Pumpkin Carving time

We carved all of our pumpkins this morning. It was so much fun! I think the kids had a blast and now that Kaden is old enough to pretty much get it done by himself he really loves it. Maddie did not enjoy the guts part, when a sticky seed flew over next to her she kept saying umm can you please get that. Kadens pumpkin was the thickest I swear it was like 3 inches which made it pretty hard to carve so dad stepped in and helped a bit. Maddie drew her picture on hers and then dad again helped out. I did my own (what a big girl I am!) and then Maddie helped me clean out Malias and I drew out BABY on it and Rich stepped in again and carved that out! I talked Madison into tasting the pumpkin while she was helping clean out sisters and she stuck her tongue out and got some on it and so she spit because "it was gross!" It was funny. While we were carving I had put on the new Josh Groben CD and listened to Christmas music and I have to tell you it got my holiday spirit up and working and now Im very excited for Christmas! We had all chosen abnormal pumpkins this year and I have to say Rich's turned out so cute, I think it looks like a scarecrow. I love that the kids are so eager to have their sister and they both were very helping with ideas as to what Malias pumpkin should have on it. This little girl will be very loved by her bother and sister!

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retail therapy

Ok so yes another dream has led me to what??? The MALL!! Last night I had the weirdest dream that I was in Viet Nam getting my little Malia (O nice saying her name) when they handed me another little baby a little older and her name was Maggie (not a name I thought I would ever pick though it is very cute) and I was like O ok so the next thing I know is Im home and laying them on our bed introducing them to the fam when I realize OO I can start dressing you so cute now!! So Rich goes to give them baths while I pick out their clothes and when I open the closet there are NO CLOTHES! And Im freaking out pulling out drawers and searching and Im so sad and realize Im going to have to tell Rich I have to go buy all these clothes. So I woke up in a bit of a panic thinking O my I dont have clothes for her yet. Now dont get any ideas people we are only coming home with one, 1, yes 1 baby (so ignore that part of the dream). So anyways I had to go shopping today and I found the most adorable store I think it might be my new favorite. Its called Pumpkin Patch and I just fell in love, I bought a few things for Malia and had to grab an outfit for Maddie. I cant wait to go back (without Rich) and get some more. It will be so much easier buying clothes when I have an idea of her size and the season I will be bringing her home though. Anyways I feel so much better thank goodness for retail therapy!! Below are some pics of what I found.... I also grabbed a couple things from Gymboree and her hair clippies finally got here that I found on ebay and they are also adorable (hope she has hair)!!

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Whats in a name?

So I have had a couple questions about the name we have chosen. I have been withholding her name waitng for the right time to share but I will go ahead and share how we (or I really) came up with her name. So soon after we started the paper chase I had a dream, it was so real and so fantastic I knew it was another smack over the head letting me know we were doing the right thing. So I was dreaming and all I could see were these letters M A L I N A and I thought O thats nice but it didnt look right so my big white hand reached up and started rearranging the letters until it looked right. When I was done I knew it was my babies name. I felt it when I woke up right away and had to write it down so that I wouldnt forget but it hasnt left my mind since. I have never heard her name ever and after actually putting it on print I started seeing it all over it seems but we are sticking with it. There is another beautiful little girl also adopted and her name is the same and another family waiting intending on naming her the same and also a little girl in our ward and her name is the same. Owell I guess we can deal with sharing a name LOL. SOO Drum roll please........ Malia Lihn will be her name! I absolutely love it so dont try to tell me any negatives please keep them to yourself! I love it and I found out it is a Hawaiin name and I love that too. Lihn will be after my sister Becki but we are changing the spelling from Lynn to Lihn to make it traditional Vietnamese spelling. So there you go whats in a name??? My heart!

making it up with paint

So I have been a major brain fart lately... I have forgotten so many things its not even funny. Even if it makes its way on my Calendar I end up forgetting about it. Case in point last Tuesday Madison was supposed to go to the school after Kaden got out and stay and decorate a pumpkin with her teacher. Well I remembered it in the morning I even remembered at lunch time but at 4:15 sitting at the church activity I was reminded by Kaden that Madison missed the pumpkin painting and now it was well way to late. I felt horrible! Luckily she really had no idea about it and so she was oblivious to what her mother had done to her. So the next day I marched to the office explained that Im a slacker mom and they handed over her pre-paid pumpkin and a few things to decorate. So we went home later that day and we decorated that pumpkin and I have to say it was well worth missing it! It was so much fun watching her eyes light up while painting its little face and glueing on feathers and giving it a tail. So though I am feeling out of mind every second wondering umm what am I forgetting sometimes its nice to forget!!

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tourist

Ive never really traveled anywhere, and so I am so excited (and so very scared) to get to do some major traveling. Ive always thought eventually I would go to Hawaii or maybe Florida but Im leaping right over that and going to Viet Nam. I am so excited to be able to take in as much of my daughters culture that I can. I wont be able to try a lot of the food but Im hoping to try a little (I will steal bites from Rich) Im so excited to here the noise and smell the smells and meet the people. I have read a lot about how kind the people are and to expect them to help me with the baby and eww and aww over her. I know that all of this will make me very nervous but Im really hoping to be able to take it all in and just enjoy. I want to take as many photos as my memory cards will allow. I really want to come home with as much as I can take! I cant wait to visit the silk stores and the pearl stores. Ive read about a some things other families have done for their children and Im hoping to do the same. One thing is to pick out age appropriate gifts for future birthdays and family days and holidays for her. How amazing will it be to have her open a gift when she is 18 or even getting married that we picked out for her when she was just a baby. Im hoping my nerves wont get the best of me and I will really be able to enjoy all Viet Nam has to offer our family, I cant wait to have this new culture in our lives!

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TuTuRific

Madison is a busy girl. She enjoys preschool 3 times a week and has ballet/tap once a week and then gymnastics once a week. And then we usually throw in a play date somewhere. She loves to run and dance and definately loves being LOUD! I found the biggest besstest tutu ever on ebay and just had to get it. It is hot pink and is so much bigger than her! She wasnt to sure about it at first but checked herself out in the mirror and decided it was a keeper. I love how active she is and Im very happy that it seems she is growing up with a high sence of self. I always wanted my daughter to have great self esteem and hopefully my newest daughter will also get this great gift of self esteem!

Tic Tac Boo

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Out of the mouth of babes!

So as we were driving the other day (the day before Maddies field trip) Rich said he had to go into work the next morning and OOO I might miss her field trip.... I looked back at Maddie and said well thats ok we will just guilt him all day about it!! Her very quick response was "your good at this mommy" LOLOL I think we both about pee'd in our pants she was so quick and Im not sure if she knew what she said but we both (especially Rich) thought it was great. So whether its something so funny like this or something sweet like Kaden wanting a white pumpkin for our spirit baby.... I just really love (most) the things that come out of their mouths.

Yearning

I have found the last couple of days I have really been yearning to have my little asian princess. I feel so close to her but O so far away. I dont know if these feelings are confirmations for me or if Im really just having a hard time. Now dont get me wrong Im not feeling depressed or anything but do you ever just have to have a candy bar or one more bite of cake or you will just blow up?? That is how I feel I really just need to be able to hold my little one. I am hoping that our paper work is being looked at and that it will get back to us soon. This wait is very hard and the future is scary. But I am finding the scary parts are fine and Im narrowing my view on the fact that I will get to have that baby in my arms somewhat soon.

underdogs?

Kadens football team lost major today but I was so proud of all of them for keeping a good attitude. They all kept asking to go in all the way to the end of the game. For whatever reason our team is always quite smaller than every team we go up against. But if heart could win it I think our team would have it! Kaden did great when he got the ball he moved it up quite a bit but never got the chance to really make another TD today. I think in the end the other team got like 4-5 TD's and we got close a couple times! As long as he conitnues to love it I guess we will stick with it. Heres some photos of some practice and todays game..... I need to figure out the video part Ive got a great clip of Elias up in the air going for the ball when a boy hits him from behind... it was ruff but he jumped right up!

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Maddies Field Trip

Madison had a class field trip to another pumpkin patch. It was very cute and I rode on the bus with her, she was so very excited to ride on the big yellow bus! We started out by learning about all the different squash and pumpkins and then moved on to the hay maze where you could barely see her only by her pink hat, it was like wheres waldo. After that we went and made a scarecrow that the kids decided to call pumpkin. Moving on to the stinky animals was a huge hit Madison didnt like the tangly dirty animals but did really enjoy any that were soft. There was a huge lama?? named freckles that was ignoring everyone but really liked Madison and kept trying to steel her hat. We then learned about bees and then went through the corn tunnel and then off to pick a cute little pumpkin. We ended the trip with a quick snack and then we checked her out and went out to lunch. She was adorable the whole trip and its always nice to see that she is a very good listener (to her teachers)!!
Yaa field trips.... enjoy the pics below

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Pumpkin Patch

On Thursday night we made our way to Andersons Farm for a nice family outing of wagon rides pumpkin picking and getting lost in mazes! We had a blast, we have made a tradition since 4 years ago to do this and I feel like a kid every time we go. We checked out the animals first they had very new baby goats that were just adorable, truely if they stayed that small you would have to have one as a pet. Then we took our wagon ride to the pumpkin patch but first stopped to feed some very large cows and even a buffalo, Madison was surprisingly brave and put the food right in the cows mouth and Kaden was a little more cautious. Then we moved on to the pumpkins I enjoy weird looking pumpkins and Kaden followed suite choosing a very dark green one. We decided to pick one out for the baby and Kaden said we should choose a white one because she is still a spirit MELT MY HEART SWEET BOY!! So we did as you can see in the photos below. We then enjoyed some hot dogs and moved on to the maze. We let Maddie take the lead and stayed until 7 when it was dark enough for us to feel a little scared. They do a great job there and I cant wait to go back next year with a baby in tow. Check out our pics below!

Check our Sunday Adventure

Anderson Farms

Squirell Factory

The other day Rich, Maddie and myself were sitting on the couch hanging out, when Maddie started to tell us she wanted to go to the fuccc...... the fucccc...... the squirell fucccc...... UMMM what Madison?? I want to go to the Squirell Fuctory.... Factory I asked... Yes!! I want to go to the squirell factory!! OK Rich and I are shocked and laughing so hard. Why do you want to go to the squirell factory? Because they are funny and they make things and Jrula (made up name we thought) goes there. Ok so we thought she had come up with this clever little story about squirells and a factory and we continue ?ing her when Kaden comes down and saves the day by letting us know its from the movie Charley and the Chocolate Factory! How funny is that...... So I ask.. Do you know what your children are watching?? LOL I nearly pee'd in my pants from laughing!

Trained

24 hours, 3 classes, 1 video, and a WHOLE lot of reading (8 hours to be exact) DONE! We are officially knowlegeable enough to be parents! LOL We so arent but officially we are. And yes even when you already have 2 of your own you still have to take these classes (much to Rich's disapointment). When you adopt you have to take classes on parenting and we are done! We would like to thank all of you who were there for us to help out with Kaden and Maddie, its so awesome having people you can leave your kids with and not have a worry..... so THANK YOU! I will say though I didnt feel like I learned a whole lot more at these classes because most of it we had already read about, it was nice spending all that time with other couples (and singles) going through the same thing. There were even 3 other couples adopting from Vietnam and it was funny when we were introducing ourselves and saying where we are adopting from all 4 couples adopting from Vietnam were sitting together in the back row. So does that mean something?? Vietnam adopting parents are back row peeps! It was also nice getting to spend time with Rich, we have been so busy lately it doesnt seem like we ever just talk, so that was nice. Anyways thanks again to all of you who have been such a huge help and a thanks to all those who have even offered......... watch out we might just take you up on it!!

Analize that

So I had one of my pregnant adoption dreams.... So I went to visit Tami in the hospital because she just had her baby when I realize I am also wearing a hostpital gown and I cant figure out why then I remember O I have a baby but I have no idea where she is.... So I am freaking out, at that point I had to wake myself up because I couldnt handle it anymore. Am I the only one that has these crazy dreams during adoption? I have been a little emotional today and I think it stems from this dream. So comments?? I would love to hear about other dreams.

Sunday Drive

One thing I miss a ton about living in Utah is how close we lived to the mountains. I remember taking Sunday drives up to the mountains all the time. We dont get up to the mountains here to often because they arent 10 minutes away. But when we make the effort to get out there we are always so glad we did. Because today was General Conference we decided to go take a nice Sunday drive. We drove up through Allens Park and really enjoyed all the fall colors that were changing. It was nice and brisk just the way I like it! I love putting on a sweat shirt and jeans!! Anyways here are some pictures of our trip.

Football!

So good news Kadens football team finally won a game! They have won one other game but have lost 4 and it is painful so very painful. Of course Rich and I both missed this great game because we had adoption (parenting) classes. (I will talk about that more later). Any ways we just knew this would be the game they won and we just knew that Kaden would end up getting a touch down.......... and he did. We got a Text from a friend letting us know that he had just got a touch down and we were in the middle of watching of very old somewhat pointless movie and I just about broke down and cried. I felt horrible missing a game and even worse missing his TD. He was a good sport about it and he hasnt made us feel guilty about it yet. We are so proud of him and we are so thankful to the friends who have been helping us out while we have been running around to adoption things. So GOOD JOB Kaden (Kracken... his football nickname) we love you so much! I got a bit of an insight of how hard it is going to be while we travel to get our baby girl so far away and for such a long time and let me tell you I am quite sure I will be a hot mess.. this is going to be the best but hardest thing Ive ever done.

Mondays SUCK!

So I always wake up in the morning with a list of things I plan on accomplishing......... ya I never make it through that list. I hate Mondays I HATE them and let me tell you why. LAUNDRY.. I do 1 load of laundry everyday but over the weekend I dont do any so on Mondays I have a huge amount of laundry to do. I know Im not alone in this I have a friend that doesnt do laundry all week until Monday... I wish I could do that but I would run out of towels and I just dont know where I would put all the dirty stuff. So here comes Monday YAA Monday kids go to school (which means no chance of accidently sleeping in) Monday means cleaning up the house after having the kids and Rich home on Sunday (gets very messy) Monday means Bathrooms because I clean bathrooms on Mondays. Mondays also mean sweeping and mopping if I get to it, I try to ignore the floor but after scraping the bottoms of my feet after the 10th time I realize ok it needs to be done (if Im way tired I will put on slippers so I can ignore it for a LONG time!)
So Mondays right am I alone in this. Should I be doing things different?? I know I sound like Im totally complaining... I am LOL BUT it really isnt all that bad but tackling this at the end of the day is not fun.

GRRR People!

Happy Birthday Hon! It is Rich's birthday and I hope it was a good one! Hes getting up there in age......... just kidding, I will always love that you are older than me!! For his Birthday we went to Red Robin after Kadens football game and then to a movie. We saw Game Plan with "The Rock" and it was actually really cute, I was surprised that I liked it. During the previews I saw 2 movies that I thought looked really good. One is called Marcian Child, a movie about a little boy in Im guessing Foster Care and a man that wants to adopt him.... it looked very emotional and good. Then a very cute movie I think called Enchanted or something like that, about a Princess that falls into a hole which takes her to the real world and then other characters follow her here. Madison was so excited!!
Anyways during all of that (the movie) we sat in the 3rd row down, we usually sit at the very top but there were already people there so fine! Well a grown man ended up sitting right behind me and he kicked my chair the WHOLE movie like constant tapping I had to keep looking back to get him to stop, then he would grab the back of my chair when he was leaning forward........ UMMM hello there is a unwritten rule that says no touching someone elses chair especially if you are an adult!! Well then about 30 minutes before the movie is over there is a lot of noise and a splashing noise coming from the top row, sounded like a drink spilling and so the kids behind us start taking off.... ends up someone PUKED!! EWWWW right! Then I started to smell it and realize what had happened and I knew I would have to leave cuz I am a dry heever with smells but thankfully the staff brought some cleaning supplies and started cleaning so I could smell the cleaner! I thought I was going to loose it if you know what I mean.
So moral of the story theaters SUCK! Home is better OOO + the kid sitting next to me appearently had gas for the first 30 minutes. So unless the movie is super good and I just have to see it I will wait for it to be on DVD. Because at home knowbody is kicking my seat and I dont have to worry about strangers puking on me, if there is a bad smell at least its my families bad smell and not some strangers AND my drinks dont cost $15 for 3. O and if I have to pee I can pause!! LOL OO I sound like such a whiner but really being a bit of a germ freak at the theater is NOT fun!

WHEW FINALLY!! And adoption brain

Ok good news! The HS is officially done! Our part has been done for almost a month (yesss stressful waiting) but there were things that we have been waiting on to be finished and yaa its done!! I talked to both my agencies today and everyone is a GO! So now our HS and a few other things are headed to the CIS for approval, Ive been told this should only take about a week and then it all gets shipped off for the I-171H which I cant explain what that is I get lost with all of this stuff. But I cant tell you how excited I am to finally say its done finally its done, I feel like we are half way there maybe even more that half??
I have adoption brain Im almost certain I am not the only one, I can relate it to pregnancy brain. But... it is driving me crazy just crazy. I cant sleep I am always thinking about the baby about the paper work about the things that need to be done the things OTHER people need to get done and it is driving me crazy. I have done the shopping and the cleaning and the blanket making BUT it is NOT distracting me..... Actually the shopping helps hehehe but I am stopping the shopping until my referal because I dont want to keep buying the wrong size clothes or wrong season. So Im stuck and obsessing over every little thing. Im not alone in this crazy brain right?? I even have crazy pregnancy dreams and Im not pregnant. Blogs are a help to me I love to read everyone elses blogs and to see the little faces of what my little one may look like seems to be a comfort to me. I have found a new obsession YOUTUBE I go and I watch G & R's on YOUTUBE and I get a little (or a lot) teary watching, Madison loves watching too. If Im on the computer she will say I want to watch the babies so we search and find a new one to watch!
So hurray HS and hopefully I will be saying hello to a good nights sleep. I do have to say even though Im totally complaining I already know that every tear heartache and hour of stress is all worth it and I also keep hearing in my head that the timing is all right and so with that I will try to stop complaining and just be greatful!

Packages

Ok I love to get packages I love to see the UPS or FEDEX man at my door step I also love opening the mailbox and seeing packages in there! Well today that is what happened! Not 1 not 2 but 3 packages!!!! What a fun day especially when it is something for the baby. So here is what we got...

Tootin' my own horn

Ok how cute is that! I just finished this blanket for the baby. It is super soft and cuddly! I found this gorgeous fabric on Ebay and I knew I had to have it. And so Saturday I went and found the pink fuzzy stuff and some yarn and trim. I just finished and I just love it. I like to think Im crafty but Im sloppy crafty. But I dont care this is sooo cute! (Just dont look at the hems!

ok how cute is that?? LOVE IT!
Sorry I hope I dont sound snotty and braggy but Im way excited!

A Prayer

Im feeling so impatient, Im feeling so out of control. When Im told two days and those 2 days turn into 3 weeks I start feeling like a joke is being played on me, and its NOT funny. I know the HS is done but it hasnt been sent to me for aproval. Come on please email give me some good news. Im getting anxious because Im reading that waiting times are getting longer. Longer is not good longer is longer right Longer is TORTURE!!
My BFF had her baby today! He is the sweetest little guy. He is handsome and cute and sweet and so tiny. Im so excited to get some of that for practice! Im hoping to sneak a whole lot of him!
I have to say sitting there in the hospital I was a little sad realizing I will never have that newness ever again, I wont ever have that icky new poop or the tiniest diapers, I wont ever have that constant sleeping baby in my arms that I just love and enjoy so much. I will hopefully have still a quite tiny little girl that may sleep through the night and hopefully wont have those really disgusting poo's that make you wonder, when did you eat tar? LOL sorry gross factor!
Holding him made me yearn that much more for my little one. And to know that I am still so far away and the longer my stuff takes the longer my wait gets is very hard. Having faith comes into play here, and I am trying to constantly remind myself that when the time is right I will have her in my arms. THAT IS SOOO HARD! Not knowing when is so hard. But I will say my prayers and I will read my scriptures and I will remember that the plan in play right now is not mine and so I will try hard not to be so impatient.

Impatient much?!?

Im feeling so impatient, Im feeling so out of control. When Im told two days and those 2 days turn into 3 weeks I start feeling like a joke is being played on me, and its NOT funny. I know the HS is done but it hasnt been sent to me for aproval. Come on please email give me some good news. Im getting anxious because Im reading that waiting times are getting longer. Longer is not good longer is longer right Longer is TORTURE!!
My BFF had her baby today! He is the sweetest little guy. He is handsome and cute and sweet and so tiny. Im so excited to get some of that for practice! Im hoping to sneak a whole lot of him!
I have to say sitting there in the hospital I was a little sad realizing I will never have that newness ever again, I wont ever have that icky new poop or the tiniest diapers, I wont ever have that constant sleeping baby in my arms that I just love and enjoy so much. I will hopefully have still a quite tiny little girl that may sleep through the night and hopefully wont have those really disgusting poo's that make you wonder, when did you eat tar? LOL sorry gross factor!
Holding him made me yearn that much more for my little one. And to know that I am still so far away and the longer my stuff takes the longer my wait gets is very hard. Having faith comes into play here, and I am trying to constantly remind myself that when the time is right I will have her in my arms. THAT IS SOOO HARD! Not knowing when is so hard. But I will say my prayers and I will read my scriptures and I will remember that the plan in play right now is not mine and so I will try hard not to be so impatient.

Its a LOT the same

Ok so the sleepless nights the endless worry the nostop thinking..... Im totally pregnant just not really! I cant believe how much adoption is like being pregnant. When I talk to my sister or my good friend who are both very pregnant and they are talking about what they are going through Im like me too, me too. Im having the weirdo dreams, I can NOT sleep. I am going to bed late and then waking up and waking up and waking up. Only I dont have to pee Im just thinking and thinking and thinking. I truely believe our bodies get us ready to be sleep deprived and I had no idea that not carrying the baby myself would be so similair to being pregnant. I think its great! BUT I also want some dang sleep. Im exausted and tired I want sleepies, but if this is what it will take to bring the little one home OK I will. What I could do without is not sleeping while Rich is sleeping sound SNOOORING! Its just like rubbing it in. So anyways I have realized it doesnt matter how you get your baby its your baby and you will go through the same emotions and the same sleepless nights!

So we did some damage yesterday but the fun kind!! Damage to our bank account. First we headed to Home Depot for a shower because we are finishing the basement! We will be moving Kaden down to the basement and the baby will get his room (he is very excited about this)! Then the best part of the day was going to BABIES R US! It was a blast and I got teary eyed walking around and putting different things in the cart. It was so much fun, we also got a crib, it is a pretty white one and I will show it later when her room is done....... which may be awhile. Madison had so much fun shopping for her little sister. She kept running from crib to crib to bottles and rags and anything else telling us our baby needs this our baby needs this......... OOOOO cute our baby needs that. We had a blast and with every purchase I feel a little closer to her. Im so glad the kids are excited about this coming addition and so far have shown no sign of jealousy when we have been making these purchases for her. She is so far away but we will carry her in our hearts until we can carry her in our arms! So for now I will continue to do damage, I enjoy shopping already but shopping for her is sooo much fun, just look at those cute outfits and the blanket Maddie picked out might be worn out by myself and Maddie because it is sooo soft we LOVE it!

Taking baby steps

I feel like we are taking baby steps right now. Yesterday I mailed off what hopefully should be the end of our paper work for the HS!! Im very excited about this, having the HS will be a huge load off. It is feeling like little by little we are getting closer. I am day dreaming of her I have her name I know what I want to do to her room. I feel very preparred the kids are excited and want her home, though Im not sure if Maddie realizes its not a baby doll! LOL So next step..... the home study people finishing their part then we will be waiting on our I-171H form which hopefully wont take to long. I feel like we are nearing the home stretch but really there is quite a ways to go. But thinking about it gives me butterfly's I so badly want to go get her, the girl, my daughter! So baby steps and thats ok, it will happen when it happens but I want to see her baby steps so Im ready to be finished with ours!

Home Study Update

WOW!! We are almost there, well there as in almost done with the HS. All we are waiting for now is my medical check which is next week. Then we will mail that in and they will have it finished within a couple days. We had our 2nd and last at home visit today. It went very well! The lady who is doing our HS is very sweet and kind and has adopted a little girl from Vietnam also. I really felt like she was just here to get to know us, never did I feel like I needed to defend anything; it was really great. So next step getting the I-171H and then our dossier will be complete and we will send it to Vietnam. HURRAY it seems like everything is falling into place. My Passport came today and Rich's came yesterday. I love how people are so willing to help out when you are adopting LOVE IT!! Madison had her 1st day of schoold today to and it was Kadens on Monday and they are doing great and are excited to have a baby sister.

Clearance!!

OK....... so I made the mistake of NOT expediting my passport but right away I talk to someone and they told me to send in the extra money and request for an upgrade to expedite. Well 2 weeks later the check has never cashed and I have been very stressed that I will be stuck waiting for my passport and everything else will be done. Well good news today we have clearance which means the FBI and State has cleared us BUT Im waiting on my passport. This has been the only thing so far that I have cried about. I hate that my passport is what will end up slowing us down now. I did them again today and appearently they got my check and updated my stuff but didnt go any further so the man I talked to who was very sweet emailed whoever he emails and hopefully it will move along. I will be calling every couple of days to but them until it is here in my anxious hands. I cant believe we are at the point were we can almost send our paperwork to Vietnam!! Im so excited but yet so anxious to get ALL the paperwork done. It is getting closer though and I will try to be patient. TRY!!

The Paper Chase

So we are in the middle of the waiting game. I hate not having control. I've gone as far as I can at this point and now I just have to wait for fingerprints to get in so we can finish our Home Study. Im ready to get papers notarized but I want to do it at the right time. Since there is this 6 month deal I dont want to get it to early ya know. So every day that passes with out a letter in the mail or a phone call is torture.
Im also waiting on our Passports, neither of us have ever had one before and when I applied I didnt do the expedite not thinking but Rich did 2 weeks after me because he was waiting on his Birth Certificate. So I called and sent in more money to upgrade to expedite and Im hoping it will all work out! It seems like this stuff should go more smoothly but I guess it doesnt. So anyways the waiting game. And not even the waiting for travel yet which Im sure will feel even more uncontrolable and torturous. I just want my daughter I want to shop and finish her room. I keep seeing all these cute clothes and I want to buy but I dont know what size and season to buy for yet. I cant wait and every night we pray for her. I'll stop now because Im rambling.

Speaking the Language

Ok so Im not talking about speaking Vietnamese, that is not going to happen I spent 3 years in Spanish and never learned more than a couple words, not all nice!! Im talking about the adoption language the big words everyone talks about like everyone else should know but I have no idea. I feel like Im getting a handle on most if it now but there are some BIG words that have a LOT of work attached to them. 1600A form ok I was asked if I had sent it in, I had no idea what it was. It is the form you send in to the government to get a file started for you to help approve you for adoption (I think). Ok then there is Dossier which I would spell dosea if I hadnt read about it LOL. A dossier is a collection of paperwork that will be sent over to the country of your choosing for approval for you adoption. We have to compile the following:
Home Study not older than 6
Health Certificate not older than
Income Statement from employer
Police clearance (we had our fingerprints done and who knows how long until we get that back)
Marriage license
Ten passport photos
Picture page of passports for both spouses
Vietnamese application
Power of attornery for non-traveling spouse (if needed)
Letter of approval to adopt a child fromthe BSIC (also waiting on fingerprints from them)
All of these have to have a notary and then have to be sent to the Sec of State from which the document originated from to get some special seal. And all not older than 6 months.
There is a 171H something or other and then just so many words I read about and think OK Im not sure I can do this without totally messing it all up. Its scary stuff and I know it will be worth it but I really feel like I need someone holding my hand with every form I even catch myself checking the spelling on my own name and making sure ok yes this is my birthday right? Im sure the peeing in a cup is coming up too, always a good time!

The Other Mom

So Ive been thinking a lot about the bithmom lately. I know what she is going through has to be very hard. In most cases the birth moms that give up their babies are teenage or single and their families arent ok with out of wedlock children. Some cases the babies are abanded. My heart really goes out to this mom. I pray for her and my baby, and knowing that there is a lady out there that is most likely pregnant right now with my little girl is exciting but heart breaking too. At one point you want this you want there to be a mom that is preggers and doesnt want to be, on the other hand you feel bad for the mom and the baby. I hope she is taking care of herself and I also hope that I am able to get information on her so that I can have that for my daughter while she is growing up. I think having that connection with be very helpful for her.

Starting the blog

I have been wanting to do this but Ive been lazy about doing it. I started a family one before but didnt keep up on it so I will try again. Im wanting to do this blog to keep friends and family up to date on the progress of our adoption. I also am very obsessed with reading other blogs about adoption I have found them very helpful. I dont plan on being as elequent as these other bloggers, they seem to have vocabulary that I just dont have. But Im hoping to be helpful for anyone out there going through the process or thinking about it with our time line and experience. Wish me luck!!