NOW & FOREVER... A Carlson Girl!!!

The CRAZY Carlson Crew with Grandma Lizzy - now complete with my 3 BOYS, my mom and ONE precious, hand-picked littl' girl for us! THANK YOU GOD...You never cease to AMAZE us!!!

Happy Girl, Maile...precious and sweet as can be! She did GREAT and still fit in her EASTER dress from last spring! Size 12 mos. - still fits, shorter because she has grown UP 2-3" but still so tiny weighing in at about 23.5-24# and standing tall at 33" (Size I was when I CAME TO AMERICA!!!)

Our Attorney, Sharon who also adopted twin girls from CHINA a few years ago & I taught Sarah & Rachel DANCE in the past too. It's a SMALL WORLD, eh? It was special to have Sharon part of our closing proceedings to this amazing and exciting journey!!

Aunt Chelle, "MeMe" (Jeremy) & Grandma Karen sharing in our SPECIAL day. We are adopted into many families, the Kingdom of God's and the Solomon Family here in TEXAS too!!! What more could we ask for! LOVE THEM...what a BLESSING they are in our lives!

18 JAN 2008 Well, a day I thought would never come, finally arrived and set for a brisk, cool FRIDAY am on 18 JAN 2008. We had a court date to meet in front of the Judge for a formal hearing to change Nguyen thi Thuy Trang to Maile Noel Thuy Trang Carlson!!!! She would always have Nguyen as birth name, like I have Duong...but officially and legally her MAIDEN name would now be CARLSON until she marries her husband. We had our family go, Grandma Lizzy, the matriarch of the family, Don and thankfully the boys did not even have school that day! Plus, Maile's other favorite family member that she talks about EVERYDAY, "Aunt Chelle" (Michelle), "MeMe" (Jeremy) & Grandma Karen were in tow...It was a legal process, one that included a lot of waiting like we have for this WHOLE journey of bringing Maile home, so what was new. Instead of reporting to the court house at 8:30am as reported, we arrived on time to wait over 1.5hrs!!! Oh well, it was worth it to within 5 mins. be done and officially DONE with the ADOPTION process!!?? I hope so. I tell people, "we'll be paying for Maile for the REST of our LIVES..." Boy, that is an understatement! Adoption is a very costly journey, emotionally, physically and financially...yet I would NOT trade it in for the world as we would NOT have our Sweet baby girl....

NEW Year...NEW do for Kim-Lan!!

HELLO FRIENDS!!!! IT'S BEEN A BUSY ROLL INTO THE NEW YEAR FOR US!!!!

I HAD WANTED TO SHARE PHOTOS OF MY HAIR CUT, BUT COULD NOT BRING MYSELF TO "EXPOSE" MYSELF UNTIL NOW....I HAVE SOME OTHER EXCITING PHOTOS TO SHARE...HENCE THE REASON TO POSTS THESE FIRST AS A PRELUDE!!!! TODAY, 18 JANUARY 2008, WAS A VERY EXCITING DAY FOR US...STAY TUNED. HERE'S PHOTOS OF THE BIG "HAIR CUT DAY" FOR KIM-LAN....ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO!!!



Me with "Lan" - Vietnamese hairdresser ready to cut 10" off for LOCKS of LOVE hair donation (hair to make wigs for children with Cancer). Friday 28 Dec. 2007!!!








Oh my goodness, there goes my hair off....one lump sum!!! NO turning back now!!!!

I'm a little sad and definitely in SHOCK that it's done....yikes!!! It was suppose to be 10" - we measured it when we got home, it was 11.5-12" OFF!!!!!! Double Yikes! Plus another INCH to style and we're at about 13" OFF my head, 1/2 pound lighter and ONE cold neck! Ha.... :)




Maile wondering who is standing to her? Sounds like "Mommy" but doesn't look like Mommy!!! This is the SHORTEST my hair has been in over 10 YEARS!!!! I am getting more used to it, but has been a process of getting used to, grief, joy & happiness to donate as well....

Mung Chuc Nam Moi = Happy New Year (Vietnamese)

With love & joy for the New Year,
Ms. Saigon & crew

Mung Chua Giang Sinh!

Merry Christmas!!! Maile's FIRST Christmas with us and she was OVERWHELMED to say the least...not sure what to think of it all...She puts her hands in her mouth when nervous...she LOVED the tricycle that Santa left and eating his leftover cookies too!








Here's our Christmas AM family photo - not too bright eyed and bushey tailed but excited to be together as a family and open gifts together to celebrate Jesus' B-day!!! Yeah Jesus, thank you for being Born!!!









Maile quickly got acclimated to opening presents & even :) for the camera!!! NOT the shy, quiet, stoic girl we once knew 9 mos. ago...she loves to plow through presents, wrapping, gifts anything that may (or may not) be for her!!! She got a hang of Christmas AM and opening gifts VERY quickly...next year, WATCH OUT!






The boys were very excited to get matching STARS t-shirts from Grandma Lizzy!!!! Tried and true, they have converted from RED WINGS fans to DALLAS STARS fans!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!!!

Wow, God...how can we ever THANK YOU enough for the life you entrusted us in this SWEET BABY GIRL!!!!! Here's Maile (*Thuy Trang*) in the Vietnam Orphanage LAST Feb. before getting her in MARCH. Her STRONG spirit to survive is even more evident as she comes out of her shell!!!! She will be a MOVER & SHAKER and get the job DONE in her life...The tenacity she has in her attitude, "Maile do it!" tells me, she is DETERMINED "Just Do It!!!" HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY... THRILLED to share it with you & for the rest of your life to eternity.... We love you FOREVER, Mommy, Daddy, your 2 BIG Brothers & Grandma Lizzy

It's been an HONOR to see Maile with her BIG BROTHERS who love her so much, protect her & guide her. This is her FIRST Easter with us last April :)...the dress I got before bringing her HOME was perfect, esp. after the label declared, "MADE in VIETNAM!!" Yes, indeed...that was the dress for her!!! Every detail made by the MIGHTY GOD who brought you to us (*at 31.5" tall & 21.5 lbs! & in 12 mos. clothing!) YOU (&I) were MADE IN VIETNAM!!!!!! You are forever our, "Con Gai Dep" = PRETTY GIRL!!!!

Maile is definitely a CARLSON who LOVES to eat...I think my kids eat more than me and may have to get ANOTHER job to continue to feed them...Ha Ha. I could EASILY go to the GROCERY store, every other day for the "basics" - with 2 growing sons & 1 daughter who is trying to keep up!!! Maile LOVES almost anything, applesauce, peanut butter, eats lunch meat, sandwiches, yogurt, tofu and even cottage cheese & peas...Vegetables are HARDER for her to enjoy...but she'll eat 'em :) Yeah You Maile...you are ALREADY at the weight & ht. when I came HOME from Vietnam at 3.5 YEARS old...Maile is now 33" TALL & 23lbs and gaining speed!!!! :)

MY FAVORITE times are cuddle times with my BABIES...regardless of age, Joseph doesn't ask as much anymore, but still does at '9' and I LOVE IT...There is NO better feeling than your baby in your arms just snuggling, cuddling and hugging you...THAT IS WHY GOD made us PARENTS...to LOVE & BE LOVED...

with THANKSGIVING & Joy...

Ms. Michelle & I with our Encore Company DANCERS at Dance Revolution in Dallas. It was an amazing, Christian DANCE convention to showcase our production piece, "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me. It was a fun weekend & we were all sore from taking Master DANCE classes!!!!

Hard to believe 29 NOV 2007 - we will have arrived HOME on USA soil with our daughter...8 MONTHS ago. As I reminisced with our dear traveling buddies, the WILLIS Family, hard to believe that much time has gone by!! Our "TX nephew" Jeremy turned 20 mos. on 28 NOV as we were heading home & our VN buddy Rocco, turns 20 mos. on 29th of NOV!!!! Wow, TIME is really FLYIN' by...

We spent THANKSGIVING with our TX family here, Michelle & her family. The Solomons are a blessing beyond words to have here. Texas feels like home especially when we hang out for the holidays just relaxin', hangin' & eating A LOT of GREAT food!!! I even got to see a MOVIE at the THEATRE..."August Rush" - it was AWESOME!!! It was about a talented, young orphan boy who finds his GIFT in music while really just wanting to be "FOUND" by his birthparents!!! Boy, I CAN relate with his heart's desire!

Here's our FAMILY of FIVE photo on Thanksgiving!!! Maile & I had MATCHING outfits, oh how we are enjoying having a girl...except the WHINING & DRAMA!!! Holy Cow...did not know the word, "Eeaaaattttt Mommy!" could last 10 syllables long..... Maile is precious, fun and halarious...what an honor it is to see her come out of her shell & share herself with US!!! THANK YOU Maile....THANK YOU God....

God bless you & keep you safe, healthy & happy through this exciting and stressful season!!! Love, Ms. Saigon & crew :)

ALL TREATS today - NO Tricks!!!

Here's Ms. Michelle & I with our precious Creative Movement DANCERS (our youngest "babies" at Encore - in costume ready to dance!!! They are about 2.5 years old - oh my goodness, we love them all so much!




Here's my 3 littl' trick-o-treaters...Batman Joe, Power Ranger Sam & Honey Bee Maile!!! Oh what fun to hear Maile's first words, "whatz that??" when candy was dropped into her pumpkin...then it was "MORE!! - NO Open Mommy!" Her sweet littl' reassuring voice she was going to run & get more and NOT eat along the way! She did GREAT, kept up with her big brothers & friends running in tow for an hour around our neighborhood!!!!




Maile took time out from running door to door, to get some sugar from her littl' "boyfriend," Jeremy...whom she affectionately calls, "Me Me!" (Jeremy is 19 mos. & Maile is 34 mos. - she likes younger men! ha ha - LOL) He woke up from his pm nap to find himself wheeled around a neighborhood with squeeling kids dressed in funny & scary costumes!!! Poor guy...but it was a FUN night for all kids, young & "not-so-young!"





Here's the whole crew at our friend, Madison's house, Aunt Chelle & her boys: Matthew & Jeremy & my crew and friends: Bryce & Madison in the mix too...what a WONDERFUL weather night to trick-o-treat. I think Maile might dig her Bumble Bee costume after all if it means going door to door to get treats!!! She is already a "sales girl" - one smile & word and she got double the candy, she worked it tonight!!!!

ONE YEAR AGO...5 LIVES CHANGED FOREVER!!!

ONE YEAR ago TODAY, Oct. 16th, 2006, at my dance studio, Encore Centre for DANCE at 5:30pm - My life changed FOREVER!!!! In one email and photo attached, I would see my DAUGHTER for the FIRST time!!! She would own the name: Thuy Trang and our hearts would then accept her into our lives, home & hearts FOREVER!!!! Now, Maile Noel Thuy Trang Carlson and HOME with us, we LOVE YOU and cannot believe we saw your tiny, stoic, frightened face for the first time last year, MON. Oct. 16, 2006!!!! WOW, A LOT has changed in ONE year!!!!!

Upon acceptance of our sweet baby girl, we'd get an updated photo of you. Your referral photo (above) was in JUNE 2006, when you were brought to Ninh Thuan Orphanage, 18 mos. of age and around 17 lbs!!!!! Now, even in this photo taken OCT 2006 (about 4 mos. of being at the orphanage) you look STRONGER, healthier, more alert...determine to SURVIVE whatever God gives you. We are BLESSED He gave YOU to US!!!!!

This photo was taken in FEB 2007, one month before we went to get our daughter!!!! She looks stable and healthy, still scared but those PIERCING EYES would be the window to your soul of HOPE, LOVE, JOY and HAPPINESS that awaits for you on the horizon. We are FOREVER IN LOVE with you Maile Noel Thuy Trang. You have opened our hearts to feel a greater LOVE & JOY that we would have NEVER known. Plus, you LOVE pink, glitter and to DANCE...what more could I ask for!!?? Ha ha - LOL. THANK YOU Maile for sharing your life with us, we are humbled, grateful and in awe of your laughter, silliness, smiles and now to hear your VOICE!!!! LOVE YOU BABY GIRL!!!!!! Mommy & "Ba" & big brothers

PS- HAPPY 3rd B-DAY ANNA MULLIEZ!!!! What an honor and JOY to share in your life. Half way around the world, from the SAME orphanage as Maile, you would share days before your FOREVER FAMILIES would come get you!!! NOW, you can celebrate your life and b-days in AMERICA, Home of the "Free & the Brave." THAT IS what both you and Maile and all the orphans HOME are now, FREE & BRAVE!!!!!! We love you & cannot wait to see you again soon!

SEE YOU LATER, GRANDMA!!!

Sometimes in a world you cannot see, there's a little orphan child still within me...Lost in the shuffle trying to belong, sometimes I feel weak, sometimes I feel strong...

Here's the family that I grew up of "three", NO Father again, just my Grandma, Mother and me...

A light went out in my Grandma, Oct 5th at 1pm...I cannot wait until the day I see her AGAIN!!!

It's been a bittersweet day for me, emotionally exhausting...reminiscing and remembering MY Grandmother who was like my MOTHER growing up. I lived with her until I was 18 years old and moved away to college. I would come home, she'd be there to make me clothes, dinner, listen about my day, pay the babysitter to take me swimming, love on me with her amazingly sweet, loving spirit. I MISS YOU Grandma so much. I pray you know how much I LOVED & RESPECTED you on this side of heaven while you were here, cannot wait to reunite with you in heaven someday!!!!! She made it to all my DANCE recitals, school plays, high school & college graduation (picture above) but did NOT make it to my WEDDING when I married, Don!!! She passed away 2 weeks to the day before our wedding, in fact our wedding invitations said RSVP by OCT 5th!!!!! My heart is sad, it weeps in loving memory of my Grandma, Violet Verdeen Howard!!! Forever in my heart, I love you, Kim-Lan

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....