Meeting Norah!

We are exhausted after the best day ever!!:)  We started today by David and I waking up at 3:30 from nerves and anticipation.  We came out to our living room area and spent some time praying for the day.   I have felt overwhelmed and helpless here, as we do not know the language, and are like fish out of water with the difference in culture, and no ability to navigate anything alone.  The Lord reminded me this morning that His power is made perfect in our weakness, and it set me a little more at ease.  Lord knows I am out of my context all together for strength.
We met the social workers and another family from Norway adopting (Norah's foster brother) downstairs in the lobby.  Jessica from Holt Eugene is here as well, so we went up to her room to watch a video about Holt Sahathai Foundation, and to answer any questions.  I knew the children were downstairs in the courtyard waiting to come up at any moment!  Then came the knock at the door and two beautiful children came walking in with more social workers!  Watsana was calm and cool, came toward us, and then walked away, and then back, with a very un-bothered look about her!  The social workers were incredible at directing us where to sit, when to touch her, and how close to get.  We played with some stacking blocks and cups for awhile, and she focused on the toys, and looked at us with no fear at all!  It only took a few minutes to warm up a bit, and we were told she only knows her name as "Kluay-hom".  This is her nickname, meaning banana:)

In no time at all, she was letting me take her to wash hands and carry her around!  She was so silent the whole time, and she did not smile.  BUT she did not frown either!  It was time to have lunch, so we left and went to the Mali resturant accross from the hotel.  I held her the whole time, and she fell asleep in my arms!  I could not really eat holding her, but setting her down was not at all happening. 

I love my daughter!  She fell asleep without a fuss or sound, and seemed to be settling into the idea of who we were.  We came back to our hotel for play and rest, until it was time to visit her foster family's house at 2.  She seemed to be warming up to us, and was letting Dave play with stickers and bubbles with her.  She had to go to the bathroom, and let me help her.  After the bathroom break, the social worker prompted Kluay-Hom to thank me, and she did with a sweet little Thai bow.  They told me she loves dresses and girly things, and hair bows!!  (THANK YOU LORD!!)  Really, I was surprised at how at ease she seemed with us today.  The social workers were too, but reminded us that this is only day one, and tomorrow or the next may be different.  She thinks she is only visiting, which today she IS only visiting.  two more days until we keep her for real.

At 2pm, we traveled to her foster family's home, where we met the family who and loved and cared for her for her two years of life!  They showed me where the water level rose in the house during the flood of 2011, and it was up to my head!  Norah was only 2 mos old, and they had to live in the Holt Sahathai office for 20 days.  The boy in the picture is her foster brother, who is being adopted by a very nice Norwegian couple.  The other older woman is Ms. Siri's sister.  The sisters live next door to each other, fostering kids together.  The children are like siblings.  Ms. Siri cried as we came to visit, knowing that the time has come to hand Kluay-Hom over to new parents.  I really can not imagine how foster parents must feel!  She told us she loves Kluay-Hom, and is glad to see "good, young" people taking her.  We promised to send photos.  I felt like a home wrecker!  Of course the situation has always been temporary, but watching her weep and love all over Norah brought me to tears and a loss for any words of significant comfort.  I am so thankful for Ms. Siri and the love she has shown my daughter her whole life.   She said Kluay-hom would be her last foster child.

 We said goodbye to Ms. Siri and Norah, and traveled back to the hotel.  We could not get over how at ease things were today, and how we did not hear a cry out of her all day.  We pray that the transition would be grace- filled.  Tomorrow is another day, and we continue to ask for prayers!  It is our day for shopping and exploring a little more with Kluay-hom!

Counting down... We are at the Pantip!

We just checked into our hotel in Bangkok.  I picked up the schedule waiting for us, and it looks like we meet Watsana (Norah) at 10:30 tomorrow morning, and then stay at the hotel for lunch and playing until 2.  Then we accompany her to her foster home and meet the people who have loved and cared for her for her entire 2 years of life.  I am so indebted to these people.  I really can't wrap my mind around what tomorrow holds, but I tell you, my emotions are everywhere!  I am nervous, excited, overwhelmed, overjoyed... and a host of other emotions I can't even describe.  I am looking out over the terrace of the hotel, 21 floors up, awed by this huge beautiful city, and feel like the luckiest person (blessed) for having this privilege.  It's tomorrow.  The time is here and we are ready!

Sawadee-ka

We have made it!  We are staying on Koh Samed.  It's an island off the coast of Thailand, about 3 hours south east of Bangkok.  We will stay here until Saturday, and then travel back to Bangkok and check into the Pantip for the rest of our time.  We arrived around 10:30pm Wednesday night, and had a light sleep in a nearby airport hotel.  Even with the melatonin, it was not a restful one.  We got up early for breakfast and tried to navigate the street vendors and 7-11:)  I quickly realized my lack of communication skills, and felt like a helpless kid trying to get my point across... (hmmm...  Foreshadowing?)  The people are here and so kind and patient.  I feel bad about any time I have interacted with frustration with a foreigner not understanding me in the US.  I really did appreciate the vendor's patience with me!
We requested a taxi to come and collect us to drive us to the south-east coast where we would catch a boat to Koh Samed.  It was a wild ride!  They brought a huge van-bus instead of a taxi, and the driver had Thai music videos on for our entertainment:)  But maybe then again it was probably for his entertainment, because the screen was right by the steering wheel.  Nice and safe...  I know there are loads of folks praying for us.  I know it!  We were driving along, and the car behind/next to us crashed in a very dramatic way, hitting our van with debris!  I did not know what even happened, until I looked back, and the car was incredibly destroyed.  It looked so bad, I wonder if it was fatal.  So if you are reading this, please continue to pray for our safety!
Once we got to the island, we settled in and had some yummy Thai noodles (Sam had a burger) and fresh coconuts on the beach!  It was incredible.  It started to rain, so we decided to go and get Thai massages.  Now.  I have NEVER in my life had a massage like this!  It was insane.  A lot of pressing and forced contouring the body in ways that stretch and adjust.  It was amazing, but it felt like we both probably needed to ice afterwards!  An hour only cost around $10.
Today (Friday) we hung out on the rainy beach and played.  We Skyped with Will and now are reading and relaxing before lunch.  I think we will probably have an early night, but then hopefully be adjusted to the time fully and be ready for meeting our sweetheart Sunday!!  TWO MORE DAYS!!

AND... IT'S GO TIME!!

My computer clock is telling me it's 3:20am KC time, but it's about 5:20pm Tokyo time.  We are sitting in the airport lounge waiting for our 3rd and final leg of this journey to Bangkok.  I love the airport lounge!  My first time in one actually... my travel savvy husband usually frequents such fine establishments, but alas, we never travel together!  So this is a real treat for Sam and I.  FREE sushi and noodles, and coffee and liquor bar:)  Don't worry, we aren't hitting the booze.  We are exhausted and trying to stay awake for a few more hours. 
Leaving yesterday morning was hard for me.  I am going to miss my sweet William so much.  Here is our last photo of our nuclear family of 4!!

 

I cried a little as I said goodbye, and he assured me everything was going to be just fine.  Then he kissed my heart, and was on to checking his hairstyle in the mirror, winking at himself;)  Cheeky boy!

This is so surreal.  I can't believe we are getting a daughter in a few days!  I watched 2 episodes of The Little Couple on the plane, where they went to Bejing to pick up their son.  I was in tears watching as their son was resistant but then warmed up to them, and all the tension and anticipation building up to that moment... SHEESH!!!  This is going to happen.  In 4 days.  OMG.

Room is Ready!

It was so sweet putting Norah's things in order in her new room!  It only took a day and a half to paint, put up new curtains and get the furniture and clothes in.  It's such a pretty space.

 

The picture on the door was painted by my friend Jenn of a quail.  At my shower she gave it, and said that the Lord had given her the picture in her mind as she was praying for Norah.  Quails are a symbol of grace, provision and timing.  Quails need wind to assist their flight, and they wait until it comes to help lift them off the ground.  This really was encouraging to me, as it's been such a difficult wait to have our girl.  But God's timing is perfect.  It's gotten so cliche to say that, but I know it's true.

The Dresser is from Ruth.  It belonged to her grandmother, and the rocking chair is old as well, and that belonged to a dear family friend.

 

This is the sunniest room in our house!  Norah means Sunlight, Honor and Compassion.  All the "words", scriptures and prayers that other people have given me have been about sunlight, or sunny in some kind of way, and most folks don't even know that about her name;)  I really think she will be the sunshine that fills our family. 

OMG we leave next week!!! Time to transition.

I know this blog needs a new face lift.  The picture on the right is old, and needs to be changed, but I don't know how to do any of that.  Dave kinda threw this blog style together as best he could, and we do need to update with more photos.  And since we are leaving next week, we will!!  Holt confirmed our travel dates just last week, and we leave October first!!  Sam is thrilled to be coming, and Will is just happy to get to spend some time with Grandma and other friends:)  I have been cleaning the house like a crazy person, and painting stuff, redecorating, and purging out the old.  It has felt wonderful. 
Yesterday David and I had to finally transition our Joy Room into Norah's room.  Not an easy thing.  I guess it's pretty obvious it wasn't gong to be an easy thing, or I would not have waited until 10 days prior to travel to do it.  We had a beautiful time commencing the season of the Joy Room with praying and crying in the room together.  Worshiping our Good Father for his gift of Joy, the room and what it has meant to us, and a new season with a 4th child coming.  Our hearts were so full with emotion as we took out the first piece of furniture.  Then the next.  By the time the room was empty of furniture, it wasn't hard anymore.  It's time to honor our sweet Norah with a beautiful space.  To prepare her a room that will honor her and make her feel "I'm home!  I am included and have a great space set apart!"  Of course we have been holding her in our hearts as an incredible place of honor and joy, but preparing a space is a real expression of that love and anticipation.  Amazing!  A promise that we have held onto for so long is being fulfilled.  NEXT WEEK!!  I will post pictures of Norah's room when it is totally done... just needs a few more things to be complete:)

First Approval!

We finally got "the call" we have been waiting for 10 months to come!  On July 17th the Thai  board responsible for approving adoption cases reviewed our file, and said YES for us to adopt Watsana Charoensuk!  (aka Norah)  This call came to Dave, and at the time we were driving in separate cars.  He pulled over and so I did too, and he yelled out the window that we had "GOTTEN THE CALL!!"  I raced out of the car, jumping, yelling, crying, laughing, without any shame in the middle of the CVS parking lot!  It hit me in that moment of how much I love my daughter.  All this tension building of waiting.  Waiting.  Waiting...  And she isn't really mine yet but I love her and how do I manage these feelings when I've never even met her... and my most natural response was to cry and and act like a crazy person when this wonderful news came!  Our daughter is waiting half a world away and now we have been given permission to go get her.

The next step of this process now is to get clearance from the US immigration to bring her to the United States.  This step takes a few weeks to get approved.  Once that happens we will receive our travel dates and be on our way to Thailand!  I filled out and sent all we need to, and now we wait.  Again.

Thankfully, we just got an update on her.  Updates only come every 4 months, and I LOVE update time!  New pictures and a progress report!  From the sound of the update, Norah's foster family is really prepping her for her adoption to our family.  It says she likes to look at our pictures and is getting ready for placement into our family!  Her new measurements are 24lbs., 31" tall and 18" head and chest circumference.  No shoe size yet.

 This little dress we sent to her last September.  It's so good to see that she is with a foster mom who loves her and really takes good care of her!  I know that will be a hard transition for Norah to leave her foster family!