~On Angels WiNgS~

SOPHIA HAS BEEN HOME FOR TWO YEARS!

2011-02-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that our little Sophia

has been home for two years! The time

has gone by so fast and she brings our

family more joy than we could ever

have imagined. We are truly blessed

to have her in our lives!

Fall pumpkin picking in Mendham

Cheering with "Lala" at the fall football games.

Go Mendham!

Sophia watering her hand

My nature girl-a real tree hugger :)

Our ladybug is striking a cheer pose- she must be hanging

around her sister too much!

Ready to trick or treat for the first

time. Only went to three houses

because Sophia didn't realize that

the treat bag was meant to collect

the candy. She thought she needed

to immediately consume all the candy

she was given!

We love to bake for the holidays!

Thanksgiving Day outfit complete with princess crown

and shades...

Christmas morning

Exploring the beach in sunny, beautiful Santa Barbara

during winter break :)

Sophia hitching a ride to the beach

Contemplating the beauty of the beach and the

mountains

Jogging with Dad

Back in NJ having some indoor fun with stickers

Doing the bunny hop...

And venturing outside to play in the snow. Unfortunately

the snow didn't stick together so our plans to make

a snowman didn't quite work out.

Sledding is a fun activity. As long as it is down our

driveway and not the big hill at the elementary school,

as Laura and I discovered. Sophia said the big hill was

just too bumpy!

August and September 2010 Recap

2010-09-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

Since Sophia turned two, her ability to express herself

has really improved. As a result, she is amazingly reasonable

considering the natural frustrations of being a toddler.

She started off the summer very shy with anyone outside the

family, but she has become increasingly social this past

month. She usually starts off social encounters now by

holding up her hands to show off her nails that her

sister "Lala" painted.

This summer Sophia's aquatic skills didn't progress

beyond the first two steps of our pool. But we spent a lot

of time engaged in water play with so many 90+ degree

days.

A visit out to the "country" from our

NYC cousins and a trip to our local

playground. Sophia is serving "ice

cream" here.

The "thinker" pose- probably contemplating some

mischief!

First manicure from her sister "Lala"

Following strict instructions from her sister to hold

out her hands to let her nails dry!

A not entirely successful first attempt at kite flying-

sudden gusts of wind sent the kite up in the wind

and then crashing back down. But it was fun :)

Picture brother Mike took when we visited him in

NYC and went to Bar 89 (our favorite lunch spot in Soho)

Happy to see Laura at the end of the

parade route of the Labor Day parade

(Our little town's biggest weekend of

the year- complete with parade, carnival,

games, and fireworks)

Sophia spent many hours playing in

her sand box this summer. Note the

interesting collection of clothing she

outfitted herself in!

I thought bringing the water table up

to the deck from the pool was a great

idea until Sophia started transferring

all the sand from her sandbox into it!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!! Sophia is looking very

apprehensive, but is really enjoying the "Duck Pond"

which is the name of her 2 year old classroom at

the Co-Op. She goes Tues and Thurs from 9:15 until

11:15. There are 7 children in the class with 2 teachers

and a parent. So I am in the classroom one day

every month. I was in the room for the first day and

it was a lot of fun. I didn't even mind sweeping the

floors and disinfecting all the surfaces :)

Snack time! As the co-op parent for the day, I brought

goldfish and juice boxes. It was Sophia's first juice box and

she quickly learned what happens if you squeeze the box!

I love this picture of Mike and Laura on a hike at

Hacklebarney Park. Sophia wasn't interested in being

in the picture because she was too busy throwing stones

into the stream.

Our traditional stop at the cider mill to have their

delicious cider donuts

I have a vase of zinnias from my garden on the deck

table. Sophia plucked one out of the vase and placed

it behind her ear. I love having a girly girl :)

Our new "one day a week to give Mom a break" babysitter

is also a professional haircutter. This is Sophia's first hair

cut which we managed to do by distracting her with the

water table!

TWO YEARS OLD!

2010-07-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sophia turned two years old on June 5th. We celebrated

her birthday with a "turning two tea". Here is the hostess

serving her guests.

Wearing her birthday present from brother Michael- a

Yankees hat, of course :)

Lighting the candles on the cupcake which Sophia had

no trouble blowing out!

Feeling glamorous wearing her birthday crown

Enjoying July 4th with Molly

Where is the cash register- I am ready

to check out now!

Look at our cool shades!

Love the beach especially with my sister :)

Spring 2010

2010-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sophia has been very busy this spring playing outside

and has spent many hours at the playground. We put a

sand table on the back deck which has also been fun.

Sophia has a very extensive vocabulary now that includes

verbs such as "done, hop, jump, walking". She has

started to string two words together such as "LaLa"

(Laura) school and Mike work. Barney has replaced

Elmo as her favorite- I guess it is hard for a small,

red furry monster to compete with a large purple dinosaur!

Like my bike but not sure how to make it go yet!

Wearing Mike's baseball cap and

ready to jump in the rain puddles

Modeling my Vietnamese hat

Watering Mom's flowers

Looks like the Easter bunny came to visit

Hannah helping me to "dunk" my shot

at her house on Easter.

Playing "ball" with Mike

Standing outside my room at the

Hamilton Princess in Bermuda

Walking with Matt and Kerry on a beach on Cooper

Island. Daddy had a business trip to Bermuda so Mommy

and I went along with him :)

I really like these big sand boxes they call beaches!

Spring brunch for families with adopted children from

Vietnam. We decided to play "dress up" and had a lot

of fun!

Winter 2010 Recap

2010-03-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

It seems like it was a long winter and it

has also been a long time since we last

posted! Sophia has been a busy scientist

exploring the world around her- she is

especially fond of removing the contents of

drawers. She understands everything and

knows many words, but hasn't formed

sentences yet. She counts to ten when

climbing up and down the stairs, so maybe

that is her first sentence :)

Our trip to Florida for Laura's

cheer competition was a great break from

being cooped up all winter.

All dressed for Laura's Regional cheer competition

(with Minnie as good luck to qualify for Nationals

in Florida)

Still loves her "baba" before naps and bedtime

Never too cold to blow bubbles

outside!

Reading to Molly- she is a good listener!

Love my dolly :)

Never saw any of this white stuff

in Hanoi

Taking my sled for a ride...

Chillin' at the airport with the girls waiting for our

flight to Florida for Nationals

Meeting Minnie and Mickey. Glad they were indoors

because it was pouring in the Magic Kingdom our first

day at Disney

Hanging out after our lunch following the cheer

competition at Hollywood Studios

Taking a break at one of the many Disney stores

With Laura and friends at Animal Kingdom after they went

on the big Himalayan roller coaster

At dinner in NYC for Michael's 25th birthday

celebration!

Holding Elmo, reading Elmo, while watching an Elmo

DVD. Can you tell I am a big fan of the little red monster!?!?

Out in the big blizzard of 2010 with

Laura and her friends

Would anyone like a spoonful of snow-

we have plenty to spare!

A Year Since My Homecoming!

2010-01-05T13:56:00.000-08:00

Sophia came home December 13, 2008 to be

a part of our family. It seems like she has

always been with us, and it's hard to believe

the year has gone by so quickly! Last year she

couldn't walk or talk and now at 18 months

old, Sophia is running around and expanding

her vocabulary every day. She isn't speaking

in full sentences yet, but she can name and

understand just about everything. We all

love her and she brings so much joy to our

lives, especially during December which

is always so difficult for us.

I love cheering for Laura at her cheerleading

competitions!

Of course, since my brother gave me this hat, I am

also a Penn State Nittany Lions fan :)

Sledding after our first snow storm of the

season

Santa's helper

With Michael and Laura at our family

friend's home on Christmas

Readoption Day!

2009-12-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, on December 4, 2008 we had the giving

and receiving ceremony in Hanoi. On that day, Sophia Rose

officially became our daughter. It was purely coincidental

(or perhaps fate?) that our re-adoption hearing in the

Morristown, New Jersey courthouse wound up being scheduled

for December 4, 2009, exactly one year later. Needless to say,

this was a joyous and emotional experience for our family.

It meant a lot to us that Sophia Rose's brother Michael and

sister Laura were able to be with us for the re-adoption proceeding.

It was also very meaningful that some of our friends were able

to be there with us today.

Swearing in Loren and Susan before the Judge, at the

beginning of the hearing

Our lawyer and family friend Bill representing us

Sophia answering all the Judge's questions....

At the conclusion of the hearing...

With the Judge and our lawyer. So happy for our re-adoption

to now finally be completed in the state of New Jersey. :)

GOTCHA DAY!!!

2009-12-01T13:53:00.000-08:00

Exactly one year ago today we went to the Dong Anh orphanage

outside Hanoi to meet Hoang Thi Phuong; it was love at first sight!

She was almost 6 months old, and immediately took to us as we

held her for the first time. It's hard to believe that it's been a year

since that emotional day. We are so blessed that she is part of our family now,

and we can't imagine life without her.

Mommy holding Sophia Rose for the first time on

December 1, 2008 at the orphanage.

Mommy and Loan (from PLAN) with Sophia Rose and

two of her orphanage friends, Claire and the other Sophia

Daddy and Sophia bonding during that

first meeting at the orphanage.

Back at our hotel on gotcha day, finally

out of the orphanage clothes and into something

more fitting for this little cutie.

One year later...Sophia has developed

so much, and has an amazing sense of humor.

She loves wearing our shoes, and she knows

it gets instant laughs from us.

What a difference a year makes!

Nothing better than this! It's impossible not to have

a smile on your face and in your heart when you are with Sophia.

Sophia absolutely loves her big sister

LaLa (Laura).

We celebrated Gotcha day with dinner out

at a Thai restaurant. It was Sophia's choice

since Pad Thai noodles are one of her very

favorite foods!

First Halloween and Thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T14:17:00.000-08:00

It's been one year to the day this Thanksgiving that we left

for Vietnam to get Sophia Rose. It's hard to believe a full year

has gone by, and it's so wonderful to see how much Sophia has

grown and developed since we first met her.

On October 18th, Sophia, Laura and I went to a fall brunch

of the Families with Children from Vietnam, New Jersey

chapter. This is Sophia with Ellie whose mom and dad

hosted the brunch.

I think I'll help myself to a little ice cream

while mommy and daddy aren't looking

Oh, oh.....caught in the act

Forget the bowl; the container is much

more fun to eat from

Sophia and mommy go to Gymboree every Thursday; The

class dressed up in costumes the day before Halloween; Sophia

was one of two bumble bees buzzing around the class!

We went to the Halloween parade at the Elementary

school, but it rained at night se we stayed home

and greeted the trick or treaters as they came to

the door

Sophia modeling the jumper aunt Karen

knitted, and wearing the velvet and silk

jacket that was hand made in Vietnam

In deep thought or admiring her shoes??

Holding a picture of my big brother Michael

when he was about 6 years old.

Nobody's going to take this picture away from me!

Hugging his picture, and can't wait for him to come

home for Thanksgiving so I can see him

Thanksgiving dinner with my nana, my family and some

friends that joined us (not pictured)

All dressed for shopping with my family

on black friday

New Discoveries

2009-10-15T14:42:00.000-07:00

Me and my shadow....it moves everytime I do.

Amazing

Waving hello to my shadow

With brother Mike blowing bubbles in Central Park on

a beautiful fall day in New York City

I've gotten pretty good at blowing these

bubbles

Just stuffin' my face...

There's that shadow again; keeps following me around.

Pretty cool.

All set to fly with these angel wings

In one of my more studious moments,

reading one of my favorite books in our

sun room

Playing peek a boo: first I cover my eyes

Then I blow a little kiss

And voila....here I am

Love hangin with my big sis Laura

Discovering a big hay stack at a farm with Michael

and Laura on a beautiful fall Sunday

Pretty comfy seat...

Summer fun and Referralversary

2009-09-23T11:42:00.000-07:00

Now and then.....Last year on August 27, 2008

we received our referral at about 3:00 a.m., just 3 days

before the US/Vietnam program officially closed. This is

the picture we received that day, and we are so blessed

that Sophia Rose has developed so remarkably over the

past year.

Sophia and Laura in our pool, but she actually prefers her

mini pool or the bath. Oh well, maybe this will be more her

thing next summer.

We took 2 day trips to the Jersey Shore, and

Sophia LOVES the sand. She dug and sifted in

it for hours!

Sophia's hair finally got long enough for

Laura to put it in pigtails. Well, at least

it's a start.

The pigtail days were short lived once she discovered

how to pull them out

On August 10th, Laura turned 16 and we celebrated it

with a family dinner at one of our favorite Mexican

restaurants in NYC.

Never too young to support the Yankees, our favorite

baseball team!

A few more times on this slide and she'll be ready for the

big time at 6 Flags.

Who needs stuffed animals when you have your plastic

'dog dog' to carry around?

Always willing to share her snacks, especially

with Molly, our 4 pound Maltese.

All dressed up for Labor Day, the biggest

weekend of the year in our little town with

parade, carnival and fireworks.

With Laura at the end of the parade after the Cheerleader's

dance routine.

Summer vacation

2009-07-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

Since her first birthday on June 5th, Sophia has

been walking and has totally given up crawling.

She can say a few words like "more" (applies to

anything she happens to be eating at the time); nana (for banana),

ma ma, da da, and la la (for Laura). Even with her limited

vocabulary, she understands everything we say. She has

boundless energy, is busy all day long, always exploring,

touching and (usually) tasting everything in sight.

She is enjoying life immensely, and loves to give kisses

and hugs to her family, and even to Molly (although

Molly doesn't always appreciate it, especially when

she's munching on a dog biscuit).

On the phone booking my flight to Santa Barbara

for our family vacation

Molly helping me remove my bow while

mommy isn't looking

Now I can take some of the pictures for

a change

Taking a nap with my favorite dolly

This TV remote looks like a phone, but doesn't

seem to work like one!

In Santa Barbara with my Aunt Karen, Uncle Rich and

cousin Sara

My big sister Laura enjoying the california sun; what teenager doesn't!

Eating my first plum from a tree

growing in my aunt and uncle's back yard

On Sterns Wharf in Santa Barbara

Sophia's first time at the beach

On my own with my yogurt and spoon

I may have gotten just a bit carried away

With Mom and Michael at the Santa Barbara zoo on

my first train ride

Meeting my cousin Eamon at his home

in Pacific Palisades

Back home in my pool

My sister Laura has crazy ideas at times; she

put all my bows in my hair at once! Mommy

loved it.

Happy 1st Birthday and 11th Month!

2009-06-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

This was a big month - a month of Sophia's first

steps and her first birthday

Hugging my favorite dolly

Taking some of my first steps

Hanging with my sister Laura and her peeps, on my swing

With friends I met at a "Families with Children from

Vietnam" (FCVN, New Jersey Chapter)

In mommy' s garden checking out the

bleeding heart bush

Looking for just the right cup in here

Admiring the mess I made

Watching our kitties on the back deck

In my first car, about to go for a 'ride' with Molly

I wonder who gave me this shirt???

Trying on one of mommy's shirts I found

in the laundry

Decked out for Memorial Day

Relaxing in our hot tub and pool with Laura on Memorial Day

weekend

I have my own pool too!!

In front of Michael's apartment in NYC on our way to

the Bronx Zoo

Walking with Michael at the Zoo

Wearing my Birthday Girl shirt just before

my first birthday party on June 5th

Wearing my Ai Dao (the traditional Vietnamese

dress) on my birthday

Getting ready to dig into my first birthday party cake.

Dressed for Laura's dance recital

Hey, I'm on my first cell phone....Isn't anybody there?

Tenth month

2009-05-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Tenth month pix

Getting into lots of trouble now that I can crawl at warp speed

Pretending to eat with bowl and spoon

Havin' fun

Clapping hands, one of my favorite new

activities

Getting ready to go to the Pellegrinos for Easter dinner

with my big brother and sister

Showing off my bottom two teeth

Can't wait to see daddy when he gets home

Molly and I are waiting patiently

Sitting in my new chair; just the right size

Catching up on some light reading

Contemplating something

My big achievement for month 10: taking

my first steps alone!!! (Let the games begin) :)

My ninth month!

2009-03-22T15:51:00.000-07:00

Having fun with my big sis...

Meeting the Fitzsimmons girls; can't wait to run around

with them in the neighborhood soon

Mom sure loves playing with me!!

splish splash in my yellow ducky tub

Can't wait to hear what Simon thinks of my

singing

Oops.. I think I'm sounding just a bit

too karaoke

At least my fam thinks I'm great :)

I love to laugh and act silly with my family

I love it when my big brother Michael

comes out to visit from NYC. He loves coming

out to see me, and I love seeing him too

Born to sing..even using a brush as a Microphone

Little cat nap waiting for dinner

Love taking these blocks out of the basket

Waiting for Daddy to come home

I think I hear him coming (that's Molly, our

little white Maltese, standing next to me)

Clapping my hands when Daddy walks in

Eighth Month Update

2009-02-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

Some highlights of Sophia Rose's busy eighth month:

Hangin' in the kitchen with my yellow blanket and some

wrapping paper, which makes the best noise when I

crinkle it :)

I love my big sis Laura

Molly and me

At the airport with some of the cheerleaders on our way

to Orlando for Laura's national cheerleading competition

At my first character dinner at Disney World, with Prince

Charming. I'll play hard to get...

With Cinderella, pleading with me to give Prince Charming

back to her.

My big brother Michael came to Orlando to surprise Laura

at the cheerleading competition. He's the best brother!!

Love hanging with the big girls

Touring Disney with Michael in my snugli

At animal kingdom waiting with my peeps for the sarfari

ride

Back home from Disney, showing off my ability to stand

all by myself

Laura is so proud of me when I stand by myself

Pretty cool, huh?

Helping with the laundry

All dressed up for Valentine's Day

Celebrating Michael's birthday in New York City

Overdue update

2009-01-21T18:57:00.000-08:00

We've been home with Sophia Rose for almost 6 weeks. The time has gone so fast

and it seems like she's been with us forever. She fits so well in our family, and we

are all loving and enjoying her so much. She has changed so much in the short time

that she has been with us, and every day brings new discoveries.

The following are pictures of friends and family, as well as some of Sophia's development

over the past month. She is now 7 months old!!

Mommy's wonderful friend Karen hosted a brunch to

welcome me to my new home in Mendham. There were

about 80 people there, so I sure got to meet a lot of

my mommy and daddy's friends

Here is my new Bob stroller, so mommy can take me with

her when she does her power walking (but not until the

warmer weather, I hope) :). Also some baskets of fun toys

and comfy things to wear that I received at the party.

Mommy and Daddy's good friend Janice also had a party for me with other

friends from our neighborhood. It's so much fun meeting

such great people!!

Meeting the Delaware Appelbaum clan, Brian, Pam, Rachel

and Jordan. I sure loved playing with them!

I had a very special visit from Lisa Rose's best friends who were

home from college on winter break. It meant so much to me

to meet them; they were (and still are) such good friends of Lisa's.

That's Jill holding me, and Tara next to her, and Jess next to me.

A few days later, two more of Lisa's best friends came to

visit me. It was so good being with them. That's Tara

on the left, and Aurora on the right!

Don't I look cool in my Penn State Cheerleading

outfit! My big brother Michael want's to make sure I'm

a fan right from the start!

With my grandpa at his home for his 95th birthday party!

He just keeps saying how cute I am. I guess after being

around for 95 years, he should know!!!

I went to my first high school basketball game to watch my

big Sis Laura cheer. It was great watching her with the

other cheerleaders, and I guess that and the fact that we

won was worth the loud noise all night!!

I got the coolest hat from Laura's friends' mommy. She knit

it herself too! That's Izzy on the left, and Sofia on the

right (sure like her name). Laura has been

friends with them since she was in kindergarten.

I'm getting pretty good using that opposable thumb I got!

I can even feed myself now, as long as there is a bath waiting

to clean me up afterwards!!!

Almost have it figured out now....

Socks can be tasty too, ha ha

I've been pulling myself up to stand a lot.

I think mom would be happier if I just kept

crawling a bit longer!

Hey, I can even stand with just one hand holding

on. Daddy taught me to raise my arm when he

says: "Arms up". I guess this English language isn't

going to be that hard to learn once I get a little

older.

Watching the little birdies outside on our

feeder. Sure glad I'm warm and toasty inside.

My big sis loves putting bows in my hair. I can tell she'll be

my fashion consultant as I grow up.

Christmas with close friends and family

2008-12-30T19:25:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of fun spending Christmas eve at the Well's home with the usual gang including the Krause family. We capped the evening with our traditional game of Taboo, this year pitting the adults vs. the 'kids'. In a major upset, the Kids won the game although the timer is still being contested.

We then spent Christmas day afternoon and evening with our close extended family the Pellegrinos. It was a very relaxing time, and Sophia loved hanging with everyone.

Aunt Nancy holding Santa's little helper

Enjoying our evening at the Wells

Jenna, Sophia Rose and Laura

Aunt Marion checking me out

Havin' fun with Emily

Santa's little helper

I'll be sure to save the wrapping paper...yea, right!

Christmas day dinner with the Pellegrinos.

We love being with them!!

Christmas day pic with my big Sis

Aunt Celeste and I are sure pretty in red!! She sure knows how

to make a great Christmas dinner.

My first cousin Hannah, who now lives in NYC. I

hope to have many visits with her!!

Aunt Jean and Uncle Stu came to visit all the way from St. Paul.

I'm so glad they came to visit us for a few days.

Getting to know you...

2008-12-30T12:03:00.000-08:00

My big brother Michael really knows how to chill...

Aunt Karen and the Jebster...

Becky is ready to catch my bottle if Ali and I drop it

TJ and Thi...Now remember SRA, flaps up at 160 knots

Auntie Nutia and Tati; wonder if they will bring me yet

another pair of cool shoes...

Yea...I finally got to meet aunt Celeste and Krista

See Hannah, I wore a bow to look pretty just like you!

Had a great morning hanging out with Aunt Erin!!!

Wont Aunt Dee be jealous that aunt Hope is in a picture with

me before she is (sorry Dee, we had to say it even though

you met me first).

Hey, my big sister's friend Jess likes to hang with me. Cool.

Wow, thanks for teaching me some cheerleading stunts Sam!

Sheryl sizing me up for a future consulting role at DDI

Jackie is another good friend of my big Sis; she really has

cool friends.

Hangin' with the Bowser family; Zack is so much fun to

play with. I hope he comes to visit again soon!!!

John and Sheryl doing a panel interview with Sophia Rose; now

where did I put that TS guide ???

We arrived home just in time on December 13 for a little frenzied holiday shopping before a wonderful holiday week of Sophia meeting lots of friends and family! It seems hard to believe that we have only been home for two weeks because it feels as if Sophia has always been part of our family! She has certainly charmed her Daddy and big brother Michael, and we are all loving every moment with her. Although I am definitely the "chosen one" when it is time for a diaper change :)

For the most part, she is sleeping through the night except to wake up for a bottle once or twice. She is crawling and starting to pull herself up to stand so we have been babyproofing the house as she is getting more mobile. Sophia is very inquisitive about anything and everything- her scientific approach is to grab an object and then immediately insert it into her mouth!

The month of December is especially difficult for us since we lost our beautiful Lisa Rose on Dec 15, 2005. We know that she is with us always and was part of the blessing of our little Sophia coming home to us two days before the anniversary of her passing.

Coming to America

2008-12-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

Our last night in Hanoi was Friday, December 12th. Having

successfully obtained Sophia Rose's Visa at the U.S. Embassy,

we had a get together with the other PLAN families that were

in Hanoi adopting their babies.

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Our stop over in Taipei had the most amazing airport, including

an orchid garden, Hello Kitty playground, a prayer room and relaxing room

and best of all a Hello Kitty Nursery with everything needed to

refresh the weary baby traveler after the 3 hour flight from Hanoi. We

didn't have the heart to tell Sophia that the next and final leg of the trip was

a 14 hour non stop flight from Taipei to Newark.

Chillin at the Nursery...

More chillin...

Not bad accommodations; wish it was big enough for mommy

and daddy too!!!!

About 4 hours out of Taipei, somewhere far above the pacific I couldn't help but think about the song Susan chose for this blog, 'Somewhere out there' . I am sure she and Sophia Rose were sleeping under the 'same big sky' that is lit by the star that is Lisa Rose, who we know has been watching over us throughout this most amazing journey.

Laura meeting her little sister Sophia Rose for the first

time

Michael, Laura and their little sister...

Not too happy, right? Sign compliments

of good friends Jose and Nutia, who came to welcome

us home

Sophia Rose's first little step on American soil :)

It's now official...she is a U.S. citizen. Yea!!

One very happy family

The same very happy family...

Meeting Molly Mae...the only family member smaller than Sophia

Modeling her baby 'Uggs' in the kitchen

First bath at home, a bit weary after 25 hours of travel

Two steps closer....

2008-12-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I'd better stop lounging around and get dressed for
my two appointments today. Gotta get to the Vietnamese government office
to pick up my passport, and then on the the International SOS
clinic for my physical exam. Yuk!

Glad I finally got my passport so I can make the trip across
the big pond. But what if they got my name wrong? I'd better
check it out. My Vietnamese name isn't the easiest to
spell correctly ya know. Plus I gotta make sure they have all those
little accent marks on some of the letters right; one small
mistake and I could be here another week or two.

Ok, let's see....Hoang Thi Phuong, yup...that's right. Looks like
it's good until 2013 also. I think that should be long enough to
get me to New Jersey, right? I think that's outside of Hanoi,
so it could take a little while. But first I have to get to the
International SOS clinic for my final check up.

So I'm here but no one told me I'd have to disclose my
weight, and in such a compromising position yet. I know I've
been chowing down a bit since mommy and daddy got me
from the orphanage, but I hope it doens't show too much.

Hey, watch me impress this doctor with my ability to stand up.
He'll have to approve my travel when he sees how strong I have
gotten. Hey doc, over here. I'm the little one.

Stop tickling me. I know you are just trying to distract me before
you put that cold metal stethescope on my little chest. Couldn't you
at least warm it up a bit? Oh well, whatever it takes I can handle
it.

Well thank heaven that's all over. That took a lot out of me,
so I'll just catch a few z z z z z s before my next bottle.

Let's see, tomorrow is a free day and then I'll be going to the
US Embassy on friday to get my US Visa. I can't wait for that!
I know they will ask mommy and daddy some questions before
they give them the final approval and visa. Sure hope
they get the answers right!

Weekend at Halong Bay

2008-12-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Our Junk and home for the weekend, the Halong Phoenix Cruiser

Sophia Rose and Mommy on deck of the Phoenix

Loren, Sophia and Leigh at dining table on Junk

Leigh and Tracey, our new mates from Australia

View from Surprise cave entrance

Islands in the mist

Mommy on the way to morning kayaking

Floating fishing village

Back at the hotel and refreshed after a nice bath

We spent a most relaxing weekend aboard a Vietnamese Junk in Halong Bay. After a 3 hour bus ride from Hanoi, we arrived and boarded a small boat which transported us to the Junk. We were with 16 other guests from Australia, Austria, Holland, and Israel (and our Vietnamese guide Ha) who we became very friendly with. Partly thanks to Sophia Rose, who kept everyone entertained with great smiles, faces and her love of being passed around as everyone wanted to hold her during the cruise.

We took a small boat from the Junk to one of the islands ('surprise cave') and toured this magnificant wonder of nature. Food was great, the company was fascinating and just a great all around multicultural experience. We had a private room and bath, and we all slept like babies Saturday night on the boat.

The next morning, Sophia and Daddy hung at the boat while Mommy and a small group of the guests went kayaking around the islands. We left sunday afternoon to return to Hanoi, and capped the day off with a trip to our favorite Highlands Coffee Cafe.

The pictures above capture a few shots of this most magical and beautiful place.

Happy 6th Month Birthday Sophia Rose

2008-12-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

Waiting to be served her morning latte at
Highland Coffee

Hanging our with the Highland Coffee staff

Today was Sophia Rose's 6 month birthday! We feel so lucky to be with her on her special day, and look forward to many more birthday celebrations. :)

We spent a restful day touring parts of Hanoi and visiting historic parts of the city. The day was capped off with a pizza party hosted by one of the other PLAN adoption families. There were 4 families there with their babies, and it was fun to spend time sharing our experiences.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Halong Bay for the weekend, one of the natural wonders of the world. We will travel about 3 hours by bus to get there, and will then board a Junk where we will spend the weekend cruising this most scenic and beautiful area. We will sleep on the Junk Saturday night, and return to Hanoi on Sunday evening.

Giving and Receiving Ceremony

2008-12-04T07:38:00.000-08:00

Sophia Rose getting ready for her big day, the

Giving and Receiving Ceremony

Sophia and Mommy on way to G & R Ceremony

Sophia's primary nanny from the orphanage, who officially

gives her away to us at the ceremony

Signing the official registry

More signing....

And still more signing...

Page in the registry documenting the adoption

After the ceremony, with Sophia's nanny

Whose the tired one here?

Today was a very special day. We had our Giving and Receiving ceremony, and Sophia Rose Thi offically became our daughter :) The ceremony was held in a small conference room at the Vietnamese department of Justice in Hanoi. Sophia's primary nanny from the orphanage was there, along with Loan from PLAN and the Justice departmetn official.

After signing several legal documents, the Justice department official stood up and in Vietnamese declared us Sophia's legal parents (translated by Loan). Loren then made a short speech, explaining how much we love her and that we will promise to take care of her, educate her, and keep her Vietnamese culture alive for her.

While we have felt Sophia was ours from the moment we picked her up at the orphanage this past monday, the ceremony was a very emotional experience for us. The culmination of 2 years dreaming about this moment, now occurring on the other side of the world in the eyes of the Vietnamese government and wittnesses was an emotional moment that we will always remember.

The pictures above tell the story.

Hanging in Hanoi

2008-12-03T21:39:00.000-08:00

We've been having a great time just hanging in Hanoi waiting for our Giving and Receiving ceremony, which was delayed a couple days. But it's finally on for this afternoon (thursday), and at that point this little cutie that's been attached to us for the last 4 days will officially be ours!!!

Life here has been one of the most relaxing times we can recall. Sophia Rose just loves touring the city in her baby bjorn sling. The city is teeming with activity, and it's fun being in such a different culture. We are posting some favorite pix of Sophia. We are so fortunate that she has bonded to us so quickly -- we are pretty attached to her too :)

Gotcha Day!!!

2008-12-02T01:47:00.001-08:00

Arriving at Dong Anh Orphanage for the long awaited meeting

Meeting Sophia Rose for the first time

Daddy chilling with Sophia Rose

Mommy and Sophia at door to her room

Not too happy to be with heer little girl!!

hanging with the three PLAN DA Cuties

Loan and Susan with Claire, Cheryl's Sophia, and our Sophia Rose

With one of Sophia's nannies

Loren and Loan with Orphanage Director

Getting ready to leave the orphanage (but not on the motorcycle!)

Sophia Rose lounging in our room at the Lucky Star hotel

Yesterday we took the final step in this wonderful journey and went to the Dong Anh Orphanage to meet Sophia Rose for the first time. We drove about 45 minutes outside of Hanoi, down a tiny dirt road to the gates of the Orphanage where Sophia has been living for the last 5+ months. when we entered the room with all the other little babies, it was a surreal experience. Finally being here, after so many months of anticipating this moment, was an emotional experience that can't be described.

It was wonderful meeting the nanny's who had taken care of her, hanging with Julie and Cheryl&Sylvester's babies, and taking lots of pix. We finished our visit having tea with the Director of the orphanage, and discussing Sophia's future. He wanted our assurance that we would love and take good care of her, and we of course reassurred him we would! we also assured him we would keep her Vietnamese heritage alive.

Sophia seemed to bond to us instantly, and her first tears didn't occur until we gave her a bath - very understandable since it was her first! She loves the Baby Bjorn sling, and has decided it's a great way to catch a nap while we are walking around Hanoi, which we are doing a lot! As for sleeping, we can forget about the crib in the room. She decided it's much more fun to be in bed with us, so that's where she spent her first night at the Lucky Star Hotel. She slept the whole night through, although I suspect we are still in the honeymoon period! We are getting to know each other, and we love her lots. <3

Good morning Vietnam!!!!!!

2008-11-30T07:48:00.000-08:00

After two frenetic weeks of planning, purchasing and packing, we did a speed version of Thanksgiving dinner with Michael and Laura on Wednesday, and left Thursday afternoon at 3:00 (Thanksgiving day) for Newark Airport. We knew this would be a long trip, but assumed we were finally on our way until much to our surprise, the ticket agent said she had no record of our reservatios in spite of the fact we had paper tickets in hand. A half hour of calls to our travel agent cleared things up. However, our ticket victory was short lived when the agent then informed us she couldn't check our luggage through to Hanoi since our flight from Taipei to Hanoi had been cancelled. The prospect of having to claim our 4 very heavy pieces of luggage in San Francisco, and then again in Taipei did not make us happy campers, but with no options, we proceeded to the gate.

We were confirmed Newark to San Francisco, and SFO to Taipei but we had no guarantee of how, or when we would be getting to Hanoi from Taipei. Nevertheless, we got on the plane (I think it was the original A319 Airbus ever built) and 6 hours later landed in San Francisco. Collecting our luggage, we rushed to the EVA Air agent and thankfully found they had cleared 2 seats on a flight from Taipei to Hanoi on Viet Nam airlines for us. Fourteen hours later we landed in Taipei, and then on to Hanoi. Only glitch was our luggage never made the Hanoi connection. Not a trivial problem, since beyond having lived in the same clothes for 24 hours, all our orphanage donations, nanny gifts, and everything we needed to sustain Sophia Rose for her first 2 weeks with us were in the lost luggage. Assured it would arrive the next day, we headed to our hotel and to the beginning of our time in Vietnam.

It's now quite late Sunday night, and since we have an early morning (and much awaited) trip to the orphanage, we'll save some of the details on our first 2 days in Hanoi for a later post. In the meantime, following are just a few pix from our first glimpse of this most amazing city.

One lone rose remains

2008-11-27T10:29:00.000-08:00

I found this haiku poem that our Lisa Rose wrote when she was in middle school. Yet another connection to our adoption journey. Our adopted daughter's given name is Hoang Thi Phuong. Hoang in Vietnamese means 'rose', and Phuong translates to the Phoenix bird that rose to live again. I was 5 months pregnant with Lisa Rose when I travelled with Loren to Asia on a business trip in November, 20 years ago. Sophia Rose is 5 months old this November, when once again we will be traveling to Asia to bring her home. We will be arriving back home on December 13th, just 2 days before the 3rd anniversary of Lisa's death on December 15th, 2005. We know Lisa Rose has been, and will continue to be with us every step of this journey. I love and miss her very much, and always will.

Daddy's Little Girl

2008-11-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

Our stroller travel "system" arrived yesterday! I keep shifting between feeling this is getting real and have a sense that this is very surreal. Loren came home from a business trip to Bermuda with this t-shirt which made Laura and me very happy :)

Yesterday we overnighted our passports and visa application to the Vietnamese consulate in San Francisco. So we will be keeping our fingers crossed that our documents and visa will be safely returned to us in time for our trip!

We are starting our long travel to Vietnam on Thanksgiving day. Friday was completely booked since the day after Thanksgiving is such a busy travel day. We will fly to San Francisco and then on to Taipei. From Taipei we will fly into Hanoi arriving there late Saturday morning. We are arriving on Saturday so we can recuperate on Sunday to get rested up before the trip to the orphanage on Monday. We will be staying at the Lucky Star but we are still waiting for a confirmation e-mail from them.

Our little Sophie Rose will be in our arms in 2 weeks!!!

TRAVEL DATE :)

2008-11-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

I received the long awaited e-mail last night from Huong who works for PLAN in Vietnam! She told us that we can travel to our baby the last weekend in November!! I am jumping for joy!!! Now it is finally starting to feel real. The stroller/car seat system I ordered from Amazon yesterday is actually going to have a baby sitting in it soon! I have packing lists, travel lists, arrangements for when we are gone lists, etc., etc. Now I actually have to do what is on the lists. I am not feeling too overwhelmed!

Right now two and a half weeks seem like a long time, but I am sure before I know it we will be getting on a plane to VN :)

TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!

2008-11-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

Last night we received THE e-mail from the US Embassy approving travel for our baby girl!! We are in shock and disbelief that we received notice of approval in just 15 working days! Actually, the determination of orphan status was made in 11 working days on Oct. 28. Then the paperwork was sent from HCMC to the US Embassy in Hanoi where notice was sent via e-mail to us on Nov. 3. Our agency said they will let us know in a few days when we can travel depending on how soon the G&R (Giving and Receiving) Ceremony can be scheduled. I CAN'T WAIT!!! Meanwhile, I had no idea we could be traveling so soon- which means that I need to go into high gear making travel arrangements, purchasing all the baby essentials, packing for the trip, etc, etc! After two and a half years of a very SLOW adoption process, it is hard to believe that we will be traveling to our little one in just a few weeks :)

Receipt of our I600!!!

2008-10-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

After checking my mail and spam mail every night and morning for the past week, I e-mailed USCIS this past Tuesday Oct. 21 to find out what happened to our I600 since it was sent from Hanoi to HCMC on October 7. After waking up every couple of hours last night to check for either a response to my e-mail or notice of receipt, I finally decided to call the VN field office since I certainly wasn't making any progress via e-mail. What I found out is that they had an incorrect e-mail address and that the acknowledgment of receipt was dated Oct. 10!!!! So we are on working day 8 of the 60 days I was told it would take to make their determination. Of course I am hoping it goes much more quickly than that!!

Our I-600 has been filed!!!!

2008-10-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

After we received our referral on August 27 , we submitted our I-600 to our agency. We have been waiting for our I-600 to be filed, but we had to wait until all the documents were released from the baby's province and orphanage. The documents had to be translated and there are usually 20 -25 documents per child's case.

On October 7, almost 6 weeks after our referral, our paperwork was finally filed with USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Service) in HCMC!! We are now waiting to receive notice from USCIS for confirmation of receipt of the I-600, but we are finally moving forward in the process :)

And her name is.............

2008-10-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have come to the conclusion that in fact her name is Sophia Rose Thi !!!! After months of discussing the decision is finally made! I, on the other hand have been set on this name from the start. But it took some convincing with the rest of the fam to get my way =], and my Mom liked the name as well. It took us some strange names to go through until we finally got the okay from everyone this morning. I cannot wait until I can see my little sister for the first time.
She is beautiful!

--- Laura (Sophia's big sis)

Big Sister is Ready and Waiting!

2008-10-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Laura can't wait to be a big sister! She has been waiting, hoping, shopping with me for cute baby clothes, reading adoption blogs, and practicing the art of patience for the past two and a half years!! This summer she got to meet our newest family members. Two of her cousins are identical twins and they each had a baby this past January! Eamon(top picture) joined his two older brothers - they live in LA. Hyla, on the other hand, lives with her mommy and daddy in NYC so we can see her more often. We need to bring our baby home soon so she can play with them:)

Baby Pictures!!!

2008-09-16T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very exciting day! We received pictures of our little girl thanks to Megan!! Megan and her husband went to our orphanage on Monday to get their sweet daughter Mya. They had major delays flying to VN due to a typhoon which delayed their flight to Tapei. They weren't sure if they would arrive in time to go out to the orphanage on Monday. I was SO happy on Monday morning to see the pics of our little girl with the toys, photo book and blankie I sent along with them. Thanks so much Megan and Brett!!

We are still working on Thi Phuong's American name. Her middle names will definitely be Rose Thi, but we are not 100% sure of her first name. It is such a major decision, so we want to make sure we are making a good choice :) Now if only we could go get her soon.......

2008-09-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

Three Months Old!

2008-09-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Today our little girl is 3 months old! We have sent a little care package to her courtesy of our "adoption buddy" Megan who is leaving in a week to pick up her daughter Mya at our orphanage. Thanks so much Megan!!

We overnighted our I600 paperwork to PLAN yesterday (our anniversary!), so we are one step closer in the process. Once the I600 is filed at USCIS then we have to wait for approval, which can take anywhere from 11 days to 60+ working days. We are praying for a speedy process!!

AT LONG LAST!!!!!!!

2008-08-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

I woke up today to the amazing news that has been my dream and hope for two years!! Our referral FINALLY came for our little girl!!!! Her name is Hoang Thi Phuong and she was born on June 5th! She is living at the Social Sponsoring Center No 1 (Dong Anh) and I can't wait until she is home with us!!! I have been staring at her sweet little face all day:) I can't believe we finally received our referral with only 4 business days left until Sept 1 when the US Vietnam adoption program closes. It has been such an emotional roller coaster but it was certainly worth the wait!!

I am sad for the families that didn't receive a referral in time and I hope that they will find happiness in whatever new path they choose.

Refingerprinting

2008-07-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

Life isn't experienced in full unless you have been fingerprinted not once but twice! Our fingerprints expire tomorrow, so after 2 months of endless e-mails, snail mail, and 3 weeks of attempted phone calls (on Wed only between 1:00 - 4:00 pm when the line is constantly busy),we had the privilege of driving to Newark, NJ to stand in a line of 100 people and be treated as if we had a collective IQ of 10. Well, I'm relieved to report that Loren and I have the same fingerprints that we had fifteen months ago!

We are still waiting for our much anticipated referral, but we know for sure if we receive one it will be before Sept. 1. So the good news is that we are down to the last few weeks of waiting. The bad news is that we are waiting during the final days that referrals can be made so hopefully we will make the cut off date.

I would post a cute picture of our dog, our two cats, or our bunny looking bored with all the endless waiting, but our daughter is in charge of my blog graphics and she is in camp doing more exciting things than helping her computer challenged mom.

We have been DTV since July 6, 2007 so I think we have waited LONG ENOUGH. Hopefully my next post will have some exciting news :)

Endlessly Waiting, Endlessly Hoping

2008-06-04T19:05:00.000-07:00

In one month my dossier will have been in a file somewhere in Vietnam for a whole year. I started the adoption process in 2006 when Vietnam first reopened US adoptions and now I am still waiting for a referral when Vietnam and US are once again closing the doors on adoption. I have always felt in my heart that I was meant to make this journey, but the sand is slipping through the hour glass of time as the September 1 deadline for referrals is approaching. I am trying to stay hopeful, but at this point I don't even know if we have been "matched" with a baby yet.

On a positive note, my adoption buddies Heather and Julie received referrals, and Jenna & Ed are in Vietnam now with their little baby Ella. I am so happy for them :)

"Keep a green bough in your heart, and the singing bird will come"- Chinese proverb

Remembering Lisa Rose

2008-04-04T15:23:00.000-07:00

Today is my beautiful Lisa Rose's birthday. She was born the day after Easter 20 years ago. She was tragically killed on December 15, 2005 as a passenger in a car coming home from a high school practice. She was only 17 years old and had just received her long awaited college acceptance letter the week before.

She had always been an extraordinary and talented child, but she had just bloomed into an amazing young woman. I will never accept that it was "her time" because she was so happy and so looking forward to her future. Life was just beginning for her.

I miss her terribly and not a moment goes by that I am not thinking of her. Lisa Rose will always be with me, my family, and her friends in memories and spirit forever.

Wacky World of Vietnam Adoption

2008-03-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

February 2008 -

The last several months in the Vietnam adoption world have been very discouraging, to say the least. When we first joined my agency in August, referrals and travel to Vietnam were happening at a very efficient and predictable rate. In October, the US govt. decided to process I600s stateside. THis abrupt change in policy slowed down the entire process with families waiting endlessly for I600 approvals. On Dec. 13 I found out that our dossier had been sent to Phu Tho. Our paperwork was redirected to Hanoi when our agency found out that the province was closed to US adoptions. Then in February 2008 came the worst news of all. Babies in orphanages in Northern Vietnam had become seriously ill with a strain of the Rhino virus. The youngest and most vulnerable babies developed pneumonia. Sadly, several babies have died including my friend Heather's baby. It was so heartbreaking for her to lose precious baby Linh. She will always be loved and remembered by Heather and her family.

March 8 2008 -

After several months of few referrals, visas denied, and no I600 approvals, our agency finally received a lot of good news this past week! Seven referrals were issued and several families will be traveling to Vietnam to bring home their babies!!!!!! It is wonderful to finally hear such great news!

And I'll close this post with a couple of pictures of my daughter dressed up for Wacky Friday at her school. It reminds me of the WaCkY ROLlEr CoAsTeR RiDE of this adoption journey.

2008-02-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much Jenna for setting up the beautiful header for my blog. I am blog challenged so I am very grateful. It is now 2008 and we are still waiting for a referral! So I thought I'd post some pictures to capture some of the highlights that occurred this past year while we were waiting for our referral of our little girl!

March 3- 11 Our Wonderful Trip to Italy

Our family dressed for DH's company awards dinner

in the Lobby of our hotel before dinner

Visit to a vineyard outside of Rome

School Musical for Oliver March 29- 30

Orphans! and members of Fagins Gang

Michael's Graduation from Penn State University May 20

Penn State Visit February for Michaels birthday!

Graduation weekend

Graduation dinner

Laura's Summer camp July 22- August 5th

Camp is so much fun! =]

Laura flying on the trapeze

Cousin Lisa and Josh's Wedding on Lake Mankata, Minnesota August 24

Lisa and Josh exchanging wedding vows

Our Anniversary in Paris October 3rd -8th

Definately the most beautiful and romantic city ever

Fall of 2007

Laura and her friends as football players for Halloween

Our little Molly as a Geisha girl on Halloween

Morris County Soccer Championship We WON!!!

Lauras First Formal Dance 12/5

Before the dance with her friends, at her friends house

Arrival in Bloggerland!

2007-12-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

After reading and following adoption posts for a year and a half, I am finally ready to launch my own blog! I am definitely computer challenged, so my 14 year old daughter Laura is going to help me set up my blog to follow our adoption journey to Vietnam for our baby girl. My husband and I started our adoption search in the summer of 2006 and signed on Octoer 4 with one of the few adoption agencies at the time that were licensed in Vietnam. We finally became DTV on July 6, 2007, but found out in August that we were with an agency that was corrupt and unethical. So at the end of August we signed on with our new agency, who we are SO happy with- very communicative and supportive! Unfortunately, the US has decided to turn the VN adoption world upside down in their quest to make sure that adoptions are ethical. While ethical adoptions are of utmost importance, the US has launched these investigations at the expense of their own US families who have been denied visas and without being culturally sensitive to the Vietnamese people. So we are praying that the US and VN can resolve their problems and issues so that adoptions can continue in VN for the sake of the babies and all the families waiting for their little ones. It's been a long year and a half, but we are hoping our little girl will show her sweet little face soon!!