China said YES!!!!

So, you know something? All you have to do apparently, is type up a whole long blog post about how it will be another week at least before you have any news about your adoption and then bam! You get news the very next day!

This morning around 11:30, after schooling Syd in math, science, composition, and history...I retired upstairs to process the second of four photography sessions I will shoot this weekend. I had my Mac mail opened and my Blackberry in my pocket. You know, just in case. :)

I was having a little trouble concentrating and each time I would load more images into Photoshop {it's time consuming since there are many and they are large!}, I'd toggle over to the RQ {China adoption guru lady...sooo helpful!} and see what the news of the day was. I saw that several people had been told their PA's came today. {Remember yesterday? PA=Preliminary Approval} One even said that their LOI {Letter Of Intent} was October 8th {ours was the 7th} and they got PA today. So, my heart sank a tad knowing that it was a day apart from ours and that we may or may not hear today. Not that we've even begun to really wait for this gorgeous boy yet...but still, when others get news, you're so curious if the trend will continue and some good stuff will come your way too!

I looked at the clock, 11:45. I thought to myself, "Well, WACAP isn't even open yet. So don't have an attack or anything yet, Kam!" They're on the West Coast and so they open at noon our time. Which is actually pretty nice. I go on with my editing and I'm rocking through a senior session for Tara's son and look up, it's after 1pm.

Crud.

Oh, well. I just thought we'd have an email by now if we got our coveted PA from China. So, I finish up what I'm doing. Load pictures into FB. Walk downstairs and start to get ready to leave for some flu shots {for the kiddies. Jase and I had ours last week}. I didn't even hear the phone ring...I think Kennedy was on with a friend. She brings it to me and says, "Mama, it's some lady...I'm not sure who it is."

Immediately, I figure it is one of the many collection agencies who are searching high and low for Mandy. Whoever the hockey she is. Poor girl. There are all kinds of people looking for her the last two weeks. And bummer...they think I'm her. Well, bummer for them. Not for me. Cause, Mandy, they don't sound happy. :(

Anyway, I say "hello" and I totally recognized the "Hi Kam" voice. My heart is pounding already.

"This is Beth at WACAP".

"Hi Beth. How are you?"...nice nice.

"I'm fine. I have some good news for you..."

"Beth! Do you have our PA???"

"I have your PA!!!"

Hallelujah and praise the Lord. It came. Whew. Now I know that it's only Preliminary Approval. But it's the first major hurdle. And it means we can start our home study without reservation and get going on all of this paperwork that will help bring our baby boy home. I really thought I'd be all weepy but you know, I'm just plumb dumb excited!

I wasn't expecting a call at all. Our past experience with our 2nd {and longest} Thailand coordinator was that news always came in an email. So this was a breath of fresh air. Wow. We talked for 30 minutes. Beth, from what I can tell, is just a fantastic person. So nice and encouraging and knowledgeable. Very easy to talk to. That goes a long way with me.

I'm sad to say that we can't show his picture publicly via the web until LOA {Letter of Acceptance} comes. And folks, that will be a looong while from now. :( But it's all good. Trust me, he's a prince of a fellow. Just adorable. The first time Tara saw him she said, "Oh my gosh he is beautiful!!!" And my mom? Well, she's been in love for weeks with his picture. He's a keeper for sure. :) But honestly, we all have a thing for these beautiful Asian kiddos around here anyway!

Wow. I keep saying that over and over again. Wow, God. I'm in awe of what you are doing! We are ready! Home study packet and check are making their way to the big city right now and our first meeting should be soon. Holy moly. We have another son!