I have had some people were have asked if the orphanage uses milk from China to feed the babies. The agency sent out a notice on this to the waiting families. It was said the only reason the milk from China has been found in Vietnam was due to it being smuggled or imported. Many orphanages use Vietnamese infant formula and there have been no concerns about them.
4 families in Thanh Hoa have received their last approvals and have tentative travel dates. We are so excited for those families and can't wait to read about their experiences during the trips. There are 2 families in Quang Binh who also have received tentative travel dates. We keep up hope that our providence will start approving some of the families before us. Good Luck everyone!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
New pictures
We received new pictures yesterday. They are from the Director's trip over to the orphanage. Nieman is wearing the new clothes we sent. It's so exciting and heartbreaking all at the same time to see him in something we know came from us. I would love more to have him home with us. That way I could put his new clothes on him. He look so big!
In related news, the Director's visit did not have the huge outcome we had hoped for. The officials in the providence were not forthcoming about the delays. Other officials within the country are stating that it is because adoptions have never been attempted from this particular providence. Authorities are stating the police officials have "questions" about cases, yet we don't know what "questions" or what cases. We hope with the help of other parties who are experienced with adoptions in Vietnam the police officials may been eased in their concerns soon.
We are 35 days into our 60 days process, with our last documentation needed approval, the "I-600". Once this document is approved and all other parties have signed off on the adoption you get your G & R date. The (G & R) Giving and Receiving ceremony is the day Nieman would become official ours. So we keep our fingers crossed that in the next 30 or so business days the delays will cease and other families will start to travel. That will clear the road for us to travel.
It's complicated I know and I learn more of how the process works as we go through it all. I love him so much already, it hurts. It's difficult, days like this make me want to cry for happiness and sadness that comes with this process.
In related news, the Director's visit did not have the huge outcome we had hoped for. The officials in the providence were not forthcoming about the delays. Other officials within the country are stating that it is because adoptions have never been attempted from this particular providence. Authorities are stating the police officials have "questions" about cases, yet we don't know what "questions" or what cases. We hope with the help of other parties who are experienced with adoptions in Vietnam the police officials may been eased in their concerns soon.
We are 35 days into our 60 days process, with our last documentation needed approval, the "I-600". Once this document is approved and all other parties have signed off on the adoption you get your G & R date. The (G & R) Giving and Receiving ceremony is the day Nieman would become official ours. So we keep our fingers crossed that in the next 30 or so business days the delays will cease and other families will start to travel. That will clear the road for us to travel.
It's complicated I know and I learn more of how the process works as we go through it all. I love him so much already, it hurts. It's difficult, days like this make me want to cry for happiness and sadness that comes with this process.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Happy Anniversary
I know this blog is mostly about Nieman (who turned 16 months yesterday), but today is a very special day. It is our 10 year anniversary and I wanted to let Courtney know how much she means to me. It doesn’t seem that long ago on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon that we began our life together. She is a wonderful person with a good heart and great sense of humor (all be it weird at times). We have had ups and downs like all married couples, but I would certainly say the ups far out weigh to downs. These last 10 year have been the greatest and with the addition of Nieman to our family I can see the next 10 being even better.
Love you and 10th Happy Anniversary.
Love you and 10th Happy Anniversary.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
He is growing
We received new measurements today. Nieman is now 19.8 pounds and 28 inches. We have NOT received any new photos yet, but the agency is pushing the orphanage to take some new photos of all the children. I hope to get a picture of him in the clothes we sent.
We are still waiting on news of how the Director visit to the provinces is going. He arrived on Monday but no news yet. This visit could greatly impact the advancement of our progress. He hopes to make a "push" in the direction of getting these children home. We are still unsure of our timeline but keep hoping that it will happen as originally thought, in November sometime.
I will post any new picture as soon as we get them.
We are still waiting on news of how the Director visit to the provinces is going. He arrived on Monday but no news yet. This visit could greatly impact the advancement of our progress. He hopes to make a "push" in the direction of getting these children home. We are still unsure of our timeline but keep hoping that it will happen as originally thought, in November sometime.
I will post any new picture as soon as we get them.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Thank you
Chris and I want to thank everyone who came to or sent a gift to our shower. We appreciate the support and love that everyone gave us yesterday. It was a great day and we truly enjoyed spending it with our friends and family.
We also want to thank Michelle and Greg for the location, Lauree, Joe and Sheila for the food and Liz for the preparation, decorations and beverages. You guys made the day very special. We love you all.
This has been a long and difficult process and the fact that everyone is so understanding and welcoming to our new addition is a relief and blessing. Thank you for coming to the shower and supporting us and our new addition to the family.
I can't wait to spend the time going through everything again to see all the cute things that Nieman has waiting for him. I also can't wait to organize it all so that we are ready to travel and for him to come home.
We also want to thank Michelle and Greg for the location, Lauree, Joe and Sheila for the food and Liz for the preparation, decorations and beverages. You guys made the day very special. We love you all.
This has been a long and difficult process and the fact that everyone is so understanding and welcoming to our new addition is a relief and blessing. Thank you for coming to the shower and supporting us and our new addition to the family.
I can't wait to spend the time going through everything again to see all the cute things that Nieman has waiting for him. I also can't wait to organize it all so that we are ready to travel and for him to come home.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Nieman gets new clothes
This week we were able to send somethings to the baby. The Executive Director/CEO of our agency is traveling over to Vietnam on the 8th of this month. He was willing to take a gallon sized zip lock bag of items to each of the children in our Providence.
We wanted to get Nieman some new clothes. The last couple picture we received of him he was wearing the same outfit. We assumed this was because the orphanage just doesn't have a variety of clothes to put on the children. I bought him a cute pair of plaid shorts and a little bodysuit with a front loader and the word DIG on it. I also bought him a jersey type shirt with a soccer goal on it. It said One goal, one net. I paired that with a pair of grey sweat pant material shorts.
I also threw together a little scrapbook/photo album for him. I put a couple pictures of us and other family members. I labeled the pictures in English and Vietnamese. Finding the translations was difficult but I made it work. I threw in two pairs of socks and a "teether toy". I was surprised it all fit but very happy, also.
This was the closest thing we've come to connecting with our child since we saw his picture for the first time. It was a weird feeling knowing for sure that the items we bought were actually going to go to him. We are only 23 days into our "60 days" for our next step, the I-600 approval. We still have some time to wait before we are able to travel. We hope that with the director visit it will start moving those in front of us along that when our "60 days" is up, we will travel right away. Everyone keep our fingers crossed.
We wanted to get Nieman some new clothes. The last couple picture we received of him he was wearing the same outfit. We assumed this was because the orphanage just doesn't have a variety of clothes to put on the children. I bought him a cute pair of plaid shorts and a little bodysuit with a front loader and the word DIG on it. I also bought him a jersey type shirt with a soccer goal on it. It said One goal, one net. I paired that with a pair of grey sweat pant material shorts.
I also threw together a little scrapbook/photo album for him. I put a couple pictures of us and other family members. I labeled the pictures in English and Vietnamese. Finding the translations was difficult but I made it work. I threw in two pairs of socks and a "teether toy". I was surprised it all fit but very happy, also.
This was the closest thing we've come to connecting with our child since we saw his picture for the first time. It was a weird feeling knowing for sure that the items we bought were actually going to go to him. We are only 23 days into our "60 days" for our next step, the I-600 approval. We still have some time to wait before we are able to travel. We hope that with the director visit it will start moving those in front of us along that when our "60 days" is up, we will travel right away. Everyone keep our fingers crossed.
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