Anna is 6 months old today

I was hoping to receive some updates today since every month around this time, we have received updated photos and some information about her.... but, nothing yet and it is already almost 5pm. I had heard from another adoptive mom that it's possible we will not receive updates this month because many of the social workers from Chung Yi are in the U.S. with the older children from the orphanage... some type of summer camp thing they do every year.

We still have not heard from our agency about when we'll get our ruling. I received a call from our agency director 2-3 days ago just wanting to chat about travel in Taipei ~ hotels, airlines, restaurants, etc.. and what to expect when we go there.... It sounds like we will not have a guide while we're in Taipei, but everything is fairly close to the downtown area.... when I talked to her on the phone, she thought that we might hear something the first part of August. She thought we would travel in October (better than December, but still... sorta depressing since I was REALLY hoping things would move along for us). I am feeling better about it today though and realize, it'll probably be much cooler in Sept/Oct and even though the kids will have to miss school, hopefully, they'll catch up quickly without alot of pain.

This waiting is so hard ~ I wish I didn't have to feel this way, but I do and as hard as I try to give this up to God daily, it isn't easy... I almost have to make a choice to give it up every hour.

I am hoping again that tomorrow is the day we'll find out, but I am not wanting to get my hopes up because I don't want the disappointment to come when another week goes by and the weekend comes with no news to get me through.... wow, I sound completely depressed... I really am OK... just having a low moment.

God is good and His timing is perfect... I have to keep telling myself that...

Happy 6 months, little Anna... we wish we could celebrate with you! :(

A better update...

I received this email from my agency today right after the email from the director.... it really made my day and although the final decree has not yet been issued, it makes me feel better that atleast someone is working on it and that the hearing probably went well ~ Here's the email I received...

Hi Pam,
We’ve received an email from the social worker in Chungyi. They express their appreciation to you regarding the gift you sent to Li-Syuan. They can feel that you are very caring to Li-Syuan. They transferred the clothes, toys, and the photo album to Li-Syuan, and will also help her to recognize her adoptive parents and brother using the album.

In addition, they are still waiting for the legal court approval for Li-Syuan. Once they receive it, they will notify us immediately.

They are so looking forward to meeting you.


It made me me happy to think they actually like us :) and that they are going to make an effort to make sure Anna knows we are her parents! Thank you, God!

A "non-update" update

I wrote the director of our agency an email last week while she was in Taipei AT the orphanage with the first family who was picking up their daughter... I figured she was working and would probably check her email and who better to ask than someone that is RIGHT there at the orphanage, right? Well, I never got an answer and she returned back to the US over the weekend... I was really disappointed in our agency at this point because I felt like they aren't very good about updating their families with information... it's almost like we have to DRAG the information out of them. Anyways, A few minutes ago, I received an email from her saying she didn't get my email until TODAY.... and she apologized. Good thing is, she said she would check on it today and see if they will tell her anything... so, even though I had hoped for a better update, atleast I know someone is checking on it. Maybe tomorrow we'll get a better update.

A call from our agency....

Ok, so I've been hoping and hoping to hear something about the result of our court date and this morning, as I went out the door to take the boys to swimming, I wondered if TODAY was going to be the day I hear something..... So, the morning went by without an email or call and I had settled in my heart today was NOT the day we'll hear anything. I even felt peace from God that I can move on in my day and that He'll give me the grace to just enjoy today.... So, we got home from swimming and I checked our caller id and saw that I had missed a call from our agency!!! As my heart began to race, I dialed the voicemail and anxiously waited to hear the message, but.... to my HUGE disappointment... it was just a voicemail from one of the ladies at the agency hoping to sell us some raffle tickets for a trip for two to Beijing... what a HUGE let down... I wonder if they had any idea how cruel this seemed to me?? I wanted to call them and tell them how frustrated I am with them, but quickly realized that they probably had no idea. I think it's just another lesson for me in trusting God.... ... So, the wait continues...

Waiting & 2nd Care Package

We are still waiting to find out about how the court hearing went on 6/26. Our agency did say that we should get a ruling in aprx 5-6 weeks from that date, so it is possible we will not hear anything until the 5-6 weeks is over... but then, it would be great if we heard that it is FINAL.... I was hoping for even quicker result... (I think everyone prays that they would be the case that speeds through at lightening speed). We are still holding on to hope that we can travel mid-late August to make our trip easier with the kids still being on summer break.

On another note, today, I am going to finally send our 2nd care package... Our update from May said that Anna likes toys with bells, so I went around town looking for something like that and found one and some other toys. I also found a "talking photo album"... it's an album that holds 24 pages and each page, you can record 10 seconds of sound. I started with a picture of Anna and said her name and then went on with our other family members, each speaking their own name. I also took a picture of the mobile hanging over her crib and recorded the music from the mobile. There were still quite a few pages left, so I read her a story about Jesus and the children and included pictures from the book. I know she may not understand the words, but I wanted her to get famililar with the sounds of our voice and the language she will be hearing alot, and, eventually speaking.

As each day goes by, I begin to ache even more. I just want to get on the plane and go get her!!

The first family from our agency that signed up with the Taiwan program is in Taipei right now, getting ready to pick up their little daughter from Chung Yi. Looking at the places they go in Taipei makes me long to be there too. I am sure it'll get harder when I see pictures of them at the orphanage. I really didn't think this phase would be as hard as it has been the past couple of days... God, give me the grace to just enjoy today with our boys.