FIRST RULING!!!

Wow-what a great way to start the week! We got our first ruling issued TODAY! Our adoption coordinator said it usually takes about 4-6 weeks for our final ruling, then we can travel! YAY!!!

It's kind of funny b/c last week when we got our recent update, the kids and I were at a playdate and walking home w/ the stroller when Brett called saying we got our update on the computer! I raced home to see the pictures. Now, today, Brett came home early from work, so I went to the health club to swim and as i was driving home, he called w/ the good news!
I told him he should come home early every day and just sit in front of the computer since he's the one who seems to get the good news first!!! :) haha!

Anyhow we're all very, very excited w/ this news and hope to hear about a Final Ruling very soon!!!

ALSO, we've decided to officially announce her name!

Kaiya Tsai-Yi Korensky

We picked Kaiya b/c it is a Japanese/Chinese name that means Forgiveness. We liked the sound of it and thought it was somewhat similar to her Taiwanese name.

Here's to having her home for the holidays!!!
CHEERS!!!

Happy Birthday Tsai-Yi!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE ONE!!! Today, August 17th is her official 1st Birthday! Technically, she celebrated yesterday since Taiwan is 13 hours ahead of us, but either way, we hope she had a special birthday.
I sent over a care package w/ a few wrapped gifts and a homemade CD of lullaby songs. The songs consisted of class American lullabies, along w/ Chinese lullabies-very pretty!

We still haven't heard anything regarding a First Ruling. Crossing our fingers we hear something soon!
This picture is from her recent update, she's getting so big and her hair is growing so fast! I just wish I could give her big kisses on those cheeks and make her laugh.

Summer waiting is the best time to wait

Waiting for anything is never easy. But, waiting during the summer is much easier. Why? Because summer goes by so fast! We've been so busy with going to the pool, going to summercamp, playdates, visiting friends and even doing a few triathlons! And, some other great news is that my cousin Lia and her husband Chris just brought home their beautiful daughter, Noemi, from Guatamala! She's doing really well and it's been great to follow their journey as well!

Since I'm not that "blogger-savvy," I don't know how to label the pictures individually. But, you get the idea, we've all had a great summer!

I sent another care package today to Han Tsai-Yi for her 1st Birthday! I wrapped gifts such as books, a puzzle, a fun musical instrument and play toy. I also sent her some of Olivia's adorable outfits for those hot, humid days in Taiwan. She should get it next monday, just 4 days before her birthday. We're sorry we won't be able to celebrate with her, but will be thinking of her on that special day!
We're hoping to get some information on a first ruling soon, but again, it could take 1-2 months to hear anything! Updates should be coming soon, they usually come the second week of the month. Very excited!!

I snapped this last picture last night as the kids were playing . . . .

No News . . . Good News!

Han Tsai-Yi's first hearing has come and gone. The date was July 18th, and haven't heard a thing from our agency. As they told us before, no news is good news. The judge then will make his first ruling, which could happen any day now or in 2 months. You just don't know!

After the first ruling, the birth mother has 10 days to sign a document relinquishing all rights to the child. The final ruling is then sent out and I can travel!!! So, again, we don't know when exactly this will be, but we're hoping this fall!

Something happened this weekend that I found very cute . . . the kids and I were in downtown Naperville along w/ 1000's of Harry Potter Fans for the "Harry Potter Book Sale Fest" and Olivia saw a little Chinese girl. She couldn't be more than 18 months old, and Olivia said to me, " Look Mom, it's Tsai-Yi!!! I thought it was so cute! :)

You're all probably wondering if we're keeping her name Tsai-Yi (pronounced kai-yee), and we are as her middle name . . . we will announce the first name very soon! Most likely after the first ruling has been finalized. Stay tuned . . . . .

UPDATE!

We got our 2nd update late last night-so exciting since I'd been waiting daily by the computer for one! :) Here are some recent pictures of her. It's amazing how each picture, she looks very different! I've noticed the pictures taken at the foster moms home, she looks more relaxed and content. Those are the ones with the shrine in the background. The great thing is she's wearing the clothes we sent in our recent care package and holding the bunny blanket! It's reassuring to know they received the package. I will be sending her another one soon for her 1st Birthday!

Something I noticed in these pictures besides her cuteness . . . is that she's finally gotten some teeth! If you look closely, and you'll probably have to zoom, you can see she has at least 2 teeth on the bottom, it even looks like there may be 4? She didn't seem to have any teeth at the last update, so this is fun to see. Besides the photos they sent a developmental report checking off the new things she does, I will post some of them here:

• Responds to "no!"


• Assists in dressing . . . I thought this one was a little odd, she's so young, but it works! :)


• Crawls on hands and knees


• Sits well or long periods


• Finger feeds


• Uses one word w/ meaning


• Stands holding on


• Offers toy or food


• Looks for hidden objects


• Pokes w/ index finger

Little less than a week is her first hearing, so we're praying all goes well. As the agency says, no news is good news! After the hearing, there is a first ruling which can come within 1-2 months, then a final ruling. After the final ruling date has been set, I can plan my travel arrangements and bring her home!

Olivia & Graham have been having fun watching the videos and pictures of her. They seem to be excited to have her as their little sister, at least as much as they understand thus far!

Hearing Date Set!

So, I got back from my early morning jog and popped on the computer to check for any updates and saw that I had an email from Tien titled "Court Hearing Date" Now, I was so excited, especially since you usually don't get notified of your first hearings this quickly. Even Tien stated in her email she was surprised, but the date of Han Tsai-Yi's first hearing is July 18th!

During the court hearing, the birth mother will appear in front of the judge and confirm her adoption will. After this, the judge signs our first ruling b/t 1-3 months, and then our final ruling should arrive about 1-2 months later. As soon as the Program has our final ruling, then they will be able to tell me when I can travel, which is usually a few weeks later. So, I'm hoping maybe by November? December the latest!
We're very excited w/ this news, a great way to start the 4th of July weekend! :)

Clothes, toys and bunny blanket . . .

I sent my first care package today! It will probably take about a week to get there. I have included some cute summer clothes, few toys, a bunny blanket ( i hope she will sleep with) and a fun, soft photo album with each one of our pictures in it! It's made for babies to play and chew. And, I copied the chinese symbols for : mom, dad, big brother, big sister and family next to the pictures so the foster mother can read it to her!

Plus, I included a few gifts for the Program III Agency handling the adoption in Taiwan and for the foster mother, including a disposable camera! Hopefully the foster mother can take some good pictures of her as she grows. :)