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COME FULL CIRCLE

This is a digital scrapbook of our journey to complete our family in Vietnam.

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5/24/2007

The Good and the Bad












This is the Somerset of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). There are two Somersets in HCMC, the other one is called the Chancelor. Somerset is more like apartments rather than a hotel. We will have a two bedroom apartment. This will be our home away from home.












This is the Sheraton Hanoi. This will be our home for the second half of our trip. I'm sure our room won't look like this. I just copied the room picture from their website.

The good news is that we found out we only have to stay in Vietnam for two weeks instead of three weeks. Providing we don't have any delays in HCMC. The bad news is that we probably won't travel until July :-(

Updated picture from our Agency Director!




Our director sent us a picture of our beautiful daughter, Ava! I have to live in the moment because I can't think about the wait. We were told on Wednesday that we will not likely travel until late June/early July. Each day that goes by, I think another day I can't get back with my Ava. At least I know she's healthy and being well taken care of!

5/22/2007

Big Brother (Surrogate anyway)

Guess which one doesn't belong!

Here is Sebastian practicing to be big brother. We visited with June and Mary on Sunday and we decided to take the kids to Merrymead Farm for something sweet.

5/18/2007

Vietnam Map

I have cut and paste an outdated map of Vietnam from another website. We will fly into Ho Chi
Minh City (HCMC) and stay for two weeks. We will get our daughter on the second day. She is currently at the Tam Binh Orphanage which is on the outskirt of HCMC. This is what we will be doing in HCMC:

  • Giving and Receiving

  • Apply for a child Vietnamese passport

  • Apply our I-600 forms at Immigration office

  • Complete physical






We will fly north to Hanoi to do the last official business appointment. We will take our daughter's Visa application to the U.S. Embassy and do our final interview.

5/16/2007

Extended Family



Some more pictures of Can Tho Orphanage. I would have to guess the year 1970-1971. The guy on the right, holding the little girl is not me! But it reminds me of a funny story. When I was living at the orphanage, my Dad would get permission to take me home on the weekends because he lived so close to the orphanage. I would stay with my Dad in his tiny apartment on the base. He said I had "47" uncles who would dote on me. Since civilians (including women and children) were not allowed in Vietnam, all the men would starve for a little girl's attention. I have tons of pictures of me on some guys lap (by the fountain, swimming pool, patio, etc). No wonder I felt so loved!

Visitors at the Can Tho Orphanage



I found some miscellaneous black and white photos of U.S. military personnel visiting the orphanage where I was from. Like my Dad, these men would spend some of their free time with the orphans. I'm sure this was the only time the children would have human contact. It makes me so sad that my little girl is currently in her crib at the Tam Binh Orphanage, wondering when someone will be picking her up. I try not to dwell on it.

Daddy and I


I've been meaning to dig through my photo albums because I want to create a scrapbook of my "beginnings" for my son and daughter some day. I found this picture of my Dad and I at the military base he lived on near Can Tho. The base was not too far from my orphanage (Can Tho) and he would bring supplies to the orphanage several times a month. The Kodak paper is a bookmark for the late 60's and early 70's.


Here is a map of Can Tho Airfield. Can Tho Orphanage is roughly two hours outside HCMC. I will try to visit my old orphanage if schedules permit. I was born in Tan An village. It has been rebuilt after the war and resides outside of HCMC. My village was
closer to HCMC than Can Tho. I will always
wonder what the circumstances were that
brought me to Can Tho.

5/15/2007

Visitor at Work


Of course I couldn't help but put a picture of Mary and I out there. June and Mary came to visit me at work one day and we got a kick out of her looking at herself on the marbled reflection in the main hallway. She was really fascinated. What a cutie pie!

The Princess Trainer

This is Mary Rose. I'm proud to put her on my blog site because she is beautiful and funny. She brings so much love and laughter to her Mom and Dad (June and Bruce). June and I have been friends forever. We have gone through our single years together and now we are experiencing our families together. I am in June's debt for telling me about the Vietnam program in 2006(that it had opened again). When we finally filed our paperwork in Vietnam, we were family #11 in the referral line. When I read other people's blogs, people said they were #159 for a referral. So in many ways, we are blessed and lucky! Here is their blog page: The Princess Trainer. Kiss and Hugs to Mary!

5/14/2007

Mother's Day Tea Party



Today was a special day because I got to spend 45 minutes with my son at his school. All the mothers were invited for morning Tea and Cookies for Mother's Day. It was a treat to hear the children sing, especially for my son because he never sings to me. Where was that camcorder when I needed it!!

5/11/2007

Weekend in Washington D.C.




Here are a few snapshots of our lovely trip to Washington. We needed to get away and keep our minds off the loooong wait for our travel date to Vietnam.

In loving memory of our daughter


Here is our precious daughter, Olivia. She was born Pham Bao Ngoc on Oct. 10, 2006. We received her referral from the Go Vap Orphanage on Dec. 21, 2006. We received a call in late January, 2007 to inform us that she passed away over the weekend from pnuemonia. She has made such an impact and impression in our lives. Even though she was on this earth for such a small time, she will always be our daughter in our hearts and soul. We will never forget you. I miss you every day my sweet Olivia.

I really need to update my passport photos ;-P




Here are old passport photos that went into my first U.S. passport! I've had them in the photo sleeve forever and now it's time to show them off. I think I was 3 or 4 in the photos.

Collection for Ava


On the far wall, we have a collection of international dolls. I had dolls from all over the world (Thailand, Philippines, Africa, Holland, Germany, Russia, etc) You name it, I had it. Unfortunately, my whole collection got damaged from mildew during shipment and storage. Thanks to my Mom who has managed to save some of my doll collection. This is what remains. I plan to continue the doll collection for my daughter.

The triple "A" Club



My son's class recieved the triple "A" honor and they were rewarded by being invited to a minor league baseball game (Reading Phillies). The "A" stands for good Attendance, Attitude and of course the grade "A". They got to go on the baseball field and announce their name and school and got to be on the big t.v. screen. I will have to convert the dvd recording to another file to download on to my blog page. (stay tuned)

We are a family of three


We are a family of three and soon will be a family of four!

5/10/2007

My Babies!


Sebastian (five yrs and 7 mths ago) and Ava at three months. They will have so much in common. Their big baby brown eyes say it all!

Profile of a Five year old


I can't believe my son has only one more month of kindergarten! This was taken on the first day of kindergarten, walking to the big yellow bus. Doesn't he look cool with his tattoo? I can't believe a whole year has almost gone by.

Where's the design for the baby room?



Right here, on the rocking chair. The wall decorations haven't been hung up yet. This is a "to do"!! I originally wanted to put of some large "wallies" up as they are referred to. They are giant wall stickers that are about three feet tall. I was going to have a flower garden growing on the walls but I could never find the right design. So I finally found some cute pictures to hang on the walls at Kohl's. They matched the paint perfectly!

Now where did I put......



It's amazing how much one collects in the course of four months! When you open the bedroom door, you see nothing but piles everywhere. I've managed to keep a path to walk around. We are 95% ready, all we need to do is "stuff" everything in suitcases. Where are we going to put everything?

Our Second Glimpse of Ava!


What a difference two months can make. We received an updated picture of our daughter on 4/10/07. We were so surprised and elated because we weren't expecting more photos. Finally, we got to see her precious face and her eyes were wide open. It made harder knowing we wouldn't hold her in our arms for another 90 days! She is changing right before our eyes!

Referral (Ava)


On February, 28, 2007, we received the first glimpse of our long awaited daughter. We absolutely loved the scrunched up knees. She was yawning and stretching. Typical baby stuff.
We had decided on a name for our second daughter before we ever saw her picture. It was going to first be Audrey Colette (Audrey after my favorite actress, Audry Hepburn). But then one morning, I was flipping through the Pottery Barn for Kids during my son's basketball game and glanced at a personalized bath towel. It had Ava written all over the towels. I asked my husband what he thought of Ava and it stuck instantly.