Shit just got real!!!!

First-- Are these not the cutest things ever!!!!!  LOVE our daycare ladies.  You all rock!  Such cleaver ideas and crafts to do with the kids.  I want one for little brother….  Don’t forget to do this next year Kelly!!!   

Wow is all I can say.  How did we get this far so fast?  We received our LOA on Dec 6^th. We quickly signed, scanned and sent back the “soft” copy to our agency.  This is our official Letter of Acceptance/Approval, basically stating China has match this wonderful boy to us officially and we “accept” him as he is in all his glory to become our child.  So yeah Shit just got real cuz we will now be traveling in 9-12 weeks.  Which puts us right in February which is when I want to be in China getting son #2.  

We have spent the last few days getting papers printed, signed and notarized.  We also learned that the Chinese Consulate in Chicago has new requirements on the photo for their Visa’s.  Oh and the courier will be off the first week of January as well.  Can what we’ve been scrambling around doing this week?  You betcha!  We’ll be hustling to get Visa applications done, and out the door so we can get them back before the end of Dec. Oh and my nephew also has an extra waiver to fill out, so we’re hoping to get all our docs out the door to the courier next Tuesday!  Please say a prayer that it all goes smoothly for this part of our process. I should get some stock in Fed Ex!  I should have his waiver tomorrow, actually it's 142am so later today.  We hope to get it sent out tomorrow to the courier so she can drop it at the consulate on Tuesday!  Then we should have the Visa's back by Christmas! WOOT WOOT..

A few memories from our first trip popped up this last week.  Nian told me he wanted some orange jelly.  Meaning he wanted the orange flavored Jello I had in the fridge.  On the last night in 1 of our hotels in China we all discovered, thanks to Emily, that Jelly in a jar was actually Jello.  Which the kids all loved..  Funny that he still calls it Jelly.   While looking at the maps of places around the new hotel in Beijing I remembered dinner with Matthew and Bethany after a long day of sightseeing and a show.  I was just a large tad bit tired. When the lady brought out our food I told her to take it back we didn’t order it… And you know me when I get tired..  Well I ate my words that night, it was actually Matthew and Bethany’s dish that she brought out, and the dish they had been eating was ours. Lol.  Seriously I should have taken a pictures cuz the dishes looked about the same and NOTHING like what the picture showed them as.  She got a big tip that night, even though we’re not supposed to tip!  

Again, it’s so crazy busy for the Buss house.  We are trying to stay sane and focus more on the upcoming birth of our Lord and Savior, than the upcoming addition to our family.  We are blessed to have them BOTH to focus on this year.  I have to admit it has been hard for me to enjoy this time of year with all the paperwork we’re trying to get completed, and other commitments we have.  I think I need a time out!  

Nian had a great time decorating the tree this year.  Last year he put the angel on and then that was it.  This year he was going faster than I could untangle some of the ornaments. 

Yeah that's about as high as the ornaments got on the tree but that's ok.

The start to Nian's ornament collection.
A Dragon, a Dino, his Name and a Chinese Merry Christmas

This past weekend Nian had 2 Christmas programs in 1 day.  Let me tell you he was none too happy about having to leave the house for the 2^nd one!  But he did such a great job in them both.  He was the cutest little Shepard ever at our Church program, and the most handsome young man in his Preschool program later in the day. 

Saturday we started a new tradition of gathering for Christmas as a family, NOT on Christmas day.  This year, bitter sweet as it will be, we will celebrate Christmas day as a family of 4.  Joe, myself, Nian, and Isabel.  Time to start some new traditions at the Buss house.  We’re not sure what those traditions might be but we’re looking forward to them. Kind of, yes we are, for the most part.  See the bitter sweet of it all?? First time in 45 years I won’t be with my sisters and parents on Christmas day.   It will be a wonderful day all the same! J

I love seeing the excitement Nian has this year for both his Birthday and Christmas.  He is even enjoying Elf Mel his little elf on the shelf!  She likes to move around the living room and he’s having such a great time looking for her each morning.  Who remembers last year’s visit?

Where she was when we woke up that day.

Where she landed after Nian relocated her from his chair.

                                         

She didn’t have a good year at our house! So far she has been in a few stockings and even the big tree.  She hasn’t ventured into his room yet but that’s ok. She might not want to press her luck just yet! ;)  She has brought his toys out to play with which Nian finds to be VERY funny and exciting.  His excitement is so contagious!  

This holiday season has just been too busy for us…   I’m ready for a slowdown.  Thanks for stopping by and I will try to keep the blog updated more as the days toward China draw closer.     Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, and support.