On the boat!

I'm on a boat, I'm on a boat
Everybody look at me
'Cause I'm sailing on a boat

I'm soooo excited to have that tune running through my head (minus the explicatives!). We received our Article 5 on Monday! This is the preliminary approval of Cadence's immigration file from the US consulate in China. It is required in order for China is give us our last "piece of paper" (at least stateside) - our travel approval. This process generally takes 2-4 weeks, although I know someone who is currently in week 6 of the wait. Please send some speedy vibes our way. I DO NOT want to wait that long!! After we get travel approval (TA) we will probably leave in about 2 weeks. By my calculations, if things go as quickly as possible, we could be leaving the week of August 25th. Wow! I can hardly believe we are at this point! We received the referral for Cadence 3 months ago, yet it feels like she has been part of our lives for so much longer.

As for the boat analogy, someone in a yahoo adoption group started it and the phrase for this stage of the adoption has stuck. Everyone is excited to get "on the TA boat" with the arrival of the Article 5 but just as anxious to get "off the boat" and head to China. As I've said before I have a couple of notebooks full of paperwork for this adoption. Almost 2 years ago, when I first bought this notebook to hold the growing pile of papers, Sierra drew a picture. It is a large ship in the ocean with 4 people standing on it, including one looking out of the crow's nest with a telescope. The boat is complete with a heart on the mast. I put this picture in the clear front cover of the notebook and see it everytime I do anything adoption related. Our family is on a journey. Long, sometimes treacherous & exhausting, but wonderful all the same. A journey to complete our family when we bring home one beautiful little girl from China. We're on the boat!