Visa update!

My agency gave me a form written by a previous adoptive parent with all of the directions for tracking a visa. Once we received the I600 approval, the directions said to start calling the NVC to see if they have received it. I called a couple of times last week and they had nothing. I called on Monday and they finally received it. The guy I talked to said our paperwork is logged in and could take 4-6 weeks for processing before it is sent out. Ugh. The directions from the adoptive parent said it typically takes 2-3 weeks for processing. Hmm. I called the NVC today just to see how things were going and guess what?! They've already processed it and sent it to the Consulate in Korea!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! It only took 2 days!!!!! Ok, let's stay calm here. Now one might assume that this would mean my sweet Poppy would be coming home about 3 weeks sooner than anticipated, but anything goes at this point. I'm trying really hard to not get my hopes up.

The next step is for her visa info to arrive at the Consulate in Korea and they forward it to our agency in Korea. The agency needs to fill out some paperwork and send it back to the consulate. Then comes the Visa interview, which typically takes a few weeks to schedule. Once the interview is complete, she should receive a Visa to come home within a few days. Then it's just up to the agency to arrange the travel plans with the escort. Then Poppy comes home and we are a family of three!!! Yipee!! We are in the home stretch!!!! I feel like I've been pregnant for 13 months and I'm starting to go into labor. I've been on the verge of tears (happy tears) all day long. The only thing that is going on in my head is "This is happening, she is coming home, she is coming home, she is coming home. Poppy is coming home."

And if Poppy is going to be home before we know it, I better start posting more quilt squares! These quilt squares are from Courtney, Jeff and Tucker. (Sorry Carter, they were from before you were born!)

Visa update!

My agency gave me a form written by a previous adoptive parent with all of the directions for tracking a visa. Once we received the I600 approval, the directions said to start calling the NVC to see if they have received it. I called a couple of times last week and they had nothing. I called on Monday and they finally received it. The guy I talked to said our paperwork is logged in and could take 4-6 weeks for processing before it is sent out. Ugh. The directions from the adoptive parent said it typically takes 2-3 weeks for processing. Hmm. I called the NVC today just to see how things were going and guess what?! They've already processed it and sent it to the Consulate in Korea!!!!! WHAT?!?!?! It only took 2 days!!!!! Ok, let's stay calm here. Now one might assume that this would mean my sweet Poppy would be coming home about 3 weeks sooner than anticipated, but anything goes at this point. I'm trying really hard to not get my hopes up.

The next step is for her visa info to arrive at the Consulate in Korea and they forward it to our agency in Korea. The agency needs to fill out some paperwork and send it back to the consulate. Then comes the Visa interview, which typically takes a few weeks to schedule. Once the interview is complete, she should receive a Visa to come home within a few days. Then it's just up to the agency to arrange the travel plans with the escort. Then Poppy comes home and we are a family of three!!! Yipee!! We are in the home stretch!!!! I feel like I've been pregnant for 13 months and I'm starting to go into labor. I've been on the verge of tears (happy tears) all day long. The only thing that is going on in my head is "This is happening, she is coming home, she is coming home, she is coming home. Poppy is coming home."

And if Poppy is going to be home before we know it, I better start posting more quilt squares! These quilt squares are from Courtney, Jeff and Tucker. (Sorry Carter, they were from before you were born!)

Poppy's traditional 1st birthday (Tol)

Can you even believe how adorable she looks in these pictures?! They came in the mail earlier last week and I have not stopped staring at them since. She is at her traditional Korean 1st birthday dressed in her hanbok. Part of the tradition is to place different objects in front of the baby and whichever one she chooses first indicates what she will be when she grows up. As you can tell from the pictures, Poppy chose the pencil, which means she will be a scholar! I am so incredibly grateful to her foster mother for giving her a beautiful birthday party and for sending us the pictures. Unexpected surprises like this make the wait for her to come home a little more bearable.

Poppy's traditional 1st birthday (Tol)

Can you even believe how adorable she looks in these pictures?! They came in the mail earlier last week and I have not stopped staring at them since. She is at her traditional Korean 1st birthday dressed in her hanbok. Part of the tradition is to place different objects in front of the baby and whichever one she chooses first indicates what she will be when she grows up. As you can tell from the pictures, Poppy chose the pencil, which means she will be a scholar! I am so incredibly grateful to her foster mother for giving her a beautiful birthday party and for sending us the pictures. Unexpected surprises like this make the wait for her to come home a little more bearable.

Still working on the nursery...

I get a lot of requests for new nursery pics, but believe it or not, it's still not done. We have been working on the nursery since about September. We like to work at a nice, slow pace. What has really been taking a long time is the amount of wordwork. Marc has spent countless hours replacing the molding around the windows and baseboards and doors. And the doors were in pretty rough shape, so Marc searched around and found old replacement doors that were in much better condition. So here are a few pics of what has been going on with the nursery lately.


And this is just an example of what happens when you try to make improvements on old houses- what was supposed to be as simple as changing out the door, has turned into replacing lots of woodwork and part of the wall.

As you can see, these little projects take a lot of time, but it will be worth it when Poppy has the coolest room on the block.

Moving onto more fun and exciting things, check out these absolutley adorable red shoes I picked up for Poppy at the children's consignment shop down the street. I have a feeling I am going to become very good friends with the lady who owns the shop - they are always filled with the cutest clothes!!! Seriously, do little girl shoes get any cuter than this?!

And now I am off to meet Courtney and some friends at the Melting Pot for dinner and then we're going to see Sex and the City. I am so excited I can barely stand it!!!

Still working on the nursery...

I get a lot of requests for new nursery pics, but believe it or not, it's still not done. We have been working on the nursery since about September. We like to work at a nice, slow pace. What has really been taking a long time is the amount of wordwork. Marc has spent countless hours replacing the molding around the windows and baseboards and doors. And the doors were in pretty rough shape, so Marc searched around and found old replacement doors that were in much better condition. So here are a few pics of what has been going on with the nursery lately.


And this is just an example of what happens when you try to make improvements on old houses- what was supposed to be as simple as changing out the door, has turned into replacing lots of woodwork and part of the wall.

As you can see, these little projects take a lot of time, but it will be worth it when Poppy has the coolest room on the block.

Moving onto more fun and exciting things, check out these absolutley adorable red shoes I picked up for Poppy at the children's consignment shop down the street. I have a feeling I am going to become very good friends with the lady who owns the shop - they are always filled with the cutest clothes!!! Seriously, do little girl shoes get any cuter than this?!

And now I am off to meet Courtney and some friends at the Melting Pot for dinner and then we're going to see Sex and the City. I am so excited I can barely stand it!!!

Poppy update!!!

I was kinda moping around the house Saturday morning with the prospect of a day's worth of housework hanging over my head, when I decided to check the mail. Oh boy, did my frown turn upside down in the flash of a second! Waiting for us was a small package from our agency with updated pictures of Poppy that were taken last week. Scribbled on a little note card dated May 16, it says "Han Yeong is healthy, happy, very shy. Eats and sleeps well. Good baby." You can definitely tell she is shy by looking at the pictures. She is clinging to her foster mother in most of them. Here is my favorite one...