Bringing Home Michael

I know it's early...

2011-09-25T21:18:00.000-05:00

Stationery card

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5x7 Folded Card

2011-06-27T20:50:00.001-05:00

Birthday Colors Blue Birthday 5x7 folded card

Turn favorite photos into your baby's 1st birthday invitations.

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Happy Family Day Madeline!!

2011-03-28T10:41:00.005-05:00

I became Madeline's momma 6 years ago today through the amazing process of adoption. Thank you God for adopting us as your children also!

Why Love Orphans? from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Happy Chinese New Year

2011-02-05T20:26:00.003-06:00

The Lion Dancers!

Look what I can do with chopsticks!

sand

2010-11-26T09:02:00.001-06:00

Classic Without Edge 5x7 folded card

Unique party invitations and greeting cards by Shutterfly.

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Madeline the 1st grader!

2010-08-22T20:54:00.005-05:00

We now have an official 1st grader living in the house! She's loving it all except for having to do work! Poor girl doesn't realize yet what lies ahead of her.

July 4th Weekend

2010-07-06T14:52:00.012-05:00

Our community puts on a great July 4th parade. We got there early on Sat AM with breakfast and drinks in hand.

Someone even passed out popsicles...perfect for a warm day!

Check out our balloon dogs...they made it home without even popping! The marching bands were a favorite of all!

On Sunday after church we all headed up to the lake. Madeline loves swinging off the rope swing and riding the wave runners.

Norbert enjoyed sailing, while Madeline took off with Aunt Linda on the wave runner. As you can see and most definitely hear, Michael doesn't want to be left out of anything!

He did finally get a turn on the wave runner and loved it!

Speed Reading Version of our Spring and Summer

2010-06-28T21:56:00.007-05:00

Okay, I'm not real good with keeping up with this blogging, so I'm going to give you a speed version of the last few months....

Happy Easter!!
Let's pick strawberries and eat a few on the way
Michael's First Tractor Ride on Mother's Day

Playing Upward Soccer
Graduating from Kindergarten

Rope swinging on Memorial Day at Lake Livingston with Aunt Linda and family -

Michael's first boat ride

A week on the beach

Swim Team- Go Riptides!

Girls' Relay takes 1st place!

Vacation Bible School
And there's always time for dancing!

More Chinese New Year Events

2010-04-08T15:16:00.003-05:00

We attended a small Chinese New Year Festival this year as not to overwhelm Michael.

On the way out, the kids found both small and BIG rocking horses. Michael fell in love with the horse...Norbert might have a woodworking project in his future.

Time to Catch Up!

2010-04-08T14:50:00.004-05:00

OK, I'm going to play catch-up and share lots of recent photos in several different posts...

Dressed and ready to GO (that should be his middle name) to the Chinese Consulate for Chinese New Year celebration

Enjoy a little brotherly and sisterly playtime

Michael's First Haircut

2010-03-09T21:18:00.005-06:00

In preparation for Chinese New Year, we took Michael for his first haircut. Norbert mentioned he would take him by himself after work, but when I reminded him how Madeline had reacted to her first haircut, he thought better and by looking at these pictures you'll see why he breathed a sigh of relief that I was along. Even though Michael had seen Madeline have her haircut and had many cartoons to watch at "Cartoon Cuts", he started clinging to me the moment we walked towards the chair. There was no way he was going to sit by himself so I donned a wrap and held him tight. I'm so glad I covered myself up or I would have been covered in lollipop slime from a little boy who learned how to cry and suck a lollipop at the same time.

Yippee, we're all done! Check out this handsome boy!!

Arbor Day Festival

2010-02-17T22:03:00.005-06:00

Our neighborhood holds the best FREE festivals! We enjoyed several hours jumping in bounce houses, riding ponies, climbing rock walls, and seeing lots of mascots. Michael spotted Elmo from afar and kept saying his name until we got too close and then wanted far away again. As much as Michael loves jumping on our laps and off curbs, he is not quite sure about bounce houses yet. He loved his first pony ride though and cried huge tears when I went to get him off.

Do they have seat cushions for these trucks?

My favorite coach and player!

2010-02-17T21:49:00.002-06:00

It is so much fun watching Norb and big bit on the basketball court. It's hard to catch good video, but you can see one of her baskets here.

New Year's Day at the Zoo

2010-01-22T09:13:00.009-06:00

Last year we started a tradition of spending New Year's Day at the zoo. While the temps were a bit chillier this year, we had a wonderful time and both children had a ball! We brought along the wagon for Michael to ride in especially, but he decided to walk most the day so Madeline ended up enjoying it more.

Another big honker joins the flockThe petting zoo is always a favorite for Madeline...but not yet for Michael!"You want me to go and pet that sheep...no way!" Lunch Break

Peek-a-Boo!Their new place to play...in with the dirty clothes!!

4 Months as a Family

2010-01-18T16:25:00.013-06:00

Christmas has come and gone. We've cleaned up the tinsel and lights. The freezing temperatures have been replaced with almost balmy weather. Madeline is back in school. Life continues on...but while so much is back to the way it was, my heart hurts for those in Haiti who will never have things back to the way they were. I also feel for those in the midst of adoptions who already have custody of their children in Haiti, but do not have those children in their tender arms. I pray that the government will expedite their paperwork and send those children home to their parents.

As of tomorrow, Jan. 21, Michael will have been in our family for 4 months. Sometimes I forget that it has only been 4 months..it's almost like he's always been with us. Then in the middle of the night when he's crying for the 4th time and I'm trying different ways to soothe him and none seem to be working, I know it's only been 4 short months and he's still feeling insecure. He has come so far though and I pray each day that he grows more and more at peace.

How much are those monkeys in the window? PRICELESS!
Michael's First Carousel RideThe Annual Gingerbread House project along with the annual question..."How much candy can I eat?"
Two songs from Madeline's school Christmas program...Madeline's becoming a true Texan...can you catch the twang in her voice? (You'll have to pause the music player.)

An Early Christmas Present

2009-12-22T19:53:00.004-06:00

Last Wednesday Michael had his sedated echo and EKG. We got it moved up from the previously scheduled Jan. appt. While the procedure itself only lasted 20-30 minutes, getting him asleep was the difficult part. They had to give him two doses of the sleeping serum and he fought hard not to let it get the best of him. But eventually after 45 minutes of thrashing in my arms, he conked out and they were able to proceed. We got the results back today....Michael's heart is PERFECT and he needs no follow up exams!!! We praise God for this great news. We're still working with a pediatric GI to figure out what's going on with his digestive system, but that's even looking better with the daily tsp of Metamucil in his diet.

I still ponder how he was labeled in his adoption paperwork as "timid." This little bundle of energy is anything but timid (except when it comes to meeting new dogs). He does love to snuggle and hug, but will turn right around and be off on some new adventure or mischief...Check out the results of my previously sorted laundry once he found it...

Madeline and Michael are doing so much better together. He loves to copy anything she says or does which can be a good and bad thing. We took a quick trip to see Norb's parents this past weekend and they both did super in the car. I still hear "Mom, Michael's in my stuff" several times a day, but they both enjoy playing and wresting together.

Michael's Cardiologist Appointment

2009-12-08T12:56:00.005-06:00

Yahoo…we're jumping for joy and thank God that Michael’s hole in his heart has grown closed! In between Michael’s screaming and crying (because he has grown to despise doctors due to all the pokes for blood and shots he’s had in the past 2 months), the cardiologist was able to do a brief exam and was unable to hear any signs of a hole and did not see any symptoms. He did hear what he calls an “innocent murmur”. Unfortunately, since Michael was not in any mood to lie down on a table for an echo which the doctor needs to be 100% positive and also for our peace of mind that there are no problems, he will have to have a sedated echo in early January down in the Medical Center. They will put him to sleep so they are able to complete the entire exam.

We get to go (I'm trying to think positive) to a GI doctor’s visit on Friday to figure out the diarrhea issue. Poor guy…I can already hear him crying when we walk in the office.

Enjoy some pictures from the past month....Thank you for your continued prayers!

Enjoying Thanksgiving with the cousins
I don't want to share Aunt Linda's piano!

When can we jump???

The softest pillow around, Richie Rich

I love running through all the Christmas trees! I don't have time to stop for a picture.

2 Months as a Family

2009-11-25T17:34:00.004-06:00

As of Nov. 21, Michael has been with us 2 months. It seems he's been with us forever!! While we're still dealing with messy diapers (possibly still a intestinal parasite-more tests being run) and sleep struggles, he's blooming in every other area. He loves to be outside and starts his day at 6am saying "side, side, side." I have to show him it's dark outside before he stops asking, but as soon as he sees it's light, he starts repeating the same words. The new hourly mantra in our house is "We only throw balls" because he likes to throw anything he can get his hands on. Madeline and Michael are doing well together at most moments...just like typical siblings. Hope you enjoy these belly laughs that Madeline got him going on! Don't forget to mute the music from the player.

Our first visit to Chick-Fil-A brought big smiles!Madeline had off from school today and it was gorgeous! We enjoyed a morning on the playset and having a picnic!

A Weekend of Firsts for Madeline

2009-11-10T20:43:00.008-06:00

Madeline had quite the weekend of fun firsts! The tooth fairy had her 1st visit to our house after Madeline's bottom tooth fell out as she was going to sleep on Friday night. The other bottom tooth is loose also and she continually works on it with her finger...even during basketball games!Her first basketball season came to an end and she LOVES her new medal!

Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo...so many choices...to whom should I throw?? (Check out her sneaky give and go move!)

Madeline also enjoyed her first time roller skating at a rink not without several slips and slides.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-07T12:36:00.008-06:00

Mommy and Madeline waited until Michael was down for his afternoon nap to tackle the pumpkin.

The pumpkin has a wiggly front tooth just like me!

The Hoop and the Hoopstress!

Michael got into the trick or treating very quickly. Within a few houses, he was already saying some version of "trick or treat" and "thank you." If I was about to skip a driveway because the lights were out, he would pull my finger in the home's direction not wanting to miss out on that house and if the homeowner let them pick their own candy from the bowl, he would keep picking and picking and picking until I dragged him away. What's so funny is that I don't even think he knew what scrumptious delights he was collecting until he got back to our cul-de-sac and some of the neighbor mommies gave him his first tastes of chocolate. His hands got so sticky that the mini M&Ms were sticking to his hand and he couldn't get them off!

B x 3 weekend=Build-A-Bear, Baptism and Birthday!

2009-10-29T21:11:00.013-05:00

What a weekend we had! Michael made his first Build-A-Bear (or dog) at a friend's birthday party and it's slowly becoming his lovie. We are so hoping he takes this incredibly soft puppy under his wing so that he has that ever special "security blanket."

We enjoyed having Norb's aunt and uncle in from Massachusettes and Norb's parents in from Dallas. We were blessed with beautiful weather and had fun at our area park.

The best part of the weekend was Sunday morning when Michael was added to God's Kingdom through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. It was a such a blessing that his 83 year-old PaPa was able to baptize him.

Then on to Michael's 2nd birthday celebration! His actual birthday was yesterday, October 28 and we enjoyed a family dinner at our favorite local Mexican restaurant.

Birthday hugs from cousin Eddie!

While Visions of Christmas Pictures Danced in my Head

2009-10-21T21:38:00.007-05:00

I know it's not Christmas or even November yet, but at a recent trip to the Pumpkin Patch I got visions of what December Christmas pictures might be like in trying to get two children to smile at the camera at the same time. I don't know how those of you who have more than 2 children do it!!!

One Month Ago

2009-10-21T14:05:00.010-05:00

One month ago today, our lives were brightenend by the gift of a son. We are so thankful to God for our answered prayers that began way back in April 2006. Isn't it amazing that He had just the child selected for our family in His perfect timing!

It is incredible to think about what Michael has experienced in one short month...
probably his first car ride as they brought him in from the orphanage,
his first bus ride,
definitely his first plane rides (and to boot he got 4 rides!),
hotel stays,
many restaurants,
a zoo visit,
a new home, room, and bed,
seeing a dog for the first time,
new sounds, faces, and smells,
worship in a church and playing in Sunday School,
the list is endless.

And to remember that first time we saw him on Sept. 21....such curious, but timid eyes.

Check out these curious eyes now!!

We continue to find and adjust to our "new normal" that bringing in a two-year old toddler to a family causes to occur. Meal conversations now not only include the highlights of a Kindergartner's day who by the way has a very loose tooth and is very anxious about it coming out, but also what new words Michael has learned (banana and a more distinctive Madeline) and what new places he has taken off and thrown his shoes. I've been hit in the back of the head with flying crocs while driving and yesterday they came flying out of the grocery store's car cart. This boy loves bare feet! Church services are a bit more lively and we've decided to find some new seats towards the back. While Michael is sleeping through several nights each week (yippee!), there are a few nights where he needs my tummy-rubbing assurance that I've not left him.

We look forward to this weekend when he will be baptized at Trinity Lutheran by his PaPa, Norb's dad and we can celebrate this blessed day with family. Our God is so good!

Michael loves calling his big sister! (Don't forget to turn off the song player.)

Rockin' Out to Fisher-Price

2009-10-14T20:57:00.003-05:00

Put on a little Fisher-Price tune and the moves come out! Check out the floor break dance moves too! (You'll have to pause the music player to get the full effect!!)

1 Week Home

2009-10-07T13:34:00.012-05:00

Our wonderful welcome home at the airport and in our house!

I can't tell you how good it is to be home. While it is fun to explore China, it feels so good to be back in my own comfortable bed instead of the board beds which give you hip bruises, drinking and brushing my teeth with faucet water, and having a larger variety of toys to amuse an almost 2 year old.

Each day, with God's help, is getting better and better. Michael actually has taken his nap in his toddler bed the last two days and goes down with minor fussing. And last night for the first time he actually slept through the whole night in the portacrib in our room! He's not slept through the night since that very first night. It felt so good to spend the entire night in my own bed without having to push strollers through hotel hallways in the wee hours, make early morning car rides to get him to fall asleep, or watch my little one cry so hard due to night terrors or other fears.

Unfortunately, I did have to experience those big tears this morning at his doctor's checkup when they drew 3 viles of blood for tests. We have 3 more viles to go, but felt best to stop at that point. The poop test from last Friday determined he does have giardia, an intestinal parasite and while I'm not glad he has it, it is good that we have an answer and after treatment, he will be able to absorb more nutrients, the diarahhea should disappear, and his poop will smell much better! (Okay, I know it won't smell like roses, but anything can be better than it is now!)

Other Highlights of our Week:

Michael is learning how to use a fork and having a very good time of it!

Madeline had her first basketball game and scored two goals. She's really enjoying being on a team and it is such a good outlet for her right now.

Michael learned how to say nose and point to his. He's mastered a few other words already also: bye-bye, hello, mama, daddy, some sort of Ma for Madeline, and Richie (dog's name).

Michael met my niece's 2 1/2 year old son, his cousin Eddie. They are two peas in a pod and we decided we better not leave the two of them together with only one adult! Such busy boys!

There were 4 in the bed...

2009-10-04T16:10:00.005-05:00

Fun on the airplane flight home...

There were 4 in the bed and the little one said, "Wah, Wah, Wah" and the Kindergartner said, "Wah, Wah, Wah" and the momma wanted to say "Wah, Wah, Wah" and the daddy said, "ZZZZzzzzzzz!"

Yes, nightime has now become my most dreaded time of the day. Between adjusting back to this time zone, possible nighttime fears, and plain old jealousy, Michael and Madeline are not sleeping well. I keep telling myself this too shall pass! Madeline is waking up between 1-3AM and just having a hard time falling back to sleep. She makes her way down to our bedroom and wants to snuggle, but if I am in bed (and that's a BIG if), Michael is usually laying on me or beside me and Madeline wants to do the same. Michael just fights sleep and only wants to sleep on our shoulder if we're walking around. He lets us all know very clearly with his huge lungs that he doesn't want us to sit and rock in a chair, or in the bed, or on the sofa. How do children know when we sit down even if we don't change their position??? It baffles me how he can figure that out.

The good news is that Michael is growing fonder of our lab, Richie. It was not love at first sight or even like, but pure fear. But if I had never seen this 4 legged creature before and he's coming at me, I would be scared too. He does love to throw the ball for him so neighbors are predicting they will be best pals one day.

We're Home Safe and Sound!

2009-10-02T20:09:00.007-05:00

With thankful hearts to our Heavenly Father, we arrived safely home late Wednesday night. We got both kids in bed by 2:15AM and Madeline slept through the night! Mr. Michael had other plans for his first night in his new home and decided he'd only nap a bit and was up by 4:15AM. They both did extremely well for the very long 28 hour Wednesday and for the 3 flights (except for a 30-45 minute two year old fit on our first flight to Beijing because he wanted down out of the seat and I couldn't let him go.)

The day started out with a typical Carol adventure...I got showered and put on my last clean pair of pants, bags were packed and out the door by 6am, the porter took them downstairs for loading, and we were making last minute checks around the room. I got Michael up and he was ready to go when I used his favorite term "bye-bye." We went down the hallway to wait and then I heard that "only could be one thing sound." Yes, Michael blew his diaper 5 minutes before we were supposed to be loading to leave for the airport. It not only got all over his clothes, but also got all over both of my pant legs. And yes, this was my last clean pair of pants and I had 28 hours ahead of me to travel. Definitely not the odor I wanted to be wearing all day!! I quickly rushed him back into the room for a quick bath, sent for his extra set of clothes in the carry-on which was already loaded, and tried to get myself cleaned up. Only did I get to the airport was I able to truly "wash" my pants. I had to laugh and say a quick prayer that at least it happened while I was still at the hotel and could give him a bath.

We went to the doctor today and he received an antibiotic for his congestion, possibly bronchitis, and they are running lab work on his extremely effervescent poop. He will get other lab work and heart exam next week. Madeline started back to school and did great. We now just need sleep and for two children to switch time zones as quickly as their bodies let them. I've decided I'm too old to pull all-nighters. Once again, we continue to appreciate your prayers and well wishes on our journey to bring Michael home. God has been walking with us every step of the way and orchestrated every detail with His almighty hands. It is so amazing to look back now and see how He knew what was best for our family.

For those interested, I'm planning to continue this picture blog for a bit so keep coming back.

Here are a few pictures from our last few days in Guangzhou. Having to share momma is sometimes hard...I'm happy that I have two knees!

A bite for me and a bite for the fish!

My Super Hero!

Thanks be to God!

2009-09-29T09:05:00.003-05:00

What an incredible two weeks we've experienced...we've tasted lots of delicious food, seen many beautiful sights, heard lots of horns and bells from cars and bikes, but most of all we are thankful to our Heavenly Father for keeping us safe, healthy, and bringing Michael into our family. He is doing extremely well for all the changes he's experienced in the past 8 days. As one friend wrote, he's not come out of his shell, he burst out!

We leave the hotel tomorrow morning 6:30AM China time which is 5:30 PM Tuesday home time. We arrive back at 10:00Pm Wednesday night which means after 3 flights, we'll have been in the air or waiting in airports for over 28 hours. Please pray that the children (and parents and aunt) have spirits of patience and perseverance.

I'm having computer issues tonight, so I'll post some more new pictures from the last few days when we get home.

Lots of Smiles!

2009-09-29T08:50:00.001-05:00

The Boy Wants to Go!!

2009-09-29T08:42:00.003-05:00

Whenever you say the word "bye-bye", Michael is out the door in seconds and ready to hit the road. He loves waiting in front of the elevator swinging his little arms back and forth.

Sibling Rivalry

2009-09-27T03:48:00.009-05:00

We had lots of down time in the hotel before we left for our 7pm flight on Friday night. Madeline and Michael enjoyed their first successful play time together and it was priceless. She is so wanting to be the best big sister and he hasn't been too enamored with her yet, especially when she sits on my lap and I'm cuddling with her. He'll stamp his feet and begin crying. I've been able to hold both of them, but he does try to push her off! She shared her Leapster with him and they did fairly well for this first joint venture! Of course, sharing can't last for too long!!

Michael did amazingly well on the two hour flight from Jiangsu to Guangzhou, especially since we had to sit on the unairconditioned plane at the gate for an extra 30 minutes while they loaded cargo. Needless to say, we were sticky and stinky. He fell asleep for most of it which then made our arrival at our hotel at 11pm, his party hour. I got him back asleep by 1 am and since we had our medical checkup at 8:30 am on Saturday, it was a very short night. We also had to have a 4 am bath due to an extremely explosive diaper.

We received some very great news at our medical checkup. Even though he was screaming excessively as they checked him over, they were unable to hear his heart murmur which means his Arterial Septum Defect (hole between his two atriums) might have closed on it's own. Praise the Lord for this great news. Of course, we will have it checked out when we return home also.

More Photos from Jiangsu

2009-09-27T03:07:00.002-05:00

The sun is finally shining through the smog!

Aunt Linda on the Nanjing City Wall

Thursday/Friday Update

2009-09-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

Today is our last day in Nanjing, Jiangsu as we fly out tonight for Guangzhou, the home of the American Consulate. While we've enjoyed our time in this beautiful city, we're ready to move on to the next step. Our guide is picking up Michael's passport this morning from the police station and then we'll get his American Visa at our next stop. I'm a bit nervous about flying with my extremely on-the-go son. I'm glad this first trial flight is a short one. He's definitely ALL boy with quick getaways, a strong throwing arm and always ready for a trip on the escalator. As we take our walks around the loop on our hotel floor, he'll stop and wait at the escalator doors for them to open and when they don't, he'll pitch a "throw myself on the floor and kick my feet" 2 year old fit. He loves when we blow on his belly and give kisses on his neck. He giggles with delight when we hold him up high in the air or upside down. Do you think we could fly all the way home that way??

Wednesday

2009-09-23T17:41:00.000-05:00

Michael continues to come out of his shell. We have decided we need to secure anything breakable as he likes to throw and has a pretty good arm. He is quite busy and loves to walk/run all around the hotel room. He jabbers away when playing and carries on many conversations with us. While Madeline has now adjusted to this time zone and slept to 6:30am yesterday, our new addition has chosen to take her place and was up at 4:30am this morning. He also had a couple of crying episodes during the night. Once again it so hard to know what is best to do. We visited Sun Yat Sen's memorial yesterday. What a beautiful area with many trees and flowers.

thank you for your prayers...they are so appreciated!
Hugs from Carol and crew

2009-09-23T05:12:00.001-05:00

2009-09-23T05:04:00.000-05:00

Smiles from Nanjing

Terrific Tuesday

2009-09-23T03:25:00.001-05:00

News from Tuesday
Michael slept through the night, but was a bit scared when he woke up this morning and didn't want to have anything to do with me. After a few bites of "Chinese cheerios" (a sweet melt in mouth snack food), he willingly put out his arms and reached for me when I put mine out. Madeline enjoyed feeding him scrambled eggs at breakfast which made her day since he really hasn't been too keen about her yet. He prefers drinking out of a regular cup instead of a sippy so that means we have dribbles down the front. I'm hoping he'll take to the straw cups soon as those are so much more toddler and travel friendly. We went back to the Registration Center this AM for the legal end and as of 9AM, September 22, Michael is officially our son. He even stamped his thumbprint on the paperwork. We drove to the Yangtze River on the way back to the hotel. We had a huge turning point after his nap during some floor play time when he started actually smiling and rolling the ball back. Bath time was also a huge success with lots of splashing and laughter!

2009-09-22T08:31:00.002-05:00

More family day pictures

For this child I have prayed

2009-09-22T07:57:00.000-05:00

For this child I have prayed

2009-09-22T07:54:00.001-05:00

I tried posting about our Family Day yesterday, but it did not make it, so I'm going to try again. We so appreciate everyone's email notes and prayers.
We started off on Monday morning at 9:30am for our 10:00 appointment at the Jiangsu Registration Service Center for Foreign-related Adoptions. Two other families were also waiting there to receive their new children. We watched excitedly as children were brought in, but they were not our Michael. After a few minutes our guide Michael called the Director and they were 30 minutes away. They were driving carefully due to the slippery roads from the drizzly morning. We let out a deep sigh of anxiousness and settled back into the sofa. Two more families arrived and so did their children. Now we had watched 4 children join their forever families. Our "labor" now was up to 1 hour and for those who know Madeline well, she wasn't enjoying having to wait this long for her little brother. Our guide gave them one more call and they were right around the corner. So Madeline joined our guide in watching for them out the window. Finally they arrived and Michael walked in with the head nanny looking around curiously with his big eyes. He let me pick him up and Norb hold him without any trouble, but once he realized the head nanny was gone, there were big tears! It is heartbreaking to console a child who has just lost everything they know as familiar...sounds, smells, sites. We came back to the hotel and after he gobbled up raisins and noodles, he went down easily for a nap.
Now to what you're wanting to see...

More pictures from Family Day

2009-09-22T07:52:00.000-05:00

2009-09-21T17:37:00.001-05:00

Norb's new ballet moves!

Laughs from Beijing

2009-09-21T17:32:00.000-05:00

Enjoy some of our funnier moments...Madeline's new fish face that seems to appear anytime we're ready to take her picture (she's even taught our guide), Norbert's new ballet moves using a sword,learning how to stretch a silk comforter, and the never ending noodle bowl. We got many stares (or laughs)as I tried to dish up these noodles at a local restaurant. We had ventured out on our own that night and every time I tried to use my chopsticks to lift them up to transfer them to Madeline's bowl, they would fall back in the big bowl. I truly felt we had been set up and being filmed by Candid Camera. We were saved when the waitress came with a pair of scissors and cut them up.

Pictures from Beijing

2009-09-20T06:26:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, we started our tour of Beijing by seeing the Ming tombs and then off to the Great Wall. As you can see, the weather was extremely cloudy and the wall was extremely crowded. We ended the day with a rickshaw tour through a Hutong Village which shows how most people lived in Beijing before apartment buildings. Inside one family's house, Norbert was given lessons on how to pose with a sword!!

Now that we're in Nanjing, I am unable to see the our blog so things might be a little out of order. We are able to receive emails and love hearing from all of you!! Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Tomorrow is our long awaited Family Day for Michael...may God open his little heart to us and calm his fears!

And for those who have been wondering...Madeline did sleep in until 3:30am last night and Aunt Linda got to enjoy the wee hours of the morning with her! By the time we leave China, she's going to have this time zone down, but we're going to switch it on her again!!

What are YOU doing up in the middle of the night?

2009-09-18T18:13:00.006-05:00

"What are YOU doing up in the middle of the night?" said the 5 year old to her mother after the mommy went to see what the daddy and her daughter were doing in the hotel lobby at 5:30am. Yes, the first night of sleep was a bit rocky for Madeline and since Norbert was also up at 2am, the two of them took the Leapster, Connect 4, and a few other items out of the room so I could sleep. When I went to check on them, Madeline wondered why I was up in the middle of the night. I'm guessing she's thinking it's only a "Daddy and daughter" party as they repeated the escapade out of the room again our 2nd night, only a bit later...3am. We're all praying that all of the running and jumping around she did today at the Forbidden City and Summer Palace will help her stay in bed until maybe 4 or 5am tonight??

Here are a few pictures from our tour yesterday to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall....

For Mrs. Brandenburg's Kindergarten Class-Letter O Show and Tell

2009-09-18T17:53:00.001-05:00

It's a little bit late, but Madeline looked for a few "o" things today. While the Ming tombs and the Great Wall don't quite work, how about OLYMPIC stadium? Here are pictures of the Bird's Nest and the Ice Cube.

2009-09-18T16:51:00.003-05:00

All aboard to Beijing! Madeline did remarkably well for being on in her words, "a long, short plane" and a "long, long plane ride." We had told her we were going on two plane rides, a short one and a long one. After 16+ hours of flying, she was still a pretty happy camper.

Posing with Aunt Linda in front of some beautiful flowers in the Beijing airport!

We made it!

2009-09-17T04:16:00.000-05:00

Good morning family and friends,

Just a quick post to let you know that we made it to Beijing and everything went very well...praise be to God! Will post again tomorrow when we're wider awake!

Last Post Stateside

2009-09-15T22:12:00.002-05:00

It is so hard to believe this day has finally come and it is only through God's grace and love for us that we are able to bring home our son. We are so blessed to have you praying for us as we embark on this exciting, incredible, scary, amazing journey over the next two weeks. Thank you in advance...we so appreciate your prayers! Next post, God-willing, will be from Beijing!

For this child I have prayed!
1 Samuel 1:27

A home to call his own

2009-09-15T05:25:00.003-05:00

Yes Michael...we did get rid of the girlie room just in the nick of time...butterflies and flowers are now replaced with cars and trucks! May you enjoy making many precious memories in your new home with your forever family!

A Year Ago

2009-09-12T19:56:00.006-05:00

A year ago today we began Hurricane Ike cleanup. While we had minor roof damage due to 1 large oak and 2 pine trees that fell, many homes sustained much more. When you ask Madeline about the hurricane, she only has fond memories especially of riding a canoe down the street and playing with the big kids since there was no school for the week and they were outside due to the lack of electricity. Please continue to pray for those who are still homeless and jobless due to the ravages of this storm. We also stop and pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for the lives and homes that were spared.

2009-09-09T17:57:00.002-05:00

Another test run to see if I can upload pictures via email. I "borrowed" this from another family who also adopted from China.

2009-09-09T17:24:00.000-05:00

Only one more week and we’ll be in the air!

Since Blogger is blocked in China, I’m using this as a trial run to see if I can upload a post through email. Let’s give it a try!

Kisses in the Wind

2009-09-02T11:41:00.003-05:00

Only 19 more days until we have Michael in our arms. I found this poem on another blog and wanted to share...

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.

You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we...what's taking us so long.

But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...

Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His Hand until I can be with you.

I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.

But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.

And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each and every night.

-Author Unknown-

2009-08-31T21:07:00.004-05:00

We are so excited to finally announce that after 3 1/2 years of praying, paperchasing through 2 homestudies, 1 homestudy update, and 3 sets of federal fingerprints with lots of waiting in between, we are finally going to China on September 16! More details to follow...thank you to everyone for your prayers!

Prayers Please

2009-08-27T21:13:00.011-05:00

I know our God is in control of this adoption. I know He has the timetable worked out. I know God has a perfect plan. Right this moment though I'm so frustrated by our government and the hoops we continue to have to jump through to bring Michael home.

As I posted on Monday, we have received our Travel Approval from the Chinese government. The next step was for our agency to contact the American Consulate in Guangzhou, China to schedule our consulate appointment (CA) in which we receive Michael's visa to bring him into the USA. This is the last bit of paperwork you need to complete in China before you leave. You cannot make your travel arrangements until you receive this appointment date and then you schedule your arrival in China 10 or so more days before your CA date depending how much you plan to sight see before you meet your child. We are desperate to have our CA this last week of September because China shuts down for their Independence celebration in early October. My agency said we would not be able to go until NOVEMBER if we don't get this date!!! Besides having to wait anothe whole month to hold him, we're back to the whole TB scare because he'll have turned 2!

Well when our agency attempted to secure Sept. 28 as our CA, they told her they would not give us that date until they received our updated fingerprint review. Our USCIS fingerprints are due to expire on August 30. We updated them on August 22. So yesterday, I contacted our Houston office of the USCIS where we had them updated and pleaded our case and they FEDex them to the National Visa Center today. The NVC will then contact the consulate in Guangzhou. I received the new paperwork in the mail today that shows our fingerprints are now valid for another 15 months, but when will the NVC notify Guangzhou? I tried to contact the NVC and got a busy signal all day.

My frustration lies in the fact that this is our 3rd set of fingerprints for this adoption. Have my fingerprints changed? Couldn't they have run them through the system last month? Why can't they electronically notify Guanzghou immediately that we passed? If I received the official letter by snail mail today, they could definitely have emailed the consulate office yesterday and we could have our CA.

I was told by my coordinator tonight that one of the guides in China is going to the Consulate today (it's already Friday in China) to speak with one of his contacts to see what he could do. We've also emailed the updated USCIS letter so that he can take that in hand. They want confirmation from the NVC though.

I know this will all be a blur once I have Michael in my arms and we're together as a family. But I need to do all that I can right now so please pray that if it is God's Will, the American Consulate will give us a temporary exemption today and allow us to have our CA date before they receive the official update.

Thank you for your prayers and letting me vent!!

First Day of School

2009-08-26T17:44:00.013-05:00

It finally came. The day I've been thinking about for a long time....I woke up very early and couldn't go back to sleep. I layed in bed and tried to think about anything else, but it wouldn't work. So I got up before the alarm actually went off (that's unheard of usually for me!) and took my shower, hoping that would make the butterflies go away. But they stayed right there...in the pit of my stomach. I knew I needed to eat something so I got some yogurt down, but that was all I could handle. What was causing all this? Today was Madeline's first day of Kindergarten!

Yes, my baby is now in school full time, all day, Monday - Friday!!! She is so needing to be in school to keep this busy bee busy, especially since I'm now in my nesting "purge and organize mode", but the thought that from now on our days are completely structured and she's not here to "help" me, makes me a bit sad. Norbert and I both went to Trinity this morning for the big day. She went in with no problem and found her cubby and seat. It helps that we were there last Wednesday. We shared our goodbye kissing hand tradition and she only hesitated a moment when I told her I had to go. The reason I needed to go was because I was about to lose it emotionally and that just wouldn't be a pretty sight! I was good though and didn't cry until I got out into the hallway!

I'm so thankful she is in such a loving environment. She loved her first day and is eager for tomorrow. And I think I'll be able to do without tissues tomorrow too! Sporting her new glasses
Madeline with Mrs. Brandenburg

2009-08-24T21:02:00.006-05:00

God is so good! We were praying that our Travel Approval would arrive this week so that we'd be able to travel in 2-3 weeks, around mid-September. If it didn't come this week, we would not be able to bring Michael home until November due to government holidays and trade shows in October. Besides having to wait longer, we'd also then have the whole TB testing issue because he turns 2 at the end of October. (More about that in Aug. 8th post....and for those wondering about little Harper, she should be able to come home next weekend!)

But God, in His infinite widsom, brought our TA today and we're looking at leaving around Sept. 16. Praise be to God!!

Day 32 of Waiting for TA

2009-08-22T21:27:00.002-05:00

Please pray with us that our TA comes this next week so we can bring home Michael in September!!

Meet The Teacher and Updated Picture!

2009-08-19T13:42:00.008-05:00

Today I hobbled on crutches to take Madeline to her new Kindergarten class at Trinity Lutheran. She had fun putting name tag stickers on her supplies and decorating her name tag. I think she would have enjoyed staying for awhile, but I'm not quite ready to let her go. Next Wednesday is going to come way too quickly for me.

When we arrived home, I got myself upstairs to the computer to check email. I've become pretty good at going up on my bottom and using my arms to push up to the next step. Maybe I'll get rid of my underarm flaps by the end of this ordeal! And in my mailbox, I got the best present for all my exercise...an updated picture of Michael! I can't wait to hold and smother that sweet face with kisses!

College Celebrations and Copperheads

2009-08-18T13:01:00.010-05:00

For those of you who have known me for many years, you know I tend to not be the most coordinated on the block and have had some wild mishaps. Well, it seems that just because I'm older, things have not changed, but this one on this past Saturday was not due to my lack of coordination, but lack of eyesight!

The day started out busy with Norb and I making a dent in the 8 yards of mulch dumped in our driveway. We decided to finish on Sunday. We then headed out for a fun day of family celebration on Lake Livingston for my nephew Todd's college graduation from Texas State University. We grilled hamburgers, rode wave runners, built sand castles, fished for whatever would bite and before we knew it, it was late and dark. While packing up, I was looking for our ice chest and felt this major pain on the top of my flip-flopped left foot. Because I was in mommy mode and trying to get the car packed and loaded for our 1 hour drive back home, I didn't take time to really check out my so-thought wasp sting. I shined a light on it for a moment and saw a red dot on the top and thought ice would do the trick. So while standing on one foot and toasting to Todd, I tried to ice my aching foot and then hobbled to get into the car. I do say hobbled literally because my right pinkie toe is still recovering from being broken.

On the way home, I continue to tell Norbert that I've never had a wasp sting hurt so bad and keep my foot elevated up on the dashboard. About 15 minutes into our drive, I receive a call from my sister. I'm thinking she's going to tell me that we forgot something, but instead she says that they have just killed a 15 inch copperhead in the area I was standing and they think I should go to the ER because that is probably my culprit. I try to take in what she's telling me.

At this point, I giggle (probably to keep from crying) but never-the-less thinking how do I continue to get myself in these situations? Of course, Norbert doesn't think it's one bit funny. By the time we arrive at the ER, my foot is swollen, I can't walk, and Norbert grabs a wheelchair for me. He takes conked-out Madeline to a neighbors and comes back to wait with me. Let's just say Saturday night is not the place to get timely service in an ER. It wasn't until I started telling them 2 hours later I was feeling nauseous did they get me into a room and I think they're glad they did before I spoiled their pretty carpet!

Well, I could go on, but let's just say after a tetanus shot, IV drip bag, drug for nausea, and 3 more hours of being observed and leg written on to monitor swelling, they let me go home in a splint cast with antibiotic and pain medicine prescriptions. No need for an anti-venom drug because my bite was not in a compromising spot. Norb and I climbed in bed at 4am after a very long day!! I continue to be on crutches, but hope within the next day or two I can start hobbling again. I praise God that Mr. Copperhead did not get too much of his venom transferred, but most of all, that it was not one of the many children who just so happened to be running around in the same area that crossed his path!

Now back to that mulch....next time I'm going to find a better way to get out of spreading it!!

Please take a Moment to Pray for Harper

2009-08-08T22:57:00.004-05:00

Please take a few moments to watch this first video and then say a prayer for Harper. (If you're unable to see it as I was, you will also find it on you tube in 2 parts.) Harper is the little girl whose parents had to leave her in China due to a new rule of our CDC regarding TB testing. Although she has tested negative, it was not completed in a CDC lab, and therefore, they will not allow the test to count. Her parents must leave her behind to wait for the new test to be read and confirmed which takes 2 months. To follow the whole story see: http://jayscruggs.livejournal.com/ This is heartbreaking to watch and I pray she understands that her parents are coming back as soon as they can.

http://www.comicscollaborative.net/goodbye.mov

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G1FCAhL-WA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkldZTw5f9g

Thank you for Big Sisters!

2009-07-30T20:47:00.018-05:00

I have two great sisters! While I didn't know how great they were when I was young since they were pretty much out of the house when I was growing up, I so appreciate their advice and help now. With both of my parents celebrating their eternal victory with Jesus, I so count on my sisters and love being back in Texas since they're now only 40 minutes away (And yes Brian, you are a great big brother too!)

While we have been waiting 3+ years in our mind for our child, it's crazy how when it is getting close, I'm now going into panic mode and wonder what in the world have I been doing the past 3 years to prepare for his arrival. While we anticipated Madeline's arrival into our lives with much assurance and quickly put her room together with much eagerness, I have been a bit more reluctant to jump into room decoration on this adoption. I know our Heavenly Father will take care of all the details and I know with confidence, He is walking every step of the way with us, but there is still some hesitancy lying within me. It seems like a dream that 2 months ago I was a mommy of one thinking that we might never have another child and now within 2 months, I will be flying across the continent to be a mommy of two! While we have waited so long, I can't believe this is happening so quick!

So back to the great "big" sisters...or should I say great "older" sisters...whichever way I say it, they could take it the wrong way so I'll just say great sisters!! Norb and I started several house projects this spring not knowing what was coming around the corner and we're still in the midst of several of them. Painting and decorating a room wasn't on the list, but my sister Linda volunteered to use her day off to help me paint Michael's room. So yesterday she came over and along with Madeline's help, we painted. Of course, our dog Richie wanted to get into the action also and almost ended up with a blue tail!

The Finished Product

A Special Delivery

2009-07-22T16:22:00.005-05:00

The Fed Ex truck arrived this afternoon right before Madeline and I were heading out to gymnastics. As tempted as I was to open this special package, I wanted to wait for Norbert to return home from his trip and the airport. But he got home and now we can open it!!

So here it is....our Letter of Seeking Confirmation. We'll sign it, overnight it back to Idaho, they'll ship to China and then we wait again for the next step, receiving Travel Approval (TA). The Social Worker is arriving later today to complete an addendum to our home study to send to USCIS...a few more hoops and we'll be done!

Proud Daddy and Happy Big Sister

Eight Years Ago Today I Never Knew What God Had In Mind!

2009-07-21T13:37:00.011-05:00

Today Norbert and I celebrate 8 years of marriage. It never fails, that as hard as he tries, business trips always seem to intersect with our anniversary day. So he's in Shreveport, LA and Madeline and I will eat dinner with the Day's, our good friends from church. We're working to kick off an orphan ministry at our church to educate and support those in the Spring area who are foster parents and those thinking about/planning for adoption.

But while I won't be celebrating our anniversary today, this day will now hold another meaning and reason to CELEBRATE! I received our referral phone call this afternoon and my agency has received from China our Letter of Acceptance!! This usually takes 2-3 months, but today was only day #40. We will now wait for our Travel Approval and our coordinator says we could travel as early as August or September!!! Breathe, Carol, Breathe!!!

While I am so excited that this day has arrived, it also brings a bit of anxiousness. You see, China has implemented a policy that allows it to quarantine arriving passengers who exhibit fever or flu-like symptoms if they are arriving from a country which has cases of 2009-H1N1, including the U.S. Although the overall percentage of Americans being quarantined remains low, the seemingly random nature of the selection process makes it almost impossible to predict when a traveler may be placed into quarantine. Travelers with even a slightly elevated body temperature risk being placed into hospital quarantine, while passengers sitting in close proximity to another traveler with fever or flu-like symptoms may be taken to a specially-designated hotel for a quarantine of approximately seven days, even if they show no symptoms themselves. I have read a blog where a family was quarantined in a hotel after sitting by someone on the airplane who had a fever. The father then tested positive and had to enter a hospital for the 7 days. This quarantine policy ends at the end of September so it would be great to arrive after Sept. 30 so there would be no chance my sister Linda, Madeline, Norbert, or I would be separated in our travels.

Our other travel schedule quandry is in regards to a new TB test for the children. The CDC is rolling out a new TB testing procedure for children ages 2-14 coming into the US. If the skin test is negative then you get the child’s visa and go home. If it shows positive then an x-ray must be done. If the x-ray is clear then you get the child’s visa and go home. If it is not clear then a “sputum test” is done, and that culture can take 8 weeks to show or not show TB. If the culture does not show TB then you get the child’s visa and go home. If it shows TB then the child has to stay in country to be medicated for approximately 6-9 months. Well, Michael turns 2 on October 28 so I would really like to travel before this point and have him home for his birthday.

So while my anxious thoughts arise of this one month window of prime travel time (let alone not really even that due to Chinese Independence Day celebrations the first week of October and the Canton Trade Festival which books up every hotel in the US Consulate city of Guangzhou the last two weeks of October, which leaves us a prime travel WEEK), I also know our God is a God of perfect timing and He has brought us this far and will continue to keep His watchful eye on this adoption. I will just leave it all up to HIM to work out the small details!

We are one step closer to bringing you home Michael!!

10 Things You Can Do While Waiting for Your LOA!

2009-07-07T13:59:00.020-05:00

1. Play in downtown Houston Discovery Green Fountains with Chinese playgroup friends

2. Grow tomatoes

3. Learn to Dive

4. Build a play set

5. Go to Minnesota to celebrate Carol's Aunt and Uncle's 60th Wedding Anniversary

6. Participate in the Rochester Days, MN parade and pass out candy!

(Madeline is distributing candy with my cousin's wife, Ruth)

7. Take a side trip to the Wisconsin Dells area with siblings, nieces, and cousin Chuck

8. Celebrate our great country and watch a 4th of July parade

9. Paint Michael's room...no picture because no painting yet to happen!!

10. Pray, Pray, and Pray some more for Michael's safety, care, and growth

The Wait Begins

2009-06-20T10:41:00.004-05:00

We've all waited for lots of things in our lives....Christmas morning, doctor's appointments, phone calls from the test results, the first day of school. Sometimes they are exciting, eager waits...others are filled with anxiety where you want to eat every chocolate chip cookie in the house or bite every nail off.

The Muellers are once again waiting for a child to become theirs through the amazing experience called adoption. This wait started in Boise, Idaho in April, 2006 when we began our paper chase to bring home a second child from China. Our dossier was logged into China on January 17, 2007 and then the wait continued again. It took us through two moves - first to northern California and then to Houston, Texas where we continued to share our waiting story with new friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Things continued to slow down to a snail's pace in China and I bit my lip every time Madeline would ask "When will I have a baby sister?" One time after a persistent little one kept asking, I decided to answer out of the blue, "When you turn 5 Madeline, that's when you'll become a big sister" but as that 5th birthday crept closer this past March and she had recalled repeatedly my "out of the blue prediction", I knew I needed to prepare the big sister for a longer wait. The charts were putting us at a year 2015 placement (okay, I 'm an older parent to begin with...can you imagine me waiting 6 more years? God does have a funny sense of humor!)

But as in all things, God's timing is perfect and He has a plan to work things out. In these moves, He has stretched us and opened us to His plans. In this last move to Texas, we've been blessed to meet a special family at church that has opened their heart and home to three Special Needs (SN) children. While we began to feel God leading us down this path of a SN adoption, there were not any options open for us to proceed in this manner. Our agency did not have any SN children to place and due to new stricter age requirements in China, it made it tricky to begin with a new agency. But on May 11 it all changed...our agency was given a list of Special Needs children to place. We fell in love with a 19 month old BOY with an atrial septum defect. While all along we were thinking we were adding a baby girl to our family, God had other plans. Two other families also requested his file and were "ahead of us in line."

So the wait continued as we sat on needles for several days waiting to see how the other families were going to proceed, but then rejoiced on Friday, May 22 when we heard he was ours! On June 11, we received the official Pre-Approval (PA) and now we wait for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance) from China.

Our wait over the past 3 years has covered all extremes of emotions...I've shed happy tears, sad tears, overwhelmed tears, and yes hormonal tears...but the constant knowledge that our Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way and He knows what is best, gives us such peace. What better place can we be than the home of Texas Children's Hospital for a child who might need heart surgery.

And Madeline, guess what??? God-willing....You will become a big sister when you're 5!