We leave next Wed. nite, to pick up our daughters. Since one of them is deaf and 14. I decided to make the transition easier for her, so she could ask questions, I could tell her many things about her new family, and her new sisters could talk to her, I would search out an interpreter in China that knew CSL. I was only going to use her/him for the first few days to get the ball rolling. Impossible task? Yes and no. I contacted the China Assoc. of the Deaf. I sent an email, and used a translator to write in Chinese in the subject line, "Need interpreter for Chinese Sign Language" Then I wrote in English what I needed and what it was for. Well, by golly, within 24 hours I received a reply in English! I was given a woman's name and phone number. I was SO crazy excited! I contacted Ann of Red Threads in Beijing, and asked her to call her and explain my needs. Ann wrote back this morning that she will call her and will get back to me. YEAH!!!!!!!!!! I do have a book on CSL, and I know ASL, although I haven't used it in 10 years. But we are off with a great start.

There's been lots of backing and filling and negotiations on fees etc.  I think we are finally settled on that point.  But we still don't have a date out of China.  I am hoping that we have one before we leave.  That would be ever so nice.  Oh, and no TA at this point, perhaps Monday...

Lots of packing to do today, I hope to finish it all, yeah, I know, wishful thinking.

My daughter in Luoyang sent a message asking for me to bring lots of candy so she can pass it out to all her friends left behind.  Is that sweet or what?  So I asked my agency to set it up for me to be able to go into the orphanage since they have a working relationship with them.  They told me that I had to do that myself?!  They also said that about finding an interpreter.

In addition to finding an interpreter, and getting into the orphanage I do believe that I also did the following because they said they couldn't: got my fingerprint appointment moved up by 3 weeks, got them expedited through the system, and found an Officer at USCIS that personally handled my I-800A and I-800 and expedited those and she sent a note to the Visa Dept. to expedite my docs, I also found the Director of the Adoption Unit at The US Consulate so I could plead my case to for a CA appointment on the week we needed, (when they said they didn't know who the Director was or how to contact them.)  So I'm paying the agency this large sum of money for what?

Alright, I'm off to pack!