Update from our agency

The statement on the US Embassy’s website says that “On April 25, the Government of Vietnam announced that it will allow adoption to be completed in cases where prospective adoptive parents have been matched with a child and received an official referral prior to September 1, 2008.” I am aware that there are some news stories floating around – specifically from the Associated Press – that says that the last day for referrals in July 1, 2008. I have confirmed that this is incorrect and DIA’s original statement still stands.


I hope that you all who await for your precious child get your referrals quickly! Our prayers are with you...

Today we went to earth day... yes they are a week behind....It was nice!

They had tables set up with free info and things for children to learn about the earth and how to take care of it. ( I am a big time recycler). They also had home depot there doing a craft table... Jacob got a kit to make a wooden Pirate ship & a orange apron. Since Michael was working I brought it home for them to build. They has an area set up with a real bees making honey...we got to try some. Lunch was also free.... a hot dog, bag chips, drink (from the dairy my brother works at), trail mix, gummy worms and dried fruit. It was nice! We had a great time. I have post some pic's and I have a few comments about some of them.... 1st Jacob refused to look at me when Yogi bear came up to him.... He was more interested in touching him. Then of course my mother took the picture of Jacob and I .... Believe me I am grateful for the effort...but she stinks at taking pictures. In the picture I am talking her through where the button is to click to take the picture... For on the 100th time! But I wanted to post it because as I am sure you may see there is not many of me with my son since I am always the one behind the camera.

My one friend showed up with her kids a little later. I held her youngest who is 2 so she could get them hots dogs. And guess who turned into a jelly belly.....Jacob. He climb on my lap to & kept pointing at her and yelling pappy. But any way we left and they did not get to play but a storm was moving in... Or so we thought it went around us! But better safe than sorry... my dad always says. Well I got to go... I would like to post some time this week about my feelings on the previous post...But I am physically tired and emotionally. Its bad enough to see the news on the Internet but to wake up and see and article in the news paper Vietnam selling babies... tore me to pieces... And that's all I can say for now~

Official Annoucement from Vietnam.....

So we received an email from our agency this morning..... and here is the sad news.



This morning we received information regarding Vietnam’s decision regarding cases in process. This information was confirmed by a posting on the website of the US Embassy in Hanoi. Vietnam has indicated that they are going to:

· Stop accepting dossiers on July 1, 2008
· Allow families who are matched before September 1, 2008 to complete their adoptions
· If families are not matched before September 1, 2008 DIA will close the family’s file and return the dossier to PSBI

You can find the statement from the Department of State here - http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/adoption_warning0408.html. DOS also posted a report of the irregularities that they’ve been seeing in Vietnam and that report can be found here - http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/adoption_warning0408.html.


This is just my opinion... and it truly means nothing....But I fear that they will suspend Vietnamese adoptions and it may be a while till everything is worked out. When the previously suspended back in 2003 it was because of issues such as they believe is going on again. It makes me so sad to think of the children waiting and families waiting. Your ALL in my prayers that you receive your referrals quickly. All children deserve to have a mom & dad. And being a parent is the best reward in life.

He's turning PRO

Pic's 18 months

Jacob's 18 month update

It seems that since the sun has been out and the temperatures have been warm I have spent every free moment I get outside. My breaks & lunch from work then after I am done working Jacob goes to the door ....points and looks at me like LETS GO!!! So I have not got on the computer much other than my job... and believe me that's plenty!
So Jacob is getting so big.... In some ways...He now weights 20lbs & is 31' long. He learns something new every day....

*extremely ticklish.... and loves to be tickled... He will actually pull your hand over & motion with his hand tickles.
* talks all the time... For the most part you can not understand but for a few words. His vocabulary is expanding still with the B's .....baby, boy, bath, book, ball, bad, bear, ba ( which is bottle), Bird, Bye ( this is my favorite right now.... He sounds SOOO cute saying it and waving), Also dog, Mar-Mar which is my sister, Mary Kay which also is my sister... Grandma, pappy, pap, mom, ma ma, dad, da da, yum, no, yeah, Hi, Hey, Ashley ( his cousin) , Teresa ( the neighbor girl) Steve, ABC and more but I can not think of them....

* he is as sweet & loving as can be. He loves to be cuddled and to cuddle back. If he is tired he will climb on your lap... grab your arm wrap it around him and squeeze...Its so cute! He likes to hold on to your shirt sleeve. ( he's had a texture addiction since the moment he came into our life) He use to lay on the floor for hours touching the blanket than carpet then his cloths then the pillow.

*very observant - he notices, follows, watches everything. His mind is always working.

* very athletic.... kick ball, soccer, throwing a ball ( he has an arm like his mom & dad) ( I do not throw like a girl...ask my husband when we dated we played catch at a family picnic and he said he knew I was the one when he saw me throw & catch.... guess it would be 9 years of softball & all stars) ok back to Jacob.... GOLF...... Like his father He loves it... Give him a club anything becomes a ball. He can really hit the ball good...We are so proud of him. ( I will post a new video)

*Loves everyone & every one loves him.....He seems to have a power over anyone he meets. I can not go anywhere w/out men or woman falling for him... even children do.... especially boys.
They want to talk to him, or pat his head or just see him. Its weird! He is something special & I REALLY think god has something special in store for Jacob's life. We are just glad we get to be part of it.

* he loves to give us kisses... He will come up & just wrap his arms around you or pull your face towards him and give you a kiss...which is usually followed by 3-5 more kisses. I enjoy everyone..for there will come a day that giving mom kisses is way uncool!!!

*likes & dislikes.... He likes pretty much everything.... but the nose aspirator, thermometer digital ear or temple scan, brushing his top teeth. And his crib... thats the worst.
Since his 2 top teeth came in they had some discoloration. The doctor believes from pregnacy mother must have a severe cold w/ fever or took an antobiotic she should not have while pregnant. so bruushing top teeth is a fight and I have tried everything!!!

* food- loves everything but turkey lunchmeat...I think its a texture thing. He likes turkey everything else. (we do not eat red meats)

* he is so handsome... He has the darkest brownish black eyes & lashes people would die for. Beautiful tan soft skin. The cutest nose...toes and ears.... still hardly any hair..but its coming in finally.

* he knows his main body parts arm, leg, nose, ears, eyes, mouth, tongue, foot and hand.

* still not sure of he is a lefty or a righty uses both....


Well I got to go... But Jacob is great... he is everything we could have wanted & more~

More Clarification about Rumor for June 1st

We got a little more clarification on the rumor that DIA will stop accepting dossiers on June 1st. Our agency talked more with DIA and found that, as part of their request for a recommendation from the Prime Minister, DIA had to put together a list of possible ways to manage the cases of families and children already in the “pipeline” as well as those that might be preparing their paperwork now. The list of included several possibilities including, among other things:

· Allowing every family whose dossier is registered to continue after 9/1
· Allowing families who are matched with children to continue after 9/1
· Stop accepting dossiers on a date before 9/1 - possibly 6/1, possibly later

DIA was very clear that they haven’t received a recommendation from the government and, as such, nothing is definite. These are only possibilities; these are not definite recommendations yet. DIA is hoping to hear something in the first half of May regarding this issue. I will share any additional information as I receive it.

He's a wild man

Tonight my mother in law is staying the night to babysit Jacob while I work tomorrow. Remember I work from home but he must be watched. I actually need to use my brain.... My job is not easy. Anyway tonight we were all sitting in the living room watching him play and watching 60 mins.... ( god...I am watching 60 mins..I must be getting old)and Jacob starts yelling something at Grandma.. We have NO CLUE to what he is saying. He is very serious what ever he is saying. He had us laughing so hard.... but here is the video.

PCOS/ Metformin

Ok per one of my readers comments:
I've heard that some have had good success with metformin...but since I am currently not exhibiting any signs of insulin resistance, I don't know that I can get anyone to sign off.


Several of my doctors were the same way. My pcp, infertility specialist, ob- gyn, and others. Anyway I ended up hearing from a girl I work with that her sister has PCOS and had seek treatment at the Allegheny General Hosp in Pittsburgh, pa. So I got her info and called had an appointment and she gave me a slip to have blood drawn and for about 30 different test to be done. I could not tell what all they were...I just know they must have been important. Anyway she confirmed YES I do have PCOS ( we all knew that but she likes to have her on proof) & I had no signs of insulin resistance. Also I was deficient of vitamin b & d. And my thyroid was under active which all my other doctors said I was on the verge of be under active. She was all for me trying metformin... I am only on 1000 mg a day. So you may need to just call and talk to some of the Endocrinologist in your area. I know that gaining the weight really stinks... I went from a size 3/4 to I will not even mention. But my husband is the best... He tells me he loves me no matter what. He says I look as good as I did when we got married. What a kiss butt!!
Anyway I got to go... so tired...cold is taking everything I got.

Spring into Spring with a cold.......HUH

Well I have mentioned that Jacob had had this cold going on.... First 3 days of fever and now a lose cough & runny nose but the doctor said he is fine. No medicines needed. Which is fine I am all for no medicines. So yesterday I start to feel real tired. I thought it was just dealing with his cold, playing outside, working 40 hrs & getting ready to have our yard sale this weekend. Well I go to sleep last night and wake up so stuffed up w/ a sore throat & I feel as if my head weighs 50lbs. Its lovely... Not how I pictured starting Spring!
On top of that I am on so many medicines... one for thyroid, vitamin b & d, and now Metiformin to see if it helps off some of the side effects from PCOS. So I have to call the pharmacy any time I want or need to take something for a cold, head ache, etc. I feel like an old person...I'm only 27.

For those of you who have never heard of PCOS..Here's some info:

Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS is a metabolic disorder that affects 5 – 7.5% of all women. It is the number one cause of infertility and if left untreated, can increase risk of endometrial cancer. In addition, women with PCOS are at a greater risk for heart disease and diabetes.

What are the symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Not all women with PCOS share the same symptoms. These are some of the symptoms of PCOS:
infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating
increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes—a condition called hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um)
ovarian cysts
acne, oily skin, or dandruff
weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
high cholesterol
high blood pressure
male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs
skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
pelvic pain
anxiety or depression due to appearance and/or infertility
sleep apnea—excessive snoring and times when breathing stops while asleep

Does polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) put women at risk for other health problems?
Women with PCOS have greater chances of developing several serious, life-threatening diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. Recent studies found that:
More than 50 percent of women with PCOS will have diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) before the age of 40.
Women with PCOS have a four to seven times higher risk of heart attack than women of the same age without PCOS.
Women with PCOS are at greater risk of having high blood pressure.
Women with PCOS have high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
The chance of getting endometrial cancer is another concern for women with PCOS.


Now I only suffer from a few symptoms..... weight gain being a very annoying one.... infertility,tiredness and skin issues I thought you only had in high school. Anyway I hope it helps cause I would love to just be better...

But the reason I posted all the symptoms is because a large % of woman go undiagnosed for years..... I had irregular periods and my old GYN said it was cause I was so active in sports... HUH??


Anyway if you have any of these symptoms its a simple blood test and ultra sound... Do it!

Wanted: New Lawn Boy

A beautiful spring day

Will Vietnam accept dossiers after June 1st?

Per our agency Pearl S. Buck other wise known as Welcome House

Rumor regarding June 1st
In the past day or two I have heard from several families about a rumor that Vietnam will stop giving referrals after June 1. Our rep spoke with the director of DIA today who confirmed that this is just a rumor and that it is not true. DIA has requested guidance from the Prime Minister regarding how to proceed with transition cases and is awaiting a response. No decision has been made yet regarding families whose dossiers are in Vietnam and/or who have been matched with children

New Video

ok... click on the Utube video on the left upper corner. I tried to copy it to a post but I am still learning how. So I found this video on another blog. It really hit home when it came to infertility & even adoption. Well I got to go give our little guy a bath...We went to the doctors tonight so it has set us behind schedule wise. He has a horrible sounding cough but the doctor did not seem concerned. I will post more tomorrow...

We love sales...

so here is another deal we got .... pair of hardly used nike's, sports jacket, & old navy jeans......total $3.00....


Several more deals

Jacob

Another Jacob playing

JACOB PLAYING

A busy weekend...

Hello! Well our little guy has come down with another little cold. Running fever, runny nose, and just tired. He is still playing and eating so that's good. Knock on wood!! On top of all this I belong to a group who has 2 sales a year at this local school of baby, kids, and any other items(kitchen, bathroom, videos, anything) and it was yesterday and today. I have to admit I think I did rather well. I took 10 bins of stuff came home with 5. Oh I donate a bin to a church. I will find out how much I made in a few days. So anyway I dropped Jacob at mom's house since Michael works Saturdays . I was the adult clothing section which at the entry so that also made me the greeter. They asked me to try to keep count of people I lost count after about 100. I needed one of those clicker counters...if I could click that fast. Anyway than we had to take all the stuff down...crazy!

So I did end up spending 29.00.... 10 summer outfits for Jacob ( some still had tags), a life preserver which helps him learn to swim, A brand new little box with beads, flip things on it ( I have no idea what you call it. I was going to buy him one of them for x-mas but it was 17.00 clearance so I got it there new 3.00. ) Oh 2 newer pair show (looked like they were never worn...Nike and perry Ellis) . Then of course my mom got him the Elmo garage thing and one of ladies gave him a Winnie the pooh bath toy set and the other HUGE bead thing.. ( see above)

When I got home unpacked the car, fed Jacob & I, we went upstairs and took a 2 hour nap. Which is good for me ...I'm not a napper!

So the weather has went from 72 to like 40's from yesterday today... no wonder every one is sick. So I attached some pics of Jacob looking out the living room door longing to be outside..Poor little guy! I love him so much.

Well Better go...I will post some funny videos of my little guy.

Deadliest Catch

Hello all! So this has nothing to do with the adoption. But I LOVE this show. Its on the discovery channel. and the 3rd season is starting soon. Anyway there is a funny story behind it. About 2 years ago Michael would come home from work on Tuesdays & I would be watching this show. He would joke with me that I was such a GEEK. To be watching a show on catching King crabs and other stuff ( depends on what is in season for catching). Well the one weekend I slept in and when I came down they had a marathon on and he was glued to the TV. He loved it!! So now I make fun of him.....

So check this out ... it will keep on the edge of your seat.

Also Ice Road truckers (I think it is called) on the history channel....

OK So I am a geek.....DEAL WITH IT!!

Bad boys- Bad boys whatcha gonna do.....

JUST JOKING!! Joe & Jacob were really not that bad. Just being typical boys. Toy sharing was not their strong point. Jacob is still learning since he really does not have anyone to compete for toys with except for the dog. They pulled out every toy and my living room looked like a tornado went through it. If one laid down the other had to be with them. As you can see Jacob got up on the couch with his cousin Joey. And they laughed & laughed. Since I was working pappy was babysitting both. He had his hands full. They ate breakfast & lunch good. And made pappy watch CARS again. Poor guy!

Anyway it was nice to see both my boys smile....

Golfer

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Save big!

I found this on another blog. And had to try it. My husband loves this sports one. He was so funny when I showed him it. ANyway hope all is well with everyone. Jacob is sleeping and I have a check book to balance & bills to write. Also I work on the computer all day..... I need a break from it tonight. Good night all~

For all those awaiting referrals, travel dates or to come home from you adoption travel... I will keep you in my prayers...

#1

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Save big!

Vietnam program update - 4.2.08

Yesterday our adoption agenecy received news from USCIS that, effective March 31, 2008, they are requiring DNA testing for all adoption cases where the I-600 was filed March 31st or later and where a child came into the orphanage through relinquishment. This new process was announced in a memo to the USCIS field offices dated 3/31/08 and indicated that it is “effective immediately.” Based on the information we have thus far, it seems that this will apply to cases only where a child’s birth parents voluntarily relinquished their parental rights. This means that it should NOT apply to children who were abandoned or whose birth parents died.

Why DNA testing?
DNA testing is a tool that CIS has used in the past, most recently in Guatemala, when they were concerned that individuals other than the birth parents were actually signing the relinquishment documents. By requiring DNA testing for the birth parent(s), CIS is confirming that the person that signed the relinquishment document is the person who is actually legally able to do so.

How will it work? .
Once a family receives a referral and the I-600 is filed with USCIS in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), CIS will email a receipt to the family proving that they have received the I-600. Once the receipt is received, PSBI can request an authorization from CIS to begin the DNA testing process. We’ll send that authorization to the designated DNA lab, who will notify one of the two DNA collection sites in Vietnam. The collection site will contact Hang and her staff to set up an appointment for the birth parent(s) and child to come to the collection site. On the day of the appointment Hang or one of her staff members will accompany the birth parent(s) and the child to the collection site where their DNA sample and photo will be taken. The samples will be sent to the DNA lab in the US and processed. The results will then be sent back to CIS so they can complete the processing of the I-600 application.

Sights & Sounds of Vietnam

I know I already poste them but I wanted reposted for visitors who do not got back to older post. I worked hard on these. ANd I am very proud of them.

part 1 adoption video

Laundry, Laundry and Other stuff...

Do you ever feel like all you do is laundry.... I do! You get behind a load or 2 and all heck breaks lose. So yesterday I washed 2 loads dried and put them away and 3 loads today and the last load is in the dryer. Thank GOD!!

This weekend Jacob spent some time with his cousins. They stopped down at our house that night since my mom forgot her purse in my car from our grocery shopping trip. My parents were watching all 3 of my brothers little ones so they could go to a funeral. My nephew Joey wanted to watch the movie cars. Its his favorite. He watches it over & over again from what I hear. Jacobs eyes lit up when I put it in. Anyway they only watched like 15 mins then my parents had to go. So the Next morning when pap was watching him Jacob managed to pick it out from all the DVDs and take it to pap and insist he watch it. It was his 1st movie. He actually sat calmly and watch the ENTIRE movie. (except a few times when he got real excited about the racing) I was impressed. I have a feeling this maybe a movie we will be watching repeatedly.

I watched some of our videos from Vietnam of his adoption today.... God I love this little guy! He is such an amazing baby. He is smart, funny and loving. I thank my lucky stars every night for him. He is my everything.... and so Is my husband.

Well I better go LAUNDRY is calling my name.....

I added a couple of my favorite pictures...from the last year.