I'm off to see the world!

I have been invited to go with a family to visit Vietnam on a volunteer journey. I am so excited to soak up the culture my future daughter will come from. I will be leaving today and arrive in HCMC on April 2nd. I will meet up with my traveling family in LA where we will head out over the big pond to Hong Kong and then HCMC. I am hoping to post frequently to this blog so you will be able to follow along our exciting journey to see the sights and people of Vietnam. M

All About Me!

I've been tagged..........
1.What time is it? 9:47 CST
2. What is your name? Gardencart
3. What do you fear losing most? My children
4. What do you drive? Jeep Grand Cherokee
5. Have you ever seen a ghost? Uncertain
6. Where were you born? Iowa Falls, Iowa
7. Ever been to Alaska? No
8. Ever been toilet papering, rolling, or decorating trees? Yes
9. Croutons or Bacon bits? Croutons
10. Favorite day of the week? I like them all
11. Favorite restaurant? To many to choose just one
12. Favorite Flower? Today it’s Hyacinth
13. Favorite sport to watch? Baseball
14. Favorite Drink? Diet Mountain Dew
15. Favorite Ice Cream? DQ Peanut butter cup blizzard
16. Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney, always Disney
17. Favorite fast food restaurant? Mickey D's
18. What color is your bedroom carpet? Cream
19. How many times did you fail your driving exam? None
20. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? Margaret
21. What do you do most often when you are bored? Who gets bored!
22. What is your bedtime? 10:00
23. Favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy
24. Ford or Chevy? Chevy
25. What are you listening to right now? Children playing
26. What are your favorite colors? Blue, Pink, Green
27. How many tattoos do you have? None, but contemplating
28. Do you have any pets? 3 dogs,(Dalmatian, yorkie, golden doodle) and 2 cats
29. Which came first the chicken or the egg? Chicken
30. What would you like to accomplish before you die? To see the world!
I tag Karin, Chocoholic, KelleyO!

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring!
The good news is that it is spring and the flowers are popping their heads out of the ground. The grass is turning green at least mine is I fertilized earlier this week. OH happy days.
The great news is that our program director has headed back to VN. She may be opening up a new orphanage. That would be wonderful for all the waiting families with our agency.
Adoption is often compared to a roller coaster ride. Many ups and downs ups and downs. These last few days have been on the up! Hold on.........

Differences between Angelina’s Adoption from VN and Mine

1. We wait to be matched with a child our adoption is on its 367 day.
Angelina goes to VN over thanksgiving and picks one out.

2. Our dossier has been in VN for 7 Months now.
Angelina’s gets logged in immediately.

3. We have to wait for the child’s dossier to be collected up to 6 months
Angelina’s child has his done with out the 30 days to look for the birth parents.

4 We have to wait for travel approval from the Province
Angelina gets right in.

5. We have to wait for a G & R date and then we are lucky if it happens on time.
Angelina gets one and it is as scheduled.

6. We have to wait one week for the child’s passport to be done.
Angelina’s child is given immediately.

7 We then have to wait to get an appointment to the US Embassy to apply for a Visa to the US.
Angelina I don’t think so.

8. We have to wait 24 hours for the child’s Visa to pass the security clearance to make sure our child is not a terrorist.
Angelina must not.

9. Our travel to VN will take up to 3 weeks.
Angelina’s is done in less than a week.

10. We are just a family wanting to adopt a little girl. So we wait. Angelina is a celebrity so she gets instant gratification.

Don’t get me wrong. I think that Angelina is doing a great thing by adopting especially an older boy which is harder to place. But how come she dose not get in line. I wonder what her dossiers log in number is if she even has one. We have been waiting over 7 months just for a referral. Dr Long where is my dossier? I am requesting to adopt an older girl so what is the difference. She’s a celeb! I’m just a mom!

365 Days..........

It has been 365 days since we started this journey into adoption.
In 365 days all the seasons have passed.....
In 365 days I have learned to be patient......
In 365 days I have learned to love the children of Vietnam......
In 365 days I have made many new friends, most I have never met.......
In 365 days I have grown in faith.....
In 365 days I have learned the importance of ethical, legal, transparent adoptions....
In 365 days I grow weary of every meeting my daughter....
In 365 days I wonder will this adoption journey ever end with a daughter in my arms........

Pitt and Jolie To Adopt Child from Vietnam?

Pitt and Jolie To Adopt Child from Vietnam?
SanFrancisco Chronicle

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have filed paperwork to adopt a boy from Vietnam, according to press reports.
The pair have three children -- Maddox, 5, Zahara, 2, and Shiloh, 9 months.
A source in Vietnam tells US Weekly the couple have filed papers with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services to adopt a boy from the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, which they visited in November.
The pair have long been vocal about their desire to raise more international children.
Their son Maddox was born in Cambodia, while daughter Zahara was born in Ethiopia.
Jolie said recently, "If we're going to have 10 kids, we'd like to raise them while we're young."

Hidden Treasures