Dear sweet boy...

I almost lost my breath and tears filled my eyes... I saw your face today. My heart swelled with joy. More than I can imagine, my love for you already grows. I have stared at these pictures a thousand times. Each time I study every last detail. I am so lucky to have pictures of you over time.
In February, you were so tiny with a full head of spikey hair and almost two months old.

In May, you had filled out some. You have the face of an angel.

In July, you are fussy. I want to snatch you up and comfort you. The pictures are so precious to me, my connection to you. I can't wait to hold you in my arms. Until then I will see you in pictures and in my dreams. I love you dear sweet boy.

Cháo gà

I am well aware that I never finished part 2 of
Adventures in Pho post. I never explained why. I was hoping to try again with tastier results, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Let me just say that my first try at Pho was unpleasant. I will try again sometime. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Anyway, I tried another Vietnamese recipe tonight. This time I was very pleased with the final results. This newest culinary adventure brought me to Cháo gà (Vietnamese Rice Porridge with Chicken). There are many types of thick rice soups found in Asia. The key to this dish is "Comfort Food". Think a steaming hot bowl of chicken noodle soup or chicken and dumplings, when you aren't feeling well. It is valued for it's healing properties, a cure for what ails you.

It goes by many names and is served with different toppings depending on the country. Check out Things Asian for more information about this traditional dish.

The recipe I used can be found on the blog Halfway Between Ca Mau and Sai Gon. (It just so happens that our son is currently in an orphanage "Halfway Between Ca Mau and Sai Gon") Anyway, I was really happy with this recipe. It was very similar in taste to the homemade chicken and dumplings I make. The texture was different, obviously, but it was very comforting. It was a very simple dish, and required few ingredients. I cooked mine longer as the author suggested. It made for a thick and hearty dish. I have already saved this recipe. I see myself making this for our little boy when he is feeling under the weather.

I highly recommend this recipe. You should especially give it a try if you are expecting a little sweetie from Vietnam. Many babies are fed a version of Cháo in the orphanages. Please, let me know what you think.

Adoption Update - There aren't a lot of updates for us at this stage. It has been almost six weeks since we were matched with our baby boy. Our referral is estimated to take 6 - 8 weeks from the match. So, it could be anytime now, but likely at least a week or two. Our expired documents have been re-done and sent to the Embassy for authentication. We have filed for an extension of our I-600A pre-approval. There isn't a lot to do now, but wait. We did get a dresser to match the baby's crib. I can finally put the finishing touches on the nursery.

I think about our baby all the time. It's particularly hard when I try to get to sleep. I just pray that he's getting the attention and care that he needs, and that God will protect and comfort him. Please keep our little peanut in your prayers. A.

Pay it Forward Exchange

I got a great package in the mail this week from Hannah Claire's waiting mommy, Sarah. What a fun little project!

Now it's my turn to play!

So, here are the rules. I will send something special to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this exchange. You must make the same pledge on your blog. So, if you'd like something fun from me and you are willing to do the same on your blog, let me know! Please make sure you leave your blog address and email in the comment. I will email you to get your mailing address.

My Family

My head is still in the clouds since learning of our baby boy last week. I'm sure that I will be getting very anxious for the referral soon. Right now, I am just so thrilled to have made it this far. I'm content.

I have been very busy getting paperwork ready. Our fingerprints, police letters, and medical letters have all expired. We also need an update to our home study. Everything is well on it's way to being done.

My other project while waiting for our referral is to gather photos. I found the sweetest baby photo album the day we were matched. It is plush and shaped like a little house. It says "My Family" on the front. I plan to fill it full of pictures of friends and family. I want to send the album to our baby via another traveling family. I want to tag the pictures in English and Vietnamese. I'm excited to put it all together.

This has been a great week for us and our fellow adopting families... lots of matches and referrals! We are glad to share this happy time with the other families and hope to travel with some of them. I hope we will have more news to share very soon! A.

Dear sweet boy...

Today I learned of you. I know where you are and about when you were born. The rest is still a mystery. So, I wonder...
Are you smiling?
Is someone holding you?
Does someone comfort you when you cry?
Can you feel Gods hands reaching down to you as I pray for your protection?

Today, I feel one step closer to you. I wait for the day I will see your face and hold you in my arms.

Until now, I have had a dream of you … Today there is a promise of you… and that will have to be enough for now.

I love you sweet, sweet boy.

A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam

The Joint Council on International Children's Services has announced A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. The purpose of the campaign is to urge he US to work with Vietnam to continue ethical adoptions for children who need families. An end to adoptions from Vietnam is not the answer. The true orphans of Vietnam deserve the love of a family.

A Pending Crisis

The U.S. Department of State has expressed concerns related to corruptive practices associated with intercountry adoption between the U.S. and Vietnam.
In response to their concerns, the Department of State will allow the functional closure of adoptions on September 1, 2008 and thereby end one of the most basic of human rights: the right to a safe, permanent and loving family.

Not only will those orphans eligible for adoption continue to suffer the detriments of orphanage life, so will thousands of other orphans and vulnerable children. This is because the service providers engaged in finding U.S. families for Vietnamese orphans also provide a myriad of services to the most vulnerable of children.

As a result, the end of intercountry adoption with Vietnam also brings the end of social services such as family preservation and counseling. It also marks the end of humanitarian services such as educational sponsorships, clean water programs and many health related initiatives.

End Corruption, Not a Child’s Right to a Family

While Joint Council shares in many of the Department of State’s concerns, we believe the solution is not the termination of adoption and elimination of a child’s right to a family. Joint Council, its Member Organizations, NGO’s including Ethica—a leading voice for ethical adoption, the Vietnamese government and Members of the United States Congress firmly believe that the solution is a rational child-centered approach designed to strengthen services, regulate providers and prosecute violators.

Please, email JCICS at advocate@jcics.org BEFORE May 30. Let them know you support A Child's Right Campaign for Vietnam. Your email will be included in a petition to congress. Let congress know you support the true orphans of Vietnam, and that improving the current system is the right thing to do.

Thank you for your support. A.

Precious Gift

Today I got a special surprise in the mail. I received the most thoughtful Mother's Day gift from a dear friend from out of town. She sent me a wonderful book called
Motherbridge of Love from Barefoot Books. It is the sweetest book and a most thoughtful gift. The book is an illustrated poem about the role Mothers and Birth Mothers play in who an adopted child is. Of course, I cried when I read it. It was so heartwarming. I'm already looking forward to sharing the book with our son. Click here to listen to Amy Tan read the poem.

These last few weeks have been emotional. With even more uncertainties in Vietnam adoptions and the approaching Mother's Day holiday... It's been hard to keep my spirits up. There couldn't have been a better time to receive such a special surprise. It just takes a little nudge once and a while to boost my confidence that this adoption WILL happen, and our baby boy will be home with us in time. We are still in a race to make the September 1 deadline for referrals. We hope to be matched with our baby boy at any time now.

Also in adoption news, it is feared that Vietnam adoptions may close to all of the US due to a small number of "unethical players". Two groups are working for support from lawmakers to help Vietnam adoptions. Ethica has posted information on their website explaining how you can help. They have a sample letter as well as links to websites for your state representatives. Please consider faxing, calling, or emailing them in support of ethical adoptions from Vietnam. Please, show your support for helping legitimate adoptions to continue. JCICS will be launching a similar campaign soon. I will pass on that information as I know more. Here is the response I got from Senator Richard Lugar:

Thank you for contacting me about adoptions from Vietnam.

You are not alone in expressing concerns about the pace of adoptions in Vietnam. In response to many letters from Hoosiers, my staff has contacted officials at the Department of Homeland Security to raise your concerns. Currently there is only one full-time Department of Homeland Security official in Ho Chi Minh City who is assisted by two local staff. However, subsequent to our inquiry, an additional Department of Homeland Security officer has been assigned to assist in the backlog of adjudications. My office has been in regular contact with officials from the Departments of State and Homeland Security to reinforce to them the need to expedite adoptions in Vietnam. I will continue to closely monitor the situation.

As a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, I share your concern that the United States remains a strong advocate for fair, transparent, and compassionate adoption policies worldwide.

Thank you, again, for contacting me.

Sincerely,

Richard G. Lugar
United States Senator
RGL/cga

Please consider passing on this information to your friends and families. Let your voices be heard. It would be a shame for needy children to miss out on having a loving family because the two countries gave up on negotiations too soon.
Thanks for your support! Thanks "Angela Phillpot" for the wonderful gift! A.