Endings…..create special memories….

Well we've had a few busy days….last week we went to Matteo's daycare's summer potluck and Matteo finally got his face painted. He had been asking me to do this for sometime, though there were no opportunities to do this….and finally at this event, he got his chance. He chose a cat of course and the photo is actually a selfie, (though he didn't push the button)…but as you can see he was very proud of what he saw.

The second was taken during a fabulous family picnic to Silver lake. We had been trying to do this for a few weeks but the weather did not oblige. It was to be Matteo's first boat outing and he went twice with zio Tony, and wanted to go again. He loved it and is becoming more and more adventurous in the water which is great.

So while daycare time for Matteo is really over, (though if all goes well we'll be returning to the same daycare for Malio) and the summer is coming to a close, we have tried to enjoy each and every event and moment.  There have been many good memories for the summer of 2014 with the exception of the one bad memory of losing our beloved cat Micio.

Life is fleeting, moments will never come again, so we try to always be grateful for the blessings that we have, pray for strength and courage when challenges come our way, and always embrace the joy of special moments like the first face painting and the first boat ride.

Bad news and Good news…...

…well the bad news first…looks like I still have to complete the home study which may mean more time and definitely more money; however, ...

….the good news is that an extension will still be sought (and should be received) and technically, once the extension is received then it, with the other documents needed can proceed with completing the Article 16 process in Vietnam, so that the "official" referral can be processed.

In the interim, the new updated home study can be registered so that the period that the home study expired, will be covered and then hopefully both processes won't interfere with each other, but will work together.

  So, all that is left for me to do for the home study are the medical updates, one for Vietnam and one for Ontario, which hopefully will be done next week!

….At this point, my understanding is that the extension granting will not be held up until the update is finalized, which was my fear, and really it is the extension that is more important at the moment, though the home study update is still also important.

  Are you sufficiently confused!!  Basically, if all goes as explained and planned and hoped for, the adoption should still take place before December, well in advance of the timelines I was originally given. Which is still VERY WONDERFUL!!

Malio I would jump through hoops of fire for you!!!  For now the hoops are all wrapped in words on papers!!  Continuing to pray that it all comes together!!

The ups and downs of the adoption paperwork dance...

…well the excitement of yesterday has turned to caution and worry today…the first paperwork glitch..seems that as my home study has already expired, just 10 days ago, there may be a problem with requesting the extension and I may need to do the home study update anyhow!!…While this may not interfere a lot with the timelines (more money spent though), though processing time may be a bit longer, they are still hoping the adoption can still take place before the end of the year.  Of course the extension is the quicker route and the update may take longer processing, though no one knows how long. For now the agency will try to advocate on our behalf for the extension to be sought so that we can move the paperwork process forward a bit quicker.

….needless to say, my heart sunk today when I got the phone call and if it wasn't for the fact that two adoption families were visiting with their recently adopted children, and I could think of something else,  otherwise I might have stewed in sadness for longer…..I've heard it before and I thought  of it today…adoption is not for the faint of heart….and this paperwork dance does not have the best interest of the children at heart at all, just a bureaucracy trying to make sure the "t's" are crossed and "i's" are dotted!….

For now, I'm praying this is only a cautionary setback and not really anything that will amount to a significant delay!!  Malio we're thinking of you and hoping to get to you sooner than later!  Mommy and big brother will be there as soon as we can!

Happy 7 month birthday Malio Dinh!

Well it will be a memorable birthday for sure Malio!  I had been feeling a bit down about the long travel time and especially after getting some videos which were both wonderful to see but also sad as he is so real but so far….so we've been staying close to home, trying to stay positive about the adoption, trying to make the most of our downtime (esp. despite our very wet weather), with some gymnastics for Matteo, and some naps for mommy, some preparations for September, kindergarten for Matteo, a new school for mommy, a new car booster seat for Matteo (still to install) and making lots of lists…..and lots of praying too…big brother Matteo is often the one who mentions Malio and wanting him home. I've been telling him to pray to God that timelines change and that Malio stays strong and healthy until we can go and get him and that we can go sooner rather than later.

….to our wonderful surprise, prayers do get answered, I got a very special email yesterday from Vietnam that told me that Article 16 was ready to be issued but is waiting on my paperwork…it seems that I no longer need a home study update, just a home study extension and three documents, two that are already done, and one to go, in order to finish processing the 16!!!  That means travel before Christmas and might mean that travel will be in November as it was with Matteo!! So both a great birthday present for me, yet again, and a wonderful Christmas at home!

Here's praying there are no glitches with my paperwork, and our prayers continue to be answered!!

Such a surprise and a great birthday present for all of us to remember Malio's 7 month birthday!!

Last day of pre-school forever and ever…..

…mommy was more emotional than Matteo…this is how he posed for me on the morning of August 1st.  While the walk to preschool was emotional….Matteo will be attending kindergarten in the same building as his daycare so will still be able to see all his wonderful caregivers…the two kindergarten classes are also on the same level as the senior toddler room, so technically we are only changing rooms but the move this time is HUGE, or that's how it feels to mommy!!

Endings and beginnings…..

…..well summer school is over and summer vacation is officially here…it has been a tough few weeks and the last frenetic day of summer school ended with some pleasurable news….two of the families who are in Vietnam adopting went to visit my son in his orphanage and while I was sent a few photos on Friday, I will have some videos on their return….it is always so wonderful to get photos and videos etc…makes it all more real and then when someone from here is also in the photos it makes it even more real for me….so here's hoping that I get those videos soon and that I also get some other information.

  On the paperwork front, I have almost all the paperwork done for the home study update and will not just have to await the home visit and the medical updates at the end of the month…really hoping to have the home study submitted in September as sometimes processing through the Ministry can take a few months…and hope that the delay is not on this side….the paperwork is so daunting….

….on the home front…Matteo has one more week in preschool, and then he will say good bye to this phase of his life and we'll be on vacation (though we don't have many plans as of yet) until school starts in September.

 We are hoping to visit with friends in Toronto and also have friends coming in from out east, otherwise we plan to hang out at our two renovated parks, splash pad and pool….I am hoping for long hot summer days…it has been a tough year, and sadly we are moving forward with one fur baby less but with the hopes of adding to our family with a new little boy, hopefully sooner than later…

…..for now, just want to reenergize and get ready for  some new beginnings…..

…the winds of life…..

…well it feels like a lifetime since last I wrote and the last couple of weeks are a bit of a blur….summertime came and so did summer school….it was exciting to teach an online course but was soon to discover that it was a new course so not all the bugs were worked out, or should I say, we were going to working out all the bugs in the system…the jury is still out on how I feel about it…for now the best part has definitely been working from home…

….shortly after our course began I found out because it may take a while until we can travel to pick Malio up, I needed to update my home study…and for those of you who know that horror of paperwork, you'll know when I say, I was really unhappy about it….but like many others, you pick yourself up and do what you have to do….

…just as I was in the midst of that, last Sunday, our cat Micio took a turn for the worst…he had been dealing with stage four renal failure since last April, had been doing well, and then a new medication did not agree with him and it set him back…we are heartbroken to have had to say good bye to him…we're still in shock, and so sad.  Matteo was terribly upset and is dealing with it in his own way, but it has been very hard, was hard to have to tell him,  was hard for him to say goodbye, and again we're still working on it….I'm very heartbroken as Micio had a special relationship with Matteo and was the more affectionate cat of the three…he was the one who I practiced holding a baby with before adopting Matteo…he would crawl into my arms at night and/or I'd find him sleeping on my chest in the morning…while I knew he wasn't going to have a long life and while I tried to nurse him daily with what he needed, it still came as a shock.  I guess like all deaths, even ones you know are on the horizon, you can never be ready for them.

…on a more positive side…my friend C. is in Vietnam at the moment and we have been communicating almost daily. She has officially adopted her son, her third child from Vietnam and they are moving forward in their relationship slowly but it is going well.  If they are able to and have time in the next few days as they await the Canadian passport, they may get a chance to go to Malio's orphanage and take some current photos!  I am praying that that might happen so that I can continue to breathe a new life in our family instead of mourning one who left.

…..I had planned a different kind of July, but the winds of life have moved us in directions not planned….we now also have two more weeks until Matteo finishes preschool forever and I had also planned to try to somehow mark this month in some special way, but we haven't…for now I'll have to trust that it will all work out as it is meant to be.

  The following photos are of Matteo and Micio after Micio got out of the hospital last April….Matteo kissing Micio and Micio lowering his head…taken a the month before Micio was diagnosed and then a photo taken last week of Matteo showing off his painting work at the preschool wall (some of it had washed off in the rain)…however he looks so grown up, so mature…my little baby is all ready for school and life has moved him forward too and he continues to grow, mature and become the person he is meant to be.

We were so glad to have you home from the hospital and would have wished for even more time together.

Goodbye Micio, we love you and we will miss you forever.
 

All grown up and ready for school!