Sheri's Determination

I am married to the most focused, driven, persistent woman I have ever met. When Sheri takes on a task there is nothing that can stop her. She never stops amazing me. I have seen her tackle mountains and not blink or complain once. Seeing her charge head long into the adoption process fills me with happiness. She keeps all the paperwork together and organized and keeps a running status on every piece. This morning during breakfast we had a quick Shania meeting. Sheri whipped out her list, did a full review, and updated all of our etas.

You are awesome Shmoopie. Thank you for keeping us on track through it all.

72 days into the journey

As I reflect tonight on the beginning or our journey to Shania - I can not believe how much progress we have made in such a very short time. Good job Shoompie!
June 19th ish - Made the decision to adopt
June 29th - accepted by AWAA
June 30th - filled out official application
July 14th - Assigned a family coordinator Dossier packet sent out
July 16th - Assigned a Social Worker for our Home Study (HS packet sent out) Since then we have been busy!
I have added a list in the left margin(things to do) that gives a good idea of what we have accomplished!

About the name Shania

Shania (noun)

There have been more than a few questions from our friends concerning our dear child's name. Thank you for your questions and suggestions. While I think that the name Shania is great and all, it is not our new daughter's name. Shania is a placeholder and a generic term for a little peanut. A sample of it's use would be: "That kid is one cute Shania."

Name is still wide open and we are accepting all suggestions.

Home Study Orientation Today

Sheri and I went to our Home Study Orientation today in Tucson. Met with our Home Study Coordinator and two other couples (shout out to Stan and Cathy, Kim and John). This marks the first of four face-to-face meetings that we will have with a social worker. It is their job to evaluate our ability to parent a child and report their findings to the state.

We are pleased and privileged to have the opportunity to pursue this adoption. However, after a two hour drive each way and six hours in the classroom we feel a little tired.

Note to our little Shania: If you are looking for any evidence that you are wanted, special and loved, look at days like today. We love you and can't wait to meet you.

US Women's Vollyball Gold Medal

This evening the US Woman's Beach Volleyball Team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May Treanor beat the Chinese team of Wang Jie and Zhang Xi to win the gold medal. Another highlight in what has turned out to be a fantastic Beijing Olympics.

It is especially interesting to us to see the city we will one day visit on our trip to get our daughter. We can tell her about seeing so much of her homeland on the Olympic coverage. It is amazing to see how much China has changed in just the past few years.

If we start training immediately Shania should be ready to compete in the 2028 Olympics!

1st official Chinese Document

It's official! Our first Chinese document.

We had to order new birth certificates from our state of origin. Once we received them them back - we send them back to the Secretary of State for Certification. Once back from the SOS they go onto the Chinese Consulate for Authentication. Dave's BC was the first to be returned - MI was on the ball.

All documents that are required to be notarized will have to go thru this process for our Dossier.

Whats left...My BC is still out there somewhere in CA (yikes!) in the pile of mail at the SOS office....come on CA and our wedding certificate - not sure where that is out right now...I think it is in D.C.

All other documents (from AZ) we will take all at once to our local SOS office and have them certified right there on the spot.

Cool huh?

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's 70th birthday...that is right the big 70! It is crazy to think - Dad turns 70 and our little Shania is not even born yet!

Yesterday, dad remarked on the birthday cards he had received so far...he said "They all have a BIG 70 on front...couldn't they just say Happy Birthday." I reminded him of how much more knowledge and wisdom he has than I.

Today I feel blessed to have both of my in my parents alive, healthy, and living so close by.
Today I am thankful for all the wonderful people around me that share their love and wisdom.
Today I am grateful that god has given us the opportunity to add to our family so that one day we can pass along our love and wisdom to our child/children.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY (:

Adoption Stories

Since the Shania Project began we have read and heard so many personal stories about adoption. Thank you especially to all our friends that have relayed stories about friends and family that have adopted. One thing we have noticed is that every story is a bit different and the

Rock Star's turn

Today Rocky aka Rock Star made a few sacrifices of his own for The Shania Project. He had to go to the vet. They gave him a couple of shots, they took his blood and well you know... whatever else they do to dogs on a routine check-up. He doesn't understand what it is all about but yes, Rocky too is included in the paperwork shuffle. We are required to show proof of current shots along with a signed letter from the vet on letterhead (don't think it needs to be notorized - I will have to check on that one). (: Crazy - glad we only have one pet!

Just read some interesting facts about the Chinese culture - The Chinese do not understand the "Man's best friend" thing we Westerners have. They use dogs for guarding and protection - I have also read articles about them being apart of some diets...not sure that one is true - but it is documented. Now that I think about it, most dogs in the West probably have it better than a lot of the Chinese population to the East.

Chapmans on Good Morning America

Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman will be on Good Morning America tomorrow morning. The Chapmans are outspoken advocates for adoption and are themselves adoptive parents to three children from China.They will be talking for the first time publicly about the recent tragedy that took the life of their five year old Maria Sue Chapman.

I mention the Chapman family since it is the story of their daughter's death that opened our eyes to the opportunity to adopt from China. So in a way our little Shania will always be connected to their little Maria.