BUMMER!

Our trip has been delayed by 1 week, so we won't be going until January 12th. We are really bummed about it, but not much we can do. Apparently there are some regulations as to how many adoptions can happen in a day, and they are booked up (to put it in simple terms) during the time we were planned to go, so we will go a week later. Everything happens for a reason....

Our first family ornament!

Cool Slideshows

Waiting again but happily and more peaceful this time...

Some days it seems to be flying by and others seem dreadfully long (I'm using my Simon Cowell accent there!). We are waiting for news of how Aislin is doing. It's getting close to her birthday, only 18 days until she is 1 year old...hope she gets her parcel for her birthday. I've been reading the websites and it seems the people from the US who got their referral a few days ahead of us, are travelling in mid December, I'm not sure why we aren't other than there are more delays with our paperwork since we received it later. It would be kind of neat to spend Christmas in China! Oh well, it will only be 10 days after that and we are on our way! I finish up work on the 29th of December. It's also nice that now adoptive parents qualify for parental leave, so I will hopefully be home with Aislin at least until September or later until something permanent opens up at work. My brain is Mommy mode now, panicking about all the things I don't know yet about being a Mom, I'm sure some of it will come as I go along. Anyway, we expect an update in the next week or two! Maybe they'll send along another picture!

TRAVEL DETAILS

As I prepared Ailsin's care package to send to her, In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride came on the radio, it was the perfect song, seemed meant to be. In her package we included a teddy bear, a blanket, a disposable camera (hoping care givers will take some pictures) a photo album with pictures of us, Angie & Kyle, my Mom and Dad and our two dogs and cat. We also included a bunch of chocolates for the caregivers. We are hoping maybe she'll get it for her birthday on December 10th.

Our tentative date of travel is January 5th,we are so excited. There seems to be so much to do between now and then! I'm so nervous and excited all at the same time. So much is happening all at once it seems, we waited so long and now BAM!

In about 3 weeks or so we should hear an update on Aislin's measurments, see how much she's grown! Can't wait to see her!!!

INTRODUCING MISS AISLIN!!!!

Here is our beautiful girl!!!
She is about 8kgs, 69cm long
Sleeps from 9:30 to 6:30am
Is a deep sleeper
Laughs out loud
Distinguishes between acquaintances and strangers
Is a quiet baby who loves music and playing with her toys!!!

I can't sleep

Tomorrow we see Aislin's face for the first time, I can't sleep...I am sick to my stomach..my nerves are really getting the best of me. I thought that if maybe I posted I'd be able to relax a bit and get some sleep. This road has been a tough one, though we've been actually been logged in China for 14 months, which might not seem that long in the whole scheme of things but I've been waiting my whole life to see my daughter's face. I've always wanted to be a wife and a mother, I am a traditional person in that sense. Five and a half years ago I met John, he made life different for me, for the first time in my adult life I could really be myself..John is the perfect man to be my husband, my first dream come true...and he is helping make my other dream come true. But this is not a journey we make alone. I feel it, I hear it in the voices of our families and close friends. They feel this too. My grandmother told me the other day as she teared up, "oh Tara, we've waited so long for this"...and she's right, she has been waiting just like we have. It's finally going to happen, I am going to be a Mommy, and now that all of my dreams are coming true, the rest is just the icing on the top of the cake. I'm overwhelmed with love for a little girl I don't even know yet, and soon she'll be in my arms and I can show her everyday how truly blessed I feel to be her mother.
I love you Aislin, I can't wait to bring you home.

PICTURE TOMORROW

We just got the call that we can pick up our referral package tomorrow! So we will be getting up at 6am to drive to Halifax for 8:30 to see Aislin's picture for the first time. Words cannot express the feeling we have right now!

Some Details of Aislin Sarah Fen Camilleri

Birthdate: December 10, 2005
Chinese Name: Jiang Cheng Fen
Her first name is Fen (means fragrant flower)
Jiang Cheng is her second and last name (same as the location of the orphanage!)
She is currently living in Yangjiang, Jiangcheng District Welfare Institute in Guangdong Province.
We are calling her second name Sarah after Tara's great grandmother.

We will be travelling to the city of Guangzhou probably beginning of January
We will hopefully be going to Halifax on Friday to pick up our referral package that includes her picture and all the other information and we will post it all as soon as we get home!!!!

I added a new link that will show you some information about Guangdong!

REFERRALS ARE HERE

WE MADE THE CUTOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY INCLUDED THE 25TH!!!! CAN'T WRITE MORE THROUGH TEARS, WE ARE JUST THRILLED AND WILL WRITE MORE AFTER WE HEAR FROM OUR AGENCY.
UPDATE: We heard from our agency and it's confirmed!