A Daughter's Return Trip to China

Martha Osborne chronicles the journey:

Coming of Age...A China Adoptee Returns to the Land of Her Birth

Although China has been open to international adoption since the early 1990's, it wasn't until 1994/5 that the wave of adoptive parents first gathered gale-force as the door of adoption in China swung open farther and families lined up to parent the waiting children living in orphanages.

Like many adoptive parents, when the idea of international adoption first was being explored as an option to build our family, I had a very strong attraction to particular countries. Always fascinated with the history and cultures of Asia, and sharing that interest with my husband, we explored adoption from China and South Korea. Over the years our family has grown with the addition of children from both countries.

We adopted a toddler from China in 1996. Another toddler, this time from South Korea, in 1997. Then in 1998 we saw a photo of a wide-smiled 8-year-old on a waiting child list. There were two lines only to describe her, and no further information could be obtained:

"Wu Qin works hard. She has had open heart surgery."

That was it. Her entire information included a photo of a girl with two pony-tails, one enormous smile, and two lines of information. Of course we decided to adopt her immediately.

Read the full article here.

A Mish-Mash

It is funny to me that Mother's Day was the 13th of the month and I didn't even realize that marked another month passing since our LID. I used to count down the days until the 13th and this time I didn't even realize it. I do hope and pray that Mother's Day 2007 is indeed my last Mother's Day without Olivia.

Well, we got a new camera in February and we are finally uploading our pictures. Here are just a few. They start from the most recent and go back to Feb.



The rows of Olivia's 100 Wishes quilt. A work in progress!



Our first official BBQ in our new home. We had the Rieck's and the Woyke's (from our America World China travel group) over to pray for our daughters in China and for the process to speed up.



At the airport with my new nephew, Michael, visiting with him before he heads off to the Middle East for six months with the Navy. He had a three hour layover at MSP airport.



Our crazy dog, June, yawning.



With the Woyke's celebrating our shared LID-iversary and also Jen's birthday. We met a Chinese restaurant and then came back to our house for dessert. Pictured below is their son, Barak and daughter Celia, and the ladybug cake that I baked and Lee decorated.





Our cats in a rare moment of bliss. Within five minutes of this picture they were fighting again.



Snow clear to the top of the upstairs window.



Ezra and June sharing a nap.



Abby and June sitting together on the trunk.



We went to San Diego in February for my niece Melinda's wedding. Here we are with her and Michael.



And here we are on the beach!

What's Happening in China While We Wait

Apparently, abortion among teens and unmarried women in China is on the rise. It is affecting not just the larger urban areas, but small cities and developing communities as well.

And still we wait.

I think the Chinese government can expect the abortion rate to rise as long as they continue to delay the adoption process.

Continue to pray that the process speeds up. Not for our sake, but for the sake of China's "unwanted" children.

CCAA Update

I hear that the word on the street is that our blog has been a little depressing lately. Well, let me cheer you! The CCAA has processed ONE MORE WEEK of paperwork! Congratulations CCAA! We are snailing along!

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before March 31, 2006.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before November 1, 2005.