Merry Christmas!!

Have a very merry Christmas from our family to yours. We will be having fun tomorrow after Santa Clause leaves with the kiddo's opening presents (and seeing what Santa brought for me!!), attending church in the morning, and jumping on the new trampoline we got for Christmas! Nothing too special, just time for us to be together as a family. Of course, the hardest part is not having Esther with us. =( We have her very first ornament hanging on the tree with a picture of her in it. I can't wait until next year when she'll be with us and have presents to unwrap too! But for now, I just pray that God has his angels around her during this time and that somehow she knows she is loved, even if we are an ocean away! I'm sure she's probably wondering whats taking us so long, and hoping that we'll come get her soon.

These lryics to the new song, "All I Really Want" by Steven Curtis Chapman are incredibley touching to me as this is probably what she is thinking.. if only she knew she HAS a family.. and we are doing our best to get to her as SOON as possible!!

Well, I don't know if you remember me or not
I'm one of the kids they brought in from the home
I was the red-haired boy in an old, green flannel shirt
You may not have seen me, I was standing off alone

I didn't come and talk to you 'cause that's never worked before
And you'll probably never see this letter, anyway
But just in case there's something you can do to help me out
I'll ask you one more time

All I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
A shoulder to cry on if I lose, shoulders to ride on if I win
There's so much I could ask for, but there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

Well, I guess I should go ahead and tell you now
If it's really true about that list you have
Somehow I always seem to end up in a fight
But I'm really trying hard not to be bad

But maybe if I had a brother or a dad to wrestle with
Maybe they could teach me how to get along
And from everything I've heard, it sounds like the greatest gift on earth
Would be a mom

All I want for Christmas is someone who'll be here
To sing me happy birthday for the next 100 years
And It's okay if they're not perfect or even if they're a little broken
That's alright, 'Cause so am I

Well, I guess I should go, it's almost time for bed
Maybe next time I write you I'll be at home

`Cause all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in
Tell me I'll never be alone, someone whose love will never end
Of all that I could ask for, well, there's just one thing I need
All I really want for Christmas is a family

A Very Merry Christmas...

Christmas is going to be much better for us this year! We just got FIVE new pictures of Esther! If we couldn't have a TA for Christmas, then this was definately the best gift we could get!
Enjoy!!

Now, doesn't she look JUST like Emma??

How fitting for her to be wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt! She will get to visit Mickey a lot!

Her own version of the peace sign!! Too cute!

What a SWEET face!! I sure hope that sweet face smiles!

We sent Esther the yellow bear and all of the stuff sitting on the piano.

Christmas Short Story

A few months ago I got an e-mail from my teacher about a Christmas story story contest for a local newspaper. It motivated me to try my hand at writing a short story and see how it would come out. I wrote it about two months ago, but totally forgot to submit the story before the due date. Oh well, maybe next year. I'll share my story anyways because I hate the fact that Esther is so far away from us on such a wonderful holiday. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday... but this year just doesn't feel like Christmas. It doesn't feel as jolly or happy as it usually does. I guess that's from all the stress with the recent move and the wait we are now enduring! It's a lot harder to have the picture of your little sister and know she is so far away in another country and has no idea what Christmas is. It just makes me look forward to next Christmas when she'll be home with us. I digress to much, but here's the story. I've rewritten the ending several times but it still doesn't feel "right." Maybe I'll have to work on that again!!!




Christmas Short Story
by. Sera

It was a cold winter night, as she looked out from the third story window of the orphanage. It was dark outside and the bright lights from the city reflected in her eyes. She sat there looking out into the unknown, a world she hadn’t seen much of from behind the high walls of the orphanage. A world that had been so cruel to her from the first day she had entered it. Abandoned at five days old outside a rural village in the Guangdong Province of China, she had lived in the orphanage all of her life. Xiao Tian wondered what it was she had done to be abandoned by her parents. The only reasons she could think of were the facts that she was born a girl and also with a facial deformity. At one year old she had surgery to correct the opening between her lip and nose, and the only remainder she has is a small scar on her face.
Xiao Tian sat quietly looking out into the cruel world, that she was sheltered from inside the orphanage. But as she watched the hustle and bustle of the busy street’s below, it didn’t look so cruel. She watched as children strolled through the streets of Shenzhen, with their parents closely following behind. All of the children she saw were exuberating with joy because of the impending arrival of Christmas. Yes, it was Christmas Eve in Shenzhen, China; Xiao Tian’s second Christmas in her short life. Another Christmas going by with no present’s, no holiday cheer… nothing, at all.
She didn’t know what Christmas was exactly, but she had overheard what it was from the nannies. She knew all about Santa Clause and how he visited all of the children in the world and brought them present’s. But, Santa Clause didn’t come to orphanages.
“Tian,” the nurse called, “Step away from the window, it is time for bed.” Xiao Tian changed into her pajamas along with the other children and climbed into her bed. She spread the blanket over her small cold body, and watched the bright lights from the lively city below disappear as she lowered her head.
She lied there looking up to the ceiling wondering about her friends, Li Ting and Meng Meng. Both of her friends had been adopted by families a few months before. Xiao Tian wished she had a family. She saw all of the younger babies be adopted by families, but she wondered if anyone would want her? All of the families wanted babies, not a three year old with a scar on her lip. She wondered if there was a family out there for her. “God…if you are there…please bring me a family,” Xiao Tian prayed. “I promise to be nice and never be mean. I won’t take up too much room and I won’t eat too much. Please give me a mommy and daddy to love me. That’s all I want for Christmas, and I promise to never ask for anything again.”
Xiao Tian looked out the window near her bed as the tears streamed down her face. She hoped God had heard what she prayed for. As she closed her eyes, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming about the family she prayed for.
The morning light crept into the cold and dark room where Xiao Tian slept. It is hard to sleep in an orphanage when there are babies crying for their breakfast and nannies working hard to feed all of the children. As Xiao Tian woke up, several of the other children were already awake and the day was starting, as it usually did. But there was something different. The nannies all had a smile on their faces and the children were squealing with delight.
As she got up from her bed, the nannies quickly ran over to her and took her to the washing room. They washed her face and put a clean outfit on her. Xiao Tian had no idea what was going on-the nannies never helped her like this before. They ushered her out of the washing room and over to the closet where she was fitted with a jacket and pair of shoe’s.
Something was definitely happening, but she had no idea what it was. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming! Xiao Tian was led outside of the orphanage where several people were waiting.
A nice lady came up to her and said, “Hello Xiao Tian. My name is Qui Yang and I have a very special surprise for you.”
She took Xiao Tian’s hand and placed it into the hand of a woman standing beside her.
The woman with a soft motherly face bent down next to her, and said “Xiao Tian, we have been waiting for you! I am your mother and this is your father, and we are your family!”
Xiao Tian was confused by this all. A family for her? Who would want a child of three with a scar on her lip? There are lots of babies here who need a mommy too. Could this all be happening to her?
But at that moment Xiao Tian realized she really DID have a family! As her new mother and father cradled her in their arms, she said a prayer thanking God for her Christmas wish-a family.

LOG IN DATE!!!

We have a log in date!

December 6th.

Later than what we had thought it would be, but still much sooner than some families have had!!

I'm just glad we have a date and that we can officially start the countdown!!

P.S.

Okay.. I'm still new at this Blogging thing. But does anyone know how to add images to the top of the blog page? Like near where the title is? Here's an example of one that I'd like to do: http://www.princessbrinley.blogspot.com
I like how they have the image of their daughter on the top.. but I can't figure out how to do it!! I tried something, but messed up my blog and just lost all the links I had added!! Arghh!! Help!

Emma and Ian visited Santa Clause today!

We took the kids to the mall today to visit Santa Clause and do *some* Christmas shopping. (Yep- it's two weeks til Christmas and we have barely ANY shopping done!!) The wait wasn't too long. I guess that's because we went on a Monday early afternoon, rather than a weekend! Ian & Emma waited very patiently to see Santa Clause and we didn't have any meltdowns/temper tantrums, etc! (Which is always nice!) Emma was loose today since we forgot the stroller, so she really enjoyed the freedom!

The pictures turned out fabulous, as you can see! (Or maybe I'm just a little biased, but aren't they the cutest two children you have ever seen??)


Emma loved Santa Clause. At first she wasn't too sure about sitting on the lap of some strange guy with a big white beard. But because Ian was doing it, she had to too! She was so interested in Santa's beard and kept pulling on it to make sure it was real!! Poor Santa! But the pictures really turned out well, as you can see. I'm enjoying seeing Ian with Santa since this will probably be one of his last Christmas's taking pictures with Santa! They grow up so fast! I am looking forward to next year when we'll have two Chinese princesses sitting on Santa's lap!!!

A Log In Date would be nice..

Still waiting for the coveted Log In Date (LID), so we can start the "official" countdown. The estimated LID date is December 2, so not too bad, but I'd really prefer it to be before the end of November. Although, that is not likely. The CCAA (agency in China in charge of adoptions) has been taking longer to process paperwork because of the increased number of people adopting. While this is wonderful to know more dossier's are being received, it is a pain to be waiting so long!! But, I will take this wait if it means more beautiful China babies are finding forever families.

Since we moved after being DTC, we have to have a homestudy update. Our social worker Megan, came by on Tuesday to visit the new house and get the update finished. So.. not much of an update on the adoption front. Just waiting and waiting and waiting!! I wish we could go into hibernation for the next 2 months and wake up with our TA! That would be wonderful. But I know this wait will pass fast with the upcoming holidays. I'm just so sad we will have to miss Esther's 3rd birthday on January 6th. =(

So.. thats the update. 3 weeks down.. and about 9 left to go!

Emma's Adoption Movie

It's finished!! I finally found time to upload it to the web. Here's the link: ( you will have to copy and paste it into your browser )

http://homepage.mac.com/jiejie4china/iMovieTheater6.html

It features pictures and video from our trip. I found that having an ample supply of kleenex nearby was helpful. It's about 20 minutes long.. so grab some coffee/cocoa (or whatever you enjoy in this chilly weather!!) and enjoy!!


NOTE: You will need Quicktime installed on your computer in order to view it, which you can download here:
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mac.html It may take a few minutes to load, but it is well worth it!!