Long Overdue Update!

Well, now with 3 children and much to do, I am finding it very difficult for a free hand to update, until they are all in bed, including Baby Robbie (ssssh, don't tell him)! To summarize, we arrived Sunday, at the hotel (wonderful hotel!) and, well I can't remember after that, until bedtime!, So, Monday, we went to Nolan's orphanage 9 a.m. and returned to our hotel and on to the G & R (Greeting and Receiving Ceremony) late that afternoon! We are completed on the VN side of paperwork and are officially Baby Noli's parents, for life! Wow, we are so honored!The Vietnamese people have been so warm and welcoming, very generous and gracious! We also experienced this in China, when we went to welcome Claire into our family! We are so overwhelmingly grateful for our beautiful children and can't wait for a return visit!

Then Tuesday, the men went to complete application for the babies' VN passport, then wait....... we went to the Big C Tuesday (a mega Walmart, so to speak) afternoon with new best friends, the Steckis! It was so crowded, had hoped to purchase addl. clothes and diapers for baby but it was like shopping in the states b/4 Xmas, it is preparation for TET! The Steckis are from Idaho and are a wonderful family, now with their beautiful baby girl, Suri! We are planning more excursions together and the men meet for coffee at Highlands Coffee Shop(great coffee, they report) in the mornings, while the rest of us try to sleep!

Wednesday, we ventured to the Old Quarter, via taxi, with the Steckis. We ate delicious Pho and Hanoi Spring Rolls a the Kiti restaurant (see photo). The young women held our babies, while we ate! I would have never done this in the U.S. but here, we feel so confident allowing these women to hold our babies! The VN people just love our babies and children! We also went to the Vietnamese Quilt Shop, quilts hand made by women in rural provinces, just beautiful work (see photo below). We bought a quilt for Baby Noli, with what else, race cars a top!( Grandma Linda, Noli LOVES his new baby blanket you crochet! He looks beautiful wrapped in it!)We met with Beth, with our agency, late afternoon Wednesday, to finalize filling out paperwork for our USCIS interview! The men pick up the babies passport next Tuesday, we probably have their medical appointment Wednesday with the US Embassy interview Thursday, possibly sooner. We should be able to pick up Nolan's US Visa on Thursday afternoon (next week) possbly Friday, in time to return home Sunday 2/3/08 !

It is all happening so fast! We just LOVE it here! Today, we again took a taxi to the Old Quarter for some addl shopping! (Emma, we bought your dresses and have one on order. Also, Ellie and Emma, your dollie dresses are being made too! I purchased Nathaniel's outfit, so very cute! Rob wants to buy one for Nolan too, it is sooooooooooooo adorable! We will also be on the hunt for shoes, went to 4 stores but they didn't have them! We will get the rest soon!)

Tomorrow, we are going to the Water Puppet Show, then on Saturday (with the Steckis) to Ha Long Bay for an overnight stay! We are having an amazing experience, life is too short not to live it to it's fullest! We will have more to follow! Love to All!