We arrived home on Tuesday and I went back to work on Wednesday so I haven't even had time to think about updating here (although the fact that I am typing this makes that a lie, doesn't it?) but I hope to get to it on the weekend.

To all those people who keep asking, No, we did NOT bring home a baby. That is still TWO YEARS away. But it was tempting. The little kids in China are so cute, all rugged up in their coats like Michelin babies, with earmuffs and whatnot.

I am ashamed to report that we didn't even look at the 50 questions or family profiles once, but since I knew there was a question about hairdressing on the 50 questions, I did (in the interests of research of course) go to the hairdresser for a haircut and a perm. Amazingly enough, I got what I wanted despite the almost complete language barrier. And it cost less than a quarter of what it would have cost here. They don't charge extra for long hair - Australian hairdressers take note.

Anyway, more on the weekend, I hope, and maybe I will work out how to post some photos.

Today we are leaving for our holiday to China. I have printed the family profile questions to take with us and maybe work on on the plane (yeah... right...) We also have to answer 50 questions about the culture we want to adopt from so we will definitely be doing that in China also. Maybe I can set that as a project for the children.... tell them it's a game... ah - what a wicked but wonderful plan!

Today we finished our two day Education workshop and now we have to write a short novel and send it into the Department to move to the next step. The kids stayed with my parents today and on the way home in the car I asked Ben "What do you think it will be like to have a little sister?"
"Annoying" he replied.
This was not the answer I was expecting so I asked him why he felt that way.
"Because she will be little and not able to do anything and she will keep saying 'Ben will you do this? Ben, will you do that?'"
"But do you think you will love her?" I asked.
There was one of those long silences that leave you in no doubt that you have asked a really stupid question. Finally...
"What else?" he said. "You're crazy Mum."

For your reading pleasure:

I've learned how to add links to my blog and you can see them over on the right there. "Playing with Myself" is not a masturbatory porn site, it's my brother's board-gaming blog. "Checking Boxes" is the blog of another Australian couple who are at the same part of the journey as us, and we will be meeting them at Education in a little under a week. "Bringing Home Olivia" is the story of a Canadian couple who are very close to allocation. I recommend having a look at the You Tube video on the first page of this blog which shows babies in a Chinese orphanage.

16 November 2006

"I am writing concerning your interest in being assessed as suitable prospective adoptive parents for a child born overseas.

An essential part of the Intercountry adoption process is attendance at an Education Program. Information relating to contemporary adoption practice and the nature of adoption is complex. Attending educational groups is a necessary and valuable part of preparation for adoptive parenting.

The groups provide an opportunity for you to meet with staff of the Intercountry Adoption Unit and other people who have expressed an interest in being assessed as suitable prospective adoptive parents of a child born overseas.

The Education Progra will be conducted over two days, with both applicants required to attend. The program will cover a broad range of issues related to Intercountry adoption and provide the opportunity to address and discuss issues that are of concern to you.

SESSION INFORMATION:

Date: Friday 1st December & Saturday 2nd December 2006
Location: Brisbane

The program will start at 9.00am sharp with coffee from 8.30am. It is expected that each day's sessions will finish by 4.30pm. Morning & afternoon tea will be provided. May I suggest that you bring a picnic lunch to have in the grounds of the facility.

We understand that it is sometimes not easy to arrange to attend a two days workshop; however it is not possible for couples to be assessed until after attendance at the Education Sessions.

As sessions are adult focused, it is requested that you make your own child care arrangements (if applicable) as there are no child care facilities at the venue.

An attendance form is attached. Please complete and return the form to the Intercountry Adoption Unit as soon as possible.

After your registration is received, we will forward a letter confirming the date and a map of the location of the venue. Your timely response in confirming or declining your attendance at the education sessions will be appreciated.

Should you wish to discuss any of the above, please call...."

I spoke to a lovely woman in the Expression of Interest team last week (they are so helpful there) and she told me that they were just waiting on our police checks and if they are okay then we should be invited to attend Education on 1 & 2 December. Now, I know our police checks will be fine (we both have blue cards) so I am biting my nails waiting for the letter with our invitation.

1 December is my work Christmas lunch, and the kids' Christmas play but both will be hastily cast aside if we are invited to Education. The kids understand - they want a baby sister as much as we do. God, I love them. They are beautiful children.

It's only 3 weeks until our holiday to China. We will leave on 4 December and have 2 nights in Shanghai, then 4 nights in Wuxi visiting Holly (our Chinese student) who will be home with her parents at that time. Then we are planning to take the train up to Beijing for a few touristy days. As we have a company in the sustainability industry, an industry colleague has offered to take us around near Beijing and show us a demonstation sustainability project. Scott is REALLY looking forward to this, as am I. The Chinese are a long way ahead of us in terms of environmentalism, and I guess this has been forced upon them as a way of dealing with their enormous population. On the way home we will stop in Tokyo for 2 or 3 nights, depending on whether we want to spend an arm AND a leg on accommodation, or just one limb.

Cost for two adults & two children to be immunised against:

• Tetanus (for me & Scott)
• Hepatitis A and
• Typhoid

is a total of $772. Now technically, these immunisations are for our holiday to China next month, but since we would have to have them anyway in order to go to China to (eventually, hopefully) collect our daughter, I am including the cost here. I figure some people may read this blog in order to find out what hurdles and expenses we incurred along the way so I think you should be aware of this one!