TA!!!!!!

WOW!!! We received our Travel Approval (TA) just 14 days after we received our LOA (Letter of Acceptance). We were shocked because we were not even looking or hoping for TA yet because NOTHING and I mean nothing has gone ahead of schedule for our entire adoption. Well that is nothing until we received our TA yesterday. Patricia, the travel coordinator for our agency, called while I was checking out at Target. I looked at the number on my cell phone and was like, who is calling me from this area code?!

Patricia said, "I've got good news for you!" I was so shocked. I didn't want to make the cashier think I'd lost my mind so I kept myself under control as I walked over to a bench to discuss possible appointment dates with Patricia. She asked me if I had a calendar so that I could discuss dates with her. I opened my calendar to November because I thought there was no way we would be able to travel in October because someone on another list had said the Consulate was booked through October. When she asked how the 21st sounded I said, "Wow, we should be able to make it home in time for Thanksgiving." That's when she told me that she was asking about October 21st and I was stunned!

So after telling Craig the wonderful news and calling Patricia back to tell her that we would be THRILLED beyond belief to have an appointment date of the 21st, our agency is submitting a request for the Consulate Appointment on October 21st, 22nd, or 23rd. They have to give the Consulate 3 different days to work with and then they'll give us the date we can come. We are hoping that we will be able to get the CA appointment on the 21st because it would allow us to leave to come home the night of the 22nd.

So if that all comes together like we hope, we could meet Isaac on October 13th! I believe that would have us traveling to China on October 9th or so. Oh my goodness that's less than 3 weeks!!!!!!! How will we ever be ready!!!!????