in a holding pattern

Our Article 5 paper, the document from the U.S. Consulate that tells the Chinese Adoption Authorities (CCCWA) that we have completed everything on the U.S.side of the adoption was picked up on February 6th, 2013.

Ordinarily this would start the countdown for our TA (Travel Approval)

BUT...

We are in a holding pattern.

Because there were only 2 days left until Chinese New Year began, our agency decided it would be best to hold off on mailing our A5 so that it wouldn't get lost in the shuffle while no one was working.

We are thankful that our agency is proactive in looking out for our best interest, but it leaves us and a few other families still waiting.

Our families have had a good chuckle knowing that our papers are being toted around in Elsie's backpack in China just waiting to be mailed.

The plan is that our papers will be mailed this Saturday, Feb. 16th in order to be received on Sunday, the 17th.

We will begin our official TA count on Saturday.

TAs have been arriving as early as 9 days and as late as 16 days.

Once we have TA, we will begin booking our flights and leaving within a week and a half to two weeks!

So, we embrace these last few weeks as we complete projects around the house and enjoy our last days as a family of 5.

From then on, our family begins a new kind of holding patttern...

Holding the hand of our precious treasure who has waited far too long for a family to call her own!