Easter Morning

We had a great Easter, it was extra fun seeing the happiness in our childs eyes and the wonder of the Easter Bunny. We attended mass on Easter Eve, arrived about 7pm for a 7:30 start, they really were well behaved considering that we left after 2hrs and 40 min into it, at that point communion was not even started. I do feel gulity...but we were pushing out luck staying any longer. We left right after the 4th baptism. I think we are forgiven.

LET YOUR VOICE BE COUNTED PLEASE SIGN

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/AmericansforVietnamOrphans/index.html

Please sign the above petition which will be presented to VP Cheny. It only takes 1min and costs no money. This is the time to let government know that we are unhappy with the current issues surrounding adoptions in Vietnam. I hope you all have a peaceful Easter, as we pray for all the families with uncertainties at this time.

Make Yourself Heard!

Do you feel it is ethical for the United State to pressure Vietnam to only work with Hague agency's when in fact Vietnam is not a Hague country? Do you think it is humane to let babies sit additional months in an overstressed orphanage while the United States extend I600 applications investigation's past 60 days when the old process was about 10 days, with babies waiting to go home to American families. If your agency is not a Hague agency or your simply stressed with the current situation please contact your Senator/government officials at the following link. Only in numbers can policy be changed.
http://www.bringourchildrenhome.org/6701/index.html

Out of our control..

With the most recent updates, I am wrapping my head around the idea that everything is out of our hands. I just hope that the government's work towards a solution that will continue to allow US families to adopt in Vietnam and that referrals to US families and agency's continue. We have come so close but are still so far. Our fingerprints are good for 18 months, I hope we get to use them before we have to pay yet again to get them renewed. I am trying harder to not be on the computer so much and start more projects around the home to keep me busy and get past this bad patch.

Top O' the Morn to ya!

Is today going to be our lucky day of good news? I enter my fav chat rooms and hear nothing but "crickets" cheep cheep cheep, anyway I am resigned to whatever happens we are still in this for the long haul, as quoted by my husband "stay the course". Easy to say when he is never on the Internet! I will attempt to make corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, & carrots, traditional Irish meal. I just can't remember if everything is all cooked in one pot. I think last year some items cooked faster than others and then was a little too salty. (it'll eat!) I want so bad to call my agency, but they must be under extreme stress, I know that an update will be posted when there is news to report. Until then I will check my usual sources of information every hour (or less) and I pray that our DTV date is included and that we are not dead in the water.

Palm Sunday

I have been caught up in all the "what ifs" with Vietnam, that I just wanted to go to church in peace, then remember that the kids really enjoy church school, Ok you guys want to go with me to church ? "yes mommy" Ok then get ready. Little did I remember until entering the church that today was Palm Sunday. My heart sunk, oh how will they sit through this? Well we are here now, lets get our palms (future weapons) and find a seat. So no break in the mass to release the kids for church school, we sit and hear The Passion with me telling the kids: Stop hitting that mans head, if you do it again I am taking the Palm way, Pick the Palm off the floor, it has a special blessing, Please leave that ladies Palm alone, Stop poking your brother with the Palm. Quit throwing the Palm in the isle. Ok collection time, here is money for each of you. Daughter puts her money in the basket and is proud that she is helping the poor, Son holds his money over the basket and refuses to drop the bill in, "no this is my candy money!"" I have to get candy with the nuts!" Give his hand a shake make the money fall in. then whisper to him...daddy will give you candy money. He was so close to a melt down, but dodge it! Ended the day with daughter saying "Easter is not just about the Easter Bunny" Well I guess my efforts did payoff!

No News

No news is bad news? I don't know, This has been such a hard wait. I really had no idea going into this. We are sitting on a nice amount of money "set aside for the adoption" every month something urgent comes up and we are slowing dipping into it. I do have a back up plan if needed. It is just so depressing. I can not imagine other families that are just getting the dossier together....how on earth will they deal with the wait? I thought we were going to be fine being a BTDT family, lately it is consuming me. I wake up in the am planning for a fast day to get back to bed. I know this is not good. Every Thursday; all day feels like were is the update? Then nothing great to report. I do feel happy for the families that are getting travel approvals, at least they see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Nervous Energy

I have been on the internet tons lately and about 3 days ago rumors of change started surfacing in the way Vietnam adoptions are being handled. There are many many families and agency's waiting for answers on the status of the current announcements. Needless to say we still feel positive regarding our case and are taking it day by day. ANYWAY, how to handle all this nervous energy?

1. Yes FOOD, started the week off real positive, did the am walk 3 days straight; then came crashing down with pizza delivered, meatball calazone, hot dogs with nice spicy mustard and grape juice & sprite mixed together. It felt good at the time, now I am still down and mad for doing all that.

2. Strip wall paper, this has been a dreaded job, but started it yesterday. I kept thinking when it gets nicer outside I don't want to be stripping wallpaper. So with the kids having a 1/2 day of school everyone helped. By helping I mean: my son walked on my beautiful framed print of "The Great Wall of China" glass all over, ok no big deal," lets take a break" We had punch to drink, and did the "CHEERS" by clinking glasses, then my son missed his mouth and all the drink on the floor. ok no big deal "back to work kids" I'll clean the floor. Finally we are all back to working. "Mommy I have to go pee" Ok I will help you. Walk into the bathroom and balls of wet TP all over the floor. "WHO DID THIS?" " I didn't it was the cat. "I'll Clean this up", we are again all back to work. The phone rings. "Hi we need you to get this contract signed with the client or the deal will not be booked on time" Husband gets home,son in bed, daughter in pj's,all are fed, I run round trip get the deal done, with 1/2 hr to get weekly grocery's before the store closes. Then to bed, a new day tomorrow. Arnt' you proud? I did not cry once!

Got Snow?

Well you know how fishing stories grow?...the fish that got away story is always the biggest and no one can ever top it. That's how it is here with SNOW! No matter what town you live in someone ALWAYS has a bigger and better story or hardship on snow. Let it be known that I am officially stating we have the most snow and the biggest snow hardship. I am not making this up....this time there is PROOF! Oh and by the way, we have about a half loaf of bread and yes the TP supply is running out! Much thanks to our lovable farmer that clears our driveway, this has saved my back on many snowy days. We will never take him for granted.

Learned through adoption....(leave your lessons I will add to my list)

1. There are so many people in need.

2. People in other countries will do jobs that Americans would never think of doing.
They are just happy to have a job, and they do it with pride

3. At the end of your trip, you will realize that there was so much more you could of done.
Example, instead of packing extra comfort items for yourself, fit in more donations for the
for the orphange.

4. We are truly people of excess.

5. I totally look at money differently and the value it has.

6. I am more concerned with world events and the suffering of the helpless.

7. Sometimes feelings of "if I only have known then what I know now", wishing that we started
adoption to create a family many years ago.

8. Its not about you anymore.

9. Trying to stay fit, not only for me, but to give our children healthy parents.

10. Learn to not worry so much about things we have no control over. Very hard when you are a control freak.

11. "Laurie Said" I truly wish that more people would understand that the children do more waiting than the parents ever do.

US Dept of Homeland Security YES!

The envelope came!! Our fingerprints have been renewed, we are now good until 4/2009. It has been determined that we are able to furnish proper care to an orphan. Our advance processing application has been forwarded to the American Consulate or Embassy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam! OK now Vietnam, its up to you, bring on the referral, we have all our ducks in a row, nothing left for us but to wait.

I was blind and now I see...

I wish that I was more aware of the suffering in the world as a child. We did grow up pretty carefree, but our recent trips to China and our current pending adoption to Vietnam has made me much more aware and in tune to how lucky we are. Yes I have been selfish recently wishing that Vietnam would hurry up and give us a referral. Then I get immersed in Chat room, Blogs and anything else that can offer up information. Then I get mad. I understand several reasons why the wait, but then I read of babies dying because of the flu! No blankets, watered down formula ect. and this can spread like wildfire, specially in an orphanage. There has to be a way to connect babies with families that want them. It is taking way too long. Ethica is a group that helps adoptive families and are very involved in the world of adoption. Below is a report of current conditions. We are not sure if these orphanages are open to adoption, they might just be in a very poor area without the support of adoption agency's that offer humanartian aid. If you would like to make a difference please follow the link at the end of this post.

The officials were the ones who called provincial orphanages asking what was most needed, and were the ones who picked the orphanages/care centers in:

Ha Tay Province (120 children under 16 in need of aid, including 45 babies between 1-4 months old)

Bac Giang Province Center for Orphans and Handicapped Children (60 children including 20 newborn babies)

Bac Ninh Province (185 children of which are 60 orphans and125 handicapped,52 babies from 1-18 months old, 5 children who are HIV+ from 2-3 years old)

Dong Anh District in Hanoi (56 children of which 35 are newborn-7 months old)

The Fund has mobilized resources and is going on a mission to Cao BangProvince on Monday and Tuesday. They welcomed extra support for these orphanages and also mentioned an additional 200 impoverished children that could use assistance (but who are not orphans) in Bac Giang. At this time we're limiting the Blankets for Babies Fund to the children in orphanages,and if there's even a remote possibility of meeting that enormous sum of$9,350 then we can consider the additional 200 children.Most concerning are the requests for formula, which is quite expensive. I can see why it is usually watered down. There was also a request for cloth to make diapers, a washing machine to disinfect the children's clothing, and medicines. I understand a French company is making some donations to support the handicapped children. I'm hoping that there are American companies that can make similar contributions.

http://ethicanet.org/item.php?recordid=blankets&pagestyle=default