November Updates!

November 7 we had Owen's 2nd birthday party.  He had so much fun.  We had intentionally kept the guest list small (he still doesn't really care for crowds or strangers). We had a ton of fun and lots of extra cake for dessert the next few nights.  The Barton cousins came to play in the morning and then Wyatt and Bryson came in the afternoon.  The boys had a blast in a bounce house our neighbors let us borrow.  Balloons and trains and these boys were in Heaven.  

So on November 13 we took Owen for his post op follow up.  The surgeon said that he does not believe Owen has a fistula (Praise God!!!)  He thinks that either 1) his palate is so short that he is regurgitating some of the food we are seeing over the back of his palate, or 2) he may have a tiny fistula at the front where they closed his alveolar cleft after they removed a tooth, but if there is then it doesn't need to be repaired until he has his bone graft in 6-8 years.  Yay!!!!  I won't lie, I cried a little.  His post op recovery was a real struggle.  He has had so much medical related trauma that I think this just drudged up some bad memories for him.  On a good note I think the fact that we walked him through this and never left or wavered has earned us some major points in the attachment area.  More on that later.  

He is already trying so hard to talk.  His favorite words (and most easily recognized) Mickey Mouse, More, Mine, On, Off, M&M, night night and Mama. 

He has also tried getting some two word sentences like "Want More" which is great developmentally.  He so wants to be able to communicate.  We are in the process of having him screened for Early Intervention for Speech, Developmental, OT and Dietician so see what areas we need to work on.  

Currently Baxter and Owen have a Love/Hate relationship going on.  They really do love each other, but Baxter is prone to snagging any extra food he might be able to reach.  Owen has caught on to this and screams at Baxter anytime Owen has food in his hands b/c he wants to keep Baxter away from his food (it really doesn't matter if Baxter is right in front of him or asleep on the couch across the room, he gets yelled at in anticipation of possible food stealing).  Poor Baxter just can't win with Owen right now.  I am however happy that Owen is calling out to us for help with this situation and that he feels secure enough to exert his needs/wants.  

Owen got to experience his first snow.  Okay it was barely a dusting, but let's introduce him slowly.  He isn't used to all this cold.  He really wasn't all that impressed.  We also (after much begging on Konnor's part) put up our Christmas tree.  Owen thinks it is pretty cool and thankfully doesn't mess with the ornaments much.  The boys built a train track around the tree since we don't have a motorized train for around the tree yet and will spend forever just sitting there taking the train in circles.  

Thursday we celebrated Owen's first Thanksgiving.  We traditionally don't do much for Thanksgiving.  We went out for dinner with Mark's parents and then just planned a chill day at home. For afternoon snack we ended up making a picnic on the floor of our guest room.  We spread out a blanket and the veggie, meat/cheese tray we had bought for snacking.  We all sat criss cross applesauce and acted silly.  We all said what we were thankful for and I am sure you will be shocked to learn that Konnor was thankful for Monster Jam.  When it was my turn this conversation happened: Me: I am thankful that Owen is home b/c for Thanksgiving last year he was still in China. 

Konnor: Mommy that is when Owen got his owies. 

Me: yes, it was close to that time that he got his owies.  

Then Konnor leaned forward and rubbed Owen's burns (this is big b/c he is usually afraid he will hurt Owen if he touches his arm) and said: "Owen I love your owies.  I love you Owen." 

And then my Mommy's heart burst.  I mean really!  He is so sweet and kind and just loves his brother so much.  Don't get me wrong they fight, but overall they get along beautifully.  This moment is getting stored in my Mommy's Heart is Full long term memory section for all those days that they don't get along so well as teenagers.  

Then we get to Black Friday.  We had not been able to get our traditional Polar Express tickets this year b/c they sold out so fast, but around noon a friend posted that they had tickets for that nights train in Monticello.  I jumped.  I have 2 huge train lovers in this house so this is a no brainer, and by 415 we were headed to the Polar Express train ride.  Konnor was so excited to be able to take Owen this year.  He had been very disappointed when we couldn't get tickets so this was a huge win in the Mama/Papa points book.  The boys had so much fun.  They laughed, danced, drank hot chocolate, ate cookies and we honestly  just had a beautiful family evening.  I am so happy we were able to do this.  

More to come, but for now here is a photo purge : )

Polar Express

Look, it's Elves!

Mama snuggles

Brother Kisses

Owen was soooo mad b/c I took his popcorn away to take the picture : )  Mean ol Mama

Silliness with Papa

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First snow!!

First Christmas Tree!

Happy Birthday Owen!!!

November 4, 2015 (I really did write this on November 4, but didn't get the pictures uploaded until now)

Our precious youngest Son turned 2 today.  I am in complete and total denial.  I feel like I just met him and he is already heading from the land of babies and toddlers into the land of little men.  I am just not ready.  I admit I am struggling with this birthday.  At this point in our life Mark and I believe our family to be complete.  So it suddenly caught me by surprise when I realized that this is it...there are no more babies in my house.  I admit my heart broke just a little bit.  I had such a short amount of time with the boys in "baby land" that it is a little hard to imagine that I will never have a baby again. But on to happier times:

This now little man is just amazing.  He has come so far in the almost 6 months he has been with our family.  His physical revealed that growing in inches and weight is not a priority for him (still itty bitty at only 22 lb 2 oz and 32 inches--We are single handedly keeping the Pediasure company in business), but he is definitely growing by leaps and bounds in personality.  He has really come out of his shell in the last few weeks.  He is starting to ask for things he wants, he has learned "mine" where he grabs something to him and tucks it into his chest (it is hard not to smile b/c it is so cute), and he has developed an ornery streak.  I think he is going to end up being our stubborn one : )  Overall though it is just such a privilege to see him emerging from his shell.  To see him trusting us more and more each day.  We still have a long way to go.  He had a lot of history before he came to us, but we are so so grateful to get a chance to walk with him in his life.  To see his story unfold.

Some of Owen's favorites as a new 2 yr old:

Chuggington
Any type of chip or pretzel
Greek Yogurt
Ice Cream
Chocolate
Cars or trains
MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC

November 3

November 3 is always going to be a special day in our house.  On November 3, 2014 we saw pictures of Owen for the first time.  I just knew as soon as I saw him that he was our next son.  Konnor and I went to Mark's work to show him pictures of the next blessing to be added to our family and from that moment on he was our Son.

But November 3 has another special meaning in our house.  It is the day before Owen's birthday.  Right this very minute it is already November 4 in China.  On the other side of the world there is a family grieving this day.  Not knowing if the child they loved so much has gotten the medical care he needed or found a Forever Family to call his own.  I think about this family a lot.  As I mentioned before, there was a birth note left with Owen.  We know that this family loved him and just could not provide the care he needed.  My heart is heavy this night for a Mother that 2 years ago must have been so scared as she went into preterm labor.  So uncertain of the future of this child that she  had sheltered up to that day.  I can't imagine the anguish this family felt as they had to make the decision that their child would have a better future without them. I am eternally grateful that they chose life for this boy.  This boy whose smile lights up our days and whose giggles make you see rainbows on even the bluest days.

So tonight I will say some extra prayers.  Prayers for peace for this wonderful family on the other side of the world.  I will never meet them or know their names, but we will forever be connected through our love of this beautiful little boy.

Surgery Update

Sorry it took so long to get everyone updated.  It's been a long month.  Owen's surgery went well.  He had some issues with sleepiness and low oxygen after surgery that required some supplemental oxygen, but once the anesthesia really wore off this corrected itself.  He really did great in the hospital.  He just wanted Mom to hold him, but he slept fairly well and ate pretty good.  We discharged first thing the next morning.  They had given Owen multiple doses of IV steroids during and post op due to his small size and oxygen dropping.  They were worried about swelling so that's why the steroids.  They worked great, but unfortunately IV steroids are rough and little man had a tough 3 days post op.  He just could not sleep at all.  Maybe 45 minutes at a time and it would take up to 2 hrs to get him to sleep.  I won't lie.  It was a rough couple days.

Let me tell you something else that happened those first few days.  Our little Konnor man showed his true big brother colors.  I have watched this little man mature so much in the last month.  As soon as we got home we reviewed again about Owen's owies and that he couldn't have anything crispy, crunchy or hard to chew.  Konnor immediately went to the bathroom and got a box of bandaids for Owen's owies.  He was constantly saying "Owen, I know it hurts.  Here Owen this is for you. Mommy Owen is hungry.  Mommy Owen tried to put his fingers in his mouth."  Anything to help me.  Owen has been super fussy since surgery, super fussy, and Konnor has really done awesome in dealing with everything.  He has been so gentle with him and is always saying "it will be okay Owen."

Unfortunately 3 days post op Owen developed a cold and by 5 days post op we could see his soft palate was starting to open up again.  We saw the surgeon a few days later and he said to suppress the cough, stay on a soft diet another month and see him back.  He was confident it would start to heal on it's own.  The good news is that the soft palate does appear to be healing, but I think we have a fistula somewhere else b/c he has food leaking from his nose.  : (  My heart hurts for him just thinking about him having to do this surgery again next year.  We see the surgeon again in a week and a half so we will see what he says at that time.

I was able to stay home with Owen for the first two weeks and then headed back to work.  Overall he really has been a trooper.  He has had so much happy in his short little life, and I just can't believe how well he has handled everything.

Surgery

The dreaded word.....Surgery.  It's here.  He has been home almost 5 months, but it still seems to soon.  Are you ever really though.  I mean we have done this before.  This exact surgery before (well close as Owen's is a unilateral), but I think that almost makes it worse b/c I know what is coming.

We are dropping Konnor off with my Mom and headed to St. Louis tonight.  We have to be at the hospital at 545 for a 7 am surgery.  We have some specific prayer requests:

1)  Our healthcare workers.  We pray for clarity, wisdom and steady hands.

2) Health and Healing for Owen.  Both physically and emotionally.  This will be his 4th hospitalization in his short life, his 3rd surgery in 12 months and the first time he has ever had a Mama and Papa at his side.

3) Due to our still emerging bond we are asking that Anesthesia allow me to do a parental induction.  Please pray that we get providers that are willing to listen to our concerns in this area.  (they never allowed me to do this with Konnor).

4) Say a prayer for Konnor.  He is not used to being away from us and usually doesn't do well for more than one night.  This will be at least 2 nights with us gone.

Thank you

Brothers

For all the times they throw things at each other, hit each other and yell "Mom, insert child's, is bugging me/touching me/looking at me, etc...  This morning they are best friends.  Playing together.  Konnor set up a ramp for Owen to ramp cars and explained how to transform his Rescue Bots, he got Owen his favorite snack of chocolate covered pretzels (and yes I let him eat them at 9 am b/c it was so sweet) and Owen hasn't hit or thrown anything at Konnor all morning.  These are the moments I will remember.  The moments where two strangers became brothers.  The moments where we can actually see God's love right in front of our eyes.

Attachment and Trust

Exciting things are happening in this house in regards to bonding and attachment.  It's been 4 months and 2 days since this precious little boy was placed in our arms.  I can't remember what our life was even like before we became a family of four.  I can't wait to tell you what has been happening, but first I have to give you a little background so you will fully understand the magnitude of these events.

The key to attachment is trust.  Most people think of trust strictly in the romantic relationship capacity, but the trust of a child is completely different.  It's fragile and needs constant reassurance to build into a stable force in a child's life.  Last summer I injured my rotator cuff.  As I did physical therapy the therapist kept stressing the importance of doing my daily exercises.  I reassured her that I would absolutely be doing my exercises as I would soon be wearing a toddler in a Ergo full time and would need my shoulder's to be up to par.  She gave me a confused look and so I gave her this brief summary:  your children knew from day one that you would provide for their every need.  When they cried for hunger you fed them, when they were wet you changed their diaper, when they fell you kissed their owies.  My children never had this sense of security before joining our family.  Their needs were met not based on their actual need at the moment, but on the facilities schedule.  When this happens you learn to not expect help so then why ask for help.

We often hear from well meaning people "oh they were adopted so young they will be fine."  They are right, my boys will be fine, but the age of adoption doesn't dictate the lasting effects.  Those first months of life, the ones where they learned not to trust, not to depend on anyone and not to let their guard down, helped to shape their brains and personalities.  It dictates their responses to different situations.  It effects their ability to trust and therefore, develop strong attachments.  This is why we are so particular about people not holding Owen and why we don't allow others to feed/bath, etc.. him.  He has to learn that we will provide for his needs.  He has to learn that we can be trusted.  It's not a matter of just recognizing us as Mama and Papa.  He has to know that being Mama and Papa means safety and trust.

Ok that is seriously a watered down lesson on attachment in adoption, but I think it gives you the basics so you can appreciate these next few things:  In the last week 3 REALLY AWESOME things have happened.

1) For the first time ever Owen gave me an unprompted kiss.  He would give them if asked or in response to me kissing on him, but the other day he was sitting on my lap and just leaned forward and planted the sweetest little snot included kiss.  He looked so proud of himself and this unprompted show of affection from him brought this Mama to tears.  This is BIG people.  He wanted to show me affection not because he thought it was the expected response, but because he wanted to kiss his Mama.  It's BIG, trust me.

2)  He has started asking for food and drink.  Even going to far as to get in the pantry and show us exactly what he wants!!!!  Oh my Heavens I can't even tell you how exciting this is!!  He has NEVER asked for food or drink.  Whenever we get something for Konnor we always offer him too (which is like every hour b/c Konnor is in a growth spurt and eats nonstop), but he has never independently asked for something.  Right now it is a trust building exercise b/c half the time he takes one bite and moves on (don't worry I save it for later), but he just wants to know that no matter how often he asks he will get something to eat.  Yay!!!!  Maybe with this newfound independence we will start to see some growth.

3) He has started saying "Owie" and wants kisses on his oweis!!!!!  Guys!  I just can't even!!!!!  This is a child whose knees are perpetually bleeding and he never notices.  A child who has had multiple hospitalizations, 3rd degree burns and 2 surgeries all without a Mama to make the owies all better.  He has good reason to not notice when he gets hurt, but here is this amazing little boy asking me to kiss his toes or fingers or hand or arm or head, etc...  We have a lot of imaginary owies right now, but I kiss every stinking one of them, b/c I want him to know that no matter how big or small Mama will take care of him.

If you read this far I hope you understand the magnitude of these events and why we are so excited.  Attachment is a long process.  Sometimes there are giant leaps like above and sometimes it is a smaller event that you don't even realize until you reflect later.   They all matter.  They all count.  They all make for a strong lasting foundation for our babies.  I can't take away the hurt from the first 18 months of his life, but I can give him reason to trust.  I can give him that over and over again until one day we will look back and not even realize that our relationship was ever any other way.

Everyday Life

We are finding our new kind of normal now.  I started back to work on July 28 (3 days a week) and Nana (my Mom) is watching the boys.  Konnor has a rough time with Mama going back to work after having me around 24/7 for 3 months.  Owen fussed a little and is clingy in the evenings, but overall the transition has gone really well.

Owen is still a super picky eater, but we are making some progress.  He will now drink a vanilla Pediasure daily with lots of water.  He is still not a big fan of other milk drinks, but occasionally I can get a few ounces of Vit. D in him.  Other than that it is pretty hit and miss of what he will eat.  We just keep offering. He finally gained a little and is up about 2 lbs and 1 inch since Gotcha Day.  I think he is in a growth spurt though b/c he looks bigger to me and I feel like he is starting to lose some of his "baby face."  : (

He is still a pretty good sleeper, but has been waking up about once nightly b/c of mean ol teeth coming in.  He has become very chatty the last few weeks.  He can say "Mama,"(oh melt my heart), "a variation of Papa," "Uh-Oh," "Meow," and "more" and a few other words that we can recognize through the baby babble.  He won't be able to make a lot of sound until they repair his palate in October so we are pretty happy that he is talking this much already.  He got ear tubes on Aug. 27 so hopefully this will improve his hearing and he will be all set for his palate repair.

Overall everyone is doing great.  Owen is a laid back little guy that loves to laugh.  He is still in the "I must throw everything" phase but he is getting better at being gentle.  Otherwisewe are just having tons of fun. He still loves to try to do everything Konnor does which means he is catching up to some of those developmental milestones quickly.  He is on the move all day every day just like his big brother.

2 months

2 months.  That's all it's been, but it feels like forever.  I know it sounds strange, but I just can't honestly recall with any kind of clarity what our life was like before Owen joined our family.  Maybe a little less hectic.  The grocery bill was cheaper.  Beyond that I feel like he has always been here.  Our hearts and lives are fuller because of this tiny little person.

He was originally scheduled for surgery to repair his cleft palate and get ear tubes on July 2.  Mark and I decided to cancel the surgery and reschedule to October.  It would have been his 3rd hospitalization and 3rd surgery in 10 months.  I had a lot of anxiety about this surgery and we just felt that he wasn't ready yet.  Thank goodness b/c what would have been 36 hrs post op he spent 36 hrs vomiting.  It may have been the antibiotics he was on for his ear infection causing it, but I doubt it as the vomiting has resolved. So we are just pushing forward and will do the surgery in October.

July 4th both boys got to see their very first parade.  We headed to Taylorville to see both their Papa and their Grandpa march in the 4th of July parade.  Owen thought it was all great fun and clapped a lot, while Konnor was especially fond of the parade candy and the fire trucks.

Other than that things are pretty chill.  I am still home with the boys for another 2 weeks so we are pretty much just working on a schedule, swimming and playing.  I love, love, love being home with these two guys and am just so sad at even thinking of going back to work.  I love what I do, but nothing is ever going to be as rewarding to me as watching them grow and thrive each day.

The boys still get along fairly well.  Owen is getting more adventurous.  He follows Konnor everywhere and tries to do everything Konnor does.  It is really cute.  I know one day that will give me gray hair and you will need to remind me that I said it was cute, but for now it's adorable.  The only time we really have a problem is when Owen is throwing Konnor's monster trucks (Owen's favorite pastime is to throw anything and everything in site) or reading as Konnor is afraid Owen will tear the pages on his books.  I am still in awe of how well these two have adjusted to each other.  There are little things, but nothing out of the ordinary for siblings.

Owen is still a pretty picky eater.  He is branching out now a little more and we can add several flavors of Greek yogurt, ice cream, just about anything crunchy (chips/crackers) and cheese to the list of likes.  We have managed to go 2 whole days with no rice.  He is fond of pasta as well, but either plain or with a light white sauce.  He doesn't care for red sauce.  He loves water, but we are still struggling to get any type of milk product in him.  We'll get there eventually.  He is trying something new every day and that is really all I can ask.

5 weeks

5 weeks ago today we were blessed beyond measure when we became the parents of another amazing little boy.  He has filled our life with so much joy.  His smiles are contagious and you can't help but join in when he laughs.  I will never know what made us worthy of two such amazing kids, but we will forever be thankful.  It's not without challenges.  Owen was 18 months old when he came to us.  18 months worth of experiences.  He already has his own little personality and a stubborn streak a mile wide, but we are having such fun learning who he is and what he likes.

Konnor is still doing well being a big brother.  It's not as exciting to him as it first was, but he is still a great helper.  He is constantly asking when we can go back for "another baby Owen."  

Here are some fun facts from the last few weeks: 

-Owen took his first steps on May 28 exactly one week after coming home, and has not stopped walking since.  

-He is still a pretty picky eater, but we are making a few strides here so we will just keep taking it one day at a time.  Rice is still a staple, but today he ate 1 1/2 banana so I count that as a win since he hates fruit.  

-He is soooo a water baby.  Loves bath, and when I tell him it is time to get out and hold out my hands he turns away from me and flattens against the farthest wall to stay in the tub.  We are going swimming about every other day right now and this is right up his alley too. 

-He still prefers to be held, but he is getting better at being down for short periods of time.  We'll get there in time.  Now that he is down a little more he is starting to play a little more.  He LOVES music and the pretend telephone.  He also likes balls and rolling cars.  

-The carseat is growing on him for very short car rides.  I am not looking forward to the 6 hrs each way trip to Cincinnati in a few weeks.  I foresee a lot of stops along the way.  

-He has no fear left of Baxter and in fact has started actively go to him to pet him.  

May 27 we got an email from out in China coordinator.  Owen had a note left with him when he was abandoned.  I was able to have it translated and while the details are for him, I can tell you that it was from a member of his Birth Family and gave us a lot of insight into the circumstances surrounding his abandonment.  I cried.  A LOT!  This is the most precious gift and I can't wait until he is old enough to understand the importance of this note.  I pray for them.  I pray for both our boys birth families.  I can't even begin to imagine the depth of their pain as they had to make the decision that their child would be better off without them. I will never know their names, but I see their faces everytime I hug my boys, kiss them goodnight or wipe their tears.  These people on the other side of the world, that have no names I can call them by, are every bit as important to me as these precious boys.  They choose life for my Sons.  They choose Love and Hope and Mercy.  I have no words I could say to them to that would adequately explain my love for these children that were born to another Mother, but we pray for them.  Every night we pray for their health, happiness and peace.  

Home

The first 6 days
We have kept the first week home pretty low key.    Essentially survival mode due to jet lag.  I am happy to say everyone has been fed, bathed and slept (even if it is at unusual times and intervals).

Overall things are going beautifully.  Both boys are adjusting really well other than sleep.  The first couple nights we saw 2 and 3 a wake ups, but today we saw a 4 and 5 am wake up so Yahooo!!!  We are headed in the right direction.  Konnor started back to school on Tuesday which I think helped.  He got to venture to his Konnor's soccer game Tuesday night and he is really not sure about the whole grass thing.  Essentially he wants no part of that green stuff.   I hate to break it to him, but most of our summer is outside so we have some work to do : )

We haven't had any visitors since Friday morning when my Mom left.  Owen had started to pull away from Mark a little bit so we needed to really buckle down and reinforce their bond.  This morning though he got up with Mark, had breakfast and played all while Konnor and I slept another hour so we are moving in the right direction.  We did have a prompt care visit Sunday for Konnor (splinters from a stick--see I told you outside time was a must), which then lead to a Target visit for some much needed necessities.  Thankfully we went late a night and Target was very quiet so Owen did well.

Owen really is doing wonderfully.  He is such a joy.  I suspicion that his Foster Mom held him A LOT so he doesn't like to be put down, but we are making some strides in this area.  For the most part we don't mind holding him right now because it reaffirms our bond with him, but let's be honest, there are just some things you can't do with an 18 month old on your hip.  Although I am getting very proficient at getting things done with an ERGO on.  Some things are tricky, but for the most part it can be done.

Owen is quite the stinker.  He loves to smile and has an adorable laugh that you just can't help but join in on.  He is a very picky eater and I suspicion has the spine of a cat based on the way he can twist to get away from the spoon.  Mostly oatmeal, rice and formula keeping him going right now.  We are trying new foods daily and finding that for the most part he will eat about anything (except fruits) if you dice it small enough and mix it with rice.  I have gotten homemade sausage gravy in him a couple times and he likes to pick up cheerios and shredded cheese off his plate.  Other than those few things we are lucky to get a few bites of anything else in him.

We didn't leave the house until Tuesday.  It is going to take awhile for Owen to realize this is Home and not another hotel.  He is having great fun exploring and getting to know his new surroundings.  Tuesday we took Konnor to school and I have never seen a little boy so excited to show off a new sibling.  He couldn't wait to tell the Principal, his Teachers, the Bus driver and anyone else who would listen about his trip and his new baby brother.  He is so proud.  In the afternoon Owen had his first physical with the Pediatrician.  He is 20 lbs and 29.5 inches (4% and 1%).  Basically he is a little dude, but we already knew that so no biggie.  Overall the Pediatrician said that considering he looks really good and is much further along than she would have anticipated.  We still have a long way to go, but given time we will get caught up to where we need to be.  Unfortunately he also got 6  shots and blood work.  Boo!!!  He is handling it well, but a little fussy.

Siblings: I honestly never in a million years could have anticipated how well Konnor has adjusted to being a big brother.  He loves Owen and constantly wants to know where he is and what he is doing.  Mark and I have had to readjust our parenting a little and make our first sentence to Konnor "what/why are you doing that."  He is constantly trying to help (seriously love this kiddo) and sometimes it just doesn't come across as helping so we are working on him asking to help first so we can direct a little bit.  Otherwise it is so sweet how much he wants to do for Owen.  If Owen fusses he instantly runs to get whatever it is he thinks Owen needs.  He will tell me "Owen's not gonna like that, Owen may cry."  (Let's just say diaper changes and carseats are not Owen's favorite things : )  There have been a couple little pushes or pulls, but nothing major and nothing out of the ordinary for the age.  We have also started to tell Konnor that if he needs some Mama/Papa time he just needs to tell us.  We were working on recognizing emotions prior to becoming a Big Brother so this has really given him an opportunity to blossom and work on this skill.  The truth is he is an amazing brother and we couldn't be prouder of how he has reacted to all this change.  Owen just watches Konnor and laughs.  These two are going to give me so many gray hairs, but I will love every single minute of it.

Headed Home!!!!

Wed. May 20, 2015

We boarded our plane to come home.  It was almost 13 hours and the boys did awesome.  A little meltdown from Owen in the beginning and a little one from Konnor in the end, but let's be honest, Mommy wanted a meltdown to after sitting on a plane that long.  Owen slept 8 hours of the flight and Konnor a good 6 so it really wasn't all that bad.

We landed in LA and raced through customs.  I may or may not have burst into tears when the customs officer handed us back our passports, looked at Owen and said "Welcome Home."  Maybe just a few tears.  We opted to stay the night in LA since it was 9 by the time we got done with customs.  We headed to the hotel, grabbed some expensive hotel food, calmed our soooo done with it boys down and headed to bed.  The next morning we boarded the plane that would bring us to St. Louis.  Both boys slept the entire flight (maybe b/c they got up at 2).  My Mom met us at the airport, my friend/fellow adoptive Mama Karrie took homecoming pictures for us and we headed home.  Mark's parents met us at the house and we all got to visit for a little bit before crashing hard.

More to come.....

Chill Day

Tuesday, May 19
The only thing we had to do today was meet our guide in the lobby in the afternoon to collect Owen's visa.  It was great!  Unfortunately it did rain most of the day so we couldn't go to the local park like we wanted, but Mark and Konnor did squeeze in a swim in the afternoon and we ventured out for dinner in the evening.  The rest of the day was just relax and pack.  We played and snuggled and tried to rest in preparation for our long journey home.

A few randomness things from China:
-Our guide also helped with Konnor's adoption and at one point he looked at my wild and crazy, active, talks nonstop, but couldn't be cuter kiddo and said "He looks like he is doing great.  I remember him being a very quiet boy though"  : )

-One night Mark grabbed dinner at the store.  He comes in and says do you want chicken or beef.  I was craving red meat so I said Beef as it looked pretty harmless.  As I went to take the first bite there was something white sticking out.  Upon further inspection there was A LOT of little bones mixed in with the meat/sauce and let's just say those were NOT cow bones so dry white rice ended up being my food of choice that night.  It was either that or the bone in, skin on, I think that is hair sticking off the chicken chicken.  I am not a super picky eater, but there are just some things that do not pass my mouth and meat that is either rat or a little dog is one of them.

-we rode escalators until standing still seemed weird, but Hey, you do whatever it takes to keep little ones happy in any given situation.

-Squatty Potties--no need to expand upon this

-Personal space, there is non, no matter how bad you smell or how much you glare

-Starbucks is good anywhere

-Despite all the craziness of this trip (rough adjustments, constructions, sick kiddo, etc...) WE LOVE CHINA.  The people are great and there is just so much history.  But most importantly, this is our boys birth country/culture.  We may not always understand the beliefs or customs, but we will always cherish them and the precious gifts we now have.  I can't wait to go back.


Wed., May 20
Today we packed.  We played and relaxed and packed some more, and at 4 pm we headed to the lobby for one last escalator ride and a trip to the airport.  There were a lot of emotions.  We do love this place and couldn't wait to be home, but there is always a sadness as we take these sweet boys home with us.  This is their last night in their birth country for the forseeable future.  I don't know when or why we will be back, but we will make sure we go back.  Until then we will try to keep this part of their lives alive for them in the small things we do at home.  Goodbye China.  Until we meet again.

Catch up

It's been a long few days so I will try to catch everyone up here.

Friday, May 15
This morning we went with the group to do some local sightseeing.  We saw the Chen Family museum.  This is dedicated to all members of the Chen family which is the most common surname in China.  The architecture is so detailed and beautiful.  There were courtyard areas with trees that you could sit and just enjoy everything.  Of course I was playing Monster Jam on the walking ramps with a certain 4 year old I know so I didn't do any of that quiet reflecting : ). Konnor discovered my favorite summertime childhood past time today--- standing close to a fan and making funny sounds to distort your voice.
We also visited the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Auditorium.  This was a quickly visit and though it is a very nice area I couldn't tell you anything else, because it was so hot all the kids were starting to meltdown.
We headed back to the room.  Konnor took a nap, but the crazy construction had started again above us and Owen couldn't sleep.  We walked around the hotel and ran into the hotel manager who had us moved to the blessedly quiet apartment on the other side of the hotel.  Unfortunately during all of this we noticed that Owen had a temp. About 100.5.  He had stopped eating or drinking and was hitting his left ear.  We were going to take him to the medical clinic here, but fortunately a family that was leaving the next day had some unused amoxicillin so we started him on that and dosed him up with Tylenol/Motrin.  We got moved into the new apartment and as Konnor said "it's not to loud here Mommy."

Saturday, May 16
We never left the room.  Owens temp.s were up to 102 and he was a total fussy butt.  Unfortunately it rained all day too so we snuggled in with Monster trucks and movies and just tried to keep Owen hydrated since he was on a total strike for all good/drink.

Sunday, May 17
Konnor and I geared up to go shopping.  Mark stayed at the hotel with Owen since his temp was still up to 102.  We went to the Pearl market and picked up some pearls and Jade.  I had a single strand necklace made for Owen to give his wife or daughter one day.  We ventured to Shamain island, ate at Lucy's where I had the best burger of my life, dodged the rain and got some other keepsakes.  It was great to have some one on one time with  Konnor.  Unfortunately for Mark Owen screamed for 3 hrs straight.  We stayed in the rest of the night since Owens temp. Showed up again, but he did start eating so it was a small victory.

Monday, May 18
Thankfully Owen woke up smiling and cool as a cucumber.  Yay!  We had our consulate appointment in the morning and they approved our request for a visa for Owen to enter the country.  Hooray!!!  We came back to the hotel for lunch and naps.  Both boys passed out cold.  Owen still woke up with no temp. And an eating machine, so we loaded in the bus for the part of the trip Konnor has been looking forward to--- the Safari Park.  The boys had so much fun.  The animals are so close.  To top it off he got to ride a train through the park to see the animals which just made his day.  Konnor got to feed the Giraffes and the Elephants which he LOVED!  It was overall such a great day.  It was hot, humid, rainy and long, but just overall a wonderful day of memories for our little family.

Orphanage Visit

Thursday, May 14, 2015
Today Mark ventured with several other families to visit Owen's orphanage, finding spot and his Foster Family.  We decided to have me and the boys stay at the hotel, because we could tell Owen was not feeling well, and a 10 hr day was going to be to much for both boys.  As I am sure you can imagine I was heartbroken over not going.  There is so little of our boys pasts that we can give them, and every detail we can save is important.  I was sad for the Foster Mom that she would not get to see Owen again and see how well he is doing.  I was sad that I wouldn't get to meet her and thank this woman who has taken care of my baby for the last 7 months.  There were just a lot of emotions flying around.

The boys and I had a wonderful day just hanging out.  We made a couple trips to the playground at the hotel, and just played in the room.  The boys naps were short due to construction above our room, but they handled it well.  Today was Konnors 3 year Forever Family Day anniversary so when Mark got back we took him to get Mexican and he picked out a special dessert.  Overall a wonderful day.

Mark said they went first to the orphanage.  This is one of the better orphanages, and has a large playground, school and medical facility on premises.  They ate a great lunch and got to tour the facility.  He was able to meet with Owens Foster Mom for a few minutes.  She is so remorseful about his burns, but Mark reassured her that we do not blame her because accidents happen and that we are grateful for the care her family has provided.  She confirmed a few things we have already figured out: Owen likes rice, veggies and porridge, but not fruits or sweets.  He is not a big on snacks.  He does not walk independently, but can walk holding on to things or holding fingers.  But let me tell you this little guy can put on some speed crawling when he sees something he wants.  Our big uh oh is that apparently he LOVES cars.  Konnor has already decreed his monster trucks are off limits to Owen so we are going to have to stock up on some more cars since Owen is a car lover too.  Mark visited his finding spot and made sure he took a million pictures for me.  Overall it went well.  There are more details, but we save some of that for Owen to decide who knows the specifics.

We are so in love with the little guy.  He is just a doll.  His laugh is contagious and just lights up his face.

Medical Appt

Wed. May 13, 2015
This morning we all loaded into the bus and headed downtown.  First each child had their picture taken for their passports.  Then we all headed upstairs for the medical exam.  This is pretty much a lookie loo to make sure the child's special needs match what is in the file and is otherwise healthy with no obvious illness that would prevent travel to the U.S.

Owen is roughly 20 lbs and REALLY does not like the Doctor.  I can't really blame him.  After all his hospitalizations, poking and prodding I wouldn't like the Dr. either.  Unfortunately for him we have a lot of appointments coming this summer.  This was a long day.  Each child had to do all of this and it is just time consuming.  Konnor was a real champ through all of it.  Thankfully their are a couple other siblings here that are just a couple years older than him so they all sit and play cars endlessly.

The rest of the day was just relaxing.  So here is what we know about Owen so far.  He really likes to be held.  Loves rice, porridge, veggie based toddler pouches, stacking blocks, dancing and snuggles.  He is not a fan of fruit, but will tolerate banana.  He sleeps like a champ at night-- I'm talking 10-12 hrs straight people with nary a peep!  AND it's rubbing off on Konnor who has slept 11 hrs the last 3 night!!!!! Can I get a Hallelujuah!!!!!!!  Praying this continues when we get home.  I forgot to mention the other day that on Gotcha Day we realized Owen is getting 4 teeth, two of which are molars.  He tolerates it pretty well, but is a drooling little fussy butt sometimes too.  He likes to watch what Konnor is doing and LOVES to be tickled.  Konnor is such a great Big Brother.  He helps me feed Owen, helps me give him Tylenol, if Owen fusses he runs to get whatever he thinks Owen needs at the time.  He is really so sweet.  He has asked that Owen not be allowed to play with his monster trucks which we said was fine since he has been so giving in every other aspect.  We worked out a place at home that he can store his monster trucks.  Konnor has been a little more defiant since Owen arrived, but we are working on him telling us when he wants alone time with one of us and so far that is working.  Five more days until we head home!

entertaining brother at the Dr.'s appt.  

One Less

Tuesday, May 12, 2014

 We went back to the Civil Affairs office to finalize the adoption.  We were interviewed by two people and basically had to say why we wanted to adopt, if we were happy with the child and that we will never abandon or abuse him.  When we walked out of that office a few hours later in the eyes of China everything was final and there was one less orphan in the world.  

The rest of the day was pretty chill.  Mark and Konnor went swimming and we just stuck to the room.   The rest of the day.  Despite what all the reports said Owen is an eater.  He is eating about every 2-3 hrs at this point.  I will try to finish getting updated later.  My VPN is hit or miss so Internet is questionable.

Gotcha Day!!!

Monday, May 11, 2015
Sorry it's a few days late, but exhaustion has been kicking everyone's butt around here.  Monday we met 6 other families in the lobby at 145 to head to the Civil Affairs office.  When we travelled for Konnor we were the only family here for our agency so having a lot of families to travel with is a new experience.  Several of the families I have spoken to frequently online so it's great to meet them and see their families growing.

When we got to the Civil Affairs office it was crowded and noisey.  Many other families had already received their children.  We sat in a back corner and waited for the green light that it was our turn.  Six of the families in our group all had children coming from the same orphanage.  They brought them out from behind the curtain one at a time, and we were blessed with the opportunity to see 6 other families meet their children.  Owen was last and the person holding him just made a B-line straight for me.  It happened so fast.  One second I was telling Konnor, "look they are going to bring Owen soon," and the next she was putting a baby in my arms.  I mean seriously, after all the months of waiting, delays, and such there should be a parade or at least streamers or something.  At first he resisted, but once I held him he was fine.  When he first started fussing my sweet sweet little Konnor reached up and started rubbing his leg.  Then once we got back to our corner he immediately got some puffs to give Owen.  Let's just say that there might have been a few tears from Mama by this point.

We had a little time to get to know each other then I took Konnor back to finish some paperwork.  By this point everyone was dripping sweat (no exaggeration).  It was hot anyway, but add in the number of people in that small room with the thunderstorm that started and we were all smelling AWESOME when we got back.  It was still pouring down rain on the way back to the bus. Mark was holding Konnor and they slipped on some stairs and fell.  They are both okay, just bumps and bruises.

By the time we got back it was almost 430.  We settled for a little bit, ordered some room service and just set about getting to know each other.  Konnor was asleep by 6 and the rest of us by 8.  Konnor is still really struggling with the time change so he was up at 2, but Owen slept a solid 10 hrs.  

Truthfully, it was perfect.  My boys are together and regardless of how it came to be, that is all that really matters.  Working on getting caught up on blogging, but we have a medical appt. for Owen in a little bit so it's time to get moving.

Last picture ever as a family of 3

First glimpse of our little man

Add caption

big brother Konnor trying to console Owen (one of my favorites!)

First picture as a family of 4!!

Happy Mother's Day

today is Mother's Day, and my last one as a Mommy to 1.  By this time tomorrow I will be the Mother of 2 very special little boys.  This morning we walked a few blocks to a local park.  We didn't stay because it was starting to rain, but Richard (our totally awesome guide) showed us around so that we could come back and enjoy another day.  Then it was Pizza Hut for lunch, which was awesome, and a long nap for everyone.  We had dinner (and ate some questionable fish) with another family from our area who will have Gotcha Day tomorrow as well.  Then we hit up the local store for some baby essentials and snacks.  WOW!  That store was so loud, crowded and overwhelming that even I was uncomfortable.  I totally forgot that here it is socially acceptable to just stare at people.  I mean I know it is hard not to stare at a blonde bombshell with a handsome guy and worlds cutest kid, but sometimes it's just creepy.  For the most part everyone here has been incredibly nice, and we have had a great experience.

Tonight is Owen's last night in the orphanage.  His last night in clothes that feel comforting, food that tastes familiar and smells that he knows.  He already went through this recently with the removal from his Foster family and my heart aches that he will experience this yet again.  Our excitement must be tempered with the knowledge that for him this is not exciting or fun.  For Owen the next few days will be scary, confusing and uncomfortable.  Everything that is familiar and comforting in his life is being ripped from him in one fell swoop.  We can only pray that his Foster family prepared him as best as possible for his age.

For us it is different.  There is excitement, worry, joy and fear.  There will be a new normal for our little family, and being a planner, I want to already be at the "new normal."  I know that tonight, this day, this moment is all part of God's plan for us.  It will be beautiful and perfect, but not easy.  However, if the last 5years have taught me anything it is that sometimes the most precious gifts are wrapped up in struggle.  To quote Shrek, "onions have layers," and while hopefully we aren't stinky, we will continue to peel back each layer until we find our own beautiful new normal.  Please keep all of us in your prayers in the coming days as we all start to adjust to life as a family of 4.

Guess what...........one more sleep and Gotcha Day is here!!!!!!!!!!

We are here!!!

So let me just start by saying Konnor is a freaking rockstar! I mean we couldn't have asked for him to do any better with all this travel.  Wednesday we stayed the night in San Fransisco.  Our second flight was delayed, then we got stuck on their version of the Metro for about 1 1/2 hr.  By the time we got to the hotel we were done.  We grabbed a cab to the wharf, got some seafood, konnor got a much deserved ice cream and we headed back to the hotel.  The next morning Konnor and I grabbed some food and swam while Mark finished up some school work.  Next stop was the airport!

This is where it gets kind of hairy.  Our initial flight was 1 1/2 hr delayed due to weather issues in China (lots of rain here the last few days).  That got us to Wuhan late (thankfully it was the same plane we were taking to Guangzhou so no worries about a missed flight).  Then once we cleared customs, checked back in for our connection and then they boarded us only for us to sit on the plane for 2 hrs before takeoff : (. It was 86 degrees when we got here at 2am.  Yuck!  Needless to say it was almost 4 am before we got to the hotel.  Konnor was awesome the whole trip with only one meltdown while waiting to clear customs in Wuhan.  Pretty sure they all wanted to know what kind of torture I was inflicting on the poor child because he was soooo over it.  He only slept on and off for a few hrs here and there on the plane.  He was also less than impressed with plane food and survived on my massive snack stash (we already had to go snack shopping today).  After about 26 hrs of nonstop travel we were all cranky so I don't blame him at all.  He only slept about 2 1/2 hrs before getting up for breakfast.  We walked to 7-11 to get snacks and then the last two days really caught up to Konnor.  I finally got him to sleep and we all took a much needed 4hr nap.  The rest of the day was just chill day.  Everyone felt better after nap.  Konnor and I swam for about an hour while Mark took a final and then we explored the hotel.  All my sensory parents will understand why we walked the stairs and escalators about a hundred times.  Matching games, coloring and books before our little guy passed out cold.  I am still in awe of how well he travelled the last few days.

We are getting the room arranged, and then tomorrow we are going to a local park.  I feel surprising good despite the jet lag.  Hoping we all sleep good tonight.  Only 2 more sleeps until we meet Owen!

The plane getting ready to take off

San Fransisco, Mark and Konnor with Alcatraz in the back ground

Getting settled in the hotel room

Room view

Leaving On A Jet Plane

It's almost midnight.  The alarm is set for 430 and by 530 we will be in the car and headed to St. Louis for the first leg of our journey.  The bags are packed including carry on's with only early morning essentials to throw in the bag.

Wow.  It's here.  I mean it's really here.  It feels like we have waited forever, 16 months, but all of a sudden the world started spinning faster and in a blink the last 2 months have flown by.  I am excited, scared, nervous, anxious and a million other things, but overall, I mean the real honest truth is that I feel a great calmness right now.  Right this minute all I have left to do is get on a plane.  The paperwork has been triple checked and it's time to go.  In 5 days I will be the Mother of 2, and while I know we have some tough days ahead, I know it's time.  God's time is always right.  So soon I will head to bed and get maybe a little sleep, but I wanted to touch on a few things first.

Nesting.  I wanted to talk about this in great detail and before midnight the night before we leave, but the last week has been a crazy, awesome mess : )  So here is a run down with some great sources to check into.  If you are family and plan on spending any time with us I HIGHLY recommend you review these sources.  If you are friends that plan on spending time with us please also do a quick run through to get an idea what we are talking about.  Owen has suffered great loss and trauma in his short life and the things we do to help him heal may seem out of the ordinary to you, but are essential to him.  We also have to assume that this adoption will trigger some issues with Konnor as well.  He is a very sensitive little guy, and we have to think ahead of ways to help him through this transition as well.


-We will be nesting when we get home.  No we will not be shut in our house 24/7, but we will limit our activities for at least the first few weeks to help everyone adjust to their new surroundings and schedules.

-We will not be allowing anyone to hold Owen for the immediate future.  There is no exact timeline on this as it is all dependent on his adjustment, but this is not negotiable.  He has had significant trauma with the loss of his birth family,  multiple hospitalizations, multiple caregivers and being taken from the only home he has ever known.  Konnor took to us right away, but there is no guarantee that Owen will react the same way so until such time as he shows signs of bonding to BOTH Mark and I we will not allow holding or self care to be done by anyone but us (feeding, diapers, baths, etc...).  You are welcome to talk to him, give fives, make silly faces, etc..., but please refrain from trying to take him from us and if he does reach for you please do not try to take him from our arms.  This is not meant to cause distress to anyone and it is not personal, but we have to do what is best for Owen and ultimately our family.  Please address questions to Mark or I regarding this issue.
Please please please read this article.  It is about perfect in explaining what I am talking about here.

www.https://thesweetfamilylife.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/a-letter-for-the-family-and-friends-of-those-adopting-a-little-one/

-Owen has burns on his right arm that are significant.  They don't hurt him and over time will get somewhat better, but will never completely heal. It is ok to talk about or ask questions about his burns.   It is a part of his history, but we don't want it to become the center of conversation everytime he meets someone so please try to plan ahead and talk to your children about what questions they may have and we are happy to help answer questions.   The Phoenix Society  http://www.phoenix-society.org  has some wonderful information about burns if anyone is interested in learning more.  

Alright everyone.  I know there is more, but honestly my alarm is going off in 4 hours and that is only if a 4 year old doesn't wake me up sooner.  Let me know if you have any questions and we will try to update as much as possible from China.

Mixed Emotions

We are only 5 days away from leaving and my emotions are all over the place.  Don't get me wrong, I am crazy excited, but there is more to it than just adding a little one to our family.  You see, the orphanage will already have been notified of Owen's impending adoption and his Gotcha Day.  This is huge in his world.  Any day now, if they haven't already, they will remove Owen from his Foster Family and place him back in the orphanage.  We have requested that they only do this a week prior, but truthfully we have no control over this and typically they do this about 2 weeks before Gotcha Day.  The reasoning is to create some distance between the child and the Foster Family so that they are more accepting of their Forever Family, but also they want the Nanny's to be the "bad guys" that remove the child versus the new family taking on that role.

My concerns are multiple on this issue:
I completely understand why they are doing this, but I hate hate hate to the core of my being that he will be back in the orphanage.  Firstly, he was moved to Foster Care due to the fact that he was failing to thrive in the orphanage.  This is one of the better orphanages, but still it is not a home with a Mommy to attend to all of his needs.  I worry about his eating (they have repeatedly told us he is not a good eater), I worry about his burns being taken care of, and on and on.

Mostly though my heart is breaking because I know his heart is breaking.  He has spent 8 months with this family.  They stayed with him during his hospitalization, burn care, etc... and from all accounts from parents whose children have fostered with them, they are amazing and love their foster children fiercely.  He is so little and has no way of knowing that this home is temporary.  In his mind this is Mama and Baba. I can only imagine how scared and confused he must be right now.  To then be in the orphanage and suddenly be handed to these people who look nothing like him, smell funny and talk funny is going to be just another trauma in his life.

So right now I ask that you say prayers for him.  That he will feel God's love surrounding him until we can be with him.  That his heart will be open to us and that our hearts and minds will be in tune to his needs during this upcoming transition.

Thank You

Whirlwind!!!!

Ahhhh!!! Ok so the last few days have been CRAZY!!!  We got our confirmed appt for the US Consult which means we will officially be meeting Owen for the first time on May 11!!  Less than 2 weeks from now!

  In the last few days we have planned our travel, booked flights, scheduled him for Cleft team, Pediatricians appt.'s and contacted his Burn team to start the process to get him scheduled there.  Seriously it is crazy around here!  Bags are starting to get packed and we officially are only 8 days aware from leaving!

Yesterday Konnor picked out a couple of the chunky cars he used to play with, the kind you pull back and they go across the floor.  He put them in Owen's suitcase and said he could have them b/c they are for little boys and he is a big boy now.  Oh melt this Mama's heart.  We are trying to prepare Konnor as best we can and as of now he is super excited about "going to bring Owen home."

In the coming days I am going to be posting a lot about cocooning and the why's of it after an adoption.  I talked about this with Konnor's adoption, but many do not understand why it is necessary and unfortunately there were relationships that were damaged due to lack of understanding.  Please remember that ultimately we will do what is best for our boys regardless of if it is understood, but we will try to pave the way so that people have a better grasp on the situation.  Thank you for your understanding on this topic.

8 days!!!!

Travel Approval!!!!!!!

We got our Travel Approval today!!!!  We have requested a May 11 Gotcha Day and should find out Monday morning if that is ok.  Once we have confirmation we just book flights and start packing!!!!! Ahhhhh!!!!!  Hang on tight b/c we are getting ready to hit warp speed with bringing Owen home!

A5 (for Realz)

Right now, right this very minute everyone's day is starting in China.  Our in China rep. will pick up our paperwork from the American Consulate (for real this time, we have a confirmed pickup date) and we will officially be waiting on Travel Approval!!  That means it will be time to book flights!!!  This will greatly help Mark and I's anxiety as we watch the flights fill up and prices go up : (  TA's have been coming in 3-5 days recently so fingers crossed we will have approval by Friday and we can start booking our travel.  EEEKKK!!!

I started packing for Owen today, and I think all I need is a swimsuit, some overnight diapers and more formula.  Bottles are getting washed tonight so I can throw them in the bag tomorrow and then Owen's packing is done (as well as incidentals that we won't need before we leave).  Soooo close!

Soooo close! and an Update!!

Our agency informed us that our paperwork will be picked up from the US Consulate on Monday 4/20.  YAY!!!!!  So by time we wake up on Monday we will officially be waiting on Travel Approval (for real this time : )  We are still looking like a May 11 Gotcha Day so Ahhh, it is so close!

We were able to ask some questions about Owen to help us get to know him a little before travel.  He is 18 lbs 11 oz now and 28 ish inches, so basically he is tiny little dude!  Apparently he is not a very good eater which I will have no idea what to do with since his brother can eat by the pound.  He is a pretty good sleeper.  He can walk just a few steps unassisted, but walks all over the place holding onto things.  He has a foster sister and is very close to his foster parents.  When I asked about his personality they said:  Busy and Active!  Haha!  He will fit right in at this house : )  I picked up some formula the Pediatrician wants him on yesterday, sorted all Konnor's under 12 months clothes and have started our packing pile.  It's getting REAL in here folks.  Overall we are getting really excited.  Konnor seems to still be really excited about Owen coming home and due to some daycare changes I will be able to keep both boys home with me for most of the summer to help with everyones adjustments.

Soooo, I lied : (

Ok so our Article 5 should have been picked up from the US Consulate on Monday, but by Tuesday when they hadn't heard anything our agency checked on it and it turns our that it was never dropped off : (  There was an email that got missed that had our needed paperwork in it, and there was no way for the in China coordinator to know that it had been missed.  It was a mistake.  It happens, and honestly we have had so many setbacks with this adoption that it is almost comical at this point.  God has very special plans for this little guy and is just preparing him and us for our new life together.  They dropped the forms off on Thursday and we should be picked up in two weeks and THEN we will be waiting on travel approval.

On a TOTALLY AWESOME note....our agency visited Owens orphanage last week and were able to get some to cute for words pictures of our little man.  Here is our little man at almost 17 months old.  Enjoy!

Last step!!!!!

Are you guys ready for this?!?!  Our paperwork should have been picked up from the US Consulate in Guangzhou yesterday which means............................WE ARE OFFICIALLY WAITING ON TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!!  Other than applying for Visa's to enter mainland China (which we will work on the next couple days) this is the very last step before we get on a plane.  We will be requesting an update on Owen soon so that we can get to know this little guy a little bit before travel.  We are still planning a May 11 Gotcha date so fingers crossed this TA comes quickly and we can get tickets booked.