New Photos

We did get new pictures of Cooper this week but with graduation and my computer having a bit of trouble I can't get them to scan at this time. I am going to work on it for a few days and try to get them into the site as soon as I can!! He is a doll baby!
Jay and I are working on our final papers to go out to get notarized tonight.. then we can sit back and wait for our travel invite.
That is about all the update on Cooper I have at this time.. cut and dry.. I need to get my paperwork done!
But I did have quite a week with the family. My family was all here for my graduation and it was a crazy busy week. I am posting a few pictures of the family on my big night... I had my husband in tears when my teacher read my thank you speech letting him know how much I love him and thank him for everything he did for me and the kids this year!
I have to say I am glad it is over and now I need a job!!

More Paperwork

Jay and I will finish up the paperwork tomorrow that they have asked us to send. We will still need to get it authenticated and sealed but that should only take about a week. We will have it sent straight on to our agency so they can get it over to Taiwan as soon as possible.
I am very excited to say that we are only about 8 days away from my graduation. I have to say that I can not wait. Standing here today I believe that I would never have gone through this year had I known what was coming! But then again I am excited to say that I have been invited to do a medical mission in China next summer with Annabelle's Wish group and I would not have been invited had I not gone to school! So I guess this is another blessing that has come out of this stressful year!
Today is my birthday and tomorrow is Chase's birthday! We are not doing much in the fashion of celebrating as I have four final tests... one being on Monday that I am going to have to spend my day today studying for! I told Jay that we are going to pick a day in August and call it all of our birthdays where I have had to miss so much this year with the kids. It might be fun doing it this way!
I have talked to Mia alot since she went back to Taiwan. We do really miss her around here. She is catching up with all her friends and is very excited for us to come to get Cooper. She has everything planned as to where we are going and what we will see once we get there!
That is about the only update I have for this week.. just the waiting and waiting!

Always a set back in adoption

I sent an email asking for information but instead of my questions getting answered I get a form email back asking for more paperwork. Sending more paperwork is good if the judge is asking for it.. but this seems to be BUSY USELESS paperwork.
They are asking for new clearances, new physicals and new letters from employers. I don't have a problem with providing this stuff EXCEPT that we were told we didn't need it and it all has to be sent and authenticated and sealed.. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!
Drives me insane how the world thinks adopted families have an unlimited bank account when most families are scrapping together what they have for the cost of the ADOPTION!
I am going to wait to see what I really need before wasting the time redoing stuff I just don't need!!
Anyways that is all the updates or info I have gotten. It really makes me upset when I see other families that know when they are in court, what the outcome was etc.. we know nothing.

Prayer from our Agency

I love these girls at our agency. I miss Stephanie, however, and feel that she was really a part of the kindness from the staff in the Kansas office. We got a letter in the mail signed by the whole office today that they said a prayer for Jay and I to get Cooper home!! It was so kind and thoughful!
They are really good people and anyone looking to adopt please email me so I can pass their number on to you!!
Thank you girls very very much for putting a prayer out for our family!!

Went and Saw!!

Mia and Li-Ling got back to their home around 2 AM our time.. and I was waiting up and Mia IM'd me to say that Cooper is SOOOOOOOOO CCCCUUUUTTTTTEEEEEEEEE and so Small!! And she loved him!! They brought him a Leap Frog radio that sings song, an I love you, Mickey- straight from Disney World, a Gator ball, a Gator Shirt, a really cute stuffed dog and Li-Ling made sure he had cake!! So I have more pictures to post!! And we have video that I will put the links at the bottom of the blog! She said the people at Cathwel were so nice and they had a great visit!! I cried when I saw these photos.. first because it made me really know Mia was home in Taiwan and second cause my two favorite Taiwan kids were together!

Mia to Orphanage

Mia IM'd me about an hour and a half ago that they were getting ready to leave out their door.. so as of about now.. she should be with Cooper! I am so excited to have her with him, to see him in person and to give him love and kisses!!
She promised to post the photos as soon as she got back home.. which will be about two in the morning for me.. so I will see them tomorrow. She is also going to check on another families little girl while she is there if they let her! I think she was excited about going and seeing the babies!!
I am so happy that I was so blessed to have Mia stay with me this past year and that we got our referral at the time we did. I think it all worked out so perfect for us!
I just had to write tonight so that I didn't explode with excitement!!!

Complete Homestudy

We got our completed home study back yesterday and I have to say Sallie did a WONDERFUL job. Not only of describing the problems with Jay's ex wife but also with the silly arrest I had a few centuries ago. As many of you know it was so silly, wrong place, wrong time.. I bit a guys hand! But our original home study was written in such a way that after the initial introduction to who we were and who the home study agency was.. the very first paragraph went straight into the arrest and was written in such way that our home study had actually gotten rejected from one of the orphanages in Taiwan stating that I was a rapist!! I had begged the original home study person to re-write this paragraph and as her statement was so bold and made things seem like it was some crazy crime I had gotten involved in. But Sallie wrote it so perfect!! It states the facts without making the incident seem important. I have to say, "Thank you, Sallie!"
I am very excited today and hope I can make it through the day but later tonight, our time, is morning in Taiwan and Mia and Li-Ling, Mia's mom, are going to Cathwel to bring the gifts for Cooper that we sent over! Mia is going to check out his size so we can get him some new tennis shoes also!!
I also ran into a friend from the past yesterday at the grocery store and told her that I was about done with school but needed a job, any job, right now so I could put the travel money together for getting to Taiwan. A few hours later she called me about the most perfect job for me!... I am waiting for her to get back to me today as she was calling her friend that is head of one of our elderly health care facilities very close to my house about a marketing position. I know, I know.. I went to nursing school.. but the thing is that the position requires background in nursing! And the woman that is giving up the position has none.. and they were fine with that.. so they might be fine with the fact that I am a new nurse! So please say a prayer for me that this position works out because is sounds like a job that I am already qualified for-marketing.. and I could continue my nursing education by having a set schedule job!

I just got off the yahoo chat with Mia... it is night there.. but she said they are not going to Cathwel until Tuesday. I guess her mom is having some pains in her hands and has a doctor appointment on Monday. So I will have to hold my excitement for another day!!