Movin' On Up

Well, every time I get all pouty and low and have wretched tear-filled breakdowns when I'm in the kitchen slicing pancetta, the universe resets itself or something and we get some good news.  As I noted a few days ago, we hadn't heard anything in a while and I was starting to feel like we'd stalled out somewhere in the twelve steps. 

Today, though, we got the happy news that we've moved on to Step 9!  Which means that our paperwork will soon be submitted to the visa unit for pre-approval (basically where they determine that our child is, indeed, an orphan in the legal sense and say that yes, we can bring her into the US).  Which means we're still weeks and weeks away from traveling and we have no idea how much time that approval will take, BUT! we're moving forward, and that's the important thing.  Movement - yes!  Having one less step ahead of us - yes!

As if that weren't enough, we also got our Travel Packet from our agency.  I guess Step 9 is the Travel Packet step, which I didn't realize, but hoo boy, did that give me a serious case of the OMGWOOHOOs!  It's got packing lists and a sample itinerary and details about the 5,000 more bits of paperwork we need to complete before, during and after our trip.  That is, our trip to bring our daughter home -- OMGWOOHOO! 

The Travel Packet also includes a list of Vietnamese phrases that may come in handy. 

They include (deep breath):  "I am your Mommy."

(Hanky!  I need a hanky over here!)

Also:  "We will never leave you."

(Hold me!)

I've started to imagine the moment we get the email (yes, it comes by email - such modern times, these) of our pre-approval (which will basically set off a chain of events that will result in our getting on a plane within a week or two, eeeep!), and it makes me so giddy I can hardly sit still.  (Of course I also imagine the moment when we see Noelle for the first time in person and hold her in our arms, but I'm a little cautious about thinking too much about that, because it's so monumental and dizzifying and HUGE and OMGICAN'TWAIT, and since we don't know WHEN it's going to happen it ends up making me feel all achy and eeeerrmmpphhhhh and a little wahhhh.)

At this point, without a miracle we won't meet Noelle before her first birthday; but I'm coming to be (sort of/not really/sort of) at peace with that, in part because I just have to, and in part because it's starting to feel more real that we actually WILL go and get her one day relatively soon, and it won't be SO long after her birthday (she turns eleven months this Sunday, le sigh).  I mean, I won't be jumping up and down to miss it, but in the foreseeable future, we'll have a date certain when we'll be going to get her, and we'll have lots and lots of birthdays to celebrate as a family every year thereafter.    

Comments

[Erika Jurney]

"We will never leave you" just completely undid me.

[-R-]

I was going to write exactly what Erika just did.

You are going to go to Vietnam soon to pick up your daughter!!!!! I cannot use enough exclamation points to express how excited I am for you!

[vague]

Awwww! I don't comment here enough (though I always read), but I just had to say how happy I am for you guys as you get closer and closer to bringing home your daughter. It's so exciting!

And yeah, "we will never leave you" pretty much made me reach out for a tissue without even thinking. Good thing there is a Kleenex box just there on the side table.

[Mary O]

I've been reading here for a while and just had to comment on this one. Those Vietnamese phrases had me crying too. Congrats on moving forward in the process.

[Becky]

I got goosebumps reading your post! I'm so glad that you reached another milestone - congratulations!
:) Becky
http://www.stinkylemsky.typepad.com/

[rachel]

You received the travel packet!! You're going to Vietnam!!

[metalia]

I may be crying right now from those Vietnamese phrases.

*sniff*

[Twangypearl]

This post is so touching. Many, many congratulations on step 9. At last!

[Jen]

Congrats! And thanks for the warning about the travel packet and the phrases. 'We will never leave you'...my heart just turned inside out. It seems you are two steps beyond us (We just got the Step 7 email. Really, I know you can count...sorry). I'm sad with you that it seems you may not be with Noelle for her 1st birthday.

Jen
WAITING for Trung in NT

[Danielle-Lee]

Total goosebumps!
I am so happy you are on Step 9! Noelle, your momma is getting closer!

[Leah]

We will never leave you. GAH.

[Judith]

sniff...I have to stop reading your blog, you make me cry all the time.

But it's good crying. Congratulations!

[Jessica V]

WOW! Your paperwork is moving so fast! Praying that it keeps it up!

[Heather M.]

Congrats on the speedy paperwork!!! It's your turn to be zooming for a while since you hung out on the waiting list for so long I guess! :)

Get packing...it sneaks up on ya!

Heather M.

[KellyG]

Ok, so now I've gotta find my hanky! The eternal butterflies in my stomach and nervous twitch in my eye only means it won't be long for us!! Ohhhh how I can't hardly bare the thought of waiting any longer...but we gotta!! Tanner and Noelle are waiting for us!!! Their MOMMAS!!!

[Sara]

Wow how exciting. I'm a total lurker. Been for months I can't even remember how I was linked to you but your journey has been so incredible.

"We will never leave you" . . ack! That just breaks my heart. That you even have to say that to a precious babe.

I'm hoping you get a miracle and make it out there for a birthday party.

[Paula]

HOOOOOOORRRRRAAAAAAYYYY! Nine is really, really good. Count on 45-50 business days exactly - we compared with 12 different families from many different agencies, and they were all in that range. Have fun packing - I'll email you some of my "must-haves" list. Oh, and DEFINITELY book the Ana Mandeleva (I'm not sure I spelled that right) in Dalat - it's on our next-time list for sure!