Monday, October 29, 2007
What do Rob and Rowlf the Dog have in common?
Question of the day.......................???? Scroll down and you will see? We girls think they are identical twins?
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
FORTY-EIGHT HOUR FRENZY-HIGH ANXIETY
Well, let's just say the last 48 hours has been stressful, to say the least, with no reprieve in sight! Well, lets hope so, soon!
However, I must also say that, unlike those poor residents of CA, we still have a place to call home, so our snafus, in comparison, really don't mean a hill of beans! So, lets pray for those poor folks who have lost everything! Rob will be contacting his Aunt Marsha and cousins to make sure all are OK! We don't think they live anywhere near the danger zones, but...... you never can tell from the nightly news, where these fires are spreading! Just AWFUL! We will pray for all, including those fighting tirelessly on these fires!
So, back to our story......... The past 48 hours hours have been so stressful and they are changing by the hour! It is so difficult to explain it to those who have never experienced international adoption! But, let me try! When you fill out applications to adopt, you have to go through many series of steps to prove you are a suitable parent (I wish all parents, biological as well as adopted, had to prove themselves suitable! Right? Hmm?! Another issue!), part of that is FBI background checks, homes study and many, many government forms and approval at every step of the way. One step, initially, involves application to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) for referral for fingerprints, background checks and preliminary authorization to adopt a foreign child. So, we received that form way back in May, fast forward, you are given referral of a child and all the necessary forms for the country where you are adopting, ours, this time, Viet Nam! We received referral of our beautiful baby boy on September 13, 2007. We then receive medical, receive forms to accept our baby boy and send back to VN. Then we apply for travel approval. Many families, except ours, the very last of our group, received travel approval over the last 2 weeks. Then.........you get a date for G & R, to travel and receive our baby boy. And, while in country, you apply with the US Embassy in Hanoi to adopt and return with your new baby. Then, after a length of time, approximately 3 weeks, you are granted approval and return to the states.
Well, just this past 2 days, we received notice that the USCIS wanted to change or alter this process, even though families already had travel approval , plane tickets purchased and the OK to go (while we were still waiting for travel approval ourselves). So, since the USCIS decided they now wanted us to get approval to adopt our assigned children prior to travel, here in the states, families were told to change plans etc! Needless to say, everyone was in a turmoil,tears flowing, emotions running high! What did this mean! We were told that we were the one family of our group of referrals that STILL had NOT received travel approval! These poor families had to cancel reservations and collectively, we were told we will have to receive prior authorization from our respective (local) USCIS offices. Ironically, we later found out that although others were given travel approval, only OUR paperwork, official VN paperwork authorizing our baby's adoption to us, was the ONLY set of papers received here by our agency. Then.......I was told they would DHL overnight mail them to us so that I, perhaps, could hand deliver it to our local USCIS (this morning) and plead our case that we expedite our approval as we have an infant son waiting for us! Then...........hold on, families received an email saying NOW the USCIS will allow those families (the ones who had already canceled their reservations) to proceed as planned for travel on Nov 3 and Nov 10th! So, after they had cancelled their reservations, were on the phone trying to reschedule. Then a notice was relayed that the USCIS, the I-600 ("Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative") would need to be mailed to HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) AND families could expect another 60 days wait UNTIL approval and request to travel could be approved! THEN we were told that, since OUR paperwork was the one family already completed , signed sealed etc by the VN govt, there is a chance we MIGHT still be able to travel! AND, the USCIS might grant a grace period (so to speak) NOW until Nov 17? BUT, we had to wait another 24 hours to find out (that was 3 p.m. this afternoon)?!
So, we wait, one leg on/off the fence! We will find out officially tomorrow! But, trying to remain hopeful/positive! We are positive people who have deep faith! We look at the cup half full ! So, we may/may not be travling to pick up our little man this next month? If not, then........we wait til after the first of the year (sign!!!!!!!!!!!) Oh, did I say, I LOVE OUR AGENCY! THIS IS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT HAS HAPPENED WITH ALL VN ADOPTIONS AND FAMILIES! THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND SO COMMUNICATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE TO ALL OF US! THEY ARE FANTASTIC PEOPLE, BOTH HERE AND ABROAD! WE LOVE YOU ALL! THANK YOU!
Oh, and we have additional pics of our little guy! He sure is a beauty (or, as Caitlin reminds me, "he is handsome, not pretty, MOM!" Thank you, our new dear friend, Beth! She is in the pictures holding our baby boy! We met her and her husband at Pho in the Park and, then, she, again visitied our son's orphanage and she was the ONLY one he cooed for and would allow to hold him! Wow!
However, I must also say that, unlike those poor residents of CA, we still have a place to call home, so our snafus, in comparison, really don't mean a hill of beans! So, lets pray for those poor folks who have lost everything! Rob will be contacting his Aunt Marsha and cousins to make sure all are OK! We don't think they live anywhere near the danger zones, but...... you never can tell from the nightly news, where these fires are spreading! Just AWFUL! We will pray for all, including those fighting tirelessly on these fires!
So, back to our story......... The past 48 hours hours have been so stressful and they are changing by the hour! It is so difficult to explain it to those who have never experienced international adoption! But, let me try! When you fill out applications to adopt, you have to go through many series of steps to prove you are a suitable parent (I wish all parents, biological as well as adopted, had to prove themselves suitable! Right? Hmm?! Another issue!), part of that is FBI background checks, homes study and many, many government forms and approval at every step of the way. One step, initially, involves application to the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Service) for referral for fingerprints, background checks and preliminary authorization to adopt a foreign child. So, we received that form way back in May, fast forward, you are given referral of a child and all the necessary forms for the country where you are adopting, ours, this time, Viet Nam! We received referral of our beautiful baby boy on September 13, 2007. We then receive medical, receive forms to accept our baby boy and send back to VN. Then we apply for travel approval. Many families, except ours, the very last of our group, received travel approval over the last 2 weeks. Then.........you get a date for G & R, to travel and receive our baby boy. And, while in country, you apply with the US Embassy in Hanoi to adopt and return with your new baby. Then, after a length of time, approximately 3 weeks, you are granted approval and return to the states.
Well, just this past 2 days, we received notice that the USCIS wanted to change or alter this process, even though families already had travel approval , plane tickets purchased and the OK to go (while we were still waiting for travel approval ourselves). So, since the USCIS decided they now wanted us to get approval to adopt our assigned children prior to travel, here in the states, families were told to change plans etc! Needless to say, everyone was in a turmoil,tears flowing, emotions running high! What did this mean! We were told that we were the one family of our group of referrals that STILL had NOT received travel approval! These poor families had to cancel reservations and collectively, we were told we will have to receive prior authorization from our respective (local) USCIS offices. Ironically, we later found out that although others were given travel approval, only OUR paperwork, official VN paperwork authorizing our baby's adoption to us, was the ONLY set of papers received here by our agency. Then.......I was told they would DHL overnight mail them to us so that I, perhaps, could hand deliver it to our local USCIS (this morning) and plead our case that we expedite our approval as we have an infant son waiting for us! Then...........hold on, families received an email saying NOW the USCIS will allow those families (the ones who had already canceled their reservations) to proceed as planned for travel on Nov 3 and Nov 10th! So, after they had cancelled their reservations, were on the phone trying to reschedule. Then a notice was relayed that the USCIS, the I-600 ("Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative") would need to be mailed to HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) AND families could expect another 60 days wait UNTIL approval and request to travel could be approved! THEN we were told that, since OUR paperwork was the one family already completed , signed sealed etc by the VN govt, there is a chance we MIGHT still be able to travel! AND, the USCIS might grant a grace period (so to speak) NOW until Nov 17? BUT, we had to wait another 24 hours to find out (that was 3 p.m. this afternoon)?!
So, we wait, one leg on/off the fence! We will find out officially tomorrow! But, trying to remain hopeful/positive! We are positive people who have deep faith! We look at the cup half full ! So, we may/may not be travling to pick up our little man this next month? If not, then........we wait til after the first of the year (sign!!!!!!!!!!!) Oh, did I say, I LOVE OUR AGENCY! THIS IS NOT THEIR FAULT, IT HAS HAPPENED WITH ALL VN ADOPTIONS AND FAMILIES! THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL AND SO COMMUNICATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE TO ALL OF US! THEY ARE FANTASTIC PEOPLE, BOTH HERE AND ABROAD! WE LOVE YOU ALL! THANK YOU!
Oh, and we have additional pics of our little guy! He sure is a beauty (or, as Caitlin reminds me, "he is handsome, not pretty, MOM!" Thank you, our new dear friend, Beth! She is in the pictures holding our baby boy! We met her and her husband at Pho in the Park and, then, she, again visitied our son's orphanage and she was the ONLY one he cooed for and would allow to hold him! Wow!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Pho in the Park
Today, we went to McMinnville to attend "Pho in the Park", presented by our wonderful agency, PLAN! They hosted Vietnamese provincial representatives visiting and a large gathering of PLAN families, both past and present (we met so many families, wonderful families, just having returned with their babies), those with and soon to be united with their children. We also met Beth, Cherie Clark's daughter, and her kind husband Thai, who now live in Hanoi, hosting these wonderfulf VN representatives. We were able to introduce ourselves to her and show her pictures of our baby boy, Tuan Tu'. She recognized him, having visited Dong Ang earlier this month! We will also see her and her family when we are there in Hanoi receiving Nolan Foster Tuan Tu'.
The food was fabulous! We finally tasted Pho, the wonderful soup, so popular in VN and part of thier culinary heritage, noodly, meaty and ohhhhhhhhh sooooooooooo goood! I just LOVE soup and this was simply delicious! We are looking forward to many more bowls of Pho in VN and at home, for years to come! There were so many PLAN families, our wonderful agency representatives, very kind Vietnamese representatives/dignitaries and, most importantly, beautiful babies and children!
The food was fabulous! We finally tasted Pho, the wonderful soup, so popular in VN and part of thier culinary heritage, noodly, meaty and ohhhhhhhhh sooooooooooo goood! I just LOVE soup and this was simply delicious! We are looking forward to many more bowls of Pho in VN and at home, for years to come! There were so many PLAN families, our wonderful agency representatives, very kind Vietnamese representatives/dignitaries and, most importantly, beautiful babies and children!
Uncle Brian!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Well, the girls had a visit from Uncle Brian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, yeah, yeah! What a treat! They just absolutely fell in love with him! What a great guy, that Uncle Brian!! Caitlin hadn't seen him since she was 2 years old (I hadn't seen him in that long either)! He has lived in Amsterdam for the past few years! We had him over for BBQ and smores with the girls! He was in town for business and we were so grateful he had time to visit! We hope he and his girlfriend move back to the states! The girls were so giddy with excitement!! A great time was had by all! Safe travels back, Brian! Thank you to Serena for sharing a bit of his time! Come visit again, this time, bring Serena! We would LOVE to have you!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Claire's Montage
Per Rob, this a test install of a video on to our blog. After reading many directions, it's posted!!
The trick is, after the video is downloaded, go to the settings tab, check the formatting and click YES for link fields. Just a tip from someone wet behind the ears!
Friday, October 5, 2007
New Photos of Baby Nolan!
Wow! He is adorable! Cherie Clark visited our babies yesterday and forwarded these beautiful new pictures of Nolan Foster (Tuan Tu')! Oh, we can't wait to get our arms around this lil' fella! Thank you, Cherie! He is just beautiful! We can't keep our eyes off him!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Tiny Dancer
Do you remember the song, by Elton John? I just LOVE it, always have! Here is another fav pic! One of our oldest daughter, Caitlin, our Tiny Dancer! She has taken dance now since she was 3 years old! This is her recent dance portfolio picture! She sure is growing up and turning into a beautiful young lady! Not only bright and talented, she is also very sweet, thoughtful and caring! (Sorry, yes, I am bragging a bit!) We are truly blessed with wonderful children!
Update? No.............nada! But here's his pic again!
OK, still waiting on travel news. But, staying busy or trying to.......I have purchased all the OTC meds we may need, could, possibly use while in VN! We were told you can't get the same OTC meds there or we need a Rx to get them there? So, I have bought out Walgreens, children's/adults cold meds, every possible cream/creature comfort we may need? So, I continue to prepare/pack for the trip! Well..........it's keeping me busy/preoccupied with something I have some control over! Actually, I have tons to do, or could do, but my thoughts keep turning to this little guy! Here he is again! Oh, also another fav, my little baby girl, Claire! She LOVES her Peruvian hat! A beautiful combination of two continents, Asia and South America! Thanks Uncle Mikey for the beautiful gifts!
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