Christmas was a bittersweet day for us. We had a wonderful time celebrating with family and friends but we longed to have our sweet son home with us to enjoy. Though it was grand to get such good news about the progress of the paperwork right before Christmas it still didn't make up for the void in our home on Christmas Day. We went to Norm's parents and enjoyed lunch and exchanging gifts for the day. We had out Christmas celebration at our house in Christmas night. The girls loved all of their gifts....especially their "Wii". That is a long story in itself how I finally managed to get my hands onto one of those. They have been really enjoying it though. And for the first time in years they actually loved all of the clothes I bought them. WOOHOO...no returns! We celebrated Christmas with my mom and brother and nephews on Wednesday. Another night full of great gifts, food, and fun times. My dad has been gone for 2 years now and it is still so hard to face the holidays without him. Our first stop on Christmas was at the cemetary to place a holiday arrangement on his grave and to wish him a Merry Christmas. I miss him so greatly. I have attached a few pictures of the girls on Christmas. Look at the excitement on their faces....

GREAT CHRISTMAS NEWS HAS ARRIVED!!!!!

Today we received our update on Derek's adoption. Things are moving in a VERY positive direction. We found out the corrections to his dossier should be completed in a few weeks. This could mean that once that is finished and the USCIS approves the completed dossier as actually complete and up to their required standards that it would have 2 more entities to go through then ,which legally they are each allowed 30 days to complete their investigations, and then it goes back to the DIA for a G&R date to be issued. WOOHOO!!! We are getting so much closer! If all goes smoothly and quickly it could be a few SHORT months and Derek will FINALLY come HOME!!!! Our CM said realistically it may be by May or June but if the process expedites it could be sooner. We have to remain optimistic yet cautious at the same time. So continue to watch for more good things to happen in the next few weeks. We do have to remember that in February we will have to deal with the country shutdown for TET again. That will delay things for a short time but hopefully it will pick up and take off again after that. We were told previously that our case will take precidence over the newer ones so that we can complete the adoption we have been waiting and longing for. So it sounds like we will be having a summer vacation and bringing home a baby at a great time of year. This will give the girls time to adjust to him too while they are on school vacation. We'll be loading up the camper and heading to the hills as soon as we can!!!!
Stay tuned......

New Pictures and an Update.....

We got an update on Derek this week. He is now:

23 pounds & 33 inches tall. He'll soon be a "3-footer". WOW!!!

He is doing well and is walking and eating good. The pictures were absolutely adorable. They dressed him in a santa suit and hat and he was sitting on a reindeer. SO CUTE!!!! There was a second picture and it was him and another little one standing at the edge of the crib. He was hangin on and his eyes are so big. It was great to see him smiling!!!!

Hopefully we will get an update about the Danang orphanage. The one we got this week was program specific and didn't really relate to our situation at all. We will put the update hre if we get one today.

We are expecting snow, sleet, and freezing rain for the weekend so we will be staying in and staying warm & dry!!!

WEEKLY UPDATE TIME....

So I wanted to share our update his week with all of you following along on our journey.

The orphanage director is still working with the DOJ to rectify the children dossiers. The DOJ is saying that they should be officially notified by the DIA in order for them to get involved with that process. For this reason, we are moving forward to request the DIA to send parent dossiers to DN DOJ a second time, instead of waiting until the child dossiers being all fixed first. For now, we are still not sure how much time it will take to complete the rest of the child dossier rectification process, but will keep families posted of any new information.


What does it all mean???? Well we are looking at it as a MAJOR step in a great and positive direction. At least it is showing signs of cooperation in fixing the dossier and getting us another step closer to Derek. FINALLY!! We are hoping that each update will be more positive and that each one sheds light on a "Road To Recovery".

We are supposed to get updated pictures this week so we are really looking forward to those. The package we sent for the 5 babies at the orphanage was received there and hopefully the pictures will show Derek with his new "blankie". I do hope he finds comfort in it and that it is something for him to snuggle up to at night until we get there.

The holidays are approaching so quickly and though I have 2 beautiful girls here with me that I need to focus on I can't dismiss the heartache of not having our son home. My heart aches tremendously for him. It has gotten progressively more difficult to deal with the questions and accusations from everyone around us. The only way to stop all of this is to get that travel date and bring him home. In the meantime I am trying to get into the Christmas spirit and actually did force myself to finish shopping and complete the wrapping. I am also focusing on the after Christmas trip Norm & I will be taking as we head to sunny California for a few days. I have started thinking about packing but just haven't gotten started yet (yes Michelle you may be rubbing off on me a little bit. LOL!!!). I am not by any means a procrastinator I just don't know what to pack. I've never gone to California in my life. Oh who am I kidding I have never even flown before. I can't wait to get on that plane and see the beauty of our country from one coast to the other.

Please continue to follow with us as we anxiously await our weekly update and remember to drop me your email address again if you want a sneak peek at Derek's new picture!!!!

Please allow me to use this day to focus on our baby boy.....

Derek,
As you turn "ONE" today we are praying for your health and safety and for God to bring you home to us very soon. We may have missed many of your milestones as you have grown over this past year but we will have many years of milestones to still share together. Yes...I wish we were rocking you to sleep, bragging about your first tooth, first step, first word, and of course all the in betweens. You are in our hearts and our thoughts of you grow more each day as we wait to come hold you in our arms. Exactly 9 months ago today we got a call telling us that we had the wonderful opportunity to increase our family with the addition of a beautiful baby boy. You can only imagine the excitement as we waited for the picture of you to download on the computer screen. WOW...what an adorable face. You have grown so much over this past 9 months of knowing you and we are looking so forward to watching you grow each year of your life with us.
God has blessed us so richly and soon he will bless us with our travel to bring you home to meet all of your family. Your sisters are so anxious to play with you and teach you things (probably some that will be bad). You will have a wonderful and love filled life here.

Hang on Derek...Mommy & Daddy will come soon.

We Love You So Much,
Mommy, Daddy, Alyssa & Jessica


Please continue to pray with us for Derek's Homecoming.

Friday Update On A Thursday.....

We got our last week update today and no....we won't get a second one tomorrow I'm sure. Anyway it sounds like the work has started and the elves are going to be busy fixing the mistakes that were made. Hopefully the pressure will be VERY intense and the dossiers will get corrected quickly. Would make a nice Christmas gift now wouldn't it?!?!?!?!?!

Here's the update:
The Da Nang orphanage director, under the pressure of officials in PC and
DOLISA, is working on fixing the child dossiers.
After consulting the Department of Justice, she was told that the dates of
admitting the children into the orphanage has to be backdated.

Among some other errors, the biggest problem with the child dossiers seem to
be the sequence of processing required documents.
The children, are supposed to be officially admitted into the orphanage
(subject to the endorsement of the Population Committee Director at that
time), before advertising on local radios and informing local families that
a child is available for domestic adoption. For some unknown reasons, this
important step wasn't done until late afterwards. For now, we are not
sure how long it will take to get the documents backdated and also to fix
other errors. But with the support of the district PC and DOLISA, we
believe it would be just a matter of time.

We are supposed to gt an update late today or tomorrow. Lets hope together for it to be chock full of GREAT information!!!! And plenty of GOOD NEWS wouldn't hurt either. The past few weeks have gotten harder. The anticipation of Derek's first birthday next week and the holidays coming have me completely stressed. I just can't focus on every day life at this point. Some moments I am sad and just with the snap of my fingers I can become very agitated and angry. I am more than ready for this journey to get us to Derek and back home again.

In different news....I just completed booking my first flight ever. We are heading to sunny California to visit with Michelle & Jeff. We will be going to see the Rose Bowl Parade as one of our highlights of the trip. I can't wait I hear it is beautiful. I am just so excited to fly. It will be a little sneak preview to the long flight to Vietnam. We will be spending New Years Eve with Michelle & Jeff in L.A. so I am excited and I am going to need to buy me something really special to wear for that adventure. Looking forward to the get away!!!!

As soon as we get our update I will post it HERE!!!

We found out about 2 weeks ago that we could send a care package to Derek so I set out to the store to buy what I knew I wanted to send. I ended up preparing a package for all 5 babies in the orphanage. When my girls were small like Derek my mom used to sew them "blankies". Just a piece of flannel with silky binding around the edges. Something they could cuddle, snuggle, and feel secure with. They had several so we were able to take them everywhere. They grew out of carrying them around therefore I knew this was an item that was safe to send on to the babies. So I bought the cutest fabric with duckies and froggies on it and off to mom's I went with it to request 5 blankies. I also found cute teething beads and I decided since we always see them barefoot and I truly believe in socks, I sent them along too. I hope the babes love their package when it gets there. I will be sending it out tomorrow to Jim so he can take it to the orphanage for them. It's an early Christmas for them. We are really hoping that there will be some news this week with the holiday thrown in there and the devastating storms.

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER......

Yes the winter snow may look beautiful as it clings so soft and pure to the trees but...I hate it. I have to travel in it today an it is giving me a headache just anticipating it. I thought yesterdays pictures were bad well the following ones were taken this morning after 12+ hours of snowfall. More light snow is expected today. Oh BTW I didn't mention that it is 33 degrees here too. BRRRRRR!!! The girls were happy though....TWO HOUR DELAY!!!! Always a big YEAH for those days. Even for me because I can snuggle under the warm blankies a little longer!!

Sunday Morning Snowflakes....

I hate the cold, I hate the snow, I hate waiting for my son!!!!
Today I woke up after an extremely restless night full of horrible dreams and looked outside....,SNOW. YUCK!!!! That meant cooped in the house and that meant pop open the bottle of Ativan. It will be a long day but at least I will stay warm. Hopefully the snow doesn't amount to much because we are going to the mall tonight to do "Evening Of Giving" to benefit a local Hospice program which helped take care of my Daddy before he passed away. They are truly special people with very warm hearts. Sooooooo I hope to get out a little tonight. I guess I'll spend the day wrapped in a blanket in front of the fireplace watching the NASCAR race. GO MATT!!!!

So I wanted to include a picture so you could see what it's doing here.

Vietnam Devastation strikes close.....

Here is a recent report from Vietnam News concerning the recent horrific storms hitting Vietnam. As you can see on the map the large area they are speaking of is very close to DaNang which is where Dereek is. Please continue to pray for safety as the report says this weekend will produce more storms.
Floods in central region kill 35; more downpours forecast

(16-11-2007)

HA NOI — Floods in central Viet Nam claimed the lives of another seven people yesterday, bringing the death toll this week to 35; 28 are injured and six are still missing.

As if that wasn’t enough, the central region is expected to be hit by torrential heavy rains followed by another flood this weekend, reports the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. This will be the 5th flood to hit the central provinces this month.

The rising water levels have left hundreds of thousands homeless, scores dead and remote regions holding on by a thread. Domestic and International aid organisations are rushing to the rescue, delivering money, supplies and hope to victims of this tragedy.

Nearly 400,000 houses have been submerged and more than 2,500 ha of rice paddies have been damaged. Landslides have destroyed several sections of national roads.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Wednesday sent messages to officials, government offices and people’s committees of affected provinces, demanding leaders focus on feeding people and fighting disease.

Dung asked local authorities to ensure students were returning to school and provide the materials necessary for farmers to restore production.

Statistics show that Quang Ngai Province was hit by five separate floods in the past month; 34 people are reported dead or missing.

Two helicopters transported 2.5 tonnes of food from Quang Ngai City to Tay Tra District yesterday. This was the first time aid made it to the district since flooding started four weeks ago. Local authorities were unable to transport supplies by road due to landslides.

As many as 2,400 households are facing the possibility of starvation. The two helicopters lowered goods to isolated areas including Tra Vinh, Tra Tho and Tra Thanh.

Vietnam News Agency Correspondent Tri Phuong yesterday reported that Quang Nam Province has spent VND15 billion to help victims restabilise their lives and most students had returned to school.

Chairman of Phu My People’s Committee Huynh Van Nam said the district presented VND1million to two men for their daring rescue of three trapped people.

Raising donations

The Party Central Committee’s office on Wednesday raised VND300 million from leaders and staff to support flood victims in the Central region.

Organisations and people in Ha Noi have sent VND1.6 billion to affected provinces. Meanwhile Binh Thuan Province has sent VND310 million.

The Viet Nam Red Cross Society in co-ordination with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have sent nearly 5,000 boxes of family appliances and 420 tonnes of rice to victims.

The Canadian Embassy yesterday announced it was sending C$100,000 to flood hit areas including Son La, Hoa Binh, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. — VNS

It's Friday....
Today is our weekly update day. The news we received is sad and I am passing it on to all our readers so you can pray for the lives involved.


In the past 2 weeks, there had been typhoons and rainstorms hitting central
Vietnam, including Da Nang. Although those storms are not new for the
people there, the storms have caused serious flooding problems in Da Nang,
especially in rural areas. But the orphanage in Da Nang is located in a
higher area and the kids are well protected. The threaded message is a
report from our associate in Da Nang.

Because of the flooding, government officials are putting aside everything
else and gave priority to handling the floods and sending relief necessities
to affected families there. Not much was done in regard to the child
dossiers. Jim will be contacting them next week.

-----Original Message-----
From: Hung Hoang

Hello Ray,

I called the orphanage about the children yesterday and got confirmed that
all the kids are fine. The orphanage is located on a high area so it was not
flooded. The kids were well taken care of during the time that the flood
came. Only the rural areas of Danang city have been seriously flooded while
the orphanage is located in the urban area. I have just come back from the a
joint rapid damage and needs assessment in Danang and Quang Nam province
with other international agencies so I learned that only Hoa Vang district
in Danang was badly affected. Just let the parents know about the kids'
situation so that they can have peace of mind.

Best regards, Hung


We are so thankful for the safety of Derek and the other beautiful babies in the orphanage. Hopefully relief will come quickly and we will get back on track again.

BTW....Our Friday Update didn't share much news with us. Here is a copy of it:
The Vice Director of Lien DOLISA has met the orphanage director one more time during the week. Jim is contacting him to find out if he was successful in pressing the orphanage director to work on fixing the child dossiers. Hard to tell as the orphanage director is still not eager to cooperate somehow. The PC meeting in last week has made it clear that the DOLISA will replace her if she is not cooperative.

And DOLISA is supposed to contact the Da Nang DOJ to seek their advice on fixing the child dossiers. We have no information on whether that has been done yet, or any initial results so far. But Jim is optimistic that we will get some kind of confirmation on that as early as next week. We will keep families posted.


I have confidence that e will hear more news early in the week regarding hopeful progress. We continue to worry that if the OD needs to be replaced that it will add on a lot more time in the fix ups as she it will be a time consuming process of hiring someone new and acclimating them to the situation at hand and then digging n to fix things. This could take more time. We are also concerned with the increase of "NOID's" being reported that there will be moratorium measures taken and our baby boy won't come to his HOME. Please continue to watch over us. We trul appreciate all of your prayers and concern. What a wonderful family we have made in the adoption world!!!

Yesterday we received an absolutely adorable picture of Derek (which by the way I would pass it on if I knew how to convert it from a word fike to one that can be copied into my pictures file). Included with it were a few details we were curious about. He is now 22 pounds and 30 inches tall. He is walking everywhere and he is eating rice, bread, noodles, banana, and cakes. He is babbling cha, cha and ba, ba. If anyone knows what those translate to we would love to know. He smiles and he interacts normally and closely with his caretakers. We were thrilled to get this news. Now we await our Friday update. Stay tuned!!!

After a busy weekend I woke this morning refreshed and ready to face another week of waiting. Yes it is getting harder, the wait is unknown yet and we are getting so close to Derek's birthday knowing we won't have him in our arms for that or for Christmas. It is VERY hard. I am attaching a copy of the update we received on Friday. It is another step in a forward direction with still unknown results but it is none the less POSITIVE! This Friday should produce more news in the next step of the process. Let's hope that this week of the paperwork being at the SOJ will produce results that are going to be quickly repaired and the process will proceed on a timely basis.

From Mr. Jim Mayhew's report regarding yesterday's meeting with LC PC, LC DOLISA and orphanage director:

We met with the Vice Director of the PC for Lien Chieu, who is totally and completely on our side in getting this straightened out and the new vice director of DOLISA, Mr. Thanh who will be the person overseeing Ms. Mai, the orphanage director.

Ms. Mai has been ordered by the PC and her DOLISA director to repair these dossiers.

Mr. Thanh asked for one week to take these dossiers to the SOJ and soliciting their assistance in making the proper corrections and getting the files in order so that we will be able to properly process them with the SOJ and the CIS.

Ms. Mai was given the new CIS requirements for the child dossiers preparation and Mr Thanh acknowledged that the problems with the dossiers should be solvable.

This does not mean that we are through the hoop yet but it is the first step in the right direction.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Excitement...
I just got an email from our CM that we are allowed to send a care package to Derek. We don't have an address yet but hope to within a few days. I am already starting to contemplate what to put in the box. I will make a small album of a few pictures with American & Vietnamese translation in hopes the nannies will show him the book frequently. I will also send a blankie and a few toys. I am going to put something in for each of the children there. I can't wait to send it off to him. This brings much contentment to the fear of him not coming home. I now feel more confident that Derek will be HOME it will just be a little more time.

I am so nervous....
As most of you know, Vietnam time is 12 hours ahead of us here so that will officially make tonight November 1st there and as we lay our heads onto our pillows tonight and TRY to fall asleep the anticipation of "The Meeting" taking place there will mount inside if us. This will be a meeting that will hopefully be successful and provide us a light at the end of this hellish long tunnel. It will be the opportunity to demand the orphanage director to fix the baby dossiers and hopefully convince her to do it quickly. Wouldn't it be grand to get word for Christmas that our babies will soon be home. Today will be long and tomorrow even longer as we await our weekly update on Friay that will produce the results of "The Meeting" tonight.

On a side note, I wass cleaning up the yard and flower beds yesterday and poked myself in the corner of the eye with a branch (stupid move I know) and now have a dandy shiner. Makes for a diversion question for everyone to ask intead of an empty answered adoption question.

We received this update late this afternoon.....

J** has been working in Hanoi this week, but he is expecting the Nov 1st meeting to be a major event - PC officials, DOLISA, and the orphanage director will all attend the meeting, together with (Our Agency) representatives will keep families posted on the result of the meeting.

(Our Agency) has hired a local associate and a part time consultant in Da Nang in order to help J** deal with the L.C. orphanage affairs in a prompt manner. J** said he has more reasons to believe that the child dossiers can be fixed.

....so this is another positive side to our saga. We will anxiously await our update next week as that should really shed light on what needs to take place to correct the problem at hand.

Thanks again for your continued support and concern for our son and our family.

The uncertainty of this adoption we are swirled in the midst of has been udderly ridiculous and exhausting. I just feel like I can't go on fighting this. We now find out that the I600 form is going to be handled differently which for all of us who are going to be traveling (sometime) it is GOOD. It will most likely shed a week off of our in country stay. Lord knows this is good because I just want to get Derek in my home and move on with our lives. However...due to the fact that Derek's dossier is on screwed up mess with no end in sight to the repair of it, it could be an eternity yet until we get to the point of filing the I600. My concern is also that it is a 60 day process and there are documents in the baby dossier that must accompany the form and well.....the dossier is screwed up and the agency "has no access" to it. Therefore we don't even have an upfront abandonment report. I don't even know the real story as to how Derek got where he is. I have asked for it but was told there is "no access" to that information at this time. This whole process seems shady to me. Anyway I think it sounds like I am babbling so I will stop for now. We have also once again requested pictures and updates 2 weeks ago and still have not received any of that. As I sid before you would think this agency would be bending backwards for our comfort in the situation. Really with the agency president over there wouldn't you think taking a little time to send a few pictures and maybe a word or so about how Derek is doing would be the least the man could do. I realize he is busy trying to correct the problems that lie within the dossier mess but really a quick few pictures and we would be calmed for a week or so. We should be able to get something.
Okay I am stopping now.....

We got our update phone call this morning. we have been issued a form which might I add for those of you who have been following this for the duration...it is "THE FORM" that we have waited for since waaaay back when. We have been instructed to print the form, sign it, and FedEx it back to our CM for Monday. She will notarize it and send it off to the AZ office to forward to Vietnam. This is a step in a good direction. Not the end yet but a good step. We have been told that once the DIA has this document in our dossier they will forward it to the DOJ of Danang (where Derek is) and they can then beging their DEMAND for the orphanage director to fix her mistakes on the baby dossier and they will be matched together and the process will continue in a positive direction. I hope this means good and quick things are happening. I am setting our travel goal at May. It would be great to go before but I don't want to open a door that will once again slam on our noses. All in all I feel good about this news and I am looking forward to getting more info next week.

BTW did you all check out my new ticker????

Well tomorrow should be a BIG day. We are expecting some kind of news...hopefully I'm not setting myself up for a huge disappointment. News could come in many degrees at this point. I have requested from our agency updated pictures, measurements and the developmental update that I asked for 2 months ago and was promised. We'll see how compliant they choose to be at this point. We received our packet of info about the possible 2nd adoption we would like to dive into but have no energy to do so. It is financially hard for us to do but if it is meant to be we will find a way. If only I were a good fundraising type of person. I would never make a good salesgirl that's for sure.

On an exciting note we are making plans to hop a plane to California to spend a few days with Michelle & Jeff. I can't wait to see her again. I am really missing her. I think a little adoption bonding time is needed. Not to mention I can't wait to take my FIRST plane ride and to see L.A. This is going to be great!!!

Stay tuned for what I hope to be a "good" update tomorrow!!!

We still have nothing NEW to report here. We are expecting an update on Friday and hopefully it will be a GOOD one. Our agency forwarded out an update yesterday to all families in the VN program explaining the delay which I was glad to see them do this way everyone knows what is going on and what to expect. Naturally our paqperwork delay will cause a backload for the other families in line waiting. Seems so unfair. I never imagined we would get so tangled up in this type of web. I am still trying to sort out in my head how this all happened and I just can't get to a rational reasoning no matter how many angles I try to look at. I have sorta started slipping into my anxiety and semi depression mode. Last night we went to Gymboree to buy a gift card for a friend of ours (we chose to do a g.c. since I just can't think about going to see their new baby and hold her in my arms while I am longing so badly for Derek to be there) and I left the store in tears. I want to buy things for Derek and I can't because the situation is still so shaky and I don't know when or entirely "if" he's coming home for sure. This is so hard.
Well I am trying to occupy my time by cleaning up the basement. We just got the girls a treadmill so Alyssa can continue running during her sports off seasons(which are few and far between) so I had to make a little extra room. The salon is very quiet this week and I'm not sure if that is good or bad. It just gives me more time to sit and think and stir around on this crazy computer.
We have requested information from another agency about another adoption. We will still carry through with Derek's adoption because even though not legally yet we are his parents and he does belong here. We will pursue another country through a different agency and hope that it is a smoother transition than this one has been.
Well when we get that update on Friday I will post the news.

We received an update today that sounded a little more upbeat and positive. The PC has recommended that the adoptions be pursued and that it will just take more time (not sure how long yet) and that it is still possible that we will be bringing Derek home eventually. We hope that the documents are fixable in a timely manner and that it won't take months. We are supposed to be getting weekly updates on Fridays now from Vietnam. This is a good thing and we are looking forward to hopefully better news soon!!!!
Thanks again for your continued support!

Thank you to all who requested to continue to follow our adoption. We have not had any more news and we aren't anticipating any for about 2 more weeks. The wait has been gruelling and it isn't getting any easier. I have maintained strength through this and have relied alot on Ativan to get me through the panic attacks. Looking at the nursery and the many piles of clothing have been so hard the past few weeks. We have started looking into compiling a new dossier for another country and hope to have that completed by Christmas or before. We still intend to pursue the adoption of Derek if the agency returns with news that he is still adoptable. We just don't want to wait to hold our child so we have decided to plunge forward and if we are meant to have 2 more children that that is the way it will work out for us. Keep us in your thoughts and we will continue to update you as we receive news.

Due to some things we have encountered in our adoption process we have made a very hard decision about this blog. We have been forced to change this to a private invitation only blog. I will be making the final cutoff on October 10th so that you will all have plenty of time to get on the list. If you would like to be put onto the invitation list you are welcome to leave us a comment and include your email address. Thanks for following our journey and as soon as things smooth out we will be back on here for all of you to follow to the end. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments and your much needed prayers and support.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.....

Let me hold my baby boy!!!!!

DEVASTATION!!!!!

We received a call that there has been a total devastation in our adoption. Our baby along with the 4 others in the orphange have dossiers that are incomplete and incorrect and possibly unfixable. We are awaiting a call back from our agency in the next 3-4 weeks to give us insight as to whether the dossiers can be fixed and we can continue to move forward giving us at least a 8-9 month time frame from now until he's home or the worst case scenario being that Derek will never come home.
My heart hurts so bad!!! This is my baby boy who God has chosen for me and now He wants to take him away. WHY????????
I can't continue on with such a heavy heart. Please wish us well as we struggle through the next few weeks waiting for the Vietnam Officials decision.

WEEKEND OF FUN....

We had a fun time this weekend all the way around. Friday we chilled out with the girls after heading out for suppe at Friendly's. We also did a little "Derek shopping" again. Gymboree had a HUGE sale and I can't pass them up. I think we now own about half of the store. I just hope he fits into it all when he FINALLY gets home!
Saturday my girls had plans with their dad so they couldn't tag along for our Saturday night adventure but we were lucky enough to take my monm, brither (Ken) and hi 2 boys (Kyle & Kurtis) along to Balloon Fest. It wasn't such a success though due to the windy conditions only 1 balloon was brave (or crazy) enough to take sail. Look how beautiful though!


Here are my nephews looking as though they have about enough of it for the night. It was rather cold and windy and truthfully till it was all over we all had enough for the night...


Sunday Norm & I headed to Boyd's Bear Bingo for the afternoon. e didn't win a thing but we had a great time smiling across the table at each other. Then we went to a local fair Sunday night and stuffed our bellies FULL!!!!

I was hoping for a little jingle of news today but that didn't happen. Hopefully by the end of the week we will have an update again.

Stay tuned....

PLEASE DON"T ASK WHY......

Because I don't have the answer. Yesterday we received our update from our agency. Our director had spent 3 weeks in Vietnam trying to tie up some ends and speed along our adoption of Derek. No success!!!! Instead we were hit yesterday with the fact of no travel until late November or early December. And truthfully....I will only believe it when I get the call to go. We were so sure that this was going to be the final delay when they told us October buy that hasn't been the case once again. We have been at this point in the road way too long now. Actually I am still feeling shocked and the pani attacks are still hitting me pretty hard. I am fearful of depression at this point. How much can one family take???!!!! I just don't understand. Now they tell us December and I just don't want to be spending Christmas there away from my girls. It's going to be a loooooong 3 months ahead.

SULKING....
That's the only title I could think of to describe my mood today! I can't stop thinking about the update that is yet to come hopefully next week. Our program director is in VN until tomorrow and will hopefully return on Monday with a world of information for us. My fear....another stupid delay. I can't continue being nice guy everytime we get a delay anymore. This is getting crazy. I fear not so great news because whenever the director has good news he shares it and we haven't heard any news back from him in the 3 weeks he has been in Vietnam....SCARY!!!!!


On to better things....
I thought I would take a little time and tell you about Michelle's visit. We had a blast. It was a jam packed schedule but we got it all in. She did tell me it took a lot of sleep upon her return home to catch up though. Take a look at a few photos of things we did together:
Here we are picking Michelle up at the airport.

And we brought her to this...


We spent a few hours checking out Chocolate World in Hershey, PA

Oh and another great highlight was our trip to the Wing Buffet (50+ flavors of wings)

A trip to a local hangout...Norm was our "Party Wagon Driver"

I got in trouble for this one by security

Michelle climbed (not without difficulty) high on top of a rock at Little Roundtop in Gettysburg, PA

Michelle & I stormed Little Roundtop with our captivating ways



It was a truly emotional farewell for me at the return to the airport


It was an absolutely wonderful visit that I wish wouldn't have had to end. The greatest thing of all is that I have found a friend with whom I share a world of likeness with and even though we are on opposite sides of the U.S. we will always have each other. Thanks to the world of technology and my persistance to find someone from the same agency and the same adoption country as us I found Michelle!!! The only consoling words I could hear as she departed from the airport were Norm's words saying how wonderful it was to watch Michelle & I interact and have such a great time together. There was never a moment that didn't feel right. It was like we had been friends or sisters forever. What an awesome time. We now look forward to hopping on a plane and (as Michelle would say) "jet-setting" across the country to her home and to meet Jeff. We can't wait. How wonderful it will be to spend such an important time of our lives together in Vietnam. It really doesn't get any better than this:

NEW PICTURE...
We were awakened today by the sound of the telephones rings. Norm answered as usual and I could hear our CM's voice on the other end. WOOHOO!!! I was hoping for a substantial update however there was no news yet. The positive to the call was that she told us she had placed a new picture of Derek in our inbox. WOW...what a great start to the day and week!!! I love the update days!!! Wish i could post the whole picture but I can't yet. So anyway he is really growing and SOOOOO CUTE!!!!! He is standing so i'm sure it won't be long until those sexy little legs get him from spot to spot. Oh are we in for trouble.
SNEAK PEEK...

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED.....

These are a fun way to learn a little extra about our friends in "Adoption World". Here it goes.
I will list the rules and then on to the game:

Here are the rules of this tag...


You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name.
**If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
**When you are tagged, you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.
**At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
****Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged & to read your blog!

Fortunately for me I have an extremely short middle name!!!

A--Always on this crazy computer looking for any tidbit of info I can find or any encouragement out there from my friends.

N--Norm my hubby is the light in my life. He has been my strength and my contentment through some of the roughest of days on this journey.

N--New friends can be found through this process and I was fortunate enough to reach out and be persistant in finding one and along came "My Michelle".

Now I will TAG 3 people (Bet alot of you out there are glad I have a short name now too aren't you!!!):

Michelle--Harwells.org
Ange--The Road To Vietnam (CONGRATS ON THE NEW REFERRAL!!!)
Jonathan--Days of the Dragon

Have a good time with this it is fun!!!!

24 HOURS

In 24 hours Norm and I will be at the Harrisburg Airport waiting in extreme anticipation for Mihelle's plane to land. Soon I will be able to wrap my arms around my very dear long distance friend and feel the warmth of our friendship. We have journied through this adoption together for 11 months now and with the help of our webcams we have united in a new way. Seeing each other and sharing 4 days together will only add to the excitement of our bond. I cannot wait to see Michelle and to spend our days doing whatever the day brings to us. Keep alert as I will be sure to post some pictures of our exciting reunion together!!!!

Pictures....
No not of Derek but this is his crib bedding that I finally settled on. It looks so cute in his room and it is soft and cuddly. We just need Derek to complete the set. I am going to go to Babies R Us and buy a few of the coordinating pieces to this set. I have to hang the valances yet but other than that we are set. This is the Zanzibar pattern by Kidline. Isn't it too cute!!!!! I chose a design that will grow with him. We will be able to continue to use this on his toddler bed as he passes the next couple years. i also thought since he won't be much of a baby anymore once he is home that a little more mature of a set would be better. Not to mention the previous set I picked out was dicontinued and we didn't get all the accessories for with it and OMG I am all about the accessories!!!!

NEWS, NEWS, NEWS....

First I have to say that I am SOOOOOO excited to tell you that I am going to get to spend 4 wonderful days with...... MICHELLE!!!!! Yes, it's true. Michelle and I have become great looooong distance friends through our adoptions way back in the fall when we began talking. It was like a connection that clicked instantly and as time went on we needed to talk more and more and share all our ups and downs together. When I was down she was up and vice versa. We have complimented each other time and time again. We have shared incredible things through our adoption process. After all Michelle is the one who accidentally got our referral picture and fell in love with him only to find out "he" wasn't a "she" and it wasn't really her referral. She was such a trooper throught that. So I could go on and on with how many things have affected the two of us in mysterious ways. God has been so good. Anyway, I got a call from Michelle that she would be able to book a flight here to spend 4 days together. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!! She will be here in 12 days. We are going to have 4 whole days (not nearly enough but we'll make up for it) together to bond even more. I can't imagine what it will be like to pick her up from the airport. I have never done that before and it's going to be an awesome experience filled with tears of joy. Norm isn't sure he is ready to share me but I think he'll enjoy watching us together. He values our time together but I know he is excited for me to get to be with Michelle. He is a wonderful husband!!!! So stay tuned for lots of pictures of Michelle & I embarking on a new side to our friendship!!!!

In adoption news...we received an update today that we should know more news in a few weeks. Our travel will still be hopefuly October but it has a potential of being later. YUCK!!!! We are praying for Derek to be HOME for Christmas. The paperwork is finalizing and the authorities are getting their loose ends tied up which will hopefully be quick and we can hop on that flight. We'll post more as we hear it!!!!

100TH POST!!!!!!

Well I hoped for this post to be really exciting a chock full of good adoption news....
Sorry for the let down!

Anyway I wanted to post a few pictures from our vacation to Atlantic City wih the girls. We had a great time and the weather was blistering hot! We didn't spend alot of hours on the beach because it was just scorching! Enough time to get a few good pictures though. The girls had a great time!

Here's Jessica sitting on the window ledge 32 floors high above the construction at the hotel. The next few pictures show the inside and outside of our BEAUTIFUL hotel we stayed in compliments of DONALD TRUMP!!!! Thanks Donald...we were so spoiled here!!!









What an awesome place...huh?!?!?!
Here's a few random shots of the girls having fun and hanging around. We really enjoyed ourselves and it was a great family time together.










So today Alyssa started Field Hockey Camp for 2 weeks and then she andJessie start back to school on the 28th. Farewell to summer and relaxation!!!!!

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO.....

I just thought I'd humor everyone by showing you a few of my latest spending adventures. I will soon have us too broke to travel if I don't stop.
(Kimberly...I don't have the yard full but the house sure is getting cramped)!!!
I have been on a shopping frenzy and you aren't even seeing a quarter of it here. Since I have decided not to have a shower I thought we should start buying the things we are in need of. I have my eye on an awesome bedding set that I am working on finding at a great price. I'll find it....I hve perseverance (obviously).
So here is some of the goodies we've bought:

Naturally every nursery NEEDS a rocking chair. This one looks comfy for late night feedings and I should be able to doze off in it. Rocking makes me tired so I hope it works for Derek too!!!

Of course we need a place to contain all of that finger food since that's what he'll be ready to eat by the time he gets home. I thought the colors on this highchair were great. They match our kitchen perfectly! And it has the jungle animal theme on it!!! HMMMM!!!

When you can't have the real thing you substitute to make the space look occupied! This is a bear that we adopted for Derek at the Boyd's Bear Country while we were in Gettysburg. Jessica and I adopted twins. I named him "Thanh Dat" (Derek's VN name) and he lays on Derek's changing table. It sure isn't the same but sometimes when I look at it it reminds me that this is still real and we will get Derek home soon!

One might say that a woman loves her shoes. Well who says a little guy can't too. I do love children's shoes. Unfortunately alot of the ones in this drawer aren't going to fit and will be out of season. I'd say that it is safe to assume that we won't be wearing sandals in the fall!!!! If you think this is alot check out the next picture...

This isn't even a third of his clothing. We have 2 totes filled and his dresser drawers are packed. He certainly will be the best dressed kid in Dornsife!!! I have once again been able to become a "Gymboree-aholic". I just love their clothes and I wore them on my girls and now I am finding the cutest stuff for Derek too. At one time I thought boy clothes weren't cute...boy was I wrong.

So as you can see I need to stop spending now and start saving for the trip. I have worked on trying to finalize packing but I need to see what the weather will be there in October. A little cooler I am sure and hopefully the rainy season will be over til then. I know flight prices come way down so that is a help!!!

Well hopefully we will have some more news and hopefully new pictures in the next few weeks. Keep watching here!!!

My next post will be my 100th post so I'll try to make it a good one!!!!