I just thought I would let you know where we are in the process. We are now just waiting for Travel Approval. This is when the Chinese govt calls our agency and says, ok, let them come get her. At that point our agency calls us and also begins working on getting us an appointment with the US Consulate in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. (This city is the site of the famous White Swan hotel -- which we will not be staying at this time.) Then our agency tells us when we should leave for China, based on when that appointment is. We will try to be ready to leave within a week.

If we get TA by the end of March, then chances are good we will be able to go to China in April. If we don't, then we will have to wait until mid to late May, due to a major national holiday in China the first week of May. They seriously celebrate Labor Day there -- in fact, it is a week in China. So nothing can get done then.

While everyone else in America is betting on college basketball, I'm putting all my bets into the "going-to-China-in-April" basket. Not that it matters .... it will happen when it happens.

In the meantime I am distracting myself by shopping for Baby Sister, packing for five people for this little family "vacation" we are taking (five people includes the baby - it does not include Robert. I have some pride!), and painting an absurd number of little pink and blue flowers all over the girls' bedroom walls.