Tuesday, April 24, 2007
At last. . .
Well, just so you know, I tried to blog yesterday and got booted off. Sorry!! But, it is good in some ways because today as you will see has been much better. So read on. . .
Yesterday was the long awaited gotcha day. Sally met us in the lobby of our hotel at 9:45am. We then took 3 taxis to SLC. Upon arrival we met Spring Peach, Chloe's adored nanny. Then we went upstairs. They came in and we gave them two different outfits to put on Chloe. A little while later we could hear them coming up the stairs with Chloe. Finally no more waiting. . . it was time to meet our baby girl!! We had been warned that she would have a very difficult time. Let's just say they hit the nail on the head. She would have nothing to do with any of us. She did finally go to Jonathan but that only lasted a few seconds before she went to screaming. We eventually went out into the courtyard and stayed out there for awhile. Chloe went back and forth from screaming and crying to trying to figure out who these crazy people were who had her. Finally, we went upstairs to get ready to go. We went over information about Chloe and her schedule. Her birthmother had left her some gifts with her Chinese name on them. We did ask about her birthmother and she has visited a few times. As we were leaving we were given her pacifier and imagine our surprise when we gave it to her and she stopped crying. We left for the airport. Chloe, Cody, and myself rode in one taxi. Chloe slept the entire way there. We then flew to Taipei.
After arriving at our hotel, she screamed and cried. She was very tired and hungry, but would not eat. She did finally go to sleep with some help. Cody and Keegan laid on the bed with her and patted and rubbed her back. Also, she beats her head to put herself to sleep. Now this is really funny since this is something Cody also does. He thought that was really neat! She slept for a few hours then woke up screaming. Again, we tried to feed her, but she still would not eat. We changed her and put on some pj's. She again put herself to sleep and slept until about 6:30 this morning on a comfy twin bed. She woke up crying, but we had to be at our visa appointment so we were in a hurry. We dressed her and fixed her hair and then went downstairs for breakfast. Remember she had not eaten since lunch the day before. I offered her some bread and she started eating. Jonathan gave her the bottle and she started drinking. Since then everything has been great!!
We went to our visa appointment and she played on the floor with the boys in the toy area. Matt, Molly, and Malone were also there. On the way to the appointment she rode in the front of the taxi with Jonathan. The window was open and she loved it. Everything went fine with the visa. Jon will go back tomorrow to pick up her passport.
We then took a taxi to Taipei 101. This is the tallest building in the world. We found a Starbucks and grabbed some coffee and muffins. Chloe enjoyed eating these. Then we walked around and she chased the boys. She pulls them everywhere she wants to go and they go where ever she wants. Then, we rode up to the top which was the 89th floor. It was a very fast elevator. The view was amazing and we walked around the whole top floor with the windows. Chloe slept in the Ergo carrier (thanks Amanda and Jennifer) and it was such a blessing. She is heavy!! The only thing is she likes to move so you can't stay still. Then we went downstairs and ate KFC. She enjoyed some FF and we all enjoyed some real food. Next, we were off to the grocery store.
We bought snack items, breakfast items, water, and some other stuff. Since we all keep waking up around 3:00ish in the morning we will now have some food to eat. We are now back in our room and Chloe is sleeping. She took a very short amount of time to get herself to sleep. She is doing very well sleeping on the bed.
Today has been wonderful. Yesterday was extremely difficult on all of us especially Chloe. It has been nice to see such a change today. She is a very happy little girl and has a smile that will melt your heart. She loves her brothers and wants them to do everything with her. They are eating up spending time with her and helping her. Jon and I are still in amazement that we actually have not only our 3 wonderful boys but now we have a beautiful little girl.
Yesterday was the long awaited gotcha day. Sally met us in the lobby of our hotel at 9:45am. We then took 3 taxis to SLC. Upon arrival we met Spring Peach, Chloe's adored nanny. Then we went upstairs. They came in and we gave them two different outfits to put on Chloe. A little while later we could hear them coming up the stairs with Chloe. Finally no more waiting. . . it was time to meet our baby girl!! We had been warned that she would have a very difficult time. Let's just say they hit the nail on the head. She would have nothing to do with any of us. She did finally go to Jonathan but that only lasted a few seconds before she went to screaming. We eventually went out into the courtyard and stayed out there for awhile. Chloe went back and forth from screaming and crying to trying to figure out who these crazy people were who had her. Finally, we went upstairs to get ready to go. We went over information about Chloe and her schedule. Her birthmother had left her some gifts with her Chinese name on them. We did ask about her birthmother and she has visited a few times. As we were leaving we were given her pacifier and imagine our surprise when we gave it to her and she stopped crying. We left for the airport. Chloe, Cody, and myself rode in one taxi. Chloe slept the entire way there. We then flew to Taipei.
After arriving at our hotel, she screamed and cried. She was very tired and hungry, but would not eat. She did finally go to sleep with some help. Cody and Keegan laid on the bed with her and patted and rubbed her back. Also, she beats her head to put herself to sleep. Now this is really funny since this is something Cody also does. He thought that was really neat! She slept for a few hours then woke up screaming. Again, we tried to feed her, but she still would not eat. We changed her and put on some pj's. She again put herself to sleep and slept until about 6:30 this morning on a comfy twin bed. She woke up crying, but we had to be at our visa appointment so we were in a hurry. We dressed her and fixed her hair and then went downstairs for breakfast. Remember she had not eaten since lunch the day before. I offered her some bread and she started eating. Jonathan gave her the bottle and she started drinking. Since then everything has been great!!
We went to our visa appointment and she played on the floor with the boys in the toy area. Matt, Molly, and Malone were also there. On the way to the appointment she rode in the front of the taxi with Jonathan. The window was open and she loved it. Everything went fine with the visa. Jon will go back tomorrow to pick up her passport.
We then took a taxi to Taipei 101. This is the tallest building in the world. We found a Starbucks and grabbed some coffee and muffins. Chloe enjoyed eating these. Then we walked around and she chased the boys. She pulls them everywhere she wants to go and they go where ever she wants. Then, we rode up to the top which was the 89th floor. It was a very fast elevator. The view was amazing and we walked around the whole top floor with the windows. Chloe slept in the Ergo carrier (thanks Amanda and Jennifer) and it was such a blessing. She is heavy!! The only thing is she likes to move so you can't stay still. Then we went downstairs and ate KFC. She enjoyed some FF and we all enjoyed some real food. Next, we were off to the grocery store.
We bought snack items, breakfast items, water, and some other stuff. Since we all keep waking up around 3:00ish in the morning we will now have some food to eat. We are now back in our room and Chloe is sleeping. She took a very short amount of time to get herself to sleep. She is doing very well sleeping on the bed.
Today has been wonderful. Yesterday was extremely difficult on all of us especially Chloe. It has been nice to see such a change today. She is a very happy little girl and has a smile that will melt your heart. She loves her brothers and wants them to do everything with her. They are eating up spending time with her and helping her. Jon and I are still in amazement that we actually have not only our 3 wonderful boys but now we have a beautiful little girl.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
It's Gotcha Day: Dad's style
Well it's about 1:30 in the morning here and I am just a little too excited too sleep. I guess this is how couples feel who are having a planned C-section or something. Anyway, the day is upon us when all that we hoped and prayed for these last 9 months (actual duration of real pregnancy) comes to reality. We've all seen the pictures and we've all come to learn a little more about her each month, but to actually be able to hold her and kiss on her(as much as she will let me anyway) will probably be a little more than this Dad can take.
When we had the three boys it was absolutely the most amazing experience I could have ever imagined. I love these boys more than anything else life could give me. But there is a big difference in the way that adoption progresses. First of all, you get to choose. We have joked many times, with each other and friends, that if Keegan was the one that we had adopted we would be looking everywhere for his birth parents. That kid is crazy and I would want to meet them just to see who he gets it from. Second, you know all about her already (Yeah, I know there's still a lot we'll learn but you get the gist). Her tendencies, when she likes to eat, sleep, and play. That's what makes it seem surreal is that she is only a few miles away, and has been for a few days, and we can't see her. Third, is the fact that we are now in a small fraternity. Full of people who have adopted and know the joys, the hardships and the love that goes along with this process. These are the main differences between adoption and natural childbirth. The one thing that I know through both so far is that no matter whether you adopt or have your own you love them all the same.
So as we come to the final chapter in the prelude to Chloe I just want to express that she is as much a part of our family as our three boys are. Luckily for us our boys don't care anything about the fact that she comes from Taiwan, or that she looks different than we do. All they care about is that she is God's creation and they understand how adoption works in His kingdom.
When we had the three boys it was absolutely the most amazing experience I could have ever imagined. I love these boys more than anything else life could give me. But there is a big difference in the way that adoption progresses. First of all, you get to choose. We have joked many times, with each other and friends, that if Keegan was the one that we had adopted we would be looking everywhere for his birth parents. That kid is crazy and I would want to meet them just to see who he gets it from. Second, you know all about her already (Yeah, I know there's still a lot we'll learn but you get the gist). Her tendencies, when she likes to eat, sleep, and play. That's what makes it seem surreal is that she is only a few miles away, and has been for a few days, and we can't see her. Third, is the fact that we are now in a small fraternity. Full of people who have adopted and know the joys, the hardships and the love that goes along with this process. These are the main differences between adoption and natural childbirth. The one thing that I know through both so far is that no matter whether you adopt or have your own you love them all the same.
So as we come to the final chapter in the prelude to Chloe I just want to express that she is as much a part of our family as our three boys are. Luckily for us our boys don't care anything about the fact that she comes from Taiwan, or that she looks different than we do. All they care about is that she is God's creation and they understand how adoption works in His kingdom.
Our Sunday in Tainan
Well, in the last post I said we were not too tired. I guess I was wrong!! After showering yesterday, we went out for a little while to explore. We found a McDonald's and ate a meal there. It was a little different. We walked around for a little while and then came back to hotel. The boys and I laid down on the beds (Jon joined us not much later) around 3:30 for a nap. We woke up about 10:30 pm barely. We changed into pj's and slept until about 5:30 this morning. We felt MUCH better!!
Our hotel has a free breakfast buffet. We went down and who did we run into but Matt & Molly who are here to pick up Malone from SLC. It was very nice to see them and we sat and ate with them. The food was great--pancakes, french toast, fresh fruit, and more. We sat and talked for over an hour with them (and ate & ate & ate some more). It was very nice and Matt & Molly are extremely nice. We enjoyed eating with them. On the way up to our rooms, we realized we are next door to each other so that was neat.
We came up and got our bags to head out. Laura had recommended a few places to visit. We went to An-Ping Fort. It was very neat to explore, but it is also VERY warm. We walked around and looked at the fort. Then, there are many markets outside on the streets and alleys. these were lots of fun to walk through and shop. We walked for quite a while through these markets and still did not even finish. We bought several souvenirs and even a few food treats. Everyone loves to see the boys and talk about how cute they are. At one stand we were looking at the pineapple and they walked up and gave us 2 bags of it for free. They were thrilled with the boys. It was cute and the pineapple was awesome!! We then took a taxi back to our hotel and ate some noodles in our room. Right now, Jon and Kale are napping and then we will head out again to see a few more things. I have added some pictures of our adventures today on a seperate blog entry.
BTW, DC traffic has nothing on the traffic here. There is not as much, but it is CRAZY!!! There seem to be no rules for anyone but especially taxis and scooters. Speaking of scooters, they are everywhere. Some will have two or three people on them; babies, senior citizens, everyone rides these things. When out and about walking we have to be careful as not to get run over by any moving object.
Well, tomorrow is the BIG day!! We will meet Sally in the lobby about 9:40ish. She will take us to SLC to meet our little girl!! I cannot even imagine what this will be like. It is very informal and we will be given time for Chloe to warm up to us. We have several items to bring for her to help such as bubbles, baby doll, blanket, and a few toys. Before we leave we will be given time to ask any questions we choose. Then the 6 of us will board a plane with Sally and head back to Taipei. So, we will meet her about 10:00ish tomorrow(Monday) which is about 10:00pm(Sunday) your time. This will be the big moment we are waiting for. We will take lots of pictures and video so we can share this experience with everyone including Chloe. Keep us in your prayers that all goes well tomorrow and Chloe falls in love with us!! We will keep you guys updated!
Our hotel has a free breakfast buffet. We went down and who did we run into but Matt & Molly who are here to pick up Malone from SLC. It was very nice to see them and we sat and ate with them. The food was great--pancakes, french toast, fresh fruit, and more. We sat and talked for over an hour with them (and ate & ate & ate some more). It was very nice and Matt & Molly are extremely nice. We enjoyed eating with them. On the way up to our rooms, we realized we are next door to each other so that was neat.
We came up and got our bags to head out. Laura had recommended a few places to visit. We went to An-Ping Fort. It was very neat to explore, but it is also VERY warm. We walked around and looked at the fort. Then, there are many markets outside on the streets and alleys. these were lots of fun to walk through and shop. We walked for quite a while through these markets and still did not even finish. We bought several souvenirs and even a few food treats. Everyone loves to see the boys and talk about how cute they are. At one stand we were looking at the pineapple and they walked up and gave us 2 bags of it for free. They were thrilled with the boys. It was cute and the pineapple was awesome!! We then took a taxi back to our hotel and ate some noodles in our room. Right now, Jon and Kale are napping and then we will head out again to see a few more things. I have added some pictures of our adventures today on a seperate blog entry.
BTW, DC traffic has nothing on the traffic here. There is not as much, but it is CRAZY!!! There seem to be no rules for anyone but especially taxis and scooters. Speaking of scooters, they are everywhere. Some will have two or three people on them; babies, senior citizens, everyone rides these things. When out and about walking we have to be careful as not to get run over by any moving object.
Well, tomorrow is the BIG day!! We will meet Sally in the lobby about 9:40ish. She will take us to SLC to meet our little girl!! I cannot even imagine what this will be like. It is very informal and we will be given time for Chloe to warm up to us. We have several items to bring for her to help such as bubbles, baby doll, blanket, and a few toys. Before we leave we will be given time to ask any questions we choose. Then the 6 of us will board a plane with Sally and head back to Taipei. So, we will meet her about 10:00ish tomorrow(Monday) which is about 10:00pm(Sunday) your time. This will be the big moment we are waiting for. We will take lots of pictures and video so we can share this experience with everyone including Chloe. Keep us in your prayers that all goes well tomorrow and Chloe falls in love with us!! We will keep you guys updated!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
We have arrived!!
Just thought I'd post to let everyone know we arrived (and survived with Keegan)!! We slept right much on the plane so we are not feeling too bad. We are getting ready to shower and head out some to check things out. We cannot believe we are this close to Chloe and still have 1 day left. I'll post more later
Monday, April 16, 2007
Shirts
Well, for some reason I had a crazy thought to make the boys shirts to wear to Taiwan. Not really sure where the idea came from, but I took it and ran. The following are the results:
So, now Jonathan wants to know where his is???
Friday, April 13, 2007
Clothes and such
I took pictures of some of Chloe's outfits. These are only a few of the outfits, dresses, and such. The clothes have come from showers and my many shopping trips. The fancy dress is for my sisters wedding in May. The boys picked out one shirt--can you guess which one??? We also let the boys buy her an item at Toys 'R Us. Cody picked out the puppy dog that is on the bed and a pink ball. Keegan picked out the stick horse/unicorn so she could ride like them. Kale picked out a cute Elmo/Cookie Monster ball that giggles. I spray painted the letters for her name and the letters are on a quilt Mrs. Eileen made for her. The other pink blanket was made by a former students mom, Mrs. Ponton--thanks Allison and Mrs. Ponton.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
1 week until take off!!
This time next Thursday, we will be heading to Dulles to catch our plane to Taiwan. Wow, time has gone really fast--I can't imagine how people get ready with only a 2 weeks notice:0 Although we have not packed yet, I have made a list of everything we need to pack so that it will go quickly. It still seems unreal that in less than 12 days, we will have our baby girl in our arms!
The boys are super excited and asking lots of questions. Cody has spent some time during spring break working on the schoolwork he will miss while in Taiwan and he has not even complained one time:) Kale will be in the air during his birthday (April 20) and he is thrilled beyond belief that he will be flying for his birthday. Keegan loves to tell everyone he's getting a baby sister.
I have spent some time this week adding finishing touches to Chloe's room. Last night, Jonathan brought her mattress home and we put it on the bed along with her sheets. It looks really good!
My sister is getting married in May and she brought Chloe a dress to wear for the occasion. It is really cute and we cannot wait to see her in it. My dad will get to meet her for the first time the weekend of the wedding. Wonder if he will take her to the Dollar Tree???
Well, we have some more pictures, so I thought I add these as well. So, sit back and enjoy!!
Thursday, April 05, 2007
March update pictures
Tonight, we received the latest Chloe pictures. These will most likely be the last we will recieve. In exactly 2 weeks, we will be leaving to head to Taiwan!! Wow, time sure has flown by. We have lots to do to get ready, but hope to accomplish most of it next week during spring break. She is now 32 inches and 29 lbs. She has also had a haircut. I am hoping they do not cut it anymore as I have lots of hair clips to use:)
Surprise, surprise!!
I am not a fan of being surprised. So, with that said, I have been surprised not once but twice in the last few weeks.
On March 23, we had a workday at school. It began with a wonderful breakfast and then a staff meeting. The meeting had officially ended, but then Ginger, a friend and fellow teacher, said wait a minute, one more thing. I turn around to see what she is doing and I see a big basket. Ok, I know I am a little slow, but it took me a few to realize it was for me. Yep, my wonderful friends at Riverview had got me!! I was very red and even had a few tears. They had gathered items to fill a basket with different items for the boys (for the trip) and lots of gift cards to buy things for Chloe. WOW, it was a great surprise!! I had lots of fun buying many pink outfits and items she will need. The boys loved the basket full of things for them and were glad to be included.
Now to the second surprise. Last Saturday night, our Pillar women had a scrapbooking night at Recollections in Woodbridge. Jennifer and I had lots of girl time that afternoon. We had worked hard on using all the gift cards I had received. Well, it was time to go scrapbook and Jennifer said it is ok if we are late. I was bugging her to leave the store so we could get to the scrapbook store on time. She was stalling, but I didn't realize why. Finally, we arrived at Recollections (late) and there were all the ladies and the surprises. They were giving me a shower. Once again, Chloe got lots of needed items including a beautiful quilt made by our very own Pillar lady, Mrs. Eileen. I also received an Ergo carrier (which by the way, I had "found" on Friday night, but that's another story). Bonding by attachment if a big deal so we are hoping to "wear" Chloe to help aid in that bonding. Our wonderful friend and cake decorator, Tracee, made a wonderful cake with a picture of the USA and a plane flying to Taiwan. It was too cute!! Thanks to all of our wonderful friends who helped with the surprise and all the gifts. We love you guys and cannot wait for Chloe to meet yal.
On March 23, we had a workday at school. It began with a wonderful breakfast and then a staff meeting. The meeting had officially ended, but then Ginger, a friend and fellow teacher, said wait a minute, one more thing. I turn around to see what she is doing and I see a big basket. Ok, I know I am a little slow, but it took me a few to realize it was for me. Yep, my wonderful friends at Riverview had got me!! I was very red and even had a few tears. They had gathered items to fill a basket with different items for the boys (for the trip) and lots of gift cards to buy things for Chloe. WOW, it was a great surprise!! I had lots of fun buying many pink outfits and items she will need. The boys loved the basket full of things for them and were glad to be included.
Now to the second surprise. Last Saturday night, our Pillar women had a scrapbooking night at Recollections in Woodbridge. Jennifer and I had lots of girl time that afternoon. We had worked hard on using all the gift cards I had received. Well, it was time to go scrapbook and Jennifer said it is ok if we are late. I was bugging her to leave the store so we could get to the scrapbook store on time. She was stalling, but I didn't realize why. Finally, we arrived at Recollections (late) and there were all the ladies and the surprises. They were giving me a shower. Once again, Chloe got lots of needed items including a beautiful quilt made by our very own Pillar lady, Mrs. Eileen. I also received an Ergo carrier (which by the way, I had "found" on Friday night, but that's another story). Bonding by attachment if a big deal so we are hoping to "wear" Chloe to help aid in that bonding. Our wonderful friend and cake decorator, Tracee, made a wonderful cake with a picture of the USA and a plane flying to Taiwan. It was too cute!! Thanks to all of our wonderful friends who helped with the surprise and all the gifts. We love you guys and cannot wait for Chloe to meet yal.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
It's a God thing!
Jonathan was scheduled to be off the same week as spring break. Since we will be traveling the week after, he needed to switch weeks. He went in and told his boss and his boss said that was not going to work. A co-worker, Chris, walked in and said something to Jonathan about needing spring break off. So, then Jon said well I need to work that week, but I need a different week off. Chris said I'll switch with you; my week is April 26 - 30. Jon could not believe that -- it is the exact week he needs off!! Can you see God's hands in all of this??
It gets better!! We also knew we would need off April 20 so we could fly out on Thursday night. Again, his boss said no way, too many people off unless Chris C. is going to work that week. Jon called him and guess what, he was going to work that week and told Jon he could take that day.
So, now after all this waiting and wondering when we would go, we know God already knew and had everything planned. Our God is an AWESOME God!!
It gets better!! We also knew we would need off April 20 so we could fly out on Thursday night. Again, his boss said no way, too many people off unless Chris C. is going to work that week. Jon called him and guess what, he was going to work that week and told Jon he could take that day.
So, now after all this waiting and wondering when we would go, we know God already knew and had everything planned. Our God is an AWESOME God!!
PINK EVERYWHERE!!
Well, this past weekend, my wonderful friend Jennifer and I painted Chloe's room. And of course, what else would we paint it but PINK!! We had picked out her bedding awhile back and we matched the pink and green in it to paint the walls with. Three walls are pink and one wall is green as is the inside of the closet. I'll make a trip to IKEA this weekend to get her sheer curtains to put up over window and over closet door. We still have a few things to do in there, but the biggest part is now over. Check out Chloe's room!!
We will post more when we add the final touches!! It seems weird to have a pink room, but also to have the room ready. We both are still amazed to walk by and see our little girls room.
WE ARE TRAVELLING!!
Well, last Wednesday night (March 21) I was sitting here working on the computer. I was getting ready to go to bed, but checked my email one last time. I had an email that said "TRAVEL DATES" from Laura. It was there 2 times. I got up looking every where for my phone to see if I had missed a call. Jonathan is wondering why I am acting like a crazy person and then realizes why. I had not missed a call, but promptly called Laura. We chatted for a little while about everything we needed to do. So, here goes our info . . .
We will fly out of Dulles on 4/19 at 7:30 pm and land in LA at 10:30. We will fly out of there at 1:30 am to head to Taiwan via EVA Air. We will arrive in Taipei, Taiwan on 4/21 at 6:30 in the morning. Keep in mind, there is a twelve hour time difference. It will take us about 3 hours to clear the airport there. Then, we will have a driver waiting to take us to another airport so we can hop on a plane to Tainan. By the way, our trave agent was wonderful! Thank you, Todd!!
We will be staying at the Hotel Tainan that our agency books for us. We will be there Saturday, Sunday, and on Monday morning, April 23, we will meet our little girl at St. Lucy's. This will be such an exciting time for all of us.
We are very lucky as we get to experience all of this with another couple, Matt and Molly, from FL who are there to bring home their little boy, Malone. We met through our yahoo groups and had realized we were in the courts at the same time. Who knew we would actually meet our little ones at the same time:) After some emailing back and forth, we also realized we fly back out to the US on the same flight.
After meeting Chloe, we will fly back to Taipei that night. On Tuesday morning, we have our AIT appoinment. This is where we will finalize many things and they will prepare Chloe's VISA. One of us will return the next day to actually get her VISA.
While in Taipei, we will stay at the Dong Wu. Another yahoo member recommended this hotel to us. It is very near several places we would like to see.
While in both cities, we will do as much exploring as our children allow. Many people have given us great advice on places to see, shop, and eat. We will definetely try some authentic food.
We will fly out of Taipei on Friday night at 11:30 pm. Yes, you read that right, 11:30 pm!!! That will make for a long night. Our hotel has given us a much later check out so we don't have to tote our luggage around all day and we have a place to crash. We will arrive back at Dulles on Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 am.
Everyone around here is very excited. I have had to repeat our flight info and take off times over and over for our boys. They ask everyday several times a day to tell them all the info again. We are going to make a "Countdown to Chloe" calendar so they can see how much longer.
Anyway, we are thrilled to finally know when we will get our baby girl. It still does not feel real yet. I bet it will when she is in our arms!
We will fly out of Dulles on 4/19 at 7:30 pm and land in LA at 10:30. We will fly out of there at 1:30 am to head to Taiwan via EVA Air. We will arrive in Taipei, Taiwan on 4/21 at 6:30 in the morning. Keep in mind, there is a twelve hour time difference. It will take us about 3 hours to clear the airport there. Then, we will have a driver waiting to take us to another airport so we can hop on a plane to Tainan. By the way, our trave agent was wonderful! Thank you, Todd!!
We will be staying at the Hotel Tainan that our agency books for us. We will be there Saturday, Sunday, and on Monday morning, April 23, we will meet our little girl at St. Lucy's. This will be such an exciting time for all of us.
We are very lucky as we get to experience all of this with another couple, Matt and Molly, from FL who are there to bring home their little boy, Malone. We met through our yahoo groups and had realized we were in the courts at the same time. Who knew we would actually meet our little ones at the same time:) After some emailing back and forth, we also realized we fly back out to the US on the same flight.
After meeting Chloe, we will fly back to Taipei that night. On Tuesday morning, we have our AIT appoinment. This is where we will finalize many things and they will prepare Chloe's VISA. One of us will return the next day to actually get her VISA.
While in Taipei, we will stay at the Dong Wu. Another yahoo member recommended this hotel to us. It is very near several places we would like to see.
While in both cities, we will do as much exploring as our children allow. Many people have given us great advice on places to see, shop, and eat. We will definetely try some authentic food.
We will fly out of Taipei on Friday night at 11:30 pm. Yes, you read that right, 11:30 pm!!! That will make for a long night. Our hotel has given us a much later check out so we don't have to tote our luggage around all day and we have a place to crash. We will arrive back at Dulles on Saturday, April 28 at 7:30 am.
Everyone around here is very excited. I have had to repeat our flight info and take off times over and over for our boys. They ask everyday several times a day to tell them all the info again. We are going to make a "Countdown to Chloe" calendar so they can see how much longer.
Anyway, we are thrilled to finally know when we will get our baby girl. It still does not feel real yet. I bet it will when she is in our arms!
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Papa and the Dollar Tree
So, my dad loves to take the boys to the Dollar Tree. Not only do the boys enjoy it, but Papa also does. This past Christmas, Papa gave the boys $25 gift cards to the Dollar Tree. We go quite often and the boys are allowed to buy a few items at a time. They all still have money on the cards. Well, one Friday night recently, we visited the Dollar Tree. They had put out some new things. The boys were thrilled. All three bought bats, batting gloves, and then one got bases and the other 2 extra balls. The next morning as soon as they got up, they were ready to head outside. We made them wait a little while since it was a chilly. Eventually they got dressed and headed outside to play ball. They had so much fun playing ball. Check them out!!
I've Got Friends in Low Places. . .
Well, one night the Clifton's and the Davis' were at Burger King eating supper. A song by Carol King came on the radio. Well, let's just say Clint started right up. See for yourself. . .
Hope you all enjoyed Clint's performance. We sure did!!!
Jenn and Jon
Hope you all enjoyed Clint's performance. We sure did!!!
Jenn and Jon
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Family visit
Last night, Nana Jo, Granddaddy, Uncle Ronnie, and Aunt Rose joined us in Virginia. They came to watch the boys play basketball and to celebrate Keegan's birthday. We all had lots of fun and enjoyed spending time with everyone. The boys had a great time!! When a birthday is celebrated Nana Jo style, everyone celebrates. So, not only did Keegan get birthday presents, but so did the other 2 boys. Keegan received a new Nascar Leapster game, a cowboy movie, pj's, shirt, and a few other things. The other 2 also recieved pj's, movies, and shirts. Then, before going to the game, we went to Walmart where they bought more cowboy stuff. (I didn't know there was stuff they didn't have?!?!?)
Before we left the house, I made everyone take some family photos. I am really bad at remembering to do this, but am trying to get better. So, I have included pictures from our "shoot".
We really enjoyed the visit and hope to see you guys soon!!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Just wanted to share. . .
Tonight I was checking email and Laura had sent one out letting us know we had new update pictures. She had posted January and February updates. So I have included a few of these.
As of February, Chloe was 81 cm(32 inches) and 12.6 kgs(28 lbs.) She is getting very big!!
This weekend Nana Jo and Grandaddy are coming to visit to see the boys play basketball and to celebrate Keegan's birthday. Can you believe it???? Keegan will be 7 years old next Monday!! Wow, it is hard to believe he is already 7! Kale will be 6 next month and then Cody will be 9 in May. Our little boys sure are growing up. The next few months will be very busy.
At Christmas, Papa gave the boys gift cards to Dollar Tree. This is the boys favorite store to visit. On Friday night, we went and they bought bats, balls, bases, and batting gloves (and book lights:). Saturday morning as soon as they were up they were ready to head out to play ball. They had a great time playing baseball. Thanks, Papa!! (Check back soon for a video clip of the boys playing ball.)
Saturday, February 24, 2007
New pictures!!
I was looking back through emails and found one where a lady named Paula had gotten back on February 8 from picking up her little girl from St. Lucy's. So I emailed her about her experience and asking if maybe she saw Chloe. She replied and not only had she seen Chloe, she had many pictures of our little girl. I received those pictures today, so I thought I'd share one with you all. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.Make sure you read a few down below this post as an old post that got lost has resurfaced and made an apperance. Don't you just love cyberspace!!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Ok, ok, I know it has been awhile. I tried to post recently and it would not let me. Jonathan also tried to post and could not, so here we are. . .
The boys and I enjoyed our "extra" winter break last week. We were out of school Wednesday through Friday due to a snow and ice storm. Of course for those of you who know me, this did not prevent us from getting out:) The time off was nice to continue to work on Chloe's room. We have done lots of organizing and cleaning out to not only get her room ready, but also to get our house together. It is much better!!
We talked to Laura last week. She recently was in Taiwan and had some Chloe info. She is very feisty(we believe that will be a good thing), eats every one's food(Keegan better watch out), is beginning to have stranger attachment and is overall a happy little girl. Laura said she has gotten taller and thinned out some. We are hoping to have her home by June. Laura also said we would get about 4 weeks of travel notice. So, we are just waiting around to bring home our little girl. We are spending time getting travel stuff together so we will be ready when we get the call.
The boys continue to enjoy basketball. My dad was here last week and really enjoyed seeing the boys play. They got to hang out with Papa and Jonathan on Monday while I was at work. They had lots of fun!!
Well, we are off for now! Keep checking back for updates. Hopefully soon you'll see an entry that says "WE GOT THE CALL"
The boys and I enjoyed our "extra" winter break last week. We were out of school Wednesday through Friday due to a snow and ice storm. Of course for those of you who know me, this did not prevent us from getting out:) The time off was nice to continue to work on Chloe's room. We have done lots of organizing and cleaning out to not only get her room ready, but also to get our house together. It is much better!!
We talked to Laura last week. She recently was in Taiwan and had some Chloe info. She is very feisty(we believe that will be a good thing), eats every one's food(Keegan better watch out), is beginning to have stranger attachment and is overall a happy little girl. Laura said she has gotten taller and thinned out some. We are hoping to have her home by June. Laura also said we would get about 4 weeks of travel notice. So, we are just waiting around to bring home our little girl. We are spending time getting travel stuff together so we will be ready when we get the call.
The boys continue to enjoy basketball. My dad was here last week and really enjoyed seeing the boys play. They got to hang out with Papa and Jonathan on Monday while I was at work. They had lots of fun!!
Well, we are off for now! Keep checking back for updates. Hopefully soon you'll see an entry that says "WE GOT THE CALL"
Here is a new Chloe picture for you to enjoy!!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
An old post returns. . .
Well, there has not been much happening lately. It is currently snowing and we are all hoping for a snow day!!!! I guess we will have to wait and see what happens tomorrow morning for that. (Side note since we have this post back now--we missed 3 days of school due to layers of ice, so the boys and I were very happy:))
I have been checking everyday for new pictures of Chloe and tonight I finally have some!!! Laura just recently returned from Taiwan. She was there to help St. Lucy's, where Chloe currently resides, move into the new orphanage. I am hoping to hear from Laura this week on more information about where we are in the process and if she has any idea of when we might get to travel to bring our little one home.
Can you say sleeping beauty???
To help pass the time, we are preparing her room. We bought her bedding last week. It is pink(did you think it would be anything different?) with some green and yellow flowers. We are going to paint 3 walls the pink and 1 the green. As some of you know, this will not be a fun task considering her room is currently ECU purple. So, we have a huge chore. Our wonderful friend Jennifer has volunteered to help us paint. We are hoping Jonathan will Kilz the walls for us first. Imagine, after 3 boys, we finally get some pink!!! I'll post some pictures of our progress.
Don't forget you can add comments!! It lets us know our friends and family are keeping up with us.
I have been checking everyday for new pictures of Chloe and tonight I finally have some!!! Laura just recently returned from Taiwan. She was there to help St. Lucy's, where Chloe currently resides, move into the new orphanage. I am hoping to hear from Laura this week on more information about where we are in the process and if she has any idea of when we might get to travel to bring our little one home.
Can you say sleeping beauty??? To help pass the time, we are preparing her room. We bought her bedding last week. It is pink(did you think it would be anything different?) with some green and yellow flowers. We are going to paint 3 walls the pink and 1 the green. As some of you know, this will not be a fun task considering her room is currently ECU purple. So, we have a huge chore. Our wonderful friend Jennifer has volunteered to help us paint. We are hoping Jonathan will Kilz the walls for us first. Imagine, after 3 boys, we finally get some pink!!! I'll post some pictures of our progress.
Don't forget you can add comments!! It lets us know our friends and family are keeping up with us.
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