OT: Best pickup EVER..........

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Posted By: <b>Tom Boblitt</b><p>Okay....hate to blow my one off-topic thread for 2007, but this is worth it....<br /><br />Well......<br />After about 2 years, MOUNTAINS of paperwork and much fussing and fretting, my wife and I got our photo of our little girl who is currently in Gaozhou Social Welfare Institute in Guandong Province, China today. She's 11 months old, was born on 3/3/2006 and on 11/27/2006 weighed 14.35 lbs and was 25.35" long. Our 10 year old was born on 3/4 and our near 15 year old is a leap year baby on 2/29, so Emma Li Boblitt is right between the boys. 5-8 weeks from now we'll board a plane to Hong Kong for a couple days and then Hong Kong to Guangzhou and should get her on about the third day. Will be there a couple weeks finalizing more paperwork before coming home. Okay, enough bragging.....we'll get more photos in the morning via FedEx and our acceptance letter which we'll send back immediately. Thanks to all my friends here who knew about this......<br /><br />White schmotza stuff on photo is on the photo....not her head....<br /><br /><center><br /><br /><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/autograf99/emma.jpg"><br /><br /></center><br /><br />While in China, we will be posting photos and stuff on our blog which has very little so far and is located at:<br /><br /><a href="http://emmalis.blogspot.com/" target="_new"><a href="http://emmalis.blogspot.com/</a" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://emmalis.blogspot.com/</a</a>><br /><br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Joe D.</b><p>that sure is the best pickup a person could make.<br /><br />picking up your child to bring her home.<br /><br /><br />congrats.

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Posted By: <b>Holstein</b><p>Congrats. Kind of makes all this baseball card stuff seem trivial.<br /><br />She is beautiful. <br /><br />Paul

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Posted By: <b>Fred Y</b><p>Congrats Tom! <br /><br />You have every right to brag & be proud!

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Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>Awesome pickup Tom!!! Congrats to you and your wife.

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Posted By: <b>Scot Reader</b><p>Tom,<br />Congratulations! Anne-Marie and I are eagerly anticipating our new arrival from China sometime in the next few months.<br />Scot

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Posted By: <b>Jason L</b><p>Wonderful news, and a very exciting time for you and your family, to be sure!<br /><br />This was an OT thread well worth the year's allocation!<br /><br />Best wishes as you finish up the process!<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Dave</b><p>Congratulations Tom!

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Posted By: <b>RC Mckenzie</b><p>Congrats, Tom. One more non-sports card future bidder.

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Posted By: <b>Ryan Christoff</b><p>Tom, <br /><br />Congrats! She's beautiful and apparently was meant to be with you and your family. It was a smart strategic move on her part to be born in that short window of a few days between the birthdays of her future siblings. Sounds like she'll fit right in!<br /><br />We'll give you 6 weeks from now to post some new pics once you bring her home. <br /><br />Great pickup!<br /><br />-Ryan<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>Kevin Cummings</b><p>Phew! <b><u>FINALLY!</u></b> You have been waiting a long time for this.<br /><br />Girls can be quite a change of pace from boys, but then they can be just like their brothers, too. We have one that went in each direction. You'll just have to raise your little girl to find out and that's the fun part.<br /><br />Congratulations and enjoy!<br /><br />P.S. What's this that the pictures and paperwork are coming via FedEx? <img src="/images/wink.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Phenomenal Tom, congratulations! We have friends who adopted a girl from China last year, and they told us many stories about their long and strange journey.<br /><br />From what I am reading, it is becoming more difficult for Americans to adopt Asian children, that the laws are being changed. Do you know if that is true?

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Posted By: <b>rob</b><p>congrats Tom...and that is coming from another Leap Year baby, 2/29/72<br /><br />

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>My mother's closest friend was born 2/29/28, and she was the only leap year baby I've known. Now I know three!

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Posted By: <b>Martin Neal</b><p>Congratulations Tom on a wonderful addition.

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Posted By: <b>Greg</b><p>Hey Tom, <br /><br />Congrats on your new baby! That's wonderful. My wife and I adopted a baby girl from Korea 8 years ago. It's the most wonderful thing in the world.<br /><br />Greg<br /><br /><img src="http://www.network54.com/Realm/tmp/1170509647.JPG">

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Posted By: <b>Tom Boblitt</b><p>There are many new restrictions that will be put in place in May that will preclude many people from adopting from China. They are being put in place BY China, so, while I don't agree with them, they are, I guess, a way to help place their children in the best possible scenario. <br /><br />My wife and I would be out in the cold (it's 9 degrees here) with the new rules. If it's a first marriage, you have to be married 2 years, 2nd marriage for either or both, married 5 years. We were just married 4 years in January. 3rd marriage for either--no adoption.<br /><br />Threre are also new rules on BMI--Body Mass Index, $80K net worth requirements and many more. There were about 6500 children adopted from China to American parents last year. There were over 8000 the year before. The 6500 will decline again this year due to the length of time they have stretched it out.<br /><br />It was planned to take about 6-7 months when we got into the program and we had to wait 16. That was the longest period in my life I think. But....after we have her, it will only be a memory.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for the well wishes......although we all have our differences here, some of the nicest people I know and some I count as good friends even though I only see them once or twice a year or have even never actually seen them.

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Posted By: <b>John S</b><p>Congrats Tom...a beautiful child.

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Posted By: <b>leon</b><p>Congratulations on the best new pick up ever announced on the board. I am sure you and mom are very proud and happy. I was away from the board, at the father-daughter dance at my little girl's school last night, and can tell you little girls are wonderful. Take care my friend....

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Posted By: <b>Harry Wallace</b><p>Congratulations Tom.<br /><br />Makes all this cardboard stuff seem insignificant.

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Posted By: <b>Rhys</b><p>Tom<br /><br />Congrats! My brother Rhett and I are from a family where our parents adopted 17 children (and gave birth to 7 of which Rhett and I are natural born). That is NOT a typo. I think adoption is just about the best thing you can do as an adult especially having seen first hand through my siblings and other friends we have made through the years what an amazing difference it makes in these childs lives. I have 5 brothers and sisters from Asia, all of whom are adults now, that would have been given no chance in life in their native countries. They now almost all have college degrees and one of my sisters just got her MBA from Duke University last year. You have literally given another human being a chance at a great life and I cant think of anything more worthwhile to do with time or money than that.<br /><br />Rhys Yeakley

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Posted By: <b>Tom Boblitt</b><p>Rhys....thanks for sharing that. We are pretty overwhelmed......we just got an overnight letter from FedEx with our acceptance letter and more photos which I'm now posting. <br /><br />Would rather have had the UPS guy here, but this one was worth it.....<br /><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/autograf99/FedExGuy.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/autograf99/EmmaTwo.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i91/autograf99/EmmaOne.jpg">

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Posted By: <b>Bruce Babcock</b><p>Bravo and congratulations, Tom. Great news.

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Posted By: <b>JK</b><p>congrats Tom - very exciting news.

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Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>Congrats. Girls are a pleasure to raise (at least until the teen years). <br /><br />February 29th baseball births include Pepper Martin and Al Rosen.

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Posted By: <b>Jeff Lichtman</b><p>Congratulations Tom and good luck with the trip over there. A couple that is very close to us completed the trip to China to adopt a little girl a couple years back and we've heard all the stories -- your trip to China as you await your daughter will be one for the ages as we were told. Bring a videocamera!

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Posted By: <b>Judge Dred (Fred)</b><p>Congratulations! Have a safe journey! I wonder if she'll be saying "T206" anytime soon?

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Posted By: <b>davidcycleback</b><p>Congratulations, Tom & family.

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Posted By: <b>Adam J. Baxter</b><p>Congratulations Tom.

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Posted By: <b>Bob</b><p>Tom- Congrats buddy. That is great and she sure is cute. As a father of two daughters who turned out great, don't let anyone tell you how tough it is to raise girls, they were wonderful. Just love them, be there for them, and if she plays sports (and I know you will be) be a dad who goes to her games and supports her just as if she were a boy. Sadly a lot of men I know, don't. <br />That little gal couldn't have picked a better dad. Just don't give her a hard time when she comes home from school having joined the Greenpeace Club <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14><br />Bob

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Posted By: <b>barrysloate</b><p>Tom- I just saw the new pictures and she is gorgeous!<br /><br />What a lucky girl she is; and likewise, how lucky you and your wife are to have her! <img src="/images/happy.gif" height=14 width=14>

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Posted By: <b>martin dalziel</b><p><br />Congrats Tom, very exciting news and thanks for sharing it with us.

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Posted By: <b>JimB</b><p>Tom,<br />Congratulations! That is wonderful.<br />JimB