Update: We finalized today! :)

[cmdunn1972]

We just got the call from our adoption attorney's paralegal this morning. Our finalization is scheduled for 9/20/05, just 1 day prior to our wedding anniversary!!! Needless to say, we're thrilled to bits. :) Sean will be just 5 months old. This is pretty fast for PA, which usually has finalizations when the child is at least 6 months, but I guess the attorney's office was more motivated than usual. ;) (I took Sean there about 1 month ago to meet the folks at the atty's office, and things seem to have moved pretty quickly since then.) :)

Anyway, I thought I'd share our news! :D

Btw, anyone know of any great wines that we can use to celebrate our special day? :) Also, is it appropriate to present a gift to the adoption agency officials on finalization day? Maybe some gift ideas are in order. :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPDATE:

Our finalization hearing was today, 20 Sept, 2005. Everything went smoothly, and we are incredibly happy. :D

[kathleen a.]

first off...CONGRATULATIONS!

So thrilled for you! That's just wonderful, you must be anxious and thrilled to death!
Now for gift ideas...hmmmm well it all depends on what type of wine you like? Red? Blush? Reisling?

One great wine that never fails for me is yellow tail from austrailia, very innexpensive, but classic and simple. Actually I've never had a bad Autrailian wine...so tyr one from there whatever your taste might be!

Gifts for agencies? Hmmmm. Never heard of that. Only to a foster family and for the baby before you bring the baby home....or perhaps the head of an orphanage of where your adopting, but it never hurts to be gracious and giving!

A great idea might be a smiple classic watch. You could find one for $80.00; perhaps even less! Other ideas I've heard from other people are perfume (but that's so personal! What if they don't like the smell?) Another idea is a Harry and David Gift basket! (harryanddavid.com) they have flowers, fruit, chocolate; and all of it is the best of the best; and there's something for every price range! Hope this helps!

Kathleen A.

[icunurse]

I gave you a big congrats in the Lounge, but wanted to spread the congrats to here! Enjoy!
Traci
~Connor's Mom 02/2004~
Agency paperwork completed - waiting for #2!

[hjdong]

Congratulations! For our finalization (in China), we took our (1) agency coordinator out to dinner and we all got food poisoning. Hmm, maybe not the best gift, but memorable.

[cmdunn1972]

Thanks, Kathleen, for the Congrats and ideas. :)

[cmdunn1972]

*waves to Traci*

Thanks for the congrats, both here and on the 'flip side'. :D

[cmdunn1972]

Thanks, Holli! :)

LOL about the food poisoning. Yes, I'm sure that was quite memorable! *snicker* :)

Actually I heard a tip on avoiding food issues while traveling abroad: try to eat the local cuisine. Reasoning is that the locals know how to cook their own food safely. (Of course, when your choices are either pigeon brains or some other unmentionable or KFC, most Americans would probably choose KFC.)

[hjdong]

We actually ate the local cuisuine when we got sick, which was too bad because I had been looking forward to trying some of the dishes where he was from (the area is well known for it's spiciness) but I stuck to hotel food for the rest of my stay until I got to Guangzhou. Even our guide (who was from China but not that province got cik), but hey, you can get food poisoning here, we just got unlucky.

[Diane B]

Congrats!!! How exciting!!! :)

[Bethann31]

I wholeheartedly second the opinion about Australian wines. I love Yellowtail, but my all-time favorite is Black Opal Shiraz, or the Cabernet/Merlot blend.It is fabulous!


Beth
mom to:

Josh 3/90
Mollie 4/92
Jeffrey 12/94
Katherine 6/03
and still chasing that elusive #5


http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/lamlamsvi20030604_4_Katherine+Grace+is.png

[cmdunn1972]

Thanks, Diane! :)

My cousin adopted from Colombia also. She travelled to an area outisde Bogota where the drug cartels are prevalent to take custody of her child. Much luck to you and safe travels! :D

[cmdunn1972]

Oh, I don't think you can go wrong with Australian Shiraz (or NZ Zinfandels for that matter). :)

[cmdunn1972]

Yep, you can probably get food poisoning anywhere. (Case in point, remember that Chi Chi's incident a while back?) It's just a little harder while travelling. It's good that you put a positive perspective on it, though! :)

(Edited for silly typo)

[hjdong]

Congrats! What, if anything, did you decide on for a gift?

[cmdunn1972]

Thanks! :)

We bought a dry kosher wine and a framed picture of Sean for the agency. (He just didn't seem like the sweet wine type.) We bought another framed picture of Sean for the atty.