Way to Hanoi

The past day or so has been an ordeal. We were taken to the airport to learn our flight to Hanoi was delayed until 6 pm. We returned back to the Rex hotel to hang out since there was nothing to do at the airport for 6 hours. The Rex was nice enough to let our group have a room to hang out in just in case the kids needed naps. As a group we went back to the Irish Pub that Keith and I had eaten dinner at earlier in our trip; that was nice. When we got the airport the flight was delayed until about 630. Let me tell you the airport was a nightmare; they do not call people by rows and everyone bullies their way in. They didn't care that our group had children. Lennah did well on her first flight I was just really annoyed by the rudeness of the people in the airport and on the plane. Hanoi looks like there is not much to do but the good news is that we have changed our tickets and will be home Thursday morning. We are not traveling with the rest of the group because when we were wait listed we were last and that flight is full so we are the only family traveling Wednesday night but oh well it is still 2 days early.

A short day at the beach

Today our in country coordinator took us to the beach. I was really looking forward to this especially since we learned Lennah loved the pool. Well, it was a short lived day. The weather was not good. Right after we got to the beach it started to rain. We did go in the water for a few minutes and she definately liked it ok. While waiting for it to clear up we went to a pool at the area they took us to and then had lunch. Well, after waiting for so long the weather cleared but it was time to go. Oh well. The ride to the beach was long however, it was nice seeing a different part of Vietnam. The area they took us to was a nice resort town which was beautiful. It's not that Vietnam does not have nice areas it is just that you see a nice house and then a shack made of aluminum right along side it. Today, was our last day in Saigon and tomorrow we will head to Hanoi so at least it will be a change of scenary.

Free Day

Today was a free day so we decided to relax and just visit the zoo. The zoo is not like the ones back home. Most of the animals did not have a lot of space to move around; nothing like what we have back home. Lennah enjoyed it for a little while and then I think the heat was too much. What was really strange was that in some of the large animals areas like near the orstriches there were cats (domesticated) in there. The zoo was a real bargain at only $1.00 for us both. We tried to avoid Vietnamese food today and hit an Italian restaurant for lunch that we visited earlier this week and went to an Irish pub for dinner. At the pub the workers carried Lennah around while we ate. It was kind of nice not to have to plop her on my lap. None of the high chairs here have fronts or straps so she stays on our laps while we eat since she wants no part of the stroller unless it is moving. This afternoon we just hung out in the room. I was hoping Lennah would take a long nap but no she takes short 30 minute naps. I think she is going to drive grandpa crazy when I go back to work since she is not a sleeper. What is amazing is how she is developing in one week. She can stand on her own without holding on for about 2 seconds. She will also work with you if you hold her hands. We don't do this a lot but she loves it.

We also want to give everyone a big thanks for all the wonderful emails and comments we have received. I know I have not gotten back to most of you but we will when we return.

Mekong River

Today was a very busy day. We had to meet to begin our tour at 8 am then drive almost 2 hours to the Mekong River. It really is not that far but the roads are awful here. We have been in a very nice area of Saigon but where we went today was very sad. People live in this little metal shacks. We saw a lot of poverty today, people in America really do need to be thankful for what we have because these people really do have life pretty bad. Although it was sad it was nice touring and seeing how a lot of the locals live and work. We also got to see some animals where we went. We got to see some sort of monkey that screams and a python. Keith had Lennah in the sling or else I think he would have been daring enough to pick up the snake. We got to try a lot of local fruits, drinks, candies, etc. We did not make it back until 3 o'clock that is when we found out for sure that we would be able to leave on Tuesday. That was exciting until we went to change our airline tickets and did not get good news. There is almost no way we will be able to leave on Tuesday and as of right now we are on standby for Wednesday. Not that we aren't having a good time it is just hard trying to get Lennah on a schedule in a hotel and I miss American food. We have had some excellent food here but I am tired on rice and noodles. Tomorrow is a free day so we may hit the zoo. Saturday we are going to the beach and I am really excited about that because Lennah is like a fish in the pool and bath tub so I think she will love it.

Sightseeing day and more

Today was a busy day all around. This morning for some reason we all got up extremely early so lack of sleep was definately an issue. Anyway, the CHI reps took us around today first we wemt to a pagoda. It was very cool. This one was dedicated to an ocean goddess. After that we visited the Vietnam War museum. I really enjoyed this because it gave the other sides perspective to the war. I know my dad would have loved this place. We then had out CIS immigrataion interview everything went well. Keith also picked up Lennah's passport. It is a Vietnamese one and we will have to get her a US one when we get home if we plan on taking her out of the country anytime soon. We had dinner in a local restaurant and the waiter loved Lennah. He picked her up and took her around the restaurant showing her to the other employees. She is definately a ham. Lennah had her first taste of vegetables tonight at dinner and surprisingly she loved them. So far she has not been a picky eater. We headed back to the room and she went to bed early (at least that's what I thought) anyway, Keith said he would stay with her while I went to go to the spa. Definately, a well spent treat that would not be affordable at home. When I got back he told me she woke up, he gave her a bottle, changed a big poopy diaper, and got her to go back to sleep. He definately has the hang of the daddy thing really quick. She definately loves us both. She loves to play the back and fourth game. She goes to one and puts her hands out to the other one. Enjoy some more cute pics from today.

Medical

Today was a busy day. We had our medical today. This says that she is ok to enter the US. Honestly, it is kind of a joke because all they do is look in the kids ears, check their weight, and measure their height. As a group we all went to dinner. It was really a nice restaurant on the river. They were roasting pigs and making rice bowls right out in the open. We really like everyone we are with and it has definately made the trip very enjoyable. Most likely we will be returning on the 1st so we are happy that our stay will be cut short. We are definately having a good time but we do miss the animals and all the comforts of home. Overall, Lennah is transitioning well and is totally attached to us. When we walk down the streets people stop us. A lot of people will stop her and take her thumb out of her mouth and go no! no! no! it is quite amusing. They have us pretty busy from here on out we are supposed to go the Mekong River Thursday, beach on Saturday, the zoo, etc. So basically everyday is booked. I am really hoping to have some time to go to the spa. You can get a 3 hour massage, pedicure, and facial for around $20 bucks. Here are some great photos of our day to enjoy.

Giving and Receiving

Lennah is officially ours as of well yesterday you can say. The internet was down last night so I couldn't post until this morning. Right now Daddy is feeding and changing her this morning. He is doing such an awesome job for a first time daddy. We had the ceremony in the morning which really is just signing a few papers. Lennah is a sleeper. She feel asleep on the car ride back and the coordinators had to take us to get her passport picture. She would not wake up. It was really funny. Anyway, the food has been really good. We had italian for lunch and that was kind of expensive in Vietnamese terms but dinner was much more of a bargain. We hate pho which is this big bowl of rice noodles with beef and vegetables. Keith also ordered these type of beef spring rolls which were really good. We really didn't get to see much yesterday because w got back from the ceremony at 11 and then we had to apply for her passport at 3. She is also finally getting used to the stroller. The first day she screamed in it but yesterday she would only cry when we first put her in it then she would settle down. She fell asleep so funny in her crib. She rolls back and fourth and then kicks her legs between the bars. Oh and she is finally playing with toys.

First Full Day Together

Today was our first full day as a family of three. Lennah slept until 6:30 this morning. She did not even cry I just heard her babbling in her crib. She is not a very big eater but that could be because she has a slight cold. She nibbles on her bottle and it takes her an hour to eat just 4 ounces. But we did have a wonderful day together. We had breakfast at the hotel which was interesting. I guess it is common to eat what we would consider lunch or dinner type foods at breakfast. They had dim sum and stir fry at the buffet this morning. Keith was daring and tried some exotic foods like some fish rice thing. Anyway, we walked the city this morning and did some shopping. Everything is super cheap. T-shirts are 2 bucks. It reminds me of China town in NYC. Everyone is trying to sell you something but they bargain here. We bought Lennah 2 traditional Vietnamese outfits for when she is a bit bigger. There are some very sad things here as well. It is not uncommon to see severly disabled people begging on the streets. The food has been really good so far for lunch we went to this minimall near the hotel and ate at their food court. We think it was around 3 US dollars for both of us, a real bargain. For dinner we ate in a nearby restaurant for around 10 US dollars and that included dessert. Lunch was similar to Chinese food and dinner was Vietnamese food. We also took Lennah to the pool this afternoon, she loved it. She is definately a water baby which works out for us because we already have a beach vacation planned for next June. Tomorrow is the Giving and Receiving ceremony so we have a busy day ahead. Some of the pictures are just from walking around. As you can see most people drive mo-peds.

Gotcha Day

Well we made it to Vietnam and all our luggage was there. Today, has certainly been an experience. We made it to the hotel through all the crazy traffic and had an hour or so to get ready then they took us to the orphanage. It was such a shocking moment. I think you wait for this moment and you never know how you or they will react. She came right to me. Although I was the first one to hold her I think she has a special bond with her daddy. The whole way back to the hotel she barely left his arms. She is a daddy's girl. Overall, she has been extremely content. She did fuss if we tried to put her down a bit but she hasn't actually cried. When she gets made she scrunches her face it is so funny. Lennah enjoyed her first bath just splashing away in the tub. She always went to bed without a hitch. After the last of her bottle she went in her crib rolled around for a few minutes and went to sleep. Tomorrow is a free day so we will probably explore and maybe take Lennah to the rooftop pool since she enjoyed her bath so much.

I am sorry to report that we did not meet any other children today. THey brought the babies to us and we did not see anyone else. I am sorry to those I was hoping to get pictures for I really did not think this would happen.

Hong Kong

Well we have made it to Hong Kong. Our flight to LAX was delayed a little over two hours. We also had some luggage issues so please pray that they make it to Ho Chi Minh City. The Delta lady had only checked them to Hong Kong, I knew that this was a problem but we think we got it fixed when we arrived in LAX. Anyway, the flight was not that bad. We did manage to get some sleep and they fed us well on the long flight. OVerall, it has not been that horrible being stuck in airports and planes for more than 24 hours. Anyway, here are some pics of our journey so far. Flying into Hong Kong was beautiful. We should have Lennah in our arms in a few more hours.

Lennah in Vietnam

Lennah in Vietnam

Today, we were very lucky Jamie sent us this video from when she was picking up Lilly. She was unable to get photos because they had out the video camera but this is way better. You can see her really well in this video. Thanks so much Sereika family this means the world to us. It is amazing knowing that we will actually be holding Lennah less than one week from tonight.

Less than One Week to Go

Well, we are officially down to less than one week before we leave. I have been trying to get so much done. I can honestly say I am not that stressed about the trip. I am more stressed about getting together my stuff for work since I will be out for a month. Some of you know I am a teacher and school will be going back soon. It is hard knowing that I am not starting off the school year and I have to get my lesson plans together by this Monday to turn into my sub. Yes, call me terrible I still have almost no packing done. The only thing I have packed are Lennah's clothes. I have a list of everything I plan on taking so I know it won't take me long. Plus I have to clean the house before I leave. Try to arrange who is coming to my house to watch our zoo while we are gone. Just a tip don't have four pets and plan on being away for over 2 weeks. In the midst of all this Keith and I are hoping to have our last alone day on Sunday. We know that this will be impossible for the next 18 years or so. I figure one day to ourselves will be nice.



I am also going to posting a picture of Lillian Serieka in this post. My dearest CHI friend just returned this week. Lillian is special because like Lennah she was a waiting baby posted the same day as our little angel. Her mommy and I have become very close friends. We are disappointed because we were really hoping to be traveling with them. But we are only a few weeks behind. Lillian is such a cutie. I should have pictures of Lennah soon. Jaime was kind enough to take some photos of our little girl she is just sorting through them.

Visa and Sad News

Today our visas came back from the embassy that was very quick. All we are now waiting on is receiving our tickets in the mail tomorrow.
Although we are filled with a time of joy there are others out there that are filled with sadness. Another mom that I have been talking with received some bad news that her daughter passed away Sunday. I could not imagine what she is going through right now but please keep her in your prayers tonight that she has some comfort knowing that the Lord is keeping her baby girl safe in heaven. It also makes me sad to know that in many cases that these children cannot get the care they need while they are in an orphanage. Although these workers love these children and try their best to keep them healthy they have limited resources to provide them all the services they need.
On a more positive note the families that were finishing up their adoptions are on their way home tonight. Please keep them in your prayers that they make it home safe and sound. I know many of us are anxious to hear of their travels.

Itinerary and Venting

So yesterday we received our itinerary, we leave Atlanta at 8:00 on the 19th and are supposed to return on August 4th in the morning. We are hoping to get back early. A little note to all of you waiting to travel plan on expensive airplane tickets. Ours were way more than we estimated they came out to $4310.00 . It also comes at a bad time for us because we have a rental property that the tenant stopped paying her rent and now we have to evict her. Sorry for the venting but when you seem to have everything in line something new goes wrong. So after months of pondering on whether or not Keith should go we said ok he'll go money will work out and now we are stuck with trying to get out a tenant and clean out the place when we are leaving soon. Well, I just needed to vent. I'm sure all will be better when we have Lennah in our arms.

Baby Proofing 101

So we know Lennah is crawling and had to get the house baby safe at some point before we leave so 4th of July seemed like the day. Needless to say it took hours to get in the baby gate. Directions are not always clear. It was lop-sided at first, the alarm didn't work on it, and everything else. Finally it was complete. Daddy and Grandpa spent a lot of time on that thing. We also installed all the cabinet locks. Well I should say Keith tried, moved back to the baby gate, and I took over. That was not too bad, except for the first two cabinets that we didn't bother to pre-drill and split the wood on the back. It's not too bad and you can't see it so we will have to live with it. I never thought we would be doing so much for a baby that is only 7 months old and you would have thought not crawled until 10 months old or so.

Video and more

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Well I have lots to report. Yesterday we were fortunate enough to receive a video of Lennah in the mail from Matthew Dang's mom (thank you for this gift). When I uploaded I know the quality is not the best but you can still get a good look at our princess. I know every mom says this but our little girl is beautiful. I love how she just chews on the bear we sent her in her crib (absolutely adorable).

We also received word about Lennah from my friend Jaime who is in Vietnam as we speak with her beautiful girl Lilly. She had lots to report. Lennah is definately crawling at only 7 months. She has two teeth and is already pulling up. The house most definately be baby proofed completely before we leave in two weeks. What I thought was adorable is how she just crawled up to Jaime and pulled herself up on her. So obviously our girl is not shy. I should have pictures sometime this week. I know everyone is busy in Vietnam and they will send them when they have a chance.

Lastly, as far as we know we will be fortunate enough to travel with the Crows to Vietnam. We are excited and praying that more families will hear word this week.

Happy 7 Months

Today Lennah turned 7 months old. It is wonderful to know that next month when she reaches the 8th month marker we will be in Vietnam with our wonderful new daughter. We will also be in Vietnam for our 4th wedding anniversary. Lennah will be our long awaited very special gift; the gift of being someone's parent. This journey has blessed us in ways we could not image; by allowing us to be parents, by creating new friendships, bringing family together, etc. It truly is a miracle that we are thankful for. International adoption is such a wonderful phenonmenon and hopefully more people will be willing to experiences that ups and downs of this journey.