Another random picture arrived this morning

** Update-- I forgot to mention that we had a size update as well for Finley. We asked for very accurate measurements with no clothes and no shoes so we can attempt to get shoes and clothes that fit. So here they are:

Height- 37 inches (30th%ile)

Weight- 31 pounds (50th %ile)

Foot- 5.7 inches (about a size 8 which is the same as Mia-- exactly)

Very happy to have exact measurements and this time she actually shrunk from the last measurements which I am sure she was measured and weighed with clothes. The dress she is wearing in the picture below that we sent her is a size 2T just to give perspective. I think she is going to be smaller than we have been thinking-- but the same as Mia so that will make sharing clothes easy :)

I have been communicating with a wonderful lady, Maggie, who will be our guide while in Shenyang (Finley's province). She has been instrumental in helping me get info on Finley as well as setting me up with the nanny who has been so wonderful!! Anyway, she responded to some questions I had this morning and asked if I had this picture of Finley-- which I did not!! It is from the time they took pictures of her when she got the last care package, but I never got this picture.

I also looked at her adorable feet and was surprised to see that she has her toenails painted!!! That is so darn cute and speaks to the amazing care Finley is receiving at her orphanage!! Look at those adorable little toes-- I'm so in love!!

To update you on where we are in the process, we are moving along very quickly!! Our paperwork will be picked up from the US Consulate in Guangzhou in a mere 12 hours and will be overnighted to China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) for the final travel approval. Waiting for the travel approval is the absolute last thing we have to wait for in this adoption. All CCAA does is check with the orphanage to make sure Finley is still healthy and available and as soon as the orphanage confirms her availability, CCAA issues our travel approval (TA). As soon as we get our TA, we are able to travel. Currently TA's are taking anywhere from 11 days to 4 weeks but the average is about 2 to 3 weeks which will give us a TA right around Christmas or the week after. We are looking at airline tickets leaving January 6!! That date may be pushed back a week depending on when we get our TA but we are looking at travel about 1 month from now!!!! HOLY COW!!!! I am soooooo excited!!!!!! We have been getting things together for travel and trying to get the key cold weather gear we need since the average temperature in Shenyang during the month of January is about 1 degree Fahrenheit!! WOW!!! So, since we are southern California wimps, I have been getting warm clothes to attempt to stay warm.

Anyway, that is where we are. We still have quite a bit of fundraising to do in order to be able to purchase the plane tickets which are looking to be around $5000 for Kev and I and Finley on the way home. They are about twice as much as we were expecting-- so please pray for the fundraising effort-- we are far from being where we need to be.

Big Hugs!!!