Thanks Judie for the pictures : )
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
One year ago today.....
It was one year ago today at 4:00 that Lauren called from AWAA saying she had a file of a baby girl she wanted to talk to me about!
It was last year on Oct 3 that AWAA got a batch of SN children....33 to be exact. It was the first time I actually posted in the journal section of our website wondering if our baby girls file was sitting on a desk in Virginia. Here's what I posted on Oct 3, 2007....
Oh my….where to begin? Last month we were anxiously waiting to see the SN referrals come. On the last Friday AWAA sent out an email letting the families know that they had not received any yet and that the CCAA would be on vacation the first week of October. They did mention that sometimes they will work the weekend prior to a week long vacation so there was a chance still that they may receive the referrals. Well on Monday morning we got an email saying they got 33 referrals!!! That is a big group!!!! Here is what it said…..
Dear Interested Families,
We are thrilled to announce the receipt of 33 new special needs referrals! We don't have any specifics on the children right now, but once we are finished processing the referrals, we will send another email out with more details.
The Special Needs team asks that you refrain from questions during this time, as we will be working diligently to process the referrals. We are unable to answer individual questions about the referrals we received. In order to be fair, we will notify the entire Interested Families list with details about this group as soon as possible. At that time, we will also let families know when referral calls will begin.
So today when I got home from dropping Robin off at school I had another email from AWAA this is what it had to say…..
Dear Interested Families, We know that you've been eagerly waiting to hear more details about the new Special Needs referrals. Typically, we don't have this information available so soon, but the translations were completed very quickly this time! This has sped up the review process and will also allow us to begin making referral calls sooner. The earliest we anticipate beginning referral calls is Friday, October 5th. We appreciate your patience as we continue to process the referrals and begin the matching process.
We would like to share the following details with you regarding this group of referrals:
Number of referrals: 33
Number of females: 19
0-2 year range: 14
3-4 year range: 4
5-6 year range: 1
7-8 year range: 0
Number of males: 14
0-2 year range: 6
3-4 year range: 4
5-6 year range: 3
7-8 year range: 1
The children have various special needs and some have more than one special need. When matching children with families, we take several factors into consideration, the most important factors being a family's log in date, a family's special needs application date, and if there is a referral that matches what a family has requested on the Special Needs application. With 100-120 families on the Interested Families on the list, only a percentage of families will receive calls for a referral. We will notify families when all referral calls have been made. Additionally, we will send an email out to all Interested Families with the children that have not yet been matched.
So needless to say we are beside ourselves praying and wondering if our baby Grace’s picture is sitting on a desk in Virginia at AWAA office! That would be just amazing!!! Please keep AWAA, Grace and our family in your prayers.
When we didn't call on the 5th or 6th or 7th I knew that most of the calls had probably been made and the chances of us getting matched with our daughter this time was pretty unlikely. I did know that they were going to finish making calls on Monday because Friday the 8th was a holiday, Columbus Day. Robin had the day off from school so I wasn't sitting on the couch waiting for the phone to ring. I had gone to town with Robin and we had stopped to pick up a coffee for Mike at Dunkin Donuts when my phone rang.....it was Lauren from AWAA!!!!! She wanted to know if it was a good time to talk. I was trying to pass my money to the lady at the window : ), but I said Yes! It was a great time to talk! My heart about hit the floor because I couldn't believe what I was hearing....
The conversation went something like this....
Well Mrs. Davis we have a file of a baby girl that we would like to talk to you about. She is 12 months old, her birthday is Sept 18, 2006. She is a very pretty little girl. I'm sure you're wondering what her special need is?...... They said she's little, with minor developmental delay. All her paper work looks great. Her medical file looks wonderful. Why don't to you talk to your husband and call me back if you want to review her file.
I told her I didn't even need to wait to talk to him because I knew we would want to review it! She laughed and said OK, I'll email you the referral paperwork with her pictures once you read it call me and let me know if you want to proceed with her adoption.
Robin by this point had figured out that we had just got the "call" and was beside herself. It so happened that she had a camera with her and took these pictures...
Noelle holding her referral picture.
It was last year on Oct 3 that AWAA got a batch of SN children....33 to be exact. It was the first time I actually posted in the journal section of our website wondering if our baby girls file was sitting on a desk in Virginia. Here's what I posted on Oct 3, 2007....
Oh my….where to begin? Last month we were anxiously waiting to see the SN referrals come. On the last Friday AWAA sent out an email letting the families know that they had not received any yet and that the CCAA would be on vacation the first week of October. They did mention that sometimes they will work the weekend prior to a week long vacation so there was a chance still that they may receive the referrals. Well on Monday morning we got an email saying they got 33 referrals!!! That is a big group!!!! Here is what it said…..
Dear Interested Families,
We are thrilled to announce the receipt of 33 new special needs referrals! We don't have any specifics on the children right now, but once we are finished processing the referrals, we will send another email out with more details.
The Special Needs team asks that you refrain from questions during this time, as we will be working diligently to process the referrals. We are unable to answer individual questions about the referrals we received. In order to be fair, we will notify the entire Interested Families list with details about this group as soon as possible. At that time, we will also let families know when referral calls will begin.
So today when I got home from dropping Robin off at school I had another email from AWAA this is what it had to say…..
Dear Interested Families, We know that you've been eagerly waiting to hear more details about the new Special Needs referrals. Typically, we don't have this information available so soon, but the translations were completed very quickly this time! This has sped up the review process and will also allow us to begin making referral calls sooner. The earliest we anticipate beginning referral calls is Friday, October 5th. We appreciate your patience as we continue to process the referrals and begin the matching process.
We would like to share the following details with you regarding this group of referrals:
Number of referrals: 33
Number of females: 19
0-2 year range: 14
3-4 year range: 4
5-6 year range: 1
7-8 year range: 0
Number of males: 14
0-2 year range: 6
3-4 year range: 4
5-6 year range: 3
7-8 year range: 1
The children have various special needs and some have more than one special need. When matching children with families, we take several factors into consideration, the most important factors being a family's log in date, a family's special needs application date, and if there is a referral that matches what a family has requested on the Special Needs application. With 100-120 families on the Interested Families on the list, only a percentage of families will receive calls for a referral. We will notify families when all referral calls have been made. Additionally, we will send an email out to all Interested Families with the children that have not yet been matched.
So needless to say we are beside ourselves praying and wondering if our baby Grace’s picture is sitting on a desk in Virginia at AWAA office! That would be just amazing!!! Please keep AWAA, Grace and our family in your prayers.
When we didn't call on the 5th or 6th or 7th I knew that most of the calls had probably been made and the chances of us getting matched with our daughter this time was pretty unlikely. I did know that they were going to finish making calls on Monday because Friday the 8th was a holiday, Columbus Day. Robin had the day off from school so I wasn't sitting on the couch waiting for the phone to ring. I had gone to town with Robin and we had stopped to pick up a coffee for Mike at Dunkin Donuts when my phone rang.....it was Lauren from AWAA!!!!! She wanted to know if it was a good time to talk. I was trying to pass my money to the lady at the window : ), but I said Yes! It was a great time to talk! My heart about hit the floor because I couldn't believe what I was hearing....
The conversation went something like this....
Well Mrs. Davis we have a file of a baby girl that we would like to talk to you about. She is 12 months old, her birthday is Sept 18, 2006. She is a very pretty little girl. I'm sure you're wondering what her special need is?...... They said she's little, with minor developmental delay. All her paper work looks great. Her medical file looks wonderful. Why don't to you talk to your husband and call me back if you want to review her file.
I told her I didn't even need to wait to talk to him because I knew we would want to review it! She laughed and said OK, I'll email you the referral paperwork with her pictures once you read it call me and let me know if you want to proceed with her adoption.
Robin by this point had figured out that we had just got the "call" and was beside herself. It so happened that she had a camera with her and took these pictures...
I was 5 miles away from the house when Lauren called. I couldn't wait to get home and tell Mike and see our daughters face for the first time! That caused me to break the law and drive about 60 mph to get home! Poor Mike didn't know what was wrong. He actually thought I hit someone and that's why I was acting so crazy. When I drove in the drive way I didn't even shut the car off. I jumped out and ran inside crying....I couldn't even talk. Robin is standing there smiling and said....Dad we just got our referral call! Then it all made sense to him ( me acting like I was). We both ran down stairs to his office and looked at our email and sure enough there was a message in our In box from AWAA. This is what it said along with the first pictures we saw of our daughter.....
Dear Michael & Tonya,
Attached are the photos and translated medical information for Fu Ni Shuai. Please take some time together to review this initial information.
Note: At this time, the attached information is to be kept confidential and should only be shared with medical professionals, social worker(s), and individuals who are essential to the assessment process.
Please call or email me no later than 4:00 pm EST Tuesday, October 9th to indicate if you would like to either review the referral information further or decline this referral.
If you do decide to review the information further, I will email you the Chinese referral documents and any additional photos (if applicable). You will then have 10 business days to consult a Physician and/or International Specialist, discuss the referral with your Social Worker, and look over the information more thoroughly. Please know that your family will remain on the Interested Families list should you decide not to move forward with this particular referral.
As you take the time to prayerfully consider this referral information, please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing back from you soon!
Blessings,
Lauren Barnett
Asia Family Coordinator
Special Needs Coordinator
We were in love at first site! And are in love more than ever with this little girl! She is a precious gift from the Lord and we are so blessed the Lord chose us to be her parents!
A fun interesting fact....When AWAA called with Noelle's referral it was 4:10ish in the afternoon on Columbus Day. I gave birth to Robin on Columbus Day 1994 at 4:11 am. how cool is that? To us it was another "signature of God" on this adoption!
Here is a picture of our little Noelle today...
Noelle holding her referral picture.
(poor baby has a sore on her bottom lip & chin)
Happy one year referral anniversary Noelle....WE LOVE YOU!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Some more pictures of Noelle
The white in the back ground is actually the ocean. Not really sure what happened when I took the pictures.
No more pictures mom....I'm out of here!Noelle's birthday part 2
Noelle had a wonderful 2nd birthday! She had lots of family come and some friends from church.
Poor thing fell into a wall just before her nap so when she woke up she was in a fussy mood. But as soon as she got the hang of opening her presents her mood changed....the sugar from her cake and ice cream help too I'm sure : )
Here are a few more pictures from her party....
Farm from Gram & Gramp....Thank you!
Proud new owner of a potty....that she LOVES! Thank you Papa & Mimi!
Resting with Dada after a long day.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Thank you Nicole!!!
Thank you Nicole for thinking of Noelle and sending her these clothes! They are so cute! I'll post each outfit as she wears it!
For anyone who doesn't know, Nicole and I were DTC at the same time and we have become friends. They switched to SN's like we did and have been matched with a beautiful 4 year old little girl! They are leaving this Thursday to bring home Emmali Su! Nicole had bought some outfits for Emmali thinking she would be younger and now that they won't fit her she mailed Noelle several outfits that are sooo cute!
That was sweet of you to think of us while you're busy getting ready for your trip.
We'll be praying for your family as you travel to China this Thursday!!!!!!!!!!
So check out their travel web site by clicking HERE
New Swing Set!
Some very special people bought this swing set for little Noelle!
You know who you are : )
THANK YOU....SHE LOVES IT!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
6 Months home with Noelle...plus Noelle's Adoption Video
We can't believe Noelle has been home with us for 6 months already! Where does the time go?
Stephanie just came out to the house to do our 6 month post placement visit which went great! That will be off to AWAA this week.
Noelle is learning so much....she can now help count to 5 and copies everything we say : )
She loves to watch Barna (Barney) and Ni Hao Kai-lan. Her favorite thing to do is eat snacks and read every book she owns with her Dada. Of course she loves her older sissy and loves it when she plays with her. In the evening she loves to cuddle with Mama and have a warm bottle of soy milk : )
I know we've said it before, but we feel soooo blessed that the Lord chose us to be her parents!
We love you Noelle!
Noelle ~ Gotcha day Jan. 21, 2008
Noelle ~ July 2008
Noelle's Journey Home.....It's kinda long...38 mins.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
A visit from the Steiger Clan
We had a busy but fun weekend! We held the adoption meeting here at our house and I invited the Steiger family to come up and share about their recent adoption of Jordan from Ethiopia. I was so blessed that they came and shared. It was wonderful to see them again. We met the first time last Nov in Mass. at a SCC concert. We both had just received our referrals for our girls so it was neat to see each other now that we have them home! Jordan is a doll!
What a smile : )
It was a wonderful day even with the rain! Everyone seemed to have a good time and right after lunch it stopped raining so the kids could play outside while we had our meeting. I was so happy that the other AWAA families came too! It was so nice to see Mike and Kristy and Alice! Thanks for coming!
What a smile : )
We also met Alice another AWAA family who adopted this beautiful little girl. This is just an amazing story of God's goodness. Selam is best friends with Patty and Jason's daughter who will be coming home Lord willing later this year. Who would imagine that two best friends who live in Ethiopia would both be adopted into Christian families who live about an hour away from each other....in Maine?! God is so good!
It was a wonderful day even with the rain! Everyone seemed to have a good time and right after lunch it stopped raining so the kids could play outside while we had our meeting. I was so happy that the other AWAA families came too! It was so nice to see Mike and Kristy and Alice! Thanks for coming!
Thank you Fil and Lenka for coming it was so fun to visit with you and see all your precious children!
I'll post some more pictures when I get them from Lenka.
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