Friday, February 16, 2007

I can't wait to hold my Mei Mei Miyah!!

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I am doing the Happy Dance!!!!

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Please Please Miyah!! Come Soon!!!

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Announcing Our Paper Pregnancy!!!!!

Mei Mei means LITTLE SISTER!!!! And Emma talks about her Little Sister EVERY DAY!! We would like to announce our Paper Pregnancy!! Ya, that sounds weird, but that is what it is considered!! ;) We are FINALLY Logged into China!!!! That means China has put us on their wait list. We found out today (February 16th, 2007) that our Log in Date is February 6th, 2007!! It is looking like our wait will be VERY long, around 2 years. That could change however. Please pray for our baby, her birthmother and patience for us throughout the long wait. We completely trust God has already chosen the baby for us (she isn't born yet) and it's all his timing! We will use this blog for updates as well as info on fundraising to help fund the adoption. When we travel to China, we will post on this to keep everyone updated as well. Check back often!!! Thanks for letting us share our exciting news!!! Brian, Cindy, Emma Marie and mei mei Miyah

Fundraisers

Unfortunately insurance doesn't cover adoption like it does most pregnancies. This is OUR path for building our family!! Could you imagine if everyone had to fork out this amount of money every time they gave birth? Not too many people we know , including us, have this kind of money sitting in their savings accounts. We are more than willing to WORK for the funds!! ;) This past summer, we had an AWESOME garage sale which people donated their unwanted items. We worked VERY VERY hard (and so did many of our wonderful friends) and raised $4,500!! That was a very successful fundraiser!! ;) We actually had to make our first major payment to our agency just a week later!! Just another sign that God is with us during this process. We have a ways to go so we will continue on with our fundraising efforts.

If anyone is considering participating in one or more of our fundraisers, please understand that you are helping place another child a loving home, not just helping us financially.

Below are our current fundraisers. Check back often for updates. We also have another garage sale this summer so start putting those unwanted items aside if you wish! Thanks!!


Parents Night Out (APRIL DATE ANNOUNCED)
occuring once a month-check this often for monthly dates
3 hours of structured babysitting includes:
Suggested Donation- $15 per child
Music time
Play time
Story time
Snack
Movie
Next Parents Night Out
NEXT DATE TBA
5:30-8:30
Email us at: laketahoe9@comcast.net to sign up
*this is only offered to friends and music students
DO YOUR SHOPPING ON OUR ONLINE STORE
What a time saver!!
Any profits we make from our side business will now go towards our adoption
Artistry
(one of the worlds top 5 skin products) CINDY LOVES IT!
Nutrilite Vitamins and Supplements
(the worlds leading brand)
Amazing Cleaning Products
(most are concentrated so you only use a tiny bit. They last forever!! We REALLY love the laundry detergent!
Other wonderful products we use:
Satinique Shampoo and Conditioner (WONDERFUL)
Satinique styling products
Dishdrops dishsoap (concentrated, lasts FOREVER)
XS Energy Drinks (no added sugar)
many many more
Let us know if you would like a sample of something. We can also get you a catalog. You can order directly from our website or if you just want to try one thing and you are local, just let us know and we will add your item to our regular order.
CRAIGSLIST Sales
This is our newest Fundraiser!!!
I have been successfully selling items on Craigs list. If you would like to get rid of some of that stuff now, before the big garage sale (date TBA) let us know and we will try selling it on craigs list. We don't want anything and everything as our garage can't handle it ;) just GOOD, SELLABLE items such as:
Strollers
Baby Gear
Cute baby/toddler clothes
Toys
Outside toys
Cute, updated home accessories
other ideas?
GARAGE SALE FOR ADOPTION
July 2007
This will be a HUGE, Multi Family Sale
This will help bring home 2 orphans to their forever familes
For info on the dates and HOW YOU CAN help go to

Timeline for Emma and Miyah's adoptions

Timeline for Miyah

February 17th, 2006- We spoke about Emma's adoption at an adoption fare. Then we began to think of adopting again.

March 2006- We contacted our adoption agency with our intererest to adopt again.


May 9, 2006- Date we signed our official application with Bethany Christian Services

May-December 2006- LOTS AND LOTS of Stressful Paperchasing!!

December 5, 2006- Our paperwork (Dossier) was sent to the agency headcourters in Grand Rapids

January 5, 2007- Our Dossier was sent to China from Grand Rapids

February 6, 2007- LOG IN DATE (LID)

February 16, 2007- Got the email informing us of our LOG IN DATE

Timeline For Emma Marie

We wish we could have created a blog leading to Emma's adoption but we didn't even know what a blog was and well, her adoption was SOOOOOOOO quick!! ;) Praise God!

October 10, 2003 -Our pregnancy had to be ended due to a tubal pregnancy. NOTE: Emma was conceived just weeks later!! This was all God's plan!

February, 2004- Decided to adopt. NOTE: This is also the month Birthmom Laura began considering adoption.

March 3, 2004- Sent in our Preliminary Application

March 2004-June 2004- Sent in Formal Application, Paperchasing, Trainings, Made Scrapbook, Homestudy Interviews

June 9, 2004- Our last homestudy interview. We were told the average wait was around a year.

July 2, 2004- Completed Nursery- Our dear friends, the Kueflers came out and we had the time of our lives decorating this room. We knew that this room could be sitting for a LONG time but we really wanted to do it.

July 9, 2004- Got call that a birthmom pregnant with a BABY GIRL wanted to meet us!! Our excitement was undescriblable!!! Cindy was standing at the door at our friends the Kaines when she received the call. She was told the birthmom's due date was August 9th. We looked in a baby book for ideas on a middle name (we had Emma picked out for many years.) The name Marie really struck us, but Brian really wanted the middle name to have a special significance and we couldnt' think of anyone in our family with this name. So, we left it as a slight possibility. We weren't even picked to be parents yet, we were just SUPER EXCITED!

July 10, 2004- Went to Steamboat for the weekend

July 12, 2004- Met with Laura (whom is our beloved BIRTHMOM) at our agency.

July 13, 2004, 4pm- Got call from our agency that Laura had chosen us!!! What a day!!

Sometime this week- We decided to ask our agency to find out Laura's middle name as we thought that would be a possibility for a middle name. YEP! YOU GOT IT!! Laura's middle name is MARIE!!! God works in mysterious ways!! ;)

July 18, 2004- Met with Laura at Cheesecake Factory. We got to know her more and she showed us ultrasounds of Emma! At this point, she still had a few weeks to go!!

July 20, 2004- Cindy was walking with friends. Her friend Tanya, who shares Cindy's birthday made the commment that she had been praying our baby would come on Cindy's birthday. THEN as we were walking the cell phone rang and Cindy was told that Laura was going to be induced!!!

July 21, 2004- Emma Marie was born at 5:01 on CINDY'S BIRTHDAY!!! Didn't I say earlier that God works in mysterious ways??????? Emma was 5 pounds and 10 oz. She was 18 3/4 inches long. Soooooooo little!!!

July 23, 2004- We brought our sweet baby home!! This also was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with our dear Birthmom Laura whom Emma now calls Leedle!! ;)