Wednesday, November 29, 2006

I thought I'd check in here and let you all know that there is no new news yet. We are still waiting!! This has to be just another step in one of the hardest things I've done in my life. I hate waiting as most of you know. I don't like surprises, I am not patient, and waiting is just driving me crazy. Thank goodness that the holidays are sneaking up on us at least it makes the weeks go by which makes the months go by which gets us closer to Jaden. I just can't wait to get a picture of her. Norm & I took a short getaway on Sunday & Monday and we had a great time other than myself getting a pretty bad cold and now he has it too. We both feel drained at the end of a day. Fortunately I have an early quit in the salon today. Tomorrow is a different story though...starting at 9:00 and finishing at 9:00. Well I'll have to get that kind of work schedule done now because when Jaden comes, I am cutting back. I've already decided to change my hours at the beginning ofthe year and also to only dso walk-ins one evening a week. I am intending to focus on Jaden as much in a day as possible. OHHHH I'm so excited to bring her home. Well we'll keep on keeping you posted!!!!

Well no news on the adoption front however we wanted to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!! We know our agency office will be closed tomorrow so we hope for some updated news on Monday!! We have been contacted by another family adopting from Vietnam and it is always a pleasure to find a friend in the same stages. We wish Matt & Karen much happiness and good luck with their soon to be announced referral!!!! We just received the most adorable baby gift fom the couple across the road from us. That is our first official gift. What cute outfits. These 2 are going to be great "grandparents". Theyare a little concerned since theyare going to be in loriday from January to March and they are worried we will receive our referral while they are away and they will have to wait to see her picture. Soooo, we are hoping to get a referral by the 2nd week in January for their sake and OUR sanity!!! We'll post as news comes available.

Today we are OFFICIALLY on Jaden's waiting list!!!!! WOW this feels so good to be this far. Our case manager told us today that the agency is expecting some referrals soon but she isn't exactly sure of a date. Hopefully real soon. We would love to have Jaden's picture by Christmas. What a gift that will be when we receive it!!! We are #5 on the list and the familiesd ahead of us consist of: 1 waiting or a boy, 2 waiting for a girl, and 1 waiting for whichever comes first. Soooo we are well on our way to babyhood!!!

Well I just had to spend a little time writing here today. My 10 & 14 year old daughters are upstairs scrapping with each other and I am not feeling very well today. My husband and BIL are diligently trying to finish painting the garage that they have just recently finished off. Now it will be nice and bright and clean so my hubby can clutter it up again. I did a little outdoor Christmas decorating after work this morning and I ran out of the evergreen garland and as luck would have it, I had purchased it 70% off end of the season clearance last year. Now I have to trust that good old Walmart will have the same thing this ear so I can match it up. I guess I'll try to pack up the girls and take them so they aren't "BORED" anymore. That seems to be their favorite word...I remember when it was mine too. I only wish I could experience that again someday. Maybe when I am 70. I wish today would be the day that our agency would call and say the magic words. Tomorrow Norm & I are going to the new PA casino with his parents in hopes to win a little "Jaden $$". We are also going next weekend to Atlantic City for an overnight stay. We need a get away. What the heck our room is free and the bus ride is free after all the rebates so we may as well take advantage of it. My dog won't be happy about us leaving but she'll have a little vacation herself too. She loves to stay at my moms because she can play with the kittens then. It's really cute.
Well I think I'll ditch the Walmart idea since I really don't feel well and just lay down on the couch for a little bit. I'll be keeping you posted!!!!!

WOOHOO!! We got wonderful news today from our case manager...our home study was overnighted to the agency and as of Monday we are OFFICIALLY on the referral waiting list for JADEN!!!! This is news that we thought would never get here. Please continue to pray for a quick transition to the actual referral. WOW!!! We are so excited.

Good evening!!! Our case manager called yesterday and said there has been a change in Vietnams procedure for the adoption. Our homestudy will now stay in country and referrals get sent to the US to be matched with families. We are still waiting to hear our place in the referral line...still hoping to be #3. I have been conversing with the couple that is second in line and we hoped to travel together but she just found out that it is unlikely. We are both praying that we will. Please pray for efficiency in our progress.

Well its time to give out some EXCITING news!!! Today I received an email from our case manager that our home study is finalized and it is getting sent out to Vietnam ASAP and that puts usin line for a referral!!! WOOHOO!!!! This is the news that we have been waiting for. We are so excited. Hopefully Vietnam will have our paperwork by the end of the week.
Yesterday I treated my mom to a day in Atlantic City. We had a fun time and enjoyed our time together. The bus ride was so long though. 4 hours on a bus was enough...no comparison to the 20-30 hours we will spend on the plane to Vietnam though. Well it'll be for a great reason.

I thought I would post a picture of our family...less our "Jaden" who is waiting somewhere in Vietnam for us. No new adoption news from us other than, our social worker completed our home study and forwarded it to our case manager and I received an email from her that she suggested a few changes be made on it so its in limbo between the two of them. Once it is reviewed and satisfactory a copy will go to USCIS to be reviewed to approve our 171H. I can't wait to receice that 171H, that means we can have our home study finalized and our first part of our dossier can be sent to Vietnam to await our referral. I think that once we have that picture to look at it will make it easier, although sometimes I look at it as it may be harder because then we know "Jaden" is over there waiting for us to come for her and we will be worried about the care she is getting. Well continue to pray for a quick transition of this home study through its process.

HI THERE. We are a couple adopting from Vietnam. We are married for 3 1/2 years and I (Teresa) have 2 biological daughters from my previous marriage. They are 10 & 14. We are in the beginning stages of our adoption. We just received word today that our homestudy was completed by our social worker and has been emailed to our case manager for review at our agency. It seems like a long process but suddenly the steps are progressing and it is not so bad. At least today anyway. We now have to wait for approval by our case manager then approval from the state and immigration and have it notarized and then sent to Vietnam for approval. It's still a long rope to climb but its in the system and working its way along. We are looking to correspond with others out there who are in the Vietnam process so we decided to start this blog. We will post more as it becomes available to us.