Happy 2nd Gotcha Day!!!!!!!

Can it only be 2 years! The reason that I say this is because Jon and I feel as though our lives began on March 28, 2006! We don't seem to be able to remember life before Natalie! All we can recall is a world in black and white.

This picture below is of the nannies bringing in our precious soon-to-be daughter.

Here Natalie and her buddies are cruising in their walkers, just moments before we arrived!

And THIS is the moment in time that we waited for for SO LONG!!!!

GOTCHA!!!!!!!

It's so amazing, I didn't think that our little baby could get more beautiful.

But yet she has!

We LOVE you with all our hearts, Natalie Jade HongHu.......our Forever Daughter!!!!

Happy Easter!

We wish you the the most wonderous Easter season.

May your life blossom like the spring flower.

Love,
Jon, Sue, Natalie and ....(Somewhere Out There) Baby Nora

Ramblings for today

It feels good to be somewhat human again. We have been stricken with the creeping oogies and just when you start to feel good, you go back to yucky! Natalie has a non-stop nose drip and cough, and an 'on again, off again' fever. AND Jon had the unmitigated gall to say that she looked better than I did!!!!

For the past few weeks, I have been trying to stay optimistic about Nora's adoption. We are using a small agency, who are the most wonderful, generous, giving and caring people. But, big government doesn't seem to take all that into consideration. Long story short......we thought that we might have to start all over from square one with our adoption.

A meeting was scheduled in Vietnam and we were afraid that 22 agencies, that have been working in Vietnam would have their licenses revoked as of April 1, 2008! There was a pray vigil last Sunday night(at the time when the meeting was scheduled to begin in Hanoi) by a lot of families effected by the new US push for only Hague accredited agencies to be honored by the Vietnamese DIA. Our prayers must have been heard because the result of the meeting in Hanoi was in our favor. Our agency has been assured that they (non-Hague accredited agencies) will be allowed to continue receiving referrals through September, 2008 and anyone "in-process by then will receive a referral. I just hope and pray that things work out and the agencies will be able to continue after the deadline.

Our Lady of Lavang

Pray for our Children

What I do know is that we are still on track. Our dossier was updated and sent to our agency. They sent it for authentication and were sending it to Vietnam for translation and submission to the DIA (Department of Inter-Country Adoptions). Now we wait for our 'official Log In Date'. With the current slowdown, I do not know when we might expect a referral. But at least I know that we will be getting one!

Natalie has begun talking about her little sister, Nora. (too cute) Though I'm sure she has no idea WHAT a sister IS!!!!

I will post more when I find out anything.

The Waiting Game

I know that I have not posted anything new about our adoption of Nora. But to anyone familiar with international adoptions.....the process is hurry up and wait. W-A-I-T! So, we wait! Our dossier is updated and has been sent to our wonderful agency. They will be authenticating it, and then sending it to Vietnam for translation and then submitting it to DIA. We continue to pray that GOD shows us a way to bring our daughter home to us.

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On a lighter note, Natalie has found that interactive tv is a blast. Mommy, on the other hand, can sing all the songs from Monkey-Doo, HI-5 and Yo-Gabba-Gabba! Natalie gets exercise and mommy goes bonkers!!!!! I even find myself singing these little ditties when no one else is around!!! ARGH! I need a Days of Our Lives marathon to bring me back to the adult world. LOL

Potty-training 2008 style

We have been using a non-traditional approach to potty-training Natalie. We have shown her how to use the potty (not necessarily on purpose), let her know what is expected of her and encouraged her to use said potty. Unfortunately, she thinks that we were just making a suggestion and not a request!


She has taken the whole matter under advisement and, after much thought, decided that she has a different approach! The Natalie Method is ....... when soiled - remove whatever clothing you have on, grab ahold of outer tabs on diaper, pull tabs and release diaper, drop diaper, run over to wipes, grab as many as your hands can hold, wipe private regions with wipes, drop used wipes on floor, get fresh diaper out of bag, spread new diaper out on floor, center yourself over diaper, and plop hopefully in target area, try repeatedly to fasten side tabs. Once this is accomplished, run to Mommy and inform her that you are poopy!!!!!!!!!