and back to packing!

Final itinerary!

We finally got our in-country itinerary today!  The frustrating news we found out this week was that they changed the visa process from 2 days to1 day.  So, now after we already booked flights we learn that we could have returned on the 16th and been home in time for Benjamin's birthday (on March 17) but it's too late now!  It would cost a fortune to switch our flights at this point so we'll just have to make it up to him.

We posted the itinerary on our travel blog, you can check it out there if you have the password.  Email us if you don't and want it.

We got an Update!

In what has been an otherwise crummy week we did get an update on Eliana this week from the orphanage!  According to what they told us she is now about 33 inches tall and weighs 25lbs or about the same size as Eli.  Technically, she's his height (short) and weighs about 2lbs less (think Benjamin).  They also provided us with her current daily schedule which includes 4 rounds of formula (that will end quickly) including one before she wakes up (not sure how they pull that one off) and to our delight, she is attending now preschool.  We certainly will continue her at preschool but we imagine Bet Yeladim will be quite different than the preschool she's in now (less Chinese more Hebrew).

Otherwise, we're busy getting prepared for our trip.  Got our plane tickets this week and waiting on our in-country itinerary which may not come until the week before we leave.  Wish us luck as we continue this journey!

Travel Dates!

Last night we got our more official travel dates.  We're leaving March 2 and returning March 17 which of course is Benjamin's 6th birthday.  It'll kind of suck not being home for his birthday (as we aren't getting back in until very late) but we told him he can stay home from school on the 18th and we'll celebrate his birthday then as a family of 5! He was ok with it as long as Eliana brings him back a birthday present, don't think that'll be much of a problem.

Gotcha day is March 7! Or so we think based on the info we have so far from our agency.  They said we won't have final in-country dates until a week before we leave.  However, our conuslate appointment is on March 14 and arriving/departing dates are confirmed!  For those that have our password check out our tentative itinerary on our travel blog.

We're going in March

After a very long and anxious day of waiting, late this afternoon we finally got word that our agency could not get us a consulate appointment until March 14.  While we are a bit disapointed that we won't be traveling until March at least we know when we are going and can now plan accordingly.  They are still confirming some dates but it looks like we will be leaving on March 3 and returning on March 16.  We really really hope we'll be back on the 16th because the 17th is Benjamin's birthday and it would be really hard not to be there with him that day.  But it is what it is and we are excited just the same that Eliana will be home with us soon, just wish it was sooner!

Got our travel approval today!

Besides school being closed and Howard's work opening 2 hours late today we got the phone call we've been waiting for.  Our travel approval (TA) has finally gone through!  Our social worker said we should know our travel dates by Thursday.  Our travel dates will be based off our consulate appointment date (when Eliana gets her U.S. visa) which our agency is scheduling now.  We're hoping for an appointment date of Feb. 22 which means we would leave around Feb. 9 but it could be later.  Hopefully not too much later. We'll keep the posts coming!

Article 5

We learned yesterday that our Article 5 was issued.  What this basically means is that the U.S. Counsulate in Guangzhou notified the CCAA that we now are able to bring Eliana into the U.S.  This clears the way for CCAA to issue our TA which is our official invitation to travel to China and bring her home.  We should be getting this TA in a few weeks and once in hand we'll be able to make our travel plans!

When we travel to China will depend on when we can get our embassy appointment in Guangzhou to get her U.S. passport and visa.  As this date can vary quite a bit we can have anywhere from 5 days to 5 weeks notice before we travel.  So, we're now busy making travel preperations and finishing her room (a little more painting before her furniture is delivered on 12/29) her room! 

We're very excited!

I-800 Approved!

Today, as I was working in Eliana's room and saw the mailman deliver our mail  I had a good feeling.  So, I went outside and got the mail and sure enough there was mail from the DHS.  It was our I-800/I-800A approvals, a major step towards bringing Eliana home!

These approvals essentailly give us permission to bring Eliana into the U.S. and are the first steps towards obtaining her citizenship.  Next we have to submit these approvals and some other paperwork to China to get our official travel invitation.  Once we get that we can finally make our travel plans to bring her home.  Now we just have to wait for one more document (a formality now that we have the I-800 approvals) before we can send this next paperwork submission!

We're getting closer!  Good thing we bought the paint for her room today, she'll be home soon!