I bought this shirt at Target over two years ago in hopes of my daughter one day wearing it. It says "everyone loves a brown eyed girl." While waiting for our referral, I looked at countless blogs with beautiful little Asian girls sporting this cute shirt and couldn't wait for Mia to wear it. Oh how I love this little brown eyed girl!
Nothing like jumping right back into the business of life! We came home to the boys having football or soccer practices every week night and school starting in less than a month. Great timing, huh? I would have loved to have gotten a week under my belt of adjusting to being a family of six before the sports craziness began but that was not to be!
Mia had her first cardiologist appointment on Tuesday. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for September 8. We were at the hospital most of the day for various tests and we also met with a nutritionist. The cardiologist suggested that we try and boost Mia's nutrition as much as possible before she undergoes surgery. She is tiny at 15.8lbs so I think that this is the best course of action for Mia. She is a great eater and hopefully it is just a matter of continuing to make sure she is getting extra calories and putting on a little bit of weight. I may not have mentioned this, but in China, her nannies told us that they spoon fed Mia all of her liquids. She has no idea how to drink from a bottle or sippy cup so this has posed another challenge but we are slowly working on it. Another challenge we are facing is that Mia is behind developmentally and we may need to look into physical therapy. She is unsteady sitting up and is nowhere near walking. I am trying to hold off on the physical therapy for awhile because I would like to see what she is able to accomplish on her own here with us. I also am concerned about her emotional state and too many changes being thrown at her at once. Right now she seems to be interacting and bonding really well with us and I don't want to disrupt that.
Mia was at the pediatrician yesterday not for a physical checkup but for a sinus infection. The poor baby has had a cold since we left China and was miserable yesterday. Her first appointment with the pediatrician is not scheduled until August 25. I am going to talk to the pediatrician today because she really needs to be seen sooner with surgery scheduled for September.
We are having a great time getting to know our little girl. I know I continue to mention it but it is amazing to me that with all the life changes she has been through that she still laughs, giggles, and smiles at us. She thinks the boys are hilarious! She is a great little sleeper and she is already on US time! Yeah! She loves to be held but does not like her snugli so my arms are really getting a good workout! She is becoming more familar with toys and is even starting to find a few favorites though she will play with anything she can get in her hands on. I love to try and see things through her eyes knowing that this is probably the first time she is experiencing it.
Our lives have definitely changed and we are all adjusting to our new way of life with a toddler. Life is busy, busy, busy but we are all loving our little Mia!
After nearly 20 hours of travel time we are finally home! We arrived home around 10:30pm on Friday night to a wonderful but emotional homecoming! We were greeted by my parents, the boys, my sister, and my good friend Bev. It was a perfect homecoming after such a long flight. Mia did great on the long journey home and slept between Dan and I on the big flight from Beijing to Newark, NJ from 9:00pm to 4:30am. Everyone was so excited to meet her and she did so well with all of the attention.
We are slowly recovering from jet lag and Saturday was pretty much a blur. Mia and I both returned home with colds. Each day we are feeling a little better and are so glad to be back on US soil! There is no place like home!
We are all packed and ready to go. We will leave in the the early morning tommorow. This will be my last post on this blog until we return home. To continue to follow our journey in China you can visit us at
www.youbelong.net/thepetersons
Please pray for safe travels and peace as we leave the boys. Also pray that we make it through the temperature check when we arrive in China without incident. Next post will be from China!
7/8 Leave US for Beijing
7/9 Arrive in Beijing (we arrive in Beijing at 1:50 pm China time)
7/10-7/11 Tour Beijing
7/12 Depart Beijing for Zhengzhou
7/13 Mia Day!!!!
7/14 Adoption Registration
7/15 Free day or optional tours
7/16 Receive notary documents/free day/optional tours
7/17 Receive Mia's passport/leave Zhengzhou and fly to Guangzhou
7/18 Mia's visa photo and physical
7/19 Free time. Rest/Shop(oh yeah)/tour
7/20 Tuberculosis test though I think Mia will be free from this test because she is under 2
7/21 Free day with an option to shop(oh yeah again!) or tour unless we need to visit the clinic for a chest x-ray
7/22 Consulate appointment (getting closer to home)
7/23 Go to US Consulate to take our oath (closer to being homeward bound)
7/24 Leave Guangzhou for Beijing and then onto the good ole USA! Mia will officially become a US citizen as soon as we land on American soil!
Remember the Wizard of Oz and the tearful goodbye at the end when Dorothy prepares to leave in the hot air balloon? She says goodbye to the scarecrow last and with tears running down her face says "I will miss you most of all." It goes without saying that I will miss my boys most of all. It will be a hard 16 days without them. Honestly this is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. Each day since we began this journey I have prayed for the strength to be able leave them and board that plane to China. In my heart I know that I have a child that needs me to bring her home but it is still hard to leave three big pieces of my heart behind.
To Ethan, Logan, and Christian as we prepare to leave for China to bring Mia home I have a couple thoughts to share with you. First, I am so very proud of you for being willing to unselfishly share your parents with a little girl you have yet to meet. Not once have you complained about the football tryouts we will miss or the soccer practices we will not be here for. You have made the anxiety of leaving a little less difficult. You may feel a little sad from time to time and you may even miss us, right? Be a comfort to each other. I know that grandma and grandpa will take good care of you but each of you are a piece of "home" and are able to bring comfort to one another. A kind word or gesture could make a big difference! Of course the house rules still apply whether we are in China or not. Behave, speak kindly, do not aggravate, help out, eat your dinner. Remember we have eyes and ears everywhere, even on the other side of the world! Most importantly have fun and enjoy making wonderful memories with grandma and grandpa!
We love you and will miss you most of all! When we are reunited as a family, just as in the movie, I am sure we will all agree "there's no place like home."
In one week we will be boarding a plane headed to China. "I can't believe it" are words we have said countless times over the past couple of weeks but fail to do justice to the enormity of it all. Leaving the boys behind for 16 days, traveling to the other side of the world, and adopting a child we know very little about(but have fallen in love with) is enormous! Our lives are about to change in a big way!
In less than two weeks, on July 13, I will meet the little girl that once only lived in my dreams. I will hold the little girl that I have prayed for. In an instant she will become our daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, and a niece. As much as I have imagined many times what that moment will be like for us, I find myself lately wondering what that moment will be like for her. Frightening, scary, uncomfortable, unaware, these are just some of the feelings that come to mind. With these thoughts my heart breaks for all that she is losing and being taken away from.
She doesn't know how much she is loved and wanted. She doesn't know that we will never leave her and that we are her last "stop". She is unaware of the countless prayers that have been said for her. Prayers that she was being well cared and loved until we could be united. Soon she is going to be part of a world and family that she knows nothing about. We look different, we smell different, and we speak differently. She has no idea how her life is going to change. Our joy could be one of her greatest sorrows.
My thoughts also turn to her birthmother as we prepare to meet Mia. In my heart and because of information in her initial paperwork I believe that her birthmother loved her but due to circumstances could not care for her. I believe through her unselfish sacrifice we have the honor of calling her "our daughter." She will always hold a special place in my heart for the incredible gift she has given us.
Mia has also grown very close to her foster mother as mentioned in her paperwork. I can never thank her enough for the love and care she has provided Mia. I hope through her love for Mia that she is more able to accept our love.
I pray that on July 13, our little girl's heart will be prepared to meet us and accept us. I believe this can only happen through the power of prayer. Only God , in His goodness, can take her fear and give her a sense of peace. We are prepared for whatever may come but with God anything is possible!
Two weeks from today we will be on a plane headed to China! We have been super busy with packing. All of Mia's stuff is officially packed! I will pack for Dan and I the weekend before we leave because I know I will be down to the last minute before I figure out what I will be bringing as far as clothing goes. I am trying hard not overpack and so far I have been quite please with what I have packed so far. We are taking advantage of every inch of space and of course do not want to go over the weight limit or lug heavy luggage around.
We have also decided to change our blogsite while we are in China. I have heard of families being unable to access their blogs from China using blogspot and do not want to take the chance that this could happen. I will post on this site until we leave and after we return but our travel site is www.youbelong.net/thepetersons. We can't wait to share this amazing journey with all of you!
Whew! I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, at least, for the next hour until I find something else to fret over! OUR FLIGHTS ARE BOOKED! Our official travel dates are July 8-July 24. We just received confirmation of our CA(consulate appointment) in China for July 22. We will take an oath on July 23 and we are free to leave for the good ole USA on July 24!
We received our TA (travel approval) today from our agency! WAHOO! This is the final piece of the puzzle and now we can begin to plan our travel. Our agency is working on scheduling our CA (consulate appointment in China) and after that is confirmed we can book our flights! Our tentative travel dates are July 8th to July 22! We are going to China!
After the slight initial shock of my bald little beauty and after deciding there is simply no point in bringing the hairbows I have collected for years to China I found a solution on ebay~baby headbands! After three boys there is no way I can go to China without being able to put one hairbow in my daughter's hair or around her head in this case. I have to admit this headband/hairbow thing could become slightly addicting. Some of the headbands with the flowers and such look like they could be bigger than her head! Hopefully she will cooperate and wear her headbands without any fuss. If not at least I made the effort, however vain it may be.
I opened my e-mail today to find a updated pictures of Mia! It was an answer to prayer because I have really been praying for some new pictures and an update on our little girl! Unfortuantely the orphanage gave her a new "summer do" and shaved her head! Forget the hairbows and bring on the sunblock and summer hats!
I e-mailed our agency because in her initial reports it states that she is in foster care but her update mentions the orphanage a couple times. I am hoping we get our TA within the next couple of weeks so that we can travel in July. For now her new pictures have made my day!
Wow! That was fast! We received our new I-171H today with on fingerprints updated. We were just fingerprinted on June 3rd and I really wasn't expecting our new I-171H for another couple weeks. Maybe since our case has been sitting there since 2006 it moved faster. Who knows but I will take progress wherever I can get it! We also received our Chinese visas back today~less than two weeks after we applied! If only everything and everyone worked this quickly! The next piece of the puzzle is our travel approval (TA). I am going to "guess" because I am feeling hopeful today and still praying for July travel that we will get our TA within the next two weeks. Optimistic, aren't I?
Still praying for an update and new pictures of little Mia. Of course I know that this may not happen but since I am feeling so hopeful I will put it out there. I have this horrible feeling that because our pictures are from when she was a young baby that on our gotcha day I am not going to be able to recognize her. Sigh. I would love to have a little preview via updated pictures of what our little toddler looks like now.
I am still organizing and buying things here in there in anticipation of travel. I am seriously overwhelmed with some of the packing lists I have found. A tub for sanitizing bottles and tongs to remove the bottles from the boiling water? I never in a million years would have thought of this! Who knew? Obviously we have never been to China before so what do we know but I can't imagine having enough room in our luggage to pack half of the "stuff" I have found on packing lists! Did I mention that my dh loathes overpacking? I have a feeling if I "try" to pack all this "stuff" and my dh has to haul it all he may just leave me behind! For those of you who have BTDT I would love to know some of the "stuff" you absolutely could not have done without.
I managed to dig myself out from the mound of paperwork from travel packet II that we got on Friday. Happy weekend to me! It was happy don't get me wrong I am just tired of paperwork! Oh and I hit a snafu (completely through fault of my own) with our LOA that we received on Saturday. We were suppose to date it year/month/day but somehow I missed it even though it was clearly stated on the letter and signed 5/29/09. I quickly realized "my" mistake and corrected it but not before spending all weekend worrying if this would somehow cause further delays. Fortunately, I e-mailed our agency Monday morning and she didn't think it would be a problem. In fact she said another family just did the same thing. Good now I don't feel quite as stupid!
We mailed our visa applications and the remaining paperwork in travel packet II. Also included was a very substantial cashier's check to our agency for our orphanage donation. That one stung for just a minute! We figure the less money we have to physicially carry on our beings the better!
This is all starting to feel very real. Our world is soon going to change forever. I can't wait to see it all unfold.
We received our LOA on Friday! Wahooooo! That was fast! Honestly I wasn't expecting it for another couple of weeks but I'll take it! Our estimated travel is in 5-8 weeks which puts us in China somewhere in July. I am told it is so HOT in July. Hot and humid like we have never experienced! We have started working on the paperwork in travel packet II and have everything filled out and notorized that requires it. We have 5-7 days to send the paperwork back to our agency and I hope to get it in the mail by Tuesday. We are making progress!
Next step is our TA and since we are through review this should come pretty quickly! We are almost there!
The boy's last day of school was yesterday. I went to the school in the afternoon to help with the last day festivities. The game I helped with was the "sombero toss" which was quite interesting because of the breeze blowing! Picture little kids trying to toss somberos onto three pegs and the wind catching the hat and blowing it away! The games ended a little early and the kids went back to their classrooms to watch a movie. I did think about leaving them at school to enjoy my last hour of "freedom" but I ended up asking them if they were ready to go home. Logan and Christian were ready to leave and already had their bookbags packed. We stopped by Ethan's classroom and he said he wanted to stay. I was a little surprised but figured he must want to soak in his last day of elementary school and say goodbye to his friends.
At 3:30 the bus pulled up to the house and Ethan came in the living room and sat on the couch and just stared at me. I said "are you okay?" He said "yes." I knew he was sad with it being his last time in "his" school as a student. I gave him a hug and we both started crying. He said he was sad to have to say goodbye to his friends and to school.
Turns out I am not the only one who is feeling a bit emotional about the ending of one journey and the begining of another. I am glad we have a couple months to enjoy the summer before we begin the new adventure of middle school. Let the summer begin!
"The marathon's about being in contention over the last 10K. That's when it's about what you have in your core. You have run all the strength, all the superficial fitness out of yourself, and it really comes down to what's left inside you. To be able to draw deep and pull something out of yourself is one of the most tremendous things about the marathon." - Rob de Castella
This Sunday my sister, brother in law, and brother will be running the San Diego marathon. This is such a big achievement for each of them but especially my sister. My sister has struggled with arthritis since she was a child. I can remember when we were younger and she was in grade school that her arthritis would be so bad that there were many mornings that she would not be able to get out of bed because her legs were so stiff that she couldn't walk. She literally would wait in the morning for my dad to carry her out to the kitchen table to eat breakfast and get ready for the day. Still every morning no matter how much pain she was in or how difficult it was to move she got up. Not once do I remember her crying. Not once do I remember her feeling sorry for herself. Never did she give up even when she couldn't participate in the sports she loved she was still there, on the sidelines, cheering her team on. Even when she wasn't feeling 100% she got out there on the basketball court and gave 100%.
A couple weeks back as my sister was running and had a few more miles to go to get to her 20 miles she ran by a group of people. All of the sudden it occured to her that the group that she just ran past was a local arthritis group. She told us that tears just started flowing. She thought of all she had been through and to now be training for a marathon was just overwhelming.
On Saturday quite an accomplishment will be achieved. I am so proud of her! I know she will make it. Her determination and perseverance will see her through it. The same spirit that caused a little girl to get up every day with a smile on her face fighting through the pain is the same spirit that will help her cross that finish line!
What a busy but fun weekend we had! On Saturday we went to Kings Island with my sister and brother in law. This is a trip I will always remember and with good reason! Ethan has never been a fan of amusement park rides but rollercoasters in particular. It has always been a struggle to take him because he would refuse to ride any of the rides. Last week he told me that he really wanted to try to ride his first rollercoaster. Not only did he ride his first rollercoaster he ended up riding almost all of the rollercoasters and had such a good time! When I think back to our previous trips to amusement parks it would always make me sad because I knew he would watch everyone else enjoying the rides yet he felt he couldn't for the fear of how they made his "stomach drop" as he would say. He has conquered his fear and will now be able to join in the fun! Of course Logan and Christian rode every ride that they were big enough for. Fear has never been a factor for them!
On Sunday we went to a local park and Brian and the boys rode on a paddleboat on the lake. It was HOT! As they were riding Dani and I walked 2.5 miles in our flips flops(my feet were so sore after) on the trail around the lake. Luckily it was shaded because did I mention it was hot? After our walk we had some ice cream that was well deserved!
Yesterday was the last awards ceremony of the school year and the 5th grade farewell video. The boys all made the honor roll for the year! The 5th grade video was of all the kids during their time in elementary school. It still amazes me to see how much he has grown and changed in six years. They also sung the song "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion to the parents. Ethan was literally 5 ft from me during the song. Did I cry? Of course but I was in good company because most of the parents (moms anyway) were crying. I found that if I didn't look at Ethan the tears didn't flow as hard so I did look away quite a bit. He tried not to look at me during the song but made sure to mention to me afterwards that my makeup was running! Thursday is the last day of school and we are ready for the summer to begin!
Our fingerprinting letter did arrive on Friday and our refingerprinting is scheduled for next week! I will be so glad to get this out of the way for the LAST time! Wahoo! Now if we could only get our LOA!
is our invitation from USCIS to be refingerprinted for the third time? We received our receipt from USCIS last week saying that they received our $180 money order but no fingerprint invitation. It also looks like there are some rumors flying around out there that swine flu may be holding up LOAs which just happens to be our next big step in this process. Amazing how so many people die every year from influenza yet the mention of swine flu and the world slows down! Still many hurdles to overcome until I can hold my sweet girl!
We are thrilled to finally be able to introduce our sweet Mia! Her Chinese name is Dang Rui(pronounced Dong Ray) and she is from Nanyang City, Henan. She was born on February 13, 2008 and just turned 15 months old. She was born with a congenital heart defect and will have surgery soon after coming home.
From her reports at 11 months old she is crawling, knocking two blocks together, and pronounces a letter consciously. She is also described as quiet and having a ready smile. Boy is she going to be in for a change when she comes home because our boys are anything but quiet! She is currently in foster care which we consider a true blessing.
It is hard to believe after all these months of waiting and praying we finally have a daughter. She is truly an answer to many prayers and WE are the lucky ones!
BTW we only received three pictures of her and I lovingly refer to her look as the "bundled baby" look. Doesn't she look thrilled? If you look closely under the hat it does look like she has a head full of hair perfect for hairbows!
For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. 1 Samuel 1:27
Today I am so thankful for the three almost four children who have blessed me with the incredible gift of motherhood. Even with all its ups and downs the joys far exceed the challenges. As I am blogging my boys are upstairs making me breakfast! Strawberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, my Starbucks coffee(yes they went to Starbucks for me this morning!), and toast. Hold on~Dan just came down and asked my if "tsp"means tablespoon or teaspoon~lol!
Happy Mother's Day to all moms whether you are waiting for you first child, busy raising your children, or your children are grown and have children of their own. Enjoy YOUR day!
After 18 1/2 months of waiting we are thrilled to announce that we have been matched with our daughter!!!!! I cannot share many details until we receive our PA but she is beautiful and we are so very blessed! Oh and in case you are wondering she is, in fact, a "Mia."
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