Hello everyone! I'm just trying to find the time to update as things have been pretty crazy around here. So, sorry it's been a while. But here is the latest news :)
After getting home from a weekend away, we got a call from our agency on Monday. "Uncle Zhou" had called the orphanage to check on Mali and was able to get an update. So far, she is doing well and received her care package with no problem. The orphanage also told him that she still has not had her lip repaired yet. They said that they can arrange for her lip surgery, however they wanted to let him know that out of the two plastic surgeons in their province that perform these surgeries for them, the one that would most likely be doing her surgery is the lesser of the two surgeons. Soo...they wanted Zhou to call "Mali's parents" (us!!!) and ask if we wanted to proceed with the repair in China or if we wanted her to wait and have her surgery/ies done after she gets home to the states. First, I was so excited that they called us Mali's parents (isn't that cool?)!! And second, I was very happy that they are allowing us this option of making our first decision for our daughter!! I never expected that from them and feel so fortunate that they thought of our feelings on the matter.
Anyway, once posed with this question, Shawn and I discussed the various angles. We figured that since Mali is eating well, gaining weight, and developing appropriately, there was not much need to hurry up with the surgery (especially if it was with a second rate surgeon), but we wanted to check with the experts first. We sent an email and made some phone calls to Children's Hospital to get their opinion.
In the meantime, we also are having Zhou call the CCAA to try to get the specific status of our dossier so that we know how much longer it will be until our approvals arrive. If possible, we are going to play the "expedite card" and use the letter that the director of Children's Hospital sent along with our referral acceptance to see if they can speed up the process to bring her home sooner. That way we can get everything fixed in one swoop here at Children's. Not sure if they will budge, (it is the very regimented Chinese government), however it never hurts to ask. The worst they can do is say no...so everyone, keep your fingers crossed they say yes! :)
As of right now, we are still waiting on word from Zhou from the CCAA, however Dr's Powell and Wiet at Children's said that Mali's condition does not appear urgent and there would be absolutely no harm in waiting a few more months. They also actually said they would prefer to do all procedures at Children's, to avoid having to potentially correct any surgeries performed in China.
So, today we let EAC (our agency) know that we will postpone her surgery until after we bring her home. Now we just have to wait for the word from Zhou. I am not banking on the CCAA expediting anything, but it sure would be nice, wouldn't it? Worst case, at least we'll know more about how much longer we'll have to wait for final approval. It's a win-win and I'm just so happy to feel movement again!
Shawn and I are actually really excited to meet her when she still has her cleft lip and palate...we've fallen in love with that little face just as it is so it will be amazing and breathtaking to see her in person, with every inch of her just as she was born :)
It's coming...someday soon...for the first time in a long time (maybe ever), I can feel it!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
1st Birthday gathering went great!
My mom, dad, Lisa, Meg and Tim (almost all of the grandparents, Rick was unfortunately feeling a bit under the weather), and also uncles Forge and Blaize, were all able to come over last night and have dinner and dessert, then a little bonfire in celebration of Mali's birthday.
We had several different kinds of Chinese food for the main course (egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, sesame orange chicken, General Tso's chicken, and chicken fried rice...as well as these things called "chicken cakes" that I picked up from the Asian Market this week - which was kind of ironic because these "chicken cakes" had not one bit of chicken in them, but were very good nonetheless). Then for dessert, we tried several different kinds of treats that I also picked up from the Asian Market (mung bean cakes, mochi balls, snow pies, sweet honey cakes, cashew nut and walnut crunch cookies). I have been shopping at a few different stores over the last two weeks and have tried a lot of different stuff. I finally narrowed the list to several food items that I thought everyone might like but I still stuck in a few items that were very unique to Asian culture (and definitely not typical American fare). Overall, I think everyone got a kick out of experimenting with them too. It has been really fun to try new things and understand more about her heritage. I have felt like a "fish out of water" since I don't understand much yet, but it has been a really great experience and I look forward to many more. We put sparklers in these little moon cakes (which are traditionally eaten on occasions such as Chinese New Year), and that was our "birthday cake" this year for Mali.
Also, for a little atmosphere, I had put these things called joss sticks in sand in a big pot on the front porch. They are pretty much like big incense sticks and from what I understand so far, they are typically burned in front of Buddhist temples as a purifying ritual before entering. I thought this would be neat for everyone to experience as they entered. I hope I wasn't offensive by doing this...I'm just trying to learn and try out various things so that I (and Mali's whole American family) can begin to understand more. After dinner at the bonfire, we burned "money" (fake $5000 bills from the Asian Market), as this is also another cultural ritual that is done for ancestors who have passed away. It is used as a symbol to send money with their loved ones in their afterlife. I like this and think it's a beautiful way to remember those who have gone before us.
And of course, we all spent time remembering Mali's birth mother as we sat around the bonfire. Without her, none of this could be possible. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to place Mali in that box and say goodbye to her, hoping that she was doing the right thing for her daughter, because she loved her so much. For myself, I choose to believe that Mali's mom must be a very strong woman to have been able to make this ultimate sacrifice. I will forever be grateful to her for that. I'm sure not a single March 6th will go by when her mother won't look up at the stars and say a prayer that her daughter is healthy, happy, and loved. And I will send a prayer back to her, hoping that she knows that Shawn and I will do our best every day to make sure her prayers are answered.
Now, here are some of the various pictures from last night...I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed making these memories :)
We had several different kinds of Chinese food for the main course (egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, sesame orange chicken, General Tso's chicken, and chicken fried rice...as well as these things called "chicken cakes" that I picked up from the Asian Market this week - which was kind of ironic because these "chicken cakes" had not one bit of chicken in them, but were very good nonetheless). Then for dessert, we tried several different kinds of treats that I also picked up from the Asian Market (mung bean cakes, mochi balls, snow pies, sweet honey cakes, cashew nut and walnut crunch cookies). I have been shopping at a few different stores over the last two weeks and have tried a lot of different stuff. I finally narrowed the list to several food items that I thought everyone might like but I still stuck in a few items that were very unique to Asian culture (and definitely not typical American fare). Overall, I think everyone got a kick out of experimenting with them too. It has been really fun to try new things and understand more about her heritage. I have felt like a "fish out of water" since I don't understand much yet, but it has been a really great experience and I look forward to many more. We put sparklers in these little moon cakes (which are traditionally eaten on occasions such as Chinese New Year), and that was our "birthday cake" this year for Mali.
Also, for a little atmosphere, I had put these things called joss sticks in sand in a big pot on the front porch. They are pretty much like big incense sticks and from what I understand so far, they are typically burned in front of Buddhist temples as a purifying ritual before entering. I thought this would be neat for everyone to experience as they entered. I hope I wasn't offensive by doing this...I'm just trying to learn and try out various things so that I (and Mali's whole American family) can begin to understand more. After dinner at the bonfire, we burned "money" (fake $5000 bills from the Asian Market), as this is also another cultural ritual that is done for ancestors who have passed away. It is used as a symbol to send money with their loved ones in their afterlife. I like this and think it's a beautiful way to remember those who have gone before us.
And of course, we all spent time remembering Mali's birth mother as we sat around the bonfire. Without her, none of this could be possible. I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to place Mali in that box and say goodbye to her, hoping that she was doing the right thing for her daughter, because she loved her so much. For myself, I choose to believe that Mali's mom must be a very strong woman to have been able to make this ultimate sacrifice. I will forever be grateful to her for that. I'm sure not a single March 6th will go by when her mother won't look up at the stars and say a prayer that her daughter is healthy, happy, and loved. And I will send a prayer back to her, hoping that she knows that Shawn and I will do our best every day to make sure her prayers are answered.
Now, here are some of the various pictures from last night...I hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed making these memories :)
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Whew ~ Thank God!
Yea!!! Thank God – our little monkey finally has her package – and just in time for her birthday on Friday!
Status: DELIVERED
Last Scan: 3/2/2009 5:05:00 PM DELIVERED CN
Delivered To: CN
Delivery Date: Monday, March 2, 2009
Delivery Time: 5:05:00 PM
Signed By: HE ZHU HAI
Carrier: UPS
Service: Worldwide Express Saver
UPS Tracking Number: 1Z0451W80432547073
Status: DELIVERED
Last Scan: 3/2/2009 5:05:00 PM DELIVERED CN
Delivered To: CN
Delivery Date: Monday, March 2, 2009
Delivery Time: 5:05:00 PM
Signed By: HE ZHU HAI
Carrier: UPS
Service: Worldwide Express Saver
UPS Tracking Number: 1Z0451W80432547073
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