tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88989252657780155002024-02-21T10:54:43.602-06:00The Strachans...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-80563234533267851712014-06-19T10:59:00.000-05:002014-06-22T11:08:46.071-05:00Headed home in the morning!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"> can't believe that our time here in China is about done!! It has been an exhausting, difficult, yet wonderful trip!!</span></div>
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Our precious JWH has come a long way in the last 10 days... He is picking up some English, still loves to sing all his children's songs in Chinese (one about a rabbit, another about finding lost money, and apparently twinkle twinkle??), and seems to be having less tantrums (although he is still *very* determined... pretty sure he has never heard 'no' before. Trying to say yes lots and meet lots of needs but there are just some things that are a no). He LOVES face timing with his Baba, chatters incessantly when he sees him, was beyond thrilled when I gave him his very own, brand new Chinese silks (was VERY upset when we took them off - he wanted to make sure he got to keep them so he put them straight in his bed with all of his other belongings... something totally new to him, to have things that are his own), and can't get enough of the swing (oh to be home where it is not so hot & humid so that we can swing for more than 5 minutes before being soaked in sweat!).</div>
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We fly out in the morning, have to be downstairs ready to go at 6:30 Friday morning China time and are scheduled to land at home at 10 Saturday morning China time, 28hrs later... Gulp... Really grateful for prayers!!! </div>
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And now a few pics:</div>
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His 'grumpy' face</div>
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Shamian island fun</div>
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Pearl river 'cruise'</div>
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Canton tower</div>
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Waterfall selfie</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-61837192784550327342014-06-16T01:01:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:59:17.448-05:00Guangzhou medical appointmentWell... we survived the visa medical appointment - barely! We had check ups done by the nurses station (height, weight & temp), the ENT (in China that's Eyes, Nose & Throat), a general physical, and because JWH is over 2years of age a blood draw to check for TB (will get those results tomorrow).<br />
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Right now we are all resting in the room, recovering from this mornings visa medical/'trauma'.</div>
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Waiting in a non air conditioned room (30C+) to see the drs.</div>
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Where are the drs already???</div>
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The ENT...</div>
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Sorry, no pics from the melt down/raging/screaming part of our morning... which took up the majority of our morning.</div>
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Yesterday morning we went on a tour with our group. We went to see the 6 Banyan Tree Temple, the Chen Family House & then stopped at a little shopping area where we grabbed a few trinkets. </div>
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Pagoda inside the temple</div>
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Eye opening experience for AG.</div>
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Hot hot hot- over 100 and very humid!</div>
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Chen family house</div>
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More Chen family house</div>
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AGs auntie came up from HKG to spend the afternoon with us. So grateful to her for coming such a long way for such a short amount of time! AG got to ride a paddle boat with Auntie D, like CC did 2 years ago :) </div>
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Waiting for a table at lunch </div>
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Only 4 more days to go!! Grateful for continued prayers - not easy for our little guy (or for us big girls). </div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-83428341735836517272014-06-14T05:01:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:58:08.665-05:00GuangzhouToday we flew to Guangzhou, final stop in our China trip. We are half way there!!!!! This time next week we'll be home!!! :) :) JWH did great on the plane, far surpassed my expectations- probably partly due to the Dramamine I gave him ;-)<br />
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Riding the bus from the hotel to the airport.</div>
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'Helping' at the airport. He's got the pushing part down, just need to work on looking where we are going/steering ;-)</div>
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Fav pic of the day</div>
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LOVED the seat belt!!</div>
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Selfie on the plane</div>
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Here we go!</div>
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Nap time + Dramamine = bliss</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-45762418454869713882014-06-13T05:01:00.000-05:002014-06-22T10:58:41.758-05:00Day ??? in ZZIt's all getting a bit blurry now... I do know that today is our third day waiting on JWHs passport. We received our notarized documents yesterday Kate afternoon, all looked great. I looked them over again this morning, this time not just the pages in English but the pages in Chinese too and found an error :( so our guide has taken them back, hoping it will be a quick fix and not hold things up :(<br />
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While we wait here are a few more pics:</div>
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Trying to charge Mommas phone (case). Shhh don't tell him the phones not in there ;-)</div>
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After his bath...</div>
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Practicing using headphones... Hoping he gets it down before the loooong flight home. So far 5mins is about his max :)Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-4133895245303400782014-06-12T00:31:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:57:40.193-05:00Day #5 in ZZYesterday we were totally free, no paperwork, nothing on the schedule other than bonding with JWH. Today and tomorrow are the same - we are just waiting on his passport to be issued before we can head to our next stop, Guangzhou, where we will get his US visa and then head home.<br />
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Today has been our best day by far! So grateful to God!!! Thank you to all who have been praying! I have my precious 4 year old son napping in my arms (woooohoooooo!!!!! First time he has let me rock/hold him to sleep!!!!!) so will keep this short. Here are some pics from this morning.</div>
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Blowing bubbles in the park.</div>
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Pocky in the park! Seems everyone likes Pocky ;-)<br />
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Beach ball fun<br />
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And my favorite picture, napping in Mommas arms.<br />
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And now some pics from yesterday:</div>
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Big helpers with their little brothers.<br />
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Taking their siblings through the sprinklers - am sure that was the first time they'd ever done that! :)<br />
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More bubble fun<br />
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Walk on the sidewalk at your own risk!<br />
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In front of the hotel.<br />
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Seafood section at walmart<br />
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Preserved meats...<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-38129083422223739002014-06-11T01:34:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:56:53.134-05:00Day #3 in ZZ<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">We started off this morning with a trip back to the registration office to finalize JWHs adoption. After that we went to the notary office to get everything notarized, (up and down 6 flights of stairs) then we were back to the hotel for a quick 30 mins in which we had to photocopy the documents we'd just received that morning and try to get a quick bite to eat before heading out to apply for JWHs passport. </span></div>
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We had to travel to Hebi, the city that he is from, to apply for his passport - was a 2hr drive each way. After we finished at the police station we were able to go visit his orphanage... so so sad :( They had nothing... no toys, no books, no paper/crayons, rooms empty except for their cribs and 2 small green tables. There was nothing there for a child to play with - except for the 1 car that we had sent in a care package to JWH. Seeing where he spent the first 4 years of his life is helping me to understand some of his behaviors... being here, with 2 white people (who don't understand any of the many things he is saying in mandarin), in a hotel, on a bus, in different rooms with lots of other white people who are holding toys for other kids, at a breakfast buffet in a hotel, just SO much overstimulation, seeing things for the first time... grabbing, touching, throwing, screaming, shutting down... all understandable considering what he has and hasn't known and what he is now experiencing... understandable but not easy to deal with...</div>
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Grateful for continued prayers for JWH, for me, for AG (who is doing amazingly! such a wonderful helper to her momma!!!)... also grateful for prayers for the rest of the crew back at home.</div>
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And now the pics:</div>
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With the notary official</div>
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Applying for his passport at the Hebi police station.<br />
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Waving bye at the police station.<br />
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Outside his orphanage<br />
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JWHs old bed<br />
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Playing with some of his friends/roommates.<br />
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Countryside pics that AG took on the drive out...<br />
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The Yellow River.<br />
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Watching TV with big sis.<br />
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Lego!!!</div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-90349972329133537982014-06-08T06:55:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:55:57.616-05:00Today: we arrived in ZhengzhouToday we flew from Beijing to ZZ. We had to be downstairs bright n early (6am) but with jetlag we had NO problem with that ;-) 4:15am is the new time to beat as far as sleeping in goes.<br />
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After we arrived in ZZ we has a quick lunch, then a trip to the bank to exchange $, followed by a trip to wal mart to get some snacks etc for JW. Was a long bit good day.</div>
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A few pics from today:</div>
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Packed like sardines on the bus out to the plane.</div>
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Here we go!<br />
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AG and B walking back from wal mart. Watch out for the scooters!<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-32607896144349340362014-06-08T06:13:00.001-05:002014-06-08T06:47:42.194-05:00Tomorrow - forever family dayI can't believe that in a few short hours (15 but who's counting) I'll be meeting my son! So overwhelmed at the magnitude of what's about to take place... No longer an orphan but a beloved son and brother... longed for, treasured, pursued, deeply valued, and oh so loved. <div><br></div><div>What an incredible picture adoption is of what God has done for us, how he has (and does) pursued us, loved us, longed for us and welcomed <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">us into his family. So grateful.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I've been reading my way through Psalms and what should I come across today but Ps 68:5-6 '</span><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families...'</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Am so in awe of how God has set our son in our family, how blessed we are to have him as our son, to be a part of what God is doing.</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Really appreciate prayers for JW. He has suffered so much loss already and tomorrow he will lose all that is familiar... SO much for a little one to deal with. Grateful to serve a God who heals, redeems and restores. Praying and believing that for my son.</font></div><div><b></b></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-4624989824008017912014-06-07T02:56:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:55:30.421-05:00The Great WallWe woke up nice and early this morning, courtesy of jet lag, and joined the 6 other families in our travel group for our trip to the Great Wall.<br />
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It was an amazingly clear day, perfect for sightseeing. Anna, my sweet student, was busy taking down notes from our guide during the bus ride on our way up. She is learning so much, loving being here in China.</div>
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What we were getting ready to climb<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Steep hike up the Great Wall</span></div>
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Inside the guard tower</div>
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On top of the tower</div>
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Such a treat to get to visit the Great Wall with my sweet daughter!</div>
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Amazing</div>
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Tomorrow/Sunday we fly to ZZ which is the capital city of the province our son is from... and then on Monday morning we'll meet him!!!!!!! </div>
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-79998327471746250952014-06-06T15:47:00.001-05:002014-06-22T10:54:32.836-05:00Hi from BeijingThis is going to be short, just so tired.<br />
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Our trip out here was uneventful - with the exception of the lady who fainted & fell to the ground in security. A new way to beat the long security line ;-) Anna *loved* being able to watch movie after movie after movie on the plane... so was not much/any sleeping for her. We were met at the airport by, Jean, a guide from our agency who brought us to our hotel. After checking in & showering Anna and I decided to go for a walk to try to stay awake. We found 'snack' St, the Apple store, a Catholic church and a yummy restaraunt right next to our hotel. </div>
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And now for the pics:</div>
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First sight of the HUGE plane that she was about to get on.</div>
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Hmmmm... I sure hope not!!!</div>
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We arrived in no time... although it felt like 12hr50min.</div>
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The Catholic Church </div>
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Apple store... we think. We didn't venture inside ;-)</div>
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Snack street...</div>
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Tired much!?!</div>
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Thanks so much to everyone for praying! We are so grateful!</div>
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Tomorrow: The Great Wall.</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-57884237294081463692014-06-04T21:17:00.002-05:002014-06-04T21:17:41.073-05:00Here we go!We are flying out in the morning, headed to meet our son! This momma is such a mix of emotions - so excited I can hardly believe this day is here, and then shedding tears as I hug my sweet ones at bedtime tonight, knowing it will be a loooong 15 days before I get to hold them close again.<br />
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Grateful for prayers for my *amazing* hubby as he holds down the ever expanding fort ;-) for AG and I as we head off (this is her first time to Asia, am sure it will be a very impactful trip!), and for our new son... all the change thats ahead, ranging from no more split pants all the way to a family, *his* family. For a little boy who has never left the orphanage there are a lot of firsts coming. Appreciate prayers for his precious heart...<br />
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Next post coming to you from Ch*na! Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-71892611745561085152014-05-16T20:02:00.004-05:002014-05-16T20:02:42.866-05:00TA!!!Soooo not a lot of details yet but we got a phone call from our agency today saying that they have received our Travel Approval! We will hopefully find out on Monday or Tuesday about our confirmed Consulate Appointment and then we can start booking flights!!! Can't believe its finally happening - we are bringing our son home!!!!!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-34712994880861596042014-05-12T21:33:00.001-05:002014-05-12T21:33:50.730-05:00StrugglingOohhhhhhhh this momma is struggling... You'd think that being so close to the end I'd have had *plenty* of practice at being patient, especially since this is the third time around, you'd think I'd have this all worked out. Oh. my. word. There is not an ounce of patience left in me! If there ever was any to start with ;-) I am so ready to travel... or to just know *when* I'm going... but this endless waiting, the 'we could find out today, or tomorrow, or the day after, or not for another 3 weeks' is more than I can handle. I just want to be with my son. How crazy is that, for me, some woman who has never met this precious boy, to long for him *so* much, to feel as if a part of me is missing, this piece I've never met... I am trying to figure out how to get off of this emotional rollercoaster that is every day; I wake up in the morning hoping that today might be the day we get our FINAL approval, our approval to travel to bring our son home, only to have that hope snuffed out by about 4:30, when I haven't heard boo from our agency, and then to start all over again the next day... and the next day... and the next day. Today marks day 9 of waiting for our Travel Approval.<br />
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Soooo since we *could* find out aka TRAVEL TO CH*NA AT A MOMENTS NOTICE, I've been trying to work through my list of To-Do's. Today I crossed one of those things off my list, JW's bear. All my kids have their own bear with a little something sown onto it by yours truly. When I first sat down to do JW's I had no idea what to 'draw'. It was a no-brainer for my amazing hubby, who piped up with 'the frog', from the infamous yellow shirt, that both of our precious boys were wearing in their referral pictures... although they were not at the same orphanage. hmmmm.<br />
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JW's bear </div>
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JW's referral picture </div>
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JJ's referral picture </div>
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Grateful for prayers that we -ahem *I*- finish strong in this final stretch before it all really starts.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-34284075629345054682014-04-28T21:26:00.002-05:002014-04-28T21:26:56.716-05:00We are getting close...Wow, I have been terrible about blogging this time around!! Who am I kidding, I wasn't that good the first two times either or the in-between times ;-) I just realized that I never posted the updated picture that we received in Nov of our sweet son, whom we are naming Joshua. <br />
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We are getting so close to travel, yet it still feels like forever away... Our current 'piece of paper/approval' (there are just so many!!) is due to be picked up from the US consulate in Guangzhou on May 5th. This document states that the US govt has approved our application to classify Josh as our son, and states that they will grant him a visa to travel to the US and citizenship upon arriving in the US. Once the CCC*A has received this 'piece of paper', they will issue the next 'piece of paper ', our TA (Travel Approval!!!), which could take anywhere from 1-3 weeks. After that we schedule our CA (Consulate Appointment in Guangzhou to obtain said visa) and then we book flights and travel!!! Sooooo at the earliest, we could be going late May, or more likely June. <br />
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I can't believe that we are finally nearing the end of the paper part of the journey (although it has felt like I have shed blood, sweat, and *lots* of tears getting to this point)... and then the *real* journey of becoming a family will begin. Selfishly I cant wait to finally see <b>my son</b>, to hold him (if he'll let me), play with him (if he'll let me), and love on him (if he'll let me), but my heart hurts<b> </b>thinking about how much change he is about to
experience... how his whole world is about to be flipped upside down. I wish it wasn't so hard... but I am so grateful to serve a God who heals, restores, and redeems. Praying for that for my son.<br />
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So incredibly grateful to all who have come alongside us - we covet your prayers!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-15351082161551098502014-04-05T12:36:00.000-05:002014-05-26T20:27:15.668-05:00Lessons...Often you hear people talk about how much they've learned/grown/been stretched in their adoption processes. Some of my greatest teachers this time around have been my children, my two oldest daughters, A & C, currently ages 9 & 8... not so old.<br />
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When we told A & C that we were going to adopt JW, they went straight to their piggy banks, emptied them out, even handed over much
beloved chinese yuan from C's trip to China when we brought home JJ, and gave it all (quarters, pennies, dimes, chuck eeee cheese tokens, you name it) to us to help with getting JW home... They weren't holding on tightly to what was theirs, but were more than willing, they were so excited that they could give what they had and do something/play a part in helping bring their brother home. We hadn't told them exactly how much adoption costs, but they knew it was a lot, and they knew Momma & Daddy hadn't been planning on adopting again so hadn't been saving for that, and didn't have what was needed. So they gave what they had, with *joy*! HUGE challenge to me... about not only giving when its convenient, when I've got 'surplus', but giving sacrificially...<br />
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The girls didn't stop there though. <br />
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They decided that not only did they want to give what they had, but they wanted to help *raise* money to bring JW home. I loved seeing their hearts but thought to myself, 'Girls just leave this to momma & daddy. You don't need to be concerned with this, this is not your responsibility.' They had thought about it and had come up with an idea, they wanted to sell bouncy balls to raise money. Wait, what?!?! I thought there was no way that anyone would buy bouncy balls?!?! to help bring a little boy home. But my sweet girls were determined. They started collecting bouncy balls from school - they would forgo the candy and other toys that were presented as prizes after work well done and instead choose bouncy ball, after bouncy ball, after bouncy ball... for months. Every opportunity they had (dr's appointment, dentist, orthodontist etc), they chose bouncy balls and added them to their collection.<br />
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Honestly, I thought that if we gave it enough time this whole bouncy ball fundraiser idea would fade. But after about 6 months of collecting, the girls asked their daddy (whose day job happens to be in 'web stuff') if he would build them a website to sell the 38 bouncy balls that they had collected. Soooo, Daddy did what Daddys do when their sweet daughters ask them something. He set up a <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/bouncyballs" target="_blank">gofundme</a> page for the girls. He sat down and talked with them about what their goal was (raise $1000!! big gulp from momma when I heard this! I was thinking more along the lines of $100), what they were going to include in their prize/package (2 bouncy balls, handmade card from them, handmade rainbow loom bracelet, and a fridge magnet with JWs picture - hopefully encouraging people to pray for sweet JW), how much they would ask people to donate for one of these 'prizes', and how they were going to share the news about their fundraiser (they drafted emails to family members asking them to share on social media). They got everything set up on a Saturday night, prayed and then clicked submit on their campaign.<br />
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Sweet girls...</div>
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I wish I could say that I was 100% supportive of this... but I wasn't. I was concerned that my girls were going to get hurt - after putting themselves out there, being vulnerable, asking for help, not having people respond, ending up feeling like they had failed, which is what I was sure was going to happen - and I wanted to protect them from that. I talked with my hubby privately and told him that I thought we should be prepared to buy 1-2 token packages, since no-one else was going to. Oh how wrong I was, how little my faith... The next morning was a Sunday, our week to serve at church, which meant an early wake up call. The first thing the girls asked was if they could look at their gofundme page. I knew what they were going to see. I had been brought to tears time and time again, between their bedtime and mine, when I received multiple emails from gofundme saying that another donation had been made. Overnight these girls had raised $500! It seemed incredible, that in just 12 hours they were halfway to their goal! To date, the girls have raised $1595.00 from their bouncy ball fundraiser.<br />
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Spring break spent making bracelets, making cards, addressing envelopes, putting 'prizes' together.</div>
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At the post office, mailing off all the 'prizes'.</div>
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The lessons in this??? Many! No-one is too young, nothing is too small, too insignificant when you bring it to God. He can use any and all... Such an incredible faith builder for me, and for my daughters, for us all. Something that I know they will remember always, and hold tightly to, remembering when they stepped out in faith and God provided above and beyond what they thought was a huge goal. I am so humbled, so grateful, to all the wonderful people who responded to my daughters faith put into action.<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-773512101119205162014-03-24T20:09:00.000-05:002014-04-28T20:09:46.877-05:00LOA baby!!!Woo hooooooo we have our LOA aka LSC. This is China's formal approval to let us adopt precious Wen. There are still many hoops to jumpt hrough between now and when we travel but we are one *very* big step closer!!!<br />
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Thank you God!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-75844967333884679142014-01-17T20:30:00.000-06:002014-05-26T20:30:34.130-05:00DTC!!!!!Woo hoo!!!!!!!!! This is a big day! Today we *finally* were able to send our dossier off to Ch*na. Our dossier is the huge chunk of paperwork that we have been working on for the last 5 months. Now we hurry up and wait for our LOA/LSC.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-16342709073380690872013-11-13T21:30:00.002-06:002013-11-13T21:38:05.367-06:00Update...Friends have asked recently how things are going with our adoption process... painstakingly slowly is what I'd like to say, is how it feels (although in reality things are moving along), when your child is halfway across the world and you are 4, 6, or even 8 months away from going to meet him to bring him home. Nothing seems to be moving quite fast enough for this <strike>im</strike>patient momma. <br />
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We are making some progress though! We have been given our fingerprint appointment by the USCIS so will be doing that next week. Woo hoo!!! Unfortunately they are processing these applications reeeeally slowly right now, taking about 90 days on average :( We sent our application in on Oct 9th so are on day 35 right now (not that I'm counting or anything), about 1/3 of the way through this particular wait.<br />
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On the bright side we received a totally unexpected update on our precious son this past week! So grateful to hear how he is doing, to get a glimpse of him in the photo they sent. So very grateful to get to 'see' him but so hard too, to see how much he has grown up, to see how much we and he has missed out on. So.so.hard.<br />
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Wouldn't you know it but the day that we received the update on WH was the day that we packed his very first care package, letting him know that he has a momma, daddy, 3 sisters and a little brother who are praying for him every day and can't wait to bring him home. Praying for his precious heart as he (hopefully) receives this package and hears about his forever family. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have lived in an orphanage, in an institution, for almost 4 years... seeing people come and go, not knowing the love of a family, and then finding out that you have a family (whatever that is?!?). WH is a lot older than either of our other two precious adopted kiddos were when we brought them home. His age has really been on my heart and mind a lot lately. Find myself wondering what all he understands about family, if its something he has consciously hoped for, or something that he longs for without even knowing it.<br />
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Here's a glimpse of what we sent to our son...<br />
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So grateful for your prayers, words of encouragement during this time. I wish I could say that its easier the third time around but its just not.<br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-39868278179530824692013-10-09T19:03:00.002-05:002013-10-28T21:13:59.120-05:00Woo hoo!!!! I800A here we come!!!So today was kindof a big day for us. Our social worker finalized (& notarized!) our home study!! I made a quick stop off at her office (between taking JJ to his follow up appointment with the plastic surgeon & Anna's orthodontist appointment) to pick our home study up and then drop it off at the wonderful USPS office to get it on its way to the USCIS (along with about 20 others pages of documents). We are now waiting on the USCIS to approve us as an adoptive family, which is currently taking about 80 days :( After that there are a lot of other steps before we even get close to bringing WH home but that's for another post...<br />
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This adoption journey is not for the faint of heart ya'll (can't believe I actually just said ya'll!!!). This last week has been *tough* on this mommas heart. I keep telling my wonderful hubby that I'm trying to be wise, to protect my heart (because in international adoption you just never know), but this week I feel like the opposite has been happening. All I have been able to think about is this dear dear boy, who I've never met, who I don't know at all, and yet I *ache* to have him home, to have him with us, with his family... SO while I am ecstatic that our home study is done, and our I800A is somewhere in the bowels of the USPS system, my heart is heavy with how much waiting is still ahead, with how much longer our son has to go without his family.<br />
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I glanced at a blog post last night, read the title and that was about it... I couldn't get past that title 'Gods timeline to XXX'. This journey of ours to our little one (we really need to decide on a name for him!!!) and his journey to us, for sure isn't happening according to our timeline... but that's ok, that's how it should be... Am choosing to trust and believe that its happening according to Gods timeline. It doesn't ease the longing for this little one but it does bring peace, which I am fighting to cling to, knowing that while we are doing everything we can to get to our son ASAP God knows and is with him and is orchestrating things, bringing us together in his time, according to his timeline, not our timeline.<br />
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So if you think of it, this adoptive momma could use your prayers... as could a precious little one in Ch*na who has no idea what's headed his way... in 6-8 months :)Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-5271527643225182732013-09-29T20:22:00.000-05:002013-09-29T20:22:17.523-05:00We need help... again...We are thrilled to announce that we are in the adoption process again, preparing to bring home another beloved son!! We didn't plan or expect to find ourselves adopting again so soon after bringing JJ home (just last year) but we are so excited about our newest son and can't wait for him to be home, living and being loved in our family! We saw this precious ones profile on a waiting child listing and prayed, and prayed, and prayed, for a family for him. After about 4 months of praying for him (and his future family- haha!) we felt like God was stirring our hearts, asking us if we would be willing to be the answer to our own prayers. Would we be the family to forever call this boy our son?? And so here we are, stepping out in faith to bring home our second son with some medical needs, the extent of which we won't fully know until he is home.<br />
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And that brings us to you, our friends and family. First, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who helped us bring EB home in 2009, and JJ in 2012. They wouldn't be here without your generosity and support! Asking for help (and again!) is not easy for me, is not something that I do well with... but I think God must be
trying to teach me something because here we are again, in a position where we really need some help, which means asking for help. We would be so grateful if you would most importantly PRAY for us, for our son who is waiting, for the process, for however you feel led to pray. We would also be super grateful to anyone who feels led to partner with us financially and help us in this journey. Adoption costs a lot... our agency has told us that we are looking at between $28-$30K USD... eeeekk! <br />
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Soooo to help with the cost, we have 2 main fundraisers that we are doing. The first is simply a way to donate money for our adoption through <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/bring-home-wen">GoFundMe</a>. A very generous donor has agreed to match every dollar that is donated up to $3000. Right now we are at $1100, so with the donors gift we are really at $2200! So grateful! The second fundraiser we are doing is through a wonderful organization called <a href="http://chromebuffalo.com/a/cb?drive=321" target="_blank">Chrome Buffalo</a>, which was started by some dear friends of ours. We will receive $11 for every t-shirt purchased through our drive on Chrome Buffalo. Our 10 day chrome buffalo drive is <a href="http://chromebuffalo.com/a/cb?drive=321" target="_blank">HERE</a> and starts today sept 29th and will finish Oct 9th... so if you want a shirt be sure to get one quickly :)<br />
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Thank you to everyone who has come alongside us, prayed with us, encouraged us, and helped us bring our kiddos home. We are forever grateful, forever changed by the blessing of our kids! I'll be posting updates here on the blog about our process and also about our son as/if we get any. His 4th birthday is coming up in the spring. It would be a real miracle if we were able to travel by then, be with him for his birthday, but we are expecting that it will more likely be summer of 2014 before we get to bring him home. <br />
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Much love to you all!!! <br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-50766848752921748812013-09-10T22:26:00.000-05:002013-09-29T20:27:53.308-05:00Why adopt???Why are we adopting??? again??? Isn't 4 kids enough??? and 2 of them adopted??? Why adopt again??? Oh I wish that I had a gift with words so that I could do this question justice... Why? because there are children who need families. Why? because I've experienced firsthand, through the adoption of my youngest brother, the difference a family can make in the life of a child. Why? because I've been blessed immeasurably by the gift of growing my own family through adoption. Why? because children with special needs are children too. They deserve to have a family who loves them and values them and accepts them, a family who can provide the care that their biological family felt unable to provide. Why? because God says in his word to care for the orphans and widows, to *show* love... <br />
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In the late 1980's my family was living in Hong Kong, which is now technically part of Ch*na. One morning my mom was reading an article in the local newspaper about girls in HK who were facing crisis pregnancies (in the chinese culture at that time sex wasn't talked about, girls often didn't know how they got pregnant, how long they had been pregnant etc)... and how these dear girls were going across the border into Ch*na to have late term (third trimester) abortions. My parents hearts were broken hearing how these young, young, and I mean *young*, girls felt they had no option but to have an abortion (that or be disowned/kicked out of home/on the streets). As a result of this, my parents started Mother's Choice... an organization that provided an alternative for girls who found themselves in this situation. It was a place where these girls could choose. They could choose life, choose to give birth to their babies, choose to parent them or choose to release them for adoption... Mother's Choice provided support, counseling, a place to live, job training... and also provided a loving home for these precious children who were waiting to be adopted. This is where I grew up. I grew up around precious girls who courageously chose life for their unborn babies, around precious girls who courageously chose to parent these little ones, around precious girls who courageously chose to release their children for adoption... This is where my heart for orphans was born.<br />
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We have adopted 2 precious children so far and are in the process of bringing home our 3rd (with 2 biological kids that makes 5 altogether! eek!)... who knows if this will be our last ;-) All we know is that we are trying to live out a life of obedience, a life of love, a life that shows that each and every life is valued, treasured, purposed. Adoption is not easy (and I'm not talking about the paperwork,or the waiting), there's lots of pain and heartache and difficulty in it but it is without a doubt oh.so.worth.it. Each of my children are worth it. <br />
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PS If you're interested in reading more about by parent's story you can get my Dad's book <a href="http://waitingforafather.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<a href="http://waitingforafather.com/">http://waitingforafather.com/</a><br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-69944439170399155612013-08-31T10:18:00.000-05:002013-09-29T22:24:09.200-05:00Adopting... whats invovledSo what all is involved in adopting from Ch*na? Part of that depends on which route you go, if you are in the traditional adoption program waiting for a healthy child or if you go through the waiting child program and adopt a child with special needs. This will be our third time through the waiting child program, second time with Ch*na (first time was through H*ng K*ng which while technically is part of Ch*na is a totally different adoption process) and their special focus program (which is children with more severe special needs).<br />
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First off is the Home Study which includes: <br />
- hours of interviews with a social worker asking you questions about anything and everything personal,<br />
- paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork (writing essays on yourself - your thoughts on adoption, your marriage and how it works, your growing up years, thoughts on your multicultural family, your parenting style, copies of everyone's birth certificates, marriage cert, green cards, final orders of adoption etc etc etc),<br />
- a home inspection (which includes a whole host of things like illustrated fire escape plans- grateful we didn't need the fire marshal to come out and inspect our home this time around!),<br />
- finances scrutinized,<br />
- medical appointments for everyone (including TB skin tests which the hubby and I always fail due to having the BCG vaccine as kids in HK... so then we get to have chest xrays to ensure we dont have TB),<br />
- background/fingerprint check to make sure we are not criminals,<br />
- child abuse clearances from every state/country we've lived in over the age of 18,<br />
- 6 reference letters (3 personal, 1 work, 1 school & 1 family),<br />
- guardianship agreement document incase something were to happen to us - and these guardians must meet the minimum adoption requirement for Ch*na,<br />
- pet vaccination records, <br />
- documentation from our health insurance company saying they will cover our newly adopted child,<br />
and more I'm sure, I just can't think of it right now :) <br />
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***This is where we are right now, waiting on a few of our clearances to come back and our SW to finalize our home study. We have also obtained about half of our dossier documents.***<br />
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After our home study is complete we then have to apply for and obtain an approval from the US Govt saying that we can adopt. This involves more paperwork and more fingerprinting.<br />
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While we are waiting on all of this we are working on the big D, our 'dossier', which is a set of papers that goes to Ch*na. Ch*na requires that all of these papers are issued within the last 6 months, which means we have to have original copies of the following documents <u><b>newly</b></u> created (no photocopies allowed!):<br />
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- our marriage cert (from HK - proves a little difficult to get)<br />
- birth certs (one from HK and one from a state across the ocean... again, difficult to get)<br />
- adoption petition<br />
- financial statement<br />
- police clearances from our county<br />
- approval from the US govt<br />
- employment letter for my hubby<br />
- unemployment letter for me<br />
- medical form on me<br />
- medical form on hubby <br />
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Once we have obtained all of these documents they need to be *sealed*, which for our state means being notarized 5 times: first at a basic notary level, then by the county clerk, then by the state, then by the US sec of state, and finally by the Ch*nese Embassy in DC. Once we've done this our Dossier is reviewed by our agency and then sent on to Ch*na... Woo hoo!!! We are working hard towards this goal. Our agency has told us that its anywhere from 4-7months once our dossier goes to Ch*na to when we would travel to bring Wen home.<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-74108181231805493072013-08-21T21:43:00.002-05:002013-08-31T21:19:51.021-05:00Here we go again!Well, its official, we have started the adoption process again. We are thrilled to announce that we are adding another son to our crew!!!<br />
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We found out on August 15th that we have PA (Pre-Approval) from Ch*na to bring home this precious little one, our son. He is a few months older than JJ, so will be kindof like having twins, kindof...<br />
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We'll be posting more as we go along but wanted to get this up here, ask for prayers as we work our way through the adoption process. I know I must sound like a broken record but oh.my.word. the things you have to do to adopt... totally worth it in the long run, just wishing the run wasn't so long and so arduous... trying hard to keep my eyes fixed on the goal, on our precious son.<br />
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We would really covet prayers for our newest little one. We can't share many specifics on him yet but he's in a traditional orphanage... not in a foster home, not in an orphanage that has outside support...<br />
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It is so heartbreaking for this momma to know that while we are slogging our way through red tape upon red tape our precious son is without a momma to hold him and sing to him and comfort him when he's sick, without a daddy to wrestle with him and show him the world, without big sisters to love on him and teach him how to play dress up ;-), without a brother to play cars & karate with, without a forever family that is his... Precious boy we love you already and are praying for you, and praying for those who are taking care of you while we jump through the hoops.<br />
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PS Here's JJs referral pic, notice any similarities??? and they weren't at the same orphanage...<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-68149599902881645602013-08-13T21:05:00.003-05:002013-08-31T14:24:47.674-05:00Summer FunOh.my.word. I can't believe that it's been since February since I posted!!!! I wish I had time to go back and post on so many things that have happened but, yah, not likely to happen anytime soon. So in an attempt to get caught up, here are the high points:<br />
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First JJ had ear tube surgery in Feb,<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-op</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post op with big sis</td></tr>
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In March EB had tube surgery, <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the TV controller as phone ;-)</td></tr>
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and she turned 6, <br />
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Hubby and his business partner received an addy award- so we got to go out :)<br />
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Hubby and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary (super grateful to my in-laws for coming out from N Ireland to stay with the kids)!<br />
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Then in April JJ had surgery to remove a cyst in his lip (we are SO grateful that it was not malignant!!!),<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-op, before he knew what was happening</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving his car off to the OR. I *love* our childrens hospital!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleeping with his 'no-nos' for 3 weeks :(</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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hmmmm, then what??? Ah yes, a trip to Gatlinburg to spend time with sweet friends<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ALL the kids... The 4 of us parents were *slightly* outnumbered ;-)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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In May friends from Hong Kong came and stayed for a week<br />
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We also finished up school in May and headed off to the beach with my parents for vacation. Oh what a treat that was! So so grateful to my big sis for staying home and taking care of JLC so that my parents could come with us to FL.<br />
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And there were about 50 Speech therapy sessions, a couple of well child checks, visit to the orthopedic dr, big annual cardiology exam, post-op visits with the plastic surgeon and the ENT...<br />
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Hubby had a birthday...<br />
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Auntie & Uncle came to visit from the UK - thats the United Kingdom NOT the University of Kentucky as many have assumed ;-)... Auntie came to visit from Hong Kong... Has been a very full and wonderful few months.<br />
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I can't believe how incredibly blessed I am, married to a truly amazing man, blessed to be the momma to these 4 precious ones... AND in process to add one more sweet child to our brood!!!! Praying and paperworking our way to the newest Strachan... more to come on him soon!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8898925265778015500.post-944920556486418832013-02-20T21:33:00.000-06:002013-08-31T14:25:27.574-05:00SchoolIt has been a while since I've posted... have lots on my mind, which will have to wait for another post, but wanted to at least get a few pics up from school today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big girls doing some fraction fun with mommas 'special' homemade manipulatives</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EBs daily sheet... purchased <a href="http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Page-Protector-Printables-BUNDLE-2">here </a>but slightly modified for our needs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1_qTY7O8-v6d4Ua02dlhvHQ8fZ-xNgL5LDcHt4AceASbQ27fUM2T-BeLXy8G3KGxULB7Z5j9dcuIgEf-BqAtBURUfI_7p-voSJJ6PwWuznH7L2h6PoHdO9_dB6mILardZedMbx69eVru/s1600/photo(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> <img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1_qTY7O8-v6d4Ua02dlhvHQ8fZ-xNgL5LDcHt4AceASbQ27fUM2T-BeLXy8G3KGxULB7Z5j9dcuIgEf-BqAtBURUfI_7p-voSJJ6PwWuznH7L2h6PoHdO9_dB6mILardZedMbx69eVru/s320/photo(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Something to keep JJ out of trouble - and learning too. Little man is sorting his bugs by color</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pkGThaZL0WgZpwfVOpbOf81M_tu3x8UitxO3iFNL0sGWp80yD-KBeJK68ho2JdO721gEY-T8gaHt58ULIBc_3jyMfPk8znweRwMOddQme0dxXgxwvf0qIqitHC6d6S7QpOj8I9_5xj1s/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pkGThaZL0WgZpwfVOpbOf81M_tu3x8UitxO3iFNL0sGWp80yD-KBeJK68ho2JdO721gEY-T8gaHt58ULIBc_3jyMfPk8znweRwMOddQme0dxXgxwvf0qIqitHC6d6S7QpOj8I9_5xj1s/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">JJs newest skill - cutting! He concentrates SO hard when he's working with his scissors!</td></tr>
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It really is such a joy and privilege to be able to teach my kiddos, to
watch them learn and grow... There are definitely days that are
challenging (most recently due to a sweet little 2 year old - who is
just that, a toddler who is curious about *everything* which means that
sitting still/staying out of trouble for more than 1 minute is not part
of his skill set - yet!), but overall I love having this time with
them... getting to be the one who sees the light-bulb come on as they
grasp a certain concept, or master a new skill... getting to hear their
hearts and see God growing them, developing their character.<br />
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Tomorrow is a bigger day than normal... JJ is having 'surgery' to have ear tubes put in (again- his first pair have fallen out). This will be our first time with this particular surgery, his first set of tubes were put in in China... We know this is a short, easy, and not very risky surgery (all things considered) but this momma is starting to feel anxious, cant wait to have my son in my arms in recovery. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00287225300591530876noreply@blogger.com0