WOOHOO!!!
Great news today!!! We received our I797C form. This means that we are approved to adopt from Vietnam!! YEAH!!!! Now we sit and wait for our referral of our little angel! Ispokewith our CM yesterday and she said hopefully the infant referrals will soon be rolling in to the agency. Once again, as I said before, Norm's birthday is Jan. 25th and it would be great to get our picture for that. He would be so excited. We are getting very antsy and we can hardly wait to see her. On the 17th it will officially be 2 month waiting! Our original time frame as some of you may remember is 4-6 months so we are getting closer by the day. Well keep praying as things seem to be falling into place.

Hello again!! I hope today is a good day for everyone.
As you recall yesterday I wrote that I sent an email to our CM to check status...NO NEWS AGAIN!!! It's okay though. As she says...no news can be good news because at least it wasn't bad news. Right?!?!?!? Well one GOOD thing she did mention is that we are going to be able to work on completing our dossier the beginning of January!!! WOOHOO!! This means that we are getting closer and that we will be prepared then when the referral comes which will make our travel time closer yet. This was very exciting news for us. The paperwork will take some time seeing as we have to go to alot of spots to get it filled out. Then it will have to be notarized, sent out to the state consulate for completion and finally sent to Vietnam for fianlization. It will travel many places before it is completed. But it's all in a day of adoption. Jaden will be so worth every minute and penny spent. So we are actually moving along and each day getting closer to our Jaden!!!!

Well I am trying to keep up with this and Christmas!! I think I am ready for Christmas, it could come tomorrow. I have shopped, wrapped, and cleaned and I am now just taking a break and checkin out bloggerville. Well no new news again. We are now 4 weeks and 2 days of waiting. Hopefully we will have our referral within the 4-6 month time frame. I have been once again debating the thought of accepting a baby boy referral if one would come available. It is a hard decision and I have been praying about it. I have my list of pros and cons for both genders however the boy negatives outweigh all others too much at this point making me lean towards theno side of it but I want to remain open minded also. It is hard when you have a choice. Today the salon is slow so I have a little too much "idle time" on my hands. It gives me too much time to sit and think about this long wait. I am going to need to get myself focused again. I sent off another email to our CM to see whether there has been any news. I'll bet she is getting sick of that every week. I just feel like I need to stay connected on it, as if maybe it is going to get us closer. Well I'll let you know!!!

Well this has certainly been one hectic week in the salon. This is a good thing though because it made my week fly by. Hopefully another week closer to referral time. I got an email from our CM yesterday that she feels we are on the right track. I think she is believing that Vietnam is finally starting to come through and hopefully it won't be long. I have a friend in this same process and she got word yesterday that there probably won't be any more referral for a few weeks but I am truly hoping that once it starts it rolls full force and that we will get our referral by Norm's birthday (Jan. 25). I put in an email to our CM to ask her opinion on that one. She never likes to get my hopes up though. She is very conservative which for me is probably best. I am feeling good about it right now. At the present time I am trying to stay focused on Christmas...its meaning and the fellowship we will be sharing with family and friends. We have some big plans coming up with family and we have a lot of preparation to do for them so I need to remain focused and in control of it. I have a few gift to wrap for Norm and a little shopping to do for the girls yet and I think that is ready. I guess today I should find time to finish decorating the tree too. WOW, how did this holiday sneak in so quickly??!!! Well I'll keep you in the know!!!!

Just an update!!! I got an email from my case manager today and she said that they got their first referral from the Vietnam program. It was an 8 year old little boy. I hope they had a family waiting for him. This means alot to us because hopefully it is a sign that the program is up and running and that referrals will now start to flow. Lets keep praying that our referral will come soon. I'll keep you all updated as best as I can.

Well today starts yet another week of waiting. We can only hope and pray that this is going to be a successful week. I feels some days like I need the agency to email or call me everyday to keep me posted on any changes. They could do that but lately everyday would be the same recorded message over and over. I need to stop reading all those blogs out there. I read some that say their agency had a referral for them anywhere from immediately to 1 month after submission of dossier. If this is possible then why is ours taking longer. I know I have no right to complain as some have been waiting much longer and some will wait longer that we will but I am so ready!!!! Today I did a littlemore decoratingin Jadens room. I try to do a little at a time so that the time can tick by without me sitting around sulking all of the time. I just don't know how to remain focused as our case manager has asked us to. All I can focus on is Jaden and receiving a picture of her. I hope that there will be referrals for Christmas...if not for me, then at least for others in our agency. At this point I need to see something positive happening.
I have just about completed the Christmas shopping and I am all caught up on wrapping. I don't intend to bake any cookies unless my hubby drives me crazy about it. I just don't have it in me to drag everything out and do it. We set up our tree today and now I have to decorate it. This adoption process has me so behind. I always have my tree up and done the first week of December. I just wish we had that referral of Jaden for Christmas so we could hang her picture on the tree. Everyone around us keeps asking...why is it taking so long. I have a hard time understanding too considering I have heard so many people say that there are so many infants waiting to be given a home. It makes no sense.
Well I have to get myself focused and stop sulking day in and day out.
I'll let you know if I get info on any changes.

Well another week has gone by...another week of waiting. We spoke with our case manager yesterday and she said they are still pioneering the journey to get referrals from Vietnam. It sounds to me like things need to be completely finalized with the program through our agency before anything can really get started. They have asked us to stay focused and to be positive and patient, so I am openly accepting any suggestions you may have to help me out. The waiting is gruelling!!!!
Today I have an appointment with my new thyroid doctor so I am anxious to see what he has up his sleeve. I have been feeling pretty good so I hope he doesn't change things up too much!!
Well keep on focusing with me on this and keep praying, it seems like that's what we have to depend on at this point.

[url=http://www.snugglepie.com][img]http://www.snugglepie.com/ezb/719324.png[/img][/url]

I am trying to add my ticker here and I seem to be too stupid to do it.

Well while I have your attention I will let you know that I received an email from my case manager today and it was nothing good. She stated that she was in contact with the Vietnam Program Director and he gave no indication as to when our agency could expect any referrals. She told us to stick to our original estimate of 4-6 months. I am already crazy...how much more can we take. I only hope you are all still praying and maybe the power of prayer will bring us closer to a referral. I have been following a blog from another Vietnam adopting family and they are in Vietnam now and got their daughter yesterday. She is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! She is so tiny and so darling. I completely envy them. They were very fortunate that they got their referral and travel rather quickly. Different agency and orphanage though. We just need to trust that the Lord will provide our daughter to us when the timing is right.

Today had to be the most difficult day in adoption world for us. This morning our case manager from our agency phoned and told me that they had 4 baby boys available immediately from Taiwan and if we were interested she would submit our application to try for approval from the country. Well we pondered and I sobbed hysterically all day about this decision. In the end we concluded that our hearts were more set on a baby girl than we thought and that we would wait for our dream angel from Vietnam to come available to us. I now have a guilt about me that I didn't accept such a wonderful offer. After all we are tired of waiting and this was a great opportunity to get started...but we just felt the path to a boy was the wrong way for us to go. We wanted to accept our referral with excitement, and be overjoyed with love and we just weren't feeling that. But, what a rush it is to get that phonecall. I can't wait until it is theright one. We did however get better news from our CM about the Vietnam program. About a week ago she told me that Vietnam would only be sending 2 referrals per month and she told me today that there will be several referrals at a time and flowing very steadily into the agency beginning very soon. So she reassured me that staying put inthe referral line for Vietnam was the best place for us to be right now and that hopefully withing a few short months we will have that perfect referral. So please continue to pray for us.

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.