New Pictures of Ruthie Joy!

Look at this blessing!!! Pictures of our precious precious daughter and the gift of capturing her face seeing her family for the first time. A friend of mine picked up her daughter from Ruthie's orphanage, the Shanghai Children's Welfare Institute. She delivered a package from us and was able to meet and pray over Ruthie Joy! Ruthie was just returning from her PT and on her way to lunch ~ a little tired and hungry. But cute as cute!

You can see a lot of her personality from the pictures. She is oh so sweet and beautiful!

Seeing her family for the first time ~

Almost can hear her in her soon to be southern accent saying, "Oh My!" as she sees all 8 of us.

Is she about to clap?
(I wonder if the look on the nanny face is due to the translation of Ruthie being on of 7 children?)

That will be me holding her just like that very soon! Such a serious little face.




This is where the pictures get really really sweet

LOOK AT THAT SMILE!~

Doesn't get any sweeter than a kiss blown from China! and to see the tenderness and connection you have with your nanny. You are loved!

My sweet Ruthie Joy, I caught it!

Adoption Update

Ruthie at 15 months

Yesterday we received all our documents from the Chinese Consulate. 12 documents (medical report, birth certificates, financial reports, police clearances, homestudy, letter of intent ...). Each document had to be notarized, then we needed a seal from the county, state, state department and then the Chinese Consulate. All to verify they were real authenticate documents. Next to packing to travel this part is the most stressful part for me. Each document has to be less than 6 months old, the staples after a seal has been applied cannot be tampered with or removed (even if the clerk got all of the papers out of order). The stack of documents has grommets and staples and you have to work around them to get good copies. It is DONE!~ Yipeee.

We are now on day 27 waiting for our I-800A approval. The average wait is about 60 to 70 days. Once we receive this approval we will copy the approval letter, write a letter stating it is a true and original copy, notarize it, take it to the county, state, mail it to a courier to take to the State Department and then to the consulate. It will then be sent to our agency BAAS and the following Friday we will be DTC (dossier to china). Then we line up in for the next approval!

I am getting so very excited and love all the great celebrations along the way. I love little Ruthie Joy! I cannot get enough of her sweet little face. I just cannot believe she is my daughter. I am so grateful to God for the opportunity to adopt again. I am blessed beyond words to have another daughter!