Officially FOREVER OURS 2day - 3 yrs ago!!!

Here were are the "Giving and Reciving" Ceremony that we had long to receive from our adoption agency. Maile slept through the whole ceremony, but it was still official...and officially for real, forever!!! (Prov. 3:5-6)

We stayed at the nicest Ninh Thuan Hotel (probably the only one)...Heather and I took Maile and Rocco to the pool/ South China Sea beach on the property out our hotel!!!! Maile was 27 mos. and Rocco 11.5 mos. old, they were PRECIOUS to watch explore, hold and get to know in our beginning weeks with them after delivery :)

Maile let me hold her, take care of her and snuggle/ love on her...it was an incredible time of bonding and letting her attach to me. I am honored, humbled and amazed on how well she transitioned into my love and care for her...accepting me & my love for her with open arms and heart. She NEVER cried with me, not from the moment I held her throughout the whole trip...only if Don held her or if she was scared or hurt... (Jer. 33:3)

We had a GREAT G&R dinner that night celebrating our babies new lives with us. The caregivers & directors of the orphanage celebrated in Vietnamese style = FAMILY style, hugging, singing, welcoming us all into their lives for the moment in time. It was magical, surreal and totally GOD to orchestrate it all!!!! (Phil. 1:6)

First time i saw your face....

i want to never forget what it felt like to see MYSELF in my daughter's eyes...holding her on the balcony of Ninh Thuan's orphanage.
I remember the warm breeze briskly sweeping over our heads as i held her close to me...she seems so tiny her, tentative, scared and rightfully guarded of what was going on & the future that lied ahead of her...

We could NOT have had a better family to travel with...we are honored and blessed beyond words to go through Labor & Delivery of our babies with the Willis family!!!! Look at Rooco squeezin' his Mama's cheek and arm around Daddy!!! This was after many tears shed, snuggling and reassuring Rocco he was in GOOD HANDS!!! Well, Rocco was ALWAYS in GOOD HANDS because GOD was carrying Rocco in the palm of His hands!!! We love Jason, Heather & Rocco, a bond and shared memories that will reign in our hearts forever.


Look at our baby girl's litle face...oh wow!!!! We had prayed, waited and stared at her referral pictures 100's times a day for over 5 months...then to HOLD her IN PERSON and see her face IN PERSON was surreal. Thuy Trang was NOT as prepared as we were to receive her but she let us take her in, care for her, love her and start the journey of reassuring her she was NOW with her FOREVER FAMILY... March 14, 2007. Wow, God...thank you!!!

Oh my heart ached to leave her that 1st day...Look at Maile staring at us, "So, you are going to leave me, like everyone else who has come and gone???" - is what I imagine her saying!!!! Rocco is sitting on floor behind her and VN caregivers off in the background. It was sooooo difficult to somehow communicate NON verbally, we would be back the next day to get her FOREVER!!!! My heart still aches and cries bittersweet tears to want to tell Maile's birthmother, she is in good hands...we love her...we choose her....we will take care of her heart and life. It's NOT by accident her birthmother's MOST courageous act of LOVE ended up to be our answered prayer on this side of the ocean. We have 2 amazing, brave and strong BIG brothers who love and adore their littl' sister too. Wow, again God... I say THANK YOU!!!!

3 years ago TODAY -March 13 - we met our babies for the FIRST time

Oh my goodness, this picture was taken moments before entering Ninh Thuan Social Services (Rocco & Maile's orphanage). Heather and I had our hearts pounding and palms sweating!!!! We were in Labor & Delivery together of our adoption pregnancy... ALL coming down to this Moment in Time = March 13, 2007 - 15:00 hr!!!!!! Meeting less than 50 hrs. prior to this moment, God would BOND us FOREVER in a journey to our babies that would last a lifetime!!!

As we parked at the orphanage, we could see the babies at the top of the steps. I could NOT believe MY baby was looking at us NOT knowing what would lie ahead. Maile Noel (Thuy
Trang) would be the one at the top of steps in yellow shorts looking, watching and maybe NOT even hoping we were there for HER!!! I don't know what ran through her precious little mind, but they would soon whisk her away to change her clothes. Rocco was already summoned and being dressed as he would come onto the scene - MINUTES after WE met Maile for the FIRST time!!! Climbing the stairs to her was SURREAL like a scene out of "Chariots of Fire" - we could not climb them fast enough, felt like slow motion....

I held Maile and she didn't cry, get scared or budge...she let me HOLD her and talk softly to her. But, when Daddy held her for the first time (above) ...She was SCARED TO DEATH to see "white monster" holding her!!!! Her little cry - was actually loud, but i had NEVER heard her voice, cry, talk, nothing... She CRIED when Don held her!!! Instinctively, I took her from Don to relieve them both, she STOPPED crying!!! I don't know, but can only HOPE, they prepared the "older" kids that their "forever families" were coming to get them??

I don't know much about Maile's days while there or leading her to get there to begin with... but I DO KNOW

God is good... ALL the time!! And ALL the time....God is good!!!

I had SO many precious moments with Maile... we STILL call her "Thuy Trang" (Twee Jang) or Trang-y (Jangy). She let me hold her, touch her, explore her body, hair & eyes... I SAW the reflection of ME in HER eyes...wow!!! She was/ is so precious, sweet and so unsure of what to expect. I don't blame her one bit... 2mrrow 3/14 marks the actual G&R date - Giving & Receiving Maile.... i will try to post more pictures. Sharing Labor & Delivery with the Willis Family was one of God's greatest blessings He poured out to us on this journey!!! THANK YOU Heather & Jason (& Rocco) ...and THANK YOU GOD for them!!!! (Phil. 1:3)