Mia's first mom

We got some updated information on Mia yesterday. It included her finding spot which is where her birth mother or family left her for adoption. Her birth family made sure she would be safe and well cared for as they took her to the local hospital in town. She was dressed in a white outfit that had flowers on it. She was wrapped in a red towel most probably for luck and good fortune. A red thread now connects all of us - her birth mom, Mia, Aidan, Robert and I. We will be forever joined. We will be forever grateful for the choice her birth mom made to place her for adoption.

It's the 10th!

We are leaving on the 5th and will be getting Mia on the 10th (11th here)! We can't wait - less than two weeks to go. It feels just awesome!

Here is her orphanage

A kind person was able to obtain these photos for us - they are Mia's orphanage. I don't believe any of these children are here. It is supposedly a poor orphanage that tries really hard to take care of the kids. It is apparently very clean but doesn't have mattresses or many toys. We hope to bring toys to donate to the kids!

Quilt?

I'm very late to the party, being over 40 and therefore not technologically savvy. Or just busy which is the real reason. But, can anyone help me to understand the 100 wishes quit? I'm not 100% I know 100 people or if you can start one this late. Any helpers out there that can enlighten me? Can I do one for both of the kids?

Here she is!

We had to ask for an updated picture to have Mia's eye looked at. This is tough - she seems to be just reaching for someone and, of course, we are not there! I also have a hard time with the wooded cribs (an no pun intended). I realize that is what they are used to but how miserable is that?

Here she is! Have to love the facial expression (Mia, that is). Just sort of a "just damn, being asked to perform..". Have to love it. When Aidan was just a couple of months old, and was therefore not able to offer any resistance, I propped him up to take his Easter picture surrounded by a bunch of cute bunnies I got at the dollar store. His expression said it all....

Waiting...

Feels like that adoption labor is coming on..looks like it will be a September delivery.

Have given my son the family responsibility for tissues, toothpaste and crayons. Wanted to give him some control to make this transition a little easier for him. He is now in charge of making sure we have toothpaste and tissues in the house. He is also on crayon watch to make sure his new sister does not eat them. He has accepted these responsibilities with gusto and made the executive decision the day after being vested with this responsibility that we needed to switch to the pricey purple toothpaste. It is apparently easier to keep track of. He also made the decision that the name brand Kleenex matches the decor much better than the store brand. Thankfully I haven't put him in charge of cars or food. I'd be completely bankrupt.

Waiting..

We had our first travel conference call last week. I'm glad we did because this waiting time for our travel approval sure feels like the wait to match - don't know when or where or how. Very odd feeling. Not quite like waiting for a birth - at least when I had my son I carried him around with me everywhere and he weighed a ton. Mia's picture is easier to carry around but a little less real. I look forward to the next weeks.

AHHH!! What's in a name part II

Filling in paperwork and realized I apparently can't read or remember important data. Mia's name is Cheng Jin, not Cheng Ji. Just great on my part.

Why China?

I used to really like Life Magazine, especially the year end issues with their famous photos. When they went from a weekly magazine to a monthly one, I subscribed and got a copy of "The Year in Pictures". I think is was the year of 1992, published in 1993. But, I could be off one year. It has been a while. There was a picture of a small baby, swaddled in a white blanket. He was lying in a stand of trees. The picture showed the forest to be dark with the child really standing out in his white swaddling. The photographer took the child as he seemed to be without any companions. The photographer knew he couldn't just keep him so he and his travel companions delivered the child to a hospital in the nearest large city. He was told the child had a serious heart defect. It was reported that the child died three days later. I cried over that picture and although I cry easily, it hit my unusually hard. I tore it out and put it in my wallet. I felt called to action. Even with my many imperfections, I knew I most probably could have helped. I opened an account with Vanguard and began putting $85 a month into my adoption fund. And then, I went on with life. Some time later, I was in Bloomingdales in Chicago when I was accosted by two men who simply asked for my wallet. They were in my personal space and I felt terribly threatened. It was just a wallet - I quickly turned it over. I got on the phone and started calling the credit card companies but not quickly enough. They had actually used my card already. I had tickets to go see Angels in America, Part II and missed half of the show. I lost the picture. But, the fund continued as did my certainty that I was to build my family through adoption.

What a cute baby!

I've been showing Mia's picture around. To a person I've been told she is a cute or lovely baby and, of course, she is. But I do wonder - what if the picture (like the first) didn't show her at her best? Would anyone really say, "Geez Joan. She isn't the cutest baby I've ever seen...." Has anyone, with the exception of the guy I used to work with, ever speak the truth as they see it? In his case, Geez Joan, what's with the hair? Of course, I just told him he got it from his Dad. And, of course, Adian (our son) is the cutest male baby I ever saw...

Mia Grace Cheng Ji Anchaya

We've carefully selected a name for our little one - Mia Grace Cheng Ji Anchaya.

Mia is the Scandanavian form of Maria which is the Latinate name for Mary. And, although there are several theories on the name, the original derives from the Egyptian "beloved". And, she is.

Usual English form of Maria, which was the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) or Μαρια (Maria) (the spellings are interchangeable), which were from the Hebrew name מִרְיָם (Miryam). The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene.

Grace for the grace of God who brings her to us and for her birth parents who gave her life and have entrusted her to us. For the thanksgiving weekend of her birth.

Cheng Ji. Castle and Fiord. Place where one crosses a raging river. Bridge over troubled water.

Now we move on to figuring out if Cheng Ji is one word or two. Anyone know?

The Earings

So today I read Dear Abby. Seems some woman lost some diamond earings on a business trip. And, the husband, who bought the earings for her feels really bad. Turns out they were "created" diamonds which he neglected to tell her. Does he tell her now. So, what are the astronomical odds that they are the ones I found and turned in? If so, my sacrifice just isn't that noble now, is it? Guess it is the thought that counts.

Here she is!!!

Here she is! Apparently she has slightly crossed eyes. Through the kindness of other adoptive parents and the surgeon who did my eyes, we have discovered it can generally be treated. That is SUCH a relief to us. We want the best for her.

I noticed another child's picture on the agency website in the same chair, same background. Maybe they will grow up knowing each other. That sure would be neat.

It's a Girl!

Today at 12:00 we met the newest member of our family. She was born 11/26/2006 and was placed with the orphanage on 11/27/2006. That makes her a Thanksgiving baby. Thanksgiving Sunday to be exact. And, we are thankful for the biological parents who chose life for our daughter and then made sure she would be taken care of. How terribly difficult that sacrifice had to be.

Match Day!

We got our match. A little girl, born 11/26/2006. Looks a bit worried in her mug shot. At least a bit uncertain. She is currently living in an orphanage and her parents placed her the day after she was born. She is a big girl and was crawling at 6 months. She may be walking. We are getting her photo up as soon as we get it tonight and hope to get our letter of acceptance tomorrow with some additional pictures.

Match Day Minus One

Today we got the call. Around 2:30. Tomorrow we get the match. I find that my mind is drawn to "what does the 565 on my front page mean?" I must have put it there but have no idea how or why. Or how to make it go away.



Have to find something to keep my mind busy until tomorrow at 12:00. I guess the 565 will suffice.



Today I get my pants in the morning which I just got back from the tailor. I then notice that I was given a pair of pants that aren't mine. Nice, designer, my size, a tad short. All in all, could be let out. I'm starting to wonder what the heck is going on in the cosmic scheme of things. Diamond earings, pants... If it keeps up, I will have returned a very nice outfit piece by piece by piece.

London is not a local call

So I'm in the Atlanta airport a week ago. Everything is, as usual grounded. Weather. Again. This frantic woman asks if she can use my cell phone as her calling card is used up. I notice that they took a bunch of the pay phones out of the airport. I guess the days of hanging outside the 7-11 at the public phone are gone. Not that there is anything wrong with that. So, she tells me it is a local call, I say sure and she calls. No answer. So, she asks me if she can "call her mother." Now, what kind of a human would I be if I said no, don't call your mom, let her think you've just gone missing. So, I say sure. Counting on the Karma. Then she wants to call her sister - mom isn't home. So, I say sure. Then, I finally get to the lovely state of New Jersey (but, not the lovely part). And, I'm checking the phone to get a number for a call I missed. That is when I notice that someone made some calls beginning with 001. Two of them. And, I start to get it. I try to call Cingular to find out where I have called and if I will need to get another job to pay for it. But, Cingular is now AT&T and their hold times are 45 minutes. I figure, heck, I have her mother's and sister's phone numbers. I'm resourceful. If I need to take out a mortgage to pay for it, I'll find her. Turns out it is only going to cost me $1.69 a minute. Then, I get to the hotel and find a pair of diamond earings on the floor in the lobby. I looked at long and hard and long and hard again at those rocks. Then, I turned them in. So, by gosh, I expect some good Karma and soon. Maybe that means our referral is less than 12 days away.