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We had the opportunity to have Perrin and Ava at our home last week. Perrin & Brian are with the same adoption agency and have the same dossier log-in-date that we have. That means that we will travel to China together. We will definitely be together for the first part of the journey as well as the last. Prayerfully, we'll also be together in our daughter's province. We'll have to wait and see if the CCAA received that message. We're sending prayers out that all of our travel mate's children will be in the same orphanage that Jaden is in.
We've spent time with Perrin, Brian and Ava several times over this long and extended wait. Ava, Valerie and Kevin have become fast friends. Their parents have connected too! It's so great getting to know other families that are enduring this wait right along side of us.
Perrin has learned quite a bit of Manderin Chinese over the past few years. Now, I'm not saying that I want to travel with her for that reason (after all, she's cool without that added feature) but it sure won't hurt having a friend that knows her tones so well! ;-)
It's really quite amazing how inviting the adoption community is. We have developed so many new friendships over the past year. Not just with people that we'll be traveling with either. We've made friends with people who are in different stages of adoption. As a matter of fact, Jack and Jeni are leaving for China tomorrow!! Josie will be home in just a couple of weeks! Wow ~ that is so exciting!
Here are some pictures of our kids hanging out....
Are you seeing a trend with Valerie and all of the younger children? She can't get enough of them. Thank goodness Ava was okay with the mothering that Valerie was dishing out.
The kids had a great time together. They stayed up late and talked. We'll have to get together with them again soon.
Just think, before long the pictures of our get togethers will reveal five (5!) children. I can just imagine two more dark haired beauties in this picture, can't you?
Perrin says that she's worried about adding the second child to her home. Me? Oh, two is doable......but what's three like?!
Thanks for coming Perrin and Ava. We had a great time. Come back again anytime!
~Traci, Scott, Valerie and Kevin
This is Gwen.....exploring her world!
Valerie made her decision and we will not be putting the video on the blog. It is the sweetest and funniest video. On one level, I wish that I could share it. However, her dignity is much more important. I'll share the moment in pictures instead. She's okay with this.
This is Valerie picking Jenny up for their special outing. Michelle, Jenny's Mom, and I took them to have their ears pierced. A very big event in the life of a 1st grader!
Valerie has never wanted her ears pierced. She has looked up to Mrs. Fulp for a long time. You see, Mrs. Fulp doesn't have pierced ears and Valerie thought that was great. She has never wanted her ears peirced because she believed it would hurt too bad.
It wasn't until Jenny decided to take the jump that Valerie considered it. She and Jenny talked at school and Valerie agreed to go with her to hold her hand (as long as it was okay with Mom and Dad, of course.)
That quickly lead to her deciding that if Jenny was doing it, then she could to. She asked her Dad and I what we thought, and after talking about it, we agreed.
The Mom's talked and called around looking for just the right place and off we went on a "Girls only adventure." We cried, laughed and felt pride as we watched the girls experience this together. (Oh, you should see the video. It's priceless!)
We were very proud of Valerie. After 7 1/2 years of standing her ground about ear piercing, she bravely agreed to go first. Somebody had to do it and Jenny agreed that Valerie could. I wonder if she now wishes she had gone first.
Valerie is just like me in that she is extremely emotional. Lots and lots of tears! As her Mom, I could tell that they weren't tears of pain, but tears of joy and excitement. However, Jenny didn't interpret them that way. It scared her. In addition, Valerie kept saying through her tears, "It shocked me!" Jenny thought that she meant a REAL shock. She was not going to have any part of that! We finally, with Valerie's help, convinced her that Valerie meant, "surprised", not shocked.
Here they are! All done. It took a lot of time and lots of coaxing after Jenny saw all of Valerie's tears but they are done and they are happy!
We are proud of them!
After finishing with the ear piercing we all went to TGIFridays for dinner. Here the girls are watching (sort of) the video that we took. This is the part in the video where one of them is actually having an ear pierced. They just couldn't watch it again! This cracked us up!!!
Too fun!
Lastly, I want to explain how this picture came about. Apparenlty, Valerie was resistent about having her ears pierced when Jenny talked to her about it. So, like any good friend would, Jenny drew Valerie a picture of them having their ears pierced to show her what it would be like.
When Valerie came home from school that day she said, "Mom, it will be okay. Jenny drew me a picture and I'm prepared now." Aren't girlfriends the best?!!
~Valerie's proud Mom
I have been working long hours and will have my first day off in five weeks this week. I'm looking forward to it. I tell you that to explain why you'll see multiple posts from today. I have been saving them up because I haven't had enough time to work on the blog.
I have one more to share with you but I have to talk with Valerie first. I have to be sure that sharing the video that I have is okay with her. If you read our blog would you do me a favor and hit the comments at the end of this post and let me know that you're out there? I want to let her know who all will see this video if we post it. Knowing who is out there will help her make her decision. I want to put it on the blog for her to have in the future, but don't want to embarrass her. I'll let her make the decision.
Thanks for your help with this. Here's a couple of pictures that will lead into the next post (if I am granted permission.)
We found a sale!!!!! Meijer had a sale on their health and beauty aids. Buy five and you get everything 50% off. OKAY!! Perfect timing. We're told by our agency (we have a list of what drugs to buy) and everyone that we know who has done this China trip before, to be prepared for anything. So, we've been to our doctor and to the pharmacy. If it can happen to us or Jaden.....we have meds for it. Now, this does not even include what we'll receive from Jaden's pediatrician. We won't get those until after we receive our referral. He has a list of meds that he gives us from his samples; lice, scabies, antibiotics, etc., etc. I don't even know what all he gives but I know it's a lot. The bottle of whiskey to the right? Well, our wonderful friends Carrie and Bryan bought that for us as a replacement for Xanax. (It was a joke, but could come in handy to induce sleep!) Now, let's all pray that NONE of this is actually used. What bug could live in that summer heat and humidity that we keep hearing about?!
Now, for the imporant stuff! Every experienced parent has their very own personal favorite baby product, right? Here's ours. Actually, this is Scotts, our pediatricians and my favorite!! Forget that A&D garbage, the Desitin gunk and anything else that remotely resembles a butt bottom cream. This is the Wonder butt Bottom Cream! Nothing can beat it! Highly recommended for all parents, but this is a friendly PSA (public service announcement) for first time parents!
This can be found at your local pharmacy (many stock it, some don't, but they'll order it for you.) It's a little pricey at $6 - $7.00 but it is well worth it. You'll have to ask the pharmacist for it. They keep it in the back, but it's NOT a prescription med. I suppose it's just too pricey to place on the shelves, I don't know. I'm almost done trying to sell it to you. Good grief, you'd think I have stock in this or something.
It really is THAT good! I also recommend it to my elderly patient's families.
Okay, done. Go get yourself some soon!
UPDATE: I spoke with a very good friend today that lovingly expressed concern over this shopping spree. The basic question was, "Don't you think you're going over board on this medicine thing?" My basic answer is, "Yep! I sure do." I don't think for one minute that we'll need all of this medicine. I pray that we don't. However, I will do absolutely everything in my power to keep Jaden, Scott and I out of the medical facilities in China. Will we have to go? Maybe. Will we survive that experience? Hopefully. But after hearing all of the stories from people who have had to go to the medical facilities in China....I'm playing it safe. I will self treat for two weeks. As a matter of fact, I am also taking everything that I need to administer I.V. fluids to Jaden as well. Just in case!
We will have our pediatrician's telephone numbers at home, work and cell. We'll have his e-mail address and his pager number. I have faith in him and I have faith in my assessment skills. I'm praying that between the two of us we'll be able to handle most anything. I have read two blogs from people who were handed VERY sick children. I want to be prepared. One of those little girls was TEN (10!) pounds at 8 months. I'll go overboard (as my agency has told us to) and then donate all of this medicine to a shop near the White Swan Hotel before we leave. That will make sure that the medicine is available to other adoptive parents if they need it.
~Traci
It's been awhile since I've included a picture of Kimmie on our blog. She was in church Sunday with a walker. It was so great seeing her upright and making her rounds. She is absolutely adorable.
Keep going Kimmie!! We're rooting you on!
Love,
Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Valerie & Kevin
Here is Valerie playing with Kimmie! She looks ready for her sister to come home, doesn't she?
Okay, so this picture is a couple of days old, but still! Will it ever go away?! Absolutely everyone I know is ready for spring and that includes me. I came home from work in the middle of the night in this stuff. I had to post about it. Just so I could whine to an audience that doesn't talk back.
I suppose that you could say, "Be patient. It's coming." Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing that relating to other topics, so hold your comments please!
I hear that there's sunshine in the forcast for the end of this week! WooHoo!! Bring on the flowers, trees, bees and I'll even tolerate a mosquito or two to get out of this winter.
~Traci
Here's an update on our Ladybug sighting. I had a strong feeling that our secret bug catcher could be one of two people. And I was right. I walked up to Suspect #1 at church on Sunday and she denied it, but her face didn't.
This is Tonya and she has been following our journey. So sweet of her to understand how tough the recent news has been and reach out with a sign of hope.
Thank you again Tonya! We appreciate your thought, time and kindness! ~Traci
