Brighter Video Clip

"I Lub You" and "Patty Cake, Patty Cake"

"Apple Juice, I Like It!"

Beautiful Gifts/Beautiful Friends!

I wanted to take the time to express my gratitude to my wonderful friends! I am displaying some of Nolan's new wardrobe!! Also, his very first baby blanket, craftsmanship by Grandma Linda, Kendra's mother! Thank you, Linda, it is so beautiful and so very soft! It will be with us when we travel to Vietnam! Claire now has it wrapped around her little baby dollies! I will take a pics with it wrapped around Nolan! Thank you to all my wonderful friends, Kendra, Stacy, Linda, Deb, Bozena, Mercy, Carrie, Ann (my very bestest buddy in Arizona who sent a huge package of beautiful clothes), Kathi (Godmommy to Caitlin, spoils us rotten), Grandma Carla, who left a huge package of clothes and books) , Chris, Bonnie M. (both of Caitlin's favorite teachers) and my little friends, who also attended (Oh, I hope I didn't forget anyone!)!

New pictures of Bebe Noli!!!

Today, we received new pictures of our beautiful baby boy, taken just yesterday ( 3 1/2 months old now)! At this point, while I LOVE to see additional pictures, my heart and arms just ache wanting to hold him so! Ooooops, sorry Rob, but they put your son in a pink bonnet! Well, with all the beautiful new clothes he received yesterday, we will fix that in no time! See ladies, he REALLY needed new clothes!

My Fabulous Baby Shower!!

I must say, I had the most wonderful time today! I was surrounded by very dear girlfriends, celebrating our imminent addition to our family, our dear Baby Boy, Nolan Foster! You REALLY cannot imagine just how much this day has meant to me (us)!!! Caitlin kept saying, "Mommy, this is YOUR day!" It is really a celebratory day for the entire family, and for my dear friends who are our most treasured gifts! I can't thank you enough, Kendra, for hosting our lovely shower and for your valued friendship! Thank you too, Stacy for helping host and too, for being our dear friend! Our entire family thank you all, our dear freinds who attended, from the bottom of our hearts for all your love and support! ! We had so many lovely friends attend from close family friends as well as deep friendships in our teachers, woven together from common threads, our beautiful children! I will let the pictures speak for themselves! Certainly, a memorable day!

Happy Birthday, Dear Kendra

Happy Birthday, Dear Kendra

Happy Birthday to you............We had a wonderful time celebrating bday festivities with Kendra and her family! That you for sharing your most wonderful occasion! Love, The Christner Clan

Happy Halloween

The girls had a blast trick or treating with all of their friends! We also had a very special guest, Grandma Carla, who was in town on business but most importantly, was able to spend time with all of us! The girls just adored having her here (and we did too)! She went trick or treating with us and spoiled us rotten! Thank you, Grandma Carla, you are so kind to us all!

Beautiful Boy!

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, well, after trying to digest the news, not wanting to talk about it any more...........the inevitable!!! (heart sank last Friday!) The call from our agency, we were caught hanging on the fence,after a week of waiting to hear, on pins and needles! The USCIS would NOT allow us to travel!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is, under the "old" procedures, processing our I-600 in country, sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...................... we are one of the first families having to "process" it the "new" way! WAIT, WAIT AND WAIT SOME MORE! Granted, this will be easier for most families, less wait time in-country and upfront, thorough review of ALL babies documents BEFORE travel, but GOSH DARN IT, it is TOUGH! All the other families in our group (17) get to travel this month but we have to stay (however, they MAY? be in for an extended stay?)!

I subsequently, ran the notarized I-600 to our agency with accompanying letter, and the G-28 (POA) form on Monday, to be DHL delvered to HCMC US Embassy and we WAIT! Out little man still there and us, well here! Our hearts ache for this adorable little guy but, hopefully ours may be one of the first to be processed? (PLease kind Sir, in your bureaucratic robe, stamp your seal of approval! We need to be with our little guy! I know, no pleading begging will change things but can't I try?) Well, here is thie adorable face again!!!! How cute!!!

I am looking so forward to my baby shower this weekend! YES, my best buddies, Kendra and Stacy (you know who you are, gals! Stand up and take a bow!), are throwing me a shower! I can't believe it! You see, probably one of the most profound disappointment(s) I had in some of the friends I had, at that time, was that, not one of them offered (and I had thrown many showers for them) a gift, a quilt square, let alone a shower for me and/or for Claire! What a heartbreak that was! And......I got to thinking, it is so true with Mommies who arrive at Mommyhood through adoption! We tend to be overlooked, discounted, etc! I now can articulate it better, it is the sense of validation of honoring me as a MOTHER and WE, AS WOMEN AND AS MOTHERS! Now, THAT, dear friends is the love I feel for you! And, I thank you for honoring me as a friend, woman and fellow Mommy! (now, I hear Claire at my door, saying "Nigh Nigh, Mommy! I lub you!" )