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Friday, March 28, 2008

Someday

We have the best agency, CCAI! They are wonderful and especially the ladies in the waiting child department as they have been the ones that we have been dealing with the most. We have been waiting over 100 days for our LOA. A few weeks ago, our agency began e-mailing to check on our LOA. They were given the response that it is in process. Then, we still did not get it. They contacted their liason in China who personally checked on our paperwork. They called yesterday to give us the update. The first words out of our agency representative's mouth were, "We are not as far along as we want to be but...". Apparently, there have been staff changes in the special needs program at the China Center for Adoption Affairs. Our paperwork has been in the review room and spent extra time there due to training of new personnel. It has now been reviewed and is awaiting the signature of the head of the review room. Then it will move to the matching room. There is no information as to how long the rest of this process will take. We are hopeful that it will move quickly and that we will get it soon and still be able to travel in May. At least we know though, that it is somewhere in process and not lost in translation! I am just so impressed with the ladies working in the waiting child program. There have been lots of changes to the program recently and this has to be stressful for them but I sure couldn't tell when I was on the phone with them. I feel that we are in such good hands!

Later that same day, I received an update on Graeme. He is now 25.3 pounds and 33.5 inches tall. It stated that he had not been sick recently and that he started walking at 14 months. He can feed himself finger foods and is saying some simple words. He enjoys noisy or moving toys and moves to music. He likes to look at picture books and is affectionate. He can wave and clap. He shares a room with 12 children. We did not receive any new pictures with this update but are so thrilled with the information. I just can't wait to get him in our arms!

So we are back to waiting. I hope the wait goes by quickly. There is another family from our agency who should travel soon to get their daughter and they will try to get more information and pictures for us when they go and that will help. In the meantime, we will do all we can to stay busy. Mikie if you are reading this...a nice bottle of Cabo Wabo could halp ease the pain of the wait too!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Easter pics...finally

I have been a little late posting these...lots going on this week. Lily's basket with lots of goodies appropriate for a long flight to China...what a Smart bunny!
Graeme's sweet basket with toys to greet him!

Lily discovering her basket. She then immediately asked about Graeme's basket as she had to make sure that the bunny remembered her brother...so sweet!

Egg hunt after church with a few snow flurries...Burr!

Lily and Meghan bunny - our third year tradition!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Century Clubs Newest Members

We are officially the newest members in the Century Club (a term used in the adoption community for those who have waited 100 days or more for LOA). Today is our 100th day waiting. It is a milestone that I never imagined we would achieve. Initially, things were going so quickly and it now seems that we have been waiting forever! I am just so anxious to get Graeme home. It is so hard knowing we are waiting here and he is waiting there. I have heard that there are packages on the way to agencies. Hopefully, they contain LOAs and ours is included. Stay tuned.....maybe we will be on this list for the shortest time. I sure hope so!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Spring Adventures

Lily has had many adventures this week...Adventures in Spring...well almost Spring anyway. We have been so busy that I have not had time to post to the blog except for our new pictures of Graeme! We were so excited and thankful to receive that!
At the beginning of the week, Lily and her K-3 class took a field trip to a local park for a picnic and an Easter egg hunt. No one expected the temperature to drop or the 40 mile an hour winds but fun was definitely had by all at the First Annual Freezin' Egg Hunt!!!
Lily is saying, "I'm really cold Mama!" through those chattering teeth!
Once the egg hunt began, she forgot all about the cold and wind!
Our next Adventure was Lily's cheerleading debut! Her K-3 class has 2 basketball games and the students can cheer or play. She chose to cheer and let me tell you, she was way INTO it! You can definitely tell that she was trying out some of the Wildcat moves she had seen on High School Musical for the 1000 times she has seen it. We just enjoyed watching her have so much FUN!

She is definitely a natural and we already knew that she was super flexible. Mom's worse nightmare is that she will be the top of the pyramid cheerleader when she is older. Thank goodness there are no pyramids in K-3!

GO BIG GREEN!
Today we went to the Bunny Bash at the local elementary school. Pics with the Easter Bunny, face painting and another egg hunt oh my!

strike a pose


Lily and Emma

Thursday, March 20, 2008

NEW PICTURE OF GRAEME!!!

I am so excited to share our newest picture of Graeme that was taken in China today. Jeff Kircik with Packages of Hope (www.packagesofhope.org) visited the orphanage today and took this picture of our son and his favorite nanny, Lu Zong Wen. Jeff contacted me last week and said that he thought he would get to go to the orphanage this week. I sent him a brief list of questions (now I am wishing I had sent more:) He got them all answered and more pictures. I am so grateful for him taking the precious time to do this for us. Each glimpse into Graeme's life gives me more peace than can be expressed. We have waited 94 days now for our LOA and the wait has been such a struggle. I live for information and Jeff has really helped me to feel connected to our son. We found out that Graeme can drink from a cup and feeds himself with a spoon. He is not yet potty trained (Darn!!!) Jeff said that the staff calls him Li Jun and he shared his new name with them and they will begin using it to help him transition. Jeff assured us that Graeme is in really good hands. He also emphasized that our little one is ACTIVE and ENERGETIC!!!! I can't wait to see him smile and play with his big sister, Lily Wen! I also can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Saturday, March 15, 2008

Modeling Debut

This week Lily Wen and her best friend Lily were in a local fashion show. It was for a local boutique and was a lot of fun for the girls.

Lily and Lily Wen posing before the show.
Bestest Friends

Tucker and Lily Wen waiting to begin.

The big entrance!

So much for all that practice posing backstage A little sadness now that the modeling debut is done.....there is always the Fall Show girls!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Waiting and Waiting and Waiting

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More LOAs came yesterday for our agency. Some people who got their referral a month and a half after us received their Letter of Acceptance. We are still WAITING. We have now been waiting 85 days and I must say that I am getting a bit overwhelmed and frustrated. Our agency is wonderful and even though they can't explaing why we are waiting so long, they are checking into it for us. We are hoping to hear any day now. So keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we WAIT and Graeme WAITS. This has definitely been the hardest WAIT so far. Somewhere on the otherside of the world is someone at the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs that holds our fate and the fate of our son in their hands. Please help them to process the paperwork so we can bring him home!!!!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

FUN in the Snow!

Lily and I came to Lexington so I could see the doctor on Friday. We had planned to spend the weekend with our dear friends, Mel and Brian who are waiting for their referral for their daughter from China. It's a good thing we planned to stay because a Winter Storm hit on Friday and continued through today. There is about 5 inches of snow on the ground and Lily is in heaven. We just wish that Wes were here with us. He is working nights to get his nursing hours in so he can go to China with us. We miss you, Honey! My favorite shot of the day is the one below. Ice Princess
Mommy, Lily and the snowman she made with Brian. That snowman is twice the size of the one we made at home a few weeks ago. It rocks and she LOVES it which is all that matters!

Lily and Mel

Mel, Margaret and Lily getting ready for a snow fight!

Lily attempts to block with her High School Musical umbrella but Mel sneaks some snow in anyway!!

I just can't get enough of that smile!

My angel making her Snow Angel

Lily and Brian take a break from working on their snowman

She is dancing in the snow and loving it!
Hugs with friends

After we came inside and changed into dry clothes, Lily asked in a very exasperated way...."Mom, when are we ever going to China to get Graeme?" To which I replied in my usual...."just as soon as China will let us Babe". To which she replied, "I sure wish China would hurry up!"
Me too Baby, Me too!!!!!!!!

Monday, March 3, 2008

Happy Birthday Granny and NaNan (Mom and Lil' Sissy)!

Two of the women that I love the most in this world celebrate their birthdays two days apart. My Mom turned 29 (yet again) on March 1st...not quite sure how that happened since I turned 40 and my sister celebrates her birthday today!! Even though I live far, far away, I love them both with all my heart. I never quite feel the distance as much as I do on special occasions when I can't be there to give them a hug. I find it difficult to convey my emotions through a telephone. I just want to pause for a moment and honor them as they mean so much to me. I am so blessed to have them in my life. I wish that I could have seen you both this weekend and I hope you know how much I love you.Mom with my Lily Wen
Baby Luke with my sis, Jodi