We're Home

After two days, five airports, a canceled flight in Chicago, we are finally home. My parents, and Kristi's parents met us at the airport, the drove us home for a little time, before we all started to fade.

All four of us were in bed by 5:30 PM. Of course now it is 1:00 AM and Katelin and I are typing on the computer. This is going to take a few days :-)

Can't wait for you all to meet Katelin, and hear all the stories Lilli has to tell.

Good-Bye Vietnam

We have been cleared to come home, and will begin the trek home tonight, 12/26, just before midnight, arriving home on Saturday 12/27. This has been an incredible adventure and although we will be sad to leave the birthplace of our two precious girls, we will be glad to get home and share them with all of you (even if it is cold, icy and snowy :-))

So here is Katelin saying goodbye to Vietnam.



We will see you all soon. God Bless.

Old Town Hanoi

We had a great relaxing Christmas Day. After opening presents this morning, I went for a walking tour of Old Town Hanoi. A few short blocks from our hotel is Hoan Kleim Lake home to the Ngoc Son Temple.

The lake is a beautiful oasis with plentiful gardens, statues and benches to relax. It seemed to be very popular with the "love birds" as I saw many young and old couples taking a relaxing stroll or curled up on a bench. It was a very nice walk, even with the hustle and bustle of the city streets near by.

This is where several of the stages were last night for the big Christmas Eve services. You wouldn't have known it because it was all cleaned up by the time I got there.

Down at the one end of the lake is an island with beautiful Asian bridge, Flood of Morning Sunlight Bridge, that heads to the Ngoc Son Temple. This small temple is basically a tourist destination now, but it is still very peaceful. Having both some Taoist and Confucian background, I did not step into the temple, as I did not want to participate in any ceremonies. I did check out the memorial to the great turtle, that supposedly swallowed the golden sword and saved the city from the invasion of China. It was eye opening and interesting although very crowded.

On my way off the island I ran into a Christian Youth Group from Hanoi who was going to be performing later in the day. Although we could not understand each other very well. The name Jesus was understood very well.

From of there I hit the streets, walking through the small cramped streets of old town. It is interesting to see how two blocks or so will be the "Home Depot" section with each family providing a different need, all layed out on the sidewalk. Then you run into the clothing blocks, followed by the electronics blocks, etc. What makes it amazing is that every square inch of space is used. The sidewalks are covered in goods, and what is not covered, has become a parking lot for hundreds of motorbikes. Thus when you walk down the street, you literally are walking down the street with motorbikes and cars whizzing by you. You definitely put your faith in God here. And amazingly there are very few accidents. The people were pleasant, many trying to sell me, but overall nice.

One lady even gave me some tangelos after talking to me (I politely accepted, but later disposed of them.) She has been selling produce for ten years now, helping her family of 10 (including parents and grand parents.)

A few hours later, I was on my way back to the hotel, feeling as though I had just smoked two packs of cigarettes from all of the exaust. My allergies and sinuses were flaring.

We finished our Christmas day with a buffet dinner at Jaspas, a nice trendy place here in the hotel. It was very good, but probably not worth the price (are holiday buffets ever worth the price?)

We prat that everyone is having a very Merry Christmas day. Good night from Hanoi.

Merry Christmas from Vietnam

Boy do the Vietnamese know how to party. Not that they are partying for all the right reasons, but they are celebrating Christmas. And every year they are hearing all the Christmas songs, including the words Jesus Christ, little baby, Savior, Holy night

They decorate everything, trees, buildings, play and sing music, and then party like crazy on Christmas Eve. They do this thing where they create a temple of aluminum foil around the nativity scene. You see small displays and then you see big displays. We saw one while driving that had to be two stories of aluminum foil around a life sized nativity.

From about 7PM until 1AM there was a big party going on at the lake about four blocks from the hotel, with two big stages and tens of thousands of people. Then about 11PM we heard a few fireworks and then an endless parade of honking cars and motor bikes worked its way through the streets. The difference from any other time during the day was all at once loud and constant. Who could sleep.

We were blessed by the staff of the hotel with a Christmas Eve party last night with caroling, Santa Clause helper and food. Lilli even got involved in the singing and dancing. Take a look (sorry for the quality.)

After the fun downstairs, we came back to our room, which the girls had decorated earlier in the day. We even had a Christmas tree. We sat down and read Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Christmas Story from the Bible, and sang Silent Night. Then we made sure the stockings were hung on the credenza with care, put a plate of oreos and a glass of water out for Santa, and it was off to bed. At least for the little ones, and beleive it or not they both were able to fall asleep.

When we woke this morning, Santa had come and left some small gifts and candy in out stockings for everyone. He had even eaten most of the cookies ;-). Lilli got two new games for her Nintendo DS, and some house socks. Katelin got some new toys. Mommy, daddy and Trina got some bath supplies and pocket calendars. It was great to see the expression on Lilli's face when she realized that Santa did find us and she got some of the things she wanted.

Of course the best Christmas present we could have asked for was the completion of our adoption of Katelin. At 11:30AM on Christmas Eve we received our clearance and visa from the US Government, which means we are free to come home at anytime. YEA!

Please keep us in prayer as we prepare to travel home. Especially Kristi and Trina who are fighting bugs. From all of us in Vietnam, Richard, Kristi, Lilli, Katelin and Trina, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, and we will see you all soon. God Bless

Mer_ _ Christ_ _ _

Hello all.

We are experiencing web difficulties in our room, so I am using a public computer. Check back tomorrow to get the blanks filled in.

If it's Tueday it Must Be Hanoi

We woke this morning to a beautiful hazy sunrise on our last day in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam. I couldn't enjoy it long because I had to catch a taxi across town to pick up Katelin's Vietnamese passport. With that we scurried over to the hospital to show her passport and pick up her medical report. Way to go, my girl passed her first test. :-)

From there it was a dash back to the hotel where everyone was waiting to check out, load the van and head for the airport. We arrived with plenty of time to spare. It helped having our facilitator with us, who was able to get us checked in lickity split. Hopped onboard a 777 and two hours later we wer on the ground in Hanoi. All of that in just under five hours (can you say hurry up.)

But whoa, what a difference. HCMC was 91 with 80% humidity when we left. Hanoi is 52 with 60% humidity. Now I know I can't complain with all the ice and snow back in the states, but even I got a chill.

We quickly retrieved our bags and made a b-line to the US Embassy to drop off the passport, medical report and visa application and get an appointment for our exit interview. That is scheduled for 10:00 AM Wednesday. If all goes well, we get the visa and hour or two later and we are free to leave the country.

Thats where the next little wrinkle comes in. Our tickets are booked for 12/29 which was the max it should have taken us. We are going to contact UNITED tomorrow and see if we can bump things up a few days. Could be easier said than done because of the holidays and the winter weather back in the states. Most likely we wouldn't leave before Friday, but we will lt you know as soon as we do.

Thanks for your prayers. And don;t forget to check back for our Christmas update.

Hurry Up! Wait! Hurry Up!

If you have been reading the blog, you know about our constant delays. Then all of a sudden two weeks ago, we were told your leaving on five days, HURRY UP! Then we got here to HCMC, received our Christmas Angel, only to be told that we need to WAIT! five days to make the adoption official at the Giving & Receiving Ceremony. Then all of sudden in one day we needed to HURRY UP! again and complete the G&R, the passport and the medical exam, so that we can fly to Hanoi tomorrow. Talk about your whirlwind. Let's just keep praying there is not another WAIT! in this system. The good news is, she is officially ours.

We got down stairs early for the drive out the Ministry of Justice in the province where we adopted Katelin from. There we saw the director of the orphanage and proceeded to sign everything in triplicate-triplicates. After all of the paperwork had been processed, we signed the big book and the Minister of Justice had us stand and proceede to hand us the certificate of adoption. For which Katelin and her quick strong hands, quickly grabbed. Luckily it was just a bit wrinkled, but all was OK.

After the G&R, we high taled it back into town where we had to get to the Passport office and apply for Katelin's passport. It was so close. They stop for lunch at 11:30, and they sometimes will just go to lunch even if you are still waiting. Luckily we got our receipt and were out of there by 11:45. On the trip back, Katelin wanted to sit with Lilli, so Lilli fed her, and pretty soon Katelin was sound asleep in her lap.

After a quick run to the hotel to drop off Lilli and Trina and grab sone lunch, Kristi, Katekin and I headed over to the hospital for Katelins medical check-up. This was the same hopsital that Lilli was checked out of. It had changed a bit in six years. When we here with Lilli we sat on benches outside to with to be called, now we are inside. It is still crazy what and how they do things. She checked fine, and everything is good to go, although if you could ask Kaetlin she would tell you that it was absolutely horrible. As soon as the doctor tried to weigh her, she roared. I mean very loud, and she didn't calm down until she was safely back in moms arms.

One of the things we did when we adopted Lilli, was take a picture of all the kids sitting on a couch in the lobby. This became known as the "class picture." Well we had to keep the tradition going, so may I present the Valedictorian and tops in her class of December 2009, Lan Xuan Nguyen, now know as Katelin Lan Foster.

We have now finished the Vietnames portion of our trip. S he is officially ours?As soon as we get her passport and health report tomorrow it is off to Hanoi and the US portion of our game. We;ll talk to you soon.

Talk to you tomorrow from Hanoi.

Going to the Market

Sunday brought a hazy day to start out. But by mid afternoon the sun was shining bright and the muggy warm air was back in force.

Let's start with the BIG news. First of all, Kristi and I are getting to experience parenting starting at the sixth month. What does that mean, Katelin is already pulling herself into a standing position and crawling. Check out the video by clicking the image. I guess we will need to get those gates up quick when we get home. Katelin is also waving goodbye. It is so cute to see those little fingers waving. So she is moving along rather quickly, hoepfully our remaining schedule will stick and we can get her home to see all of you before she is driving. :-)

Otherwise, today Katelin and mommy were having a rough morning, so they stayed behind to get a few extra winks, while Lilli and I went to the Ben Thanh Market. An frantic colorful place of...you name it. Lilli and I went looking for some souvenigrs, but also take in the unique aspects of an open market. We did the sight seeing first, passing by the plentiful vendors. Fresh fish and seafood next to fresh vegys around the corner from fresh chicken and fowl, sharing space with fresh fruit, across from the fresh beef, surrounded by the fresh flowers. Lets just say that we saw it all. Chickens being plucked, frog being skinned, beef heart, liver and intestines prepped for cooking. As a former restaurant guy, I am amazed and thrilled with how stringent our health code procedures are in the U.S. There is still nothing like it, especially the color of the fruit and vegys and flowers.

Then we headed to the cramped aisles of the wares portion of the market. Like I said..you name it. Clothes, shoes, appliances, crafts, linens, candy, and more clothes. It was amazing as more than one vendor would try to get me to stop with "wat'chyou lookin' for Mista. I have just your size, you want shirt for baby (referring to 6 year old Lilli??). We finally found a few pieces of art, and a couple tea sets for the girls. Then we stopped at the flowers on the way out to get a picture, and several others began taking pictures of Lilli, then were surprised when she came up and gave her daddy a hug.

After an afternoon at the pool we got dressed and headed to the famous Rex Hotel for dinner on their fifth floor garden terrace. It was a deligtfull meal and quite eye catching, as the entire terrace was decked out in Christmas lights and the sounds of Christmas music echoed through the palm trees. So peaceful, so tasty, then a few feet away you looked over the railing to the street below and saw the insanity that is Saigons streets. Hundreds of thousands of people and their motor bikes and cars crammed into a couple square blocks. This was sort of an "unofficial" Christmas Celebration, with vendors selling snacks, drinks and he all the glow in the dark junk you could want. We are told this is nothing, on Christmas Eve the place looks like Times Square. Glad we went to the Rex tonight.

From there it was back to the hotel and a bath/shower for all, so that we can get up early tomorrow morning and head to our G&R ceremony at the Ministry of Justice. Check back tomorrow for the latest.

Another Day in Saigon

It is Saturday in Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon), and we found it a great day to catch up on some sleep an a bit of grocery shopping. Although there are many great restuarants here, with absolutely fabulous food, it is great having a kitchen so we can cook some of our own meals. As is the case in most foreign countries, you have to be careful of what you eat and drink. There is really only one grocery store that has large refrigeration to keep fresh foods cold. So that is where I bought some fruit (as long as you can peel it, it is pretty safe), a few vegy's and some fresh chicken.

We also got to pack up and move up a few floors to a new room today. We downsized from a three bedroom to a two bedroom, but it is still pretty good size and comfy. Actually the view from the twelth floor is beautiful, especially at night.

After the grocery, we hot the pool, where Katelin and Lilli had a blast. The sun was hiding so it got a little chilly, so Lilli and I hoped in the hot tub (actually luke warm, but for Lilli it was perfect.)

Then we came up and had dinner which included our all time favorite, dragonfruit. If you have never seen dragonfruit before, it is a bright pink colored fruit with an absolutely delectible flesh that is bright white with little black seeds. It sort of cross between a pear and a kiwi. Yum, Yum.

Then we popped a bag of popcorn and kicked back and watched "Monster's Inc." on the Disney Channel. Yep, all the same shows with Vietnamese subtitles. It and ESPN have been the two channels of choice, although we also get CNN, National Geographic, The Discover Channel and a few Australian networks as well. All together there are 30 channels in 12 different languages to choose from. So those days kickin' back in the hotel, are palatible.

Good news is we got word from our faciltator that we will be able to have our G&R on Monday, that means passport on Tuesday, fly to Hanoi on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Final check out and visa on Wednesday, fly home on Friday. We will see if this actually comes to fruition, but our facilitator seemed pretty sure. Please keep us in your prayers. Thanks

Vietnam Day 4

Well we are on day 4 here in Vietnam. As I mentioned, our Giving and Receiving Ceremony at the Ministry of Justice has been delayed until Tuesday. Uggggg. That means a few more days here in Ho Chi Minh, but hopefully we can still get up to Hanoi and out by our December 29 flights. Please keep that in prayer because we do not want to have to change flight reservations.

Because of the extra days in HCMC we actually have to change rooms tomorrow. When we arrived we were suppose to have a two bedroom, but were upgraded to a three bedroom. Which was great when we were leaving tomorrow. Since we have to extend our stay, they need the three bedroom for a new long term guest coming in, so we are heded up a few floors to a two bedroom for the rest of our stay.

Today was a total kick back day. Lilli and Katelin woke up in their new Christmas pajamas (see above), then Lilli and I spent a couple hours in the pool, then we had a brief lunch, and nap. Katelin is our thinking sleeper. What a pose.

After naps we all headed to this great little clothing shop on Dong Khoi St, where we are getting some custom made clothes for the girls. Matching traditional silk Vietnamese outfits (ao dais) for Lilli, Katelin and Kristi (and a tie for me) at unbeliveable prices.

After a few more stores we came back to the apartment and I made a dinner of rice and pesto chicken with snow peas (I know not very Vietnamese, but it was good.) Then we spent an hour on SKYPE video calls to the family.

Now off to bed, and another day here in beautiful Vietnam. Lilli sends her best to everyone.

South China Sea

Today was a kick back day, so we made the 2 1/2 hour trip to Vung Tau. A incredible stretch of land on the Sea of China.






Our day started out at a veranda setting for a light lunch. It was beautiful and relaxing at the Lan Rung Resort. The soup and eggrolls were yummy, and I can't say that in my wildest dreams that I ever saw myself sitting on the shores of the Sea of China, with my family, breezes blowing, listening to Celine Dion singing "O Holy Night." Strange but great.


From there we actually headed to the beach, changed into our suits, and hit the surf. Lilli had a great time playing in the sand and water and found some great seashells and avoided the sand crabs. Mommy, Katelin and Gandma Trina stayed back under the cabana enjoying the nice breezes.


After a few hours in the sun, which is all even the best SPF can handle, we headed up to the light house for a great view of the town below and the giant staue of Jesus on the next mountain. The view was amazing.


The day ended with a delicious dinner of squid, fried oyster, barbecued crabs and and steamed prawn (as big as lobster) before the long drive back to the city.


We have run into a few delays now that we have Katelin, but our facilitator still says that we can be home on our original scheduled flights on December 29. Please keep this in prayer, as it is a little uneasy not knowing the finality of this trip. I gues it is par for the course with this adoption, huh.

GOTCHA!

Introducing Katelin Lan Foster. Received at the Catholic Church orphanage outside Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 9:45 AM.

She is very content. She was cared for by a wonderful foster family in an orphanage house. It is a set of houses behind the local Catholic church. The families give of their time to care for the children. She was very loved, and it added an different perspective to this adoption that we did not have with Lilli.



After a short time in the home, we walked
down the alley, through the gate, across the play area of the Catholic school, and on to the parsonage of the Priest of the church. There we were graciously and warmly greeted. It was very emotional to see the passion this man has for the children and what he and the church can and are doing to care and educate for them. Through a translator we had a very beautiful conversation. Then I had the great pleasure of praying with this very compassionate man, which needed no translation. Praise the Name of the Lord.



After the drive back to the hotel, where she fell asleep in daddy's arms, we had a chance to relax and (as we did with Lilli) took her for her first swimming lesson. She loved the water on her toes ;-) . Lilli was having so much fun in the pool splashing and playing with her little sister. She is adjusting so well to all of us. A lunch of rice cereal, and it was lights out for a quick nap.



Tomorrow it is off to China Beach for the day. Then our appointment
with the Minister of Justice on Friday. That means that our trip to Hanoi will be delayed a few days, but that is fine, because we enjoy HCMC just fine.
Keep us in your prayers that everything continues smoothly.

The Day Has Finally Arrived!

Good morning everyone. It's 5:15am here in HCMC. I'm wide awake. Guess I'm pretty much on Vietnam time now. It's still dark outside but that should change pretty shortly. I wish you all could have come with us. What an experience.

At the moment I'm sitting here listening to the traffic outside. I'm convinced the Vietnamese people never sleep. I'm also listening to poor Lilli. All this air pollution and such has aided in making her cough more. :( Please keep her in your prayers. She's annoyed with the cough.

As I sit here I'm realizing that by 10:30am this morning (10:30pm for those of you in PA) Katelin will finally be ours. There are so many things going on in my mind. We've waited 2 years and over 8 months for this precious little child. I can't wait.

We were told that Katelin is at an orphanage run by a church (isn't that awesome!). We were also told that the Priest of the church would like to meet us after we receive Katelin and before we head to our Giving and Receiving Ceremony. We're really looking forward to this.

We leave our hotel at 8:30am and there is a close to 2 hour drive. We're going to get to see a lot more of Vietnam.

We are also planning on heading to China Beach tomorrow.

We will post again tonight with pictures! You are all loved and we appreciate your support. Talk to you soon.

Watching the Sun Rise in the West

Well we are here after almost 41 hours of travel. Harrisburg to Chicago to Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh, with fligh time, layovers and time change (12 hours this time of year) it was a very long trip. By the time we got our luggage, checked through immigration and customs, got to the hotel and checked in it was 1:15 in the morning here. Needless to say after a short wind down, we all hit the pillow hard.

It is interesting flying west, because you end up catching up with sun (sort of speak.) So as we were flying over the Arctic Circle down toward Russia, the sun was setting. But as we flew farther south it was higher in the sky, so it was if we were watching the sun rise in the west.

Unfortunately, the giving and receiving ceremony had to be postponed from today until tomorrow. So alas, we must WAIT one more day to officially hold our Christmas Angel. The orphanage director must be present for the G&R and he could not be there today.

Because of the Christmas holiday our travel arrangements were obviously hurried to get us over here, which then change the original plans for the days we were to be here. Obviously we would rather not wait ANOTHER day, but, at least she is now within an hours drive. :-)

So we will put this free day to good use by relaxing (I feel a nap coming on), adjusting to the time, do a little shopping, and hitting the pool. Maybe a good Vietnamese dinner tonight (yummy).

Thanks for all your prayers, and we will update some more tomorrow.

Patience, Pressure & Poopies

(from RF Media Ministry Blog)
As most of you know, the word has finally come, and my family is off to Vietnam to adopt a precious little girl. It has been an incredible journey and it has taught me three things, Patience, Pressure and Poopies.

You know the old saying that you should never pray for patience, because then God will truly test you. Well, neither Kristi or I has prayed for patience the last two and one half years, but God tested us big time, with delays and difficulties even making an adoption happen.

So we waited 2 ½ years to adopt, now you need to leave this Sunday. That is what we heard on Tuesday of this week. 2 ½ years waiting five days to get everything together and get yourself over there for two weeks. Talk about your PRESSURE! The last few days have been a whirlwind. Have you ever tried to cram 20 days work into five days? Well, I guess we’re passing. We’re still standing, and we’re still sane (I think), so on to Vietnam we go.

So God taught me patience and pressure survival. Which brings me to poopies. Lilli can’t wait to be a big sister. She has been talking about it non stop. Telling us what she is going to do to teach her little sister, and play with her little sister. She will even help mommy and daddy change the diapers, except the poopy ones. Those are for daddy. She has even given me a nickname SUPER POOPER MAN. I should be so proud.

I have to wonder, I know you tested my patience for a reason. One of my children will reveal that in the years to come. I know you tested my tolerance for pressure for a reason. I will be challenged many more times in the future. But God, what’s up with this last test? How is this test going to be revealed????

Anyway, thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray for traveling mercies, and health for all of us. And I want to thank all of you for your faithfulness in 2008. You have all been tested, and risen to the challenge many times, and for that I am grateful.

I pray that you all have a very Merry Christmas, a very Happy New Year, and we will see you in 2009.(you can check out the process, pictures and updates of our adoption at http://katelinskrossing.blogspot.com/ )

What Do You Mean We Leave On Sunday!

Well folks, as has been the way of our adoption process, things have changed yet again. We had our travel meeting with our agency yesterday. They wanted us to leave 3 days earlier than before. So, we started working on our visa applications and while we were doing so she called the travel agent. Not a single seat was available! And, when there finally was one (2 days before Christmas) she couldn't get us back into the states until close to February! Aaaacccckkk. So, after some searching, our agency says, "guess what, you're leaving on Sunday." WHAT! Are you kidding me! WOW!!!!! Needless to say, we have been in overdrive mode and a somewhat panic mode as well.

On the one side, this is so very exciting for us. We will receive Katelin the day after her 6 month birthday! Lil is very excited as well and would buy all the "I'm the Big Sister" items out there if we let her. If someone will let her talk to them it's about fashion and her sister.

On the other side, how in the world do you put 2 weeks of things to do (like the normal stuff of laundry, dishes, vacuuming, dusting, then there's the packing (and that's huge), then there is taking boxes to the storage, bringing the dresser back from the storage, taking the desk, computer and filing cabinet downstairs, cleaning the nursery, and the list goes on and on) into basically 3 days. Yes there was today BUT, we had a trip to take today to Washington, D.C. to get our visa's. And, with traffic the way it is on the beltway and the traffic coming on with accidents, etc. and so forth, it was an entire day gone.

So, as you can see, the stress is weighing a bit on all of us. HOWEVER, the gift (prize?) at the end of the craziness is our beautiful little Christmas angel, Katelin!

So, as long as no other complications arise, we will be on a plane for Vietnam on Sunday morning. We will keep you posted on this blog while we're on our trip and will also post some pictures. Please note that there will be some things that will not be shared due to rules and regulations of our agency but we promise you there will be plenty to keep you wanting more!

Take care all and we'll be talking to you again soon!

Over the Ocean and Thru the Clouds to Vietnam We Go!

Well folks. The final countdown has begun. Richard received a phone call tonight from our social worker (I was at a doctor's appt. when the call came in). She told us that our facilitator is scheduling us to fly out on Saturday, December 20th. We will most definitely be in Vietnam for Christmas! We have spent the last hour creating our lists of things to do. The key word here is "lists." We're overwhelmed and I guess we were still in denial for so long that now we've got two weeks to get it all done. Can we do it? Yes we can! :) Our family is beyond excited and we can't wait to hold little Katelin in our arms.

We will be coming to this blog throughout our trip and will also post some pictures so keep checking in for the latest news. We can't promise we'll have time to blog between now and when we leave but we'll try. Until then, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Ours will most certainly be wonderful.

I-600 Preliminary Approval Received

PRAISE THE LORD! At 11:14 PM, Monday, December 1, 2008 we received preliminary I-600 approval from USCIS. I just happened to be checking my email when the message popped up. I opened it and saw the words Congratulations. I immediately flew upstairs to wake Kristi up and share the fabulous news.

SO what dos this mean? It means that we can travel over to Vietnam and bring her home. Now we just have to get the particulars on travel and a giving and receiving ceremony. Since we got this news at 11:14 at night, it means that the agency hasn't even received it. They will receive it later today. At which time we will begin getting the particulars on when we will go. But, believe it or not, we may have just received an incredible Christmas present.

We'll update as soon as we hear anything more.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well it's just a couple of days before Thanksgiving. What are you thankful for? For many of us who are struggling through the waiting period of an adoption this could be a difficult and sensitive question to answer. We have so many highs and lows throughout this process and it can seem so much more difficult during the holiday season. I am thankful for my health, my husband who loves me so much (even when I'm going through my difficult days), my daughter (who amazes me every day) and my friends and family who support us, pray for us and are always there to lend a hug, smile, whatever it is I need, without me having to ask for it.

My daughter summed up Thanksgiving for both my husband and I the other day. We have always been very open about our daughter's adoption process and have done our best to answer all her questions. When my husband asked her the other day what she was thankful for she didn't miss a beat. Her answer was simple. Her birthmother. My husband asked her why and her answer was "she couldn't take care of me so she put me into an orphanage so my mommy and daddy could adopt me." WOW!

Although the waiting can be extremely difficult and we'll continue to have our up days and our down days, I'm reminded that I shouldn't just look at what I have now (my husband, daughter, friends and family) but I should look at how I received my blessings. So in this "National Adoption Month" and with Thanksgiving just a few days away, I want to also say thank you to my daughter's birthmom. Although I will most likely never see or meet her and I have no clue who she is, she has given me the gift of a lifetime. She has given me the most precious child. I can't imagine my life without her. I'm looking forward to being able to thank God for Katelin's birthmom as well. Thank you Lord for all your blessings.

May God bless you. And may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Kristi

The Wait Can Sometimes Hurt

We're still here and yes we're still waiting. We've survived about half the wait time now. Some days are easier than others. I try sometimes to keep my emotions in check because I don't want others thinking that I can't handle it or, worse yet, I don't want my 6 year old to get upset. It's hard though. Today is a difficult day. I woke up this morning to the radio station playing Christmas music. I had to start thinking about Christmas and the fact that we most likely won't have Katelin til after the holidays. It got me teary. My 6 year old and I were talking about Christmas time this morning as well (thanks radio station). She asked me if she could put Katelin's stocking up. Apparently she had asked her daddy to put an extra nail in the mantel this year for her sister's stocking. What could I say. I told her yes she could put it up. I am so thrilled that she's excited about her sister coming. And yet, I know it will be hard for us to have it there knowing that Katelin is still in Vietnam.

I understand the reasoning behind the timeframe and the review and such. But there is a part of me wondering how the people going through these documents can not feel the pain the parents in waiting are feeling. Maybe I'm assuming that they have no feelings? Maybe no one has every adopted in that office before? Alright the truth is, maybe I'm just feeling so sorry for myself that I just want to lash out?

I try to do the best I can to keep trusting in the Lord for my strength. He's gotten me through this far. Katelin turns 5 months on Saturday. I pray she is staying healthy and happy. I pray the Lord will somehow share with her (in His way) just how much we love her and can't wait for her to be a permanent part of our family.

Until that day I will just continue to pray. I got the opportunity to sing a song for the second time in church last Sunday. It's called "I Will Trust In Thee." Pretty fitting for our situation. The words are incredible. The first verse goes something like this: "When my path is dark before me, I will trust in Thee. When Thy face is hidden from me, I will trust in Thee. Though my burdens weigh upon my heart and hope seems from me, I will lift my hand, to thine my God, I will trust in Thee." Lord you found me and you definitely surround me. Thank you for your blessing and for allowing me to be human and share my feelings. I will trust in Thee. Amen

If anyone who has adopted or who is adopting or for any of our family and friends who are reading this blog has anything to share regarding their experiences or feelings please do so. We love all comments. I will share with you again after Thanksgiving. Until then, have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to thank God for all things. Kristi

Flooding in Vietnam

No I'm not sharing news about Katelin. I'm asking that you pray for Vietnam. North and Central Vietnam has been hit but terrible rains which have left them flooded and many deaths have occurred. Certain diseases are starting to break out and to be honest, I'm concerned. My heart breaks for those who are dealing with the floods and I pray that things get better quickly for them. From a personal standpoint, I'm concerned about our travel. What will Vietnam be like when we are told we can travel? Will our travel be postponed due to these terrible floods? Will the entire adoption be stopped because of them? I'm praying and trusting in God. He has our family's best interests at hand and I always want Him to be the captain of our ship. Please pray for Vietnam. Thanks. Kristi

It's Friday, October 31st. And we've still got roughly 41 business days left. It's a hard, long wait. However, last night we got a reminder that we aren't the only ones. We went to Babies R Us to pick up the last few items we needed, including Katelin's crib. While we were in line to pay for these items, a lady in the line next to us asked the normal question, "is your daughter from China?". Of course we said no actually she's from Vietnam. This woman proceeded to say that she was to get a call any day now to leave for China for her little girl. She and her husband waited 4-1/2 YEARS for their precious angel. WOW! Here we are complaining that it's been over 2-1/2 years and this woman has had to wait twice that. Kinda makes you think. Does it make the wait easier, of course not. But, I don't think I'm going to be nearly as quick to complain about it as I have in the past. So when you have a difficult time with the wait, remember this story, it's humbling. Until next time. Kristi

The Beauty in her Smile

I just can't help but to keep looking at her smile. She is more beautiful than I could have imagined. God has truly blessed us. This report could not have come at a better time. Kristi, Lilli and I now have something to hold on to and pray for until the government says we can go bring her home.

I can't wait to hold her.

We Received A Letter!

Hi everyone! It's me. I wanted to share that we received yesterday our letter from USCIS. YEAAAAAAAA! This is one step closer to our precious Katelin. We now have that horrible wait of 60 business days (or more as our agency keeps reminding us) to find out when we travel or, God forbid, if we don't get to adopt her at all. I am, of course, praying that the 60 business days doesn't take as long now that the program has closed out. I know I'm asking alot from the government so I'm not holding my breath. We also received updated pictures of Katelin. I will post them a little later. We are amazed at how quickly she is growing. She is a big girl. If their scales are right, our precious little angel is weighing in at 16.3 lbs. and she doesn't turn 4 months until Oct. 15th! She's almost out of size 6 month clothing! WOW!!! She's absolutely beautiful and just the cutest thing too. And my Wonderful Saviour gave me peace yesterday. I know the process is moving forward, I know my Katelin is being taken care of and loved and I know He is watching out for her and us. THANKS BE TO GOD!

Well, that's the update for now. I'll get back atcha later! KRISTI

YEA! We got an UPDATE!

After a month since we accepted the referral, we finally got some new news today.

First we got an update from U.S. CIS dated October 7, that they had received our paperwork and that the investigation will be completed in about 60 business days. Ouch. That means January/February, but at least it is news.

We got the best news a few hours later when we got a medical and picture update. She is looking very healthy, and is definitely growing. She is;



Weight: 7.4 kg (16 1/2 lbs)
Height: 64 cm (25 in.)

The pictures are perfect. It looks as though she is developing nicely. She is sitting up with support behind her; She is holding her head up; She is grasping things (note her left hand); She is focusing on something; and most of all...WHAT A SMILE!

Let's pray that is doesn't actually take 60 business days, and we can bring Katelin home soon.
RICHARD

Is No News Good News?

Well, my husband decided that I should take over the blog now since I'm the more vocal one these days. Am I patient, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Is no news good news? I'd like to think so. Our agency said they'd send us updated info at the end of September. Well it's October 1st and we don't have anything yet. What's up with that. LOL Alright, so I'll give them a little longer. Is tomorrow long enough? LOL Alright, really, I'll give them a week or so before asking.

Things have been busy around our house since hearing about our referral. Although we're very cautious about this situation we're trying to get some things done. For instance, we are slowly cleaning out the den so we can turn it into a nursery. Since we weren't expecting this, we had given most of our baby stuff away. We were able to find some things and my best friend is throwing me a baby shower. In a way it's kinda fun cause I can do something completely different this time. I found the most beautiful bedding that is very Asian themed and it's something my husband and I can use in our room as decoration when Katelin decides she wants her own style.

Now on the flip side, one of the things I'm going through right now is feeling a little guilty. I mean, how is it that my family is blessed with a second child and there are others out there that were waiting for their first. I know God has a plan and that comforts me. I just pray that those who have not come out of this process with a beautiful child will not give up hope but will pray and ask for guidance. There is a precious angel waiting for you!

Well, maybe next time I write on this blog there will be more information to share. Until then!

Questions and Answers?

To give you some idea of the absurdity of this process, here are a couple recent emails with questions and the responses from our agency. Names have been omitted for confidentiality.

OUR QUESTION: Now that it is time to gather funds does this mean good things? I did have a question regarding this “letter” that US CIS is supposed to send via e-mail. I don’t remember ever giving them an e-mail address. Will our letter come in the mail? Or, if we did give them an e-mail address and I just don’t remember that, can you tell us what address we gave them so I know which one to keep checking.

AGENCY ANSWER: I sent an email address to Vietnam for the Foster family based on what was in the database. They will receive an updated medical report and hopefully pictures by the end of the month, but they are not going to receive ongoing updates. That's not how the program works, nor does the agency get updated reports on the progress unless there is an issue.

OUR RESPONSE: Thanks for the info. Frankly I find it hard to believe that even the agency's Vietnam rep may have no idea as to where the paperwork is in the process over there and that we as families aren’t privy to any of that info. Kinda sucks if you ask me. I also find it absolutely amazing that it would take that long to decide whether this is a legit situation or not. Obviously we would love to get an updated medical and pictures of Katelin but please don’t feel obligation (which is the impression I’m getting). We are, I’m sure, not the only family who is desperately trying to see where this process is. We have lives as well and the fact that we can just all of a sudden get a call and we have to go within 2 weeks is just amazing. At least with Lilli’s process you were able to give us an idea as to where we were in the process and a better idea as to when a referral was coming and then we left two weeks after that to apply the paperwork and they only took 5 weeks to finish that paperwork and get us over to finalize the adoption. We could count on updates from you as to where the process was and when we should start to expect something.

OUR QUESTION: Are we to assume that because it is time to give our in-country fee to you guys(the agency) that the process is moving rather quickly and we shouldn’t be surprised to hear from you come the end of next month that it’s time? I realize the agency needs those fees to get into its hands and clear before then can send it (am I correct by wire transfer?) to the office in Vietnam. But, is the office requesting those funds because we’re close to the time where they will be invited to pay the fees? If so we are really near the end and near travel time. I realize things can change rather quickly and could stall out a bit. I just wanna know should I “expedite” my gift getting for the orphanage and such?

AGENCY ANSWER: The in-country and final fees are due at the acceptance of the referral as per their contract. We held off until the I-600 was filed, but the fee is now needed. It in no way indicates when travel will be and there is no way to know exactly when travel will be. US CIS states that once an I-600 is filed, they want at least 60 business days to process and it has been taking much longer than the 60 days.

Timing???

Our child acceptance paperwork is over in Vietnam. Now the wait begins for a date. They say 75-90 days. That would put it November-December, which would be great. That is when we went over to adopt Lilli. What we are trying to find out is...75-90 days calendar days or working days. If the latter, we will not be happy campers, as that will mean sometime in February. Next year. All in God's timing can sometimes be frustrating, but we must keep the faith. He has taken us this far.

The End of a Road?

Can I just say GOD IS AMAZING! I don’t mean just a little amazing, I mean shout it from the mountaintops AMAZING!!!!

In June we were told that there was little chance that a referral would be received for us by the September 1 deadline. So after almost 2 ½ years we were faced with what we thought was the end of a road for us. Not the end of “the” road, but “a” road. We packed away the baby things that we had been collecting (we even gave some away). We planned a vacation and to put our house on the market (we want to move over to the West Shore where 90% of our lives are.)
Well the vacation was a blast. Lilli, Kristi and I had a great time with Mickey and the gang in Orlando. The house was just about ready. In fact we had just arranged with the realtor to put the sign out on Monday. Then this morning happens.

At 11:00 AM we got a call from our social worker at the agency to let us know that we had a referral. WHAT?! You’ve got to be kidding. Sure enough within minutes we had an email with pictures and information on a precious little girl and a child acceptance form that had to completed and faxed and FedEx’d back today (remember September 1 is Monday.) We had a baby.

Nguyen Xuan Lan (to be named Katelin Lan Foster) was born on June 15 of this year, and currently in Vietnam. We will be traveling to Vietnam in November or December to bring her home.

I guess we hadn’t really gotten to the end of the road. We had gotten to a “T” intersection, and all we had to do was look left and right, and see that the road still continued. And that in time, there on the horizon, we would with God’s guidance, get to our destination.

Can I just say GOD IS AMAZING!

THE END!

It is with sadness, that Kristi, Lilli and I must announce that our adoption process from Vietnam is over. We received an addendum from our agency asking us to sign that we would like to continue the process, but that the likelihood of an adoption being fulfilled is slim. This new addendum would also not hold A_TH liable for the inability to fulfill an adoption. And that we would not receive any refund of expenses (except $1,000 toward another international adoption program). We can not in good conscious sign this.

The agency has continued to tell us that a child is pending. But they have been telling us this for over a year. Although the majority of the delays have been A_TH, the current challenges are government. This means, that even if the agency gave us a referral with a picture tomorrow, and we accepted by making the next (and most substantial) payment, the agency can not guarantee that the adoption would even be recognized by the U.S. So we could end up with a child that we could not bring back to the U.S. We just can't do that.

So we have made the decision to stop. We are not going to start another international program at this time because international adoptions are becoming even more difficult than domestic.

We are going to take some time to pray and seek and most of all move on. We are going to do some renovations on the house, maybe take another vacation, and then begin looking into domestic adoptions. We still see at least a family of four, but it's just not God's time. So keep us in prayer, and we will let you know when we begin anything new.

(I will bring a final wrap up on our experience in the days ahead.)

International Adoption Update from CNN

Below is a report from CNN on the state of international adoptions (especially Vietnam and Guatemala.) I will respond to some thoughts on this article in a future post.

(CNN) -- The crib in Ellen Darcy's Boston home has sat empty for more than a year. And in suburban Washington, Laura Teresinski has prepared a nursery for a baby that may never arrive.

Guatemala has announced it will conduct a case-by-case review of every pending foreign adoption case.

They and thousands of prospective parents, eager to adopt children from abroad, have found themselves in an emotional legal limbo since two of the most popular countries for international adoptions -- Guatemala and Vietnam -- recently halted their programs.

Now would-be mothers and fathers around the United States wonder what will become of their quest to adopt a child -- a pursuit that can fray nerves, cost up to $30,000 and span several years.

Guatemala announced this month that it would conduct a case-by-case review of every pending foreign adoption case. That put on hold the adoption plans of about 2,000 American families.

The crackdown comes amid reports that some in Guatemala coerce mothers to relinquish their children for adoption -- or steal the children outright and present them as orphans.

Similar accusations have arisen in Vietnam.

After the United States accused adoption agencies there of corruption and baby-selling, Vietnam said in April that it would no longer allow adoptions to the United States.

"My husband and I were absolutely devastated," Teresinski said. "Adoptive parents have put a lot of emotional energy and a lot of financial resources in the process."

Vietnam's decision affects several hundred families.

Families in the United States adopted 4,728 children from Guatemala and 828 from Vietnam last year.

The halt in adoptions from those two nations unfolds against the backdrop of a dramatic rise in international adoptions in the United States.

The number of foreign-born children adopted by U.S. families more than tripled from 1990 to 2004, when it reached a high of 22,884, though the figure has declined slightly each year since.
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In 2007, the U.S. granted visas to 19,613 children so they could join an adoptive family in the United States, according to U.S. State Department figures. About 70 percent of those children came from four countries: China, Guatemala, Russia and Ethiopia.

A few other countries have also halted foreign adoptions at various times, including Kazakhstan and Togo.

Yet the suspensions in Vietnam and Guatemala have had the biggest impact -- they're two of the 10 countries that send the most children to adoptive homes in the Unites States.

Fear of fraud stirs heartache

For Darcy, the review seems more detrimental than helpful.

Her adopted daughter, Carolina, remains in a Guatemalan foster home with three dozen other babies. Darcy worries that keeping Carolina, now 15 months old, in a foster home will harm her early development.

"She's not getting one-on-one care by a consistent caretaker," Darcy said, adding later, "Nobody is looking at this as a violation of the kids' human rights except for these (American) parents."

Guatemala, which until now has had little to no oversight of its foreign adoptions, has the highest per capita rate of adoption in the world.

Nearly one in 100 babies born in Guatemala wind up living with adoptive parents in the United States, according to the U.S. consulate in Guatemala.

While adoptive parents in the United States undergo rigorous screening, adoptions in Guatemala had been processed by notaries responsible for determining whether the babies were relinquished voluntarily. They also arrange foster care and handle paperwork -- notaries in Latin America tend to have more legal training than notaries in the United States.

Both Guatemalan and U.S. officials fear the system leads to practices such as paying birth mothers for children or, in some instances, coercion.

Officials in both countries say gaps in regulations and the high sums of money at play -- adoptions can cost up to $30,000 -- may have created unintended incentives in a country where the State Department estimates that 80 percent of the population lives in poverty.

The Guatemalan government has said its review could take a month or longer. As for the American families, they can only wait.

"I think it's overkill," said Darcy, who was matched with Carolina last March and was approved to adopt the girl last winter -- typically one of the last steps before the actual adoption is complete.

"No adoptive parent wants to adopt an abducted child -- a child that wasn't voluntarily relinquished -- but to keep them as hostages is unacceptable," Darcy said.

Guatemala plans reforms

U.S. officials say they sympathize with the parents, but that reviews like the one in Guatemala are in the best interest of the children.

"We feel for them, it's a tough situation," said a State Department official who is not authorized to speak on the record.

"(But) they'll have the comfort of knowing American parents in the future who adopt from Guatemala will get children from a system that has all the safeguards in place so that children are not exploited," the official said.

In the past, Guatemala required birth mothers to sign a document in court saying they were relinquishing their child. They were not required to reveal their reasons.

Now the government may require the presence of the birth mother and child. The goal is to verify identification and make sure the mother is giving up her child voluntarily.

Cleaning up Guatemala's adoption system is a step toward complying with the standards of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, an international agreement that governs adoptions from one country to another. About 70 nations have signed the convention, which seeks to ensure legitimate foreign adoptions.

The United States joined the international convention last year, and rules governing adoptions from one signatory nation to another took effect April 1.

The United States has stopped issuing visas to Guatemalan children after that date, blocking their travel to America -- at least until concerns are addressed.

"We're not pointing fingers at American parents," the State Department official said.

However, the review and changes in Guatemala will ensure that it "does not become a fertile ground for (wrongful) practices on any person, particularly children, who have not been orphaned."

To offset corruption, the U.S. Embassy has added its own requirement: That birth mothers appear with the baby to request a visa for the baby. In August, officials also began requiring two DNA tests to confirm the identities of mother and child.

Still, the Guatemalan solicitor general's office has identified at least 80 cases of adoption irregularities, including baby stealing and false DNA tests.

And the Guatemalan chief prosecutor's office recently launched a criminal investigation into the two laboratories contracted to take DNA samples from birth mothers and children.

'Serious irregularities' in Vietnam

Similar concerns of corruption recently emerged in Vietnam, where investigators had found "serious adoption irregularities," according to a report by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi.

Documents had been forged or altered, the embassy said, and some parents were paid, tricked or forced into giving up their children for adoption. In some cases, the embassy said, children were offered for adoption without the knowledge or permission of their parents.

The Vietnamese government has denied the accusations.

Even so, it said in April that it would terminate its adoption agreement with the United States, saying it won't accept applications after July 1. The program is scheduled to end September 1.

Parents in the United States who were matched with an adoptive child in Vietnam before July 1 will be allowed to adopt that child. Prospective parents who had invested time and money, but had not been matched with an adoptive child, appear to be out of luck.

Private adoption agencies insist that nearly all adoptions from Vietnam are problem-free, and they want the adoptions to continue.

"It's hard to let go, because we know we can advocate for these children and make a real difference," said Linda Brownlee, executive director of the nonprofit Adoption Center of Washington, which places children for adoption from Russia, China, Cambodia and Vietnam.
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She hopes the United States and Vietnam reach an agreement so that adoptions can continue.
"Without it, I think children are going to be harmed. They are going to die needlessly, and there is going to be trafficking," Brownlee said.

He's Right There

(as posted on the RF MediaMinistry Blog)

Last Sunday Pastor Wayde spoke on Fear to Faith. There has been a lot on my heart lately that is challenging my faith. For almost two years and two weeks my family and I have been waiting for the adoption of a little girl from Vietnam. With each passing week I debate myself. Is God truly in this plan? Did we forget about God? Did God forget about us?

In his blog post "Have You Ever Felt Forgotten By God?," Perry Noble said;

God will, at times, allow us to not have the FEELING that we are so close so that our FAITH will be FOUNDED on FACT. The fact is-He's with me (and you) right now. The fact is-when we cry out He hears us. The fact is-every hair on our head is numbered. The fact is-He gathers our tears in a bottle. The fact is-before we experienced the current pain in our lives He KNEW what we were going to go through-and HE'S RIGHT THERE-whether we feel Him or not.

I read that and I am reassured, that I must continue to have faith. Like Abraham, God will form my family in his way and in his time.

Then even as my faith is being challenged I read about every parents fear. The loss of a child.Maria, the five year old daughter of Christian Singer Steven Curtis Chapman, who they adopted from China, was killed on Wednesday when a car driven by the her older brother accientally backed over her. Wait a minute God, I have a five year old girl. She was adopted from Asia. All of sudden, my heart doesn't hurt for me and my situation anymore, it hurts for the Chapmans.

How can they keep the faith? Where was God in this?And then I remember, as Abraham learned, an we all should learn, HE'S RIGHT THERE-whether we feel Him or not.

MAY-be?

They are just trying to make us feel good, but it doesn't work. They said they have a child and waiting on final clearance and maybe we will here by the end of May. May-be?

What do You Get?

What do you get when you put lawyers and politician's in charge? Easy answer (for just about anything), but in the case of Vietnamese adoptions, a mess.

The following two posts were listed on the US Embassy in Hanoi's
website today.

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/adoption_warning0408.html

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/irreg_adoptions042508.html

We are very upset by these posts. When you read these posts, it is from the US Embassy, which makes it sound like the Vietnamese government is totally at fault. That is furthest from the truth. Both governments are equally responsible for the mess they have created.

Please continue to pray for our family.

We're Still Here

Good morning everyone. Yes we’re still here. And, unfortunately, yes we’re still waiting. There have been many things going on with this adoption and, unfortunately, none of them have been good. Some of the latest news is that the new agreement between Vietnam and the US (which needed to be agreed to by the end of March) was not agreed to and thus the program will be shutting down come September 1st. Hmmmmm, feels a little like déjà vu here. For those of you who went through this with us the first time, this is the same exact thing that happened before. The difference this time is that we’ve been told from reliable sources that if we don’t receive a referral and have our papers into a certain department by the end of June, don’t expect an adoption to happen. And, worse yet, quite a few provinces have decided not to cooperate with the US and thus aren’t handing out referrals to any US family. Yes there are still adoptions happening but they are going to other countries. What do you say is causing a lot of this friction, well, to be honest, I’m not entirely sure but again, my reliable sources say that the US is demanding things from Vietnam and Vietnam is saying that’s not the way things are done in their culture and thus are demanding things from the US. Thus, the friction.

What I’m saying here is, God is completely in control of the situation. Only He knows if we are meant to have another child. What I’m asking here is, if you’ve forgotten about us (which is understandable since I haven’t sent an update in eons) or you haven’t been praying for us, I’m asking that you please beef up those prayers. Now, you ask, what do I pray for? I am not asking that you pray that God give us a second daughter from Vietnam. Although believe me that is what I want more than anything. What I am asking you to do is pray that God’s Will be done. And, that God will show us the way. I want to do His will, not mine. If I had my way I’d be a mommy to two beautiful little girls. However, I also realize that God granted us our dream once and it was a huge dream. We got exactly what we asked for. It was almost as if we created this beautiful little girl on the computer on our own and hit the order button. I want now for God to show me what He wants. If we aren’t to adopt again, although my heart will ache, I will follow God completely. If we are but maybe we’ve gone the wrong direction, please may God show us the way. So please, pray with us for God’s Will to be done.

Hang in there with us. You are all loved dearly and Richard, Lilli and I appreciate your friendship more than you will ever know. To our families, thank you for hanging in there with us. We love you so much!

Daddy-Daughter Weekend Part 2

Well with some unsettled weather today, my outdoor plans were delayed. So Lilli and I took in another movie (we had a few free passes that really helped). We went to see College Road Trip. It was cute, adorable and heartwarming. We enjoyed it thoroughly.

The movie presented another key daddy-daughter moment. Please let me never be as controlling and over-protective as the Martin Lawrence charachter. It is one thing to love your daughter, but that was just over dominating. I know it was overacted for comedic purposes, but God please, let me love but not control.

Now tomorrow should be interesting, Lilli saw an ad for a Father of the Bride double feature and wants to watch it. Even before I had a daughter, I was blubbering fool watching those two movies. Pass the tissues.

Daddy-Daughter Weekend

If there is one thing that has gotten me through this ordeal, it is the precious gift that God blessed us with in 2002, Lilli. It has been a blessing watching her grow. Her heart to help others is truly genuine, and I can't help but think what a great big sister she could be (which usually doesn't help my frustration factor.) But it is so true. That is why I know God has a sister for her.

This weekend, Kristi has gotten away for a little R&R, and daddy and Lilli get a weekend together. Tonight we had dinner and a movie. As we were waiting for dinner, we were working on the kids games, and she was telling me how she would teach it. Her intelligence and imagination is unbelievable.

Then we went to see the movie Nim's Island. A fabulous story about...you guessed it, a father and his unbelievably imaginative daughter. It was a perfect date.

We Must KEEP the FAITH!

It should not have taken this long. Sure international adoptions have idiosyncrasies, but much of this was avoidable.

The biggest challenge has been the lack of planning from our agency. Our agency began facilitating adoptions in Vietnam again in April 2006. And then immediately began to plan changes. They had three years to plan these changes while Vietnam was closed to US adoptions from 2003-2006. The timing on their changes shows a complete lack of respect for the families and the children.

Yes there have been several US and Vietnam government changes, but most of these have been procedural, and would only have accounted for a week or two of extra time.

This process has reminded us how important it is to keep the faith. You can always count on the government to make things more difficult, and you can definitely not count on our agency. So our faith in God, and His timing, is all we can rely on.

Keep praying. Keep seeking. KEEP THE FAITH!

Got 'em all Beat :-(

Well here we are, we have been in the adoption process for 700 days now. That means we have been in the "gestation" period long enough, that every living mammal on the planet could have had two pregnancies (except the sperm whale, we are 3/4 of the way to another one of those.) Another few week, and we are officially at two years. We continue to be reassured by our agency that they are doing the best they can. We have tried to hold them to task, but there is little we can do. We are stuck. We can't change agencies without a lot of additional expense and time. We can't do anything, but sit and have faith in God.

We take each month at a time. we are not making any decisions this month, but if we get to the end of April without any news, there may be some changes.

Keep praying for us, we are hurting so much .

Surprise! No surprise!

We should have had a referral by the end of February ...2007. We were told that we would have a referral by the end of February 2008.

So here it is, they have had an additional year (and one day), but yet NOTHING!

Are we surprised? No there is no surprise in this adoption. Just agonizing frustration.