Starting the New Year Right!
Happy 2009! Hope you and yours are off to a great start!
We spent the week after Christmas in Edisto Island, SC and exploring the Charleston area. On New Year's Eve, we took the kids to the SC aquarium (after missing the boat to Ft. Sumter twice!) and walked around the historic district. Sticking with my parents' tradition of staying home and cooking, I cooked every one's favorites for dinner (yes, spaghetti, corn dogs, shrimp and steak! Can you guess who asked for what?) and Lily and I managed to stay up and watch the ball drop. Jim was sick with a serious sinus infection the whole trip but was a trooper. The kids had a great time just being together and exploring the woods and the beach. We made a quick call to our local St Pete pediatrician for his quick advice on how to remove ticks. Yuck! We won't be tramping through the woods again soon! Thank goodness the dogs did not go with us! And thank you Hyundai for the never before used first aid kit in the minivan with tweezers and magnifying glass!
We spent New Year's day at the Magnolia Plantation which had an amazing petting zoo and spectacular gardens. Marshall was able to spend a day and a half with his dad (who now lives in Virginia but who met us in Charleston) and he got a bass guitar from him for Christmas which he has been wanting for a long time. He reminds me so much of his grandfather on his dad's side when he has that bass in his hands. His "papa Gene" was a wonderful jazz musician who played stand up bass. Marshall was a remarkably patient and loving big brother on this trip. Both kids did great in the car but Marshall really made an effort to keep Lily entertained and to help teach her how to use some of her new Christmas toys. Lily spent much of New Year's Day telling strangers that she watched the ball drop. She loved feeding the animals at the plantation and didn't even mind when a "naughty pig" drooled some nasty slime on her pants. Jim was Dr. Doolittle, immediately surrounded by the herd when he pulled a holly bush close enough for the deer to get a better nibble.
I woke up Thursday morning from a very vivid dream of being in Vietnam and meeting our son for the first time. In my dream, we watched Wendi and Brian receive their daughter, An. We were thrilled with joy for them and filled with anticipation for us. The officials walked out of the room and we asked, where is our son? Another family entered and we thought perhaps that Hung would not come at all. The fear and disappointment was huge. I felt sick to my stomach. Then a small boy with beautiful eyes appeared from around a corner all by himself. He looked at us shyly and we were afraid to approach him. In my dream, I bent down and he smiled and ran to hug me. He hugged each of us in turn with a wider and wider grin. His little hug felt so good and so real. He snuggled in Marshall's neck and touched Lily's silky black hair with awe. I woke up with tears of joy and wanted to go back to sleep for just a few moments more. What a gift to start the year!
On Friday while walking around Charleston, the cell phone rang and it was Holt with the news that our file, which was sent out for investigation on December 25, was already back at the province Department of Justice (DOJ) and the investigation was complete. Holt is assuming it was all clear or we would have had more details provided. The next step is for DOJ approval. We should have confirmation early next week that the investigation was fine. We are praying we have province approval before Tet (Vietnamese New Year) at the end of the month. Could travel in March or April be a reality? This is the first time in a long time I have felt travel is perhaps just a few month away. Overall, it was a much needed break. We didn't do half of what we planned but that was ok too. The South Carolinians we met were extremely gracious and friendly - we knew we were in the old South, honey!
We know you all have been praying mightily. Many of you know how hard this holiday was without Hunter and we felt your love holding us up and getting us through. Happy New Year!
We spent the week after Christmas in Edisto Island, SC and exploring the Charleston area. On New Year's Eve, we took the kids to the SC aquarium (after missing the boat to Ft. Sumter twice!) and walked around the historic district. Sticking with my parents' tradition of staying home and cooking, I cooked every one's favorites for dinner (yes, spaghetti, corn dogs, shrimp and steak! Can you guess who asked for what?) and Lily and I managed to stay up and watch the ball drop. Jim was sick with a serious sinus infection the whole trip but was a trooper. The kids had a great time just being together and exploring the woods and the beach. We made a quick call to our local St Pete pediatrician for his quick advice on how to remove ticks. Yuck! We won't be tramping through the woods again soon! Thank goodness the dogs did not go with us! And thank you Hyundai for the never before used first aid kit in the minivan with tweezers and magnifying glass!
We spent New Year's day at the Magnolia Plantation which had an amazing petting zoo and spectacular gardens. Marshall was able to spend a day and a half with his dad (who now lives in Virginia but who met us in Charleston) and he got a bass guitar from him for Christmas which he has been wanting for a long time. He reminds me so much of his grandfather on his dad's side when he has that bass in his hands. His "papa Gene" was a wonderful jazz musician who played stand up bass. Marshall was a remarkably patient and loving big brother on this trip. Both kids did great in the car but Marshall really made an effort to keep Lily entertained and to help teach her how to use some of her new Christmas toys. Lily spent much of New Year's Day telling strangers that she watched the ball drop. She loved feeding the animals at the plantation and didn't even mind when a "naughty pig" drooled some nasty slime on her pants. Jim was Dr. Doolittle, immediately surrounded by the herd when he pulled a holly bush close enough for the deer to get a better nibble.
I woke up Thursday morning from a very vivid dream of being in Vietnam and meeting our son for the first time. In my dream, we watched Wendi and Brian receive their daughter, An. We were thrilled with joy for them and filled with anticipation for us. The officials walked out of the room and we asked, where is our son? Another family entered and we thought perhaps that Hung would not come at all. The fear and disappointment was huge. I felt sick to my stomach. Then a small boy with beautiful eyes appeared from around a corner all by himself. He looked at us shyly and we were afraid to approach him. In my dream, I bent down and he smiled and ran to hug me. He hugged each of us in turn with a wider and wider grin. His little hug felt so good and so real. He snuggled in Marshall's neck and touched Lily's silky black hair with awe. I woke up with tears of joy and wanted to go back to sleep for just a few moments more. What a gift to start the year!
On Friday while walking around Charleston, the cell phone rang and it was Holt with the news that our file, which was sent out for investigation on December 25, was already back at the province Department of Justice (DOJ) and the investigation was complete. Holt is assuming it was all clear or we would have had more details provided. The next step is for DOJ approval. We should have confirmation early next week that the investigation was fine. We are praying we have province approval before Tet (Vietnamese New Year) at the end of the month. Could travel in March or April be a reality? This is the first time in a long time I have felt travel is perhaps just a few month away. Overall, it was a much needed break. We didn't do half of what we planned but that was ok too. The South Carolinians we met were extremely gracious and friendly - we knew we were in the old South, honey!
We know you all have been praying mightily. Many of you know how hard this holiday was without Hunter and we felt your love holding us up and getting us through. Happy New Year!
posted by Our Family at
8:43 PM
7 Comments:
Happy New Year!!!! I'm so excited that we are all one baby step closer.
Oh, what wonderful news to start the new year!!! The dream sounds wonderful . . . I'm jealous! I've only dreamed of our Hùng once so far! Here's praying that your approval comes through VERY quickly and that we can both be in Vietnam picking up our same-named sons TOGETHER!!
thank you for posting at our new blog! www.imadoptedhallelujah.blogspot.com (phoebe)....
i love making new adoption friends. the ones who have gone through a similar drama have a special bond.
i can't believe we finally are traveling.... it feels good. thank you for your support. and it God's perfect time and perfect wisdom, you will also. a part of me understands the wait (i've learned much and He must know i wouldn't have learned it otherwise) and part of me knows more will be revealed. one day, maybe not until eternity. please follow our journey and if you will, would you pray? you know all the things to pray for -- the same things you pray for hung. thanks again for your comments. it meant alot. in Christ, jan :)
Oh my goodness, what a dream and what GREAT news! I know what you were going through during the holidays. Last year was the first time I have ever experienced a hard Christmas, because we expected Nicholas to be home and had gotten delayed by the I600 changes. It was SO hard. But like you all we got great news just past the new year! It will be an amazing 2009 for your family!
What an amazing dream. I know that you didn't want to wake up! I am so glad to hear that your investigation was completed so quickly. I can't wait until we are traveling to Vietnam together to bring home our beautiful children! Thanks for your love and support as we go through this journey together.
Love,
Annette
Sounds like a wonderful start to the new year. I just love Charleston and such wonderful news on the approved investigation. Can't wait to hear news from you all of approvals to travel. In the mean time, wishing you many more sweet dreams until the dream is a reality.
I believe God gave you that dream as w promise that Hunter will be coming home! Hopefully very soon! God has given me some very vivid dreams during our adoption processes and they always play out exactly like in the dream!
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