LOA-Baby girl whohoo!!!!

     After 101 (yes you heard me right!) 101 Days it took to get our LOA! I am back in my hometown this week without my husband so it is quite hectic but we are so excited to finally have that piece of paper. I don't have time to write much but just wanted to share this huge step! Harper's LOA only took 34 days so this was agony! All in God's perfect timing though! Funny it should come on a day when I was away from my computer and phone (which never happens!) So Talia should be coming home in June we hope! We also were blessed with some other wonderful news this week! New pictures of our sweet angel and she just hit 23 lbs.!!! I am sure they weigh her with all the clothing...mind you it is 70's there..ha! 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Hang on baby girl we are coming soon!

 
     What a doll baby right? She also looks a big naughty! Looks like Harper and her will get along just fine. It might be mommy and daddy that will need to up their vitamin regimen to keep up with two toddlers! We are so excited for our little family and for our two girls to finally meet! A big huge thank you to the adoption community for keeping my spirits up during this wait. You are all so amazing and I could not have done it without all your prayers and positive thoughts!

March Madness Fundraisers!

   It's time for some new spring and summer entertaining items!  Or maybe a new grill item for Father's Day or a new bag for Mother's Day? You can shop for at Pampered Chef and Thirty-One this month and 20% of all orders goes to Talia's Brittany's Hope Grant where the money gets doubled! How cool is that? Three ways to be a part of the March Madness. 
Both of the online events close on Monday, March 26th. 

    Feeling extra motivated and want to run a catalog party for Talia? You could also qualify for free or discounted products.  Just let me know and I can send some catalogs your way this month for the office or a group of friends!  

1. Pampered Chef-I know many of you have been waiting for this party! The Charlotte friends will be getting an invite to this event. Check out all the grill items-perfect gifts for the men for Father's Day! My favorite picks include: their bakers and bamboo collection! Anyone can order via this link. Just copy and paste it into your browser. 

 http://www.pamperedchef.biz/timothyhales?showId=3569531

2. Thirty-One-So many new patterns just released for the spring! I love their lunch bags and thermal totes! Perfect for days out, road trips, baseball and soccer games, or carrying dinner items to a friend's house! Harper uses the little thermal tote we received as a gift for doctors visits or b-day parties when she has to carry her own milk free desserts! This month's special for every $31 you spend you can order the the mini utility bin for $8-a savings on $12! There is no limit on the number of customer specials. So $62 in purchases qualifies for 2 customer specials specials, $93 qualifies for 3, etc.! It makes a cute mail organizer at the bottom of the steps, tote for baby or bridal shower gifts, holder for remotes, garden tools, etc. Another favorite item is their customized stationary showcasing your family...adorable! 

You can place your order here:  http://www.mythirtyone.com/AnneLittle/  

Click on my "events" and then Postiglione/Youngerman fundraiser. Then click on shop now. 

3. We have been given a $3000 matching grant via Brittany's Hope! Basically what that means is we raise $1500 and they match $1500!  The money is then given directly to our agency, which in turn, reduces our agency fees. Don't need any gifts or new items but want to donate for a tax free donation? You can donate online at: https://www.brittanyshope.org/seedling/Youngerman-Postiglione/

Or you can send a check made Paypal to: "Brittany's Hope Foundation"

Their address:

Brittany's Hope Foundation

1160 North Market Street

Elizabethtown, PA 17022

    

In the memo line write: Youngerman/Postiglione adoption and send a note with it saying this is for the Youngerman/Postiglione adoption grant. Your will receive a letter in the mail confirming your taxable donation. 

     We are estimating another 3-4 months before all our paperwork is finished and we get the "okay" to travel. This has been an incredibly hard wait and by the time she is in our arms we will have had her file for over year:( Please continue to keep Talia in your thoughts and prayers! Little Harper keeps asking where she is and in her little demanding voice says, "Talia home now, mommy, now!" 

    We thank you for your generosity and kindness. Each donation and every order, no matter the amount, does add up and gets us closer to our daughter.  Please e-mail me with any questions or product details and help spread the word! I would love to knock our goals for each fundraiser out of the park! 

Day 84

    
    Day 84 and we are still waiting for a tiny piece of paper that reads, "LOA". If you see me and I seem a bit more frazzled then usual or I am checking my phone a million times during our conversation it is because I am anxiously getting through my day one hour at a time! Please forgive me! The "Letter of Acceptance" or LOA  can take 1-4 months and well we are we tracking 3 months... agh! This is the big okay from China that we can adopt Talia. It also means your dossier is perfectly acceptable to China and they do not need any further information. I never thought we would this long. With Harper's adoption we only waited 34 days and I remember the feeling of shock when we got the call. We had just driven 11 hrs. from Philadelphia to Charlotte. I had my baby adoption shower back in my hometown that weekend and we were spent from the drive back and excited to unpack all our baby loot! We began to unpack the car and I checked our house phone for any messages we might have missed during our trip. I saw on the caller ID that our adoption agency, Madison, called us. I honestly did not think much of it and went about helping Todd bring stuff in. Right before we were about to put our feet up, sit on the couch and watch the Bachelor (yes we use to love that show now we have no time to watch it!) I listened to our messages and there was our sweet coordinator's voice telling us that we received our Letter of Acceptance from China and that we would be on a plane in 3 months! I remember freaking out because we had to fill out a bunch of United States adoption paperwork, (I-800) that night. We were so tired from the trip so Todd made a big pot of coffee and we stayed up until 1 am doing paperwork! When the FedEx guy came to our door the next day to deliver our LOA I was taking pictures of his truck and him holding my letter! He was walking too fast to my door so I even yelled, "Please stop this is important and I need to capture it"! People that have not  adopted probably think I am crazy but that FedEx guy is a very important figure in the adoption world. He is either our best friend or our worst enemy depending on what he has in his hands that day! If it is a letter that got denied in the authentication process and I have to redo it you better believe I was not happily greeting him at my door with a camera but if it is an approval letter, well then the above scenario would occur!
   The past few weeks I have not wanted to leave the house because I was waiting by the phone. However, yesterday another adoptive parent with our agency said they got their LOA and it came via e-mail so you can imagine how many times I have hit the refresh button on my computer only for it to read, "No new mail!"
   The sad thing is I don't think I will have the same amount of excitement when we get Talia's LOA. This time it will be more of a "Oh thank goodness my eyes were getting ready to be burnt by the monitor and my iPhone" and "Oh yes I can now schedule play dates again for my daughter"! 
    Please hope for both daughters sake, and my eyes, that we get our LOA in the coming week! The only analogy I can use for this wait is like being pregnant at 8 months and then being told you have four more months instead of one!