Merry Christmas from the Sheltons! Lee, Dawn, June and Abby
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
More Press on Chinese Adoption from CNN
From CNN.com:
We will wait on the CCAA, but will not worry since REALLY we are waiting on the LORD.
- BEIJING, China (AP) -- China is imposing new restrictions on foreign adoptions, barring applicants who are unmarried, obese, over 50 or who take antidepressants, according to U.S. adoption agencies.
The restrictions are meant to limit adoptions to "only the most qualified families," said the Web site of one agency, Harrah's Adoption International Mission in Spring, Texas.
The agency said China has pledged to try to make more children available to those who qualify.
The move comes amid a surge in foreign applications to adopt Chinese children. The United States is the No. 1 destination for children adopted abroad, but the number going to Europe and elsewhere is rising.
An employee of the government-run China Center of Adoption Affairs, the agency that oversees foreign adoptions, said it has issued new guidelines but refused to confirm the details released by the American agencies. He wouldn't give his name.
We will wait on the CCAA, but will not worry since REALLY we are waiting on the LORD.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
NY Times Article on Chinese Adoption
China Tightens Adoption Rules for Foreigners
The New York Times
Published: December 20, 2006
China plans to tighten rules on foreign adoptions, barring people who are single, obese, older than 50 or who fail to meet certain benchmarks in financial, physical or psychological health from adopting Chinese children, according to adoption agencies in the United States.
The restrictions are in response to an enormous spike in applications by foreigners, which has far exceeded the number of available babies, said leaders of American adoption agencies who were briefed by Chinese officials earlier this month.
The new regulations, which have not yet been formally announced by the government-run China Center of Adoption Affairs, or C.C.A.A., are expected to take effect on May 1, 2007, and have raised concern and anxiety among prospective adoptive parents in this country.
China has in recent years been the No. 1 source of foreign-born children adopted by Americans — in the fiscal year 2006, the State Department granted 6,493 visas to Chinese orphans — and its regulations on who can adopt have been less restrictive than those in some other countries, adoption agencies said.
Now, however, the agencies said, the Chinese government has formulated guidelines intended to recruit adoptive families with qualities that Chinese officials believe will provide the greatest chance that children will be raised by healthy, economically stable parents.
“They need somehow to cut down on the number of families that are submitting” adoption requests, said Jackie Harrah, executive director of Harrah’s Adoption International Mission in Spring, Tex.
“Their feeling is that while singles can be good parents,” Ms. Harrah said, “it is better for a child to be raised in a two-parent family, it’s better for a parent to be educated, it’s better for a parent not to be obese because they have a chance of living longer. What C.C.A.A. really wanted was the cream of the crop.”
Several agencies said they had been flooded with confused, anxious or disappointed calls and e-mail messages from people wanting to adopt or those going through the application process. Most of those who had already initiated adoption applications were told that if they got all their paperwork in by May 1, they were likely to be approved.
But international adoption agencies have already begun turning away applicants who did not meet the new criteria.
The guidelines include a requirement that applicants have a body-mass index of less than 40, no criminal record, a high school diploma and be free of certain health problems like AIDS and cancer. Couples must have been married for at least two years and have had no more than two divorces between them. If either spouse was previously divorced, the couple cannot apply until they have been married for at least five years.
In addition, adoptive parents must have a net worth of at least $80,000 and income of at least $10,000 per person in the household, including the prospective adoptive child.
Parents can be as old as 55 if adopting a child with special needs.
Timothy Sutfin, executive director of New Beginnings Family and Children’s Services, an international adoption agency in Mineola, N.Y., said the new guidelines put China in the middle of the spectrum of countries — not as restrictive as South Korea, but stricter than places like Guatemala or Vietnam.
Keith Wallace, the chief executive of Families Thru International Adoption, based in Evansville, Ind., said that adopting an American child could also be restrictive, with standards for the health, economic situation and marital status of the family.
Despite the new rules, adoption agencies said they did not believe that the numbers of Chinese children adopted by Americans would decrease. Since 1991, Americans have adopted 55,000 Chinese children. Adoptions cost about $15,000, according to agency Web sites.
Since one agency, Great Wall China Adoption in Austin, Tex., posted the new rules on its Web site last week, “we’ve had about 400 e-mails and phone calls a day,” said Heather Terry, director of regional offices for the agency. “Some families were just turned down today. One was a couple where the husband had social anxiety disorder and takes Zoloft,” a violation of the new guidelines that bar people who are taking medication for anxiety or depression.
One person who is disqualified is Tony Velong of Temple Terrace, Fla. Mr. Velong and his wife, Tracey, had previously adopted two girls from China and were considering applying for a third. But they are too old: he is 59 and she is 51.
“I’m sure anybody who is healthy and eligible to adopt a child and couldn’t because of the age rule would be disappointed at least,” said Mr. Velong, who was 55 when the first child was adopted.
There is no question he is physically fit: he is the police chief of Temple Terrace.
“I’m still working the street,” Mr. Velong said, “and you have to be in good shape. In reality, today’s 60 was yesterday’s 40, and I don’t think that’s fully understood.”
A major reason that Chinese babies, most of them girls, are available for adoption is China’s two-decade-old population control measure known as the “one child policy.”
The C.C.A.A., which was known to be developing the new guidelines for months, refused a request in recent weeks for an interview on adoption policy, and yesterday a call to the Chinese Embassy in Washington was not returned. An unidentified official cited by The Associated Press confirmed that the government was adopting new guidelines but declined to discuss specifics.
Some of the guidelines are a culmination of what had been a previous tightening of criteria, agencies said. For the past few years, for example, to whittle down the applicant pool, China has limited the number of single parents allowed to adopt to 8 percent of the total, partly on the theory that if a single parent dies, the child has no other parent to turn to, agencies said.
The ease of China’s earlier standards was probably one reason for the deluge in applications, agencies said. But China is also popular because its system is well organized and efficient and because Chinese orphans are generally well cared for and have a good chance of being healthy when adopted.
Foreign parents have become a common sight in cities like Guangzhou or Changsha, where they usually travel in groups and stay in the local five-star hotel for a few days as they acclimate themselves to their new baby.
The quality of the Chinese system and the health of the children is what prompted Mindy and Michael Henderson of Austin to apply for a Chinese child this year, a girl, Grace, who they adopted last month. Under the new rules, Ms. Henderson, 33, would have been disqualified because she uses a wheelchair for a neuromuscular condition. As it was, she said, her adoption agency had to lobby hard to gain approval, and was successful only because Grace is 5, not an infant.
“It’s really a shame,“ Ms. Henderson said of the health-related restrictions. “I’m really, really active. I use a motorized wheelchair so I can get around by myself. I drive my own car, I’ve got a master’s degree and I work a full-time job in management. My husband doesn’t have any sort of a disability.”
Adoption agencies differed on who would be most affected by the restrictions. Ms. Terry said, “The body-mass index and the anxiety and depression are probably the two most significant blows. These are really common diagnoses here in America.”
Ms. Harrah said that the age limit would exclude a lot of eager applicants, and that the marriage requirement of five years for a second marriage would mean for many that “by the time they have been married for five years they will be over 50.”
Others lamented the singles exclusion.
“It’s a very sad day,” said Peggy Lee Scott, president of the Northern California chapter of Families With Children From China. Ms. Scott, a single mother who adopted a Chinese baby 13 years ago, said a third of her chapter’s families were headed by single mothers.
“There always were a limited number of countries willing to adopt to single parents,” she said. “China was willing and recognized we could do a good job.”
Ms. Scott’s daughter, Abigail, concurred.
“Just because you don’t have another adult doesn’t mean you miss out on anything,” Abigail said. “In my opinion, having one parent is cool and makes you unique.”
The New York Times
Published: December 20, 2006
China plans to tighten rules on foreign adoptions, barring people who are single, obese, older than 50 or who fail to meet certain benchmarks in financial, physical or psychological health from adopting Chinese children, according to adoption agencies in the United States.
The restrictions are in response to an enormous spike in applications by foreigners, which has far exceeded the number of available babies, said leaders of American adoption agencies who were briefed by Chinese officials earlier this month.
The new regulations, which have not yet been formally announced by the government-run China Center of Adoption Affairs, or C.C.A.A., are expected to take effect on May 1, 2007, and have raised concern and anxiety among prospective adoptive parents in this country.
China has in recent years been the No. 1 source of foreign-born children adopted by Americans — in the fiscal year 2006, the State Department granted 6,493 visas to Chinese orphans — and its regulations on who can adopt have been less restrictive than those in some other countries, adoption agencies said.
Now, however, the agencies said, the Chinese government has formulated guidelines intended to recruit adoptive families with qualities that Chinese officials believe will provide the greatest chance that children will be raised by healthy, economically stable parents.
“They need somehow to cut down on the number of families that are submitting” adoption requests, said Jackie Harrah, executive director of Harrah’s Adoption International Mission in Spring, Tex.
“Their feeling is that while singles can be good parents,” Ms. Harrah said, “it is better for a child to be raised in a two-parent family, it’s better for a parent to be educated, it’s better for a parent not to be obese because they have a chance of living longer. What C.C.A.A. really wanted was the cream of the crop.”
Several agencies said they had been flooded with confused, anxious or disappointed calls and e-mail messages from people wanting to adopt or those going through the application process. Most of those who had already initiated adoption applications were told that if they got all their paperwork in by May 1, they were likely to be approved.
But international adoption agencies have already begun turning away applicants who did not meet the new criteria.
The guidelines include a requirement that applicants have a body-mass index of less than 40, no criminal record, a high school diploma and be free of certain health problems like AIDS and cancer. Couples must have been married for at least two years and have had no more than two divorces between them. If either spouse was previously divorced, the couple cannot apply until they have been married for at least five years.
In addition, adoptive parents must have a net worth of at least $80,000 and income of at least $10,000 per person in the household, including the prospective adoptive child.
Parents can be as old as 55 if adopting a child with special needs.
Timothy Sutfin, executive director of New Beginnings Family and Children’s Services, an international adoption agency in Mineola, N.Y., said the new guidelines put China in the middle of the spectrum of countries — not as restrictive as South Korea, but stricter than places like Guatemala or Vietnam.
Keith Wallace, the chief executive of Families Thru International Adoption, based in Evansville, Ind., said that adopting an American child could also be restrictive, with standards for the health, economic situation and marital status of the family.
Despite the new rules, adoption agencies said they did not believe that the numbers of Chinese children adopted by Americans would decrease. Since 1991, Americans have adopted 55,000 Chinese children. Adoptions cost about $15,000, according to agency Web sites.
Since one agency, Great Wall China Adoption in Austin, Tex., posted the new rules on its Web site last week, “we’ve had about 400 e-mails and phone calls a day,” said Heather Terry, director of regional offices for the agency. “Some families were just turned down today. One was a couple where the husband had social anxiety disorder and takes Zoloft,” a violation of the new guidelines that bar people who are taking medication for anxiety or depression.
One person who is disqualified is Tony Velong of Temple Terrace, Fla. Mr. Velong and his wife, Tracey, had previously adopted two girls from China and were considering applying for a third. But they are too old: he is 59 and she is 51.
“I’m sure anybody who is healthy and eligible to adopt a child and couldn’t because of the age rule would be disappointed at least,” said Mr. Velong, who was 55 when the first child was adopted.
There is no question he is physically fit: he is the police chief of Temple Terrace.
“I’m still working the street,” Mr. Velong said, “and you have to be in good shape. In reality, today’s 60 was yesterday’s 40, and I don’t think that’s fully understood.”
A major reason that Chinese babies, most of them girls, are available for adoption is China’s two-decade-old population control measure known as the “one child policy.”
The C.C.A.A., which was known to be developing the new guidelines for months, refused a request in recent weeks for an interview on adoption policy, and yesterday a call to the Chinese Embassy in Washington was not returned. An unidentified official cited by The Associated Press confirmed that the government was adopting new guidelines but declined to discuss specifics.
Some of the guidelines are a culmination of what had been a previous tightening of criteria, agencies said. For the past few years, for example, to whittle down the applicant pool, China has limited the number of single parents allowed to adopt to 8 percent of the total, partly on the theory that if a single parent dies, the child has no other parent to turn to, agencies said.
The ease of China’s earlier standards was probably one reason for the deluge in applications, agencies said. But China is also popular because its system is well organized and efficient and because Chinese orphans are generally well cared for and have a good chance of being healthy when adopted.
Foreign parents have become a common sight in cities like Guangzhou or Changsha, where they usually travel in groups and stay in the local five-star hotel for a few days as they acclimate themselves to their new baby.
The quality of the Chinese system and the health of the children is what prompted Mindy and Michael Henderson of Austin to apply for a Chinese child this year, a girl, Grace, who they adopted last month. Under the new rules, Ms. Henderson, 33, would have been disqualified because she uses a wheelchair for a neuromuscular condition. As it was, she said, her adoption agency had to lobby hard to gain approval, and was successful only because Grace is 5, not an infant.
“It’s really a shame,“ Ms. Henderson said of the health-related restrictions. “I’m really, really active. I use a motorized wheelchair so I can get around by myself. I drive my own car, I’ve got a master’s degree and I work a full-time job in management. My husband doesn’t have any sort of a disability.”
Adoption agencies differed on who would be most affected by the restrictions. Ms. Terry said, “The body-mass index and the anxiety and depression are probably the two most significant blows. These are really common diagnoses here in America.”
Ms. Harrah said that the age limit would exclude a lot of eager applicants, and that the marriage requirement of five years for a second marriage would mean for many that “by the time they have been married for five years they will be over 50.”
Others lamented the singles exclusion.
“It’s a very sad day,” said Peggy Lee Scott, president of the Northern California chapter of Families With Children From China. Ms. Scott, a single mother who adopted a Chinese baby 13 years ago, said a third of her chapter’s families were headed by single mothers.
“There always were a limited number of countries willing to adopt to single parents,” she said. “China was willing and recognized we could do a good job.”
Ms. Scott’s daughter, Abigail, concurred.
“Just because you don’t have another adult doesn’t mean you miss out on anything,” Abigail said. “In my opinion, having one parent is cool and makes you unique.”
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
**sigh**
It has been nine months since our Log-In Date and 16 months since we started this journey. Wish I had good news to share...
In an email from our adoption agency:
The wait time is currently around 15 months from "LID" (log-in date) to Referral. The wait time is always subject to increase or decrease, depending on the amount of paper-ready children the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) has available.
So, another delay! The referrals were coming in at 15 months anyway, so this was not a surprise (and notice it says "around 15 months"). So as it stands right now, the soonest we will hear anything is June 2007, although we are no longer getting our hopes up about anything at this point. Once bitten, twice shy...well, we fell for it more than twice and kept getting disappointed so our best psychological and emotional defense is a non-chalant **sigh** and a reminder once again that God is in control.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
CCAA into September 2005...
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before January 31, 2006.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before September 8, 2005.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Eight Months Down!
Ok, so eight months since we were logged into China's system and 14 months since we began our adoption journey. We know why God made human gestation nine months long...because nine months is long enough!!! So, are we half way there? Over half way? Well, I guess we will wait and see and wait some more. Wait patiently with us, won't you?
November is Adoption Awareness month! Here are some links should you care to browse:
Voice of the Orphan has a series of radio broadcasts running the week of November 13 - 18: www.voiceoftheorphan.org
Adoptive Families Magazine has a calendar to help you mark each day: www.adoptivefamilies.com/pdf/2005calendar.pdf
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute: www.ccainstitute.org
Child Welfare Information Gateway “Answering the Call”: www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/index.cfm
National Council for Adoption: www.adoptioncouncil.org
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
We're Moving!!
Here is our new house off of County Rd. C. near Dale in Roseville, Mn. We will miss many of our neighbors from our Russell/Queen Block Club, but there was definitely an overwhelming sense that this was MEANT TO BE!! We sold our house in two days, by the grace of God. We only were kind of joking about moving a little over a month ago! Crazy. We are excited that we will be in our new house for Christmas and that we will have plenty of time to get things settled before Olivia comes home (she IS coming home, isn't she!!??)
Lots of love and visit soon!
Dawn
Friday, November 03, 2006
Some Action at the CCAA!!!!
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before January 31, 2006.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before August 25, 2005.
So they are reviewing February paperwork!! We are March paperwork!!! Getting closer! If nothing else, very exciting to see SOME movement on the part of the CCAA after a lull.
There IS a child waiting for us at the end of this journey...lately it has felt like less of a reality than it did a year ago.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Classified Ads
My name is Abby. I am a S/B&W/F ISO a baby to call my own. I am a rescue dog who is approximately 7 years old. I came into this family in 2000 not expecting to wait this long for a baby – I love kids! My hobbies include: bird-watching, napping, running & light housekeeping. Well, at least I would clean under your high chair. I would also be counted on to sufficiently wash your hands & face for you. I should probably tell you that I may not be a purebred, but the love I could provide to you would be unlike any other. I am a caretaker & will watch over you. I hate to admit it, but I tend to be a bit snobbish when it comes to playing with other dogs, especially June.
Hey! I’m June and I, I, I, well, I suffer from D.A.D.H.D. (Doggie Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder). I am however, as snuggly and cuddly as I am rowdy. I am about three or so, a rescue dog brought to MN from IN. I am proud to say that I am a purebred English Coonhound, but not proud to say that the experts say that I can’t be trusted alone. (I would NEVER chew a couch!!) I am a S/Sp/F ISO of a baby who will share her stuffed toys with me. My hobbies include stealing stuffed animals (oh, I already mentioned that), critter-spotting, rough-housing with Abby & pretending that I am a lap-dog. I also love to sleep if mommy or daddy can get me to “settle the kettle”.
Hello. My name is Ezra & I am about 16 or 17. I found my owners on a cold Valentine’s Day right after they got married. My future mom “accidentally” left the door open for me & when the landlord said keep it or I will call animal control, my future dad ran right out to get me food &, well, you know, a box. It was rough at first -- I had been homeless (I pride myself on being dignified, so I shall refrain from further details.) Anyhoo, in February, I will celebrate my 15 year anniversary with the Sheltons. I am a S/O/MT ISO a baby who will not take my spot on the couch. I will kindly tolerate tail-pulling, fur-pulling, & the baby version of petting, but don’t take my spot on the couch.
What!?! Fine! I’m Nika. I am the only four legged beast in this house who isn’t a *yawn* rescue animal. I was adopted as a kitten in 1993 & have wreaked havoc on this family ever since. Don’t tell them I told you, but I am the homeowner, not them! I have used most of my nine lives already, so bring on whatever you want cuz I can take it. I have a history with ant poison but have been clean and sober for over 10 years. I was hit by a car as a kid so only pet me on my head or I will yell at you. I am a S/B/FT ISO a baby who won’t tell the humans that I really do like kids – I have a reputation to uphold! Sssshhhh!
HALLLOOOOO! I am Geoffrey Michael Shelton and I am so very beauuuuuuuuuuutiful aren’t I? I am looking at my favorite birdie in the mirror in this picture, ME! Aren’t I gorgeous? My likes are listening to music, singing & I love to whistle. I am a S/G/MC ISO a baby that won’t stick her fingers in my cage. I love faces, but it is the fingers that scare me!! My human is the only one who takes me out & she makes sure that all those four legged creatures are tucked away first! You see, I don’t like anyone but myself. I can’t help it. It is just the way that I am.
Hi, I am a rescue bird named Kiwi. My human bought me & my late brother at a garage sale (humiliating!) Unfortunately, my brother Periwinkle and I did not get along and he is no longer with us. While foul play was considered, there was no concrete evidence (heh, heh, heh). All the other critters in this house have human names, but they decided not to change our names when the got us. I like my name. I am very shy and won’t come out of my cage and I don’t like the furry critters who live here, just Geoffrey, who I sing with in the mornings. I don’t have much else to say except I like to swing on my swing and I like to eat and sleep.DEFINITIONS:
ISO - In search of
S - Single
F - Female
M - Male
Sp - Spotted
T - Tabby
B & W - Black and white
O - Orange
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Seven Months Down
I am a little late with this but on Friday it was our seven month LID-iversary!! We are excited to keep passing the 13th of each month because it gets us closer to our BABY!! Well, we assume so! Sadly, there are rumors of more delays in China. We just have to trust that Olivia will come home soon. Please continue to pray with us that China can get the pace back up where they were before. We know that there must be some divine plan that we can't see right now. We will continue to (try) to learn patience and learn to wait on the Lord.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Happy Harvest Moon Festival!!
Today is the Harvest Moon Festival in China. My neighbor Chrissy, (below, with me at her goodbye party) just moved to China a few weeks ago & sent home a big box of mooncakes. Her housemates, sister Michelle and friend Andrea, brought them over to share with us.
They come in a big beautiful box, and when it is opened, it makes a train of little boxes. It is tradition to cut the mooncake into four pieces and to share.
Here we are, ready to try them!!
And...
Ewwwwwwww!! Yuk!
But thanks, Chrissy! It was wonderful to be a part of this Chinese tradition while we wait for our baby girl!! I have a few pictures of Hannah Banana, too, but they will have to go on the next blog -- the system is not cooperating to let me add more!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Entertainment and Entertained
I have worked for Entertainment for eight years now. Crazy! I remember thinking, "It's a full-time job to put together those books?" I also remember my former boss calling me into his office saying he would like me to stay at that job. He asked what they were paying me so he could compete. I told him and he said, "I wish you all the best." HAHA! Yes, Entertainment has been good to me in so many ways. It is a perfect fit for me, which I guess is obvious since I have been there for this long. I love my job (most of the time!) and am very grateful for it.
Lee had a concert tonight. I took Kiah out for "sketti" at the restaurant down the street. It is so nice to be able to walk to a few different restaurants around here. We actually had sketti and meatballs. Nummy!! It was fun dining with just Kiah. She walked in and at the top of her lungs she said, "I need a BOOSTER!". The owner came right over and took her with him to go get the booster. She carried it back and climbed in. When she saw a grandfatherly type watching her she said, "What's your name?" and proceeded to have a full-on conversation with him. He and his wife were very impressed that she is only two.
She ordered for herself ("I want sketti, please") and while I told her to order milk, the owner said, "and would you like a 'kiddie cocktail' "? She of course nodded vigorously at whatever that meant! When he left, I said, "You were supposed to ask for milk!" and she said, "Nope, I want a kiddie cocktail!" She jumped in the neighbor's pile of leaves on the way home (at their invitation) and then she took a bath and is now in bed. We have sleepovers pretty often but we're such good buddies, we wouldn't we?
She sings abc's all the time, but tonight she sang a-b-c-d-e-i-e-i-o!! HAHA!
Fun night!
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Yes, Another Blog
Humorous, random, less focused, disjointed, rambling, muddled...In other words, this new blog will be more like how my mind actually functions:Check it out!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!!
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before December 31, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before August 9, 2005.
Hurray!! More referrals!
We are getting things ready for Olivia! We found the crib bedding that we liked but wanted it to have more red on it, so I sewed red rick-rack around the edges. Much better!
Also, Lee put together the shelving unit we got at IKEA, and I decorated it with books, toys Lee and I played with when we were little, our Bugs Bunny collectibles, things that we have been given for Olivia, and wonderful soft-sided "drawers" from Target! I LOVE how it turned out!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
CCAA Slowly Progresses...
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before December 31, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before July 22, 2005.
So, no more referrals yet, but they have finished reviewing paperwork through 2005!! There are rumors that February is now in the review room, but more referrals, please! They are still in July!! Please pray for the waiting families, but especially for the waiting babies.
Pictures below show the "Matching Room" where the CCAA matches paperwork for babies and families. The middle picture is of babies in cribs with no mattresses, pillows, or anything soft! Just on hard wood. Picture on the right is of babies in little walkers. Sorry I cannot figure out how to make the pictures bigger.
Friday, September 15, 2006
It's time...
My mom taught me, by word and deed, to pay attention to God's creation in nature. I remember in high school, she called me outside to see a stickbug. She said, "Doesn't God have a great sense of humor?" I thought it was kind of cool then, but, ok, I'm gonna go back inside now, mom. After all I was in high school! But I have never seen one since. I am so glad she took the time to show me that. She taught me to notice the different sounds of the birds, God's touch in the trees - with how many different shapes of leaves and shades of green there are, and to just be aware of nature.It was with a smile on my face then, when three days in a row now, I have seen different flocks of Canadian Geese flying south for the winter. I don't know if I would pay attention to it if it weren't for my mom. I glanced at other people as they flew overhead -- no one noticed. Maybe that seems silly to some, but I am grateful for my "awareness". I also noticed the first tree turning re
d. Beautiful. 
Of course part of the reason I am ok with the trees changing and the birds flying south is because the faster fall comes, the faster winter comes and then spring and then CHINA?? But also, there is something funny that happens to we Minnesotans this time of year. We grow tired of the shorts and flip-flops and yearn for the sweaters and boots. Many don't understand this odd transformation, or the desire for it, and perhaps you have to live in a cold climate to get it. But it's time. Time for the cozy nights sipping cocoa by the fireplace. Time to watch the leaves fall fast and furiously. Time to speculate when the snow may fall. Time for marshmallow roasts. Time to "hunker down" and enjoy playing games or reading a book, or my favorite winter hobby, knitting. Enjoy!!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
SIX Months Down!
Well, it was supposed to be half way, but now that the wait has once again been extended, we'll just celebrate that we are SIX MONTHS DOWN!! And, really, it's half way to SOMETHING!!
Most definitely our baby Olivia is born now, which is a strange realization. We pray protection over her constantly. If we get a referral in March and she is six months old at referral, then she has been born or will be born this month. If she is older at referral, then she is already here!!
We celebrated the big day by having a picnic with a few AWAA friends and their kids. Two of the families have been wonderful mentors to us, the Strassburgs, who have two daughters from China, Maya and Shayla; and Brennans, parents to Zoe, also from China (they also have three older bio kids). The last family we celebrated with is the Woykes, the family who lives a few blocks away. We have the same LID (log-in date) and are in the same travel group. The have two young bio kids, Celia and Barak. Kiah, our god-daughter, came with us.
(click on the pictures to enlarge)
The kids helped to decorate the dessert with a big number six on it for the Shelton's and Woyke's six month log-in date anniversary!
Please pray for all the waiting babies and families!
Dawn
Monday, September 11, 2006
Remembering September 11
Another anniversary, but this one isn't a pleasant one. Seeing all the pictures and hearing the stories has taken me back to that day. The feeling of horror, shock, dismay, bewilderment, sheer ignorance, naivete'. I almost laugh at myself now thinking about how I couldn't figure out what the reporters were talking about when they spoke of the drastic effect that it would have on our economy. I know so much more now, because a piece of me died that day, too. A piece of my innocence.I am a product of the 70's...the Challenger explosion was the big shocking thing of my growing up years, and that was an accident. I had never witnessed anything like this in my life. I was convinced that it must be some horrible accident, something went wrong. Until the second plane hit. Then I believed what I was hearing...an act of terrorism.
I remember that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the TV. I didn't want to be watching it, but I couldn't turn away. I called my parents. Turn on the TV. I called my sister in California. Her husband answered and I said, "Turn on the TV". He kind of half-chuckled, like, what are you calling at 7:00 a.m. for? But he quickly understood. I called my boss. He was about to get on a call with his boss, so he called him and they watched it together for a bit. I made no more calls, just sat, lethargic, watching, stunned. I prayed and prayed.
Not too long into the day our HQ sent a message to all employees. I can't remember the entire message from our HR director, but I know it started with, "Out of respect for the people," then something like, "who were effected by the tragedy that has struck the U.S. today, Entertainment Publications is closing it's HQ and all satellite locations for the day." Like I said, that was the gist of it, but I clearly remember "Out of respect for the people". I thought to myself - respect for the people. If only those who did this had respect for the people. I was grateful that my company allowed work to cease that day. I know many others had to muddle through.
It was strange and eery for a while. No planes in the skies. No jokes. Nothing was funny. Nothing seemed important. All we could think about were the people who were missing, lost. I couldn't listen to any music. I couldn't sing, my favorite thing to do. I so often do it subconsciously, but after 9/11 I didn't sing for a while. I think it was a few weeks. I remember driving in the car a week after and turning on the radio, but I just had to shut it off again.
The thing that surprised me most, though, is that I couldn't cry. I felt choked up -- I felt like I was going to cry, but there were no tears. It took me a long time to cry, but once I did, the tears flowed. For all the lost. For all those babies born or unborn who wouldn't know their daddies or mommies. For all those people who lost a loved one. For the people who knew they were dying, and for those who didn't. For our aching hearts, our sad, aching hearts when it felt like we could never be happy again. I also cried happy tears that the estimates around 25,000 or more in the towers were wrong. Or that the planes weren't full. But it only has to be one when it is your husband, or your wife or father, mother, sister, brother, child.
The prayers need to continue. For the families affected and for the future of our people and our country. May God bless our leaders and give them unity and peace in their decisions and may He give us peace in our hearts. My prayer is that many more came to know the Lord through this tragedy and have the peace that passes understanding. God bless our freedom, our country and God bless YOU.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
From Arby's to China!
It has been a year since we made the decision to adopt! It's our adoptiversary! We marked this event by going to Arby's, where we were (in the drive-thru!) when the big decision took place! We had gone to an informational meeting at a local agency and were discussing it on the way home. I told Lee, "Listen, I really want to do this, but I'm not gonna bring it up again until you do." (Thinking that I was going to wait a while.) Not one second passed and he said, "Well, we're gonna do it!" I was so excited but almost felt like it was too good to be true. "We ARE?" I said. "Yes! I just didn't know if I wanted to go with that agency". So the apprehension I sensed from him was about the agency not adopting! Yippeeeeeee!We ended up applying to AWAA and have never regretted our decision! They have been there for every question, thought, and concern. When there was a small mishap on our end, they helped resolve the issue expeditously.
Hopefully the next year goes as fast as the last one!!
Saturday, September 02, 2006
AWAA Get-together and CCAA update
Way to go CCAA!! Keep it up! RAH RAH!
The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before November 30, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before July 22, 2005.
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We got together with the MN AWAA group recently and here are some of the pictures:
Here area bunch of the AWAA kids!
From left to right: Zoe B., Elijah P., Rachel S., Rebecca S., Michaela P., Sarah P., Shayla S., our god-daughter Kiah E., and Mia S. In front is Andrew R., who is waiting for his mei mei - little sister! His family is in our travel group.
As always, we had a wonderful time!
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