HOME with Maile FOREVER - 6 MOS. ago TODAY!!!

Here's a precious moment of Maile cheering up "Ba"(Daddy) in the airport. She finally warmed up to him after 2 weeks in VIETNAM of clinging to my side or on my hip. It was here that we said farewell to our AWESOME traveling family, the Willis, whom we treasured & were blessed enough to travel with. Don missed saying, "See you later" to his buddy, Rocco & Don has been heartbroken ever since!
Here's Maile (thrilled as you can see) getting ready to land at DFW airport...after traveling about 24 hrs. - 3 time zones, 3 countries & 1 ocean later...We could NOT believe we were finally landing HOME with our baby girl!!!

Here's Mommy & Maile HAPPY as can be (BEFORE the TANGERINE STORY...see blog entry March 29!!!) We were ready to see our family and friends, both relieved and excited to be on USA soil!!!!

We had Aunt Chelle & her family, my mom, and even ANNA from Ninh Thuan (Maile's former playmate in the orphanage) and Mandy & her mom welcome us HOME!!!! It was such a special time, SOOOOOO happy to finally be HOME!!!!

I will write more later, but I THANK YOU all for your prayers, support, love & joy in celebrating our daughter, Maile Noel Thuy Trang Carlson...who is a light, blessing and gift into our family!!! THANK YOU GOD for this amazing littl' life now in our hands! (Jer. 29:11)

6 MOS ago - our "FOREVER OURS" Date!!!!

Heather & I could hardly believe WED March 14, 2007 our babies were going to officially, legally & physically be "FOREVER OURS!!!" We were like two girls on Christmas getting the BEST presents we could ever anticipate and pray for, our babies! We were given a calendar with MARCH 14, 2007 on it to keep and cherish forever!!!!! My dear friend, Michelle's B-day was March 14th, so she is OFFICIALLY 29 1/2 Years Old Today as well!!!! :)
(p.s. CANNOT wait to celebrate the big 3-0 with you in 6 mos. girlfriend!!!)

After Thuy Trang had cried hysterically with "Ba" (Daddy) trying to hold her, I got the opportunity again to sweep her "off her feet" and get ready for the G&R (giving and receiving) ceremony. Here's our last photo with the loving caregivers who generously worked feverishly to love on our babies until it was time for them to go "HOME!"
Language was a struggle to communicate with them our heartfelt joy & gratitude, but the SMILE on our faces & hearts that day hopefully reassured the workers our babies would remain in GOOD HANDS, LOVING HOMES & have a PROSPEROUS FUTURE! I pray the workers as well as our babies' BIRTH parents have peace in their hearts knowing we love our Ninh Thuan babies SO MUCH!
Maile (Thuy Trang) could NOT stay awake for her own G&R ceremony...sweet baby girl. She fell asleep on my shoulder, sweating, snoring and just as sweet as can be!!! Thankfully we have video footage of it for her someday. What a BLESSING and HONOR it was to share this incredible journey & experience with our travel buddies, the Willis family. We were privileged enough to share in the JOY & DREAM come true in them getting their first born son, Rocco!!!!! Boy, we sure do miss them - they now live in GA!!!!
At the end of the day, we had 10 extra littl' fingers and toes to account for. It's still hard to believe Maile is NOW forever and always OUR REAL DAUGHTER...she is blossoming, thriving, talking more & more English, loving & growing up here in TX!!!! When I get home from DANCE she yelps: "Yeah!!! Mommy HOME!!!" then in her sweet, littl' needs-reassuring voice asks me, "No Mommy Bye-Bye!!!???" I reassure her, hug her & pick her up - "NO!! Mommy Bye-Bye....Mommy HOME!!!" I continue to sing her a littl' Vietnamese song at bedtime as we rock & dream of the next day's events and reassure her over & over again, "Ma yeu cong!!!" (Mommy LOVES you Little One!!!) I am blessed. THANK YOU Lord for this child that we prayed for and the plans you have for our lives! - Jer. 29:11

6 MOS. ago TODAY - SEPT 13...

It's been an AMAZING journey the past few months and years to get our daughter. Without going into detail because my heart cannot take it right now to share, but 3 years ago TODAY, I had a HUGE medical scare...that almost took my life. But, by God's grace & plan...He knew there was a greater purpose for me - now I believe #1) to be here to serve Him through my family #2) use my passion for DANCE as a ministry to Him through my new dance studio: Encore Centre for DANCE #3) to get our daughter that I would meet, exactly 2.5 years later from Sept. 13, 2004. Wow, with bittersweet memories of joy and pain, I say, "AMAZING GRACE" indeed today!
"FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU, DECLARES THE LORD..." -Jer. 29:11


MARCH 13, 2007...our lives would change FOREVER as we would get to meet our daughter Thuy Trang for the FIRST TIME after 5 mos. of anticipation and photos and 2 years of paperwork!!! Heather took this picture of Don & I as we eagerly anticipated our arrival to Ninh Thuan after our 7 hrs. bus ride from Saigon to the coast of the South China Sea, hometown area of our daughter!!!!!

As we pulled up to the Ninh Thuan orphanage, there these littl' faces glared at us wondering what we were doing intruding on their territory. After months of praying and waiting, the time had FINALLY come to meet Maile (Thuy Trang) in the yellow shorts & white shirt - at the top of the stairs. My heart was racing, my tears were streaming and dreams were coming true...right at that moment - March 13, 2007 at 3pm - VIETNAM time!!!!!

As we approach the top of the steps, there she is, being WISKED into my arms...I took this picture right before I held her for the first time and her BIG DARK BROWN ORPHAN eyes met my BIG DARK BROWN ORPHAN eyes!!!!!! Time had stood still and I was looking in a mirror of my past, present and future....it was surreal!!!!

This amazing splice of time allowed us to enjoy "getting to know each other" & smell her, look at her tiny features and just hold her tight and repeat over and over again, "Ma yeu cong" (Mommy loves you!) I will never forget the brisk, warm breeze blowing through our hair on the balcony top of the orphanage....

HAPPY Birthday to ME!!!!!

Here's my baby girl, Maile & her FOREVER Mommy hangin' out!!!!! Love cuddlin' with her!!!

Here's Michelle and I - we are 2 peas in a pod....finishing each other's sentences, picking up where the other leaves off...she is my rock, my friend, my dancin' pal...my Sister in Christ!!!!

Here's the Solomon Girls hangin' with us...we have fun being SILLY, SASSY and SUPER-rock STARS!!!

Look how tall my boys are!!! They are almost as tall as ME!!! YIKES....I LOVE my 3 boys & baby girl!!!!