We went on a great adventure today to Bat Trang. We drove through the town and entered a dirt road. It was amazing and true Vietnam. On this dirt road we are driving is a canopy set up and a man cutting hair. Farther down I guess two men had to go to the bathroom so they just pull over and relieve themselves. The road is narrow and they honk like someone is listening (they don’t) as you pass on curves and pray that your going to make it to your destination. One right turn and your in Pottery village. What an amazing little town of one pottery shop after another. We were taken into the first shop and up 4 flights of stairs to watch them make and paint cups/bowls. This turned out to be well worth the trip and we so enjoyed going from one shop to the next. The picture above is a mans bike with his goods on it. We found the seat but not the pedals. Wish I had seen him pedal up.
After arriving back we went for another walk. You have to be careful of where your going as the streets do not run even and we learned fast how easy you can go in the wrong direction and end up at the opposite end of where your headed. I think Myles is shopped out as he falls asleep each day on our shopping trips. Today we tried to keep him up for as long as we could. I think it was later then yesterday so maybe I will not be getting up at 3am again.
I left the kids at the hotel and ventured out to get water. We use a lot as we boil water to clean the bottles. I make it to the corner and turn and here is a lady with her 5-6 yr old son who also had to go to the bathroom so right there he is going into the gutter. Thank goodness Myles was asleep at the hotel with Alyssa-lauren I would not want to have to convince him he could not do that too.
We got so many smiles today what a change already. She loves playing with her hands and loves to make noises. She loves sucking her thumb and could care less which one as long as she gets one in her mouth. She slept through daddy coming in but he will get his share tomorrow.

Rain Drops

It is raining again and my umbrella is home. As in California where it never rains. Seems I did a much better job packing the first time and not needing any of it then I have this time.

We have had the baby two days and just got her schedule. Hmm glad I had an idea what to do before. So at 4 1/2 months old this is her schedule.

5 times formula (per day)

60/ml each time

9pm bedtime

sleeping through the night

10-11am nap

3-4 pm nap

When she cries put her on your shoulder and massage her back....

So I look at my bottle and realize I am feeding her to much. she gets only 2 oz 5 times a day and I am probably way over stimulating her as well. Thank goodness I didn't know what I was doing.

Here she is...

This is a short post because the import part is showing you Sierra. The picture is at the Giving and Receiving ceremony. We now look forward to our appointment next week so we can bring her home...

One interview down

We have the baby and had our first appointment this morning. We applied for her passport and have another appointment on Thursday to pick it up. We also have our first interview with the U. S Embassy on Tuesday at 3pm. This sounds like progress and we hope to be home soon. Meaning no change on our tickets or get out a day or two earlier, which I sure hope to be.
Sierra is HUGE. Yes you got that right but we will not have a weight till next week at our medical exam.
Myles is doing great and loves HIS baby. He asked where Rylee-ann is and we told him we are still trying. Have heard nothing from that agency at all since the last email that was only full of threats so we have no clue where we stand.
Today's forecast RAIN. I packed for hot not cold argh...

2 days early

We got her she is our and now we wait for papers to be done so we can bring her home to you. Exhausted is what we are so this is going to be short. More tomorrow but after a long day and long drive we need sleep. She looks twice the size of the other baby's that are only 2 weeks younger then her.
:)

Hoi Chi Minh but in Hanoi

Today we woke up and thank goodness we had an excuse that our hair looked so bad. The power went out, not that power would help at this point. We learned that curly is all we will get with some frizz.. And you wonder why we lose power???

Breakfast was at candlelight but they did have some things we were able to recognize. the pineapple is better here then home. It is so neat eating and watching the traffic pass you buy. Our only problem so far is any street vendor catches Alyssa-Laurens eye and she thinks we should buy from them because they are sad.
We met the staff and off to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Talk about lines, Disneyland they have you beat. We wound in and out to where they take your stroller first and purse but you are told to keep your money. If I understood right it was be back by 12 or was it 12:30. You then continue down the line around corners and past buildings to the next security that you go through. This time they scan your camera and give you a bag. What is the bag for is all I could think. Two turns and a block over is where they take your camera. Not close yet but getting there we reach the building and walk up the stairs and into a cold room with guards. It is a casket looking shrine with what would be Hoi Chi Minh inside (wax?).

Now remember I told you it was 12 or 12:30? Well we did not get back in time and our guide had no clue which way to go let alone how to figure it out. I kept pointing that way she went this way instead. Ok I knew it was wrong finally I headed my way and we found the building but it was closed.. Locked up dark as in they all left. Not a problem they will come back after lunch right? Turns out WRONG. They were waiting for us outside and not happy at all they have the afternoon off. Phew we got our stroller and my purse.

This is only the start and what an amazing town. Don't get me wrong I loved Hoi Chi Minh city but this is smaller streets and a different atmosphere.

And to end our day we took a walk to the lake. We got back before dark so as you can tell its still early but we are now 14 hours ahead (daylight savings is not observed here thank goodness or it would be 15 hrs). So by 4 pm my man was out cold.....

Where are we????

Wow talk about tired. We arrived into Hanoi safe and less quite a few tears It was one emotional send off no wonder my daughter and I are so exhausted. Grandma and Grandpa rushed to see us off and finally at 11:30 we parted to the security gates. I thought I was going alone as my daughter did not want to let her sister go.
The flight was very long but good. Myles slept for quite a while on the first leg (the long one). Now its only 20 to 4 in the afternoon here and I am so tired and of course he is awake. We were met by our agency staff and taken to our hotel. How you find the street is beyond me as I am sure we went in circles for 5 minutes to just get here.
Tomorrow is another day and we are exhausted so more tomorrow.
Bye from Hanoi

They said be flexable

So as I pack the last of my things I get a call from our agency.... You have to be kidding is my thought but heck what is an extra 5 days. It seems that our giving and receiving is moved to Friday and I tried to change my flight but as usual they are all booked. How is it that every flight into Hanoi Vietnam is booked from Monday through Wednesday. So we go as planned and get to site see. They will also help arrange for a few excursions. I am getting so excited. Now the bad news :) I did manage to get my husband on a flight to come in on Friday and leave Sunday. Why you ask? The baby is an automatic citizen if he sees her before the completion of our adoption. This makes our life easier and we do not have to see our social worker again for 1 full year this way. So the bad news is I got him on our frequent flier miles but he travels first class. Now does this sound fair to you? I thought not. I am so jealous we are flying deluxe class...

Is she still sick?

I have tried for one week to get my daughter out of school and on independent studies to no avail. It seems she does not qualify because our school district does not like independent studies. Sad but she is going no matter what. They seem to want me to leave her with anyone and I mean anyone and say it is a law that I send her to school. How about home schooling? Oh they are against that as well.
So our bags are almost packed, my 14 yr old is going with me as well as my 3 year old. No you did not miss it my husband is staying home. Can he call her in sick each day?
So tickets, passport, visa all here but the power of attorney has not gotten out of San Francisco.
I am so looking forward to getting there and holding our daughter.

One last paper

We had to get one more paper since Chuck is not traveling with me, his power of attorney giving me permission to make the decisions in Vietnam. Now if they would let me sneak in an extra child while there don't think twice I would :) it does not specify much on it. So first thing this morning the notary, then to the County office in Van Nuys to pay $9 to tell someone that the notary is real. Do I wish I had a camera today. I get to Van Nuys and park (a miracle on its own) and head inside. Turns out I missed the girl who gives us the gold seal she went on a Mint break. Yeah you read that right the sign said "15 Mint Break". I so wanted to ask 20 minutes later how her mints were. You then take this document to the Secretary of State's office in L.A and another $26 dollars later they will certify the county is real. Add parking and my document so far has cost me $41 dollars. Don't worry the Consulate of Vietnam gets it next for another $50 dollars and the Express mail at $14.95 each way runs you at $120.90 least they could do is add another baby in the deal.
And now the packing they say light. If I am allowed 6 suitcases (2 per person) is taking only 4 light? What worries me is what my 14 year old is planning on packing this may go up to 6.

Can it be true?

We have not posted as it seemed all our posts were taken back to the first agency as well as a family who took the pictures of our girls off our page and inquired about adopting them. Sorry for the inconvenience but I had no other way to log our journey and not have it get taken back to our first agency.

So the good news is we got a call Feb 27th. This person is singing "Your going to Vietnam" over and over. Ok I knew this.. right its in the end of March most likely April. WHAT???? Be there by March 19th your kidding. I don't think I quite got it all day. We are getting Sierra this is real.

WE ARE COMING TO GET YOU....

Wow I have a lot of work ahead of me.....

The close of another month

Wow can you believe January is almost over? I feel like the months just flash by. Good news is that my crib is suppose to arrive in February. I am now working on the bedding. This is what I want (for today at least)

Now alls we need is a baby to put in this room.
We did get an email today from our agency. Nothing new on travel at all. Seems they are working on getting new orphanages but somehow that does not make this any easier as we approach 8 months from referral. What surprised me though is the email of travel expenses. I thought this was illegal in Vietnam. Our orphanage donation goes to the agency not the orphanage, we pay for a car and driver (wasn't that our international fee's?) and told to give $150-200 to the orphanage director $100 to the assistant director and $20 to each nanny being 5-10. This does not include the donations I made already of brand new clothes, formula (23 cans) toys, T.V they asked for.
The family that traveled with me in December said it was over $5000 by the time they were done WOW.

Long W. eekends

We had a wonderful weekend painting and building a shelf for the babies room. I thought I would just do the basic and not buy a new crib and bedding until we got home with no baby.. I bought a new crib and think I found the bedding I want. Here is the crib (not our room though)

I painted the room green and yellow. Now for the problem.

We got an email today from the agency. Now remember its 7 1/2 months from referral and we hear little to nothing from them but be patient. Today they said they wanted a check for $140 sent to them so they could make an appointment to update our fingerprints. Hello they do not expire till May 15, 2007 are they kidding? That is 11 months from referral and they do not expect us to have our baby home? No reason given just send the money, only we do not live in their state and they did not do our home study. So will we ever get this little one home to use her crib.....

They said it never rains in California.. How about snow?

What a week we have had here. We go from hot and windy to rain and then the unbelievable SNOW. Yep it snowed at the beach amazing. At least it was not enough to cause total havoc but enough to say California got snow.
This is when I am so grateful that I have a fireplace in my room too. You cannot turn it on when its hot outside and you have the air conditioner on it really is silly but on chilly nights its so nice to just have a fire in your room and your relaxing and the kids are asleep.
It has been an interesting month and I decided after my return from Vietnam that I did not like my job anymore. No I still like being a mom I just didn't like working at the store anymore. So I quit and boy the manager was not happy. So two weeks later I decided to apply at a store I walked by in the mall and filled out the paper. The manager took it spoke to me for a few minutes and asked me to call this number to answer questions. She said as long as you pass you have a job. Ok now the question I have is who would not pass. Would you steal? No Would you take drugs while at work? No Would you let someone who stole have a second chance? No More drug questions more questions about stealing. Does anyone actually say yeis I am a drug addict and I steal?
Still no news on the baby. She is getting older and missing out on so much. Not one email from the agency but we did get an email from the US Embassy in Hanoi. Tet is coming up and if we do not hear soon we will not go before march. My baby will be one in March.

Did I miss thatEMail?

Ok so our little girl is 10 months old today. We are ok with the fact we wanted an infant as young as possible but not ok with 7 months of waiting. Did you know that most of the staff at our agency seems to be gone.
I am searching for the email that says the program director from Vietnam is gone. I guess its lost did you get it? I did get another email today that says they have new pictures of her. This time only 2 and I cannot open any of them. Odd was we have a new program director she signed it as if I knew. Said she is cute here are the pictures.
I so hoped it was the call to get her :(.
Oh tried to reply to a comment but I cant, is this even possible? My daughter is in Can Tho, do you have a referral?

I held off for so long too....

So I didnt write about our 3 weeks in Vietnam and I wrote little when we got home. Today I just felt it was time to write. Can you believe that I got pictures within an hour of my post. Ok yep I cried but she is smiling which she learned in the 3 weeks we had her. Her hands are open not in a fist also something that changed in the 3 weeks. Only thing wrong is the agency said nothing other then here are pictures we took. No news? No date? Ok more tears. My baby needs me..

THE PICTURE HAS BEEN REMOVED SINCE IT HAS BEEN COPIED FROM MY PAGE AS WELL AS ANOTHER. SORRY

One thing I learned in this process is DON'T ASK who is in the picture with her. That is how we fell in love with the 11 year old. So anyone looking for an older child? They are all so beautiful....

Time moves so slow

We are now 2 days away from the 7th month of knowing about a little girl who lives so far away but is such a big piece of my heart. Why we cannot hold or touch her we do not know. We do know we had the most wonderful 3 weeks with her but now we just cry. Our agency as you can guess has nothing to say. No phone calls no emails nothing. Business as usual except for us. They have cashed our check taken our hearts and say patience? Our baby is 10 months old tomorrow and will not be with us.
My heart is broken and another family plugs away telling others how great this agency is and how they side with them. How do you side with anyone when you do not know the facts. It is our intent to heal these broken hearts and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I miss my house

Ok its been 3 weeks and I know Ho Chi Minh city by the back of my hand. I can tell the taxi driver which way to go when they try to take you in circles. I can negotiate a good price on items we now need to lug home but ..... I cannot get them to release the baby. It is over 6 months from referral and we have watched families come and go. Both with our agency and not. What gets me most is that those traveling got referrals months after us, and the other family stuck with us. No more answers then when we left just wait and be patient. I would not wish this on anyone. We miss home and our family and want our daughter as a part of that family dont they get it.

So does the phone ring?

6 months later and not a step closer

Today it is 6 months since we got the referral of our beautiful girl. She is now 9 months old and we are not one step closer to getting her home. This is so very sad. Then to make your wait worse your agency says your only waiting 3 months. Does this include the time they lost all the papers in Vietnam? Who would ever imagine this would be the outcome, sure not us. It saddens us to see so many who signed long after us and who got referrals so long after us completing their adoptions. Congratulations to them and we are sorry we are not more excited. Hoping this is the week of more news and less Typhoons in Vietnam.