It is our second day back in T-Town and we are all doing our best to get our body clocks reset to standard time - Ugh! It could be a long week... Sarah did really well on our flights from VN. She napped from Hanoi to Tiawan and slept nearly the entire flight from Tiawan to San Fran. She was a little fussy and squirmy from San Fran to Dallas and during the desent she threw up on me (Heather). I was glad that I packed a spare shirt in my carry-on. We cleaned up, changed Sarah and boarded our final flight. Thankfully our last leg was only 45 minutes long.
We were greated by many family and friends and it was a WELCOME sight! (Thanks to all who were there - we understand that 8:15 Friday morning is not the most convenient time.) Sarah wasn't too sure what to make of the large crowd, so some tears were shed. But, it was just so wonderful to finally be home!
After a bottle and being reunited with Luke (another Ninh Thuan baby) she calmed down. She also enjoyed sharing cookies with Lucy (adopted from Korea through Dillon) and seemed to be calmed by her presence, as well.
Sarah was a real sweetheart when we got home and her grandparents got to see the giggly side of her. So far she is having a blast checking out her new home and getting aquainted with her dog, Rosie (an 87 lb lab). She and Rosie have already bonded - Sarah throws food on the floor and Rosie eats it *lol*.
Below is a slide show of our homecoming - enjoy!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
We're Coming Home!!
So it's been a bit of a crazy day....but it's all good!
This morning Adam, Natasha, and Michael made a trip to the Hoa Lo prison, known by many Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton." 90% of the prison is dedicated to the re-telling of Vietnamese patriots who survived the French occupation, as the Hoa Lu prison held many famous Vietnamese political prisoners over several decades. Americans will know of the prison because in 1964 the first US POW of the Vietnam war was held there when his plane was shot down over Hanoi. The most famous POW to stay was Senator John McCain, who was captured in October, 1967 and released in March, 1973. Interestingnly, there were two small rooms dedicated to holding the memoribilia and pictures of several US POW's. This was certainly anything but the "no spin zone," as many of pictures and captions painted quite a rosy picture, for example, "American pilots were receiving presents from their families in Hoa Lo prison" and "American pilots in Hoa Lo prison went to church" and "American pilots were playing music on instrumetns in Hoa Lo prison." Well, you get the idea...
After a brilliant lunch at the Kangaroo Cafe (an Aussie place)we picked up the Visa for Sarah at 2pm. Actually, all of the Visa's for our group were ready in the morning...much to our surprise! One couple was already scheduled to leave today, and two others went ahead and changed flights and packed quickly since the Visa's were ready so quickly. We decided to stick with the original plan and enjoy our final day and not be rushed.
Then the fun began: Adam and I went to the EVA office to re-confirm everything for tomorrow's flights, only to eventually discover that the EVA booking agent made a mistake last week when re-booking our flights. Adam and Natatsha were all set, but she put Heather and I on the red-eye flight leaving San Francisco on Friday night, not Thursday night....28 hours after our arrival to San Francisoc! Argh! Then she said the flight to Chicago was all booked and there was nothing she could do to change the dates and the best she could do was to get us out Friday morning at 11am, arriving Tulsa Friday night at 9:50pm....talk about a shocker!
So, we had to wait a few hours due to the time differential, then tried calling the travel agent and sent an email, figuring he was the best chance we had to get something worked out, but his hands were also tied. So, what to do? How about calling AA directly? After the "My wife and I are trying to get home after adopting our sweet baby girl, followed by the "awwww...congratulations!"--I had a good feeling they would do something to help us. Well, the Chicago flight was still very full but...the best they could do was to re-route us through DFW so that we would arrive Tulsa at 8:15am instead of 8:50am....WE WIN!!
So, here's our absolute, final, no-holds-barred, no more shananigans, resolute arrival time to Tulsa: 8:15a.m. on American Airlines, Flight 3665 from Dallas/Ft. Worth.
This experience has been everything we could have ever hoped and dreamed. We've visitd so many beautiful areas of Vietnam, embraced the culture, the people, the food, the sights, sounds, smells, scooter ride, and even a hair-cut complete with a head massage! Most of all, we've had a neo-honeymoon not only with one another, but with our new daughter. Sarah has captured our hearts. Yet, we approach re-entry knowing that she belongs first to the Lord before she belongs to anyone else. Our prayer is that we might be faithful stewards over the life of this precious one-God's faithful gift to our lives.
Tam Biet Vietnam! (good bye Vietnam)
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This morning Adam, Natasha, and Michael made a trip to the Hoa Lo prison, known by many Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton." 90% of the prison is dedicated to the re-telling of Vietnamese patriots who survived the French occupation, as the Hoa Lu prison held many famous Vietnamese political prisoners over several decades. Americans will know of the prison because in 1964 the first US POW of the Vietnam war was held there when his plane was shot down over Hanoi. The most famous POW to stay was Senator John McCain, who was captured in October, 1967 and released in March, 1973. Interestingnly, there were two small rooms dedicated to holding the memoribilia and pictures of several US POW's. This was certainly anything but the "no spin zone," as many of pictures and captions painted quite a rosy picture, for example, "American pilots were receiving presents from their families in Hoa Lo prison" and "American pilots in Hoa Lo prison went to church" and "American pilots were playing music on instrumetns in Hoa Lo prison." Well, you get the idea...
After a brilliant lunch at the Kangaroo Cafe (an Aussie place)we picked up the Visa for Sarah at 2pm. Actually, all of the Visa's for our group were ready in the morning...much to our surprise! One couple was already scheduled to leave today, and two others went ahead and changed flights and packed quickly since the Visa's were ready so quickly. We decided to stick with the original plan and enjoy our final day and not be rushed.
Then the fun began: Adam and I went to the EVA office to re-confirm everything for tomorrow's flights, only to eventually discover that the EVA booking agent made a mistake last week when re-booking our flights. Adam and Natatsha were all set, but she put Heather and I on the red-eye flight leaving San Francisco on Friday night, not Thursday night....28 hours after our arrival to San Francisoc! Argh! Then she said the flight to Chicago was all booked and there was nothing she could do to change the dates and the best she could do was to get us out Friday morning at 11am, arriving Tulsa Friday night at 9:50pm....talk about a shocker!
So, we had to wait a few hours due to the time differential, then tried calling the travel agent and sent an email, figuring he was the best chance we had to get something worked out, but his hands were also tied. So, what to do? How about calling AA directly? After the "My wife and I are trying to get home after adopting our sweet baby girl, followed by the "awwww...congratulations!"--I had a good feeling they would do something to help us. Well, the Chicago flight was still very full but...the best they could do was to re-route us through DFW so that we would arrive Tulsa at 8:15am instead of 8:50am....WE WIN!!
So, here's our absolute, final, no-holds-barred, no more shananigans, resolute arrival time to Tulsa: 8:15a.m. on American Airlines, Flight 3665 from Dallas/Ft. Worth.
This experience has been everything we could have ever hoped and dreamed. We've visitd so many beautiful areas of Vietnam, embraced the culture, the people, the food, the sights, sounds, smells, scooter ride, and even a hair-cut complete with a head massage! Most of all, we've had a neo-honeymoon not only with one another, but with our new daughter. Sarah has captured our hearts. Yet, we approach re-entry knowing that she belongs first to the Lord before she belongs to anyone else. Our prayer is that we might be faithful stewards over the life of this precious one-God's faithful gift to our lives.
Tam Biet Vietnam! (good bye Vietnam)
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Visa Granted
We returned a few hours ago from our exit interview at the US Embassy to receive Sarah's visa. All 5 families were in and out in an hour and all cases were approved. Yea! It really wasn't much of an interview and we couldn't believe that we were all delayed a week for a 7 minute (per family) interview!
The room we entered was very small and plain. We sat down at bank teller/ticket kind of window. Five American people sat behind the window and spoke to us through a microphone. They were fairly stern-faced people, but Sarah was able to make a few of them crack a smile. One woman said, "Well, she's full of spit and vinegar, isn't she?" After a few basic questions, they slid our papers under the window for Michael to sign. If all goes well, we will pick up her visa at 4:00pm tomorrow.
We are excited for everyone to meet Sarah. With each day she just becomes sweeter and more affectionate and we just love her to pieces. She is becoming more and more of a toddler and less of a baby each day, too. She is a little delayed with her walking, but we feel blessed that we will get to see her take her first steps. We have lots of standing time each day and her legs are really getting strong, so it won't be long now...
The past two days have been rainy and VERY muggy in Hanoi, so we haven't done anything too exciting. There is lots of great shopping all around us, but I think we are shopped out (is that possible??)! Our biggest suitcase is full of only things we have purchased here and I'm hoping we can get our other stuff packed in the two smaller bags. If not, we will be purchasing another bag. They are very cheap here, so it isn't a big deal.
Tomorrow will be our final post from Vietnam! Our long journey home begins Thursday evening. We will post our itereneray tomorrow. If it is possible, we hope to see you at the airport Friday morning. I'm not sure what we will look or smell like, but Sarah will at least look cute! :)
Until next time...
The room we entered was very small and plain. We sat down at bank teller/ticket kind of window. Five American people sat behind the window and spoke to us through a microphone. They were fairly stern-faced people, but Sarah was able to make a few of them crack a smile. One woman said, "Well, she's full of spit and vinegar, isn't she?" After a few basic questions, they slid our papers under the window for Michael to sign. If all goes well, we will pick up her visa at 4:00pm tomorrow.
We are excited for everyone to meet Sarah. With each day she just becomes sweeter and more affectionate and we just love her to pieces. She is becoming more and more of a toddler and less of a baby each day, too. She is a little delayed with her walking, but we feel blessed that we will get to see her take her first steps. We have lots of standing time each day and her legs are really getting strong, so it won't be long now...
The past two days have been rainy and VERY muggy in Hanoi, so we haven't done anything too exciting. There is lots of great shopping all around us, but I think we are shopped out (is that possible??)! Our biggest suitcase is full of only things we have purchased here and I'm hoping we can get our other stuff packed in the two smaller bags. If not, we will be purchasing another bag. They are very cheap here, so it isn't a big deal.
Tomorrow will be our final post from Vietnam! Our long journey home begins Thursday evening. We will post our itereneray tomorrow. If it is possible, we hope to see you at the airport Friday morning. I'm not sure what we will look or smell like, but Sarah will at least look cute! :)
Until next time...
Monday, September 25, 2006
Amtrack?...not exaclty!
The night train...where do I begin on this one? Let me start off with the options for the night train in order of quality. Hard Seats: wooden plank benches in an un-airconditioned car. Soft Seats: padded reclining seats w/ AC. Hard Sleeper: 6 stainless-steel bunks with bamboo mat stacked 3 high on each side with no airconditioning. Soft Sleeper (deluxe class): semi-soft mattress with sheet, quilt, pillow, and AC. Victoria Train: first class train.
We bought the deluxe tickets for our weekend trip to Sapa(they like the word "deluxe" in VN), which sounded pretty good. The deluxe rooms have 4 bunks to a room, so on Friday night we shared a cabin with Adam and Natasha. The rest of our group also shared cabins in the same car. We set up pallets on the floor for the babies and despite the "smokey" smelling a/c, we slept all right. At least we did have a western toilet (albiet dirty) on our car.
We arrived in (Lao Cai)at dawn on Saturday morning and then had a one hour bus ride up the steep and winding mountian road to Sapa. Sapa is nestled into the hillside a bit more than 5000 ft. in altitude. It is most likely that Sapa was first inhabited by highland minorities of the H'mong, Red Zao, Xapho and Tai, complete with their largely untouched dress and customs. This remote corner of Vietnam was "discovered" by a Jesuit missionary in 1918. In the 1920s the French decided to develop Sapa into replica of their European Alps. They constructed villas, a small hydroelectric station, a church, etc. and all still remain in Sapa today. The town supports a population of about 3300 while the surrounding district is home to about 32000 people. The ride from Lao Cai to Sapa used to take nearly 6 hours, but thanks to a new road it can be done in under an hour.
After some rest and lunch, we ventured to the Cat Cat village, home of the "black" h'mong people (the color represents the clothing worn by that particular people group). They welcomed us into their home and then walked with us on our trek (about 2 miles...down and up and all around). The scenery was unbelievabale. The rice fields were golden and ready for harvest, carved out in the most stunning terraced hillsides. We also came across a gorgeous waterfall, water buffalo, and young locals doing their best to sell you hand-made crafts. Sarah did great in the baby-carrier, and even fell asleep along the way. It was obvious how all of those early morning in Tulsa walks paid off for Heather!
Our tour guide was a young man named Son. He learned English from Australians, so imagine a short vietnamese man speaking English with an Australian accent...it was hillarious! He has been married five months, and his wife is four months pregnant. We had the chance to meet her on Saturday night, she is a kindergarten teacher for a nearby village.
Saturday evening we had dinner at a local restaurant and then viewed a demonstration of the historic dances of the area and a re-enactment of the traditional "love market" where young men would come to Sapa and play their instruments to woo the ladies. It was a bit late so we did not stay long. Our hotel was set into the hillside, complete with a small patio and magnificent view. The weather hovered in the 70's, and was very crisp/comfortable in the evenings.
Sunday morning we went to the village of Ta Van, home of the Zay minority people. During the home visit we met a young girl with Downs Syndrome. Most of you know that Michael has a brother (John) who has Downs, so this young girl immediatel won our hearts. She was so tender with Sarah, giving her kisses and helping to feed her. When I looked up at this young girl, I noticed she had a tear in her eye. She was in some way moved by the moment, as was Michael. I think the picture says it all.
After lunch and a late check-out, we finished our village tours with a stop in Ta Phin, home of the Red Zao people. It was a gorgeous afternoon as the son was setting and the local farmers were hard at word harvesting the rice crop. The simple life never looked so appealing as it did on this quiet Sunday afternoon...
Upon arriving back in Lao Cai we drove just 3 kilometers to the Chinese border where we snapped a few pictures across the river and marvelled at how cool it was to "see" China!
As for the adventure that was our overnight train to Hanoi? Well, we were told prior to booking the trip that our ride back would not be in the deluxe car because that train was already full. Instead, we were told we would still have a sleeper car that sleeps six instead of four. No problem, right? Once in Sapa, we learned from two Dutch travellers that the sleeper car we would take back to Hanoi would likely be a "hard" sleeper. At this point, what can you do? So, Natasha and I (Heather) bunked with two other couples in our group, while Adam and Michael bunked next door with college students, some of which were Vietnamese-American studying abroad. One was from Austin, TX and her family of 10 immigrated to the U.S. only 12 years ago. Imagine, if you will, a cabin with two dads, 4 moms, and 4 babies. Sarah and I "slept" on the middle bunk. At first our fan didn't work in the cabin, so the repairman came and twisted some wire together with tape and it worked again. Only, we were a little afraid of a fire hazard! We also didn't have a toilet on our car, so we had to go one over to use a very disusting squatty potty! It is pretty tricky to use on a bumpy train. The only thing I can say that was postive about taking the hard sleeper was riding with the locals and having a "normal" experience that allows you to see things a bit more for how they really are here. Needless to say, our group now has some life-time memories after last night!
It is now Monday afternoon. Heather is and Sarah are taking naps. Earlier, I (Michael) had the final "fitting" for the two suits I am having made, an experience made complete when the tailor (who did not speak English) offered me a cup of afternoon tea. We sat there in silence, grunted and smiled a bit, and I walked away thinking the extra 15 minutes in the shop will likely get me the golden touch on my new digs! We submitted our paperwork to the Embassy this morning and go tomorrow for our interviews. If all goes well, we will pick up Sarah's visa on Wednesday and fly out Thursday night. Enjoy the photos from Sapa!
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We bought the deluxe tickets for our weekend trip to Sapa(they like the word "deluxe" in VN), which sounded pretty good. The deluxe rooms have 4 bunks to a room, so on Friday night we shared a cabin with Adam and Natasha. The rest of our group also shared cabins in the same car. We set up pallets on the floor for the babies and despite the "smokey" smelling a/c, we slept all right. At least we did have a western toilet (albiet dirty) on our car.
We arrived in (Lao Cai)at dawn on Saturday morning and then had a one hour bus ride up the steep and winding mountian road to Sapa. Sapa is nestled into the hillside a bit more than 5000 ft. in altitude. It is most likely that Sapa was first inhabited by highland minorities of the H'mong, Red Zao, Xapho and Tai, complete with their largely untouched dress and customs. This remote corner of Vietnam was "discovered" by a Jesuit missionary in 1918. In the 1920s the French decided to develop Sapa into replica of their European Alps. They constructed villas, a small hydroelectric station, a church, etc. and all still remain in Sapa today. The town supports a population of about 3300 while the surrounding district is home to about 32000 people. The ride from Lao Cai to Sapa used to take nearly 6 hours, but thanks to a new road it can be done in under an hour.
After some rest and lunch, we ventured to the Cat Cat village, home of the "black" h'mong people (the color represents the clothing worn by that particular people group). They welcomed us into their home and then walked with us on our trek (about 2 miles...down and up and all around). The scenery was unbelievabale. The rice fields were golden and ready for harvest, carved out in the most stunning terraced hillsides. We also came across a gorgeous waterfall, water buffalo, and young locals doing their best to sell you hand-made crafts. Sarah did great in the baby-carrier, and even fell asleep along the way. It was obvious how all of those early morning in Tulsa walks paid off for Heather!
Our tour guide was a young man named Son. He learned English from Australians, so imagine a short vietnamese man speaking English with an Australian accent...it was hillarious! He has been married five months, and his wife is four months pregnant. We had the chance to meet her on Saturday night, she is a kindergarten teacher for a nearby village.Saturday evening we had dinner at a local restaurant and then viewed a demonstration of the historic dances of the area and a re-enactment of the traditional "love market" where young men would come to Sapa and play their instruments to woo the ladies. It was a bit late so we did not stay long. Our hotel was set into the hillside, complete with a small patio and magnificent view. The weather hovered in the 70's, and was very crisp/comfortable in the evenings.
Sunday morning we went to the village of Ta Van, home of the Zay minority people. During the home visit we met a young girl with Downs Syndrome. Most of you know that Michael has a brother (John) who has Downs, so this young girl immediatel won our hearts. She was so tender with Sarah, giving her kisses and helping to feed her. When I looked up at this young girl, I noticed she had a tear in her eye. She was in some way moved by the moment, as was Michael. I think the picture says it all.
After lunch and a late check-out, we finished our village tours with a stop in Ta Phin, home of the Red Zao people. It was a gorgeous afternoon as the son was setting and the local farmers were hard at word harvesting the rice crop. The simple life never looked so appealing as it did on this quiet Sunday afternoon...
Upon arriving back in Lao Cai we drove just 3 kilometers to the Chinese border where we snapped a few pictures across the river and marvelled at how cool it was to "see" China!
As for the adventure that was our overnight train to Hanoi? Well, we were told prior to booking the trip that our ride back would not be in the deluxe car because that train was already full. Instead, we were told we would still have a sleeper car that sleeps six instead of four. No problem, right? Once in Sapa, we learned from two Dutch travellers that the sleeper car we would take back to Hanoi would likely be a "hard" sleeper. At this point, what can you do? So, Natasha and I (Heather) bunked with two other couples in our group, while Adam and Michael bunked next door with college students, some of which were Vietnamese-American studying abroad. One was from Austin, TX and her family of 10 immigrated to the U.S. only 12 years ago. Imagine, if you will, a cabin with two dads, 4 moms, and 4 babies. Sarah and I "slept" on the middle bunk. At first our fan didn't work in the cabin, so the repairman came and twisted some wire together with tape and it worked again. Only, we were a little afraid of a fire hazard! We also didn't have a toilet on our car, so we had to go one over to use a very disusting squatty potty! It is pretty tricky to use on a bumpy train. The only thing I can say that was postive about taking the hard sleeper was riding with the locals and having a "normal" experience that allows you to see things a bit more for how they really are here. Needless to say, our group now has some life-time memories after last night!
It is now Monday afternoon. Heather is and Sarah are taking naps. Earlier, I (Michael) had the final "fitting" for the two suits I am having made, an experience made complete when the tailor (who did not speak English) offered me a cup of afternoon tea. We sat there in silence, grunted and smiled a bit, and I walked away thinking the extra 15 minutes in the shop will likely get me the golden touch on my new digs! We submitted our paperwork to the Embassy this morning and go tomorrow for our interviews. If all goes well, we will pick up Sarah's visa on Wednesday and fly out Thursday night. Enjoy the photos from Sapa!
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Friday, September 22, 2006
Night Train
We are off to Sapa in just a few short hours. We will take the night train, riding in a sleeper car for eight hours. We will spend Saturday night in a hotel and return on the night train Sunday night. Our hotel in Hanoi was very kind to us. They are letting us keep our room until 8:00pm tonight, will store our luggage over the weekend, and give us back our room at 6:00am Monday morning for a VERY discounted price. We have no idea what kind of internet set-up we will have, so we may not be posting over the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday for pictures of the highlands. We are anxious to see more of God's beautiful creation.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Vietnamese History 101
"I am the Lord your God, who brough you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have not other gods besides me." Exodus: 20:2-3
Today we ventured south of Ha Noi to a place called Hoa Lu, which was once the capitol of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 A.D. during the Dinh and Le dynasties (the capitol moved to Ha Noi in 1010, the 1000 yr. anniversary coming soon). The reason Hoa Lu was chosen as the captitol during the Dinh dynasty is because the Vietnamese were under attack from China (surprise!) This region is positioned quite defensively within the hills and rivers of the Ninh Binh province. There are two temples erected near one another to honor each of the two kings of this period. We visited both, followed by a new sales technique I can't wait to try. You see, when we first entered the grounds of the temples, these vietnamese women ran up to us acting VERY friendly, asking questions, and using every english word they knew, including asking our names. I don't recall them really trying to sell us anything, but on our way out of the area when we were all hot and thirsty, they were right there waiting and using our first names to get our attention. It was quite ingenious. Here we thought they were really just being nice to us upon our arrival...ha!!
We drove about 20 kilometers to the area of Tam Coc where we enjoyed a lunch of soup, goat, pork, beef with rice and pineapple, rice, and bannanas. Tam Coc (also known as "dry Ha Long Bay") is a most remarkable sight to see. It is set on the Hoang Long river surrounded by limestone mountains which will run along their riverway for several kilometers. The reason I know this is becuase we saw it all from a small boat rowed by two local persons for about 6 kilometers. The view was breathtaking and serene. Sarah fell asleep on Heather for the second half of the journey, leading to a sore tail bone for Heather in the not-so-comfortable boat! Of course, the locals pulled right up alongside our boat, offering cool drinks and hand-crafted items.
Both Heather and Sarah are feeling better today. Sarah's nose did not run as much, her voice has returned, and she coughed less than the past two days. Thank you for your prayers. We leave tomorrow night for Sapa and will return to Ha Noi on Monday morning. We are really looking forward to seeing the highlands and enjoying some cooler weather. Not too sure if we'll have any internet connection in Sapa, so we'll do our best to post an update as soon as possible!
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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Funky Vietnam rash and other maladies
As you can tell from tonight's title, someone in the Homan house has a funky rash! Who else, besides me (heather) would break out in a rash? After consulting two doctors and a nurse, the cause of the rash is...unknown. Sarah went to the doctor this evening, as well. We had a hard time deciding if we should take her, but after one baby was diagnosed with pneumonia and one with an upper repertory infection, we decided to play it safe. Turns out that Sarah is suffering from allergies. I guess she really was meant to be my daughter! We were given cough medicine, a nasal solution and a really fun snott-sucking bulb (otherwise known as a nasal aspirator). She didn't like any of it, but she seems to be breathing easier now that she is down for bed. The clinic was really nice. It is called SOS International Clinic with doctors from around the world. Ours happened to be a local guy, but he studied in Denver. Very nice, very clean, and definitely set up for tourists. The price was pretty reasonable, too.
My day was mostly spent in the hotel room with Sarah. I didn't feel like venturing out with my condition (I feel a little bit like a leper) and the baby's. Michael went out for a while to find a tailor to make him some suits. Prices here are very reasonable to have custom made clothing.
I think that because I was cooped up in the hotel room today, I really missed home a lot more. Tomorrow we are going on a day trip 2 hours north of here. We are going to see (I think) a famous pagoda and a place referred to as Dry Ha Long Bay. The next day we leave for Sapa.
We received good news that our visa appointment will happen next Tuesday instead of Wednesday. This means that we will get to leave VN on Thursday. As we get closer to leaving we will post our return information.
All things considered, this has been an amazing trip and Sarah is worth every minute of our time spent here. I highly recommend VN as a place to visit! It is so different from any other place, so beautiful, and the people are so gracious.
My day was mostly spent in the hotel room with Sarah. I didn't feel like venturing out with my condition (I feel a little bit like a leper) and the baby's. Michael went out for a while to find a tailor to make him some suits. Prices here are very reasonable to have custom made clothing.
I think that because I was cooped up in the hotel room today, I really missed home a lot more. Tomorrow we are going on a day trip 2 hours north of here. We are going to see (I think) a famous pagoda and a place referred to as Dry Ha Long Bay. The next day we leave for Sapa.
We received good news that our visa appointment will happen next Tuesday instead of Wednesday. This means that we will get to leave VN on Thursday. As we get closer to leaving we will post our return information.
All things considered, this has been an amazing trip and Sarah is worth every minute of our time spent here. I highly recommend VN as a place to visit! It is so different from any other place, so beautiful, and the people are so gracious.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Settling in...
After breakfast this morning we packed up and moved less than a mile to a different hotel in the Old Quarter of town near the lake. Everyone in the group really likes our new digs, especially the price. We have bigger rooms and smack dab in the middle of all of the shops, so we are right at home. Our new hotel has internet connection in the rooms, except something is wrong with our connection and they are going to fix it tomorrow. So...I am in a "internet cafe" surrounded by thirteen and fourteen year olds playing video games and chatting away on IM. Ah...to be young again!
Sarah is still working through her congestion/sickness. We've had a few of those "I don't know what to do, do you know what to do?" moments with her illness. Lot's of fluids and rest! I can only imagine how horrible she must feel, though surpisingly her spirits are still quite peppy and playful. We laid low today, resting and checking out the local scene around our hotel. You could say we're "settling in" for the duration of the trip. But not without a few excursions, of course... :-)
We've scheduled a day trip for tomorrow to Hoa Lu to visit temples of Dinh King and Le King, built on the site of Vietnam's capital citadel in 10th century. We will also see Tam Coc area, also called "Dry - Halong bay." We will rest Thursday and then on Friday night we are taking the overnight train to Sapa in the Northwest highlands. We will spend Saturday and Sunday in Sapa and surrounding villages before boarding the train home Sunday evening arriving Monday morning. We will have a guide once we arrive for the weekend. Everyone is really excited about our little adventure and it is very reasonably priced.
That's about all for now...so long from Hanoi!
Sarah is still working through her congestion/sickness. We've had a few of those "I don't know what to do, do you know what to do?" moments with her illness. Lot's of fluids and rest! I can only imagine how horrible she must feel, though surpisingly her spirits are still quite peppy and playful. We laid low today, resting and checking out the local scene around our hotel. You could say we're "settling in" for the duration of the trip. But not without a few excursions, of course... :-)
We've scheduled a day trip for tomorrow to Hoa Lu to visit temples of Dinh King and Le King, built on the site of Vietnam's capital citadel in 10th century. We will also see Tam Coc area, also called "Dry - Halong bay." We will rest Thursday and then on Friday night we are taking the overnight train to Sapa in the Northwest highlands. We will spend Saturday and Sunday in Sapa and surrounding villages before boarding the train home Sunday evening arriving Monday morning. We will have a guide once we arrive for the weekend. Everyone is really excited about our little adventure and it is very reasonably priced.
That's about all for now...so long from Hanoi!
Monday, September 18, 2006
Making Lemonade
Saturday, September 16, 2006
A little bit Vietnam, a little bit France…
After our huge breakfast we came back to the room to relax and later ventured out with Adam and Natasha to see the city and scope out the shopping. We also found out that our flight from
We’re off to Ha Long Bay tomorrow morning. It will be a long day and it will also be Sunday, so we’re going to simply soak it all in and post more sometime on Monday (our time). Have a great weekend…and GO POKES!
Friday, September 15, 2006
Hello from Hanoi!
Just a short post tonight to let you know that we are settled into our hotel in Hanoi. We finished up our last minute shopping and sight-seeing in Saigon this morning (Michael even rode on the back of a motor scooter) and headed for the airport around noon. There was a slight hang-up with our airline tickets and we almost didn’t get to leave. Somehow 4 out of the 6 families had the wrong departure date on their tickets – us included. As we were checking in we were told that we were there on the wrong day, the flight was full and we would have to wait until the 17th. A few minutes later 10 seats miraculously became available! So, here we are in beautiful Hanoi. Sarah did really well on the flight, despite missing her afternoon nap. She was a little squirmy in our laps and didn’t go to sleep like we had hoped. We were very relieved that she didn’t have any ear problems or motion sickness on the flight. This plane had a really cool feature that we have never seen before. They had a camera mounted on the front of the plane and they fed it through to the monitors on board. We got to watch the take-off and landing. The landing was the most exciting to watch. We all laughed and wondered if they cut the camera feed if it is going to be a bad landing!
We still do not have an exit interview appointment yet. We won’t know until Monday if we will get one this week. Our government office in Hanoi is only open Monday-Wednesday, so if we don’t get an appointment for Tuesday or Wednesday, we will be spending another week in VN. Let’s hope not, because the hotel is $125 per night. Not to mention that we need to come home and get on with life! While we wait for our appointment we have some sight-seeing to do. On Sunday we will be going to Ha Long Bay. I’m so pleased that we get to see it in person. This was the one sight that I really wanted to visit while we were here. Watch for pictures, I’m sure they will be beautiful. If you think of it, say a little prayer that we get to come home on time…. We’re pooped, so good night!
We still do not have an exit interview appointment yet. We won’t know until Monday if we will get one this week. Our government office in Hanoi is only open Monday-Wednesday, so if we don’t get an appointment for Tuesday or Wednesday, we will be spending another week in VN. Let’s hope not, because the hotel is $125 per night. Not to mention that we need to come home and get on with life! While we wait for our appointment we have some sight-seeing to do. On Sunday we will be going to Ha Long Bay. I’m so pleased that we get to see it in person. This was the one sight that I really wanted to visit while we were here. Watch for pictures, I’m sure they will be beautiful. If you think of it, say a little prayer that we get to come home on time…. We’re pooped, so good night!
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Farewell Saigon
It seems we’ve just arrived in Saigon, only to be packing up once more to fly tomorrow to Hanoi 
Later on in the afternoon (after naps for mom and baby), we ventured over to the market for some shopping. It is a wild and crazy scene, booths everywhere, people calling to you to look in their little store/area, asking “what you like?”…“you want t-shirt?”…“you like short?”…”clothes for baby?” After awhile it can get a bit irksome, but the negotiating is oh so fun! We were able to find/buy most everything we were looking for.
This morning we met the van driver and our tour guide Khoa for the short drive to the site of the Cu Chi tunnels. After an “interesting” 10 minute black and white video we explored the area that has been preserved since the war. Not only did they have a couple of marked sites where B-52 bombs landed, but they had demonstrations of several varieties of booby traps used by the Guerilla fighters from the North. The tunnel system for which this area is known was unbelievable. It was complete with cooking areas, dining rooms, and meeting rooms. If you’ll notice in the pictures, there are certain “hidden entrances” to the tunnels that are only for those with skinny bellies! Adam and I crawled through approximately 30 meters of tunnels before we came up for air. He could have gone on further, but I’m not sure my frame would have made it through another set of tunnelsJ!
Later on in the afternoon (after naps for mom and baby), we ventured over to the market for some shopping. It is a wild and crazy scene, booths everywhere, people calling to you to look in their little store/area, asking “what you like?”…“you want t-shirt?”…“you like short?”…”clothes for baby?” After awhile it can get a bit irksome, but the negotiating is oh so fun! We were able to find/buy most everything we were looking for.
We’ll settle into
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
When 15 minutes equals 1 hour...
The 13 hour marathon is officially over! We began our day meeting with Thomas, our agency attorney, at breakfast this morning at 7:20. He went over the details of the day, which would start with the men going to pick up the children's passports at 9 and then to the US Consulate at 11:20am. It didn't sound so bad... With a little time to spare, I decided to run Sarah across the street to be fitted for a custom made Ao Dai. Originally I was going to buy her a pre-made one for a one year old. I was assured that the one I bought would "fit one year old Vietnamese baby." Well, it didn't fit this vietnamese baby and we nearly had to cut it off as she has a little belly on her! So we went to plan b - have her measurements taken and have one made. We came back to the hotel with less than an hour for morning nap. 
We've mentioned that the primary mode of transportation is the scooter. Think you'd have a hard time finding your scooter in this parking lot? Notice in the first picture a little child sandwiched between the adults on the scooter. Quite a common sight actually. We've seen as many as six people squeezed onto one ride!
We went for our immigration interview (all 5 families) and our group made it through in record speed, so we were all feeling pretty good and thinking we'd get back to the hotel in good time. Our next stop was for the visa medical check. It took FOREVER! Imagine, if you will, five families and five babies that hav missed a meal and 1-2 naps. (Most of these children are used to having two 2 hour naps per day.) Over the course of an hour and a half we would assured that it would only take "only 15 minutes more" to issue the results. By the time we returned to the hotel, it was close to 5:00pm...before we were back to the room. As you can tell by the photo below, Sarah does very well in the car. As you can see, she really seems to be enjoying her limited freedom without a car seat!
Despite doing well in the van, Sarah had several melt-downs today. We felt so bad for her...all she wanted was a full belly and a comfortable crib...all we wanted was for her to stop crying. It took her quite a while to wind down tonight and fall asleep. I guess overly-tired children don't fall asleep peacefully? I think I read that in her owner's manual somewhere around page 39... :-)
Michael and Adam went tonight to purchase our plane tickets to go to Hanoi (only $100 per ticket one-way, not bad...) and brought back KFC for dinner. The Colonel's recipe is the same in VN, just in case you were wondering. The only strange thing was the fact that an order of mashed potatoes has 3 times the amount of gravy as potatoes. It was like a white lump floating in a pond of gravy. While the guys were gone, Natasha gave Sarah her first official haircut! Cutting her hair is a bit tricky, not only because of her age, but the hair on the back of her head is a bit thin and shows of some of the effects of all of the time she spent on her back at the orphanage. She definitely has some cute curls on the back of her head though!
We will be flying to Hanoi Friday afternoon. We are very excited to get to go a few days early because we will probably get to go to Ha Long Bay and see another part of VN. It is really hard to believe that our time in Saigon is drawing to a close. Our time here as gone by so quickly!
We are still hoping to have our exit interview on Monday, but Thomas thinks it may be on Tuesday. We won't know for another day or two. If we don't have the interview until Tuesday, it will be a close call to make the Wednesday flight to come home...it really depends on how fast they issue Sarah's visa. We'll keep you updated. The important thing is that we have Sarah and we are enjoying our family time together.
Tomorrow we will do a half day tour of The tunnels of Củ Chi , an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located northwest of Saigon. The tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War and the National Front for the Liberation of Vientam base of operations for the Tet Offensive in 1968.
Happy Birthday Brian! We hope you have a wonderful day-
We've mentioned that the primary mode of transportation is the scooter. Think you'd have a hard time finding your scooter in this parking lot? Notice in the first picture a little child sandwiched between the adults on the scooter. Quite a common sight actually. We've seen as many as six people squeezed onto one ride!We went for our immigration interview (all 5 families) and our group made it through in record speed, so we were all feeling pretty good and thinking we'd get back to the hotel in good time. Our next stop was for the visa medical check. It took FOREVER! Imagine, if you will, five families and five babies that hav missed a meal and 1-2 naps. (Most of these children are used to having two 2 hour naps per day.) Over the course of an hour and a half we would assured that it would only take "only 15 minutes more" to issue the results. By the time we returned to the hotel, it was close to 5:00pm...before we were back to the room. As you can tell by the photo below, Sarah does very well in the car. As you can see, she really seems to be enjoying her limited freedom without a car seat!
Despite doing well in the van, Sarah had several melt-downs today. We felt so bad for her...all she wanted was a full belly and a comfortable crib...all we wanted was for her to stop crying. It took her quite a while to wind down tonight and fall asleep. I guess overly-tired children don't fall asleep peacefully? I think I read that in her owner's manual somewhere around page 39... :-)
Michael and Adam went tonight to purchase our plane tickets to go to Hanoi (only $100 per ticket one-way, not bad...) and brought back KFC for dinner. The Colonel's recipe is the same in VN, just in case you were wondering. The only strange thing was the fact that an order of mashed potatoes has 3 times the amount of gravy as potatoes. It was like a white lump floating in a pond of gravy. While the guys were gone, Natasha gave Sarah her first official haircut! Cutting her hair is a bit tricky, not only because of her age, but the hair on the back of her head is a bit thin and shows of some of the effects of all of the time she spent on her back at the orphanage. She definitely has some cute curls on the back of her head though!
We will be flying to Hanoi Friday afternoon. We are very excited to get to go a few days early because we will probably get to go to Ha Long Bay and see another part of VN. It is really hard to believe that our time in Saigon is drawing to a close. Our time here as gone by so quickly!
We are still hoping to have our exit interview on Monday, but Thomas thinks it may be on Tuesday. We won't know for another day or two. If we don't have the interview until Tuesday, it will be a close call to make the Wednesday flight to come home...it really depends on how fast they issue Sarah's visa. We'll keep you updated. The important thing is that we have Sarah and we are enjoying our family time together.
Tomorrow we will do a half day tour of The tunnels of Củ Chi , an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located northwest of Saigon. The tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War and the National Front for the Liberation of Vientam base of operations for the Tet Offensive in 1968.
Happy Birthday Brian! We hope you have a wonderful day-
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
This grandma...
...can work circles around any grandma I know! I guarantee the lady carrying the fruit in this picture was more than 70 years old and can squat more weight than half the Sooner football team (just had to get in at least one cheap shot on the Sooners!)
We're both feeling a bit better today. We're still not out of the woods completely, but definitely taking every precaution to ensure that Ho's revenge doesn't rule the day (fyi: Ho's revenge is the Vietnamese equivalent to Montezuma's revenge). We're in great spirits and enjoying every moment. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments. We look forward to reading them all each and every day!
Sad, but true, I (michael) was awake at 6am this morning to watch the Minnesota Vikings game on the Asian ESPN affiliate. Usually all they show is the English Premiership Soccer matches, Cricket, or Grand Prix Racing. We also get an international version of CNN and the BBC, but that's about it. After a wonderful breakfast (both western and eastern options) we spent some time in the room and Sarah went down for her morning nap. This girl definitely knows how to sleep! When mom and baby woke up, we went to the market (only 5 minute walk) and looked around a bit and bought a few items. If you've ever been to an international market, this was no different. There are vendors everywhere eager for your business. There are many many clothing shops, watches, cologne, hand bags, jewelry, food...and everyone is ready to "give you best price." Of course, negotiation is the name of the game :-) We picked up a few things, but mostly wanted to see what was on offer and who had the best prices. Heather was fitted for an Ao Dai (native Vietnamese costume) as well as a "dressy" outfit, all to be made by hand.
Sarah has quite the personality on her! She is generally very happy, but still gets a bit cranky when we change clothes/diapers. She keeps herself quite occupied with a few toys and smiles at the pictures we show her of the grandparents and Rosie the dog. She also does really well in the baby carrier in all the different positions (front, side, back), which has really come in handy when we are out and about. We went to dinner tonight with our friends the Perryman's (see photo) and Sarah at everything we threw her way, she definitely has quite the appetite!
Tomorrow we are picking up Sarah's Vietnamese passport, have our first interview with the US immigration office, and a medical examination. If all goes well, we will have free days Thursday and Friday before flyinig to Hanoi either Saturday or Sunday. We still won't have a definite date set for our return, but so far everything seems to be on schedule to arrive the morning of the 21st back to Tulsa.
Good night from Ho Chi Minh city! -michael and heather
We're both feeling a bit better today. We're still not out of the woods completely, but definitely taking every precaution to ensure that Ho's revenge doesn't rule the day (fyi: Ho's revenge is the Vietnamese equivalent to Montezuma's revenge). We're in great spirits and enjoying every moment. Thanks for all of your wonderful comments. We look forward to reading them all each and every day!Sad, but true, I (michael) was awake at 6am this morning to watch the Minnesota Vikings game on the Asian ESPN affiliate. Usually all they show is the English Premiership Soccer matches, Cricket, or Grand Prix Racing. We also get an international version of CNN and the BBC, but that's about it. After a wonderful breakfast (both western and eastern options) we spent some time in the room and Sarah went down for her morning nap. This girl definitely knows how to sleep! When mom and baby woke up, we went to the market (only 5 minute walk) and looked around a bit and bought a few items. If you've ever been to an international market, this was no different. There are vendors everywhere eager for your business. There are many many clothing shops, watches, cologne, hand bags, jewelry, food...and everyone is ready to "give you best price." Of course, negotiation is the name of the game :-) We picked up a few things, but mostly wanted to see what was on offer and who had the best prices. Heather was fitted for an Ao Dai (native Vietnamese costume) as well as a "dressy" outfit, all to be made by hand.
Sarah has quite the personality on her! She is generally very happy, but still gets a bit cranky when we change clothes/diapers. She keeps herself quite occupied with a few toys and smiles at the pictures we show her of the grandparents and Rosie the dog. She also does really well in the baby carrier in all the different positions (front, side, back), which has really come in handy when we are out and about. We went to dinner tonight with our friends the Perryman's (see photo) and Sarah at everything we threw her way, she definitely has quite the appetite!
Tomorrow we are picking up Sarah's Vietnamese passport, have our first interview with the US immigration office, and a medical examination. If all goes well, we will have free days Thursday and Friday before flyinig to Hanoi either Saturday or Sunday. We still won't have a definite date set for our return, but so far everything seems to be on schedule to arrive the morning of the 21st back to Tulsa.
Good night from Ho Chi Minh city! -michael and heather
Monday, September 11, 2006
Rainy, lazy days....
(We've discovered a way to make it easier for you to leave comments at the end of each blog without having to "sign in." Sorry for any inconvenience-we look forward to hearing from you!)
Hello again from Ho Chi Minh. We made it back to the city last night around dinner time and we are settled into our room at the Rex Hotel. The drive went very well-Sarah and the other children all did extremely well. You can tell the kids were all on a pretty consistent routine as they eat and nap at consistent times. Thus the drive was either a bit active or very quiet as most were awake/sleeping at the same time. Sarah was fabulous on the 7 hour bus ride (hoping the same will be true on our flight home). We could see the China Sea off and on for the first 90 minutes of the trip, but then turned inland for the rest of the way. As for the description of the landscape...I would have to say it is similar to Northern Arizona? In other words, there were hills in the distance to the west and even some desert-like plant life, cactus, etc. Kind of odd considering the extreme humidity that is usually prevalent here.
We loved the beauty of Ninh Thuan, but it is exciting to be back in the hustle and bustle of the big city. We are staying in a part of Ho Chi Minh city that is really quite cosmopolitan. Except for the fact that everyone is Asian, you would think you were smack dab in the middle of New York City or Chicago. There are department stores, nice hotels and restaurants, street vendors, etc. Did we mention that the primary mode of transportation is the scooter? They are everywhere, and people are often stacked 2-4 deep on each one. It is quite remarkable...
As I write, Daddy and baby are napping in the room. It is dark and rainy outside right now. Michael and I have both been feeling a little on the ill side today and have laid pretty low. Not sure what we got into to make our stomachs upset, but it could be the fact that we downed a ton of pizza last night. Oh, it tasted so good! I've learned I can only do rice and noodles for so many days before I want some sauce and cheese. Sarah has been extra tired, fussy, and clingy with me today. I think we all just needed some extra sleep and quiet time. I'm quite certain that she is expending more energy than ever by just exploring the world around her. She is coming alive more and more each day and we are seeing all kinds of sides to her. Lucky for her, she has the most adorable smile and a way of snuggling that makes up for the tired tantrums. We've quickly learned to have a bottle ready at all times, because if another baby gets a bottle and she doesn't, she busts out the attitude.
Sarah seems to have discovered her voice today and has been talking non-stop! She is already beginning to imitate sounds, and we heard "Ma-ma-ma-ma" for the first time, to go along with all the "ba-ba-ba's" and the "motor" sound made when she puts her lips together and vocalizes the "b" sound. (that's michael's phonetic description) :-) We made an additional discovery yesterday on the trip to Ho Chi Minh city: both of Sarah's ears are pierced! Yep...we even poked an earing through just to make sure and she didn't fuss one bit. We'll probably pick her up some new earrings later this week. Wow, who would have thought we would be accesorizing already!
Today we filed our I-600 forms to the government and had Sarah's visa photos taken. That is about the most we have done today. We are hoping to get out and explore a little more tomorrow, as we don't think we have any appointments.
Thanks for all your prayers and support! We give priase to God for the blessing He has given to us. She is one amazing baby girl and we can't wait for you to see her in person.
Hello again from Ho Chi Minh. We made it back to the city last night around dinner time and we are settled into our room at the Rex Hotel. The drive went very well-Sarah and the other children all did extremely well. You can tell the kids were all on a pretty consistent routine as they eat and nap at consistent times. Thus the drive was either a bit active or very quiet as most were awake/sleeping at the same time. Sarah was fabulous on the 7 hour bus ride (hoping the same will be true on our flight home). We could see the China Sea off and on for the first 90 minutes of the trip, but then turned inland for the rest of the way. As for the description of the landscape...I would have to say it is similar to Northern Arizona? In other words, there were hills in the distance to the west and even some desert-like plant life, cactus, etc. Kind of odd considering the extreme humidity that is usually prevalent here.
We loved the beauty of Ninh Thuan, but it is exciting to be back in the hustle and bustle of the big city. We are staying in a part of Ho Chi Minh city that is really quite cosmopolitan. Except for the fact that everyone is Asian, you would think you were smack dab in the middle of New York City or Chicago. There are department stores, nice hotels and restaurants, street vendors, etc. Did we mention that the primary mode of transportation is the scooter? They are everywhere, and people are often stacked 2-4 deep on each one. It is quite remarkable...
As I write, Daddy and baby are napping in the room. It is dark and rainy outside right now. Michael and I have both been feeling a little on the ill side today and have laid pretty low. Not sure what we got into to make our stomachs upset, but it could be the fact that we downed a ton of pizza last night. Oh, it tasted so good! I've learned I can only do rice and noodles for so many days before I want some sauce and cheese. Sarah has been extra tired, fussy, and clingy with me today. I think we all just needed some extra sleep and quiet time. I'm quite certain that she is expending more energy than ever by just exploring the world around her. She is coming alive more and more each day and we are seeing all kinds of sides to her. Lucky for her, she has the most adorable smile and a way of snuggling that makes up for the tired tantrums. We've quickly learned to have a bottle ready at all times, because if another baby gets a bottle and she doesn't, she busts out the attitude.
Sarah seems to have discovered her voice today and has been talking non-stop! She is already beginning to imitate sounds, and we heard "Ma-ma-ma-ma" for the first time, to go along with all the "ba-ba-ba's" and the "motor" sound made when she puts her lips together and vocalizes the "b" sound. (that's michael's phonetic description) :-) We made an additional discovery yesterday on the trip to Ho Chi Minh city: both of Sarah's ears are pierced! Yep...we even poked an earing through just to make sure and she didn't fuss one bit. We'll probably pick her up some new earrings later this week. Wow, who would have thought we would be accesorizing already!
Today we filed our I-600 forms to the government and had Sarah's visa photos taken. That is about the most we have done today. We are hoping to get out and explore a little more tomorrow, as we don't think we have any appointments.
Thanks for all your prayers and support! We give priase to God for the blessing He has given to us. She is one amazing baby girl and we can't wait for you to see her in person.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Sabbath...to cease from striving and to look around you
“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10
Six days God created…and on the seventh day God rested...as if there is a rhythm to how we are to live—six days to create, and one day to rest. Coming to a third world country will always serve as a reminder that, as Americans, we would do much better to find a rhythm of life that is less hurried and more restful. Unfortunately, the joys of capitalism and competition too often stand in the way. More on this later…
Since today is a rest day and tomorrow we drive back to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), I thought I would make some observations concerning the people and culture of Vietnam--and how we as Americans often fail to fully embrace what is really happening here.
First, the Vietnamese people are extremely resilient and hard-working. What other country can say they’ve survived Chinese, French, and American occupation and still be an independent nation? (I suppose America was never trying to “take over” the government, but we certainly were trying to leverage quite a bit of influence) At any rate, the average salary is approximately $50/month. Most people work a labor-intensive job (farming, factories, etc.), live with several people (mostly family), have only a couple changes of clothing and get around by bicycle or scooter.
Not only are the people of Vietnam very hard working, they are equally kind and caring. Both men and women alike show HUGE amounts of affection for children and there is a general appreciation for the value of life young and old. This was very evident yesterday when we went to the market. Heather mentioned the great deal of attention we attracted. I wish you could have seen the big groups of people following us (as if we were royalty or something). The way our tour guide described, these children who have been adopted are viewed as "so lucky," almost ‘anointed’ in a religious sense, simply because they will be raised in “America” where they will have “most wonderful opportunity” and the very best of everything. And yet, even though the U.S.A. is a blessed nation, one does not need to look very far to realize that there is a simplicity of life here and in other third-world countries that we would do well to learn from on our way to “bigger and better” opportunities.
So…to any adoptive parents who will make your way to this country one day, I ask of you one favor: recognize that this experience is about so much more than receiving your children. Don’t get me wrong, it is the reason we come. But while we get wrapped up in the adoption culture, bonding theories, and whether or not we have the right sippy cup, there are people working 65 hour work weeks for $50/month who long for you to notice them, even if only with a smile or a wave. There are caretakers at the orphanage grieving as these children make their way into our families—remember this amidst the rush of excitement when you meet your child for the first time. There are other children in the orphanage who do not yet have homes. Love on them too, even if only for a moment. Speak slowly. If someone doesn’t understand, it’s o.k. Be patient. Be flexible (and polish up on your pictionary and charades skills). Most of all, soak it in. Every last moment. You never know if/when you’ll be back and your child will hopefully eat up every word of his/her story.
Today was a relaxing day. Sarah sleeps through the night but wakes up about 5am. The great thing is that she just lays there...wiggling and playing very peacefully until you pick her up. We took some pictures by the pool, went swimming, took naps, spent some time with our friends the Perryman’s, and ate grouper fish for dinner (see picture). Sarah loves the swimming pool, splashing and kicking with great energy. I can’t even begin to explain how sweet she is. Her disposition is a combination of peace, joy, and determination. She eats everything you put in front of her and can pack it away with gusto. She naps once in the morning and once in the afternoon, so we’re hoping her great sleeping skillz will kick in on the long flights home. Who knows, by then it could all change!
We do not plan to post anything tomorrow as we will be travelling. I pray you find your Sunday to be a restful “Sabbath” as you enjoy all that God has created.
To cease creating....I wonder what life would be like if we could really cease creating one day per week and simply be.
Enjoy the photos!
p.s. the video from yesterday should be working now
Six days God created…and on the seventh day God rested...as if there is a rhythm to how we are to live—six days to create, and one day to rest. Coming to a third world country will always serve as a reminder that, as Americans, we would do much better to find a rhythm of life that is less hurried and more restful. Unfortunately, the joys of capitalism and competition too often stand in the way. More on this later…
Since today is a rest day and tomorrow we drive back to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), I thought I would make some observations concerning the people and culture of Vietnam--and how we as Americans often fail to fully embrace what is really happening here.
First, the Vietnamese people are extremely resilient and hard-working. What other country can say they’ve survived Chinese, French, and American occupation and still be an independent nation? (I suppose America was never trying to “take over” the government, but we certainly were trying to leverage quite a bit of influence) At any rate, the average salary is approximately $50/month. Most people work a labor-intensive job (farming, factories, etc.), live with several people (mostly family), have only a couple changes of clothing and get around by bicycle or scooter.
Not only are the people of Vietnam very hard working, they are equally kind and caring. Both men and women alike show HUGE amounts of affection for children and there is a general appreciation for the value of life young and old. This was very evident yesterday when we went to the market. Heather mentioned the great deal of attention we attracted. I wish you could have seen the big groups of people following us (as if we were royalty or something). The way our tour guide described, these children who have been adopted are viewed as "so lucky," almost ‘anointed’ in a religious sense, simply because they will be raised in “America” where they will have “most wonderful opportunity” and the very best of everything. And yet, even though the U.S.A. is a blessed nation, one does not need to look very far to realize that there is a simplicity of life here and in other third-world countries that we would do well to learn from on our way to “bigger and better” opportunities.
So…to any adoptive parents who will make your way to this country one day, I ask of you one favor: recognize that this experience is about so much more than receiving your children. Don’t get me wrong, it is the reason we come. But while we get wrapped up in the adoption culture, bonding theories, and whether or not we have the right sippy cup, there are people working 65 hour work weeks for $50/month who long for you to notice them, even if only with a smile or a wave. There are caretakers at the orphanage grieving as these children make their way into our families—remember this amidst the rush of excitement when you meet your child for the first time. There are other children in the orphanage who do not yet have homes. Love on them too, even if only for a moment. Speak slowly. If someone doesn’t understand, it’s o.k. Be patient. Be flexible (and polish up on your pictionary and charades skills). Most of all, soak it in. Every last moment. You never know if/when you’ll be back and your child will hopefully eat up every word of his/her story.
Today was a relaxing day. Sarah sleeps through the night but wakes up about 5am. The great thing is that she just lays there...wiggling and playing very peacefully until you pick her up. We took some pictures by the pool, went swimming, took naps, spent some time with our friends the Perryman’s, and ate grouper fish for dinner (see picture). Sarah loves the swimming pool, splashing and kicking with great energy. I can’t even begin to explain how sweet she is. Her disposition is a combination of peace, joy, and determination. She eats everything you put in front of her and can pack it away with gusto. She naps once in the morning and once in the afternoon, so we’re hoping her great sleeping skillz will kick in on the long flights home. Who knows, by then it could all change!
We do not plan to post anything tomorrow as we will be travelling. I pray you find your Sunday to be a restful “Sabbath” as you enjoy all that God has created.
To cease creating....I wonder what life would be like if we could really cease creating one day per week and simply be.
Enjoy the photos!
p.s. the video from yesterday should be working now
Friday, September 08, 2006
A 5:30am walk on the beach, the first swim, and the Cham people
We are loving this thing called parenthood! We successfully made it through our first night and day with joy, laughter, and ease. Michael gave Sarah her first bath last night and after a bottle she was out cold. She has probably had a lot more stimulation than she is used to, but she is taking it all in stride. She is sleeping between us on a king bed and let’s just say that Sarah slept well…..She tosses and rolls and does 360 degree turns in her sleep. We might try her on the floor tonight and see if we can get some more rest. Her routine at the orphanage was to wake up at 5:00am, and this morning she was true to form! By 5:30 we were taking a walk on the beach . Most of the locals are out on the beach and swimming and fishing by then. We must have been the talk of the beach. Many people were curious, pointing at us with a Vietnamese baby. People here love babies and wherever we go, they are coming up to Sarah touching her and cooing at her. Based on the look on her face, I am not sure she likes it too much, but we just smile and graciously try to move on.
Sarah had her first swim in a pool today and she seemed to really enjoy it. She is making progress towards crawling and stood for a while with help. We think she is loving the freedom to move.
She is a very content baby and seems to be happy doing everything and going everywhere. Her smile is so sweet and gentle and we love finding ways to bring it out. In turn, she loves to make us smile. We are easy customers! After getting bitten today, I discovered that she has more than just the two bottom teeth. She has a row of top teeth, but she doesn’t like you to pry her mouth open to look at them. I think it is just a game, though, because it really amuses her when we try to see in her mouth.
This afternoon we went on a tour around the area. We went to see the Cham Towers, which are ancient ruins built in the 14th century. The Cham people are the native people group to Vietnam, similar to the Native Americans of the USA. We also went to a Cham village and watched the locals make pottery. After that we went to the Ninh Thaun Market. (Jaclyn, if you are reading this, the market in Tulsa doesn’t hold a candle to the fishy stench.) Basically, the group was mobbed by the locals. Not only do they not see many white people, but they don’t see them with Vietnamese babies. I wish I knew what they were saying about us….I can only imagine! They laughed and pointed at us, pointed at the women’s bellies and then at the husbands, and then at the babies. Then they would roar with laughter. A few seemed to have mixed emotions towards us, but our tour guide said that most are so happy for the children and how lucky they are to go to America. It is a really conflicting feeling for all of us. We hate for our children to leave the beautiful country and culture they come from, but they NEED to have a permanent home and family. The highlight of the market was finding the same “princess” dress that Sarah had her picture taken in at the orphanage. (You can scroll down several posts to see her picture in the dress.) They came in many colors, so I bought one identical and one that is pink.
Tomorrow is our last full day in the province, and then we return to Ho Chi Minh. It is beautiful here in Ninh Thaun, but it will be good to get back to the city and do some more touring.
Enjoy the video Michael put together. He says it is not flashy but gives a short 5 minute overview to our time leading up to and receiving Sarah. Thanks for all the comments! It has been a treat reading them. We’re glad that you enjoy the updates and are celebrating with us. Until next time…..
P. S. Daniel and Jamie, I took a really nice picture of Ninh Thuan grapes for you today! We all made it through our first night without the Asian Death Virus – ha, ha!
Sarah had her first swim in a pool today and she seemed to really enjoy it. She is making progress towards crawling and stood for a while with help. We think she is loving the freedom to move.
She is a very content baby and seems to be happy doing everything and going everywhere. Her smile is so sweet and gentle and we love finding ways to bring it out. In turn, she loves to make us smile. We are easy customers! After getting bitten today, I discovered that she has more than just the two bottom teeth. She has a row of top teeth, but she doesn’t like you to pry her mouth open to look at them. I think it is just a game, though, because it really amuses her when we try to see in her mouth.
This afternoon we went on a tour around the area. We went to see the Cham Towers, which are ancient ruins built in the 14th century. The Cham people are the native people group to Vietnam, similar to the Native Americans of the USA. We also went to a Cham village and watched the locals make pottery. After that we went to the Ninh Thaun Market. (Jaclyn, if you are reading this, the market in Tulsa doesn’t hold a candle to the fishy stench.) Basically, the group was mobbed by the locals. Not only do they not see many white people, but they don’t see them with Vietnamese babies. I wish I knew what they were saying about us….I can only imagine! They laughed and pointed at us, pointed at the women’s bellies and then at the husbands, and then at the babies. Then they would roar with laughter. A few seemed to have mixed emotions towards us, but our tour guide said that most are so happy for the children and how lucky they are to go to America. It is a really conflicting feeling for all of us. We hate for our children to leave the beautiful country and culture they come from, but they NEED to have a permanent home and family. The highlight of the market was finding the same “princess” dress that Sarah had her picture taken in at the orphanage. (You can scroll down several posts to see her picture in the dress.) They came in many colors, so I bought one identical and one that is pink.
Tomorrow is our last full day in the province, and then we return to Ho Chi Minh. It is beautiful here in Ninh Thaun, but it will be good to get back to the city and do some more touring.
Enjoy the video Michael put together. He says it is not flashy but gives a short 5 minute overview to our time leading up to and receiving Sarah. Thanks for all the comments! It has been a treat reading them. We’re glad that you enjoy the updates and are celebrating with us. Until next time…..
P. S. Daniel and Jamie, I took a really nice picture of Ninh Thuan grapes for you today! We all made it through our first night without the Asian Death Virus – ha, ha!
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Introducing…the Homan family of three!
“For I am confident of this very thing, that God who began a good work in you will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
What a wonderful day…our body clocks are still adjusting but surprisingly we are not too tired. We usually wake up around 4am or so, only to discover that it’s not time to get up yet!
The set-up here is absolutely fantastic. We have plenty of space in our room and the view of the China Sea is gorgeous. I can see why many Aussies and Europeans like to come here to vacation. It is beautiful. The food is great, and the price is right. Of course you get stuck with the huge airfare to get here, but everything is quite reasonable once you arrive.
With a fresh cup of Doubleshot coffee in hand, we made our way to breakfast (complimentary with your stay each and every morning). The set-up is similar to most hotel buffet/brunch-style breakfasts complete with an omelet bar, fresh fruit, hash brown/potato-like items, and the traditional Vietnamese rice porridge with a variety of seafood items available a la carte to give it some flavor, and it’s all good!
Now to the good part!! We met in the lobby this morning at 7:15am and made our way to the orphanage, also known as the Social Protection Center. Upon arriving we met with the director and staff of the center. We gathered around a table where the director offered formal words about the center and the care of the children, including the encouragement to give our children a good education and to teach them about their Vietnamese heritage. Afterwards we spent about 30 minutes with the children and caretakers before leaving to go to the Justice Department for the Giving and Receiving Ceremony. Leaving the orphanage was quite emotional for everyone, especially the caretakers. They love the children so much and have given them the very best care they know how to give…there were many tears shed...I can’t even begin to imagine what they were feeling…
Sarah was a real sweetheart during the entire ceremony. There are several documents to sign and, of course, the formal hand-shake with the director of the Justice Department. Sarah actually slept for most of the ceremony and was very calm and peaceful throughout the process. She has really taken to both Heather and I very, very well. Sarah is simply beautiful. She is very snuggly, has a beautiful smile and a great giggle. She loves to eat pretty much anything and everything and is interested in everything you put in front of her. She loves her toys and has the “I’m tired” cry down really well! She has a very sweet demeanor and is very content. We just stare at her and wonder, “what are we doing!!” It’s quite surreal…and oh-so-wonderful.
The next two days we will stay here in Ninh Thuan and relax at our ridiculously nice hotel. It will be the closest thing we’ve had to a vacation in some time, so we plan to enjoy the beach and God’s beautiful creation, also known as the coast of Vietnam. We are so very blessed…words cannot describe…
What a wonderful day…our body clocks are still adjusting but surprisingly we are not too tired. We usually wake up around 4am or so, only to discover that it’s not time to get up yet!
The set-up here is absolutely fantastic. We have plenty of space in our room and the view of the China Sea is gorgeous. I can see why many Aussies and Europeans like to come here to vacation. It is beautiful. The food is great, and the price is right. Of course you get stuck with the huge airfare to get here, but everything is quite reasonable once you arrive.
With a fresh cup of Doubleshot coffee in hand, we made our way to breakfast (complimentary with your stay each and every morning). The set-up is similar to most hotel buffet/brunch-style breakfasts complete with an omelet bar, fresh fruit, hash brown/potato-like items, and the traditional Vietnamese rice porridge with a variety of seafood items available a la carte to give it some flavor, and it’s all good!
Now to the good part!! We met in the lobby this morning at 7:15am and made our way to the orphanage, also known as the Social Protection Center. Upon arriving we met with the director and staff of the center. We gathered around a table where the director offered formal words about the center and the care of the children, including the encouragement to give our children a good education and to teach them about their Vietnamese heritage. Afterwards we spent about 30 minutes with the children and caretakers before leaving to go to the Justice Department for the Giving and Receiving Ceremony. Leaving the orphanage was quite emotional for everyone, especially the caretakers. They love the children so much and have given them the very best care they know how to give…there were many tears shed...I can’t even begin to imagine what they were feeling…
Sarah was a real sweetheart during the entire ceremony. There are several documents to sign and, of course, the formal hand-shake with the director of the Justice Department. Sarah actually slept for most of the ceremony and was very calm and peaceful throughout the process. She has really taken to both Heather and I very, very well. Sarah is simply beautiful. She is very snuggly, has a beautiful smile and a great giggle. She loves to eat pretty much anything and everything and is interested in everything you put in front of her. She loves her toys and has the “I’m tired” cry down really well! She has a very sweet demeanor and is very content. We just stare at her and wonder, “what are we doing!!” It’s quite surreal…and oh-so-wonderful.
The next two days we will stay here in Ninh Thuan and relax at our ridiculously nice hotel. It will be the closest thing we’ve had to a vacation in some time, so we plan to enjoy the beach and God’s beautiful creation, also known as the coast of Vietnam. We are so very blessed…words cannot describe…
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Mourning into dancing?
Where to start? After our post yesterday we went out to grab some lunch, check out the local market, and get our $6 massages at the hotel. I think that nearly everyone in our group got a massage and we all had very interesting stories to tell afterwards. But, I will say that it felt SO good! We crashed around
The children are so beautiful – and plentiful! It is a bare-bones facility, but the children are loved. Sarah’s crib is completely wooden with no padding or blanket. The back of her head is a little flat from sleeping on wood planks, but we are told this is common VN practice.
I almost forgot…..they don’t diaper the babies here, so I received a lovely urine shower on my shirt, down my pants and into my shoes! Tomorrow she’ll be wearing a diaper for sure!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Good Morning (or afternoon) Vietnam!
Just a quick note to let all of you know that we arrived to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) this morning about 9:30am. After breezing through immigration, fending off the masses at baggage claim and going through customs, we met our agency representatives. They even had a special little sign just for our group.
The travel was uneventful, which is the best way news one could hope for when traveling! We fought off the tiredness in San Fransisco while waiting for our 1:30am flight (3:30am Tulsa time). Once we boarded the plane, it was nighty-night. Heather slept nearly the entire 12+ hour flight and I slept on and off about 6 hours. The airline (EVA Air) is a Taiwanese carrier, and I must say it was the most comfortable we've ever been on an overseas trip. So good, in fact, Heather didn't even need a nap when we arrived today to Saigon! After one good shower, a diet coke for Heather, and a cup of Doubleshot coffee (hand-grinder, aero-press...thanks Doug and Brian), we're ready to explore Saigon just a little. We have a few hours of free time and then need to get to bed early.
Tomorrow morning at 5:30am we hop a ride to Ninh Thuan, where we will meet Sarah for the first time in the afternoon at the orphanage! Our giving and receiving ceremony will take place Thursday morning at 9:00 am and then it is official! If you are keeping score at home, we are exactly 12 hours ahead of Tulsa time (central). We'll do our best to post once again as soon as we have the chance. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!!
The travel was uneventful, which is the best way news one could hope for when traveling! We fought off the tiredness in San Fransisco while waiting for our 1:30am flight (3:30am Tulsa time). Once we boarded the plane, it was nighty-night. Heather slept nearly the entire 12+ hour flight and I slept on and off about 6 hours. The airline (EVA Air) is a Taiwanese carrier, and I must say it was the most comfortable we've ever been on an overseas trip. So good, in fact, Heather didn't even need a nap when we arrived today to Saigon! After one good shower, a diet coke for Heather, and a cup of Doubleshot coffee (hand-grinder, aero-press...thanks Doug and Brian), we're ready to explore Saigon just a little. We have a few hours of free time and then need to get to bed early.
Tomorrow morning at 5:30am we hop a ride to Ninh Thuan, where we will meet Sarah for the first time in the afternoon at the orphanage! Our giving and receiving ceremony will take place Thursday morning at 9:00 am and then it is official! If you are keeping score at home, we are exactly 12 hours ahead of Tulsa time (central). We'll do our best to post once again as soon as we have the chance. Thank you for all of your prayers and support!!
Friday, September 01, 2006
Changes and Firsts
I can hardly believe our travel day is almost here! Yesterday we greeted our friends, the Sweets, at the airport and met their precious Lukas from Ninh Thuan. (You can check out their website in our links section.) Seeing them with their son only intesified our excitement to meet Sarah. They gave us a glowing report on our daughter and they said she loves to laugh and play.
It is hard to imagine the changes we are going to face in less than a week-a new country, new culture, and a 14 month old baby! While we have had plenty of time to process what we are about to experience, Sarah has not had the same privelege. She may have intese feelings of confusion, grief, and even shock as we transition her into our life/family. Think about it: in her short life she has gone from a birth mother-to a hospital-to a caretaker at the orphange, and now two funny looking white people who sound and smell STRANGE...lol. We truly believe that an orphange is not an ideal place for a child to grow up, but it is all she knows. In just a matter of days Sarah will experience many firsts: cars, air conditioning, hotels, new foods, and planes, just to name a few.
Please understand that we may do things with Sarah that are different compared to what we would do if she had been with us since birth. The first few months home are critical in forming a lasting bond between parent and child. Our agency, Dillon International, asks all adoptive families to stick close to home for the first few weeks after returning from travel and to keep our lives as quiet and simple as possible. Our caseworker has also asked that we limit the holding of Sarah primarily to mom and dad (especially when we are away from our house) and to exclusively provide for her immediate needs (feeding/diaper changing/etc.) at this time in her life. This is how she will learn that we are her parents and we will always be there for her.
This being said, we can't wait to share Sarah with you!!! We know that you, too, have been waiting a long time to love on her. And please do! We want you to touch her and interact with her. We will look forward to the day when she is secure enough in our arms that she can be held in another's arms without being confused. Thankfully, this is only temporary...
If everything goes according to schedule, we will be returning on the 21st at 8:50am. Everyone is welcome to come to the airport to meet Sarah and we hope to see many of your faces. You will be a welcome sight (especially if you bring DoubleShot Coffee for Michael and a Diet Dr. Pepper for Heather)!
When everything around us changes, this one thing remains..."Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8
It is hard to imagine the changes we are going to face in less than a week-a new country, new culture, and a 14 month old baby! While we have had plenty of time to process what we are about to experience, Sarah has not had the same privelege. She may have intese feelings of confusion, grief, and even shock as we transition her into our life/family. Think about it: in her short life she has gone from a birth mother-to a hospital-to a caretaker at the orphange, and now two funny looking white people who sound and smell STRANGE...lol. We truly believe that an orphange is not an ideal place for a child to grow up, but it is all she knows. In just a matter of days Sarah will experience many firsts: cars, air conditioning, hotels, new foods, and planes, just to name a few.
Please understand that we may do things with Sarah that are different compared to what we would do if she had been with us since birth. The first few months home are critical in forming a lasting bond between parent and child. Our agency, Dillon International, asks all adoptive families to stick close to home for the first few weeks after returning from travel and to keep our lives as quiet and simple as possible. Our caseworker has also asked that we limit the holding of Sarah primarily to mom and dad (especially when we are away from our house) and to exclusively provide for her immediate needs (feeding/diaper changing/etc.) at this time in her life. This is how she will learn that we are her parents and we will always be there for her.
This being said, we can't wait to share Sarah with you!!! We know that you, too, have been waiting a long time to love on her. And please do! We want you to touch her and interact with her. We will look forward to the day when she is secure enough in our arms that she can be held in another's arms without being confused. Thankfully, this is only temporary...
If everything goes according to schedule, we will be returning on the 21st at 8:50am. Everyone is welcome to come to the airport to meet Sarah and we hope to see many of your faces. You will be a welcome sight (especially if you bring DoubleShot Coffee for Michael and a Diet Dr. Pepper for Heather)!
When everything around us changes, this one thing remains..."Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8
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