New information on YuTing

We received updated medical information on Rachael Anne. As of June 28th, she weighs 17.6 lbs, is 26 1/3 inches tall, has a head circumfrince of 17+ inches, a chest measurement of almost 17 inches, and her foot is nearly 4 inches. We ploted this out on a growth chart. Taking her March measurements and these June measurements, we can see that she is growing at a steady pace. She is still in the 5-10% for American babies, and in the 25-50% range for Southern Chinese babies. So, all said, she is growing, but is a tiny thing. Maybe this will be one grandaughter that won't be taller than her Grandma Archdeacon.
She also has four teeth now.
This is probably the last information we will get on her before we travel. Still no word on travel dates.

Visas & Paperwork

Though I think they have little else in common, international adoption and Army life should both have the same motto... 'hurry up and wait'. Now we are waiting on our visa stamps from the Chinese consulate in NYC to process our paperwork. Once our passports get stamped with a visa stamp permitting us to visit China, then we should get a travel date from the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. So, a frantic two weeks since we learned we are getting a girl from Fujian, we are still waiting on a travel date. It's just normal 'hurry up and wait' in the adoption trail...

Cricket's Orphanage

We found pictures of Cricket's orphanage today on the Internet, at a site dedicated to children being adopted from the Fujian province. It looks like a nice facility, and we've read several positive accounts online from adoptive parents that have visited the orphanage. It's comforting knowing where Cricket is at this moment.

It's a Name!

Cricket finally has a name, besides Yu Ting that is. Her name will be Rachael Anne YuTing Houser. Rachael is Becca's maternal grandmother, and Ruth Ann is Dan's mother. We find ourselves calling her a combination of all these names. Sometimes it is Rachael, Rachael Anne, YuTing, and Cricket. We did not keep the Jiang from her Chinese name because that is comparable to our last name. All the children from her orphange (The Jinjiang Children's Welfare Institute) have the name Jiang. Besides, Rachael Anne YuTing Houser is long enough. : )

Where is Jiang Yu Ting?

We've gotten lots of questions, and one of them is, "Where is your daughter?" Jiang Yu Ting is in Southeast China in the Fujian province, in a city called Jinjiang.