Adoption Video

Just thought I'd share....have tissues handy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSOraqQ9YfM

When? When? When?

I've been reading lots of my cyber-friends' blogs over the last few weeks. It's wonderful to see all of you in Vietnam, enjoying your babies! But you know, I'm just a tad jealous. OK, a LOT jealous. However, I am learning a lot about y'all's time there. Obviously, traffic is crazy...and i just need to take extra anti-anxiety drugs. (any of you in tight with the CCAA, keep your mouths shut!) We are waiting impatiently-- the days get longer and longer by the hour.

My Thai Nguyen log-in date buddies who were able to keep their referrals are FINALLY travelling, and I'm so happy for them. With the province blocked and the ridiculous Embassy craziness, it has been a very hard wait for them filled with uncertainties and anger, tears and finally, unbelievable joy. I pray that Kamryn, ours in our hearts for just a few short months, is already home with her forever family, and that no one has seen her in the orphanges. If you have, don't tell me. I don't think I could bear it.

Kenna is four months old!!! I can't even remember what babies that age do. I need to re-read my parenting books for sure! We hope to have her home by the time she's 6-8 months old. Still so tiny, but I've missed so much. I guess because I knew Connor from birth, I know what I'm missing.

Progress

It seems our case is moving along. We just sent in our i-600, so that's our last big step. Now we wait....again....for approval of that piece of paper (someone just stamp the darn thing, please!) so we can apply for our travel visa, book airfare and hotels and actually (dare I say it?) travel to Vietnam! Approval can take 60 days. Or more. Or less. Business days. Or Calendar days. This hurry-up-and-wait game is getting really old!!

I'm daring myself to be optimistic at this point that everything will work out, and that we'll be bringing our daughter home this fall. How many times can I put my heart out there like that, only to have it trampled on again and again? Apparently, countless times. Ahh...the joys of parenthood...love it!

Adoptive Parents Checklist

Ok, this is stolen from another blog, who stole it from another blog, so it must be true, right?

You know you are an adoptive mother (or you should be!) if:
1. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has ever made you lose sleep.
2. You realize DNA has nothing to do with love and family.
3. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.
4. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.
5. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.
6. You have ever been "pregnant" with your adoptive child longer than it takes an elephant to give birth (2 years!)
7. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway knowing it would all work out somehow.
8. You have ever taken a airplane ride half way around the world with a child you just met.
9. You believe God's heart is for adoption.
10. You realize that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacy's you could ever leave on this earth.
11. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the blessed one to have them in your life.
12. You know what the word Dossier means and you can actually pronounce it!
13. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life. Willingly.

That's our life in a nutshell....it's been a long, long, uphill-both-ways-in-the-snow kind of journey. But I really feel like we're almost there!

Emma Jane

Dear Emma -

Today would have been your 3rd birthday. I just imagine what you would have been doing and saying and teaching us at this age. I'm quite sure you would have been quite a little character. Somewhere between Tomboy and Princess -- not afraid to get dirty, but needing to change outfits as soon as possible! As it is, you have been with us every day. I smile every time I see a sunflower or a butterfly. On the day you died, sunflowers lined both sides of street on the way to our house. I'll never forget how beautiful it was. At your funeral, a tiny white butterfly landed on the sunflowers I picked for you. We all felt like we lost so much when you died, but you showed us how much we really had to be thankful for. You are a gift to my soul. I love you more than there are words to express.

All my love always,
Mommy