Noelle Dreams & Beyond

I'm so excited for my dear friend Nesha and her husband Tod. They are on their way (or perhaps are already there!) to pick up their son, Minh, from the orphanage he has lived in for the first year of his life in Vietnam. It's been a long road since they got their referral last fall (and an even longer journey to adopt - they're on the same China timeline that we are). They've watched Minh grow in pictures, and now they will see him in person for the very first time. I can just imagine what they're feeling - their hearts must be bursting wide open. Wow. I can't wait for them to come back home! I wish I could give them all hugs right now. If you'd like to follow the remainder of their journey to adopt Minh, check out their blog here .

2nd Update: They're coming HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1st Update: NO MORE CALLS ARE NEEDED. Apparently the elected officials' offices were swamped with phone calls today. They are working on helping this mother bring her daughter home. ----------------------- I just found out today on chinaadopttalk.com that there's a woman in China whose husband has died unexpectedly, and the U.S. Consulate in China is not allowing her to bring her daughter home, even though the adoption has been finalized in China. Friends of this woman are asking people to call her U.S. senator and representative for help. If you feel called to do so, you can find the information here at the Wusterbarth Family blog.

I got the best news from a local friend yesterday - she and her husband have received their referral from Vietnam!! They are also adopting from China on essentially the same timeline as we are (their log-in date is 8 days ahead of ours). They began their second adoption from Vietnam this past spring around the time we made the decision to become foster parents, so we are leading somewhat parallel lives relative to our parenting journeys. We are so glad we met them last year (I somehow found their blog and realized they live in our city, and the rest is history). We very much look forward to future playdates with our kiddos, along with sharing all the parenting lessons to come. Biggest congrats, Danesha and Tod! We couldn't be happier for you, and we can't wait to meet your little guy!

We know a family that is being united for the first time this very week. The couple has waited through a long difficult adoption process, and now they are parents to two beautiful children. It really does happen. They give us incredible hope. The mom reprinted the following on her blog just a few hours before meeting her daughter for the first time yesterday: Not flesh of my flesh, Nor bone of my bone, But still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, You didn't grow under my heart - but in it. - Fleur Conkling Heylinger