Here's what's happened a couple days ago:
9/14/05...We returned to the Hunan Province Civil Affairs Bureau (CAB) to complete the adoption registration/notarization process. Lots of papwerwork, lots of signatures. Dyanne and I also had to apply our red inked thumbprints over our signatures. Zoe didn't have to sign anything, other than one piece of paper with her right footprint, also in red ink (which is the appropriate color). This red ink did not come off her foot despite a bath later that night (more on this later).
The footprint:
Ink stained little foot:
At this point, she's been officially adopted by us, and all paperwork has been notarized/blessed by the Chinese officials.
Also during that visit to the CAB, we met the lady who was one of Zoe's caregiver at Changsha #2 orphanage. As you can imagine, this was a very emotional moment for Dyanne and me. I asked the lady (if she wouldn't mind) to write a note for Zoe, including her name and to include any wishes for Zoe in the future. She was glad to do this. It turns out (from her visit to our hotel later that night) that she wasn't Zoe's primary caregiver, but she helped take care of Miss Zoe and also oversees the other caregivers.
The note she wrote for Zoe:
We were very glad to see that Zoe didn't "cling" to the lady, and there wasn't a huge crying fit after Zoe returned to our arms. We asked the lady if Zoe was always this quiet, and she pretty well said "yes, even when playing with other children." She said that Zoe had a very mild temperment. We'll see!
For us, this is the day after we received Zoe. The "day after" is MUCH easier than "the day" when you receive your child. Your anxiety level is much lower, you're getting to know your little one, and LIFE IS GOOD.
The next paperwork step for us is on 9/16, when we fill out Visa applications for Zoe to enter the US. This requires a number of US Immigration forms, the most important of which is called the I-171H. This form is basically an advanced notice of Visa approval for an adoptive child. It's issued by those ever efficient, responsive, friendly (are you gagging yet?) drones at the US Citizenship & Immigration Service, or CIS (previously called the INS). It's issued after you submit a form, along with your completed social worker home study to the CIS. They review things to make sure you're financially able to take care of your child, and also run your fingerprints through the FBI. The I-171H form was also the cause of some last minute headaches for us.
The I-171H application is one of the first hurdles you have to jump over in the adoption "paperchasing" process. When I filled out the application form, I made the "mistake" of abbreviating "Farmersville-West Carrollton Road" as "Farmersville-WC Road." This wouldn't have been so bad, except later paperwork was completed using the full name of our road. Our FTIA adoption coordinator in the US thought it might be a problem, and said that we should check with the ever friendly, cheerful, efficient (gag, choke, wheeze, urp) folks at the Cincinnati CIS office. When I called down there about a month before we left for China, I was told that since the "mistake" had been mine, not theirs, I needed to fill out a multi-page form (with 5 pages of associated bureaucratese double-speak instructions), and submit it with a filing fee of about $200-$250. Hmmmm! $100-$125 per word, to change "WC" to "West Carrollton." My tax dollars at work! Luckily, when I asked Nikki Bilderback at FTIA if this was truly needed, or if there was some other way to avoid the re-filing, she was able to have FTIA's China personnel check with the US Consulate in Guangzhou (we'll see them next week). They basically said "no problem."
GOOD ANSWER!!!
After the visit to the CAB on 9/14/05, our group went to Walmart, which is pretty neat. CHEAP CHEAP food prices. Prices on electronics are as high or higher than in the US. We got 4-5 plastic bags full of stuff (foods for us & Zoe, a bar of Tide laundry soap, assorted mystery foods to try). The total for this was 117.1 Yuan, or about $15 US Dollars. Big things of "cup noodle" style Ramen were 2.7 Yuan ($0.34). Big loaves of bread for about a quarter. Booze like name brand whiskey/cognac is about the same as in the US. Beer is pretty cheap (can't recall the per can price on Heinekin). For six 750cc bottles of purified water, it's just under a dollar. Our purchases were more of a "gee whiz" type thing, rather than a real need. I also got some CD-R discs to back up China trip pictures. In case the computer crashes, I DO NOT want to lose any of these pictures! I also bought some veggie sushi by mistake (forgetting that one bite of normal veggies or fruit would result in some very unpleasant times for me). They were nice looking, but I pitched them. We'll probably go back to Wally-World before we leave Changsha to get some diapers & Purina baby chow. Taxi fare will be about $1 one way.
Here's some of the cup noodles I bought...great for lunch:
It comes with a neat fork inside. A Folding Fork. "FFork"? Not sure what it's called. Here's some pics of the FFork:
At the hotel that evening, we had a doctor check out Zoe here at the hotel, as did a bunch of other families in our group. This was more of a "just in case" thing for scabies (a nasty itching problem caused by skin mites - contagious to mommy & daddy). The cost of the exam was a massive 50 Yuan (~$6.50). No need for any meds, other than maybe a little cortisone cream on a neck rash. Zoe seems to be in great shape. In this picture, she's clutching a "Little Bear" butter cookie while being examined by the doctor. There will also be a final medical exam in Guangzhou.
Later the night of 9/14, ~9PM, Zoe's caregiver came with a photographer and Genie to our hotel room. The purpose was to deliver to us Zoe's "finding clothes", or the clothes she was wearing when found in Changsha (before going to the orphanage). The caregiver said that since Changsha #2 was not accredited for international adoptions, she was not able to give us Zoe's "finding clothes" at the CAB, but had to do it at our hotel instead. They also brought a bag containing some gifts for Zoe when she grows up, including a wall hanging, some embroidery, and a fabric good luck charm of some sort. Finding clothes include a padded jacket, and long pants. In the picture below, you can see the blue & white padded jacket in Dyanne's hands (top center of the photo).
Zoe really "came out of her shell" the evening of 9/14, MUCH more than the previous day or even earlier that same morning. She's much more active, interactive with her environment & us. She's very smart - you show her something once (how to play with a toy, for example), and she's OK with it on her own after that. She doesn't walk or crawl, but scoots along on her butt (forwards & backwards!). She's a good baby, and we're having a lot of fun over here.
When we received Zoe, we also got a copy of her "finding ad", which is a newspaper ad reporting when & where she was found as a child, prior to being placed at the orphanage. Dyanne & I are going to try & find and photograph/video this location in Changsha for Miss Zoe. We both feel that this is an important part of her life history, and while we're over here, we've GOT to collect as much info for her as possible.
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Jeff Johnson
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