WE are over the moon to announce that Paul has a Baby Sister!

Name: Guang Si He
Si = ponder, to think, or to miss
He = Bird Crane, longevity, good future

Birthdate: Septeber 23rd, 2005

Providence: Jiangxi
Guangchang County Social Welfare Institution

More info coming on Wednesday!!!!

Congratulations everyone that got referrals today!!

~Until Next time~

Today should be the day that we get the information on our little girl. we are very excited with anticipation! Okay, more than very excited we are coming out of our skin. But of course we don't do anything without hiccups along the way. SO, of course today is also the day that we will be spending the day at Children's hospital. Paul has to have some oral surgery done... few cavaties, nerve treatment, caps, the works.. POOR little one. Dr. believes it is from lack of prenatal care. or he just has very bad luck when it comes to teeth! so now not only are worried about that, as they are putting him under to do all the work, we have to worry, will our phones work at the hospital! if not, that is okay, we will just our info later in the day!! Okay... today is going to be a good day!!

~Until Next Time~

There is about 30 miles between us and the information of our baby. Our Agency's package is in Wilmington Ohio.......... ARGH. We could be in Wilmington in less then hour. But of course that would do us no good, and the package is being sorted so it can go on to Evansville Indiana which is 5 hours away from us. Can you say frustrating. But at least it is out of California. This weekend is going to go so SLOW!
~Until Next Time~

I just checked the website one last time before bed... not expecting anything... BUT DHL has our package in California!!! YEA!!!!!!!!!!! if that package can get on a plane tonight we still have hope for a referal tomorrow!!! or it will be a long weekend... Either way, info is on it's way!!

Until Next time

We are having a baby!!!!! Our "referral" is on it's way... who know where she is right now though. I am being a little cautious as the CCAA has not updated it's page yet and for some reason we can not get a tracking number on the package. So, I don't know if referrals have been sent, or will be sent. BUT FTIA confirmed that referrals are being sent this week and by early next week we should have pictures, and details! YAH! Today has been an amazing day, the first of many more to come. And on other exciting news I got my first TWO homestudies to do as a social worker. I am so excited to be on the other end of doing home studies!! Little nerve racking, but it will definitely help pass the time between referral and travel!

Okay, gotta go back to checking the CCAA website every two seconds and to bug DHL for tracking numbers!!

~Until Next Time~

Some old friends, together again...






This weekend was the FTIA Family Reunion. Let's just say the weather was perfect and the company was even better. Every year it seems like we know more and more people and it just makes the picnic that much more enjoyable. This year was especially wonderful for us, as Maureen and her daughter Liza made the trip to the reunion. Maureen travelled with us on our second trip to Russia and our children are from the same region of Kemerovo. Liza is not from the same baby home, or same city as Paul, but she was the first friend Paul had outside the walls of the Orphanage. They had not seen each other since Paul was six months old and we left our hotel for the last time in Moscow Russia. We introduced the two, and Paul simply stared at her, taking Liza in. It was one of the most moving things I have witnessed. It was as if they knew eachother, and knew just how special they are! They had a wonderful time chasing each other, and playing together throughout the day. Paul and Liza will always have a bond that is very special. We hope to go see Liza and her mom later this year. With our new found reconnectedness we want our children to grow up knowing each other and continuing on with their special bond.

Aside from the reunion we got to spend some time with Bob's best friend and his wife; Scott and Dr. Amy. Scott has been VERY busy studying to take the Bar exam and we are very thankful he was able to spend some time with us just two days before the biggest exam in his life. Needless to say I got to learn about some law... I am sure he will PASS and we are sending him many prayers!

We were awoken this morning by the oddest sound. At first I thought Scott and Dr. Amy's air conditioner was going in and out. Bob thought Paul was breathing heavily (okay so REALLY HEAVY) Then Bob and I both jolted awake realizing it was hot air balloons... LANDING in their back yard. YUP that's right~ THREE hot air balloons landed in Scott and Amy's back yard... Okay so the field immediately behind their back yard. Needless to say it renewed my interest in wanting to go up in one. Bob promised a few years back for my 30th birthday, so maybe this year for my B-day we can go on a hot air balloon ride (HINT HINT BOB~). After the excitement of the Hot air balloons, we got our selves up and going and then spent the day at the Indy Zoo. It is such a kid friendly place, and a great way to wear Paul out for the ride home.





Paul and Liza's First car ride together



2 1/2 years later - fast friends.



It has been a wonderful weekend with my boys, and it was good to get away from the gossip and frustration of this current adoption. But alas it is Sunday Night and I am dying to check the sites, as it MONDAY morning in CHINA!
~Until Next Time~

GOD we love Paul so much... we can't imagine life without him!! he brings us joy, happiness, and LOVE! Here's our boy... almost THREE~
Until Next time~

As all of you have probably figured out by now... I am not a patient person. Each day I pray that I will learn how to be a patient person, and I can't always have what I want when I want it... But each day passing, I tend to lose optimism and patience. It is one of my many character flaws, but it is a doozie. I wish I could revel in the fact that it really looks positive that we will be in the next batch of referrals. All our signs are positively pointing that we are in the next batch of referrals. Actually the rumors are saying through JULY 13th. Which is very disappointing for several late July people, but such a blessing to my ears. I cannot wait to finally see a picture of this child that I have dreamt and talked about for so many months. I can't wait for Paul to actually see his sissy, and realize what we have been talking about for MONTHS on end. But, alas, who knows if that picture will actually come this month. I know... don't look at the rumor boards, don't pay attention to crap that people spew out on those boards... but these rumors are the only thing I have to hold on to. Our agency is very closed lip, just for this reason, but it is frustrating. Oh, I haven't said what the latest rumor is: apparently the CCAA is moving... okay that part has been a rumor for months now. BUT supposedly they are now actually in the move phase. This Move can take any where from 1 to 3 weeks, and referrals will not be sent out till the move is complete. Now, why should I really expect anything less? I shouldn't even be the least bit frustrated, what is a few more days / weeks at this point???? So, it feels like a lifetime, I know it isn't. So, I shouldn't have told everyone, HOPEFULLY we will have Kyra's picture at Paul's Birthday Party. At least I said HOPEFULLY. So, it is one more stupid "goal" date that I made up in my head that we didn't meet. In the scheme of things, it won't matter. We will get the referral and the picture of our angel, when it is time to get it. We will travel when it is time to travel (don't worry I am sure there will be some kind of delay there...) Darn that North Korea thing going on right now, making me quite the nervous Nellie. You know I am secretly, 'k not so secretly praying, that this post is being written in haste, and at the end of this month we will see our baby, and I can look back at this post and just laugh... But I am not me without having something that is totally out of my control, to worry about! ~Until Next Time~
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UPDATE: our agency did confirm that the CCAA will be moving for the next few weeks, hence it "may" slow down referrals and TA'S a bit this month!! ARGH! Also, there is a nasty rumor that one of the providences that our agency uses may be lengthening the time for their adoptions. Hopefully that is just one nasty rumor. I couldn't imagine being away from PAUL longer... Not to mention Grandma(s) and Grandpa may go crazy with Paul for that long. (let's just say we would be pushing 3 weeks...) But we are not going to put any thought into this rumor yet, as we don't know where we are going, and why freak out the parents before we need to!!
Until Next time.. waiting patiently.....

okay, just checked the "rumor" site. there are a few rumors going now... but I don't like any of them, and since I am remaining positive, I am not going to freak out right now... they just seem to talk in circles anyways... so for now... UNTIL NEXT TIME!

Well, of course all the boards are silent to any rumors this month. Why would I expect anything less! But I am not going to let it get me down... because as I stay positive, we are NEXT!

So for this post... I will just say we are waiting patiently. We are staying very busy this summer. Paul is keeping us on our toes to say the least. We have had some power stuggles. YES with an almost 3 year old, power struggles do occur. Potty training is still slow going. and we are having a difficult time deciding do we send him to pre preschool this year, or wait till next year. he will be just turning 3 next month, so he will be very young in the class, and I am not too sure he is completely ready. He is very smart, that's not the problem. It is hard to put our finger on it. We will be deciding in the next month what to do... a ton can happen in a month... like actually get our referral! Unfortunately we don't think we will have our referral before FTIA'S reunion. (It is next weekend). Last year when we went, we just got our LID, this year, we will just still be waiting. But we are totally looking forward to it! We have had a blast ever year, and I am sure this year will be no different.

Well, next time I promise to post some pics of Paul... Let's face it, he's my pride and Joy, even if he is a complete challenge! Maybe you guys can help me decide what picture to submit to FTIA for their calendar!
~Until Next Time~

I hope I do this right....... Just some quick words!

First, I would like to tell Sandy that "I LOVE YOU" and that I'm a very happy and a lucky man.

I'm very blessed to have you and "the boy" in my life. We are 3 now but soon to be 4 in just a short time. I am very excited for what's to come!

This is all for now, but you will hear more from me, so this is a good Start

- bye for now -

12 Months ….
52 weeks…..
365 days………
8,760 hours…….
525,600 minuets……
8,631,536,000 seconds……………. (If I did my math right, never was good at that!)

Any way you look at it; the wait has been unbearably long! Yet, we hit our one-year mark of waiting for our angel from China, and we wait a bit longer. But I remain uplifted and positive that this will be the month that we see her face and our dreams of becoming a family of four will happen! It will happen as God plans but I have a wonderful feeling that this will finally be “our” month. I feel that our “5-6” month wait will end just shy of 13 months. I believe that at Paul’s 3rd birthday party we will be showing family and friends pictures of Kyra. I know that life is quickly changing for us.

For now, I leave you with the words of a song I listen to every day… I found it a while back, and it has just become such a song of reflection for me. A song that I get lost in my thoughts of our daughter and the future we have with her and our son….

“We Thought You’d Be Here by Now” - BY Wes King

We thought you'd be here by now
Your mother and I
We're praying through our tears that somehow
We might hear your sweet cry
Have we waited too long
It's getting harder to be strong
Is there something we've done wrong

But if you like dancing
I'll make it rain rhythm and rhyme and melodies, child
And if you like dreaming
Your mother will make your imagination run wild
Somehow, we thought you'd be here by now

We have a room just for you upstairs
It's right down the hall
So we'll be close should you ever get scared
We'll come when you call
It's a room full of stories
Waiting to be told
Longing to behold

And if you like laughing
I'll paint you a circus of smiles and Ferris wheels, dear
And if you like dreaming
Your mother will fly you to worlds both far and near

Somehow...
I never knew that silence
could make me so deaf
I never knew that I could miss someone I've never met
Miss someone I haven't met yet

We'll be waiting.....


~Until Next Time~