Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflections. Show all posts

Friday, February 12, 2010

Letting go and Gotcha day



At the same time we were adopting Emily in China, a baby boy was born back home. Since the moment his birth mother knew about him, she did not want to parent him. The opportunity to parent a newborn baby has seldom come and we jump in with both feet. Each month, I accompanied her to doctors appointments, and each and every month she will tell me the same. She did not and could not take care of another child, by herself. She was 26 years old, unemployed and living with her mom. She has a 6 years old son, a second daughter that she gave up for adoption to some acquaintance of us and a 7 month old daughter. All from different fathers that were not in her life or the kids life. Once again, she become pregnant and the birth father was overseas and did not want anything to do with her. One of the many reasons that she did not want to keep the baby. I find myself thinking, what are the chances we have on this adoption? It was so close to Emily's and I was worry about not been there when the baby was born. She had no worries and assure me once again that I was going to be the baby's boy mother.

The baby was born on March 1, 2007, while we were in China getting Emily. My MIL took her to the hospital and cared for her for 2 days. On the 3rd day when my MIL was supposed to pick up the baby and take him home, she changed her mind and decided to keep the baby and told my MIL over the phone, not to show up at the hospital because there was not going to be any baby to pick up. My MIL was devastated, as we were when she gave us the news. I hid my disappointment and disbelieve while going ahead with Emily's adoption in China. There was noting my MIL or us could do to change the fact that she decided to parent this baby. I hoped and prayed that she made the right decision to keep the baby and give him and the other 3 kids the family life that the kids deserve. We never heard from her, again.


After our return from China, I took back the 2ND crib and many other items to the stores that I had bought for this baby. I focus my attention on Emily and Emily alone. All the baby boy clothes, toys ans such were put on boxes and down to the basement. I kept thinking that we should have never go ahead with this adoption while trying to bond with Emily. Fortunately, Emily did not want to leave my side, day and night. I did sneak out to work at the office on several occasions and each time she saw me again, I will get the most exquisite and tight hugs, ever!

Life went on and a couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity of giving away all the baby boys clothes to a worker of DH. I pulled all the boxes out, run my hands to the tiny clothes, pants, blankets and shoes that I was given to me or bought on my own. It was a painful departure but a healthy one because I was finally letting go of the painful memories that happened almost 3 years ago. I knew back then, that another domestic adoption was not in our future but I did not want to let go because I had tiny hopes that it might happen. I gave away 5 boxes full of baby boy clothes, onesis, toys, baby books, etc. I was finally letting go and have closure on that chapter of my life.

After a few days, I learned from my adoption agency that gotta day is going to be March 1st, in Taiyuan China.

I always believe that Gods timing is everything and that he has a great sense of humor.

Monday, December 21, 2009

The road least traveled, and so I thought

Adoption.

A word that has become part of our lives in the last 5 years.

I pray that each orphan around the globe will be able to find his/her forever family, regardless of how they make the decision to adopt .

You see, when infertility was explained to me, actually let me rephrase that.... when infertility was not explained to me, because there was no explanation to our medical history as to the reason we couldn't have children, or why these or that treatment did not work, adoption was not part of our plans. I am not ashamed to say that adoption was not even in our vocabulary before all the unexplained infertility came crashing on us like a bucket of cold water in our face. For us, it was Plan B for a family. For us, adoption become the only plan available to have a family. This plan B became our salvation and an infinity love started to grow on us for that little girl we met almost 3 years ago, and now, that little boy that one day next year we are about to meet.

In the mist of our 2nd adoption and very close to traveling once again to China, my thoughts are a bit confused. Not for a moment I doubt that I cannot provide to Emily and Nathan a stable family foundation, a place for them to grow and fulfill their most inner dreams, a house that becomes a home. My doubts are of fear as to not be able to read their feelings, their thoughts about one day, be able to answers all those difficult questions surrounded their birth. How they came into this word and the reason of their birth parents not able to keep them. I'm sure there are many reading materials out there that will be able to help them understand the reasons one day. I want to be able to explain those circumstances to them in the most reasonable and loving way. You see, I am a person that believe in facts, a visual expression of objects I can see. The unknowns are very difficult for me to understand. However, I am also a person who believes and have faith on things I don't see. I have faith because I want to believe. I have faith because God believes in me and I do not want to let him down.

Dada, mommy, Emily and Nathan don't have a drop of blood in commom . However, we have something called forever love for each other. God had a plan in mind and it's been executed beautifully, on his timimg. The road least traveled has become our road for a loving family of four.


I PRAYED TO THE LORD, AND HE ANSWERED ME. HE FREED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS. THOSE WHO LOOK TO HIM FOR HELP WILL BE RADIANT WITH JOY; NO SHADOW OF SHAME WILL DARKEN THEIR FACES. IN MY DESPERATION I PRAYED, AND THE LORD LISTENED; HE SAVED ME FROM ALL MY TROUBLES.

PSALM 34:4-6

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Meet Our Son


His name is Nathan Scott Wei. He is 3 year old and lives in China. He loves to play outside with sticks and rocks. He is shy and fairly an introvert. He is also potty trained and living with his foster family for the past 2 1/2 years.

Nathan, your sister has talked about you for months now. She cares very much about you and includes you daily in her prayers, wants to share her toys with you and even saved some of her Halloween candy for you to enjoy. She is not so-patiently waiting to go to China and meet you so you will be reunited with the family God has chosen for you. Mommy and dada are also very eager to meet you and bring you to your forever home. We will be there as soon as China allows us to go. In the meantime, we wish you happiness and longtime memories with the family who has taken care of you in your short life and for that, we are very grateful.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

So much to be Thankful for this year, besides the yummy turkey leg.
  • Found Nathan on the special needs list
  • Emily will be a big sister (by three months), hopefully in a few more months
  • Traveling to China, once again to adopt
  • A secure and wonderful job with great co-workers
  • Family in good health and spirits
  • An early Christmas present, to be disclosed tomorrow
  • Didn't have to cook a turkey this year. Maybe on Christmas!
  • Watch my daughter grow and become a pretty, smart, sassy little girl
  • Celebrated 8 years of marriage, and counting
  • Miss Dianne, Emily's daycare provider
  • Our church, where people become family
  • Chocolate, always thankful to have it around!
  • Learning how to blog! Man, it has been hard and still is!
  • Many new challenges next year with the addition of Nathan
  • Keeping in contact with friends far away
  • Celebrating 10 years of friendship with the old singles group
  • Emily's fear of water is gone and she is now learning how to swim
  • LOA received yesterday!
  • And YOU, because you are reading this!
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

How do you explain waiting times to a 3 year old?


And specially, time such this as waiting for your brother who is on the other side of the world, waiting to be reunited with us?

This waiting part has been so hard and difficult for all of us involved. It has been 4 months since I saw Nathan's face for the first time. Never for a moment doubting that he will become my son one day. However, the waiting part has been hard on Emily too. She is just 3 years old and does not understand the word "waiting" to its full significance.

Let me explain it.

On one occasion, she saw how the big brother of one of her classmates came and pick him up. Her classmate, "J" was so excited to see his brother and without knowing, transmitted this emotion to my little girl. She just stood there in awe, glaring at them with wide open eyes for the longest time, as they embraced in a big hug, following by greetings of love and camaraderie. She took it all in and on our way back to the car, showed me her deepest emotions. She asked in a very soft voice, where her brother is, why wasn't he ready yet for us to go to China and get him and why we have to keep waiting and waiting and waiting. Her face was very sad and she had a thousand more questions all over her little face. Questions that I did not have answers at that moment, at least not the ones she wanted to hear. I wrapped her in my arms and explain the best I could. She was very silent on our car ride home, trying to process what she just witnessed and realizing that the waiting part will still be there no matter how I tried to decode it. We all hope and pray that the waiting will be less each day, that someone is preparing Nathan's heart, to the best of their knowledge, what is like to be part of a family with a mom, a dad and a sister, who is anxiously waiting for him to come home.


So I ask, how do you explain waiting times to a 3 year old?

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Thankful Thursday

When I look back and my mind wonders about the things I am thankful for, I tend to navigate to the special moments in my life that I will like to preserve forever.

A nice childhood, my family, friends who are close and friends who are far away,and most important, God with me all the time.

And lately, adoptive parents met through the modern era of the Internet. Although we have never met in person, these people understand more that you can imagine. Many of them had walked the same road we are walking now. We share similar feelings, moments in time, anecdotes of the past that keep coming back. We might have even stayed at the same hotel room in Shaiman Island, at a different time! The road of adoption is so unique and at the same time, similar in many aspects. We all help each other understand the agonizing wait for a child thousand of miles away, waiting for us to be reunited and when that moment happens, I cry tears of happiness like they are part of my family. Yes, that's what it is, I consider them part of my family, although some of us have never met. And for that relationship,

I AM VERY THANKFUL

Thank you for your support, your understanding, your words of encouragement, a shoulder to cry on and the promise of a future that we can all be very proud of it one day.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Homesick

I don't know what's about this song but it touches my heart and soul every time time I hear it.

The version I like the most is by Philips, Craig and Dean. I have it on my music list to the left, if you will like to try it.


"You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you"





"I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now"

"I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now"



"Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home"

"I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now"

"In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again To see you again"




And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now




disclaimer: lyrics and photos downloaded from the internet

Friday, November 6, 2009

Reflections

Fall is my favorite season of all.....

A time to slow down from the busy days of summer..... A time to evaluate our thoughts.....

A time to reflect on our choices.....

A time to figure out if we should continue the way we are.....

A time to make a difference to make it count.....

Whatever your choices, pause a moment and reflect on the things that matter most....