The Godparents

WE ARE ON THE MEND, HOPEFULLY!

One thing, among others, that my children have taught me, is that biology does not necessarily make a family! We have been so very blessed in amazing friends, who have stepped in to help us on a moments notice! Thank you Kendra, Mark, Stacy, Mike, and all our church family! You all have been amazing! We have all been very sick! Rob was in urgent care Sunday, with a horrible systemic staph infection. They had to administer IV antibiotics! This was something he had in VN and it returned, even after a round of oral antibiotics! He has been absolutely miserable but is beginnning to feel better now! He was back in to have another round of IV anitibiotics, then another course of oral antibiotics. This is something that baby had, but his cleared with oral antibiotics. Then, Sunday evening, Claire was complaining of stomach and headache, then threw up late Sunday evening! Oh joy, I knew the entire family was getting sick when Caitlin was complaining and up half the night coughing and coughing, uncontrollably! Just when Rob began to feel somewhat human, I fell ill Tuesday evening with a headache I hadn't had in years! It was one that left you feeling nauseous and miserable just to breath! I was in bed Tuesday evening at 7:30!! That is soooooooo unusual for me, the late night owl, get things done at night kind of person! We are all starting to feel better but I told Rob, I bet this is how the baby has been feeling, but hasn't been able to communicate it! A few days prior, he was almost unconsolable! He was up every couple of hours and acted like he was not feeling good at all (which is so out of character , as he is such an easy going little guy)! We thought it might have been the shots he had, but it could have just been a combination of, whatever nasty virus has been circulating! Thank you again Kendra and Stacy for stepping in to help when we needed someone! You can't imagine how blessed we feel to have you in our lives! I am also back to work, as of, well, when we returned. I received new referrals the very week we returned. I feel so very grateful to have continued work, but it is more of a challenge with 2 children in daycare! I am juggling it all though!

I want to include wonderful photos. We have asked Kendra and Mark to be Nolan's Godparents, and they have honored us by accepting! She threw me the most heartfelt and beautiful baby shower! She is an amazing friend to me! Her Mom, Grandma Linda, has happily agreed to adopt our children as her own! Here are some beautiful pictures of Kendra, the Godmother, holding our beautiful baby boy! And, Mark, 'THE GODFATHER" truly, (he sounds just like Marlon Brando) well, he, too, is happy to oblige! They both love our children to death and we love theirs the same! We thought it necessary to plan a Spring Break outing to the coast this year! We will have all 6 kids in tow, so we will let ya know how it all goes! We are looking forward to a relaxing, yet fun-filled weekend!

PHOTO ESSAY (FEATURING AN ENERGETIC TWO-YEAR-OLD AND ONE WHACKY DAD)

"DO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We Are Home..........

Well, late last night, we finally made it home. The longest part, Taipei to Seattle, did not go well. But, it wasn't the baby, but our little Claire, who stayed awake most of the flight with some stomach issues. Many, I believe, were very happy to disembark once we arrived in Seattle. Needless to say, we hadn't slept in over 24 hours! So, looking very road weary, our dear friends, Mark and Colin, picked us up at the airport! We can't thank them enough, they have been so very good to us! Claire immediately went to sleep, but THEN woke up again just 3 hours later! She and Rob are now sleeping soundly and we hope to get our body clocks better adjusted in the next few days! The return is the most brutal, we have discovered! Thank you to all of you have followed our journey and sent well wishes! It means the world to us all! We are grateful to make it home safely! Love, Rob, Carole, Caitlin, Claire and, finally, Baby Noli

7 More Hours.................

Well, who would have tbought, free internet service at the Taipei Airport! We arrived without a hutch, Nolin is doing well (and so is Claire et al)on his first maiden voyage! We have 7 more hours to burn, while waiting for our flight to Seattle! The kids have found the Hello Kitty Playland and I can hear Claire screaming down the airport terminal! Rob and I are getting this world traveling down to a science! We talk about where we would like to travel next! We were just thinking that Claire has made 2 trips around the world in her 2 1/2 years, Caitlin twice in her 9 years! What a wonderful experience this has been for all! We have met so many people from around the world and seen so many amazing sites! We have our beautiful children to thank for that! (We will see how we feel when we touch down in Seattle!) See you all soon!

Yippee! We are coming home!

A very special thank you to Scott S. for waiting at USCIS while they processed our babys' VISA'S! It was SO very kind of you! You are the best! We received Nolan's VISA today and we are coming home! We truly enjoyed our time here in Vietnam, visiting Nolan's motherland and love the country! We WILL return! We have been treated so very graciously! It's just time to come home now (and we have no money left)! The hardest part has been not knowing for sure when we will go/stay, etc! We will see everyone when we get home! If you don't hear from us right away, we are recovering from severe jet lag! It is brutal, esp on the return flight from Asia, which we recall from our trip to China! Thank you Mark, Kendra, Colin, Grant and Cam for taking care of the the home front! You are the best!

Oh, Happy B'day Ann (we will be in transit)! We mailed you a special card, from Vietnam, but they said it would take 2 weeks, so perhaps, in another week, it will arrive (sigh!)! Sorry!

So, we are off tomorrow, in for a LONG day! (7 hour lay over in Taipei)! Bye!

Oh Banana Man, Bananas For Sale, Bananas For Sale!

In Remembrance

Today was a day, as many other days, to remember and think of my Vietnam veterans! Many of you who know me, know that I have worked with veterans over the past couple of decades! I have had a deep respect for each and every one of them and truly honor each of our veterans! We visited the Army Museum where we shared valued moments viewing the wreckage of our downed B52 bomber and other memorials! We are thinking of our very good friends, Mike, Ron, Bill P., Mike M., Tony, Rene and all the veterans who have served our country!

We Have Been Delayed!

Well, much disappointment today, as families had to reschedule flights and try to extend our hotel reservations. We went for our US VISA interviews this a.m. and we're told that we WON'T be receiving our visa's today, as we were intially told. So............we all scrambled to reschedule flights and extend our hotel reservations (as this is Tet and very difficult travel times!). Thank you Todd G., you are absolutely the best! We won't be able to pick up Nolan's VISA until Monday, by 4:30 p.m. So........... we now leave Tuesday. It has created a bit more of a financial struggle and frustration but we will make it! Dear Kendra, check your email! We are so sorry, we are asking so much of you! (XXOO) Thank you to our dear friends who have been there for us!