Hard Copy LOA & Visa Application

Wednesday night the official LOA was delivered and we promptly signed (accepted) and overnighted Thursday morning back to the adoption agency.  On Friday our I800 was reviewed and then overnighted to the USCIS lockbox.  Today I submitted a (new) Visa application with a copy of the LOA and my passport to the courier we are using from There's Always Hope in Chicago.  Later this week the documents will be walked in and dropped off at the Chinese Consulate.  Many people don't realize that the country of China requires a Visa to enter/exit.  Lots of little steps ahead and none of them are cheap! :)

$140 Visa
$35 Courier fee

In other news I have painted the second coat of coral to Sadie's bed (awesome find at Goodwill pre-adoption) and I foresee lots of sanding ahead.  I also cashed in an old gift card and was able to order a monogrammed hooded towel (a #firstworld must in the state of Florida) and rolling suitcase at no cost.  Noah absolutely loved pulling his own in China and I am banking on Sadie being quite independent too.  Worst case I can put it inside of my own.

This weekend we hope to transition our children into their "new" rooms (boys sharing and Ella and Sadie will each have their own) and start to unpack everything else.  It's a beautiful state of chaos around the Hopkins house but we are SO grateful that the countdown is on.