Gotcha Day

Above is the picture I intended to use to end my last post.  Sweet P timidly walked in with one of her nannies and was sat down beside K.  She sat with this look on her face for a good while, never making eye-contact with us.

Here we are with the head social worker, another orphanage worker, and Miss Anchalee (our personal social worker).  Sweet P still isn't sure what to think.

She did, however, gain interest when I decided I could look through the photo album.  She loved pointing to herself!  

We got a brief run-down on her daily schedule and medical history, yet never got a full answer as to why or how one of her front teeth is missing.  I guess we may never know!  It was helpful to be able to ask questions about her eating, sleeping and bathing habits.


The guy in the forefront is Joe, our driver, a truly heroic individual to be able to get us safely anywhere in Bangkok traffic.  I'll try to get a video next time we ride with him.

We next discovered something that I know will get us through difficult moments.  

This girl can eat.  

I mean honestly, once we offered her the first bite of sticky rice and mango she kept asking for more.  and more.  and more until it was almost all gone and in her belly.  Guess she takes after me.  :)

 Next we took a short tour of the orphanage.  It is a very clean and organized facility and we could tell the workers care for each child.

This green building is where Sweet P spends a lot of her day playing and sleeping.  You'll see inside below.

I have much more I want to say at another time about this picture, that will stick in my memory forever.  I can't adequately describe how heart-breaking it is to see this many tiny shoes all together on the shelves knowing many of these children need a loving family.

 ...and this picture of the rows and rows of cribs.  We were told Sweet P's bed is the one right in front.

This is where the kiddos wash up for meals. It was nearing lunch time as we toured.

 

As we finished up our tour, we walked past this play area.  Sweet P saw her friends playing and got very upset that she couldn't stay and play with them.  I hated hearing my girlie cry and not being able to comfort her.

One last stop back where we began to grab our belongings and change her clothes.  I had a sweet moment where in my mind I was twenty years from now, buttoning up my sweet girl's wedding dress.  I am grateful Miss Oh captured it.  I am so blessed to be able to experience life with this treasure!  

 We said goodbye to Pakkred Babies' Home.  

There is not a lot else to do in moments like these but praise the Lord and give Him all glory.  Adoption is a miracle.  I am so grateful He sees fit for us to be a part of it.

We gotcha, Sweet P! 

Blessings, angela

introductions!

Today was a huge day in our books.  The day we met our Sweet P.  We drove in the gate and first saw this, the orphanage administration building.  

As everyone unloaded, I grabbed a quick video of all I could see.

 Next, we passed these buildings...

... as we headed into this building.

We removed our shoes in proper custom and were invited to sit on a couch facing a flatscreen television on the wall.  We met a few of the workers and were served rose apples along with mango and sticky rice.  They treated us so kindly.  The head social worker wanted to share a video about the babies' home.  It was encouraging to see the philosophies behind what they do for all the children and know Sweet P was being loved, held, and hugged as she waited.  

What I wasn't prepared for was the video they played next.  A video of pictures taken throughout the past 2+ years of her life.  I was in tears.  It made me so sad to see all I had missed.  Her playing.  Her smiles.  Her dressed for a beauty pageant complete with make-up and pearls, at no more than 1 1/2 years of age.  (I will do my best to get a clip of it on here once we return home.)

Next we were presented with a photo album full of pictures that was a tremendous gift.  I couldn't look at it for the moment because I could not hold back the tears.  We were also given a gold buddha charm and an amulet necklace to give her when she is older.  They will be treasured because they were given by those who cared for her during her first years of life.  

As we were still talking with the staff, an adorable little girl walked through the door.  She was asked to greet us with the traditional "Sawasdee Ka" and put her hands up in a wai. 

At this point I was going to insert pictures of Sweet P, but I will have to wait until tomorrow.  I am sorry!  Not my plan, but I think the internet speed is wreaking havoc on this blog post.  I promise to get them posted tomorrow after I have rested and have my husband awake to help me figure it out!  

Thank you for reading along and caring for our family!  It means so much.  Blessings, angela

the longest day.

Whew.  Glad that long trip over is o-v-e-r.  Goodness, I have never more wanted to be on solid ground than after 3-hour flight + 2.5-hour layover + 13-hour flight + 2.5-hour layover + 7-hour flight.  That's a lot of travel time!  

We arrived in Bangkok at 11:45pm last night, finally got to sleep at 2:30am, awoke and grabbed breakfast down the street at 7-11 in time to meet Miss Oh at 8:30am.  Breakfast was an experience.  I guess after living in Japan for three years, I didn't think much could surprise me, and I also feel like I am adept at choosing proper foods that I will enjoy.  Wrong.  

Helps a whole lot if you read all the few English words.  We spotted mango and knew we would enjoy that for breakfast with some yogurt.  What we failed to notice was the word "pickled" on the package.  The first bite was a shocker, and needless to say, we tossed the rest.  I can't believe anyone would waste a mango by pickling it, but Thais love to mix sweet and sour flavors like nobody's business.  Lesson learned:  read the package thoroughly.


Miss Oh arrived on motorcycle taxi, hopped off and directed us to the van driver Joe around the corner waiting.  

We loaded up to drive over to the Child Adoption Center.  Miss Anchalee, our social worker met us there.  By this point, I have a couple hundred butterflies swarming in my stomach!

Finally, Miss Anchalee joined us in the van to drive to the orphanage.  FINALLY!  Our Sweet P was within reach.


...to be continued... We are taking P to Lumpini Park for a walk before braving dinner from the street vendors.  Blessings, angela

leaving on a jet plane!

We're off!  Next stop:  Sweet P.  

Follow along on our journey right here on the blog where we hope to post pictures daily.  Blessings, Angela

letter.

Dear Sweet P,


I guess it's only fair that you keep me awake at night.  With your sister and brother, I was kicked in the belly and kept awake... all the while willing them to settle down and rest so I could too.  You just keep me awake wondering.  Wondering what you're doing as it is daytime where you live.  Wondering what you will think of us English-speaking strangers who are now your mom and dad.  Wondering if our hotel room will be too quiet when you wake up in the mornings.  Wondering what we will feed you each day.  Wondering how long it will take before you call me Mommy.  


I cannot believe that it will be only six short days until I get to meet you.  Hug you.  Talk to you and hear you talk.  Hopefully see you smile, since I have yet to see your sweet smile.  


You have a big sister and big brother waiting for you at home.  Peanut wants to teach you how to speak English and share her princess dress up clothes with you.  She usually dresses up her cat but I think you will be her next victim model!      

Buddy has been singing the ABCs over and over lately in anticipation of helping you learn them.  I still think he believes you will arrive as an infant, but he's in for a big surprise!  You two will be more like twins since you are a mere 8 months apart.  

They have been going out back to "work" the last few weeks, which mostly consists of digging in the dirt and transporting it around the yard.  It keeps them busy for hours and they love it.  

I've got your suitcase all packed and ready.  We arrive in Thailand next Tuesday at 11:45pm and then must be up and on our way to meet the social worker at 9:30am Wednesday.  I would guess we will be so super excited - and jet lagged! - that we won't sleep much.  March 30 will forever be branded in my mind.  


Adoptive families usually call it Gotcha Day.  


You were born in my heart so long ago that March 30 will be like a second "birth"day for you, sweet one.  We will celebrate and thank the Lord every year on that date.  The day you were fully and completely ours.  It will also be a beautiful reminder that those of us who are called by Jesus as His sons and daughters, and were adopted into His family, are fully and completely His forever.  


Oh, to hold you in my arms and call you by name, Sweet P.  See you soon!  Love Mommy     

Amazing creation.

My kids are surely going to miss this house and especially the backyard.  We've had so much fun over the last three and a half years spotting insects and animals and riding around on our "tricycle pad."  It's actually an RV parking spot, but we've yet to purchase that mode of transportation.  It was put to good use by little people's modes of transportation though!

Our house backs up to a reservoir so there's no lack for entertainment by all the creatures God dreamed up that inhabit the woods.  In the winter when the grapevines on our fence lose their leaves, we get lots of squirrels.  They have outsmarted every single "squirrel proof" bird feeder that has hung from our trees.  Annoying, but entertaining.

We learned that even as a two-year-old Peanut was fearless of wiggly worms.

She jumped at the opportunity to touch turtles and lizards and almost any other slimy thing.  I just took the pictures.  :)

...and had fun showing them to Buddy.

The trees were gorgeous in the fall through our back windows.

Deer often munched on breakfast as we sat at the kitchen table enjoying ours.

We've grown herbs that Peanut eats like treats.

...and a giant sunflower that was twice their height.

Last summer we met a very confused raccoon who still visits our trash can nightly.

My kiddos learned to peddle a bike and pump their legs on a swing.

(This picture looks to me like Glenda stole the Wicked Witch of the West's bike.)

Occasionally we have a pileated woodpecker or bald eagle sighting, but yesterday I met a new backyard friend.  This marbled salamander.  Who knew we shared territory with such a crazy amphibian?

As I continue packing, I go over memories in my mind of how my children have grown and the wonderful memories we have made here.  It is going to be difficult to say goodbye!

Blessings, angela

remembering.

A year ago we knew it would be about a year until we'd be able to fly over and bring our little girl home.  Praise the Lord, it hasn't been any longer.  My heart might burst with all the emotion bundled up inside!  I'm still shaking my head in disbelief about the plane ticket ordeal and how beautifully it was worked out.  Only the Lord could have orchestrated all that chaos and made it into perfection. 


Seventeen days from now we fly over to meet our Sweet P just three days later.  That's twenty days from now!  I get butterflies thinking about it.  


We first met this one-year-old face back in November 2009 

and we get to see it in person in twenty days!  

If you know and speak with the God of the universe, would you please pray along with us?

for our flights to go smoothly

for us to have wonderful bonding time with our Sweet P 

for her fears to be calmed and for attachment

for our papers to be processed according to schedule

We look forward to sharing the trip via blog posts.  Even if there's not much time to write, I will do my best to share pictures.  Blessings, angela

Tickets!

I could just kiss Delta Airlines.  

Gone are the days of discounted airfare for adoption travel, but Delta is the only airline we found that waives change fees if travel dates switch.  And switch they did.  

Yesterday we found out the dates we had were wrong and needed to be extended due to a holiday in country.  We would need an extra day or two to get Sweet P's visa in time to fly home.  Talk about stressful.  We would have to change our tickets regardless, and since our I-800 approval arrived the day before, we decided to move up our trip!  

In the end, we got a refund from Delta since the new tickets were less - and the best part - we get to have this angel in our arms three weeks earlier!  

Peanut calls that one "the science teacher." 

...and that one is her as a "normal girl."

Nineteen short days until we leave... and just a few more until we meet her face-to-face.  

So many of you have helped us in tremendous ways as we've prepared for this trip, and I am praising the Lord for the gift of you.  

Blessings, angela

Our princess turns 5.

 Look who is five today!  

Daddy took her for a birthday breakfast date. 

Then a few friends came over for a Princess Party Playdate and cupcakes.

I can't get enough of her cheeks!  

 

Buzz Lightyear flew in with the mail and gifts from grandparents.  

This little princess had a magical morning and is getting her beauty rest as I type.

Blessings, angela