Hannah

For almost 20 years I've heard Donna talk of wanting to be married and of wanting to be a Mother. Now she is not only married, but also a Mom!!! Congrats to Donna, Eric and Hannah!

Look how big we're getting!

Since nothing major is happening on the adoption front, I thought I would show a new picture of the goslings. They are getting so big and are just starting to get their feathers. Their biggest talent thus far...pooping, pooping and pooping!

We also have a baby bunny living in our back garden. Its talent is finding my tender young flowers and eating them, whilst skillfully avoiding tender young weeds...funny how that works.



I-171H Update:
According to USPS.com, our home study and I-171H application were received by USCIS in Atlanta at 7:04 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24. Now the supposed 4 week countdown begins. Look, not only do I stalk the postman, but I stalk online too!

At the mercy of USCIS...Again!

Our home study has been completed, approved, notarized, and mailed along with our I-171H* to the USCIS. So now, I join so many others, in the waiting game. I'll be gnawing my fingernails, stalking the mailman, complaining to everyone who will listen, and even those don't listen, about how long this step is taking. I have been told by the Atlanta CCAI office, that USCIS in Atlanta, generally takes 4 weeks for approval processing. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the case, as I read of so many people waiting much longer. In fact, today, one of the posters on my CCAI news group, said that they have been waiting 10 weeks for the approval of their I-171H. They are in Pennsylvania though, so, I am not going to let their long wait stress me out...Yeah right!!!

*The "I-171H," also known as the "Notice of Favorable Determination," is an approval from the U.S. Government (namely the FBI and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services – USCIS), for us to adopt internationally.

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Leave me comment, and let me know what fun name you come out with!

Baby food for Funshine

One of the blogs that I enjoy reading is Do They Have Salsa in China? I enjoy reading about Rod's passion for Mexican food and his anticipated need to search it out during his weeks in China. That being the case, when my girlfriend Angela sent me some pictures to make me smile, I realized that I had the perfect baby food for Funshine. What else would the baby of a Texan need? Maybe Funshine will be a spicy Hunan baby and will put Rod's spice tolerance to the test!

Fingerprinting was a breeze!

Yes, this building is still labeled as an INS Service Center. I guess all those increased fees and big changes to upgrade the INS to BCIS and then to USCIS, didn't reach this lowly building, where fingerprinting is done in the basement "lower" level. Actually, I can't complain at all, as we arrived just after 7:00 a.m. and even though we were scheduled for 8:00 a.m., they allowed us in, and even took us right away! On top of that, Eammon had a fingerprinting appointment scheduled for next week, for his N-400, Application for Naturalization, and they allowed him to be fingerprinted for that too. There was one downside to getting fingerprinted so quickly, we finished well before any of the wonderful restaurants opened, so I didn't get to pick a restaurant for lunch.

Lopsidedness can be rewarding!

When we first purchased our home, just over a year and a half ago, Eammon and I both loved that we backed up to the water, and we were also attracted to the small lawn and the beautifully manicured shrubs and garden beds. I don't know why the smaller grassy area appealed to me, as mowing is a blue job, and not one that I would have to worry about...other than listening to Eammon complain that he either has to mow, or complaining that he had to mow. My outdoor responsibilities are the shrubs and the gardens, and trust me, I got screwed on this bargain as the shrubs and garden beds don't seem to end. I needed to trim the shrubs, and my old hedge trimmer, had bit the dust, so I purchased a new Hedge trimmer. Thus, I have been spending the past number of days butchering trimming all of the shrubs surrounding our home. I have 2 sides of the house finished thus far, because as I go along, I weed, and cleaning up all the trimmings, takes forever. I figure another 2 or 3 days and I will be finished with all the shrubs.

 
The previous owners loved working in the yard, they were retired, that's what they did, so all the shrubs were trimmed beautifully. The down side...I have to keep up the shrub trimming, or it looks like crap. I think that, if the former owners drove by, they would have heart failure, to see the state of the lopsided shrubs, but their eyes would bug out if they saw all the fantastic changes that have been made to the interior of the house. So, why am I on this little jaunt? Sunday, I was watching The CBS Sunday Morning Show and they showed a man, Pearl Fryar, who's yard was just amazing. He said that it takes 2 weeks to trim all the topiaries, and by that time, he has to start all over again. He does all the trimming with hedge trimmer and snippers...just like me! I on the other hand, do the shrubs once in the spring, and begrudgingly, and only what I have to do, in the fall. I do plant and pull weeds all the time, but the shrubs kill me.

So, I spent the day doing yard work, and by the time I finished, my arms, my hands and my back were all screaming in pain. I asked Eammon, what he would like for dinner, thinking maybe, he would want to take me out, but NOOOOO, he says that he would LOVE for me to make sushi. So, after a long day in the yard, I compromised and made what I call lazy sushi...all nigiri. I had grilled eel at home, so I went to the store, for tuna and salmon. I could only find sushi grade salmon, so we ended up having a full plate of saki (salmon) and unagi (eel) nigiri. Isn't it lovely!!

Sometimes it pays to stalk the postman

After dinner last night, I checked the mailbox again, and was happy to find a package, (for me!!) but even better and more important, was a letter from Homeland Security. Our I-600A fingerprint appointment letters had arrived!! In less than a week, we will be going down to lovely Buford Highway to get our fingerprints taken...hmm, so many wonderful restaurants down there, where shall we have lunch?

Anticipation...

OK, OK... I realize, that playing the Carly Simon song in my mind while waiting for the Heinz ketchup to come out is not the same anticipation, now that I have a giant sized squeeze bottle of the red stuff. Also now that I think about it, I don't really look forward to the Boca Burger, ketchup or no ketchup but this is what I do in my ongoing attempt to try and help Eammon lower his cholesterol. Of course though I taunt him, by continually telling him that in my attempt to to help him lower his cholesterol, mine dropped to 112 mg/dL (2.9 mmol/L for my U.K. family and friends) and yes, I am bragging. Though my numbers have never been high, I am still pleased that they are lower.

So what got me on this little rant? A few things contributed to this; First, I realized that I'm suffering from a new disease. Thanks to Mary-Mia, for discovering this new disease, EMS and for informing me and it seems many, soon to be adoptive parents that we suffer together from the same symptoms. When I first read about EMS I tried to deny it as I said to myself, "even though I know that the mail does not arrive before 5PM, it might just be there" or "it's good cardio exercise walking to the mail box and opening that little door numerous times a day, must count as strength training" or better yet, "it smells so gorgeous outside with the jasmine and honeysuckle all in bloom, I just want to breathe in the fresh air". But in the end, truth be told, I'm addicted to checking my mailbox and I continue to be disappointed as nothing has arrived yet from USCIS. Help Mary-Mia, is there a 12 step program for this or do you think we should start an EMS support group?

OK, second on my list of why I am on this anticipation rant. When I was going out of the subdivision this morning, I saw all the pool furniture neatly arranged around the recently cleaned pool all in preparation for the pool opening on May 21st, the day after school lets out. Yes, schools in Cobb County finish their year on May 20th! But what it got me thinking about was, I have NEVER gone to our pool. When open, it is filled with children and their parents, it's loud and busy, so I have preferred to sit on my dock at waters edge, reading my book, listening instead to ducks, geese and bird songs. But then I realized, next year at this time, I will be looking forward to the pool opening, so that I can bring little baby Shanahan. How cool is that??

Well, my anticipation rant is over as I need to go do some weeding and yard work. I think I'll check the weeds near the mailbox first...just in case.

Eammon's new passport arrived!

I am very pleased to say, that both the U.S. Department of State Passport Office and the British Embassy Passport Office are doing a great job getting passports processed and returned in a timely manner. Now I hope that all our other paperwork goes as smoothly.

It's babies galore!

I love this time of year, when all the ducklings and goslings are born. We have so many new ones this year. There are the geese, Jo and JoJo who are always here, with their 4 goslings and then we have two other pairs of nesting geese, one with 3 and the other with 5 goslings. Then there are the ducks. We have seen one duck with 9 ducklings, one with 6, one with 5, another with 4 and lastly, one with 2. It is so fun to sit and watch them all. Daily, Jo and JoJo with their goslings and a duck with her ducklings peck at the french doors wanting to be fed. I am not good at ignoring them so we have been running through all the bread and saltine crackers in the house. There is one downside to all the new families, our backyard is a minefield of poo, you must be wary of where you step!

No more disposable organs for my man!

It has been a long day already and it is just past noontime. Eammon and I were up at 4:30 this morning so that I could get him to the hospital for his gall bladder surgery. The surgery went well...Eammon slept right through it. Here is the really sad part of my day though. The staffer in the surgery waiting area recognized me. Luckily not by name, but she recognized me by my frequent visits to the hospital, this being Eammon's fourth surgery in 11 months. I told Eammon that this is it, no more, he has run out of disposable organs, this is his last surgery ever!! The one good thing about this surgery is that unlike his emergency appendectomy, 2 days after it ruptured, this was scheduled and he seems to have breezed through it and doesn't need to spend a week in the hospital. I spent my time in the waiting area, sitting on another uncomfortable hospital chair, watching people eat Italian cream cake at 7:30 in the morning. Hey, free cake in the waiting area, guess they figure why not!

USPS is smiling on me

I am very pleased and surprised, the packages mailed on Thursday, our I-600A to the USCIS in Atlanta and documents to be authenticated, to the NYC Consulate General of the Peoples Republic of China, have already been delivered. Hopefully both agencies will process the paperwork in a timely manner. I am most concerned with the application sent to USCIS as the sooner we can have that approved, the sooner we can have our fingerprints taken and then submit our I-171H which is the next step we need to complete.

At least one person in the Shanahan home will be fashionably dressed

Now I am not a clothes person, I'm very happy in my tee shirts and Birkenstocks. Poor Eammon, he is a victim of my fashion choices as he hasn't been into a clothing store in over 6 years, but maybe things will be different for our little girl.

This morning, the Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul held their 2nd annual Sweet P's Arts Festival. Since I was was walking by I decided to take a look. Well I hit upon a booth that was wonderful, and I couldn't resist buying some outfits for baby Shanahan. The children's clothing in this booth was just awesome. Almost all of the clothing was made by Lurlyne Williams and was designed by her daughter, Stephanie. Now here was my dilemma, since we're adopting I have a vague idea of when we'll be traveling to pick up Baby S, but even with that I have no real idea how old she'll be. Sure, we asked for AYAP (as young as possible) but that could be 6 months or it could be 12 months of age at referral. So this is what I did, the outfit in the top picture on the right, I bought size 18 months, the outfit that Lurlyne is holding is size 24 months and the outfit with the hat is a size 3. I figure this way I have baby S covered. Honestly if I could have, I would have bought one of each outfit as they were all so well made and adorable. I was looking at their website and down the road, I am sure I will be purchasing additional outfits for Baby S.

No, you may not date until you are thirty-five!

Today I found a fantastic website, Audio Tutorial of Survival Chinese . My favorite phrase thus far, is under the parenting section. No, you may not date until you are thirty-five!

Hip Hip Hurray!!!

Today is going to be a busy day. Eammon's birth certificate arrived in last nights mail...YEAH!! It has been fully authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in London and is now the very first completed document for our dossier. Much thanks to Eammon's brothers: Michael, for getting the birth certificate and to Tim, for running it all over getting it properly stamped, documented and authenticated.

Well now that I have this, as soon as the photocopy place, the bank and the post office open, I'm going to get all of the necessary documents copied and get bank cheques so that I can mail out our I-600A application to USCIS. YEAH... I am so excited!! I'll also call the social worker and drop off the documents to her. Also today I have a package of documents ready to send to the Chinese Embassy in NYC, so that too will be sent out. After all this is completed this morning, I will go and have a nice lunch with my girlfriend Teresa at Atlanta Bread Company, and enjoy my afternoon!

Boys and their toys

Eammon's new love


Eammon being Vanna White


Eammon's side table
Eammon has been deciding for the past year, which t.v. he was going to get and now that he has made his purchase he is a very happy boy. Look at all of the remotes and still, I'm not allowed to hold one! Do you think that maybe while he is clutching all his remotes and watching t.v. with his eyes closed and his snoring going full force, if I exchanged just the t.v. remote for a calculator...do you think he would notice?

USCIS on a different front

On April 14, 2005, we filed form N-400, Application for Naturalization (Eammon's application for U.S. citizenship) with USCIS. Well, today we got a response, telling us that they received the application, the fee and the additional fingerprint fee. Wonderful, right? Not so fast. The letter then goes on to state, do not to expect to hear anything, for a period of, no less than 450 days...yes, you read that correctly, it is NOT a typo, four hundred and fifty days!!!! Gosh, I hope that when we file with all the adoption applications they are a lot quicker. Imagine if they didn't go through all the name changes, from INS to BCIS to USCIS, and then raise all their fees to be more efficient! If everything goes according to schedule, our daughter will be a U.S citizen before Eammon!

Our first authenticated document!

When I arrived home this afternoon there was a call from Eammon's brother Tim, letting me know that Eammon's fully authenticated birth certificate has been mailed to us!!! I can't wait to have it in my hot little hands as we will now be able to file our I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) with USCIS and get a copy to the social worker so that she can finish her report. We still need to get some pictures of us together and with other people so maybe this weekend we'll do that. We are so bad at taking pictures, especially if we have to be in them!

We did NOT have to have the final home study visit!

The social worker emailed, letting me know that we do not have to do another face to face meeting. She said that she really has all the information that she needs and as soon as I get a photocopy of Eammon's birth certificate to her she'll be able to finish up our reports. She let me know that if we have any further questions we can call her and she'll help us over the phone. I am so, so happy that we don't have to do another face to face as my patience for the process has worn thin.

Now if I leave the country, at least I can get back in!

I can't believe it, my new passport has arrived already! The U.S. Department of State Passport Office website states that normally it takes 6 weeks for a standard renewal and I received mine in only two weeks...glad that I didn't pay extra to expedite the passport process. I probably received it so quickly since I was in no rush...if I really was in a crunch and needed it, I would probably be waiting the full 6 weeks, if not longer! We are hoping that Eammon's passport arrives just as quickly as mine.

CT & MA Secretaries of State are on the ball!

I received my certified documents back from both the Connecticut Secretary of State and the Massachusetts Secretary of State. Both offices were very fast, in fact I received the documents before the checks were presented to my bank! See those pretty gold seals...that must be why I had to pay all those fees!

Slip sliding away............

Eammon has been sick, so this afternoon I took him to the doctor's surgery. He started filling out all the forms but was struggling with them, so he handed them off to me. I am sitting there filling out all the forms and he says to me, "Treacle, don't think I feel so well, not sure if I can sit here too much longer." Just as he finishes saying this, he slowly slips out of the chair and onto the waiting room floor as he quietly passes out. Me being the loving wife that I am, place his extra shirt under his head, then calmly go back to filling in the forms and forging his signature. Well, I figure he can't sign it laying sprawled out on the floor. Once I finished the forms I stepped over Eammon and took them to the receptionist and informed her that my husband was passed out on the floor and asked if there was a more suitable place for him to lay down. I then stepped over Eammon again as I returned to my seat to wait for the nurse and a wheelchair. Hey I figured, he was already on the floor, where was he going to go...it is not like he could fall and hurt himself. I think that the woman sitting across from us watching was ready to jump out of her skin, watching and not seeing me react like she was prepared to do. Once in with the doctor, Eammon was informed that he has the flu and he needs to stay in bed for a few days. Life in our home is never boring!

Privacy?? If you want to adopt...No such thing!!

On Tuesday, the social worker emailed asking to change my individual appointment from Thursday to Wednesday. So at 9 a.m. this morning I had my visit with her. It went OK, just over an hour long as she asked questions all about my childhood, schooling, friends, work history, religion, health, family, relationships, ethics, values, blaa, blaa, blaa.

She is very much into examining losses in our lives and how we coped with them. It seemed that she tried to make issues and traumas out of past events, even though they are in the past, done, finished and are neither an issue nor a trauma. In fact most of the things she harped on, hold little or no memory for me.

She wants us to embrace the home study process. I wanted to ask her if she enjoyed her home study process for her child. (She did not adopt, thus no home study.) I have to wonder how anyone can embrace having someone come into your home and inspect it, interrogate your life history and how you were raised, delve into your finances, review your personal health information, critique your marriage and relationships, and then judge your morals, ethics and values. Then on top of it all, you get the privilege of paying this stranger, for doing all these wonderful things for you!

Well, we have one more visit with her next Wednesday, and then that should be it for pre-adoption. I am ready to get this show on the road...I want my little girl!

Signatures and changes

Eammon was able to get the necessary signatures on his passport photos and renewal form, so tomorrow we'll get all the passport information posted to the British Embassy in Washington, DC and hopefully get it back in a timely manner.

The social worker emailed and wanted to change my individual interview to this Thursday morning and to keep her wrap-up appointment for the following week. This works for me as I would rather do the appointment during the day instead of having it go long into the evening. I still have to get a lot of our paperwork photocopied for her, so I will get that going today or tomorrow so that she can have it all by our final visit. We are still waiting for a copy of Eammon's birth certificate to arrive and that will be the final piece paperwork that the she'll need. I am getting antsy as I want to file the I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) with USCIS, but we can't do that until we receive the birth certificate. I know, I know, it will happen...

Pollen count of 3,575...Gee, let's sit outside!

Today Eammon and I were scheduled for our individual visits with the social worker. We woke up to an absolutely gorgeous day and I suggested to Eammon that we do the visit outside so that we could sit and look at the lake and see the ducks and geese as we talked. I had planted my tomato plants, other veggies and herbs in some pots on Friday and though I had wiped off the table it really needed to be hosed off so Eammon did that and then I went out and toweled it dry, and made sure it was dirt and pollen free. Well, the social worker arrived 20 minutes later and she liked the idea of sitting outside so we went out, we sat down and you could have written your name in all the pollen that covered the table. In 20 minutes it looked like a table that hadn't been dusted in a month!

She arrived just before 10 a.m. and had planned to do our individual visits back to back, with approximately an hour for each of us. She said though, that she wanted to talk to us together for "just a couple of minutes", so we all sat down. Seventy five minutes later I was able to leave and Eammon started his individual visit. At just after 12:30 P.M., they came back inside and it was decided that she would do my visit on the date set to do her final wrap-up visit. So, I have a reprieve for a week and a half. Hopefully when she comes next time, she'll do my visit and her little wrap-up visit and we'll be done with all the pre-adoption visits. Then joy of joy, she'll come back post-adoption, for both a 6-month and a 12-month visit.

Eammon has found the visits interesting from the psychology angle, but I find them annoying and intrusive but, I have no choice. I don't mind the social worker, she seems nice enough. I just don't appreciate anyone probing into my life, my finances, my medical history, my morals, ethics and beliefs. Oh well, this too shall pass.

Eammon's birth certificate is on its way to the colonies

Eammon's brother, Michael, who was over visiting from Wales, the week before Easter, was kind enough on his return home, to obtain an original certificate of birth for Eammon. He is mailing it to another brother, Tim, who will take it through all the official channels in London, and then to the Chinese consulate in London, to have the document Authenticated. Much thanks to both Michael and Tim for getting these steps done for us :-)


Michael in our backyard feeding the ducks and geese

Michael is also mailing a copy of the birth certificate to us, and once it is received, we can file our I-600A (Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition) with USCIS.




Michael feeding Jo and JoJo...and getting nipped

The paperwork never ends!!

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! This week both Eammon and I went and had passport pictures taken, so that we can both renew our passports. I was able to send mine off for renewal this week, but Eammon has to get a special signature on the back of his photos and on his application, because he is living outside the U.K. Hopefully he will be able to get the signatures on Saturday, and then his can be posted.

I sent off my birth and marriage certificates to the appropriate secretaries of state in Massachusetts and Connecticut, to have them certified, and once I receive them back I will be able to send them to the Chinese Consulate in New York to have everything Authenticated. All of our other paperwork, since it will be notarized in Georgia, will first have to go to the Clerk of the Superior Court of the county, in which, the notary is registered. Then, we have to send it to the Secretary of State in Georgia and then finally, to the Chinese Consulate in Texas for Authentication. I think that this is one of the best rackets going, as everyone who looks at and signs these documents, gets paid a fee!

No April fools here

Today was a good day! First, my birth certificate arrived, then both of us returned to the doctor and got the results from our physicals and the completed forms...Yeah, we passed all our tests and got the forms!!!! Then we had the truly unique experience, of going to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Oh my gosh... The jail is centered between a county dump on one side and the county recycling plant on the other. The stench there was overwhelming! This was our first, and hopefully, very last time, having to go to the jail...did not like going there. I will tell you though, the officers at the records office were very nice. They asked us all about the baby we hoped to adopt and they were very excited and interested. This was of course, after they ran the criminal history background check on us and saw that we are not wanted criminals and that we have no record...another big yeah...We are NOT criminals! (just in case anyone reading this was concerned or had any doubts)

Are we criminals??

We don't know yet, but we get to find out later this week! Joy of joy, we get to go to the county jail to have background checks run on both of us ... Doesn't this sound like fun!

Blood!!

Both Eammon and I went for our required physicals and other than my passing out when my blood was drawn, it wasn't too bad. We found out that we both are doing well healthwise ... Yeah! We have to go back later in the week to get the results of our blood work and hopefully to pick up the completed medical reports and final doctor letters.

More paperwork

Now that I received our marriage certificate, I can mail off my passport to renew it and have the name changed to my married name. You would think I would have done it sometime during the past six years, but why rush things? Eammon has to have his renewed too, so we have to find out how to do that for a UK passport. Hopefully it will not be a long and involved process.

Mail

Yeah! Our marriage license arrived today and has already been certified by the Secretary of State, so it is ready to be sent in to the Chinese Consulate for authentication. We will hold it until we have all the other documents, and send it in one package.

Home visit with the social worker

Tonight we met with the social worker and had our home visit, which took almost 3 hours. The questions weren't too bad or probing and I feel that we did O.K. We each have to meet with her again individually and then one more time together as a couple. Hopefully we will complete this part of the process and have the home study report written up and submitted by the 2nd week in May. That of course depends on us receiving all the documentation in a timely manner.

Hannah Frank referral!

Our friends Donna & Eric, just received their referral, for their lovely daughter Hannah!! Check out that adorable face!!

Birth and marriage certificate requests

Today I mailed off requests for a copy of our marriage license and a copy of my birth certificate. Eammon has to have one of his brothers get a copy of his birth certificate, and then once it is received, his brother will have to take it, in person, to the Chinese Consulate in London. What a pain, the consulate does not accept items through the post, only in person!

Home Study Orientation meeting

I am so sick with bronchial pneumonia, I really should have spent the day in bed, not going near anyone. Had I done that though, we'd have had to wait an entire month before we could start our home study. Our agency CCAI, requires that all families attend a Home Study Orientation Meeting which thankfully counts as the first of the four required pre-adoption home study visits. So, this morning Eammon and I attended the meeting with a room full of hopeful adoptive families. In my drugged cough drop popping state, it seemed as though many of the families had not read a single page of the documentation that had been previously sent to them so there were lots and lots and lots of questions.

We didn't really have the opportunity to talk to any of the other people as I think they were avoiding us. Truth be told, I do sound like a hacking, boozing, chain smoking Barry White...Shoot I'd stay away from me if I could!

In the end though, we submitted our autobiographies, our home study service agreement, our home study payment, copies of our water and sewer bills and our safe home checklist. Reference letters have been sent and received by our listed references. Now that we have attended this meeting, our assigned social worker should be contacting us within the next week to start our visits.

Now finally, a piece of advice. If you're going to be popping lots and lots of cough drops, make sure to use the ones with sugar, not the sugarless as they cause other problems and when you're already sick you don't need these problems too! Take my word, lesson learned.

We can start our paperwork

The CCAI Service agreement and first agency fee were received and accepted in the Denver office. We received our Adoption Dossier Guide which is a 50 page document to help us in preparing our China Dossier. Our next step will be to attend a Home Study Orientation meeting, which is only held once a month. We have started working on our autobiographies and compiling some of the paperwork required by the social worker.

2009 Travel Schedule

June 7-13: Florida ~ Heading to Animal Kingdom on Thursday June 11, email if you'd like to meet up with us!

June 23-29: Boston, MA/ Hartford, CT/ Nashua, NH

July 9-14: Salt Lake City, UT

October: 7-day Western Caribbean cruise

December, 1st half: Aruba

Christmas - New Year: London, UK

Chocolate mint brownies

Brownies:
1 box fudge brownie mix (for a 13 x 9-inch pan)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup water
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Peppermint Butter cream layer:
2/3 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache:
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter
1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325. Then prepare a 13 x 9-inch baking dish by spraying lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the width of the bottom of the pan and long enough to extend over the long edges. Spray parchment lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

To the brownie mix, add melted butter, water, eggs and 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Mix by hand just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Pour into prepared pan and bake according to package directions. Let cool completely.

To prepare the mint butter cream layer, beat together the powdered sugar and softened butter. Add the milk, peppermint and vanilla extracts and mix until smooth. Spread the butter cream evenly over the top of the cooled brownies. Place brownies in fridge to firm up the butter cream.

For the chocolate ganache, place the milk and butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat on 50%until the butter has melted. Add the chocolate chips and mix with an electric mixer on low until the chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until incorporated. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar until frosting is smooth. Spread chocolate ganache over the mint butter cream on the brownies.

Place back in fridge for about an hour to firm up frosting. Using the parchment paper, remove the brownies from the pan and while cold, cut into squares. They must be cut when cold otherwise the layers mush. Though delicious cold, these brownies are even better when served at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Yes you can go carry-on-only!!

Lisa
Pack 4 shirts, wear 1
1 zip-up fleece (wear on plane)
Pack 2 pants, wear 1
Pack 4 prs Undies, wear 1
Pacl 1 set silk long underware
Pack 2 Bras, wear 1
Pack 4 prs socks, wear 1
Pack 2 Night shirts
Pack 1 pr slippers
1 pr Tennies (wear)1
Winter jacket, gloves & hat
Feminine products
Razor
Toothbrush1
6pk. contact lenses
1 Travel size saline solution
Contact lens case
Glasses

Eammon
Pack 4 shirts, wear 1
1 zip-up fleece (wear on plane)
Pack 2 prs Pants, wear 1
Pack 4 prs Boxers, wear 1
Pack 4 prs socks, wear 1
Pack 1 pr Lounge/sleep pants
Pack 1 pr slippers1
pr Tennies (wear)
1 Winter jacket & gloves
Sunglasses
1 Travel size Shaving cream
After shave gel
RazorToothbrush
Body Spray
Hair brush/comb

Shared Toiletries
2 small body wash
2 travel size shampoo
2 travel size conditioner
1 travel size mousse
1 Travel size Deodorant
2 Travel size Toothpaste
2 Travel size Mouth wash
1 Travel size Gold Bond Powder
1 Travel pack Q-tips
1 Dental floss
Nail clippers
Emery board
Tweezers
Ear plugs

Meds Lisa & Eammon
Ibuprophen
Aleve
Excedrin
Allergy pills
Stomach relief tabs
Anti-diarrhea tabs
Laxative tabs
Mucinex tabs
Vitamins
E’s prescriptions
L’s prescriptions
Prescription antibiotics
Scabies cream
Ambien
Medrol dose pak
Darvocet
Hydrocortisone cream
Triple antibiotic ointment
Lotrisome
Cough drops
Dental repair kit
Paper tape & gauze

Non Specifics
3 pkgs. Travel Kleenex
2- 33 pk. Cottonelle Fresh wipes
2 Travel sz Purell on keychains
Travel size Dawn dish liquid
1 pr wooden chop sticks (for fishing nipples from hot water)
90 Antibacterial wipes
Ziploc bags, various sizes
Sewing kit
12 Granola/Protein Bars
Blistex
Deck of playing cards
1 black sharpie pen
2 black ink pens
1 Small notebook/travel diary
1 Tide pen
1 Travel umbrella
2 Travel pillows
Laptop
Memory sticks
Digital camera, cable, extra battery, charger
Video camera
DVDs
Converter
Neck security wallet
2 copies of each passport
2 each passport photos
1 Book each
Travel Sudoku
Travel Tekkin
Gifts
Red envelopes

Maisie
8 Outfits (I plan to shop!)
2 Sweaters/jackets
1 Thermal unionsuit
1 Winter coat/hat/mittens
3 prs Footie PJ’s
1 Sleep hat
8 prs Socks
2 Blankets
1 Hat
Hair bows
Shoes
Slippers

Meds and Maisie Specific
Feeding:
2 Plastic coated bibs
2 Playtex bottles 8 oz
75 bottle liners
6 Fast flow nipples
Formula container
Nipple brush
Small thermos
Bottle toppers
Cheerios
Cheerios container
Disposable baby spoons
3 Disposable bowls with covers

Diapering:
6 Overnight diapers (In China buy green pks, avoid Red pkg diapers)
40 Baby wipes
50 Diaper disposal bags
Cornstarch powder
Diaper cream

Bathing:
14 Disp. dry foaming washcloths
Baby toothbrush and toothpaste

Meds:
Baby Advil
Baby Motrin
Baby Tylenol
Baby Tylenol Cold & Cough
Baby Triaminic cough strips
Prescription Antibiotics
Prescription scabies cream
Mylicon gas drops
Baby Ora-Gel
Baby Glycerin suppositories
Baby nose spray
12 pkgs Pedialyte powder

Misc.
Baby nail clippers
Diaper pins
Binky and clip (just in case)
Thermometer
Medicine syringes
3 Soft toys & teething toy
Baby books
Chinese lullaby CD
Blow up ball

More Stuff!
Hip Hammock
Baby Bjorn
Bum bags
When You Were Born in China book(for Nannies, travel mates & guides to sign)

Our Never Ending Adoption Timeline

(approx. 12-14 months)

2/7/2005 Application sent to CCAI

2/14/2005 Adoption application approved!

3/12/2005 Home Study orientation meeting

3/15/2005 Requests for marriage and birth certificates sent

3/25/2005 First home study visit with both of us

3/26/2005 Certified marriage certificate received

3/28/2005 Eammon's required physical

3/29/2005 Lisa's required physical

4/1/2005 Lisa's birth certificate received

4/1/2005 Received completed physical forms for both Lisa and Eammon

4/1/2005 Police background checks run, and notarized

4/5/2005 Lisa's passport renewal mailed

4/5/2005 Lisa's birth certificate sent to Massachusetts Secretary of State

4/9/2005 Eammon's individual home study visit

4/9/2005 Lisa & Eammon's 2nd joint home study visit

4/11/2005 Eammon's passport renewal mailed to the British Embassy

4/13/2005 Lisa's individual home study visit

4/14/2005 Lisa's certified birth certificate received from the Massachusetts Secretary of State

4/18/2005 Lisa's new passport received

4/27/2005 Eammon's fully authenticated birth certificate received

4/27/2005 Lisa's birth certificate sent to the Chinese Embassy in NYC

4/27/2005 I-600A mailed to USCIS

5/3/2005 All required documents given to the social worker

5/4/2005 Eammon's new passport received

5/11/2005 I-600A fingerprint appointment letter received

5/14/2005 Lisa's fully authenticated birth certificate received from the Chinese Embassy in NYC

5/18/2005 Lisa and Eammon fingerprinted

5/23/2005 Home study completed & filed with I-171H to USCIS

5/24/2005 Home study & I-171H application received by Atlanta USCIS

6/29/2005 I-171H approval received from Atlanta USCIS after 36 day wait

6/30/2005 Documents sent to Chinese Consulate Houston for authentication

7/2/2005 Documents received at Chinese Consulate Houston

7/12/2005 Final Authenticated Documents received from Chinese Consulate Houston

7/13/2005 Dossier documents overnighted to CCAI Denver

7/14/2005 Dossier in critical review

7/20/2005 Dossier passed critical review

7/20/2005 Dossier being translated

7/22/2005 Dossier sent to China (DTC)!!!

8/10/2005 Infamous brown envelope arrives.

8/10/2005 Official LID (log in date at CCAA)

8/22/2006 Lisa and Eammon re-fingerprinted

9/25/2006 Re-filed for I-600A/I-171H

Wait for Referral (approx. 8, 10, 12, 13, 14 month wait??)

11/3/2006 REFERRAL!!!!! After being logged in for 451 days and 635 days since agency application approval

12/7/2006 Travel to China

12/11/2006 Maisie Day!!! We become a family of 3 this day!!!

12/25/2006 Home from China!

We've been accepted!

Kathi from the Denver CCAI office called and informed us that our application has been accepted. We have now officially started the adoption process!

Our application is complete

After waiting almost a month for our doctor to write a short letter, I was finally able to pick the letter up today, and I mailed our completed application to CCAI (Chinese Children Adoption International).

We picked an agency

After months of looking at numerous adoption agencies, and talking to adoptive parents and attending orientation meetings, we have decided that our first choice agency is CCAI (Chinese Children Adoption International). We have completed the application and only need to obtain a letter from our primary care physician, before we can submit the package.