7 years ago today......

7 years ago after flying 1/2 way across the world, we arrived at the Dolton hotel in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Providence in the morning. It was arranged that we will get our children around 2 PM on the 8th floor conference room of the hotel. There was 6 families that were getting their daughters. We all lived with 1/2 hour of each other except for one family that lived 3 hours away. All of us were so anxious to get our daughters, and possibly more anxious due to the circumstances of our girls. We originally weren't suppose to get our daughters until June 5, but with the SARS outbreak, it was decided that they (Chinese) were shutting down adoptions until things got better with the SARS on June 1. We received this news on May 17. With one of the dad's (Joe), he wouldn't take no for an answer. We had an emergency meeting at Crossroads (our agency) Saturday the 18th of May, we all voted that we could leave now and get our children. Crossroad said they would call our china liaison (Auntie Tu) and see what she can do. Monday the 20th May as we were driving back to MN from KS (we went to see a graduation of someone who was like a daughter to us), we were in Iowa when the phone call came saying Tu worked her magic and we were able to get our children on the 25th. We were leaving on the 24th. Talk about moving fast to get Visa exprediated, changing flights information. The flights were cheap thou, since barely anyone traveling.
In our travel group, there was 3 moms (Dads stayed home with the other children because of the SARS), 3 couples (we were first time parents, except for Joe who had children from a previous marriage). There was also two other couples that were adopting toddlers in another part of China that we met up in Guangzhou.
Monika was the 3rd child to be brought in the conference room. The director was holding her. Dave was the first to hold her as an early father's day present. She didn't cry for long but did have silent tears for a while. She was 4 days shy of 10 months, she had very rosy checks and even though it was over 100 degrees with very high humid, she was and 3 other girls were in identical sweat outfits. We were suppose to get them at 2pm but the driver got lost and so they arrived at 4 PM. The babies were all hungry too. After doing the initial paperwork, we all went to our rooms to bond with our children. I taught Dave how to feed a baby and Monika looked at him so patiently. She was an "easy" baby, after the initial crying in the conference room, she was a content baby, she still had saddness in her eyes and it took us 4 days to get a smile naturally out of her. She was nicknamed our roller coaster baby as she loves the bumps that we went over when in vehicles. The bigger the bumps the louder laughs out of her. She wasn't able to sit up on her own without having her hands planted on the ground. But master that a couple a days.

There is so much to write, despite the SARS, it was a awesome trip, and a very fun trip. All the babies did well, we had one that had a little bit harder time initially adjusting to mom, but overall it was an amazing trip.

Happy 7 years Monika, Sara, Halli, Macy, Kelly, and Laura Dawn who are the spicy Hunan girls, also to Thomas and Becky who were united with their families the same day in another part of China. You kids are all amazing and we are so glad to call you our families and Monika calls her 5 Hunan friends sorority sisters.

Today is also Dave's brother birthday and my dad's birthday. We called both of them and gave them a great birthday present. Their newest family member. Happy birthday to Pat and my Dad. It is also a good friend of my birthday. Her name is Jean. I met her about 3 years ago, she is a truly amazing women and very wise. She is a mom to 9 children (7 of them are home and 2 of them are waiting in China). What a great birthday present would be a TA for her. Thank you Jean for being a great friend and we hope you have a wonderful birthday and get a great birthday present this week.

Sometimes

Sometimes

Sometimes things need to change
Sometimes you need to take a good luck at yourself
Sometimes you need someone to hit you on the side of the head
Sometimes you need someone that is on the outside looking in to tell you what you need to hear
Sometimes you need to accept this is the way it is going to be
Sometimes you have to hear what you don't want to hear.
Sometimes it is harder for you then for your kids.
Sometimes you just have to do it blindly and have complete faith in the Lord that it will work out

This week has been one of those "sometimes" week. I am so thankful for such a wonderful support groups, family, friends including blogger friends. There has been so much things going on in our house with jobs changes, oldest child soon to be graduating and going away to college, working on bringing Erin home, changes in roles within the house. Tuesday it came to head and God sent me some precious angels to help me work through it all. I now feel refreshed and know it will all be all right, and that I am a good parent that just hit a road block and now figured it out how to undo the road block. What a relief it is, knowing that it always works out one way or another. This makes me a stronger person, and hopefully a better mom. Since Tuesday there has been more calmness in the house, the kids are more content, we are starting to feel in control of everything.

Katie getting ready to score

Wednesday night, Monika asked if we can play a family soccer game, It was Jenny, Dave and I against Katie, Monika and Jade. We played for about 45 minutes and of course Katie and Monika had everlasting energy and didn't mind the heat. Jenny played a great goalie. What a fun night

Monika kicking the ball past dad to score

Jenny, Monika and Katie having some quiet time outside

Jade enjoying our beautiful sunny weather

Beautiful Katie just arriving home from seeing the Mulan play with her Girl Scout troop.

Each day I am amazed by something new. Life is precious and so beautiful. Do you look at the glass half empty or half full? I will take the half full and be grateful for everything I have.

Jenny Dance Rectial

Jenny has been in Chinese dancing for the past three years. She has been with a good friend name Lily the whole time. Lily and Jenny met at daycare and also gone to the same faith formation until Lily started going to a catholic school.Jenny and Lily on the way to dance

Lily and Jenny in their costumes

Jenny kneeling

strutting her moves

All the dancers

This year was different then the past two years. Jenny's first two years she had a wonderful teacher name Ling Ling. Ling Ling was so good with the kids, so patience and loving. She also made it fun for the kids while making sure they learned both Chinese speaking and dancing. She did little things to make each of the girls and the parents to feel special. Ling Ling had decided she need to give up teaching dancing at CAAM for other things. Oh how much we miss her. This year's teacher Ms. Li was tough of the kids, a lot more stricter and worked those girls hard but at the end the kids did great and it was a wonderful production. Jenny told me a couple times last fall that she wanted to quit, that the teacher was making her cry and that she always yelled. After a couple of weeks, Jenny didn't complain any longer and thought all is good. About a month ago, she informed us that she was quitting dancing, but that she will finish it out this year. It made Dave and I so proud that she was willing to stick it out for the group and that even though she wasn't like it anymore, she had a commitment. A couple of days ago, Jenny informed us that she has been thinking a lot and wants to continue to dance. She said Ms. Li was getting better with her and she wants to dance. So in the fall, she will start her 4th year as a CAAM dancer.

I don't even know how to write this next part, I have debated on whether to write tonight about this or wait as this was Jenny's day. But at the end, I have decided to write tonight. I feel that we all take life for granted here and there. I know I have. You always feel that there will be a a next time. If I forgot to tell you something, I will just wait until the next time. Tonight when I arrived home I received a message saying my friend/coworker's daughter Maryah lost her 6 1/2 year battle with Ewing Sarcoma Cancer. Maryah had just turned 16 last Friday. Maryah was a amazing girl and her relationship with God was phenomenal, she had a caringbridge site that she or her family often wrote on it and their strong belief for God. I was always amazed in the strength Maryah and her family had with taking on cancer, and teaching us that God was always in control, even when you are not understanding what is going on or why. Also this week a family that I only know through blogging was 4 weeks away from going to China to bring home their 2 year old daughter McKenna when they got the news that she died. So as I say a prayer for Maryah's and McKenna's family tonight, I am also praying for the my children. Even though it is never fair to lose a child, God has 2 more precious angels and I don't question his reasoning that he felt he needed them with him.

Logged in Date

They say it takes an average of 1-2 weeks in log in. Ours took around 10 days depending how you look at it. Our paperwork left late in the day on Thursday April 28, 2010. They attempted to deliver it on Monday May 3rd but because it was a national day in China, they were closed so it was accepted from CCAA on the 4th of May and was logged in on the 7th of May. Seeing that we had a weekend and holiday, it got logged fast. Hopefully this will be the trend. According to what Madison's timeline if we got all of our steps in the min. time, it will be 17 weeks when we would be in China. Doesn't that sound wonderful? That is what I am going to pray for. That he will keep Erin safe until we can travel, that he will have the perfect day for us to meet her. What a great feeling having the next step crossed off and being closer to having Erin in my arms.
The Lord is great isn't he? Yes he is.

Mother's Day Part two

As I ended my last post, I had said that I had to call home on my way home to let them know I was on my way. I walked in the door and Dave and Jenny (above picture) were cooking breakfast. Jenny was at the stove making sausage and she also was at the table mixing pancake mix. Dave made the pancake mix. After we ate, the girls gave me their presents they made/got for me. Katie brought 20 dollar gift card from Target, now I just got to remember to spend it on ME, and not groceries or something for the kids....Monika painted a picture frame for me, so now I will find a picture of us two (probably the picture that I posted in the previous post of us two). Jenny along with making me breakfast gave me a packet of paper protectors for scrapbooking. The three of them all made homemade cards for me too. As far as the oldest one, She gave me hugs, but according to her facebook status she has something for me. I just have to wait.
It was a wonderful day to spend with both sides of the family being at our house. Once everyone left, the three younger girls and I played cards until it was time for me to take a nap for work.
I am thankful for everything that my mom has done for me, supported me, guided me, loved me, and just always being there for me.

Happy Mother's Day

The Mother's day card that was sent out.

It is the early morning hours on Mother's day as I am on my lunch break at work. I have been thinking how lucky I am to still have my mom and mother in law still alive. I am grateful for that. I am also grateful for Erin, Monika, Katie and Jenny's mom, for they carried our daughters in their wombs for approx. 9 months. Even though I don't and probably won't even know what the circumstances were for our daughters not to stay with their birth moms, I am grateful that they gave them a life so I could be their mommy. In the adoption community there is a lot of talk about how you address the birth mom and what you tell you children about their biological family. To be careful about painting a fairy tale story, since in my girls case we don't know their story other then they were abandon somewhere and found. Up until recently, I never told my girls that their birth mom loves them. When the talk came up about their story, I always told them I don't know why they did what they did.....and so forth. None of them ever asked me about love, but from being educated by professionals, I wasn't planning to tell my girls that their birth mom/family loved them, it was going to be more on the lines that I didn't know....There were many reasons listed for that, having to do with honesty and trust. Recently I read a letter that someone posted on their blog. The writer was an adult Korean adoptee, she talked about how she felt about her adoption and about her adoptive parents making sure she knew her biological mother loved her. This letter was a very powerful letter and I had some interesting discussions with some of our friends that have children that were adopted from Asia. I have come to a conclusion that telling my children that I don't know if their biological mom loved them could create more issues then not. I also truly believe in my heart that their biological mom loved them at some degree, They carried them to birth, they didn't abort them or kill them after they were born, so yes, there was some level of love and that is what my daughters will told. Their birth mom loved them to carry them through birth and so on. Whether this is the right or wrong decision, I do feel they need reassurance that their birth mom loved them and I feel she loved them.


Soon Erin, you will have your forever mom, you will have the love you need from your mom and family.

I am also grateful to Wei Fan, who is Jade's mom. Wei Fan trusted us with her daughter 2 years ago, when Jade came to us as an exchange student that was going to introduce us to our daughter heritage as we were going to show her America. She has become so much more then an exchange student. She is our daughter in every sense of the word. She has shown us so much and has taught us so much and we are so proud of everything she has accomplished in her short time here.
Our "first" born daughter. She was only 10 months old when she was placed in her daddy's arms first. It was also Dave's brother's birthday and my birthday the day we parents to Monika. I became a mom on May 25, 2003.
Our "second" born daughter, who has such an affectionate smile and laugh. She was 25 months old when she met us for the first time. Katie walked in the room with a huge smile, saw us and turned around and walked back out. We became proud parents to Katie on September 18, 2005
Our "baby" daughter, oh how scared you were. You cried hard and made us work hard for a smile from you. You are our very strong willed child and can stand your grounds so well. It took a while for you to talk, but once you figured it out, you now go nonstop. You were 23 months old when they placed you in my arms. We became proud parents to you on Sept. 18, 2005.

I am also grateful for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Without her, we wouldn't have Jesus, and without Jesus, my world would be empty.

Before I left to come to work, I was informed by Dave that I was to call when I was on my way home from work. I can't wait to see the surprise my girls are having for me when I get home. I will make sure I post later on that.

Happy mother's day to all the moms and moms to be.

Also today 17 years ago, Dave and I started to date, and it was Mother's day 17 years ago too.

Twinkies and Root Beer

Twinkies and Root Beer

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

~author unknown~

Happy Birthday My sweet Daughter Erin

Today Erin turned 13

Hopefully her last birthday without a family

We thought about you all day.....

wondering what you were doing....

We had hoped to get a birthday present to you

but didn't finish it soon enough

We out for dinner to celebrate your birthday

If only you could know that

we love you

we cherish you

we are honor to have you as our daughter

and we can't wait to bring you home.

Happy birthday my precious daughter.

Monika's first communion

Monika long anticipated day finally arrived. She has been working since last fall learning everything she needed to learn to receive her 1st Communion today. She has waited so long for it and had a good understanding what it meant to receive communion and the significant of it.

She got to decided how she wanted her hair, what she was going to wear, what the food was going to be afterwards. She wanted all her hair up and me to put curls in it. While she very patiently (took me about 1/2 hour to do it) she read her prayer book that Grandma had given her.

Daddy walking his daughter into church, She was so nervous that she would forget something and she wanted to do everything perfect for Jesus. We explained to her to do her best and Jesus will love her no matter what, that he is just as honor as she is that she is accepting the body of Christ and the blood of Christ.

Father Dave giving Monika her first communion.

Our family picture after done.

Grandpa Al and Grandma Jackie
(My parents)

Neil (Monika's Godfather)
Her Godmother couldn't make it

Monika and the first of the 3 groups that are receiving
first communion

Monika with Father Dave

Monika with her certificate

Monika with Grandma Margaret and Grandpa Tom
(Dave's parents)

Proud parents
(Dave not a smiler in pictures)

Monika had saw a picture of rainbow cupcakes and wanted to make them, so we did, then frosted them white and put a cross on each one of them. They were
Delicious.

Throughout the ceremony, you could see Monika was very nervous and need to hold onto Dave's hand some of the time for reassurance and cues, but she did wonderfully. She even wrote a little story about her day (but doesn't want me to share it). She did write about, how important it was to receive the body of Christ, and what it meant to her.

The Lord is Great.

It is there

Yep it is there. It made it 6306 miles. It is the weekend so it hasn't been signed over yet, but it is in Beijing. In the same country as our daughter. Now we wait 4-6 months to bring her home. we pray that it will only take 6 months or less.

You might have noticed we had a chip in again on the sidebar. The last time we had one, only 2 people contribute the 3 months it was there. But we were encouraged to put it up again. Our next fundraiser will be a garage sale in June. The two that we had last summer/fall were successful and we hope this one will be too. I am amazing how many things I am finding around the house to get rid off. I thought I did a good job cleaning out last year. Guess that is why it is called spring cleaning.

Tonight Jade's speech group had a show. They did a good job on it, one girl talked about deafness and cochlear implant. With me having experience with both within my family it was interesting to watch. I have been asked many times with Erin's deafness, will we have her have a cochlear implant. That is such a hard question and I think Erin needs to make that decision. I have read a lot about adopting teens and one of the biggest advice I get, "Make the decisions for your teenager as simple and easy", that they are to overwhelmed with decision making initially. So for now, We focus on her living in the deaf world and us helping her live in the world she is most comfortable. We hope to mail a care package with a letter to Erin in the next couple of weeks. From others who have adopted older kids from her orphanage, the child is told about the adoption, so we hope she will feel a little bit of comfort of knowing a little bit about us and our lives in America, when we go China and have her leave her only life for a life in America and with her forever family.
I know I have said this many times in the past, but I am so thankful for Jesus and everyone who has touched our lives before, during and in the future with us working on bringing Erin home. Even some of the people that have said negative things about us adopting Erin, it has helped me with the process, to think, to prepare for bringing her home. It is truly remarkable on how everyone can make an impact on you, even if you met them for 2 seconds or even longer.