What a difference a few MAGIC words make!

So today I (along with some other families with those early July referrals) received some VERY magical words: You are in Step 8! Yay! Step 8--well Step 8 is BIG! I posted a bit ago about the '12 step process'. So Step 8 is usually that final step before we get the 'go get your Visa' call. It can take awhile, or not. And we may have been in this step for a bit now - or just arrived. Impossible to tell but we can hope that we are now progressing well. Pfhew! For awhile there it was touch and go and I really realized how hard this wait can be. And then, this very good news indeed. Get ready Izzy. It won't be long now.

Happy Five Month Bday Izzy

Hi Izzy,

Happy five-month bday little one. I hope that you are celebrating in style-- getting plenty of bottles, sleep, and play. I know that the nannies in NT are taking very good care of you and that they are giving you lots of hugs and kisses. I wish I could do the same; I figured that by now I could tell you when I would be coming to pick you up. But our paperwork (those of us that received referrals the same week for your little buds in NT) is not moving nearly as fast as we had hoped. I think that Jynger from Dillon got to meet you a few days ago; she was in Vietnam visiting all of the Dillon orphanages and I understand she visited NT early in her trip. She was due back home this weekend and I am very (VERY) hopeful that she had a very safe and good trip and that she will bring back plenty of good news for those of us that are waiting (less and less patiently I fear) to bring back you and your buddies. I will blow out a candle for you today - and make a very big (but-not-too-hard-to-grant, I promise) wish. I bet you can guess my wish. Yup, you got it.

What nice friends I have!

On September 15th, my friends, Sarah, Roberta, and Christina threw me (and Izzy) a party to celebrate her impending arrival. It was at my house and some 40 of my friends made it there. My parents (AZ) and my sister (LA) flew in, as did my friend Beth (from Chicago) and my friends Michele, Gary and Roo (their wonderful dog). It was such FUN! And people were so thoughtful, those that made it and those that couldn't. I can't wait for Izzy to meet each and every one of them.

What are you doing now?

Happy four-month bday Izzy Thu! I wanted to let you know that we celebrating your impending (hopefully VERY SOON) arrival over the weekend. Your grandma and grandpa and aunt and surrogate aunts/uncles (about 40 of them) all came to my house to join in a shower (really a party) in your honor, thrown by (Aunt) Sarah, Roberta and Christina. EVERYONE is so excited to actually meet you! You will love all your wonderful gifts -- toys, clothes, blankets, stuff for feeding, changing, and cleaning you! Everyone says how beautiful you are --and smart and talented, too. I know that the nannies are taking very good care of you. But still, I wish I could celebrate this 'big' day with you.

What a fabulous idea!

Remember when....
you slid down that slide? you played in that sand box? you swung from those monkey bars? you flew high, high, and higher in the sky on that wonderful swing? probably not - but in all likelihood it was a big part of your life growing up, learning to share, learning to exercise, learning hand and eye and foot and other skills. and learning to just have FUN.

Right now, the children living in the orphanages supported by Dillon International in Vietnam don't have playgrounds. That's because these kids and these orphanages need so much, just to meet those very basic needs -- food and clothing and education. There's just not enough humanitarian aid to solve for that other need - outdoor fun!

Luckily, another Dillon-adopting-parent, Meredith, along with her mom, are working to solve that challenge. Only $1,500 can build a fabulous playground for these kids who most likely have never actually seen a slide, let alone slid down one. $7,500 in total puts a playground into each one of the orphanages sponsored by Dillon. Visit Meredith's blog to learn more (www.lawyerish.com).

(Please note that if you're an adoptive parent currently in process with Dillon International, neither you nor your immediate family can give money -- but your extended family, friends and coworkers can!)

What a face to wake-up to!

Jynger must not sleep much. In my inbox this morning (1 am CDT 2 am EDT) were PICTURES of beautiful Izzy Thu Thi. Don't you just want to reach in there and pick her up?

Happy 3 month-bday Izzy Thu Thi!

Izzy Thu Thi turns 3 months today! There are two families in Vietnam right now celebrating their Giving & Receiving Day... their kiddos were at the same orphanage as Izzy (and four other little ones referred the same week as Izzy). If they were able to take photos of the kids, AND they are able to post from Vietnam, then we should get some updated pictures. I received some updated weight/height info the other day; izzy, as of July 31, weighed 11.68 lbs. She is being well fed by all of her wonderful caregivers. The reports also said "she appears to be good malnutrition and smily girl". Thank you for taking such good care of her!

So what goes into the timeline?

Special thanks to Jessica V because I plagiarized her list :)..... Here is the 12 step processes that has to happen before we can travel

1. After Dillon receives our acceptance paperwork (last week) they sent a letter (in this case on 7/13) to the DIA (Dept. of Int. Adoptions) in Hanoi telling them which child we want to adopt. Once this letter is accepted (this can take up to a week) we can estimate travel within 3-6 months (praying for 3-4).

2. The DIA sends a letter the local Justice Dept. in Ninh Thuan telling them which child we want to adopt. (can take up to 7 business days)

3. The Local Justice center sends a letter to the Orphanage telling them which child we want to adopt. (this can take up to 7 business days)

4. The Orphanage then writes a letter back to the local justice stating that yes this child is available. (this can take up to 7 business days)

5. Once the local Justice gets this letter they then send a letter to the DIA stating that yes this kid is available. (guess what, this can take up 7 business days)6

6. When the DIA gets that letter they send a letter to the Dillon staff in Vietnam requesting that they send the acceptance papers of the child that has been referred. (another up to 7 business days)

7. Dillon Staff will send the Acceptance papers to Hanoi. (bet you can't guess how long that can take?...)

8. Then the DIA send a letter to the local justice dept. asking them to compile the baby's dossier (legal papers). This can take up to 45-60 business days or longer... this is the biggest chunk of time.

9. Once they finish putting together the baby's dossier, The Local Justice then must review it and then send it to the DIA (this can take a week or longer)

10. The DIA will review the baby's dossier and the family dossier. Once that is complete both Dossiers are then sent back to the local Justice Dept. in Ninh Thuan. (This can take a week or longer)

11. The Local Justice Dept. then reviews the family dossier. Then they send both dossiers to the People's Committee. (This can take a week or longer)

12. the people's committee with then review the Dossiers. Once the have completed this they will set a date for the giving and receiving ceremony. (this can take a week or longer)

Then we get approximately 2 weeks notice before travel. YAYYYYY!!!!

Man, she's beautiful. Hi Izzy.

Here she is, little and proud. how lucky am i?
July 3rd, 2007. Katie, thank you for that call. THANK YOU! Ruth

Izzy (Vietnamese name Nguyen Thi Thu). She was born May 20th, 2007 in Ninh Thuan. She currently weighs 3.7Kg(8.1 lbs) and is 50cm long(19.7 inches). Pinch me.