Creative Things to Do While in the Waiting Room - Take Your 94 Year Old Father to EPCOT

Every year we attend the Disney Christmas Candlelight Processional but this year, dad came along. It seems we choose the coldest day each year. 3 times each night, in the midst of all the magic, Disneys allows it's guests to get away and set their eyes and ears on the real reason for the season.

Xie-Xie

"Xie xie" (pronounced: Sheay-sheay)

Did you know that "xie xie" means "thanks" in Mandarin-Chinese?

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We are trying to keep the schedule full this Christmas to distract us from the absence of Joanna in our home this season. We had hoped that she would have arrived by now .... the day after Christmas last year, we went out and bought a truck load of Christmas lights and ychotchkes to celebrate. We'll leave them in the attic, buy some more and haul them out next year.

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We take comfort in knowing that God is soverign in this whole adoption process. The time for Joanna's arrival was determined ...... who knows when ..... so in the meantime, we are singing in 2 musicals in our church, taking Don's 94 year old dad out and about as much as possible and attending as many holiday functions as the calendar can hold ...... we also have the opportunity to step back and say xie - xie for all we have learned, adapted to, experienced and suffered through in the Waiting Room ......

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"Xie xie ni" (pronounced: Sheay-sheay nee)This is the more formal way to say "thank you" in Mandarin-Chinese.

The Mandarin language is the most commonly used form of Chinese in China and around the world. The second most commonly used Chinese language is Cantonese, generally used more in the Southern regions and in Hong Kong. There are many (hundreds) other dialects used throughout other parts of China as well.In honor of Christmas, we would like to say "xie xie" for the following:

Xie xie to China for allowing us the privilege of adopting their children.
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Xie xie to CCAA for allowing Bethany, a Christian organization to work in China and find homes for their children.
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Xie xie to Bethany's adoptive families for opening their hearts and homes to orphaned children. >
Xie xie to the caretakers of the world.
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Xie xie to the brave and selfless birth-parents that choose life for their child and oftentimes feel forced to abandon their children.
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Xie xie to those who find the abandoned Chinese children and place them in the arms of caregivers.
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Xie xie to the Bethany staff and social workers across the country that all share the same Mission to find families for orphans.
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Xie xie to the educators who help prepare adoptive families.
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Xie xie to the medical professionals that care for the children.
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Xie xie to the prayer warriors that never forget to pray for the forgotten.
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Xie xie to the communities that embrace diversity.

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Xie xie to those who share their hearts with fellow adoptive parents and support the same through the long waiting process, regardless of their preferences.
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Xie xie to those who founded adoption.
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Xie xie to those who fought for our freedoms.
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Xie xie to those who made it possible for us to pray at work and at home, as this is a freedom that many do not have.
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Xie xie to the children who resiliently adapt and embrace their adoptive families as their own.
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Xie xie to our Gracious God who Created all to be thankful for.

From the Heart

Plan Ahead

Latest from the CCAA

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before January 31, 2006.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before September 8, 2005.

Looks like the date for "The Review Room" hasn't changed.

The "Referral Room" has forged ahead about 3 weeks to Sept 8. Congratulations to the new parents who have some great news!

Preparing Doggie for Baby

We love our Diva Dog and we're not sure what to expect when Joanna arrives. "The Rumor Queen" blog has a good article which other dog lovers can find useful ---- here's the link:

www.chinaadopttalk.com

Hit the item on the right sidebar titled "Preparing Your Dog for Baby".

A quote on doggie wisdom from - of all people - John O'Hurley (Mr Peterman from 'Seinfeld') -

"As humans, we tend to expose our goodness in glimpses. Dogs, however, live closer to their essence, and they are more constant in their goodness. Perhaps that is why God gave them to us - as teachers, to stay by our sides in quiet vigil, undisturbed by worry or regret, and to show us how to live each moment as it comes."

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - Go Hear "The Stradavarius Voice"

Shortly after we moved into our home in 1984, I was blessed with a case of insomnia (just like right now) and began surfing the channels. I came upon the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon and heard the most remarkable singing I'd ever heard. This gorgeous woman, with a voice like light in crystal, was singing an incredible jazz arrangement of "Tiptoe Trough the Tulips" and my ears couldn't believe themselves. The next morning I told Be about my discovery - "....and do you know who she was? I'll give you a hint .... (singing) ..... there's got to be a morning after, if we can hold on through the night ...... Maureen McGovern! The gal who sang the Poseidon Adventure song!"

At the time, I was singing with an acapella group at Disney, so I was way into exploring new singers amd expanding my CD collection with fine music.

This past Friday, we had the opportunity to hear this outstanding talent accompanied by piano, bass, drums and pops orchestra . We sat transfixed as she worked through songs from "The American Songbook" by Gershwin, Rogers, Hart, Hammerstein & Arlen, her multi-octave range in amazing form. At one point, she began scatting with one of the sax players, singing at lightening speed, duplicating and harmonizing, making my jaw drop into my lap. I listened closely, and she hit every note pitch perfect. I even got verclempt several times during the 90 minute set - especially as she interpreted "Over the Rainbow". Miss McGovern began the song on mic, stood up from her stool, held the mic behind her back, walked to the front of the stage and filled the auditorium with pure music - acapella! No sound reinforcement! The woman was in control no doubt!

We were rehearsing the music for our church's christmas cantata on the way home (a 2 1/2 hour drive from Palm Beach to Orlando) and had to laugh at ourselves as we sounded like geese in comparison. We will hear Maureen McGovern again next month, but alas, she won't be singing - she is the narrator for 3 nights at the "Christmas Candlelight Processional" at Disney's EPCOT Center. We'll reflect back on last Friday's concert and imagine her singing the script .....Well, I've depleted all of my superlatives ........ I'm outtahere ......

The Orlando Waiting Room - A Referral for Ruth & Steven

Monday, November 20 - Our Orlando area meeting of the Waiting Room Parents - We spent a good time with Ruth & Steven Holmes who will be traveling to China in early December to receive their new daughter, Yong Xiao Ling (Delicate Dawn). She is almost 11 months old with a birthday of December 15th 2005.

She is currently in the Province of Hunan in P.R. China, and they hope to be united with her shortly before Christmas!! They will be giving her the name Anaka Cerridwen Holmes.

We share in your joy Ruth, Steve & Anaka. We are thrilled for you!

A Beautiful Labor of Love

Sunday, November 19 - we received a most wonderful gift from our friend Nancy Austin. She had been working on a beautiful quilt for our family and since the Austins live in France, we had no idea that she was preparing the quilt. Nancy told us that as she was sewing, she used the time to pray for our arrival from China, Joanna. Our hearts are touched by her thoughtfulness and love. We visited the family in France, about 30 miles outside Paris,
several times and we
have 2 photo albums
full of happy memories
of our visits. They are
stationed there
with Campus Crusade for Christ providing translation services for various projects.

The squares on the quilt:

for Joanna - a floral pattern in with Asian script and the traditional 'ladybug'.

for Be - the pink squares (on the border and the outer edge of the design) for breast cancer
awareness - purchase of the fabric included a
donation to breast cancer research. Be is a survivor.

for Don - the blue/green squares are named "All That Jazz" for Don's appreciation of good jazz. (He says "I was really jazzed" a whole lot.)


About the pictures:

(Top) The door to Joanna's room: We bought the door at a yard sale (for 20 bucks) when our home was being built inn 1983. It was probably used in an old farm house and dates to the early 1900s, if not earlier. It has carvings in each of the panels and the stained glass is a design we saw on a billboard in North Carolina when we were on vacation the same year. We fashioned original stained glass designs as a hobby in the early 80s and took the picture of the billboard and adapted it to the window opening in the door. It has been the 'welcome pineapple' to our guest room for the last 22 years. It will now welcome Joanna to her room each time she goes to bed with her new quilt.

(Center) Diva - the Multi-Ethnic Canine Love Sponge - says "Joanna, I'm waitin' for ya, baby! Like your new quilt?"

(Bottom) Aerial view of Nancy's Labor of Love.

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - The Osborne Family Light Show @ MGM Studios

Tuesday, November 14 - We broke out the Disney passes and headed over to MGM for a few hours to view the lights - Wow! What a power bill. This year, the tech staff upgraded the show with pulsing and dancing of the lights in synch with the Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas selections. Their famous "Carol of the Bells" rocked as the lights dimmed and throbbed to the pounding of the music. It's quite the extravaganza and will put you right into the spirit of the Christmas season - there's even a snowfall at intervals throughout the evening.

In the pics........

---Be & Don on a side street. Don's wheelchair is out of the frame.

---Looks like the moon above the big ol' Christmas tree, no? It's really an artificial snow blob on my camera lens. The view is from a seated position in the wheelchair.

---Gargoyle on a stair post - with red eyes and if you look closely ---- Mickey ears.

Creative Things To Do While In the Waiting Room - Visit an "Open House" at a Winery

Sunday, November 12 - Lakeridge Winery, Clermont, Florida

We're not sure how many wineries there are in Florida, but we can only guess that this one is a bit different than those in Napa or Sonoma Wine Country in California. We visited back in the early 90s when there was no development, no tourism in Clermont (OK, there WAS the Citris Tower - it's still there) and the winery the was just starting to become a presence in the area (it opened in 1988). At that time, they were importing their wine from one of their other outlets, San Sebastian (up the road in St. Augustine - we escape Orlando for a weekend there annually), about the same time that Lakeridge opened.

Now, the winery produces their own product and it's quite good. We tasted about 7 different varieties and came back to my favorite ---- red. We're saving it for Thanksgiving ---- maybe.

We couldn't do the tour as Don was on crutches (the foot is coming along, but it's not even at 50% yet) but we had a fine afternoon.

SCC Videos

One of our favorite singer/song writers, Steven Curtis Chapman, is quite the spokesperson for adoption. He is a gifted wordsmith. Here are 2 of his songs with the adoption theme ..... hit the link .......

"When Love Takes You In" http://youtube.com/watch?v=V_hS3Gj6Q1o&mode=related&search=

"All I Really Want for Christmas" http://youtube.com/watch?v=kSV5xW-NLu8

The 2nd video is available in full screen format at www.bethany.org on their front page.

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - Sit On a Jury With Right Foot Elevated (See Oct 29 Item)

Looks like I need some "Creative Things to Do While In the Jury Waiting Room"

Taking suggestions until November 27.

CCAA - Update November 3, 2006

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before January 31, 2006.

Looking back ....... it was a year ago this month that our home study was completed. Next step ... dossier. Don was hospitalized during that period and had a lot of healing time at home. It was during recouperation that he was able to light the fire and get the dossier process going. Our documents were assembled in record time as Don was surgically attached to the telephone and handcuffed to our notary. By Christmas, the package was almost done with the exception of a copy of Don's birth certificate from the Great State of New Jersey. In fact, he informed some poor office worker at the Secretary of State's office that he would jump a plane to Philadelphia, rent a car and drive to Trenton and seek her out personally if the certificate was not in our mailbox by Friday of that week (this was after 6 weeks of dead end phone calls). We received the birth certificate on Thursday. After several adjustments and rewrites, the dossier was submitted to our agency in January, reviewed by the home office, tweaked some more and was on the way to China on March 9, 2006. We received our log-in-date (LID) of March 24, 2006 - and that's where we've been since - in the Waiting Room.

So - our documents were registered with the CCAA on March 24, 2006 and they have reviewed up until January 31, 2006. We are inching our way to our referral ...... 'scuse me while I wipe the eyes which are starting to fog up.

Congrats to all the families who are out of the review room - once again, we are envious.

God Bless Y'all,
Don & Be

Preparing Doggie for Baby - or is that - Preparing Baby for Don?

We receive e-mails from DogAge.com on regular basis and we found this one appropriate ......

Preparing Doggie for Baby
November 2, 2006
Afraid you'll have to find a new home for your pooch when baby arrives? With a little preparation, you can create a comfortable home for the entire family.Start by making a list of the rules and routines your dog now follows, highlighting which ones will need to change once you have a baby in the house. Then, start introducing the changes and teaching any new rules before the baby comes. If your dog's a bit unruly, sign him up for an obedience class. And if possible, spend time around young children to slowly introduce your dog to kid noises and movements.

Aubrey Hope Svetlana Beams

In 2003, Be & I began attending a church about 10 - 12 minutes out our front door. We connected with the worship style and joined the worship team shortly after the arrival of Jason & Stephanie Beams the following year. We learned that they were already more than a year into the adoption of a toddler from Russia but because of their move from Texas to Florida (to take the position of worship director) much of their paperwork had to be transferred from their original agency, delaying the arrival of their child. The Beams moved back to Texas recently and the wheels started turning fast and their adoption of Aubrey Hope Svetlana was finalized on September 2, 2006. She was born on January 19, 2005 and has a sister, Brynlee Beams who is 3years. We are happy and envious at the same time. Congratulations Jason, Stephanie, Brynlee & Aubrey.

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - Try Negotiating a Corn Maze

Friday morning, October 20, 2006 found us near Mount Dora, Florida in a field of corn. The event was finding your way through a series of circles and dead ends carved out of a corn field and solving puzzles with clues posted along the way. Sounds as weird as a Cirque du Soleil show and perhaps the link at the bottom of this post explains it better.

We enjoyed fellowship with members of our church's worship team and their families followed by a late lunch at the home of some new friends near Clermont.

http://www.longandscottfarms.com/CornMaze06.htm

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - Go to a 3 Dog Night Concert

Another entry in the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival concert lineup - 3 Dog Night (describing how Australian Aborigines slept with their dogs for warmth on cold nights, the coldest being a "three-dog night.") We were howlin' like dawgs as we sang along with their number 1 hits "Mama Told Me Not to Come", "Old Fashioned Live Song", "Dance to the Music (Celebrate)", "Shambala", "Joy to the World" and others too numerous to list. They even did a rap insert on "Mama".

Although primarily a vocal band (and they still sound great) the instrumentalists were given their chance to shine as well.

Creative Things to Do While In the Waiting Room - Go to a Little Richard Concert

Well, the self- proclaimed "Grandfather of Rock & Roll" did not let us down last night when we attended 2 of his 30 minute shows at EPCOT Center. Little Richard entered in a pale pink rhinestone beglittered tux with the aid of 2 canes and one of his entourage who also doubled as his trumpet player. The old boy (he's 74) was weak but he gave it his best and a great time was had by all. "Lucille", "Blueberry Hill", & "Good Golly Miss Molly" were a few of the selections on last night's song menu. At one point, LR wanted some dancers to come up on stage and was very specific about the type of woman he wanted - judging by the ladies in the above picture, you can be sure that he was not particularly politically correct in his description. I guess if you're Little Richard and you're 74, say what you want and be happy you can still say something. He said 'shut up' about 17 times during the show and hit some pretty high notes along with his famous hoots and wails.

So, Joanna, come quickly from China. Your future parents have reduced themselves to attendence at concerts by aging rock stars....... Somebody! Help me!

Souvenir from the Dark Continent

LILONGWE, Malawi -- Madonna and her husband took custody of a motherless one-year-old boy from Malawi after filing adoption papers and receiving interim approval from a judge in the impoverished southern African nation.
The boy's father said he was happy for his son, named David and pleased with the celebrity couple who want to be his parents.
Yohame Banda, the father, said he met Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie at the court as part of the formalities. While they talked, Madonna, who has two children, carried the baby boy, Banda said.
"They are a lovely couple," Banda said. "She asked me many questions. She and her husband seem happy with David. I am happy for him."

Oy! I could puke. Let me say right off that I don't begrudge an impoverished child a chance for a better life........but does it have to be with Madonna? Chances are good, the child will be raised by a nanny anyway. My issue is how appropriate is Madonna when it comes to mothering? Is this adoption a ploy to make her wacko lifestyle (not to mention her freak shows) appear "normal?" Yeah----I know, I know-----"It's just a character she's playing. It's art!" Phoey! Was Madonna wearing her tophat and leathers when the talked with the boy's father and he found her so lovely? He didn't have a clue!

So, Ms Madonna......we didn't see you in that waiting room with the rest of us, did we?
Let's see. Which picture of yourself did you use? The 'Madonna Crucified' or the one with you playing piggy back with one of your dancers? How about your dossier......oh, you made it through all the background checks? Wonderful. Sorry you had to wait in that line for so long to have your fingerprints done. Who is your case worker.....Michael Jackson? And the details with all those other documents were so involved, weren't they......and look, o lovely one.....this one says that you were actually born.

Well, up to this point, I've kept the items in this blog fairly tame, due to the delicate nature of the adoption process. OK....maybe I'm a tad bit insensitive.....and now, you may be saying "So, what kind of a parent do you think YOU'LL be with all that sarcasm, Don?" Can you tell I've got a problem with some of these nutjobs? I mean, didn't adoptive parent Angelina Jolie carry an amulet of Bobby Bill's blood on a chain around her neck? (it's right there in eonline.com) Then there's Callista Flockhart. Hopefully she'll remember to feed her child. Acquiring a child may be easy for these celebrities, but in the fickle, all too strange world of Hollywood, raising them might be a different matter.

I'm so ticked right now I should probably go out and do some yard work.....



This just in ........ The above item was posted several hours prior to the following.......and don't worry......this blog is not going to become "The Adoption Enquirer"....... just had to vent ...... I'll be OK soon .....


Rights groups rap Madonna adoption bid
BLANTYRE: "Queen of Pop" Madonna jetted out of Malawi yesterday, leaving behind the 13-month-old boy she plans to mother and a storm of protests from local rights groups over the fast-track adoption process.
Malawi's leading child rights group yesterday said it would seek a court injunction to stop Madonna adopting the boy if the government did not put on hold its interim order approving the process.
"It's not like selling property," said a statement by Eye of the Child, a day after Malawi's High Court granted an interim order for Madonna to adopt David Banda.
"It is about safeguarding the future of a human being who, because of age, cannot express an opinion," said the group, adding that the government circumvented its own laws to fast-track the adoption process.
The US diva left the administrative capital Lilongwe on a private plane after a judge granted her an 18-month interim order allowing her to take David, the son of an illiterate farmer, out of the country.
However, the youngster will have to be reunited with the 48-year-old singer at a later date as vital paperwork was still to be sorted out.
"She left Malawi without David because there was little time to sort out passport and visa issues," said Penston Kilembe, director of child welfare services in the ministry of gender, children and community services.
Kilembe said David would later join Madonna, who left addresses in London and Los Angeles, where government officials can reach her and monitor the boy's progress in foster care for 18 months.
London-based Madonna, who already has two children of her own, must return at a later stage for the adoption to be given final approval.