Update on Emily 1/28/09

Chinese New Year was Monday, January 26. The Chinese typically will use this holiday to go to their homes to visit their familes. The government offices have shut down until February 2. Because of this, there will be a hold on all approvals at this time. My estimate is that it will take approximately 1 week for any travel approvals to be received in the United States. There seem to be a few people in front of us waiting for their approvals, however, China typically will send a packet of several travel approvals at a time. At this time I am thinking we will receive out travel approval in 2 weeks. And our fingerprinting paperwork should be coming in around that time also. When both approvals are in, we can make our appointment with the chinese consulate in Guangzou, China and start to plan our journey for Emily. Most of you who know me know that I really believe in karma and that dates and events are truly significant. I am having a strong feeling that we will be in China for Kevin's (Snuffy's) birthday on March 29. Perhaps that will be the "gotcha date" or our adoption date in China. Only time will tell. The latest update on Emily states she is a "firecracker"!!! Runs and walks everywhere, loves the outside, talks ALL the time (catonese), is still in diapers-uses a bottle-and is still sleeping in a crib, even though she crawls out and loves to sleep on the floor. (Uh-Oh) But she does sound like a healthy 2 year old!!!

Our daughter Emily

This is Zhao Si Yue.

Soon to be called Emily Mei Chlebowski. She is 2 years old. She was born 11/13/2006 in ZhaoQing City, China. She is currently residing at the social welfare institute in ZhaoQing City, China. The name Emily is named after her grandpa, Emil, and the name Mei is chinese for sister-as she and Hannah will forever be bonded as sisters. We reveiwed her medical exam with our physician and requested pre-approval to consider her as our daughter on 9/24/08. We received the pre-approval from Beijing, China on 10/24/08. After the chinese officials reviewed our paperwork (Dossier), we received our letter of agreement for adoption on 1/5/09. We were fingerprinted at the United States Citizen and Immigration Office on 1/9/09. From these fingerprints, we are awaiting our final approval to adopt this little girl. We are awaiting the travel approval from China but without the form from the fingerprints stating we are approved to adopt Emily, we are unable to make an appointment with the chinese consulate to complete adoption in China. Our agency, Families Thru International Adoptions, is projecting us to travel around the beginning to middle of March. According to the chinese guidelines, Emily is considered special needs. She was born prematurely and had low birth weight (approximately 5 lbs) and is reported to have slow physical growth, which puts her at a smaller statute than the "average" 2 year old from China. Her developmental growth is reported to be on target according to the chinese medical exam and history. We asked for an update when we received the letter of approval. The orphanage told us that she was in very good condition. She is very smart and she can speak a lot (cantonese). She can walk and run on her own. She is very outgoing. She is always happy. They also state that when we receive our travel approval, we will receive an update on sizes and measurements. As far as the United States and the China governments are concerned-----SHE IS ALL OURS!!! Please help us to welcome this little girl into our family as we anxiously await our approval to adopt in China and our travel approval.

Our daughter Hannah

This is Hannah

She is 6yrs old. She was born in Fuling, China. She became part of our forever family when she was 8 months old. Her middle name is Jayne, which is named after her "Big Busia" (polish for grandma). She is anxiously awaiting her sister, Emily, who was born and residing in Zhaoqing City, China. Hannah is in first grade at Olive Elementary, which is in New Carlisle. When asked what she wanted to do in her adult life, she originally wanted to be a mermaid-until she realized the lake was too dirty to live in and she could not talk all of her family and friends into moving to the ocean. She then wanted to be a cheerleader-until she asked how much money they make. Now, after careful consideration, she has hopes and dreams to become a veterinarian. She does love animals and bugs so this may be an actual option for her. Only time will tell. She loves staying at home and being what she calls a "homebody". She enjoys playing the Nintendo DS and the WII. She is very competitive and hates to lose, but after a few slamming of her bedroom door episodes and asking why we did not "let" her win, she is learning that losing is also part of the game. She also enjoys watching television. Cartoons, Drake & Josh, and Wizards of Waverly Place are a few of her favorites. She also enjoys a good Disney movie. She often will ask to help out in the kitchen as she likes helping to cook and bake pretty much anything. She is involved in gymnastics and has hopes to join the gymnastics team at Gymnastics Michiana soon. She takes swimming/diving lessons in the summer and seems to enjoy this as well. In the winter, Hannah is crazy about snow and will even offer to shovel the driveway just to "play" in the cold white stuff. She has 6 very special friends that she calls her "China Sisters (Aubrianna, Lilly, Mary Catherine, Violet, Cassidy, and Meridith), who returned to the United States with their forever families when Hannah did. They are all from Fuling, China and were playmates while there. They see each other throughout the year and seem to have an unbreakable bond to this day.