We won the lottery.

Sorry for the long delay in posting but the Ninh Thuan and HCMC internet situations were not terrific - particularly in NT. We are now in Hanoi and have a couple of 'free' days before we get Izzy Thu's US Visa. For a little more detail on the past few days....

We traveled the seven hours on the bus to HCMC to the REX with four children - and the kids all did great, the adults managed, too.

HCMC is a BUSY city - and it is amazing that the entire group actually made it to Hanoi given the near-death experience of crossing the streets. but somehow, we managed.

Debbie (we think it's Chi but it may be Bac - aunt) and I and Izzy have managed to spend nearly all our dong on beautiful items and yet are still craving more and will plan to add to our collections in Hanoi. Shopping with a little one has it's challenges for sure; that said, as other families have reported, there is so much love and care for children here--particularly those that they are concerned might catch cold because of their silly american parent(s) that izzy is in good hands (often others) when we venture out and about.

Today we explored Hanoi a bit and will likely venture out to eat shortly. Izzy is still very interested in checking in on me at night and making sure i am awake but she is smiling more and more and is eating well and sleeping more. She is fighting a cold and we are hoping that it doesn't get worse before we subject her to the long journey home. Likey December 23rd with an arrival in DC early, early on the 24th. More details later when we finalize our travel plans.

I am thrilled with Izzy's new extended family - Susan and her brother George and her wonderful little boy, Teo, and Kim and her parents Al and Kay, and of course, Izzy's prom date Isaac have been experiencing the journey in parallel. Jessica and Michael and Emaline are doing great.

The Dillon staff is wonderful and they are so full of talent and love for what they are doing to unite families that it is really a special thing to know them. I am hopeful that we will be able to see them all again in the future.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful notes.

Back in HCMC, Back on line, Back with Izzy Thu

a photo collection - somewhat unedited so forgive the abundance -skim quickly :).

Meeting Izzy:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=208828615/a=45378954_45378954/t_=45378954
Gotcha Day:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=208849683/a=45378954_45378954/t_=45378954

Little success connecting to the internet from Ninh Thuan and we arrived back in Saigon this evening just a few hours ago. We went to NT with 9 adults (Phuang and our bus driver) and came back with 11 adults (jessica and michael joined us) and four children ranging from 6 months to 13 months. The bus ride back was longer for sure :). All the kids are doing great - izzy has the best vocal cords I believe--she did just great but i am still learning and will continue to learn to know when she is hungry, thirsty, in need of a diaper change, or just plain tired out. She is down now for we'll see how long. Last night she was up three times -all the kids were up a bit and they actually had them on a 3 am feeding schedule so a one-time wake-up call was not at all surprising and the additional wake-up calls -well, who can blame them.

To back up a bit--we went back to the orphanage at 8 am on Friday and met with the Director of the orphanage - a very nice man who asked all of the traveling companions their... ages. Typical Vietnamese protocol but it gave us all a good laugh as our very American group was unacustomed to sharing this information so freely. We then went to the nursery and picked up our little ones. Izzy Thu Thi was sound asleep and her nanny woke her up and held her and handed her to me. This was very difficult for both of us. The day before she had given me a handwritten note and in the morning Trinh and Phuang had translated it. They told me that it said that she and her husband loved Thu like their own child and please take care of her and let them know how she is doing. I wrote her a note back and handed it to her. It still makes me sad but again i am so happy that izzy thu has had so much love already.

We left the center and drove a short distance to the giving and receiving ceremony where we signed a few documents, changed izzy's diaper for the first time, and made our statements that we would care for these children and provide for them and keep them in touch with their heritage. And then they were ours- forever family.

It was not yet 11 am and the day had been so full. We left this morning to drive back to HCMC. Tomorrow we get our tickets to Hanoi for flights on Tuesday afternoon. Monday, visas and photos.

Debbie has been such a help. She is sooooo good with Izzy Thu; and she is very, very patient with me.

(ps i heard some very good news but have been having trouble following all of the other Dillon news but it sounds like there are G&Rs for a number of Dillon families before the end of the year! (Dillon friends- I so hope that i am right and not premature or didn't misunderstand). If I am right, congrats to those familes! (if i am not, fingers crossed that good news will follow rapidly) and for those families with kiddos at NT -we gave Phu0ng the photos of the kids and she took photos and we understand will send them to Jynger. We saw her take the photos and i believe she got all the kids... and sam got his book).

What a day

I have had a bit of trouble posting and fear that the connection is fragile so short for now, but... what a day. We (three families -jessica joining us today) traveled the 7 hour ride from HCMC to Ninh Thuan with Phuang. It was a very nice ride and we stopped a long the way a couple of times to eat etc - and arrived at our hotel - Ninh Chu Hotel- in Ninh Thuan. We weren't there very long before we loaded up the van again with the group and just the gifts for the kids (not the overall donations). Tootsie Pops and toys and stuffed animals (Sue - they were a big hit and we have photots i believe!). It's funny, i had envisioned this LONG driveway to the orphanage but suddenly we turn a corner and -- there it is. And the nannies were upstairs holding the little ones and looking down. And then we saw Izzu Thu and her lovely nannie was holding her and I nodded and she pointed to me. At some point shortly after that we went up the stairs and there they were. And the kids are so beautiful and they are so very well cared for and loved and you see how hard this is for their wonderful caregivers. Not just the nannies but the older children and the workers. And yet you know how happy they are for these children to have opportunity. Izzy is so incredibly sweet and calm (again, her mama is going to learn a lot from this beautiful child for sure). We woke up at 4 am today (slept in a bit!) and so i will post now and share just a few pictures and then get ready for another very big day indeed - the Giving & Receiving ceremony. We leave for the center at 8 to meet the directors and then the ceremony is at 9.

We're HERE!

After I believe 30 hours of actually relatively 'uneventful' travel, we made it! We includes Debbie, KIM (Ii met KIM!), Al and Kay (Kim's wonderful parents). We flew through Hong Kong and arrived in Saigon in time to say GOOD MORNING VIETNAM :) and all was very good until we got to the baggage claim -- Kim is missing her two pieces of luggage (They did have FOUR connections - though her parent's bag did make it). Her luggage includes of course all of her clothes and Isaac's - as well as a good chunk of our donations. BUT we are very confident (okay, trying to be) that the luggage will be delivered this evening... because, at 7 am sharp we leave for Ninh Thuan where we have (after checking into our hotel) a 3:30 appointment at the Center where we will meet... our kids. Wow. Susan - another adopting mom - is due in tonight late; Jessica and Michael had delays out of their connection in New York and will not arrive until tomorrow.

We met Minh and Tinh and Thomas and they are all just wonderful and warm and we know that we are in very good hands.

So it's just a little more than 24 hours and we will be able to feel, see, touch and talk to our children and their wonderful caregivers. We are getting ready to head out from the REX after showers (long overdue!) and do a little shopping and exploring; dinner tonight likely early -- we have a very big day tomorrow. - Ruth

This is Debbie (Chi Doo). HCMC is fascinating and the people we've met so far are terrific. The excitement is building, and we're all filled with anticipation for tomorrow. We'll talk to you again after we've met Izzy!

What a week! and the best is just around the corner

Or should i say across the world? but not so very far away.

So tomorrow around 2:30 I board a flight to LAX on my way to izzy. It's been a whirlwind of navigating through the new process and getting ready in really five days. You'd think, wouldn't you, that after all this waiting, I'd be packed and organized and ... well, um, no. But man, in so many other ways I am very ready.

So get ready little one! I know you haven't been nearly as anxious waiting for me as I, for you. But boy, we are going to have some fun. And it's about to start.

Once in LA, guess what! While i wait for your Aunt Debbie to meet up with me for our flight to Hong Kong, i also get to meet Isaac's mom - Kim (and her parents! ) (http://isaacsvietnamadoption.blogspot.com/) Your grandparents are soooo excited - they are coming to DC to help out and get everything all set up while we are gone--and wow, I will tell you, we are both really lucky. They are really, really, so wonderful -- and funny and fun, too!

Izzy Thu Thi, I know they have cared for you so well there at the orphanage and that the nannies have shown you so much love. I know it's going to be hard for you to say goodbye to them and even harder for them to say goodbye to you. I hope that you will know very quickly that you are safe with me and with your Chi Doo (Aunt Debbie) and that you will receive so much love from us and all of your friends and family (extended!) who have been waiting so long for this moment.

But don't worry. We've been patient and we will continue to be patient so that you can do it your way and on your time.

So likely the next time we post, it will be from Vietnam. It won't be long now.

Just Maybe....

That elusive GNR (Giving & Receiving Date) may actually HAPPEN for REAL - and it's right around the corner!! December 14th!! a week from -- FRIDAY. Which means that Debbie (that's Aunt Debbie) and I and the other families traveling with us would leave for Vietnam on Monday or Tuesday. THIS Monday or Tuesday, December 10/11. And so all that waiting and... i am SO not ready. And yet I am incredibly ready to meet my little one. And to share in this journey with the other traveling and waiting families. What a trip this has been and continues to be. And it is really just beginning. The journey, that is. So just one rub: recall those policy changes from October? We still do not have approval from the US Embassy for our I600's. We need this approval to actually travel. The GNR date is set by Vietnam. Let's hope that we get this approval in the next day or so.

Can you really be six months?

Hi little one. It's hard for me to believe you are six months today! I have been waiting less and less patiently to bring you home for now nearly five months. And yet, all this time, you are thriving and growing and I know that the nannies are giving you hugs and kisses and taking good care of you. I get updates and you are growing well and I have seen your photos documenting how charming you are and how sweet and lovely (and smart!!!) and cared for. It's been a bit crazy here with changes in the process (designed to protect children like you and birth-families and adopting families) and I fear, Izzy, that despite the good intentions of these changes, because of our timing, it's slowing down the process of bringing you home. I really thought I would be with you to celebrate this day. But I know that it won't be too long now. And we will have plenty to celebrate for a lifetime to come. Happy six month bday sweet izzy thu thi. I will make a wish for both of us today.

Sleeping Beauty

Well, a very bring spot -- very bright indeed -- despite a very tough day. A few changes in the process took some significant steam out of that Step 8. Let's see what tomorrow brings; in the meantime, izzy remains calm and collected... and beautiful. I'm doing my best little one. Hang in there.

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.