Matches are in...

While we haven't heard the "official" cut-off date for this set of matches, we can almost say for certain that the cut-off is March 2, 2006. Only 2 days worth of referrals since the last set. This batch was small mostly for two reasons: 1) they just wanted to get a few referrals out before the Chinese New Year started; and 2) this was the second group of matches in less than 30 days. On the good side, expedited families (those who have Chinese ancestry and are on a faster track than the rest of us) got referrals this month, so yeah to them!!

With every batch, we are just that much closer to our daughter.

UPDATE: March 2nd is officially the cutoff!! Only 134 more referral days to go...

Food Glorious Food!

We LOVE food in this house. This was a recent recipe that was made for our annual gourmet birthday dinner with our friends Judy and Steve. Judy and I get together early and cook up a storm for all of us. Many beverages were consumed and great food was eaten. Every year, we do a different ethnicity - this year was Tex-Mex. This recipe comes from that meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. YUM!!

Shredded Beef

2 1/2 pounds chuck roast
salt (as needed)
thyme (as needed)
red chile powder (as needed)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt

With a damp towel wipe the chuck roast. Sprinkle the salt, thyme, and red chile powder on both sides. Rub the seasonings in well.

In a large, heavy casserole place the seasoned chuck roast, onion, and garlic. Fill it half way up with water, and cover.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Bake the roast for 6 hours. Raise the heat to 325 degrees fro the last half hour. Add more water if needed. Remove the roast, shred it, and toss it together the salt.

It's That Time Again...

Well, it’s that time again… to refile in order to receive our I-171H form (Notice of Favorable Determination Concerning Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition). This is going to be our THIRD time doing this. I just hope that three times is the charm!!

So, what does that mean? Well, you submit the I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition), along with a home study (prepared by our social worker, who also needs all of our police clearances and letters from our doctors stating that we’re still fit to adopt a child), 2 checks, and you get fingerprinted. After USCIS looks at (1) your application, (2) your adoption home study report, and (3) your fingerprint results, they issue your I-171H, which says (in essence): you’re okay with us. The I-171H does not approve you for the adoption of a particular child. There are other forms that are submitted on behalf of the child you’re trying to adopt.

Note: the I-171H is only valid for 18-months and our fingerprints are only valid for 15-months. So hopefully we won't be doing this again in another 18 months. YUCK!!

Shayna, Rest in Peace

Tonight, Shayna let us know that she needed to play with the other kitties in heaven. She is finally at peace. This photo is one of the last photos I took of her only 2 weeks ago.

Shayna was my trusted companion for over 19 years. She was with me through the good and the bad times, always greeting me with meows and lavishing me with purrs and attention. She even grew to love Robert (not an easy task for her because she had issues trusting anyone besides her mommy). Those two just loved to have their afternoon naps and snuggles together. She is truly going to be missed by both of us.

Ending The Year On A Good Note

Well, the CCAA got another batch of referrals out this month. They are now through February 28, 2006, a 5-day referral batch. There will probably be another quick turnaround for matches before the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Ox begins on January 26). We shall see. We are now 136 more referral days to go. Yipee!! So close, but yet so far!!

Hanukkah 2008

Last weekend we had Robert's family here for Hanukkah. I'm a bit late on posting because I just kept forgetting to download all of the photos. We had lots of food (I am a Jewish mom-to-be, you know...). I made eggplant dip, spanakopita, veggie lasagna, garlic bread, and potato latkes with apple sauce. All vegetarian so my mother-in-law and brother-in-law could eat. My nieces had a great time and are growing up so fast. They especially loved the American Girl dolls that Grandma and Uncle David bought them. Here's the whole gang! The joys of self-timers...

Toxic melamine is suspected in seafood from China

Industry experts and businesspeople in China say that the industrial chemical has been routinely added to fish and animal feed to artificially boost protein readings. This is just a short excerpt, for the complete story, click here.

By Don Lee and Tiffany Hsu
December 24, 2008

Reporting from Los Angeles and Shanghai -- Melamine in Chinese-produced milk powder has sickened hundreds of thousands of children and added to a growing list of made-in-China foods banned across the globe. Now, some scientists and consumer advocates are raising concerns that fish from China may also be contaminated with the industrial chemical.

China is the world's largest producer of farm-raised seafood, exporting billions of dollars worth of shrimp, catfish, tilapia, salmon and other fish. The U.S. imported about $2 billion of seafood products from China in 2007, almost double the volume of four years earlier, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

But industry experts and businesspeople in China say that melamine has been routinely added to fish and animal feed to artificially boost protein readings. And new research suggests that, unlike in cows and pigs, the edible flesh in fish that have been fed melamine contains residues of the nitrogen-rich substance.

Melamine, commonly used in plastics and dishware, can lead to urinary problems such as kidney stones and even renal failure.

Happy Hanukkah!

It's that time of year when presents are given and received. The only one I truly want is the one that I can't have - my daughter. It's been 2 years, 5 months and 1 week since we've been logged in and it feels like so much longer. One of these years I'll get the present that we've always dreamed of - being a family...

December Referrals are in

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before Feb. 23, 2006. A 6-day referral month. Only 141 days worth of referrals to go...

Orphanage Donation Increase

Well, it's official... the China Center of Adoption Affairs has announced that the orphanage donation/child rearing fee will increase to 35,000 RMB (roughly $5,000 - $5,100), effective January 1, 2009. Let's hope that this will lead to a speed up in the referral rates. Time will tell...

Note: the old fee was $3000 USD which had been unchanged over the past decade, so they were due for an increase I guess...