1
Feb

Happy 3rd Birthday Samuel

February 1, 2011

Dear Samuel,

Today was your birthday. 

I’m not sure if you were told, as your “family” at ND try really hard to be fair to all the children who share your life there.  We knew though.  We remembered you today. 

Three.  That’s a big boy now.  You are so proud to show us how big and strong you are.  We can see your little chest puff out when you show us your muscles.  You are growing big and strong like your Daddy.  You’ll like him.  I can tell you already do a little.  He’s really great at wrestling and snuggling and looking into your eyes when you talk to him.  I just bet you two will be thick as thieves. 

And me?  Well, all I could think of today was how this will be the very last time you will have to celebrate your birthday without the hoopla of a big ole’ family to wake you, fill you with cake and let you have the first pick of all the day holds, just cause it’s your special day.  The last time you’ll have a birthday without a pinata and cousins and a grandparents to call you and sing you your very own birthday song and ask what you want to eat at your very important Sunday birthday lunch.  It’s gonna be great!

We ache for you buddy.  It’s been 14 1/2 months since we first laid eyes on you.  14 1/2 months since you absolutely amazed us with your brilliance.  We are more than ready for our forever to begin. 

And you son?  You’ve waited so much longer. 

And so I fill suitcases and check off lists. 

And remember you son. 

We love you and we miss you.

Until we meet face to face,

Your Mama Forever and Ever,

5 Comments
28
Jan

Catching up

January 28, 2011

So I think I am over my general feeling of malaise.  Now I am onto Full Speed Ahead.  Haha 

Thank you to everyone who commented and e-mailed to check in on me.  I really REALLY appreciate every word.  It’s so good to know I’m not the only one…

In the meantime, we made a quick trip to Grace’s specialist at the closest Children’s Hospital.  She’s doing really fantastic and somehow those words always put me at ease.  We visit that particular specialist twice per year and it’s easy to forget that there is even a need for the visit until just beforehand and then suddenly I get to wondering how things are beneath the surface.  As usual, those thoughts were for nothing.  And for that I am truly thankful!

We also celebrated a really big milestone birthday as James turned 15 this week.  Everbody says this about their kids, but How On Earth did He Get this BIG?  And how come every year we enjoy him more and more?  We are really thrilled with our young man and we had an absolute hoot the other night on our birthday date with him.  Accoring to a certain arcade game, we are Ace shots at killing giant spiders and leeches, but are not really all that compatible as mates.  Uh ,yeauuuuh?!  Lame plot line, but too funny laughing with our teenager.  🙂

I’ve been polling friends for tips on which size diapers or pull ups to bring with us.  Samuel is trained duirng the day, but we expect a regression (you know, hope for the best, prepare for the worst and all that…).  He’s about 20 lb.s and will be 3 (!) next Tuesday.  factoring in his limb difference, but knowing he’s a little guy has made me go a bit crazy.  Input welcome.  🙂

The realization also dawned that while we way over pack every time we travel, we also like to bring a lot of donate-able items.  But, on this trip, we will be flying into Beijing and then taking a bunch of domestic flights followed by an international departure via Hong Kong.  That means less than half our usual luggage allowance.  Not sure if our arrival into each city will allow enough time to shop for items to bring to each orphanage.  We’ll have to see…  Any tips (Americans!) on what you do when you fly into Beijing and exit via GZ or HK? 

We received our last monthly update on Samuel (which I will post separately) and it said something that made us curious.  Guess we’ll understand more once we meet him. 

We were able to Skype last Sunday night.  He is a total monkey boy (and we LOVE monkeys in this house).  He loves to climb all over the desk, point the web cam around, show us his belly button, flex his muscles, play peek-a-boo (his favourite), and accost the pig shaped light on the desk. hehe  We notice that his rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” is getting clearer and clearer each week.  His new haircut is often styled by his nanny into a very manly swoop across his forehead and he is often dressed to chat with us in a sharp little sweater.  Very adorable handsome.  🙂  We have played with him this way for so many months now.  What a tremendous blessing – one we never dreamed of. 

I am ignoring the second half of my Chinese New Year cleaning by writing this post.  We are beginning CNY early this year as our church group is coming over tonight and treating us to some very yummy sounding homemade Chinese food.  Our contribution will be a little more western in that it will need to be picked up from our local restaurant shortly before the party.  🙂  Grace has told me that my version is just not quite right and so we jokingly order what we call Fake-Chinese food and don’t even try and pretend its the real thing.  I’m even serving Chocolate dipped fortune cookies from this site.  She has amazing ideas – totally worth the look!

I think I have just about come to the end of my catching up, but before I go finish catching dust bunnies (Hey, it’s the Year of the Rabbit – aren’t I clever?!), I want to make a quick mention about a very special little girl by the name of Sharaya.  Our friends the Berzenji Family is raising funds in order to bring their newest child home.  We travelled with them on our journey to Miss Grace and their daughter Jade Ping is Grace’s orphanage sister. 

Anway, back to Sharaya (don’t you just love her name?  Brings back memories of a certain Amy Grant song – and yes, I am that old.)  Sharaya is a young friend of the Berzenji family.  She has decided to raise money for their adoption fund and the Canadian Cancer Society by cutting off her beautiful, long tresses and not only donating the hair to make a wig to bless a person fighting their cancer, but is also taking pledges in order to give financially to this special family trying to bring home their child from China.  Who says kids don’t have great big hearts?  In addition, both she and Adrian (Baba Berzenji) are taking part in a Congee fast right now!  You can read all about it and all of these fantastic people on their blogs: Sharaya & Adrian’s.  And please, do more than read.  Won’t you encourage them with a donation? 

Off to herd up those bunnies….

And don’t forget to weigh in on the great diaper debate & luggage fiasco of 2011.  I could really use the advice.  😉

3 Comments
21
Jan

I just feel kinda numb.

January 21, 2011

Okay, not completely numb, but just sorta distant and emotionless these days.  Vacant perhaps? 

I have felt this way each and every time a new child has been added to our family.  Birth or adoption.

I kinda wonder if it is simple self-preservation.  Or does it make me a bad Mom?

A friend mentioned tonight (and said it in a sort of self-depreciating way), that she is not the type to cry over movies a whole lot.  As though that would make her less of a woman.

Perhaps that is why I feel no small amount of guilt over my state of being right now.

I think at the heart I am simply overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed at the current to do lists, sure.  But mostly overwhelmed by the knowledge of the enormity of what is to take place in a few weeks. 

Change.  Transition.  For my son.  For our whole family.

It’s all rather daunting.

So, I hold it in.  And suddenly in those moments leading up to holding him in my arms, I will shake and tremble.  I will probably snap at my husband.  I will think of all the things I did not do to better prepare for that moment. 

And then it will all come together.  The puzzle piece will find its home.

And then I will truly feel.

 

7 Comments
19
Jan

The Journey of an LSC on its way to the CCAA

January 19, 2011
2011-01-13 10:37:00 AM Delivered via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-13 10:37:00 AM Delivered via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-13 01:35:00 AM On vehicle for delivery via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-13 01:34:00 AM Shipment In Transit via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-13 12:04:00 AM Import via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-12 11:20:00 PM Import via BEIJING, CN depot  
2011-01-12 07:30:00 PM Departure via INCHEON, KR depot  
2011-01-12 12:35:00 PM Arrived at via INCHEON, KR depot  
2011-01-11 10:08:00 AM Departure via ANCHORAGE, AK, US depot  
2011-01-11 06:53:00 AM Shipment In Transit via ANCHORAGE, AK, US depot  
2011-01-11 06:23:00 AM Arrived at via ANCHORAGE, AK, US depot  
2011-01-11 05:31:00 AM Departure via ONTARIO, CA, US depot  
2011-01-10 10:27:00 PM Arrived at via ONTARIO, CA, US depot  
2011-01-10 08:13:00 PM Departure via SEATTLE, WA, US depot  
2011-01-10 06:32:00 PM Arrived at via SEATTLE, WA, US depot  
2011-01-10 05:50:00 PM Departure via RICHMOND, BC, CA depot  
2011-01-10 04:52:00 PM Export via RICHMOND, BC, CA depot  
2011-01-10 10:10:00 AM Arrived For Export Processing via VANCOUVER, BC depot  
2011-01-10 09:55:00 AM Arrived For Export Processing via Canadian depot  
2011-01-10 09:54:00 AM Picked up by Purolator via Canadian depot  
2011-01-10 04:31:00 AM Shipment In Transit via Canadian depot  
2011-01-07 02:57:00 PM Picked up by Purolator at Reception from  MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES 

 

Talk about a well travelled piece of paper!  Especially considering it had already travelled all the way here first! 

And a little eye candy from another sweet ex-volunteer at the foster home…

4 Comments
17
Jan

Learning Together at Home’s Big China Adventure 2011

January 17, 2011

So without further ado, here is our itinerary…

(I think Steve & I deserve a nap, don’t you?)

Feb. 15 – domestic Canadian

Feb. 16 –  Canada to Beijing

Feb. 17 – Beijing

Feb. 18 – Beijing

Feb. 19 – Hope to visit a certain place outside the city  🙂

Feb. 20 – Beijing to Changsha

Feb. 21 – SAMUEL DAY!

Feb. 22 – Adoption Day

Feb. 23 – Changsha (or Yueyang County visit)

Feb. 24 – Changsha (or Yueyang County visit)

Feb. 25 – Changsha to Beijing

Feb. 26 – Beijing (as Canadian’s our process is completed here this week)

Feb. 27 –  Beijing

Feb. 28 – Beijing

March 1 – Beijing

March 2 – Beijing

March 3 – Beijing to Yinchuan (Steve, Shelley, Garnet, Grace, Samuel) / Attie, Jerry, James, Faith stay in Beijing

March 4 – Yinchuan to Beijing (meet up with the rest of the family) (visit Garnet’s area)

March 5 – Beijing to Guangzhou, drive to Zhongshan (or train?)

March 6 – Zhongshan (visit Grace’s area)

March 7 – Zhongshan to Hong Kong (ferry?)

March 8 – Hong Kong (tour or Disney)

March 9 – Hong Kong (tour or Disney)

March 10 – Hong Kong to Canada

March 11 – domestic Canadian flight

Sounds a bit daunting, especially with a newly adopted 3 year old.  Poor little guy.  I’ll speak more to the whole decision process another time, but boy am I glad that we have finally booked those tickets!  It only took Stephen 3 hours on the phone with a very accomodating Air Canada staff member.  Whew!  Steve is a saint for walking this through!

5 Comments
15
Jan

Travel Plans… almost

January 15, 2011

Got you, didn’t I? 

Nope.  We’re still plugging away.  We have narrowed our plans down to three different options and are now pricing them out.  My head hurts.

We also have a houseful of teenage young men this weekend.  They are really great guys and I love having them here.  No really, I do!  But it has just hit me this evening just how blessed and amazing it is to be the Mom of an almost 15 year old and an almost 3 year old, all at the same time.  There is just nothing like having the giggles of the little guys in combo with the deepening voice of my almost man-child. 

So, while I am overwhelmed with the details tonight, I  just wanted to pause for a minute and be thankful. 

I am truly blessed.

And deeply grateful.

2 Comments
10
Jan

Travel Plans

January 10, 2011

Probably the number one question that any Pre-Adoptive Parent gets asked (after the ever present “Why”, which is a whole different post…) is,

When will you travel?

Finally, we have a better sense of things.

Our facilitator is expecting our TA to arrive before CNY!

We are being allowed to build our own itinerary and travel on our  own (we kind of form our own group with the 9 of us!) in order for us to visit our other kids’ provinces before unofficially meeting Samuel at New Day and then adopting him in Hunan.  We would then return to Beijing for our Canadian adoption process, as our Embassy is there. 

It sounds lilke the next travel group may not be until April and so we are trying our best to gather all our many months of pondering, build a plan and get on a plane the third week in February, with the hope that we can adopt Samuel at the beginning of March. 

At this point my head is swirling (although it may be the remnants of the flu) and we are trying to sort out what will be most important and what will be left for another trip.

We still need to file our requests for orphanage visits and that will help create a framework for our travel dates.  We also know we need to be in Changsha on a Monday for Sam’s adoption. 

My stomach is doing some strange butterfly dance and I am in awe that we are even at this point!

As for who will travel?

Our hope has always been that each of our kids at home could travel with us to meet our new little guy in person.  For months they have played with him over the computer screen, talked about him, made space in their home and their world for the addition of Sam.  And we can’t imagine a better way for Samuel to be welcomed than by the whole overwhelmingly, noisy, crazy bunch.  In order to make that happen on our last two trips, my folks have been able to come “herd the cats” (as Steve calls it).  And so far, that is what we are planning for.

We need to look at the costs and sift through everything first, but at this point we are doing everything possible to make this happen! 

So off I go to make lists, phone airlines, price hotels and trains.  And pray.  We need a whoooole lot of wisdom. 

We thought our 2010 Big Family Vacation was a big undertaking.  Little did we know God had an Ace up his sleeve waiting for us in China.

This trip should trump that one  by far!

 

2 Comments
7
Jan

Signed, Sealed, Delivered… (We’re) Yours!

January 7, 2011

Yes, it’s true! 

Our LOA is off to the provincial office and then to China as we speak!

We not only received our LOA in our agency’s office yesterday, but even with me laying in bed with the stomach flu, Stephen managed to rush down and pick it up, bring it home for our signing (NOT the beautiful photo-op for the grandparents’ Christmas calendars – ha) and rush it all back down to the agency.  And this was in the hour just before a rushed notary appointment to have Stephen’s Citizenship information verified (again!) for our application for Samuel’s citizenship. 

Ahhhh, all a part of his story now. 

Day 67 and suddenly it doesn’t matter a bit.  🙂

God has been so faithful through all this. 

Even with my roller coaster of doubts (how can we be the right familiy for this little one?) and down right panicked state at times (there’s just no way this will ever happen!), He has been faithful to what He promised us He would do.  And I am so thankful that His plan is better than our own.

As my Mom reminded me the other day, in the natural this all seems impossible but we are not dealing with only the natural here. 

And that is something to shout with joy over!

Now on to our wait for TA and then…

Samuel, Here We Come! 

 

8 Comments
5
Jan

Grace-isms

January 5, 2011

Some of my favourites from today…

Grace began“peelahno” lessons tonight (very successfully I might add :)). 

On the way home Grace told me this joke (knock knock jokes are also a new favourite): 

Grace: Knock knock!

Mom: Who’s there?

Grace: Grace!

Mom: Grace who?

Grace: Grace! (Said with an air of disgust that I have already forgotten.  ha)  It’s your honey, Mom!

She loves that I call her honey – it tickles her something silly!

At bedtime I was helping remove her hair barrettes.  She said, “Thanks for taking out my clicks!”   Yes, well I guess her hair clips do make a “click” when the are opened and closed.  🙂

1 Comment
4
Jan

LLLLOOOOOAAAA is on its way!

January 4, 2011

Our facilitator e-mailed me tonight to let me know that our LOA was mailed on New Years Eve. 

Yippeeeeeeeee!

It’s official (or at least it will be when that beautiful red embossed piece of paper finally lands in our provincial agency’s office for us to sign and return back to China!).

China has decreed that Samuel Ruicheng Joseph Peters is to be our son!

 

 {Certainly not the best photo we have of him, but even his little ears are cute, so what can I say?  It made the cut for posting.  ha}

Amazingly true story:

A friend from Grace’s  travel group (Roberta) was in touch with a friend of hers that attends her church.  That friend of hers is currently ministering in Afghanistan.  (keep following…)  That friend from her church that is currently in Afghanistan in working there alongside a person who has just come from a month of volunteering at New Day.  How’s that for a Red Thread?!  Anyway, this friend had a bunch of photos to share and some really great comments.  🙂

5 Comments
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