| Author | Message | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 243 Registered: 5-2004 |
Greetings, I haven't been here much lately because we have been so busy. But I wanted to share with you our good news. Yesterday we received the referral of an 8 month old baby girl from China. Please check our her pictures at WWW.journeytome.com the username is: lee and the password is: lee We will fly to China to pick her up in 6-8 weeks. We are very excited! -tanya- | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1095 Registered: 7-2003  |
Congratulations, Tanya! How exciting! | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 294 Registered: 8-2004 |
Oh Awesome Tanya! What a whirlwind you're in for! Mary | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 295 Registered: 8-2004 |
I just went to that site and saw her picture, and the picture of your boys. They are all precious! Are the boys excited too? or have you not told them yet? Blessings, Mary | ||
| Madelia Registered user Username: Madelia Post Number: 146 Registered: 2-2003 |
Congratulations Tanya! What a beautiful family you have! | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1970 Registered: 11-2002 |
Tanya, I went to the website you gave the address of. Nick and Jake look like wonderful little boys. Now you will have your little girl, oh, how blessed you are. I am courious about one thing. It is this-since China has a one child per family rule then how come they even have babies for adopition? I hope to stay updated on your adventures of getting little Anna. Awhile back a young man on here put the picture of his new baby daughter. The FAF families are growing. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 2671 Registered: 12-2003  |
Tanya, what a cutie she is, and your boys are darling! Wow, your life will never be the same. Finally you'll have a girl for whom you can buy pink and hair "things" and lacy socks and purses and lip gloss (that is, if she likes those things!) I know--spoken like a mom of boys... Colleen | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 244 Registered: 5-2004 |
Thanks for the congratulations, we are very excited!!! Susan, I will expalin a little about the one child policy and why there are so many children from China up for adoption. The one child law is one of the biggest reasons that there are so many children up for adoption in China. First, if there is an accidental pregnancy outside marriage, it just isn't acceptable. The illegitimate mother is often cast out and shunned. Second, if you become pregnant and you have a girl, many people secretly abandon her, and try again for a boy. (Boys will take care of their parents when they get older, girls marry and take cares of their husbands parents. So having a boy is social security. Boys are also very highly prized over all.) If you have more than one child, you must pay a HUGE fine, often 3 years worth of salary. You also have no access to state healthcare of schooling. Most people simply can't afford this. So 95% of the orphans in China are girls. It is illegal to abandon your child in China, so they are usually abandoned under cover of darkness. The lucky ones are abandoned in public places or at the front gates of the orphanage, but this is risky for the parents. Others are abandoned in dumpsters, on the side of the road, or in a park somewhere. And the number of abandoned in China does not make up for the number of girls missing from their population. (there are over 10% more young boys than girls in China right now. In some places in the country, a classroom of 50 students will have only about 15 girls.) So it is a guess as to what happens to the other girls, the ones that don't make it to the orphanages... most likely they are killed. U.S. families about 7,000 Chinese children, mostly girls, every year. Other countries such as Spain, England, Australia, and Germany etc. adopt from China in smaller numbers. -- Those are the basic facts. We are just so anxious to get our little girl home! -tanya- | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 245 Registered: 5-2004 |
I left out the word adopt in the last sentence... US familes ADOPT about 7000 Chinese children per year.... sorry, typing too fast -tanya- | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 246 Registered: 5-2004 |
And yes, we did talk to the boys. The oldest is pretty excited, the youngest just doesn't quite comprehend it all yet. But they will have to come to the understanding very soon! ;o) -tea- | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1890 Registered: 3-2004  |
Tanya, Congratulations on your new baby. I am sure your youngest son will adapt and love his new little sister. Your boys are adorable and your daughter is so sweet looking. Almost wish all those kids were my grandchildren. God is with you and will continue to be with you as your travel to China to get your daughter. Keep us posted on all your adventures and your children. I cannot help but see how AWESOME God is when I read things like this. Diana | ||
| Susan_2 Registered user Username: Susan_2 Post Number: 1972 Registered: 11-2002 |
Tanya, That was extremely interesting for me to learn more of the social and legal stuff about China. I know, too there are a lot of children for adoption from Russia. Sadly when the Soviet Union broke up into many countries Russia get the worst of capitalism and is still suffering from the effects of the worst of communism. The result is overcrowded orphanges, lots of prostitutation ( i think I spelled it with too many letters.), drug addiction out of comprehension and alcoholism. the social problems are horrendous. I am just very thankful though that the babies, such as your wonderful little daughter found their way to care facilities that they get good care in and then hopefully they get loving families. BTW, Tanya, two of my sons are Nikolaus and Jacob. You have a Nick and Jake. I thought the similarities are interesting. | ||
| Leigh Registered user Username: Leigh Post Number: 43 Registered: 2-2003 |
Tanya, What a beautiful family you have! When I saw the picture of Anna, I couldn't help but cry tears of joy for her and for you all. Have you heard the song by Stephen Curtis Chapman "When Love Takes You In"? When I saw Anna's picture, the words to the song came to my mind. He wrote it for his apdopted daughter from China. I know youíve heard the stories But they all sound too good to be true Youíve heard about a place called home But there doesnít seem to be one for you So one more night you cry yourself to sleep And drift off to a distant dream Where love takes you in and everything changes A miracle starts with the beat of a heart When love takes you home and says you belong here The loneliness ends and a new life begins When love takes you in And somewhere while youíre sleeping Someone else is dreaming too Counting down the days until They hold you close and say I love you And like the rain that falls into the sea In a moment what has been is lost in what will be When love takes you in everything changes A miracle starts with the beat of a heart And this love will never let you go There is nothing that could ever cause this love to lose its hold When love takes you in everything changes A miracle starts with the beat of a heart When love takes you home and says you belong here The loneliness ends and a new life begins When love takes you in it takes you in for good When love takes you in Leigh | ||
| Melinda Registered user Username: Melinda Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2005 |
Tonya, Congrats. God has a special place in His heart for orphans. You will be blessed. Melinda | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 874 Registered: 3-2005 |
Tanya, Congratulations on your adoption. My wife Marti is Chinese-American, and when after years of trying every infertility treatment in the book, we thought of the option of adopting a baby from China, but at the time we were unable to do so. At times we regret our decision not to attempt it as you have now successfully done. Bless you for taking in this child. Stan | ||
| Heretic Registered user Username: Heretic Post Number: 196 Registered: 2-2005 |
Tanya, congratulations on your new addition! There are a few people we've met recently who've adopted Chinese babies (all girls) and without exception have been absolutely thrilled with them. Speaking of babies, my wife had a 4-D ultrasound today and I'm absolutely blown away by the clarity of the images it produces. It's almost like looking at a regular photograph. Amazing, just amazing. Heretic | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 247 Registered: 5-2004 |
We feel extrememly blessed to be able to adopt this baby. I hear people say that we will be smiled upon for taking in an orphan, and it sounds strange to me. I just want a baby, and I don't want another pregnancy, so it is such a natural choice. I think God destined this child for our family, as much as if I had given birth to her myself. And yet, at the same time, He had a reason for her to be born to her birthmother... That part of her life will give her strengths, characteristics, and experiences that she could never have had if she ha dbeen born to us. I am suprised at how much she actually resembles my youngest son, her head shape, her mouth, her ears. They had pictures of our whole family when they did the matching, so I have to think they must have matched her to his picture. Yesterday a Chinese friend came over and translated a letter we got in our referral packet from China. It details markers showing that Anna is developmentally on target or ahead of the curve on every point tested... which is amazing for an institutionalized child. I imagine that God must have gifted her with a strong will, and lots of internal drive to have made it through such hardships already. (Imagine what that means for her teenage years, HELP! ;o) I have heard that SCC song, and seen the music video. In fact, I woke up the other night and found that I was alone in my bed, I went downstairs and found my husband on the couch. He couldn't sleep, so he had wandered down and turned that "When Love Takes You In" video on. He was sitting on the couch in his bathrobe crying and watching it. He has always wanted a little girl so much. I could ramble on all day about this experience, it has been so exciting. I would urge anyone who has thought of adoption to DO it. It is just as exciting and meaningful as a pregnancy, (moreso to me, since I wasn't sick the whole time, like I was with my biological pregnancies!) Thanks for letting me share. | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 248 Registered: 5-2004 |
Can I ask for prayer? The one thing that really makes me anxious about this pregnancy is leaving my sons home for 2 weeks. My sister will stay with them, and my Dad and his wife will come down for a good part of the time as well, but I haven't ever left them for more than 2 days before, and I really hate the thought of being away from them for that long. I would appreciate prayer for them, that they stay strong and feel our love even while we are away, and that I don't have a complete nervous breakdown being so far away from them. -tanya- | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 249 Registered: 5-2004 |
Can I ask for prayer? The one thing that really makes me anxious about this adoption is leaving my sons home for 2 weeks. My sister will stay with them, and my Dad and his wife will come down for a good part of the time as well, but I haven't ever left them for more than 2 days before, and I really hate the thought of being away from them for that long. I would appreciate prayer for them, that they stay strong and feel our love even while we are away, and that I don't have a complete nervous breakdown being so far away from them. -tanya- | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 250 Registered: 5-2004 |
(Sorry, posted again becuase I put pregnancy in instead of adoption on that first post.) | ||
| Derrell Registered user Username: Derrell Post Number: 82 Registered: 10-2002 |
It is fun to see your excitment and pure joy over the arrival of your daughter. I have no doubt that Nick's "no sanks" will change when he realizes that his share of your love pie will still be just as large as ever, and he will have a piece of a new love pie as well. Being a happy adoptee, I sincerely and deeply appreciate what you are doing for a little person who doesn't have a home. Thank you so much. | ||
| Leigh Registered user Username: Leigh Post Number: 44 Registered: 2-2003 |
Tanya, Praying for peace and strength for your boys as you are away and for peace of mind for you and your husband and that things will go smoothly. Leigh | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1895 Registered: 3-2004 |
Tanya, Paying for your boys as they remain in the US while you go to get their little sister. Praying for you as you travel and return. God is holding all your family in His hands. You could not be in better hands. Diana | ||
| Tealeaves Registered user Username: Tealeaves Post Number: 251 Registered: 5-2004 |
Thanks everybody for your prayers. I always feel like people here are sincerely warm and caring. I know that this is all in God's Will, and I am excited about it. There are just details, like leaving my boys behind for 2 weeks, that I tend to "take over" from God and worry about on my own. I know I shouldn't though, I just have to give it over to Him. Derrell, Thanks for sharing that you are a "happy adoptee". One of the biggest things I worry about for my duaghter is how to help her have pride in her heritage, (Chinese and American), and confidence in herself, not letting her adoption be a nagative influence, but a POSITIVE one for her self-esteem. I want to let her know that we sought her out deliberately and we cherished her from the moment we laid eyes on her. But I have heard from many adoptees that say they have a little hole in their heart from that first "abandonment" that they can't seem to fill. Like a little pice of sadness they can't get rid of. I hope that if she has that, I can be understanding and give her the support she needs to overcome that as well. Parenting is not an easy task. I am daily overwhelmed at the enormity of it, as well as the blessing of it. Thanks again for your prayers, you guys, and feel free to keep checking our site as we journey to go get our daughter... we will try to post often on it from China. We should be leaving to go pick her up around Thanksgiving time. -tanya- | ||
| Seekr777 Registered user Username: Seekr777 Post Number: 309 Registered: 1-2003  |
Diana, You said, "Paying for your boys as they remain in the US". You might get a loan from their parents and finish "paying" them off.  Richard | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 1906 Registered: 3-2004 |
Richard, I have to laugh at my typo. Thanks for pointing it out. What I meant to say was Praying for your boys... And that I do sincerely mean. Diana |
