Friday, May 21, 2010

Logged In

WooHoo!!!  Our dossier has been logged in by the CCAA in China.  That means they have officially received our file.  Over the next few months our file will be reviewed and (we pray) that they will issue our LOA (a letter approving us and asking us to officially accept Noah's referral).  Our agency estimates we should travel 4-6 months from now.  We're very excited to have reached this step. 

We recently sent a care package to Noah in China.  It had a sweatshirt, socks, toys and a family photo album, labeled in Chinese.  We hope these will reach him and help to prepare him for his upcoming adoption.  The photo album we sent Micah while waiting to travel for him was a prized possession.  He still gets it out to look at, two years later. 

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Micah's Mother's Day letter to Mama

Here's what Bruce wrote for me for Mother's Day:

My mama rocks! She came all the way from the United States to get me in China when I was 2 and a half years old. (I’m a big boy now because I am already four years old.) In China, my mama held me, hugged and kissed me, and told me that she would never leave me. Even when I yelled, kicked and tried to get away from her, she just kept on hugging me and whispering my name and telling me she was my forever mama and that she would never leave me. Sometimes she would sing me to sleep, and after hearing the song about 10 times, I would fall asleep in her arms.

Now that I’m bigger and going to pre-K, my mama gives me breakfast and lets me choose my own snack for school. She sings songs to me and helps me with my homework. She picks me up from school every day and plays with me whenever I ask. And, at night if I have had a bad dream or am just lonely, she gets up out of her warm, cozy bed and runs to me, holds me and tells me that she is there, and that everything is going to be okay. And you know what? In just a few minutes everything is okay and before I know it I have fallen back asleep.

I had to have surgery in my mouth last year, and mama stayed with me and slept with me every night in my little hospital bed until I cried myself to sleep. She said she would not leave me and she didn’t!  My mama also spends extra time with me helping me to pronounce letters and words the right way, because I need a little extra help right now. But I am getting better and better each day and can say all kinds of stuff now. Sometimes I can’t stop talking, and my mama just laughs and tells me that I am special and that she just loves to hear my voice. That's why my mama rocks!

Thursday, May 06, 2010

Adoption Option Cookout

It takes a long time to grow an old friend.  ~John Leonard

We went to the Adoption Option cookout last Saturday.   It was so wonderful to reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones.  The best part was watching Micah play with his friends.  I have to tell you that the redneck train was a huge hit. 
Have you ever seen so much cuteness in one place?  
The motorized jeeps were great fun as well.  Micah eventually learned to steer without running into people and things. 
The joy shared by Micah and Sheridan was contagious.  These guys have been buds since Micah got off the plane from China.  Of course, Micah slept through that first meeting.  Not this time!!!!
  Riding off into the sunset.....