Bill has Andrew!!! (Updated)

** More pictures and information at the bottom of the post

Father and son have met and are doing beautifully! Bill had a very smooth trip down to the orphanage and met Andrew and his foster mother. Bill describes him as a very easy going, mellow, happy baby. Andrew didn't have difficulty going to Bill at all.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, take a look at this one.



I'll post more pictures and information later today.

Take care,
Melissa, Bill, Lily and Andrew!

** Update at 11:30 a.m.
Bill and I have been able to chat a few times since he has Andrew. Everything is going very well. Just to recap, Bill traveled 2.5 hours with the driver Mr. Yeh down to the orphanage. They went to Andrew's foster mother's house and picked up Andrew. Bill said that everyone was very sweet and it all went very well. Andrew's foster mother reported that Andrew is a easy going and happy baby. He eats well and sleeps well. He currently is on a schedule of going to bed at 11 pm and sleeps to 8 am with the occasional night time feeding. He enjoyed playing with his foster sister who is approximately Lilys age. At night time, they played Mozart CD's. (Guess what's on my shopping list now?)

After Bill signed the final few documents that confirmed Andrew is officially ours, they headed back to Taipei. Mr. Yeh is quite smitten with Andrew and was very helpfull. Apparently he doesn't like his picture taken, but we do have one with him in his trademark orange shirt.

Bill and Andrew relaxed in the room for a bit. Bill describes Andrew as sweet, happy and playfull. He's making good eyecontact and responsive to facial expressions etc. When Bill was chatting with me via Skype on the laptop, Andrew was reaching out and playing with keyboard.

Bill and the other family from our agency went out to a nice restaurant in Taipei 101 and had a fabulous time. Mr. Yeh held Andrew and helped Bill a lot. There's only been one bumpy moment and that was when it was time for Bill to make Andrew a bottle. Apparently, our son likes his bottles very hot. Once it was the right temperature, he ate well and settled down for some sleep. Considering all that Andrew's been through, 30 minutes of fussing isn't that bad :) Hopefully Dad and baby are currently getting a good night's sleep. I'll be in contact with them later tonight and keep you all updated.

I'll leave you all with the pictures Bill sent. Enjoy!

Bill is in Taiwan!!

Bill made it safe and sound to Taipei yesterday! He had a very smooth flight from San Fransisco and would highly recommend flying the Evergreen class on Eva Airlines. Once at the airport, he found it very easy to get his luggage and meet his driver, Mr. Yeh. After about a 45 minute ride they arrived at the Agora Gardens hotel. This is gorgeous facility where many of the parents who adopt stay. Bill found all the staff very helpfull and everyone speaks English.





After showering and resting a bit, he ventured off to the world's tallest building called Taipei 101. It's a huge complex filled with businesses, restaurants and shops. He did go to the top to enjoy the impressive view.





Bill meet another couple from our agency. They are adopting a daughter and will be picking her up one day before Bill gets Andrew. They also have the same AIT appointments as Bill so they all will be traveling together to those on Weds. and Thurs. After Mr. Yeh brought this family back to the hotel, he and his 15 year old son, Alex, took Bill out sight seeing. They visited the Grand Hotel which is designed to look like one of the famous temples in China



They also visited the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial. You'll notice that weather looks kind of cloudy here. Apparently the heat and humidity is pretty oppressive in Taiwan and the clouds brought about a 10 degree temperature drop which was greatly appreciated.



Overall, Bill is doing really well. He is very happy to be able to visit with the other family from our agency and he says the driver, Mr. Yeh and Alex are super nice. Taipei is a huge city and has the feel of New York City. He is having a wonderful time.

Internet connections have been very easy to access and we've done really well in keeping in touch with via Skype accounts. The whole family has benefited from this as it's such an easy, stress free way to communicate. Lily has really benefited from being able to chat with Daddy as much as she wants.



By this time tomorrow morning our time, Bill should have Andrew! It's so exciting to think that he'll finally be ours after all this time. Hopefully, we'll have more pictures to share! Thanks for following us along our journey,

take care
Bill, Melissa and Lily

1 Day Down!

Theres not tons of new information to report this morning. Bill had a smooth flight to San Fransisco and is currently on his 13 hour flight to Taipei. Once there, our agency's driver should be waiting to take him to the Agora hotel. I hope to be able to talk to him around 8-9 p.m. our time.

On a side note, we decided to explore a new method of staying in touch. We purchased some basic headsets for approximately 10.00 per set. Then we created 2 Skype accounts. I'm sure many people already know about many of the free internet phone type services, but this was new to us. When both of us are online, we can "call" eachother through the laptops and actually speak through the headsets. The great thing about this is that most hotels offer free wireless internet connections. So we can talk as much as we want for free. It's fabulous! Lilianna especially loves using this and I think it's a very good way for her to stay in touch with Daddy. I know there are multiple services like this available and lots of families invest in the webcameras for the same free service.

Bill's Off, Thanks You's and Happy 4th of July

Well folks, baby clothes have been washed, last minute errands have been completed and bags have been packed. At 4:30 A.M., Bill started his 2 day journey to Taiwan. Yep, that's right 2 days or nearly 30 hours of traveling. Sadly, with airline cuts, many connecting flights that were available just a year ago are now gone. While I don't think we live in a remote location or that Taiwan is an obscure place, getting from here to there is much more complicated than we had anticipated!

Saying good-bye this morning was my least favorite aspect of this trip. Even though we are very fortunate that this is such a short trip, it's still disorienting to be away from Bill. I'm spoiled by the fact that we have so much together time and I truly hate being apart. There are no words that express how much love and gratitude I feel for my husband and his willingness to bring our son home. I know you will be reading this later today Bill. Lily and I love you very much and miss you already. We are counting down the days/hours until we see you an Andrew at the airport!

There is some relief that the trip is finally here. Anticipating everything the last 48 hours was harder than I imagined. That is why I was so touched and moved when we received 3 gifts from our friends on Thursday! Sarah sent the most adorable onesies ever. In fact, I plan on using packing one for the trip to the airport. I can't wait to snap a photo of our little guy in these cute clothes. She also sent the sweetest little book and a charm bracelet meant for scrapbookers! How cool is that? I so am looking forward to making a custom bracelet this week as I wait for my guys to come home from Taiwan. Laurie sent me the most perfect humming bird card and a gorgeous pendant. The pendant is a heart and it represents a family of 4. I love it! Elaine sent the most thought full card and a gift certificate for Baby Gap. You all know I'll love getting some adorable baby clothes for Andrew. Apparently some of these gifts were actually delivered to our neighbor's houses and it was odd that they all came at the same time. However, it couldn't have been more perfect. Just as I was feeling true anxiety about saying good-bye to Bill and everything else, I was reminded by how much love and support we have in this journey. Thank you all so very, very much.

Lastly, related to nothing, I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th. In the middle of the packing rush, we took the evening and went to the fireworks downtown. This year Bill's office decided to let people view the fireworks from their building. I've always been a fan of fireworks and have many fond memories of watching them on the 4th. I can honestly say that the view from the 26th floor of Bill's building was spectacular! They were the most beautiful ever and it was a breath taking view. I've included a short video of my favorites. Take a moment and enjoy!

I look forward to keeping everyone informed about Bill's grand adventure and if the technology god's smile upon us, I'll be sharing pictures of them in Taiwan.

Take care,
Melissa

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Hi Everyone,

As the countdown continues, we find it an exceptionally busy time. Between getting the baby gear ready, washing the clothes, packing, shopping for travel necessities, figuring out gifts to bring to Taiwan and wondering how to get it all in a 2 suitcases, we are busy! Add in the fact that we plan to go see some fireworks tomorrow and we have very little time to get it all done. Yet, I keep saying to myself "It'll all work out. It'll all work out."

On another note, you may notice a new blog design. What can I tell you? I love the 4th of July and when I have a little insomnia, I find myself scrapbooking and blog designing. I thought the colors worked for both the USA and Taiwan and it sure feels like a time of celebration around our household. Hope you enjoy!

take care,
Melissa

Let the Preparations Begin!

It feels so good to do all the normal things to get ready for travel! We are confirming airline tickets, room reservations and writing lists, lists and more lists of things to pack! I have to keep reminding myself that Bill will only be gone for 5 days. Otherwise, the poor guy is likely to have too many suitcases for just one person!
My parents and I actually did the major shopping trip to Babies R Us. Honestly, about 60% of that store is filled with things that no one needs. We laughed at "portable pacifier washers", "wipe warmers" and other unnecessary gadgets. I smiled as I saw some first time parents "test driving" strollers and contemplating which one has the biggest cup holder. While we never went to that level when we were waiting for Lily, I remember thinking those were "big decisions." It's fun doing this again as a more experienced parent because it gives you different perspective. Overall, it's just more relaxed. Don't get me wrong, it's every bit as fun and exciting. I'm just in contrast to the "test driving stroller" parents. It's more like "bottles, diapers, clothes and soap and we're good to go." Hopefully, this relaxed attitude will stay with me the rest of the journey :)

As we are surrounded by all baby gear, it's really beginning to sink it that "this is really going to happen." As I fold the onesies and wash the bottles, I can hardly stand it. I can't wait to meet my son! I finally felt the motivation to scrap my all time favorite picture of Andrew. In little over a week, I will get to see this little face in person. How great is that???

Finally Have Dates

After much waiting, we finally have received our final dates! Bill will be traveling on the 6th of July and arrive in Taipei on the evening of the 7th. He'll meet Andrew on the 8th, have the AIT appointment on the 9th and get the visa on the 10th. They'll travel home and be here early on the 11th.

Part of me is struggling with some major frustration at all that has happened the past month. Our agency, our son's orphanage and our immigration offices have all dropped the ball. There is no reason we should have had to wait 5 weeks after the Taiwanese courts declared Andrew our son.

That said, it is a choice to focus on the positives and we certainly have much to be positive about! Time will surely fly by between baby gear shopping, packing and celebrating the 4th! Then before we know it, we'll finally be a family of 4. Hang on Andrew, Daddy's coming!

Still waiting to figure it all out

While I'd love to post that everything is resolved and we know when we are going to get Andrew, I can't say that. We continue to experience more twists and turns. Our initial consulate/AIT appointment was July 3rd. FYI, this is the appointment where we are interviewed and our file is reviewed to get Andrew's visa to come home to the US. It's a big deal and it's usually the appointment that the whole trip (like our adoption in China) is scheduled around. Usually you don't get much say on when this appointment is...you just go and do what you are told so you can bring your child home. Anyway, on June 6th we were informed our appointment was July 3rd with the expecation that Andrew's visa will then be handed out on the 4th. Then we had all that confusion and drama about getting the 171-h forwarded and Andrew's passport applied for. Once we got those two things done, we were told our AIT appointment was moved to July 9th. We called our agency and said we would like to stick to the 3rd if possible.

Well today, we are told our request is being considered *but* if we have our appointment on the 3rd, we won't be getting Andrew's Visa on the 4th because the AIT celebrates US holidays and the 4th is a national holiday. Ok, why were ever scheduled for the 3rd then anyways??? Why didn't our agency catch that? Why didn't the facilitators/orphanage catch that? It's beyond me. We've been clear from the beginning that our goal was a short trip for multiple reasons.

So, the next step is for us to actually call and speak to the Consulate/AIT ourselves. I'm guessing it'll be one of two options. Either Bill will travel on July 1rst and have the appointment and visa issued on the 3rd --or--- He'll go on the 7th and have the appointment on the 9th and Visa/leave on the 10th. Last week I was devistated at the thought of delaying the trip. At this point, I'm just ready for things to be finalized. I want to know when I should start packing, when I can actually talk to our travel agent etc. We are just ready to be done and focus all our energy and attention on our two beautiful children.

I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I sure will keep you all posted.

Asking for some positive thoughts

So after all that hassle, the orphanage in Taiwan decided to reschedule our AIT/consulate appointment. What does that mean? They want us to travel later. Yep. It makes me want to hit my head on a wall. Our agency director requested that it be changed back to the original date so we can get our son. The problem is that the appointments get filled up quickly. So, I'm asking you all to keep us in your thoughts and send some positive energy our way so we can get Andrew home on time. Thanks!

Here are some recent pictures. The first is from our family day at the zoo and the second was snapped last night while playing with friends.

More Twists and Turns!

Many parents who adopt internationally call the whole process a wild roller coaster ride with significant highs and lows. Well folks, we've been experiencing major ups and downs the past 10 days. As you all know, we've been trying to work on two problems (one major snag in both countries). Honestly, it's been draining. I told Bill the other day that it reminded me of a Saturday Night Live skit with Sally Fields. She was spoofing all the Lifetime movies she had been in. In the scene, no matter what the other cast members said, Sally would wail "My baby, my baby! Give me my baby!" I teased Bill that as we waded through all this beauracracy, I just wanted to say "My baby, my baby! Give me my baby!" Can you imagine if we did that when we were talking to the National Visa Center?

Well, last night we had bad news and it was looking like we were going to have to postpone getting Andrew. I was particularily fearfull that we'd have difficulty getting another consulate, AIT, appointment in July. It weighed heavily on all of us.

Tomorrow is our wedding anniversay and Bill asked me what I wanted. I told him I just wanted him to take the day off from work and for all of us to go the zoo. I figured a family day away from the adoption stress would be wonderful. Then I told him, I wanted to come home and get messages from both governments saying everything was resolved and we could get Andrew on schedule.

Well, my gifts cam a little early. We received word today that our government sent the necessary immigration papers to Taiwan *and* Andrew's orphanage did apply for his passport in Taiwan. Now, it's not 100% finalized and we will definitely being following up on things. But, I can't tell how relieved we are to have some positive news.

On that note, I'll leave you with some scrapbooking layouts I've done. I can't wait untill I can get some photos of both my children together:

Update Day!

Eventhough we are less than 3 weeks away from meeting Andrew in person, it's still a thrill to get new pictures and videos. Andrew is 5 months now and I think this set of photos and images may just give us a bit of a glimpse of his personality. I think in this first picture he looks like he has just stopped crying :(

I'm in love with this second photo. It's his first smile caught on film and I think I see a hint of a dimple on his right cheek.

I also love this last photo. Let's be honest, I'm his mom, I love all his pictures. Anyway, I think this is his first belly laugh caught on film. I like how the smile has reached his eyes :)

Finally, you must check out the video included. It's nice to see Andrew responding to whomever in the video. It could be his foster mom or it could be the workers at the orphanage. In either case, they seem to be not calling his name or saying "look" so aggressively in this video and Andrew seems more relaxed. I'm always listening to what they say to him in the videos. I think part of me is just interested in what "baby talk" sounds like in Mandarin. I also think part of me wants to be able to imitate it and perhaps sound somewhat familiar to him. I particularily like when the person says "guh-guh-guh--goohway." I have no idea if that's nonsense or means something in Mandarin, but if it gets me the big cheesey grin like the one in the video, I'll be saying it all the time!! Also, looks like as he slumps down in the video that we aren't really ready to sit up yet. I think I'm going to add one of those strange looking Boppy pillows to my shopping list. Oh, it's so fun to think that in less than one month we'll be a family of 4! Part of me thinks it'll never get here and part of me thinks it'll be here before I know it!

Moving Mountains

Hi Everyone!

Well, it took us a little bit of time to wrap our brains around all that had to be done to get Andrew home! In any case, we are determined to get our son home even if we do have to move a few mountains! We know we aren't the first parents to face a few challenges and we know Andrew is so worth all the effort.

At this time we don't have things finalized, but we sure have folks working on both sides of the world. Our orphanage in Taiwan is working on a passport solution. We hope to hear today of a specific plan today on how to get this issue resoloved. On our side of the world, we (mainly Bill) have been working with the National Visa Center to get our immigration papers to Taiwan. After 4 days of calling, we finally got to a live person yesterday. That is a victory all by itself. It was confirmed that our papers were received by the National Visa Center and we should know by Friday on their status. We hope that the NVC will get everything over to Taiwan in a timely manner. We've also contacted our Congressman just in case. They are more than willing to help us if need be.

So, nothing is concrete except we know that Andrew is ours, our AIT (Taiwanese version of the Consulate) is July 3rd and we all should be home around the 4th or 5th. Untill then, we will continue to work getting these moutains moved!

Final Ruling!

After 15 months of waiting, we heard what we've been waiting for. Sweet baby Andrew is officially our son! We received the phone call at 5:15 pm on 6/6/2008. It is a moment that we will never forget.

Now, I know this information lends itself to the question of "When do you go get him?" I wish I could give you a specific answer. However, we have 2 paperwork details to figure out. I know. Ugh. Having done 2 adoptions, I know firmly believe that glitches, bumps in the roads, snafus are destined to be a part of the journey.

We have 2 hurdles ahead of us. The first one is on the Taiwanese side. We had some very unusual circumstances where the courts officially made us Andrew's parents before filing for his passport. His guardian/parents must file for his passport and obviously we are willing to do that in a heartbeat. The problem is that they want us to be in Taiwan to do that and it requires 2-3 weeks. We can not spend 2-3 weeks in Taiwan. So we are now in problem solving mode to find an alternative solution.

The other glitch is on the U.S side. We have received immigration approval from our local USCIS office. However, there is a new procedure where immigration approval goes through the new National Visa Center then off to Taiwan. Unfortunately, the procedure is so new that the kinks haven't been all worked out. Functionally, the local USCIS offices aren't in communication with the National Visa Center. So, we must spend long hours in phone trees and waiting to get our immigration papers forwarded to Taiwan. Oh joy!

We are working on these things this very minute and will let you all know when they get resolved. While we wish we didn't have these bumps in the road, we are keeping our eye on the prize! We are probably within 3 weeks of getting our son home! That is more than enough motivation to keep plugging away!

Surprise Shower!

I had the surprise of my life on Friday. I had been invited to an end of the school year party. Usually there is so much to do at the end of the year, that it's a bit of a dead run from late May on. So, my mind was so full of my mental "to do" list that when I walked into the party and heard "Surprise!", I couldn't really process it!

After hearing that I had not been given a shower when Lily came home, some dear friends and co-workers of mine wanted me to have a shower for Andrew. I had secretly been hoping for a shower.....but it's not something you ask people for. It was the sweetest, nicest thing ever! I could have cried, I was so happy.

Every thing was so thoughtfull and perfect. They thought of everything. Delicious food and drinks, activities for children (many moms brought their little ones, fabulous gifts for Andrew (all items were much needed) and they even showered Lily in "big sister gifts"! How perfect is that? A person can't ask for more than people being that thoughtfull. It's a day and memory I will always cherish. Thank you all so much!

Our Growing Boy!

We received some measurements on Andrew. At 4 months, he is:

12.8 pounds
23.2 inches long
15.4 inch head circumference
15.1 inch chest circumference
drinking 4 ounces of formula every 4 hours


Looks like everything is on track. He's on the small side, but he's following a normal growth pattern. I've been buying the 6-9 month clothing size. I imagine he'll be right on the boarder of needing a 3-6 month-6-9 month size. Oh well, better to err on the side of being too big.

While we haven't heard any official word about our final court date, we've been told to start packing, contact the travel agency etc. So, it feels like it's getting closer! As always, I'll let you all know, as soon as we know.

Things continue to move quickly........

Well, last week was a very eventfull week with the other waiting parents on our adoption agency list. Many, many families received word of their "final ruling" and are gearing up to travel. It's incredibly exciting to watch them get ready and it's motivator for us to get our ducks in a row!

While it's impossible to predict exactly "when" we'll get the call, I can tell you we are next. Now, we could hear something tomorrow....or we could hear something 4 weeks from now. In either case, it's pretty exciting.

Our "To Do" list is pretty big right now. We need to:

* Finish the kids rooms
* Work on travel plans
* Buy a new car seat
* Finish the last of the dossier requirements (you do this once you get your travel notice)
* Get gifts for people in Taiwan
* Buy baby supplies
* Get medicines for everyone for travel

Whew! I felt a little anxiety even as I wrote this! I imagine the next few weeks are going to extremely busy for us. Ulitmately, this is a good thing for me as I'm worrier. Hopefully all this work will keep me happily distracted. Confession time. I must admit that last week I felt the first serious wave of anxiety. I knew it was coming and it's something most parents feel. It's just so overwhelming to think about what we are about to do. Yet, as I was going through all of this, I looked at Andrew's little pictures. That brought it all into perspective.

I am so ready to meet and hold Andrew that all the worries and fears I have don't matter. So, I changed the slideshow and placed it at the top of the page. I'm sure you noticed :) Yes, the music is a little sappy and reminescent of a what a teenage girl would use. You'll all forgive me as I feel a little sappy and sentimental right now. :)

Summer is Right Around the Corner!

Hi,

We are really getting excited about summer here. Lily and I will be getting passes to the new water park. I can't wait to have some fun days there with just the two of us. The school year is winding down and I can tell my students are ready for the end of the year too. We are looking forward to the holiday weekend and attending our local Asian festival. It's always a blast to see the performers, do some shopping and sampling yummy food. Last year, we had so much fun talking to people at the Taiwan area and seeing the dances that represented different ethnic minorities. I can also remember a travel agent really wanting to help us with our trip. Maybe this year we'll be in need of his services! I think we are pretty close to getting "the call" for travel. I'll keep you all updated.

Happy Mother's Day!

I've been looking forward to this weekend all week. I have so much to be thankfull for this Mother's Day. First, I get to honor my Mom, Mother-in-Law and Grandmother today. I'm so very lucky to have so many wonderful women in my life and we are all very, very close. Our whole family will get together today for a meal at our favorite Chinese restaurant and then go back to my parents for dessert. It's always such a great time when we get together and visit.

Second, I am also so thankfull for my Lilianna. I can't believe this is my 4th Mother's Day since she came home. Where does the time go? She is truly a sweet, smart, engaging, funny little girl. She's grown so much this past year and it's been a true priveledge to be her mommy. Here's a recent picture of her with a quote that I love.

As I've stated in many of my previous posts, I feel so fortunate to have our referral of sweet, little Andrew. Children are always a blessing, but that is especially true given the current struggles in the international adoption community. I'll admit, that I'm finally getting restless about getting Andrew home. I just can't wait to hold him and touch that fuzzy little baby hair! Here's a layout I did with the most recent pictures. I always get a kick out of the fact that Andrew looks surprised when he sees the camera. I think he looks especially surprised in this photo.

Lastly, I must share the best Mother's Day gift ever. I love little kid art, but I realize that I can't save every masterpiece my child creates. So, I requested that Bill take Lily to a paint your own pottery studio. I picked out an adorable mug and left so she could paint it in all her 4 year old glory. I was presented with the mug this morning and I LOVE it! It's just perfect, isn't it?

Mother's Day Came Early--New Pics from Taiwan

Well, I guess I couldn't have been more wrong about not getting news on anything this week. First we hear that we have our second court process and now we get new pictures and videos! I couldn't ask for a more perfect Mother's Day gift!

We can tell from the settings and voice that Andrew is now in foster care. Also, another family in our adoption group shared their pictures and video. Their daughter, is on the same green clover pillow as our Andrew. She's one week older than our little guy and our court dates have been very similiar. Who knows? Maybe we'll get to overlap in our travel dates!

Speaking of travel, the faster court date and earlier travel is really sinking in. Nothing is set in stone, but we estimate that we are likely 1 month to 2 months away from bringing Andrew home. In terms of the adoption world, that is so fast! In fact, after we enjoy this Mother's Day weekend, we must get moving on our "to-do" list! I have a feeling things are going to get busy, but it's definitely a welcomed, happy busy!

Update, Update, Update!

Well, apparently I was way off on the "no news" post below :) We got some information from Taiwan today that our Civil Ruling took place on May 7th. What does this mean? Basicallly, the hearing on April 22nd was where the judge gathered the information about our case. After the judge considers the information, he makes his intentions known through the Civil Ruling (i.e. he approves the adoption or he doesn't). Then things move toward the "Final Ruling" where it's all finalized, signed etc.

This is great news as it means our case looks good and our judge is FAST! We were anticipating a 4-6 week wait and this was a mere 15 days. For all of those who have or are adopting, it's rare that things ever go faster than expected. We still can't get really specific on travel times untill we have our Final Ruling. However, it does look good that we will a) go earlier than we anticipated and b) avoid some of the travel complications created by the Olympics.

I feel so happy! What a great, early Mother's day gift!


I just heard it though the grapevine, that there will not be any news from Taiwan untill next week. Our case manager had requested Andrew's measurements. I have been looking forward to that. I'd like to see how he is growing and try to anticipate some clothing and car seat needs. Usually the orphanage is able to get that information back to the US in about a week. Well, apparently there has been a huge batch of babies and the orphanage is swamped with getting referrals out. I can't think of a better reason for a delay :) There are some families on our agency list who have been waiting for a referral for over a year. I can't think of a better Mother's Day gift for those families, can you? So, we will patiently wait and hope to hear something next week or the week after.

On another note, who knew life with a four year old can be so much fun? Lily has always been a delight, but there's something particularily charming about this age. She continues to bring a smile to my face and often makes me laugh out loud. On Monday, I was encouraging her to pick out her own outfit. When she asked me my opinion, I told her both outfits were nice. She then sighs and very seriously says "I know Mommy. And let's face it. Everything I wear will make me look like a model." :) I could have died it was so funny.

This past weekend was National Scrapbooking Day. I know, if you don't scrapbook, you wouldn't believe such a day exists. Well, it does and I did some serious digital scrapbook supply shopping. I just had to justify my purchase and do some layouts. Here's one that turned out pretty cute. Enjoy!

Summertime and Gratitude

Well, I imagine you can tell from the new blog design, that I've got summer on the brain! The school year is winding down, outdoor activities are now possible and summer is almost here! Yipee! If money was no object, I'd love to go on a beach vacation with my family. Realistically, this blog design is probably as close to the beach as I'll get this summer :)

On another note we haven't heard anything in regards to the court processes in Taiwan. This is very typical and we won't likely hear anything for another 4 weeks. Waiting isn't my favorite thing to do, but we feel very, very fortunate to even have a referral given the current state of international adoption. I've mentioned this sentiment before in previous posts. Well, it really hit home this week because there was a lot of bad news in the adoption world. Families adopting from Vietnam heard the final word on the tough relations between the US Immigration Offices and Vietnam officials. Sadly, adoptions from Vietnam will cease later this year. Families won't be formed. Parents will lose thousands and thousands of dollars. Most tragically, children in orphanages will not find homes. It's so heartbreaking. Then in the China adoption scene the pace keeps slowing down. Back when were waiting for Lilianna, 30 days of referrals were matched per month. Currently, 3-5 days of referrals are matched per month. Given the current pace and the Olympics, they will be lucky if they get through 3 months of referral for the whole 2008 years. For those not familiar with adoption, this means families will be looking at waiting at least 3 years to be matched to a child. This is also such a heart break. We know many, many dear friends who are attemtpiong to adopt from various countries. Sadly, all are facing pretty big challenges. Our hearts go out to them.

One Down, Two More to Go!

Last Tuesday night, April 22nd, our hearing was held in Taiwan as we slept. It would have been the 23rd their time. Crazy how that time change effects us. We haven't heard a thing about the hearing and realistically we won't for another 4-6 weeks. Our new case manager is very good at getting information to us immediately and I know she'll keep us informed. Now, that doesn't stop me from wanting to call her to see if she has heard anything. Like many steps in the adoption process, this is another waiting game. Obviously, I'll post anything here as soon I can.

While we wait, we have been enjoying our day to day life. We've had a streak of great weather and it's given us all a taste of spring/summer. I am finally getting that end of the year school feeling and I'm very excited about summer break. Lily has been enjoying playing outside on a regular basis esp. with her neighborhood pals. We've noticed that Lily likes to direct the group of little friends, who all happen to be boys. Oddly enough, they all follow her willingingly and she refers to them as "my boys." I'll often hear her playing with her pals and she'll call out "Look Mom, These are my boys!" I wonder what this bodes for her future role of big sister. I fear Andrew may have a big sister who expects him to become one of "her boys."

On another note, I've done some scrapping with the latest pictures from Taiwan. While they aren't new images, we enjoy them because they get rid of the strange blanket combination in all the photos. Not that I'm complaining about the photos we get from Taiwan. We are gratefull that we get them so regularily. I'm just happy that I can use a littel bit of my scraping skills and make them look more like home pictures vs. orphanage shots. Enjoy!

Update Day!

We got our much anticipated update today! Look at our sweet little boy waving at us!




As you all know, we've been looking forward to this all week. We didn't realize how much we depended upon these little glimpses untill it took a week longer to get the latest one. Any parent who adopts internationally will tell you how much a photo and video means. We study the pictures and memorize the videos (untill we can say the same things the nanny does even though we don't speak Mandarin). It's amazing how much it lifts your spirits to see your little one waiting so far away! What a fabulous way to start the weekend! Please enjoy the newest videos and photos of both our children (can't forget the big sister)!

Still Waiting for an Update

No news from Taiwan. Our program director is on vacation untill Weds. Hopefully we'll get our updates soon, but I do anticipate it'll be a few days or maybe even next week.

Untill then, I have to share that our Lily is growing by leaps and bounds. It seems like when children are really little it's easy to see each milestone achieved and celebrate it. Somehow when they are older, it sneaks up on you and you find yourself saying "Wow, look at how grown up they are." Just this week Lily has been showing off her newly acquired skill of writing words. She's doing well with all the family names like "Mom, Dad, Bill, Nana, Ann, Matt, Bob, Edna." Some of the longer ones like "Melissa, Grandpa and Grandma" are more challenging. For some *odd* reason, she's not been able to write "Andrew, Drew or Andy". Go figure.

I just did this layout today and have to say that I love how it turned out.

Waiting for An Update

We are lucky enough to receive monthly updates via pictures, videos and written reports on our little guy. The updates usually happen the sometime the second or third week if the month. The earliest we have ever received an update is the 11th. We, including other families we are waiting with, were hopeful that we'd hear something this past Friday. Obviously, we didn't. So we are looking forward to this week and hope to get an update on our Andrew.

How can you stand the wait?

This is an understandable question we've been asked a lot lately. The truth is that I think we are handling the wait pretty well. It goes without saying that we'd go get Andrew tomorrow if we could. Since that's not likely to happen, we are determined to make the best of the situation.

We knew going into this adoption that it would be different from China and we'd have to wait 6 months after our referral to travel. At the time we signed up, I did think this would be miserable. I think it has been easier because not too long ago we faced the reality that we may not even get a referral. We went through the holiday season being told our adoption was an "if" not a "when" by our agency. There was an added joy to getting Andrew's referral because we didn't really think it was going to happen. The other thing is that International Adoption scene as a whole is having a rough time. Many of the older, more established programs are having difficulties or shutting down. Guatemalan adoptions face a very uncertain future. The Chinese program is going to take 3+ years. Vietnam, which we were very close to selecting, unfortunately is having difficulties and will likely shut down in September. So, while we take no joy in seeing other adoptive parents struggle, it does help us keep the wait between referral and travel in perspective.

Hearing Date Scheduled!

We heard from our case manager today and our Hearing is Scheduled for April 22nd! We were very happy to hear this.

Our complete dossier was mailed off to Taiwan on March 13th. Once our dossier was received in Taiwan it goes through a review on by the Taiwanese goverment and gets logged into the court system. We then wait for 3 seperate steps/processes in the courts. The first is a Hearing Date. The second is the Civil Ruling(also known as the First Final ruling) and the third is the Final Ruling. The wait time between each step runs between 4-8 weeks. Our dossier went to Taiwan on 3/13 and our hearis is 4/22. With a 39 day wait, that puts us at almost the median wait time.

Though the total wait seems lengthy, we are very appreciative of the thoroughness of the Taiwanese courts. The whole point of the 3 hearings is to make sure that all parties involved are notified of the situation and to make sure the adoption is in the best interest of the child. It's easy to feel "I want my baby home now." Yet, there is great comfort in knowing that this is a very ethical program. As an adoptive parent the last thing in the world you want is anything unethical to happen. So while we wish for things to go quickly, we also want the judge to have all the information and time they need to make the ruling.

What does this all mean? First, it's great to hear that our dossier was reviewed by Taiwan and all our paperwork is o.k. Occasionally, the courts may ask a family for additional medical or finanicial information or they may ask for more pictures. It's nice to know that this phase of our paperchase is done. Second, it gives a better idea of travel. Of course, there is no guarantee and things can go faster or slower. If we continue to have the "average" wait, we'll likely travel mid-August. My instincts tell me we are likely to go the first part of September. I do know if we travel in August we are going to experience extreme heat and high airfare costs due to the Olympics. If we travel in September, we are also likely to find extreme heat and high airfares costs due to students returning to school. Many students in Taiwan come to the US for college. So, in any case, it looks like we need to figure out a way to stay cool and save up some $$$ for airfare. Of course, it goes without saying that no heat or travel costs could ever outweigh the joy of meeting our son! Hang on Andrew, Mom, Dad and Lily are 1 step closer to meeting you!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone has a lovely, and relaxing holiday. Unfortunately, some much needed spring weather doesn't appear to be coming our way. Despite the snow and cold, we plan on having a great holiday with the family. I am also looking forward to a much needed spring break!

Check out the new pictures of Lilianna as she visits "the" bunny! Enjoy!

Dossier in Taiwan

We are super duper happy to report that our complete dossier was mailed off to Taiwan last week!! It took us 7 weeks to completely redo our homestuy, complete the Taiwanese documents, and get immigration acceptance. We had to push aside the "should haves" and deal with the fact that it all had to be done so we could get our Andrew home. Honestly, it usually takes most families 3-5 weeks to just get the dossier documents done. I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish in such a small window. There were a few rough spots with all the tiny details each step requires. Despite those dark moments, our motivation remained high. I think having a little face staring at you in pictures and videos helped. Now we can officially sit back and wait as we go through the court process. We do ask everyone keep us in their thougts as we wish for a "speedy judge." :)

On another note, you may have noticed I continue to play around with the blog design around here. I've been hoping to fine tune and learn skills so I can participate in a really cool group. I am starting to do some charity work at Blogovers With Love. There are 3 of us who are digitial scrapbookers, blog designers and moms to children adopted internationally. We design blog/do blog-overs with all the profits going to charities for children in orphanages and foster care in Taiwan and China. You can see all the great work the other designers have done at Blogovers With Love

Update Day!

One of the nicest things during this wait are the monthly updates we get on our son. They tend to come the second week of the month for us and we find that we start checking our email frequently. Well today was the day! It doesn't matter if it's the first set of pictures of the 3rd set, it's always a thrill to see your child's little face.

We just love this set of pictures. Andrew looks so healthy and alert. It looks like some teeny tiny smiles are forming. New pictures and video are attached at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

Going Bananas!

Don't let this beautiful picture of Lily fool you. Spring is no where to be found in Ohio. In fact, we are officially having a blizzard. Over a foot of snow is piled up outside our doors and we aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I am very gratefull for the fact that we aren't trying to rush around to get the last of our documents completed, authenticated and mailed to Taiwan. In fact, I'm not sure we will have mail service anytime soon. We have verified that all our documents are safely waiting at our agency. All that needs to be done is our homestudy translation. I believe our agency contracts out all the translation to one woman. I sure hope she's a faster worker and can get the 30 some pages of our dossier translated quickly.

We actually received a call from our case manager on Saturday. She wasn't able to return our call on Friday and took the time to call us on Saturday morning. I sure appreciate someone going above and beyond to keep us informed. She's very optimistic that our dossier will be happily on it's way to Taiwan by Weds. That will feel great to know it's officially received and logged into the court system. Then we will wait for our 3 court procedures. We will now wait to hear word on our Hearing Date, First Ruling and Final ruling. It's pretty hard to estimate how long these 3 things will take. Our case worker feels like our best case scenario has us traveling in August and worst case scenario has us traveling in Oct. Like much of the adoption process, it's all out of our control. As many other waiting parents will tell you, all you can do is hope for the best, prepare for the worst and look for the positives how ever it transpires.

Need a little spring

Hi,

You may have noticed a bit of a "change" around here. I am working on applying my digital scrapbooking skills to blogs. I'm hoping that once my skills get good enough that I can do a little bit of charity work for a group called Blogoverswithlove. I've used some of my digital scrapbooking skills for Love Without Boundaries a charity for Chinese orphans. Blogoverswithlove benefits children in Taiwanese orphanages.

I also just had to use my friends, Kristi and Tami's new digital kit called "Renewal." After being really tired of all the snow and ice, it is a welcome little hint of spring.

On the adoption front, we just mailed out our authenticated documents to our agency. Now we wait for translation and our immigration approval. Once those items are done, our dossier will go to Taiwan and we will officially be logged into the court system and wait on hearings. We will keep everyone posted on those details. Untill then, we are celebrating the fact that our little "to do" list is done and it's all out of our hands for now.