Saturday, February 23, 2008
We got an email today from Ann at redthreadchina.com. She is the very kind woman who we ordered our care package for Abigail from. Anyway, Ann wrote to let us know that the care package was sent to Abigail (Fu Jin) at the orphanage a couple days ago. Ann will send us another email with delivery confirmation after it has arrived to our daughter. Anyway, here is a picture of our care package, including a translated letter, a pillow with our picture on it, a book, a stuffed panda, a digital camera (so hopefully, we will get more pictures of Abigail with her friends) and some candies for the children and orphanage caregivers. We are absolutely THRILLED at how the care package came out and are so excited that Abigail may be snuggling with us tonight in her crib (well, at least a photo of us). :) :) :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE JUST ADDED A TON OF DECEMBER AND JANUARY PICTURES TO THE OLDER POSTS (BELOW)
So today I ordered a care package from Red Thread China to be delivered to our Abigail Fu Jin. The woman, Ann, who runs the company, lives in China and is as sweet as can be. Many people have ordered care packages and Chinese culture-related merchandise from her and have been more than pleased. I will be adding her website to the list of links on the right.
Anyway, right after ordering the care package, it started to snow here. I went outside to get the mail and noticed some interesting-looking tire tracks in the snow, right in front of our driveway. I guess a few people must have made three point turns, but the tracks somehow turned into 4 PERFECT hearts. You may all think I'm nuts, but I take it as a positive sign from God that, just like that "family" of 4 hearts, soon we will have our own family of four. We love you, Abigail. Mommy, Daddy and big sister Emily will be coming to get you really soon!
So today I ordered a care package from Red Thread China to be delivered to our Abigail Fu Jin. The woman, Ann, who runs the company, lives in China and is as sweet as can be. Many people have ordered care packages and Chinese culture-related merchandise from her and have been more than pleased. I will be adding her website to the list of links on the right.
Anyway, right after ordering the care package, it started to snow here. I went outside to get the mail and noticed some interesting-looking tire tracks in the snow, right in front of our driveway. I guess a few people must have made three point turns, but the tracks somehow turned into 4 PERFECT hearts. You may all think I'm nuts, but I take it as a positive sign from God that, just like that "family" of 4 hearts, soon we will have our own family of four. We love you, Abigail. Mommy, Daddy and big sister Emily will be coming to get you really soon!
This post is long overdue, but I am now just getting a chance to upload photos from the camera. On January 11, my big girl turned 4. Sigh. And get this.....she even has a serious boyfriend named Danny. On the 12th, she had her birthday party at a local place called Maze Craze. She and her friends all seemed to have a great time. Here are some pictures from the party.
Monday, February 11, 2008
I came across this poem that I really like:
Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
And now you ask me, through your tears,
the age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.© Author Unknown
Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
And now you ask me, through your tears,
the age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.© Author Unknown
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Here are some photos taken from Christmas. Sorry it's taken so long to post these here.
And here is a shot of Emily trying to stay up to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve.
Hi everyone! Just wanted to write a quick update......ok, maybe not so quick. LOL! First off, over the past week and a half we had quite a scare. You may have seen on the news that China has suffered some snow/ice storms. Millions of homes have been without power and millions of workers were stranded and unable to return home for the Chinese New Year. In addition, the storms caused an inability for coal (the main source of fuel/heat) to be delivered across the country. Unfortunately, the orphanages were not spared by these storms. Many have been without power and heat for 2 weeks and orphanage caretakers are struggling to keep the children warm. Our daughter's province of Jiangxi was, unfortunately, hit pretty hard. However, thank goodness...we have learned that the orphanages power/ heat has been restored and the power company has pledged to keep the orphanage power supply going (even if that means temporarily cutting power from other areas.....including the orphanage director's own private house, which as of this past week was still without power). The caretakers really love the children of the orphanage and have done an excellent job of taking care of them during all this weather craziness.
On a happier note, it looks like we should be traveling to bring Abigail home in April. For a while, it looked like May was more realistic, but all of the other parents who had their letters of intent in to China before us have already received their official letters of approval back from the CCAA and will be traveling in March. We are only a few weeks behind them, so April seems very realistic now. :) We are so excited! We've even started looking up sample packing lists. We also have the girls' bedroom all set up now. Even though we have a couple of other bedrooms, Emily INSISTED that she wants Abigail to room with her. We think this may be better for Abigail as well, especially in the beginning, since she is used to sleeping in a room with many other children. It may be disconcerting to come to a new country with a new family and all of a sudden be expected to sleep completely alone. So.....Disney Princess room it is! And, if I say so myself, everything looks really adorable. Emily has a twin bed on one side, and Abigail has a toddler bed on the other. Emily's been so excited to move from the toddler bed to her big girl twin bed, but she has already told me that she thinks the room will be better when Abigail is in it with her. She said that at night, she stares at Abigail's empty bed and prays that she will come home soon. This wait has been really hard on all of us, including Emily. The other day, she said "Mommy, I'm beginning to lose my patience. I can't wait anymore." Well, at least April isn't too far away!
Eventually, I'll get around to posting pictures of the new Princess room.
We got the ok from our agency to send a care package to Abigail at the orphanage, so she knows who her Mommy and Daddy are before we go to pick her up. We are buying one (including a translated letter) from redthreadchina.com. I know many people who have been very happy with their services, and I can't wait for Abigail to read (or rather, be read to) how much we already love her and can't wait for her arrival.
I just notified work about our April departure, so they have time to find a replacement for me in the schools. I'm going to just keep my evening homecare, so I can stay home with Abigail and Emily (who is currently in preschool, but I'm going to switch her from full-time to part-time preschool). I can't wait. April can't come fast enough!
And here is a shot of Emily trying to stay up to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve.
Hi everyone! Just wanted to write a quick update......ok, maybe not so quick. LOL! First off, over the past week and a half we had quite a scare. You may have seen on the news that China has suffered some snow/ice storms. Millions of homes have been without power and millions of workers were stranded and unable to return home for the Chinese New Year. In addition, the storms caused an inability for coal (the main source of fuel/heat) to be delivered across the country. Unfortunately, the orphanages were not spared by these storms. Many have been without power and heat for 2 weeks and orphanage caretakers are struggling to keep the children warm. Our daughter's province of Jiangxi was, unfortunately, hit pretty hard. However, thank goodness...we have learned that the orphanages power/ heat has been restored and the power company has pledged to keep the orphanage power supply going (even if that means temporarily cutting power from other areas.....including the orphanage director's own private house, which as of this past week was still without power). The caretakers really love the children of the orphanage and have done an excellent job of taking care of them during all this weather craziness.
On a happier note, it looks like we should be traveling to bring Abigail home in April. For a while, it looked like May was more realistic, but all of the other parents who had their letters of intent in to China before us have already received their official letters of approval back from the CCAA and will be traveling in March. We are only a few weeks behind them, so April seems very realistic now. :) We are so excited! We've even started looking up sample packing lists. We also have the girls' bedroom all set up now. Even though we have a couple of other bedrooms, Emily INSISTED that she wants Abigail to room with her. We think this may be better for Abigail as well, especially in the beginning, since she is used to sleeping in a room with many other children. It may be disconcerting to come to a new country with a new family and all of a sudden be expected to sleep completely alone. So.....Disney Princess room it is! And, if I say so myself, everything looks really adorable. Emily has a twin bed on one side, and Abigail has a toddler bed on the other. Emily's been so excited to move from the toddler bed to her big girl twin bed, but she has already told me that she thinks the room will be better when Abigail is in it with her. She said that at night, she stares at Abigail's empty bed and prays that she will come home soon. This wait has been really hard on all of us, including Emily. The other day, she said "Mommy, I'm beginning to lose my patience. I can't wait anymore." Well, at least April isn't too far away!
Eventually, I'll get around to posting pictures of the new Princess room.
We got the ok from our agency to send a care package to Abigail at the orphanage, so she knows who her Mommy and Daddy are before we go to pick her up. We are buying one (including a translated letter) from redthreadchina.com. I know many people who have been very happy with their services, and I can't wait for Abigail to read (or rather, be read to) how much we already love her and can't wait for her arrival.
I just notified work about our April departure, so they have time to find a replacement for me in the schools. I'm going to just keep my evening homecare, so I can stay home with Abigail and Emily (who is currently in preschool, but I'm going to switch her from full-time to part-time preschool). I can't wait. April can't come fast enough!
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