Travel Visa

Somehow I forgot to mention that we got our travel visas back. This is surprising because it's such a big deal to me!! It was incredibly hard for me to mail off our passports to the Vietnamese Embassy. I prayed over that envelope for several minutes- and now our passports are now safely back in our hands with a sticker inside that says something (probably important) in vietnamese. If you remember back to dossier submission time (June-July 07) it was my missing passport that threatened to hold up our dossier process. And the sooner the dossier is in VN, the sooner we travel (in theory). A sweet lady at the passport helpline stepped in and I got it in time. All that to say- it was SO difficult to send that thing off to a foreign embassy and I am so grateful it's back in my posession! Now watch me lose it!

We're going to Vietnam!!

We finally muddled through the mess that is USCIS in Hanoi (with A LOT of help from our congressmam!!) and got our I600 approval letter Wednesday morning (the 12th). I'd been waking up every morning at 5:30am since we received Vietnam's travel approval- November 29th. The embassy in Hanoi closes at 5:30am our time, so I knew that if I didn't have an email from them I wouldn't hear anything til the next morning. It was an aweful way to start every day- and I was so very tired!! But all that is behind us because--WE ARE GOING TO VIETNAM!! We have our Giving and Receiving in January 8th and are traveling the Saturday before. We will get our formal itenerary later, but it is so nice to finally have a date to circle on the calendar! We have some friends who have become very dear to us that are still waiting on that elusive approval, so please send some prayers their way- it would be nice to join up with them in Hanoi. I will leave you with the strangest pictures of the girls- over Thanksgiving we went to a cabin my Grandaddy has. A wild grouse has decided he really likes the family and comes when called and plays with the kids . It's so very strange- but perfect for my kids who love all animals!! So, I leave you with pictures of two of the sweetest, funniest, strangest, amazing kids I have known- they are my joy.

It's been awhile because, frankly, I've been waiting to write about our travel call. The whole mess with the US embassy and the new policy just upsets me, so I figured I'd keep my mouth shut until I had something nice to say. Well, today we got updates!! We weren't expecting them for a few more weeks, so that was a really nice surprise! We came home from Emily's school play and I checked the email for news from the embassy (it opens around 8 pm our time) and Holt had sent the update. And get this-----Isaac had his lip repair surgery! I was a little uupset- I had wanted the surgeon here to do it and to be there with him as he went through this, but I didn't get a vote. That's another fact that's hard to swallow. His paperwork now says 'matched with Miller family' but we still don't have any real input into his life. And he looks so different!! I honestly wouldn't have recognized him! I've stared at his sweet face for 5 1/2 months now. It's sad for me to see a different face in the pictures. I've read on 'Wide Smiles' that a lot of parents feel this way after a repair. So at least I know I'm not the only one.

But I am choosing to focus on all the good things this means. It means he will not look so different to the world and won't have such a hard time his first few months here out in public. Because of this my 4 year old will not have to tell off anyone-- she's been practicing what to say if someone makes fun of her brother and, honestly, I think she was looking forward to it! And I got to see how much the girls already think of him as theirs- E was sad because she wanted to be there to take him into and out of surgery so he didn't feel alone. He will now have one less surgery to go through- and I'm so glad he can now learn to talk properly (of course, I still won't know what he's saying!). His update a few weeks before the surgery said he only had 2 sounds- 'e' and 'u'. He now has several words--one is Ma!!-- and can eat adult food. That's huge!

The pictures are also precious because they show him playing with all the things we sent him and wearing the clothes we sent. How thoughtful of the foster family to think of that! The girls loved seeing the dinosaur bib and flag bib they picked. And it also says he loves all wheeled things. We had picked several cars to send- a Jeep like Daddys and some tractors (because A. LOVES tractors!) and it's nice to see he likes them. Also, the report says he's not as scared of strangers and doesn't cry at new people. I'm sure we'll push the limits on that- but it's nice to know he feels secure enough not to be terrified.

So, much to be greatful for. Now if we could just go get him already!!

Oh, isn't he just so cute!?

Yesterday was B.'s pinning ceremony. He is now officially a Navy Chief!! I remember when we were first married, living in Hawaii, and he was applying for an officer program. He was trying to explain the Navy and how it worked. I asked what he REALLY wanted by the time he was done with his Navy carrer. Without hesitation he answered, "be a Chief." Nine years, 4 bases, (3kids!!) and LOTS of hard work on his part, here he is!!

E. pinned on one anchor and A, the other. They were so excited to be part of the 'show' where daddy would get his new 'costume'! It all comes back to pretend play in their minds! He'd ordered flowers for all of us to be delivered on stage. He'd picked blue for E and pink for A- of course- but the delivering sailor got them backwards. Well, little miss A set him straight! Everyone laughed and I loved seeing how uninhibited she was on this huge stage with all these people staring at her! I am truly blessed!

And, of course, no entry would be complete without new pictures of my sweet girls! E posing with her BLUE flowers and A wearing the all important Chiefs hat (yes, I know it's a cover, but that always seemed like a riduculous, unnecessary addition to the already overflowing English language). I didn't take many photos b/c they had a Navy photographer there taking loads, so I just enjoyed for the most part, but a friend of mine took a few. Oh, and the weirdest thing. After the reception we went to eat at the Chinese restaurant. We had lots of presents for B, and the waitress assumed it was his birthday. We couldn't seem to get her to understand the truth, so we smiled and clapped as he was serenaded by a chorus of Chinese "Happy Birthday"! It was incredibly surreal- but we'll never forget it!!

Here are the photos- I'm sure you'd rather look at his sweet face than read my ramblings, anyway. (but in case you're interested- I added some details under the pictures)

It's update day!!! We came home from buying new soccer cleats and I checked the email and there it was!! I had given up for today, but Michelle (the VN lady at Holt) must have gotten them out at the last minute!! Oh, he's so cute!! The medical stuff is all great- still eating well and no more pnemonia!! It says he's really attached to his foster mother and hides when strangers come close. That is great news from a developemental/ attachment standpoint. Yet, I am so sad for him because that reminds me how very upsetting all the upcoming changes will be for him. He has no idea who we are- we send photos, etc, but really, he's just 1 1/2!! He can't comprehend what's coming. One more loss in a young child who has already lost so much. But we know this is right, and hopefully we will know how best to help with his transition. The best part of getting updates are the pictures--seriously, I could stare at that face for hours!

So, last Saturday night I went to my parents house in Kentucky with the girls. We were going to have a combonation birthday party for me and my dad. When I walked in, though, it was a surprise baby shower!! It was so very sweet and I was completely floored! I wish B. could have been there, but he stayed in Georgia for work. Isaac got lots of cute clothes and toys and we even got some things to give to the orphanage when we travel to pick him up. What a sweet family I have!

So, not sure how to change the dates on these posts. I had saved them but not posted them until today, and they are showing todays date. Anyway, here goes---

Our son has a name!! He'll be called Isaac Tuan Minh. We recently found out that Tuan is said as Toon- and very nasal. No way we are going to be able to say that properly. But, we will try, especially if he seems to need to hold on to his name for awhile. It was impertant for us to keep his VN name, we wanted him to have something from his early days. Plus, I love that it means bright and intelligent! I had loved the name Isaac for so long, but it was never my husbands 1st choice. But after staring at his picture for WEEKS, it just fit him. The Vietamese attach such importance to names (so we are told) that we wanted to give his American name a lot of meaning. I, like Sarah in the Bible, laughed when God told me to build my family through adoption. Are you kidding me? I don't have the money, or the patience. I have two perfectly great children already! And my extended family will never approve. Seriously, God. But the more I tried to point out the ridiculousness of His plan, the more I heard Him say, "trust Me." My husband was going through the same thing. So, we took the leap. And what a faith-building journey it has been so far!! Funding showed up unexpectedly at just the right time. Family members have been supportive. And now I look at his face and I laugh for sheer joy-- I have a son! And I hope for Isaac, that he has a life of laughter. All that to say, I think we have the perfect name for our sweet boy! Now he just needs to hurry home!

This is from June, when we finally got Baby Brothers picture!! We went out to eat at the Japanese steakhouse (it's as close as we could get to Vietnamese food locally!) and gave them each an envelope labeled Chi Hai (big sister). When they opened it, there was his precious picture!! A. can't believe she's finally a big sister and tells everyone-- 'I'm a chi hai'. They look at her strangely and walk on, usually, but that hasn't dampened her enthusiasm! E., as usual, was more reserved in her responce, but SO excited!! She carefully studied his picture for almost 5 minutes, then started asking really smart questions about how well he could walk and eat, etc. I'm sure the people sharing our table wondered what we were doing- a family w/ 2 small kids poring over medical reports and pictures from a FedEx envelope. But a very memorable night. Now if we could just hold him--oh, yes, and he still needs a name!!

We have a son!! He is the sweetest thing! His name is Tuan Minh and he is 16 months old. He's in Binh Duong right now and we are hoping to travel before the new year!!