Journey to Quinn Michael

Day

2012-02-10T17:01:00.001-08:00

Day

2012-02-10T17:01:00.000-08:00

Today is the Day!!!!

2012-02-09T16:08:00.000-08:00

We made it early this morning to Hem/Onc and were held up due to the Hives from the platelets. So with that, we were late getting to Same Day Surgery to get his Hickman put in. It was 3:15 before we got out of there and then had to get to the room. I had 2 wagon loads of stuff to bring up to the 4th floor. I didnt think I was every gonna get done with that. Quinn mentioned he was hungry. He had 8 orders of tater tots!!!!! and a sprite. Wow!!!!

All went pretty well for the most part. He did have some bleeding after the line was put in but nothing unexpected. His platelet count dropped to 6.1. We are waiting for them to come to the floor to be administered.

My Janie is tore apart and can hardly understand her when she calls because she is crying so hard. Poor Baby! Alex is upset but is able to contain herself. Now, they have me looking like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Tomorrow bright and early at 8am the Chemo begins. It will run in 4 hour incrimentsover 16 hours a day .... everyday until transplant! Poor Baby!

Almost There!!

2012-02-01T11:28:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been so long since I last posted. It has been busy and we have had alot of bleeding since my last post; along with a couple of visits to the hospital for platelets. He seems to be so much worse over the past few months and the blood runs like water out of his little nose. With that comes a quick drop of the Hemaglobin. Very scary stuff when that happens.

We made it through of our Pre Examinations for the Transplant. He was not happy with the 24 hour Urine Collection test that had to be done since we had to do it twice. Looks like everything is ready to go along with the approval from the Insurance Company. Everything except me that is. I have so many things to get ready before I go.

Both girls are having a very hard time with me leaving them. They have been fighting alot this week. Finally, when I talked to Alex about it she just broke down and then came Janie right behind. They are both a mess about the separation. We had a talk about family and what it means and how this will be so awesome once Quinn is home and feeling better. They were pleased at the thought of a girls day without their brother and how he could go fishing with his Papa and Daddy without Mom being right behind them. Quinn is so excited at the idea of going to Papas farm and then go fishing or whatever it is that Dads, Grandfathers and boys do fun together! Very cute. He also figured out that Papa was off work the day of his transplant and asked him to come up to be with him that day. So, I am hoping that the majority of the bugs are worked out with the girls. Just trying to line up some projects for them and get the electronics lined out where they can actually see us. It will be hard but am hoping that they make it ok. As long as we can talk through this as it comes I think it will be fine.

So, next Thursday is out Admit date. He will get a port and a feeding tube at that time. I am very nervous about the bleeding he may encounter. We will go several hours before the surgery to get Platelets and Factor. Hopefully, this will be enough! Chemotherapy will follow everyday until the transplant on the 20th. From there I hope that it is uphill and the Transplant does not have to be re-done. If his numbers arent coming up enough then they will pull the 2nd Umbilical Cord and Transplant that as well. I am very greatful to the families that donated the cords so that my baby can be given life!

I look forward to calls, texts and email from friends and family. Unfortunately, we ask that there be no visitors other than our household. The flu is so horrible right now I dont want to take a chance at all. He can not have anything brought in from the outside either. So, no flowers and balloons or yummy foods. I know, those things really cheer you up. However, you can email me for Quinn and I will make sure he gets it. I will have my smartphone and computer equipment there with me and will check it frequently. if you dont have my phone# and email address send me a PM and I will send it back across. I know the "September Leaves" will be watching closely but to let you know the email address differs from what you have on the site.

I fell a week and a half ago on my left knee and went for an MRI last night. The swelling is horrible and can barely get a sandle on my foot. Range of Motion stinks and can hardly go up the stairs at all. Waiting to hear from the Doc this afternoon what the outcome is going to be. I sure hope that it is better by the time that we go. There will be so much to bring in by myself and lots of steps to take at the hospital. Childrens Mercy is pretty big.

Fingers Crossed!

Waiting!!!

2012-01-13T18:18:00.000-08:00

I am not a patient person and really dislike waiting!! I am ready to get this show on the road and moving.

Tuesday I met with the school to come up with a game plan to get Quinn through the 5th grade. As it turns out the hospital offers tutoring services and will work with his school! Awesome News ~

With all of the cold we are trying to stay inside away the weather and sick people. Certainly dont want to hold anything up that is for sure! Plus this old body hates the cold!!! Each year it gets harder on me, especially with RA.

Trying to concentrate on the girls and preparing them for what is to come. It could be days once we get there before I am able to see them! We have never been separated since we went to China for our children and they were babies at that time. Wow! I remember how hard that was all those years ago. My heart break thinking about it. But have to concentrate on Quinn. I worry about Alex. She and Quinn are awfully tight. We call them "the twins" alot. And Janie is so soft hearted and will probably cry every day. However if she can talk her dad into taking her shopping everday and spend money on her she will be happy until the next day! She is my shopping girl and daddy will feel sorry for her and take her!

I am trying to get all of our technology up and in the right direction so that the kids can communicate with each other. It is hard since I am technically challenged. Things change so fast about the time that I think I have one down then a new one comes along. It will be easy for anyone wanting to say "hello" to Quinn or I to comment on the BLOG page, text or email me. If you are in need of those addresses, please let me know. I also bought him an IPOD Touch and believe that he can have Face Time on that as well and can receive emails through there also. It is hard to say if he will feel up to checking them or not. But I can certainly pass along messages to him.

Quinn talks about once we are home and he is feeling good that he would like to have his "China Sisters" (from Calif and TX) come and visit him and how they can all be together again!

Monday we go to the Transplant Clinic to sign paperwork to request the Umbilical Cords officially and sign off on them to get them here. They are being held for us momentarily. The following will be a bust and be super busy with quite a few clinic appointments and physical examinations and our last appointment with the Transplant Docs before the Transplant and Admission date on 2/9.

Quinn will be 11 on 2/6 ~ What a wonderful birthday present! More than I could ever give to him.

Fabuloso News Today!!!!!!!!!!

2012-01-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Early this morning I received a call from the BMT Center regarding Quinns transplant. He will be admitted on the 9th of February and Transplant on February 20th!!!!!! Yeah!! Unfortunately, it was unable to be set up any earlier due to our doc being out of town. But we are a go and packed with several appointments before that time. He has a series of tests to go thru, special consents to be signed since it will be an umbilical donor. Thank You Mr. Government! And our last appointment is 2/26 with the Physician to go over all test results etc. And then we wait, again!

The live donor did come forward but turned out to not be a match. Thank you for trying "unknown person"! So, we have 2 umbilical cord donors. One will be a backup just in case we have a problem with engraphing or need the cord for other reasons.

Quinn will celebrate his 11th birthday on February 6th! What a birthday present he will receive. Better than anything that I could ever give him.

What a Rotten Week !!!

2012-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

On Monday Quinn had a significant bleed and again on Thursday. Finally quit bleeding in the night on Thursday. I knew when he woke that he needed blood so I made the call to get labs done. Unfortunately, it was later in the day when they called me back and advised us to go to the ER to get packed RBC - probably 2 units. His heart rate was 165 from being so low on blood. And the docs and nurses were horrible about dragging their heels. One doc had the nerve to tell me that I didnt know what I was talking about and that I was just there to cause trouble for him!!!!! How dare he! That man wanted to give Quinn Platelets and he wasnt even bleeding! So, the Beulah Bell (my wonderful grandmother who has passed) came out in me!!!!! He called me sour names and all kinds of stuff. Last words for him was he was not allowed in my sons room again and to get our Hematologist on the phone for me now!!! Giving platelets to him when he is not bleeding is totally not necessary and should be reserved for him since he is on the cuff of building antiobodies to the platelets anyway! He even managed to tell me that I had no idea what I was talking about and knew nothing of my sons disease!!!!!! OHHHHHHHH! Every one that I touched base with gave me some sort of business and made me cry even harder! Horrible, because I am not a cryer at all! I felt so rotten that I called my cousin to come and sit with me!

Finally, we were admitted to the floor and given RBC about 6 hours later. It was totally unacceptable for me to see him with a high heart rate and no RBC's being administered. Not good quality of care at all! This will be passed along!

Some News Today and Some Not So Good

2012-01-05T13:44:00.000-08:00

Today the nurse from the Bone Marrow Center called me back. She is so nice and takes time to answer your questions. Yet, she is a busy woman. At this point, this is the news that I know and hope to hear the full scoop on Tuesday morning. Quinn's file is "Actively being worked on".... Hold Please!!!

OM Goodness, Alex just came blasting in the house that Quinn was bleeding from the walk down the street from the bus stop. I honestly, didnt know that I could run that fast. I yelled for her to grab toilet paper since it was the closest and swooped him up quickly. Just finished with another IV and Factor Infusion. Wow, this one is bad also!! Oh Lord, please be with us and allow us to stay at home and not visit Childrens! I have asked so many times of you and have been given the experience as you see fit. At this time, Lord, please do not allow any more platelets for my son until this process is in place. His life is hanging in the bows. Please grant me the strength to protect him and be a good caregiver to him at this time. Thank You!

Ok, so back to the story .... It sounds like the "Live Donor" may have come forward but can not be for sure as their privacy is protected. But was told that all information on the 3 were due back today and Dr. Meyer and her would sit down and review the information. At that time they would choose the best candidate for him. Tuesday morning I am to get a phone call back from her with information and an examination date for Quinn. It sounds like we may be able to set a date for this process to begin. Will cross all fingers and toes that this is what happens. It will take about 4-7 days for an umbilical donation to arrive from the Marrow Center. If we get a "Live Donor" then the marrow will be sent on a commercial airline by courier to guard it and could arrive quicker. Depends on where the contents are coming from world wide.

New Years Eve

2012-01-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

We were very excited that Ming and Sue landed in Kansas City Thursday evening to visit. That was all that Quinn asked for before his transplant was to see Ming! They had a wonderful visit with each other and left Sunday afternoon. Ming and Quinn were in the orphanage together for many years. Ming is 15 and Quinn will be 11 in a couple of months. They are so cute together and he listens to her better than he does me! They have quite a special bond with each other. He asked if Ming could come back after his transplant. Of course, I know it will make him feel better to see her!

We Survived the Holidays!

2012-01-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

We survived the holidays quietly and the kids had a ball. I fixed a Christmas dinner in the afternoon just for us. The kids played and the house was a wreck!!! All was well

Prior to Christmas we went to my sisters. Mom and Dad was not going to make it. But surprisingly did and Dad met me on the steps! That was the best present I had received! Everyone was suprised to see Quinn also!

The day after Xmas we went to my sister in laws. What a full household that was with lots of kiddos. Especially, it was wonderful to see my Brother In Law in the kitchen cooking his favorite stuff. He himself has had 2 liver transplants. The latest was April 20th of 2011. Amazing how wonderful he looks. Another wonderful Xmas gift to see.

Today Quinn started bleeding a bit before noon. It started off slow and turn into a Tsunami very quickly. We both looked like we had been in the battlefield with bows and arrows. What a mess. I had to start an IVon him quickly. He has slowed a little. However, I am very concerned about him having to have platelets. We are done most likely if that happens. I am just hoping that I can get this stopped at home and not make a trip to Childrens Mercy.

I made a call to the Transplant Unit today to talk to the nurse. Unfortunately she had left for the day. I am seriously hoping for a call tomorrow and an appointment to be set up! Cross your fingers and toes!

What a Wonderful Day This Has Been!!!

2011-12-21T12:31:00.000-08:00

Today was the day! I have been so anxious and nervous about this appointment today and have to admit that I felt that there would not be a donor for my Quinn. Alexandra wanted to join us also which was great! Auntie Lorrie went to understand the specifics of the chemical make up of the body and I was the person who understands Glanzmann's like the back of my hand. So, together we made a great team. Alex took notes on the Tablet and played her DS. Quinn was leaving it up to me and played his DS the whole time. It was a long appointment - 3 hours.

First we briefly met with the Hematologist and her Andrew follwed by the BMT team. What a nice group of people they were and very down to my non medical level. We went through the specifics and I asked several times about a donor. Lorrie said I was about to turn purple with nerves! But I survived :) Finally, they told us that there was a "Live Donor Match" for him that they had been trying to contact for a physical and blood draw. But no luck. Next, we have an Umbilical Donor who matches 5 out of 6 items and a third Umbilical Donor that is currently being tested. The results from #3 wont be in for about another week or so. They were going to try to continue to contact the "Live Donor" for a few more weeks. So, I can expect that we will hear soon. My gut says that we will receive and Umbilical Donor. Which is perfectly fine with me. From what I understand there is more manipulations that can be done than with a live donor. As they say it is all a balancing act and things will go wrong but most of the time can be corrected. And of course there is a chance of the worst case scenario. At this point, I believe we have made the right decision and am hopeful that we can get this going soon before he needs more platelets, as he will need some during the process of the transplant. It is unclear how much the platelets will be of benefit to him. Without them we are out of luck literally!

Thank You so much for all of the prayers everyone! I understand that this has to be in God's timing but I would very much like to see the timing be in our favor! Please continue to pray for him and see him through this process. The thought of seeing my son play football, basketball, baseball, jump like a monkey, be a doctor are all things on my mind that I would love to see him involved in. His Daddy and Papa would be so excited to see the sports come out in him. He is such a competitive fellow!!!! Wow, we may see a side to him that we have never saw before ... Go Quinn!!!!

AHHH ... A Semi Quiet Day!

2011-12-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

Today was somewhat quiet. At least no major bleeding which is fantastic! Quinn has lost 8 teeth in the past month and has been a challenge. Two days ago he lost a molar and is bleeding slowly off and on. Ice Cream with a soft cone has became a danger to the poor guy. He came to me tonight with both sides of his mouth bleeding and packed. Luckily, his oral meds helped and all is well at the moment.

Janie was home sick today with a tummy ache! Poor little Tiger. The tummy stuff has been horrible this year. And unfortunately, mine didnt feel so well either. The meds (oral chemo) that I am on for RA brings my immune system down a touch and tend to catch things a bit easier. But, am back on the move again! Now to get Janie up and going will be nice.

Yesterday morning quite early the kiddos and I bundled my little Mia up to take her to the vet for a laser declaw and shots. Picked her up this morning and was so glad to see her. She was terrified at the vets office and really gave them a run for their money. Honestly, I think they were glad for her to go and she was glad to see me. They restled her so much I think her little 8 lb. body is wore out and she has slept most of the day or has wanted me to hold her. Poor baby wouldnt eat so what do I do .... fix her an over easy egg and dipped my finger in to feed her ..... I got laughed at but did get her to eat some! I love my kitty cats! They never talk back :)

Yesterday I spoke to Love Without Boundaries, which is how I found my Quinn. They are a non-profit organization that assists children in China with many types of needs as well as Foster Care, Cleft Lip Homes, Therapy, etc. They are wonderful and I truly mean it. The people working there are volunteers and work so hard for these children. Quinn was lucky enough to meet some of these wonderful people after he came home from China. And of course they remember his sweet little face! LWB was kind enough to post on their Facebook site about Quinn and try to build awareness regarding Bone Marrow Transplants. Thank You from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for my son!!!!

I am anxiously awaiting our appointment on the 21st. Glad to check another day off of the calendar everyday!!!! Praying for a Seasonal Miracle. While most people are counting the days down for Christmas, I am counting the days down for our doctors appointment. It is depressing somedays and my mind wanders about what irrational/rational move I will make if there isnt a donor available. I think I have a few good ideas up my sleeve and hope that I dont have to go there. Honestly, I dont want to think the worst but it is so hard to keep positive at times.

Remember to register to be a Bone Marrow Donor at "Bethematch.org" It is very simple and only takes a few minutes. Asians are the best match for him typically, but that does not rule out anyone from possibly matching him.

2011-12-06T09:12:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been a blurr and seemed have to have go fast yet stand still for us! I have been down with double pneumonia and refused to go to the hospital because of the need to be with Quinn. I am so used to him always being on my coat tail it would be severe "separation anxiety" for both of us I am sure! Yet throughout the Pneumonia I still managed to care for his bleeding and all needs were met. Whew!

We managed to miss Thanksgiving again for the 4th year in a row. It is traditional for Quinn to bleed on Thanksgiving every year. This time he literally started at 12:01am!!! Wow, boy you have some timing. It was super sad to miss the festivities and the sickness flowing around

Quinn's spirits have been high despite the mentionings of the Bone Marrow Transplant. It is so hard on me .... emotionally and physically. I am trying my best to keep a positive attitude that they tell us that they have a match for my little "Asian Dragon". But the reality is that Asian donors are harder to find a match for. Quinn mostly understands what is possibly going to happen and will learn quickly as it goes on. He must seems to roll with the punches.

If you have not registered at "Bethematch.org" or "Marrow.org" please do so today!!!! It could be a matter of life or death to someone or their child. You must be 18 to be a donor.

With Quinn having Glanzmanns Thrombasthenia what this would do for him is in a nutshell give him a chance to grow new platelets that would allow him to stop bleeding on his own. No more harsh medicines or ER visits, etc. Sounds easy but the process will be a long hard road. There are so few patients out there with Glanzmanns that this procedure has not been done thousands of times. There are approximately 100 people in the US that have had this done. Our problem at this time is that he is not reacting favorably to the platelets and they seem to not be working so well. The worst thing to a mother/family can happen at that point! I believe you get the drift. So for my Quinn I feel like we have no option but to move forward.

We are anxiously awaiting news on our appointment December 21st!

If you believe in the power of prayer ... Please pass the word around and pray very hard for my 10 year old Quinn Michael FuQi Roberts. He is so proud to have a family, home and most of all a Nani and Papa!!! Not just someone that has that name but a real one that he can touch and feel and loves him back unconditionally! My son deserves this chance after all that he has been through in his short little life!

What a DAY and a HALF!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

What a day and a half this has been!!!!!!

My Alex is so extremely disappointed that she had to hold back the tears this morning. She went to Quinn's Hemophia appointment with me. He was wondering why she was in the truck with us! She looked at him when the nurses came out and told him. He clearly was overjoyed. The nurse tactfully broke both of their hearts and told that they since they werent siblings that she might not be a match for him and that she had to be 18 to do this on her own. I gave consent but it was not ok yet. Quinn told me when we got to the truck he was so mad that they turned Alex down that he wanted to say a few choice words but held his temper for me. I am sure glad that he did.

What we found out today was that they would draw a few tubes of blood from him and examine it for about 7-10 days giving him 10 points and then going to the donor list after that time. Anyone who is registered with 8-10 points potentially could be a good match for him. In addition, they also look at frozen umbilical cords that potentially could be a match for him. If he receives from a live donor the process will be harder on him than if it were from an umbilical cord. The good news is that they do a worldwide search for him! So, as soon as the transplant is complete it is on its way to Kansas City. Giving us 24-48 hours to be prepped and ready to begin the process! His worst fear is losing his hair!!!! A cute little black eyed guy like him could hardly look "Uncute" Right! Just say'n :) In fact we do have an appointment on December 21st with the Hematologist and then the Transplant Dr will come in at that point and spend about 2 hours with us describing the process to us. My wonderful sister in law works upstairs in the Genetics Lab and will come down to join us. She can understand alot of the medical terms that I dont and I will gather off of the GT piece and blood drawing/chemo/radiation that I am familiar with. My dear friend Taylor's Nana went through this process with her so have a familiar memory of some of it. The process may have changed as this has been several years ago.

Tonight, we celebrated Janie's Gotcha Day and Alexandra Gotcha Day which is tomorrow. She has been with us for 10 years now!!!! Another wonderful day to remember as always!!! Before dinner was done Quinn turning around with a gushing nose bleed!!!!! All I could do was tell him to run to the bathroom for kleenex's and scream quietly. He has had a nose bleed now everyday for the past month or almost I believe. Minimum of 3 per week. At this point he is still bleeding pretty hard. I fear getting him platelets as this could be the time that he reacts poorly to them and they wont work. Last time was not successful at all. So, I fear the worst! Today I did have his Hemaglobin checked due to the massiving bleeds he has had since his infusion of the Units of Blood. He was at an 11.0!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, it hasnt been that high for a long time. I was very pleased. However, we need to keep it up!!! Alex is doing her best to keep Quinn occupied tonight with her new Electronic Monopoly Game that she scored from Nani and Papa. They gave her a Wal Mart Gift Cards which she loves from them! I think Quinn is enjoying himself also and jumped right into the game with her. Matter of fact I had a tough time getting them to concentrate on the IV. I think he woke up when I infused him in the foot for the first time!!! Unfortunately, the vein blew after I got all of the factor in him! So, I had to poke him again.

To all that have prayed and called about Quinn I just cant Thank You enough!!!! Words from great friends and family are so encouraging. I am just sad that my Brian (brother in law who passed away 3 years ago suddenly) isnt here to share all of this with and lean on! He was such a rock I tell ya and loved him tremendously! He was one of those guys would could make you laugh in the middle of a crying spell or just send a text to let you know he was there with you with things were falling in all around you! I have to believe he is in Heaven shining on my with his strength!

Happy Gotcha Day to Janie and Happy Day Bleeding Free For QUINN!!!!

2011-11-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

YEAH!!! On both counts. Happy 8th Gotcha Day to my little Alice Jane. The day that I got her she clung to me at 10 months old with both arms wrapped around my neck, head at my ear and her feet on my shoulder looking like a Monkey!!! She was holding on for dear life and we have been stuck every since. She is attached to Momma's hip like glue and cries if I give her the look. Actually, if my children were not Asian they would all have a large piece of their Momma in them! Lets see - Stubborn-Super Temper - Sensitive - Curious - Brown Eyes and Hair - etc. I love my children greatly and feel so blessed to have them all be a part of my life!! God is Good!

Last night at bedtime Quinn developed a bleed. Once again, I immediately started and IV and issued all the necessary medicines along with packing the nose. I was fortunate enough that he stopped bleeding during the night and was able to clip the blood clot from the packing! He wanted to go to school so badly. Since he wasnt bleeding I let him. To the other children it was not noticable.

I had requested a CBC on Quinn when he bleeds so that we can follow his hemoglobin more closely to ensure that it does not fall to low. This afternoon I received a call from one of our favorite Hem/Onc Nurses Judy to tell me to be prepared because they were going to draw a few extra vials of blood to start testing it for the BMT (Bone Marrow Transplant) and to see if there is a match out there for him. If you have not signed up on the Bone Marrow Donor List.... I urge you to do so today!!!!!! They told me that it doesnt matter the make up of the person but sometimes Asians are a better match but not always! So at this point no one is knocked out. I fear for my sons life and this seems to be the best chance at keeping him alive and possibly curing the Glanzmanns Thrombasthenia!!!!! This would improve his quality of life most importantly. As the nurse put it me, it would also improve mine too...... At this point, my son is what matters. I am old (45) and my job is to take care of my family! I know fun .... He doesnt! We currently have an appointment set up for December 21 with the Hematologist and am hoping we can fit it in the same day with the Bone Marrow Transplant Department. Please pray for us and a donor to be on the list next month!!!!

GT On the Move!

2011-11-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted since bringing Quinn home. So many things have happened since the last date. I have learned alot about QT and educated my son as well. I am not placing IV's in his arm and infusing Novo Seven (Factor 7) as needed and packing his nose. Finding new ways each time to try and eliminate as much of the bleed as possible. Over the past 6-9 months it seems that Quinn is becoming worse and more severe and bleeding more often. At this time, he seems to be building a resistance to the Platelets as well as developing reactions to the Platelets and Blood Products. At this time, our best option for life is to seek out a Bone Marrow Transplant. It is a rough and hairy process!!!! However, would potentially cure the GT and give him a chance at a normal life. Hopefully, the end result would be a good one for us. It does not always turn out that way. The end result is that sometimes it can be fatal with the extreme dosages of Radiation and Chemotherapy that come with it! I have started the research again on it and am waiting on an appointment. Our team of docs flew to Chicago on Thursday to get some information. I will be anxious to hear from them.

Quinn has been selected as a "Make A Wish" candidate. Of course his most wanted wish in the world was to go back to China. At this time I dont feel like this is the best health decision for him with the types of treatments that they provide. In addition, if I remember correctly I would not be able to take his meds across the international lines because of the blood products. So, his wish has been changed to meet Selena Gomez or have a new home or build on to what we have so that the family can enjoy a fun game room. I sure hope that he is able to carry out one of these ventures. If he does have the Bone Marrow Transplant this would be awesome for him as he would be confined to me and the home for a long while. He will probably get sick of me! :) LOL

I will try to coninue to update this BLOG in hopes for prayers and a bone marrow donor to come forward to save his life!

GT Strikes Again

2009-10-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been super tough at the Roberts House! Janie came down with a yucky tummy virus that last about 4 days starting on the Wednesday the 23rd. I was called home from work to get her after being there for literally 1 minute. The following day I received a call from the Health Nurse to say that Quinn had a bloody nose but was mild. My worst nightmare had came true - for him to be at school with a nose bleed! Thankfully, it was indeed mild and I was able to pack his nose. I feared what the following day would actually bring ... the calm before the storm or we were going to be extremely lucky! By night it had stopped and I took the packing out. The following day there was no school so I sent Quinn to Citi Family Center across the street from work and the girls went their own separate ways. With Janie being sick she stayed with Daddy so that I could get caught up on work. It seemed like there was a large mound of Audits with no end in sight to have completed and of course by a deadline! My phone rang about 11:30 with a voice saying "Mrs. Roberts, Quinn has a bloody nose ... pause pause pause ... It is bleeding really bad!" Yikes .. I grabbed my purse and took out running across the street ... When I got there it was amazing, overwhelming and very sad what I saw. The blood was so fast and furious out of his little nose that it was rolling out of his mouth, nose and eye in a steady stream with large clots falling behind! I had never seen it that bad. I quickly got the supplies that I need and packing his nose ..... 10 minutes later he had quit bleeding. The bleed was so far back that it was still oozing some inside. We went to Childrens and they elected to infuse with Platelets. We stayed packed until Sunday and all was well as much as could be. On Monday morning he woke me at 3am to say that he felt blood in his throat. Sure enough 5 minutes later it started on the other side of his little nose! Once again, it was bad but not as much as Friday! At 9am he started bleeding past the packing. We went in for Factor (aka NovoSeven). It proved to be relatively successful with mild oozing. He lightly packed Quinn's nose. His Hemaglobin had dropped down to around 8.0. The is low but is for him is not too severe. The following day he asked to stay at home simply becuase he was not feeling well at all and was weak. He continued to oooz until Friday. Quinn seems to be feeling much better and is recovering from the last weeks events. It has been almost 1 year to the day that he was hospitalzied (10/3/08) and infused with both platelets and RBC. What a trooper this little fellow is!

Normally, we use Platelets for the nose and NovoSen for the mouth/gums. After debate and much talking we have elected to use the NovoSeven going forward. With many fights over the use of NovoSeven, the insurance company has finally elected to see it my way and the doctors way that it is "medically necessary" for him to have it! A shipment arrived at my door just a few weeks ago! Yeah! This will eliminate expense and trips to the hospital for an infusion. Next week, we go to the Hematologist and will meet with the nurse to learn how to actually use this! I am very excited about this. It will take some time to build faith that this will be a good choice for Quinn. What I have saw so far is that it wont completely stop the bleeding. But is certainly better than what was.

2009-08-31T10:52:00.001-07:00

~ One Year Ago Tomorrow ~

2009-08-31T10:35:00.000-07:00

I hadnt realized so much time has passed! Time sure flies when you are having fun I guess :) My mind has been wandering back to what happened one year ago tomorrow. I was united with my son in China! Hard to believe it has been such a short time. I clearly remember the day that he came to me. He was scared and puckered up at me for the first few hours really trying to hold back tears. Then he realized the all was good and he just jabbered away non stop. Honestly, I have no idea what he was telling me but believe he was telling me stories about himself. The first few moments he would not let me touch him and kept bouncing from chair to chair at the Civil Affairs Office. In the van on the way home he kept looking at me with big puppy dog puddled eyes his little hands in his lap. Now, that trip to Wal Mart when he got to pick out new sandles and a toy did it for him. He was good at that point!

Since coming home, we have made incredible strides both medically and emotionally. Medically, Quinn seems to be doing very well and has adjusted to American medicine and likes his Hematologist. He has a very rare platelet disorder called Glanzmanns's Thrombasthenia so he bleeds tsunami's. He has infusions of platelets and Factor VII (NovoSeven) depending on the type of bleed he is having, etc. He does well with all and just takes it in stride. He wants me to do everything for him other than stick him with a needle. Which, I will be doing soon. He said he is ok with that too and he trusts me!

Emotionally, we have made some great leaps but still have some work to do! It is hard for him when he misses China so much. However, having Ming and Juan in the US has been a blessing for him. Now that he is back in school he has less time to think and has improved his moral a bit also. All in all I am very proud of my little prince!

Quinn has became quite the little fisherman and his Daddy says he shows great potential as a Professional Fisherman one day! He loves this sport and will be sad to see the cold weather set in on him. Unfortuately, he doenst handle the cold weather well so he will be limited on his time in the boat.

This summer Quinn and his sisters took Swimming Lessons. The girls did rather well... Quinn on the other hand seemed to be like a "rock". So, I think that he will need some more guidance in this area. Hopefully, this winter we will be able to take some more classes and occupy ourselves during those cool months. He is such a good sport about it and really enjoys the water. When he came to me this is what he asked me for "could I teach him how to swim"! Very simple request out of a little fellow!

Two weeks ago we went to court to finalize Quinn's adoption in the US. He arrived home on an IR-4 Visa because Daddy and Janie couldnt travel with us due to the passing of Uncle Brian. It seemed to be such a long but simple process. I had all of the information and filed the case my self. However, the court appointed Guardian did not like the fact that I didnt have an attorney, so we had to hire our friend to go to court with us! Just glad that is all finalized. Now, I have to complete the remainder of the paperwork and apply for his SSN, Birth Certificate, Passport and Certificate of Citizenship. Whew!

Lou Juan is Home!

2009-07-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

Finally after many conversations about Lou Juan .. She has landed in the US with her new family! We are very excited to have her among us :)

July 10th, we left to see her and Ming in SLC for a long weekend. It was wonderful seeing the three united together. In China, they were like the three amigos. Quinn being the youngest! Sadly, Quinn could not communicate very much with Juan due to his loss of the language but said that he could understand some of what was being said still. We are hoping to have another weekend trip in the fall!

Congrats Juan on Family Day!

2009-01-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

Finally Ming & Qi are Together

2009-01-25T17:39:00.000-08:00

Finally, Ming and Qi are together at last!! We met them at the airport to find lots of smiles and a few hugs. What an emotional meeting for me at least. Life is so different for both now and is all positive :)

Ming was able to stay with us both nights that they were here. I am not sure that the kids got much sleep at all. In the end it really didnt matter. They enjoyed playing Nintendo DS, a movie, lots of swimming and great conversation and fun at Chuck E Cheese!

We were able to spend time with Ming's parents and her brother and sister as well. It was absolutely fabulous to finally meet them after many long conversations and emails. They felt like family!

Both kids parted with a sad heart! Quinn was in a slump for about 4 days and didnt want to really do much of anything. They talked on the phone every night after school for several days. They both said that they didnt want to be apart. I promised Quinn that we would make plans for another trip soon! Hopefully it will work out where we can see them before the end of the school year.

* Merry Christmas *

2009-01-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, I am really behind here - as usual it seems these days! Sorry for the late post.

This has been an exciting month for the Roberts household with the holidays coming and the excitement in the kids eyes!! Quinn is especially excited about the holiday and is so fascinated with the lights. He and Owen have bought so many lights that it feels like Chevy Chase lives here or something :) The Christmas Tree was a hit of course as well as the presents but not as much as the lights. It was almost disappointing because Quinn wasn't jumping up and down. He just doesn't get too excited about many things like I would have thought. The presents were all piled out in the middle of the floor because each child decided that they wanted their own piles and nothing under the base of the tree. It was a tremendous amount of fun shopping for the kids this year.

We were able to make a visit to see Santa Clause with all of the cousins this year. It was different saying that there were "8 children" this time around rather than our beautiful 7 chicks. Everyone smiled nicely for the camera. What a sight it was to see Quinn perched up on Santa's knee surrounded by 7 gorgeous girls! He was all smiles and seems pretty proud of his harem! Uncle Chad and his girls made a trip to the City and the triplets all came for a sleepover. What fun.

We were able to do some holiday baking as well. That was a big hit for the kids. They also were able to enjoy baking gingerbread cookies with their cousins. Santa loved the Yummies!

Quin had his visit at the Hemophilia Treatment Center earlier in the month. His levels are holding very nicely with improvement in all areas including the Anemia and his Nutritional Levels. No Bleed this month and are looking forward to more months that are good in the medical area.

Quinn's "China Sister" Ming will be visiting in the month of January. She is almost 4 years older than him and lived with him in China. The kids talk on the phone all the time and have a great relationship. It will be wonderful to see them together at last on American Soil with their families! Life is so different for them now but all for the better.

Lots of Celebrations ~

2008-11-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

Happy 8th Birthday to Alex on the 12th! She was so excited that she finally got her Nintendo DS that she had been begging for. Wow, I can hardly believe that she is this age! The expression on her face was absolutely priceless.... Alex was speechless and that never happens!

Happy Gotcha Day my little Janie today! What memories from 5 years ago as we waiting not so patiently waiting for those elevator doors to open. What a scared little baby you were that day - it didnt take you long to come around :)

Tuesday, Alexandra will celebrate her 7th Gotcha Day with us! You showed no fear when you were placed in our arms but sure did fool us ..... you were all quiet and then the 3rd day you popped out of your shell and have been running non stop every since! I think 5 years has gone by quickly.

Quinn came down with a nasty cold and fever Wednesday night. Is doing better now but still a little on the low grade fever side with a cough. I had to miss my first day back to work Thursday. I guess tomorrow will be my lucky day pending no more troubles.

Uncle Brian was sure missed this week! Without fail he was always here to celebrate the "your little peanut's" birthdays! Christmas time is harder yet ~

Another Dr. Appt

2008-11-08T13:40:00.000-08:00

Friday we had a monthly follow up with the Hematologist and a shot update. First we started with the shots. He did really well but cried. I say well because the first trip he became furious with me for allowing them to give him shots. So, progress with that!

Next stop was Hematology. He bled quite a bit this time from the shots and had to bandage his arm up with guaze and tape it up tight. I looked again once we got the office and it had bled through so we had to wrap it again. This time, they used tape that is used for bone marrow patients and seemed to work well. This morning I looked again and there was still a small amount of fresh blood so put Amicar on it and tape it up tightly. Tonight, it was fine. The doctor was impressed with the changes in him both physical and emotionally. His weight was 35.6 lbs today which is a step in the right direction. She seemed to feel like his small size is due to the bleeding disorder and anemia. They ran labs on his hemoglobin and found it to have dropped 1 gram to 9.8. Which is still good. In China he was running around 7.9. We will do another follow up appointment again next month. The doc's will continue to monitor him due to the type of disorder he has.

School is going well and he seems to like going. He is an amazing little boy and is learning all kinds of things. He is using the "sticker system" for doing a good job and am seeing them everyday.

Quinn is so excited about all of the Christmas lights and pretty's! I usually wait until Thanksgiving time to put our tree up but think we will do it next weekend while Daddy is deer hunting. I have tried to tell him a little about Santa Clause but think that a little movie would be more explanatory for him. When I told him that Santa would bring gifts for the good little boys and girls his eyes lit up and he was speechless! Too cute ~ Today, Daddy and Quinn went to Home Depot to buy some lights and a reindeer for the yard. He loved that! I am really looking forward to the holidays this year ~ he will be so fun to watch! My boy's first Christmas ...

Fishing ~

2008-11-05T16:05:00.001-08:00

My boy loves to fish with his PaPa and Daddy!!! He has asked several times for PaPa to come back :) Hint Hint PaPa!!! I will try to post pictures soon for you. He has some awesomepictures. He is now calling our boat "Quinn and Daddy's boat!!"

One Month Home ~

2008-11-05T15:37:00.001-08:00

Wow!!! I can hardly believe that it has been another month of being home. Alot has happened since my last journal entry.

Quinn had a bleed and was in the hospital for three days one month ago today. He had a nose bleed that would not stop and brought us to the ER one day and to the hospital the next day to be admitted. The first visit he quit bleeding while we were there so they released us. The following day he was still bleeding and was getting weak. Honestly, the doctors did not take me seriously the 5 times that I called in 20 hours. Finally, they told me that if I was uncomfortable to bring him in - WHAT!! So, after being in ER/Trauma for one hour with continued bleeding they drew blood and started an IV. The bleeding became more persistant and Afrin was only working for a short time at that point. He started becoming lethargic and had to have a sternum rub to wake up. Finally, the administered RBC and was talking about giving platelets if the RBC werent enough. After many conversations of describing what his diagnosis and treatment had been in China they finally decided that packing the nose was the way to go. Hello!! Immediately after packing his nose the bleeding had slowed down and finally stopped after a short time. The pressure of putting the packing in the nose stopped the vessels from bleeding. We stayed another 24 hours so that observations could be made on his bleeding and to run a few more blood tests. I think we had every Hematologists in the hospital there to check up on us. We received good care once we were in the hands of the right doctors. With Quinn being anemic, his blood was already thinner then the IV thinned the blood out more which caused more bleeding. Anyway, you get the picture. At the end of our visit they assured me that the next time I called I would be taken more seriously when I told them he was bleeding! I guess it was difficult for them without having an "American Diagnosis".

After several more lab tests it has been determined that he has a very rare bleeding disorder and is the 193rd person in the US to have it. Thrombasthenia is our culpret! The physicians are checking internationally to see if there is further treatment or testing available for it. After persistance, they gave me meds to help him in the event of another bleed!!! Yeah for Mommy!!

Quinn lost a tooth about 2 weeks ago and now has another loose. It was 12 long hours of bleeding and took 3 doses of meds and multiple packings to get it to stop. What a strong and brave boy we have!!

This is our second week of school and he is doing well with it. It is amazing how well he is doing and the handwriting on this little guy is awesome! He writes like he has been doing this all his life. Math and telling time are also strong points too. We are working on a reward system both at school and at home with stickers and a calendar so that he can visibly see good behavior. This seems to be doing well for him the past couple of days. We have had a few bumps and bruises along the way with differences in customs, house rules and the grieving process.

Funny story ~ tonight he wasnted to call his friend in Texas so we did. While I was on the phone talking with her Daddy aroudn the corner Quinn came running "Mommy come here now please!" He sounded a little shaken so I hurried up. He opened the door to the microwave to a blaze of fire!!!! What ~ I couldnt believe this ... it was our medicine that I had picked up today!!! It was printed in blue and white like a popcorn back so am thinking that is what he thought it was and popped it in. It took several cups of what to put the fire out!!! I have let him use the microwave with my direction supervision only. I guess he was feeling independent and thought he could do it himself to! We will have a little conversation about that also. Owen said, well I guess my medicine with taste a little dry tonight!

~ Fully Recovered ~

2008-10-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

We are settled in pretty much and have finally recovered from the Jet Lag. Whewwww! Quinn handled it beautifully and never had much problem ... Alex had trouble for about a week and is back in school full force.

Last week we had our appointment with Hematology. The doctor is excellent and is highly rated. What a comfort she was and explained everything wonderfully. The have ruled out several of the more severe bleeding disorders as well as Leukemia. At this point, it looks like his platelets are not functioning properly. Next Friday we go again and will have another blood test done to see how they are functioning and hopefully determine the reason. If we are unable to find a reason, a bone marrow test will be on the agenda shortly thereafter. This poor little fellow has been stuck so many times in his life, I really hope that we dont have to resort to that.

Quinn seems to be getting along wonderfully in his new family and seems to like us all pretty well. Recently, he met is PaPa for the first time! What a hit that was :) They instantly were buddies. Owen and PaPa took him out fishing and that was all that he wanted to do after that! He loved the boat and the lake too. If this were me in his shoes, I would be too scared to move out of the corner.

He is an amazing little boy and am saddened that we werenot united before now. He is full of smiles and laughs and very good @ reading body language. Every day, he seems to learn something new. Yesterday he informed me the difference of left and right and he completely knows the way to get our of our "detoured" neighborhood. I believe he knew the difference in Chinese words but not English. I have called the school and started the ball rolling on his enrollment. At this point, I am waiting for them to get back to me with the information. They will have to line up Mandarin translators, etc. First we have to do all of his shots starting from square one. Looks like he may have had Hep B but that is all. I feel sorry for his skinny little body.

Quinn had started talking to his Chinese sister (not really but they were together in the orphanage) on the phone over the past few weeks and is loving that. She came home about a month before he did. He loves telling me stories about her and him in China!

Last week, my little prince was able to speak with someone in Mandarin. He was so sweet ... he said he used to be an orphan but isnt an orphan anymore because he has a family now! He loves his Mommy but is getting bored at home with her and misses his friends! Well, my little social butterfly really needs to go to school or be introduced to new friends or I need to come up with more challenging lessons for him!

Life is Good at the Roberts House!

~ Settling In ~

2008-09-14T04:14:00.000-07:00

We are officially settling in and recoverying from Jet Lag ... or should I say that Mommy is recoverying from Jet Lag. Yes, that is more appropriate. This morning I feel better than yesterday. Oddly, the third day I hit the wall! Quinn did wonderful with the time adjustment and couldnt have asked for anything better. He went to bed the first night when I tucked him in and slept until he saw me walk by the next morning. It has been smooth sailing ever since. Alexandra on the other hand had a few rough nights but slept good again last night. She is a night owl anyway so is a little tougher on her.

Quinn seems to be doing wonderfully with the exception of 1 melt down. Other than that he is a perfect child! :) He seems so excited about his new family which we are extremely excited about. He now says thank you to the littlest things and is really loving his new clothes and toys too. Amazing the things that we take for granite in our daily lives. For example ... drinking from a straw, opening an automatic window on the car, a microwave, which pair of shoes to wear, etc. As we go through these little things we watch him as he is totally amazed. He cant seem to get enough hugs and kisses and calls "Mommy" all through the house if he doesnt see me for about 3 seconds .... hugs me and goes back to what he was doing. He is just too cute!

We had our first doctors appointment on Friday. It seemed to go well and felt positive vibes from it. The most positive thing out of the visit was that the doctor felt that the bleeding disorder was not severe since he is not bleeding all the time!!! Of course, we have to undergo the blood work and Hematology appointments to get accurate information. This week we should be hearing from the childrens hospital about a date to come in and when to go have his labs done. We are anxious to have a few answers and feel like we can move forward.

We Are HOME!!!

2008-09-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, we have finally made it home after being in the air way too long to count and almost missed every flight that was scheduled except the first one. Once we hit Tokyo we had less than 20 minutes to make the flight to Detroit after we cleared security. Once to Detroit, we stood in line at Customs for about 1 hour 20 minutes and then had to re-check the luggage, and juggle the lines to make the flight. Of course, it was one of those check points where you had to take your shoes off to get through. I have never ran this fast without shoes on in my life. My children learned the meaning of "We have to hurry or we wont get to see Daddy and Janie!" I heard "Final Boarding Call" more than I wanted too! Someone special from above was certainly with us or we never would have made them all!

Quinn was sick on the international flight towards the very end but quickly recovered!

Once we got to Kansas City, he was sleeping and I tried to wake him... no response. Finally, I said we are almost in Kansas City and your Ba Ba and Mei Mei are here waiting for you. He immediately sat up in the seat and started putting his sandals on and was ready to go before the plane touched the ground! :) Walking out the gateway, he saw his Ba Ba and immediately there was a connection. It seemed like they had always known each other to. What a sweet sight to see! :) Of course, he was ever so excited to see Janie.

Since being home, he amazes me every minute of the day. He is an incredible child and I feel so blessed to have him in my life! He understands about 99% of what I tell him and get a response from him. He repeats English language well and is remembering things that I tell him and using words them properly. He eats like a horse which is excellent!

I had to take him clothes shopping because absolutely everything in the closet except socks were too big on him! He was so cute in the store and understood that he was getting new threads. He would look at something, hold it up and make a decision whether he liked it or not and was even thinking about the size that would be good. Tomorrow I will take him again for more. We managed to find 3 pair of jeans for his small size 4, 33 lb body that actually fit. It is hard to remember that he is actually 7-1/2 years old at times!

Finally, another day that I have been waiting for - his first Doctors appointment! Tomorrow first thing in the morning, and hoping for a good response and a quick referral to the Hematologist!

Will try to post photos soon of our arrival!

Home Bound!!!!

2008-09-09T04:13:00.000-07:00

I thought that this time would never come!!! Tomorrow morning we awake @ 4am to get ready for the airport and off to Tokyo we go ... From there we have a 12 hour flight to Detroit. We are extremely hopeful that we make our flight for home from there. Before we can get on the plane we have to clear Immigration with Quinn and Customs then re-check our luggage. We only have 1 hour and 50 minutes to make it all happen! Hopefully, the tailwind will be on our side and help us to arrive a few minutes earlier. If not, then Daddy is coming to Detroit to get us if there isnt another flight leaving!! I am so ready to come home I cant describe it. I feel like I am going to bust out crying!

The US Consulate appointment went well today and we received our brown envelope! Yeah!!

Chen Temple

2008-09-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

Not sure if the video will play for you or not ~ Good Luck!

New Photos

2008-09-08T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have posted a few new photos on the sidebar. The video is not uploading at the moment.

US Consulate

2008-09-08T03:58:00.001-07:00

Today our papers went to the US Consulate to finalize the adoption. Tomorrow we go to take our Oath and do our packing to come home!!!!! I am absolutely ready to get home to my family! GZ is so hot and humid and miserable feeling at times. Still raining off and on.

We toured the Chen Temple today. It was nice but have been there twice before. Quinn didnt seem too interested at all and had a melt down on me again! Alex felt pretty uneventful about it. Later we visited another temple and was able to see the Chinese visit the Buddist Temples in honor of the Moon Festival that is coming up. Very interesting stuff. We were blessed while we were there. Alex decided that she would rather not participate in their service and save her worship for church back at home. Beautiful art work in the temple too.

I taught Quinn to say "I'm Mommas Boy" today... He kept repeating it and then my little clown all of a sudden says "I'm Ba Ba's Boy" .. He laughed and knew what he was saying! He is a clown that is for sure. He laughs and giggles all the time except when he is having a melt down. What a blessing this little guy is! I am so anxious for his family to meet him. His Pa Pa will be so in love with his new addition too ~ Quinn loves fresh vegetables so you might have a helper in the garden! It is amazing how the red thread has weaved through all this time for us to be united! PERFECT!!!

New Photos

2008-09-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

I had added a few new photos of the kiddos. The one with Quinn and the pink thing on his head is actually a napkin. My little clown decided that it looked better on his head than the table~ Wait until his Ba Ba sees him in pink.

We are doing well and waiting for Wednesday morning!

2 Days Left ~ YEAH!!!

2008-09-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Two more days before we head out for home! I will be so glad to be in my own softer bed and see my husband and daughter!

Today we went to the jade and pearl market and did some local shopping on the Island. Tonight, we went to an italian restaurant and it was very yummy. Quinn refused to eat his pizza and told the guide that the food smelled bad! :) Ok, so how funny is that! It was raining again so we asked if they could call a taxi for us. They sent the waitress out in the rain with an umbrella to hail a cab for us ... 20 minutes later she came back! We felt terrible and had no idea that is how they did it .... Well, I guess we arent in NY or anything like that so should have known better.

Tomorrow our papers will be submitted to the American Consulate so that we can finalize the adoption. Tuesday, we take the Oath and leave Wednesday morning at 8am or Tuesday Night American time!

Shopping

2008-09-06T05:08:00.000-07:00

Today we were able to take in a little shopping in spite of more rain here on the Island. Quinn did not want to spend the few yuan that he had ... he kept wanting me to buy everything for him. How quickly he learned that! While we were shopping a merchant gave me a fake 50. I had no idea until I went to the next merchant! Not that much American money but still the point. I guess that will be a momento.

Tonight we went to dinner with group after being separated all week. What cute babies! A trip down memory lane with the girls. Quinn is so small that I can hold him on my hip so brings back memories :) All was good except having no sleept caught up with them! Trying to get them to bed for a good sleep!

Cuteness Alert!!!!

2008-09-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

I have posted a few new photos out on the sidebar!

We are in Guangzhou!!!

2008-09-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah, we have finally made it to the White Swan! It was an adventure getting here and to be stranded in the midde of problems with no English speaking people. Actually, I think there was an English recording but you couldnt hear it because all the other people were mad and talking over everything. Our flight was due to leave @ 7:55pm. We sat on the plane for probably 40 minutes then we get off because the there was a storm in Guangzhou and planes were not allowed to arrive or depart. Then a loud announcement comes on the speaker in Chinese ... I have no idea what was said but can assume it was some type of security check or something as they came around and checked everyone's tickets while we stood in the walk way in the heat for a while longer! I would assume probably close to an hour .. We then boarded again sit there a while longer. Finally, we fly out and arrived at the hotel around 1am. What a long few hours it was. The kids did pretty well and of course Quinn was over the top with excitement. However, he decided was going to test his boundaries with me lets say! He had a half way good nights sleep and picked out a new toys so he is good now! Alex is doing fine for the most part.

We are glad to be at the White Swan .... it is more western here. However, the thing I am not happy about is that Danny's Bagels has moved to a new location and is 30 minutes by cab and they dont deliver to the hotel anymore!! Papa John's has moved into town I hear and of course Lucy's is still here. Quinn seems to be adjusting well to western food and particularly likes sausage links and potatoes! Most importantly, the hospitals are better here than in Changsha. The better one is about 30-40 minutes away by cab but has Western Doctors if we happen to need one.

We have finished that paperwork and all the necessary items ... so, now we just wait for the Consulate Appointment and prepare to go home later!

One Day Closer to Home ~

2008-09-04T00:53:00.000-07:00

We are one day closer to coming home ~ We have had a slow afternoon and have been trying to keep Quinn quiet. Problem is that Alex is wired up and he naturally wants to play with her. So, he is trying to rough house with her. You should see the two of them together ~ Amazing let me say! They act like they have known each other forever.

He has learned a few English words so far .... the other night he told Alex that I gave him money .... Today he said "Thank You Momma" .... very clearly. He has learned the English words for each part of his face. Very smart boy. I have no idea what he is saying to me but he sure does understand me!

Hoping by the time that we reach Guangzhou we will be good and able to get out more. I havent spent any money yet except for food and a hospital bill! :)

Group Photo

2008-09-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a group photo on Gotcha Day of Alex, Quinn and myself! What a cute bunch I have ... If Janie were in the photo it would be even cuter! :)

Quinn is doing well today - he has ate and slept like nothing before! He should have some good muscles when we get home!
Tomorrow morning his passport will be ready and we will leave tomorrow night for Guangzhou. This part of the journey will finalize the adoption for the USA.

A few bruises ~

2008-09-02T22:40:00.000-07:00

We have had a rough start to the day .... Quinn woke me early this morning with a nose bleed. It didnt stop so we went to a Chinese Hospital for assistance. His nose is still packed to slow the bleeding. He is such a wonderful boy and maintains a great sense of humor during this. He is learning how much he loves "Finding Nemo" and drinking Sprite!

Ok, so to lighten our rough morning ... ever been outside of a hotel in your jammies and walk around a hospital for a while in them ... then to a 5 star hotel breakfast buffet? :) It was so hot in there I was drenched so that meant the hotter I got the curlier my hair got! Not a good thing! :) It hasnt been this curly and frizzy in a long time back in Missouri. China humidity and weather is much hotter and humid!

I cant say enough wonderful things about our agency for their assistance and to Love Without Boundaries!!!! These are terrific organization that I would highly recommend making a donation to at some point in the future. They truly love the children of China! Thank You So Much for your Help!!!!!

It is OFFICIAL!!

2008-09-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

We are back from the Civil Affairs Building ... It is Official .... We have a son, cousin, brother, grandson, etc in the Roberts family ... Quinn Michael FuQi Roberts has entered the family!!!!! I absolutely can no wait to see him with those 7 little Princess!!

P.S. Sophie, Bella and Ava ... this is Quinn you are seeing in the pictures below ... Soon he will be home to see you! I will post a family photo of us later today hopefully.

A tale of Two Hunan Dollies

2008-09-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day!!

2008-09-01T14:09:00.001-07:00

On this day 16 years ago US time I met my wonderful husband ~ Happy Anniversary Sweetheart! This day will forever be marked as our Anniversary and a Gotcha Day for Qi! :)

Yesterday I took the kiddos to Wal Mart. They did wonderful. I bought Qi a new pair of sandals and both some toys! The fighter jet and transformer were both a hit! Quinn is amazed at his light up shoes!

He is just an adorable little boy in so many way ~ He is perfect for our family! Pa Pa he is Gabby II. He probably has a sore throat from all of his talking :) I have no idea what he is saying most of the time. A few times, I clearly understood. He told Alex last night ... "Momma gave me money" Ok, it was 2 Yuan and you would have thought it was GOLD! He put his wallet in his front pocket.

This morning we go to the Civil Affairs building to formalize our adoption in China @ 9am! What an emotional stop this is. Now, we wait for his passport and then go to Guangzhou Friday night to formalize the adoption for the US.

Janie & Owen .... we miss you!

Gotcha!!!!!

2008-08-31T22:34:00.000-07:00

Gotcha Quinn!! What a dollie he is!! This child was truly meant to be with my family. He is such a jokster and will love his Daddy. He told the coordinator today that if she could guess the English words he knew he would pay her $20 USD and laughed at her. He kept making jokes with her too. Quinn said he likes his name and smiled great big when we told him he was named after his Grandpa! He is healthy and happy and small! Not much bigger than Janie :)

Alex is loving being a big sister!

I will post more pictures later!

In Changsha ~

2008-08-31T01:17:00.001-07:00

We are finally in Changsha, Hunan!!! It was a bumpy ride but made it.

We originally were supposed to get Quinn in the afternoon now we get him @ 10AM!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!! So for those not aware of the timezone difference, that will be about the time you go to bed (13 hours difference)!

Alex on the Great Wall

2008-08-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

There are a few more pics posted off to the side!

Beijing is almost behind us! Next Stop QUINN!!!!

2008-08-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a great day! We visited the great wall and made it a good ways up. Alex said she could climb a long way ... I said Mommy is old and I am out of breathe :) On the way down she said that she was glad we turned around to come back. She could hardly make the steps because some of them were as deep as her legs were long. Plus it was drizzling rain and a little slippery. Once we left the Great Wall we went to Summer Palace and took a dragon boat ride. It is very beautiful there!

Alex and I came back to the hotel then ... she layed down and was asleep in 5 minutes ... so on came the jammies and I was out too. I wasnt feeling so hot anyway .. the bus made me car sick! We finally got some sleep!!!!! It is now 3:05M and we are wide awake waiting on room service because we had no dinner! Alexandra has not been eating well and they had Pasta so .... she gets!

This morning @ 10:30 we leave for the airport to go to Changsha in Hunan Province. It is here that we will be united with Quinn tomorrow afternoon! :) I can hardly wait. Alex will love this to because her play mate is leaving for Guangzhou this morning. Changsha holds a very warm place in my heart and always will. We will be staying @ the Dolton Hotel. This is the place that we were united with our beautiful two daughters! I feel so lucky to be able to share these important details with Alex while we are there. I still remember the exact spots that we were in the day we met! Alex acting like the world was good and looking around at everything and Janie crying and climbing me like a monkey! :) I hope Quinn has a fun memorable mark on the meeting too but most of all I hope he likes us to!

Sleep Deprived ~

2008-08-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

I believe you could officially say we are sleep deprived now. I have had maybe 2 hours and the alarm is due to go off in an hour. Alex slept about 2 hours and then was up 3 and now back down again. I hope she can sleep a few more hours! I decided to organize the pics I had taken so far ..... Yes, I have enough to organize Owen :) Here is one of Alex! She is too cute!

Sightseeing ~

2008-08-29T06:36:00.001-07:00

Today we started the day with sightseeing at the Forbidden City and Tianemen Square. Alex was absolutely amazed and loved it. Her art teacher will love having a conversation about the beautiful artwork. I have to admit, I am really surprised that she didnt ask more questions. She staying in front of the group next to the guide when she was talking about it so she wouldnt miss anything.

We found a buffet lunch down the street. Now, if any of you know anything about crossing a street in China that was four times an adventure. Talking about grabbing my daughter and going!

Funny story ... this morning I went to blow dry my hair and the plug would not fit into any of the electrical outlets or my converter. So, feeling like a fool, I called the front desk for help. The gal didnt know anything about it. Left for a minute and then came back. She pulled out the drawer on the desk that houses another outlet ..... plugged it in and walked off! I was told tonight that they have an outlet that will house any current!

Tonight we went to the Chinese Acrobat show. Awesome! I would highly recommend it to anyone. We had a nap right before and the alarm clock didnt go off. Our coordinator had to call and wake us up ... talk about embarassing... the whole group was downstairs waiting! Hopefully, we will sleep tonight. We are functioning good but just tired!

The hotel is very nice .... equal to the White Swan in comparison I suppose except the lobby is smaller.

Good Night ~ I love you Owen, Janie & Quinn! I will see you in a few days sweetheart! :) I can hardly wait!

The Big Bird In The Sky Has Landed!!!

2008-08-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

We are finally in Bejing now and enjoying stretching our legs. We flew NorthWest Airlines and could not have been happier with them. The service was fabulous. Now, Alex @ the age of 7 saying "Wow, are they serving us food again ... This is great service Momma" It was too cute. I probably wont eat for 2 days after all of the food they gave us.

I think in all of the flying we did I had to remind Alex twice that there were no loud noises on the plane and to get off the dirty floor. Other than that she earned her wings today! What a girl! I am super proud of her ... now for that 17 hour flight back to Tokyo. We are hoping to sleep better on the next flight .... I think we both had 3 hours sleep.

Airport switches went fine and couldnt have been better! Now, if it will go that smoothly going home we will have it made. On the way back, there will only be 3 families with the remainder traveling the next day.

Owen sorry, I wasnt able to get a good connection to update you. I have left you a message and email. I LOVE YOU and JANIE!!!! Soon, we will be a family of 5!!!!

Today is finally the Day!!!

2008-08-27T04:17:00.000-07:00

Today is finally the day that we leave for China ~ Momma will be there soon Qi! Hoping for quick travels and a less bouncy Alexandra! Poor little Alex has a backpack that weighs more than her I think but refuses to take anything out of it .... so, this could be interesting. First Stop Detroit ... then Tokyo... with last stop being Beijing!

Almost Airborne ~

2008-08-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Alex and I will be Airborne to China!!! Today is busy trying to finalize the last minute details before leaving and wondering what I have forgotten. Hopefully nothing. However, my packing strategy may change drastically. Northwest is enforcing the weight limit on international luggage and am way over. We may end up mailing the clothing to the orphanage or seeing about different luggage. Yikes! I would rather spend $150 in China on you than give it away!

Your room is ready for you finally ~ with the exceptions of picutres on the wall. When we get settled a bit at home, we will go shopping and you can decide what you want!

Yesterday, I received an updated photo of you also and have posted out to the side for everyone else to see! You have grown and become more handsome than ever!

Now the countdown begins to Gotcha Day 9/1!

The packing is done FINALLY!!

2008-08-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

I am sure you would loe to see how your room looked while I had everything out. What a big mess! It is picked up now and everything is almost in order for you Mr. Prince!

What a hard few days this has been of packing ~ but it is finally done! Ok, so I dont have our sandals or Momma's makeup packed yet so that could change. Worst case scenario you and Alex lose one or two of your outfits. I have a few more packed for you than me. The large suitcase is 59 lbs and the weight limit with China Domestic is 44 lbs. We may be fined for the overage. Hopefully, they will have mercy on us! Once you join us in Changsha, I will lose quite a few things. I bought clothes for the older children in the SWI and the gifts.

Tomorrow will be a full day of cleaning and organizing the paperwork and looking over the notes from the conference call on Wednesday! We are SOOOOO excited! :) I cant wait to give you a big ol' hug!

4 Days Left (Almost 3) ~

2008-08-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that there are 4 days left. Soon, this day will come to an end and we will be 3 days out! Today I have been packing and re-packing ... I bought a new carry on tonight so that I could make everything work. Several months back I bought quite a few pieces of Gymboree clothing for some of the older children in the orphanage. So, had to make sure that it would all go. I didnt realize how much I had bought! Tomorrow, I will be ironing everything and getting Janie's clothes ironed for the next 14 days too! So, you know what tomorrow looks like for me. I am off Monday and Tuesday to prepare last minute things before Wednesday morning arrives.

The time has finally come for us to be united! Just a few more days ~ Gotcha Day is 9/1 Sweetie!! Now, I just hope that you are as excited as I am.

One Day Closer ~ We are almost there!

2008-08-17T18:16:00.001-07:00

One day closer now my sweet boy!

We had a busy weekend but more productive than before. I was able to catch up some things in the office and get a few more things done before leaving. Yes, I am becoming obsessed with the suitcase and packing list! We are so limited with the weight restrictions, etc that "necessities" are all that I can really take. We will have to go shopping if there is something that is needed. I have packed several times already and made a trip to the store this weekend to pick up our last items to take - I hope! Last night we took some family time off to go fishing. Today we had a fish fry in honor of Uncle Brian with a gathering of family and close friends. It was nice. I took lots of pic's for you of Daddy's side of the family and plan on creating a DVD to take to China with me for you. So, you were there alot today! Everyone was curious about your arrival and what our departure date was! Lots of excitement in the air despite a sad occassion.

Daddy is working up a big sweat over all of the hot fryers but had a minute to step in for a pic ... not so good though - I think he had other things on his mind!

The Real TA Arrives

2008-08-14T03:29:00.000-07:00

Today our Federal Express package arrived with the actual TA in it and our schedules. I have not been able to sit down and see all of the information in it yet. But did see that we have a conference call next Wednesday that I will need to take off work for. We are very close now ... Momma will be there soon Qi!

Alexandra on First Day of School!

2008-08-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that Alexandra is almost 8 years old!! I am really getting old :) Today was the first day school! My little princess is in love with her skirt and spent the morning twirling and turning :) She informed me that she will be taking this to China with her ... Look out Qi! :)

Alexandra loves school so this was a really fun day for her. It excites me to see her wanting to go to school to learn. The teachers and staff are great. We are very fortunate. Qi I know you will love it just the same :)

School Already!

2008-08-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that school is starting today already! Janie is very excited about being in the Big K ... Alexandra is starting 2nd Grade also! They had a great morning and were bouncing out to the car with excitement. Just wait a few years, they might not be as excited :) Yesterday, we trimmed/cut hair, bathed, got french manicures, painted toe nails, etc. Janie actually got her hair cut off in to a short bob and she looks terrific! Your sisters are all beautified and ready to go! They were already beautiful to begin with though :)

China Travel Arrangements

2008-08-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

We have our China Domestic Travel Schedule today!!!! Yeah!!! We will be staying at the Dolton in Changsha where I first met your sisters! Among many other places... that will be our second stop. I had asked if that was a possibility several months ago. Alexandra is very excited to see where her life began with us .. and Janie too :) Gotcha Day is 9/1 ... that is the best news of all! :)

One Day Closer!!

2008-08-09T15:59:00.001-07:00

We are one day closer to you now Quinn!!!!! Yeah!!!! We have been spinning our wheels off and on today but have been semi productive. This morning started off a little rough when the drain in the garage backed up and flooded the bathroom and a little of the garage. Good thing Daddy is a whiz and fixed it quickly! At least I have a solid start with packing and the suitcase is out - your clothes are in the washer as we speak! :) Daddy has been adding new software to the girls computer today.

This morning we went to Best Buy to look at the battery packs for the portable DVD player. I looked at the lap tops again with stars in my eyes while Daddy stood there just looking at me ... I said, "Well, I guess I will just take some of my extra money and get me one" Off he walked ... Now if anyone knows Quinn's Daddy... they know that he cant stand that puppy dog look, especially out of his brown eyed wife (as he says)!!! Anyway, he said ... "Well, I guess I can afford a lap top for you" and sighed ... Alex is loving it btw! Little stinker :) I really like it when I get a chance to touch it :) I loaded a few games on it this afternoon for you and your sister!

China Domestic Flights

2008-08-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

We are still awaiting our China Domestic Flights and Hotels to be finalized. Funny Story ~ The agency contacted me the other day to ask if I wanted a roll away bed for one of the children to sleep on and reminded me that the beds are smaller in China than the US, etc. She included the hotel charges of $30-$40/night for this. That is crazy high and is not Yuan ... US Dollars! So, I told DH that I think I will take me a taxi cab down to Wal-Mart in Hunan and buy one for a much cheaper price!

Today Joyce and the girls came by for lunch ~ We a breathe of fresh air that was!:) After they left, I tried to organize your room a bit and take things out of boxes, etc then picked out some cute little clothes for you! Lets see .... you have KC Royals, Baseball, Cars and of course Gymboree items! You will be just too cute in everything and will look like a handsome prince!

Tomorrow I have to go to the bank to have something notarized. After that, I plan on working towards having laundry finished and an idea of clothes for Alex and I to take plus a clean tidy house! Ok, so we will see how big this dream is ..... right! :)

19 Days until we get on the big bird in the sky and counting!!!!!!!!!!

Travel Approval Arrives

2008-08-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Today we received our Travel Approval via Federal Express along with medicals and photos of Quinn! What a sweet little face :)

International Flights and Consulate Appointment

2008-08-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an agency!! They absolutely do not mess around. We had a confirmed Consulate Appointment and had an email that our International Flight choices could be made and paid for! Unbelievable ~ I looked everything over and decided to go through Detroit to Tokyo and on to Beijing. Pure Excitement!!!! We leave 8/27 and come home 9/10! Momma is on her way very soon son! :)

Another Weekend

2008-08-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

Finally, a productive weekend!!! Yeah .. the hearth room is painted but not without a hitch! Yep, I am gonna blame this one on my sister for making the comment that one thing leads to another on a project. I got a water spot on the ceiling from stripping wallpaper border so decided that I need to paint the ceiling. While I was at it decided that it was a good idea to paint the rest of the room too and spruce it up a bit. While I was fixing the area around the water spot and removing the border, I pulled piece of what I thought was excess ... Well, it was not excess at all. Indeed it was an old wall paper that had been left on with the seams mudded. I had no idea that we had paper under neath. It just kept peeling!!!! Of course, the mess was right above the fireplace on the entry way! Gotta love it. Owen's buddy "Mr. Renovations" is going to come by and tell me what the best thing to do would be. So, the room looks fabulous with the exception of the fireplace!

Sunday afternoon I worked busily cleaning and trying to prepare things for our journey to Quinn. Turned out to be quite productive

* TA Landing **

2008-08-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

We have a TA Landing!!!!! Yep, I got the call this morning @ 9:12am. Potentially, we will leave for China 8/27 and return on my a Very Special Person's Birthday on 9/10!! What a birthday present you will get Sister!!! The agency is trying to confirm a Consulate Appointment for me now. Alexandra will be joining me on the trip. She will be so excited when I finally tell her and will melt when she finds out we are going to Beijing too! :) I can hardly wait to get my hands on my sweet little son!!!! YEAH!!! More details next week on travels I am sure! I have lots to do in such little time! Tomorrow is going to be very busy but all GOOD! After the rotten month of July that we had .. for some reason, I just cant stop smiling today! Hmmmmm

The Federal Express Man Visited Today!

2008-07-12T18:57:00.001-07:00

Yeah!!! The Federal Express person made a delivery to our house today!!! :) We received our LOA and quickly sent it back. We barely got to look at it because the Post Office was going to close soon, but did scan it. Our wonderful agency should have it back on Monday and then it will go back to China. Then, we officially go back into the "Waiting" mode again. TA's have been arriving in approx 17 days recently. Soon after that we will receive an actual date to meet you!:)

Since I will be traveling without DH this time I have prepared the Power of Attorney form and will need to take it on Monday to the Secretary of State for Certification and send it overnight to the Courier for the Chinese Embassy to Authenticate it. Then, more paperwork.

I am really feeling a crunch for time as the last few weeks have been so overwhelming. We are still not able to concentrate as well as we should so completing a task is difficult at times. Hopefully, this week will improve for us ~ fingers crossed!

The Ladybug Has Landed in Indiana!!!!

2008-07-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

Finally, after many tears and emotional days.. Our LOA has arrived at the Agency. I received the call this morning a few minutes before 10 am. Our caseworker probably really thinks I am a nutcase for sure now ..... of course I cried! She said that our TA should be here in about a month or less and then travels several weeks after that. The package will be overnight Federal Express. Yeah, my son is coming home!!!

Daddy will stay with the girls in the US and I will be traveling alone. I will be so sad to leave my family for 2 weeks but have a pot of gold on the other side of the earth waiting for me! :) In 15 years of being married, Owen and I have never been apart more than a couple of days while he deer hunts or goes on a fishing excursion. The girls have only spent the night away a couple of times and we rushed to pick them up early the next morning because we missed them so much! :)

A Few Ladybugs Landing

2008-07-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

There have been a few LOA landings this week ~ Hopefully, we will be next! There are several arriving with our LID. Our agency has not received anything so far this week. Cross your fingers for us!!! :)

I caught the Big One Daddy!

2008-07-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

Finally, Owen was able to get himself out to go fishing and took the girls last night! My niece and her husband came over to join them also. Everyone had a great time and was much needed for all :) Alex caught a 7 lb Bass and was absolutely amazed that she caught "The Big Fish" but didnt really want to hold it which surprised me.

Updated Photos

2008-07-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Today we received updated photos of our boy! He is so handsome and looks like he has thinned out and grew a few inches since the last photo in February. I cant wait to get my arms around that little guy forever! :)

Good Bye Uncle Brian

2008-07-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

Qi, I will keep this one brief for you since this is one is so tough and we are not through it yet enough to grasp anything. Your Uncle Brian was killed tonight when a work truck fell on him. He will so be missed and we loved him very much ~ as would you! He and Daddy were like Best Friends! The first morning after the holidays when we found you, he was with us waiting to hear right along side! He will be missed very much and I loved him dearly!!!

Crazy fool trying to give that poor crappie a Mountain Dew! :)

Zoo Sleepover

2008-06-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

Finally, a weekend that brought a few smiles into our home or should I say our Aquarium! :) Alexandra had a Brownie outing this weekend at the Zoo in Omaha. We went "hiking" Saturday night and again this morning. The weather got down into the 50's and brought out LOTS of Mosquitos. I rarely ever get bit but ended upw it some whopper bites. Poor little Janie has one above each eye and one on each knee and who knows where else. I had to give her some medicine to help with the irritation. Alexandra has one on her eye lid but has yet to complain. Most everyone came out with bites. I even packed the repellent but forgot it in the backpack. We slept in the Aquarium on inflatable beds. We had never been to this Zoo before but loved it. Always have heard that it was worth the trip, and it was! What a fun adventure we had. There were 14 little girls between the ages of 4 and 11 with the majority being between 7-8 years of age. Now, with the Brownie Troop let me tell you we have some very beautiful and high spirited ladies ~ they are all from China! Yes, it is a troop for little China Dolls! :) It was so fun watching them all run around and have a blast. They have so much to share and so many things in common.

Saturday morning I did get your bed stained before leaving and it sure did turn out nice! So, now I can get the curtain made and actually get things tidied up for you. I have to go through your closet. Over the past several months I have been putting things aside to take with us in a basket. Honestly, I have no idea of everything that I have. Not to mention, I need to do an inventory of what you have but believe that we will be in "overload"! Poor little guy, you probably wont care a stitch about what you have in your closet and here I have stressed out about it.... Oh well, at least Mommy will look at you with a smile on her face because you will be walking around looking triple handsome! Oh yeah, what a vision ~ I can hardly wait.

Hoping and praying that tomorrow brings us good news son! Wave to the airplane please as he passes over Hunan with your paperwork in a couple of days! :) I sure do hope .. shhhh, not too loud so I wont jinx myself here!

The TA Ladybug Lands

2008-06-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

For the last 2 days there have been lots of TA's arriving from China. They were able to clear out all of 5/29 and 6/9 from what we understand. So, maybe this will be good news when they go to issur out TA soon! So far, the only news we have heard on LOA are that #1 someone had theirs issued on Tuesday and #2 someone from Canada I believe was told that their's was put in the mail on Friday and #3 that there are packages on the way to the USA with "Unknown Items". It is a little early for referrals by a few days yet so the only other possibility is that it could be LOA. I am truly trying not to get to excited about this just in case it isnt. My blood pressure has been way to high already literally! But, how can I not be excited and get my hopes up about my son!

Dr Grimes & TA Ladybug Landings

2008-06-26T18:13:00.001-07:00

First thing on Monday I called Doctor Grimes to discuss the reports that I had received last week. We decided that it would be good to ask for your case to be expedited. Hopefully, our LOA will be here this week and then we only have to worry about the travel portion. At this time TA's are only taking about 18 days roughly - subject to change at any time. I am certain that our terrific agency will work with us to get you home as soon as possible if it is within their ability to do! I ran around trying to get to the USPS and his office so that the letter could be sent overnight today and could be received tomorrow. Yes, it was and it was forwarded to the appropriate place! What a fabulous caseworker you have :)

I am hearing that TA Ladybugs are landing in spots this week but not alot of talk about LOA's. Only 2 families have received information that it was sent or would be processed. Maybe Friday will be our Magical Day! I really need some good news badly. Bummed out doesnt even scratch the surface.

2008-06-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

We survived yet another week and weekend. Hoping that next week brings some good news to our house. The "Rumor Mill" says that it will. This weekend we just worked around on a few projects and did a few fun things with the girls. Daddy worked on your bed a bit more off and on in between fishing! :) It will be ready soon. Hummm, I wonder if you have received your packages thaat were mailed to you???

Update

2008-06-19T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today we received Medical Updates ~ We were promised that photo would be sent soon! I am anxious to see your sweet little face again! :) As your sisters say "Mom, I am tired of looking at his pictures, I just want to see his real face and touch him!" Amen Sisters!!

~ No News Yet ~

2008-06-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

So far, there is no news this week of any kind! 3 PA's were received today but that is all that has arrived this week. I am really ready for a good nights sleep. At this point, we have no idea what this means for us in terms of travel arrangements or if we will make it before the Olympics. At this point, I am ready to break tears and pull out my "begging" tools! Hoping tomorrow brings us better news/information.

Today, I asked for an update on you and am sincerely hoping that we receive something. I am especially worried about your medicals and the blood shortages due to the earthquake.

By this time you should have received your first package and possibly the cards that we sent you. We hope that you enjoy your goodies! There will be another arriving in about a week or so.

Happy Fathers Day Daddy & Papa!!

2008-06-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

Here's to a Happy Fathers Day to your Daddy and Papa! We took Daddy out to breakfast after Church and called Papa later in the day. It was a relatively yucky day outside - storms in the afternoon and spits of rain off and on. Of course, he did go fishing with his buddy Jim knowing it was going to storm - not totally a surprise thought :) The girls gave your Daddy a T-Shirt from all of you (Janie signed your name to the card) that said "Dad #1" with the Chiefs logo on it and a pair of his favorite shoes for kicking around the lake in! He was not overjoyed about the shoes but is about comfort so that made it ok in the end. I took him to the fishing department at Dicks but he came out empty handed. My three Hunan Dollies came out good with new life jackets!

Only a Few Days Left of Vacation

2008-06-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today was the day that I was supposed to get sooooo much done!!! Ok, well that never happened :) The girlies talked me into taking them a couple of places and being outside in the humidity. But on the bright side I did at least get the items purchased for my sewing project. Now, to buckle down and get them done this weekend. I really hope that your sisters dont rub off on you honey - they talked me into taking them out to eat for lunch again and into the Littlest Pet Shop deal that clips onto your belt loop! I took them shopping at Gymboree this afternoon and bought ahead for next year and a few things for you too! It really was a big sale :)

Late this afternoon we went outside to play frizbe, baseball and practice casting. I almost had to beg them to come inside - I feel happily whipped! We will have so much fun together! I can see it now - the Hunan 3!

Also, a few TA's arrived today for folks but no LOA. It has to be soon!

Flying Vacation!

2008-06-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, this vacation has absolutely flown by! We have been so busy and had so much fun :) Everyday we have been somewhere... no jammie days for us. We have been to Kaleidascope, shopping at more than one store (just for Janie), roller skating, parks, movie and fathers day shopping. Whew! I told the girls that I really need a little bit of time to complete a few projects so maybe tomorrow we will stay in for a while.

While we are Kaleidascope the other day, we picked up a few things for you to make also and will try to send you a package out soon with those items in it. Lets see, there will be goodies to make cards, a crown fit the for the king that you are, puzzles (that Mommy had to draw on), stickers and decorative items for each of those things. Today I bought a disposable camera to include. That way you can take photos of friends or who ever you would like and we can develop it when you get home!

Earlier in the week we did hear that our paperwork was past review and being moved into the Matching Room (Department 2) for signatures and our LOA to be prepared for mailing. They said that we would have it "soon". Not sure what the definition of that is for sure ... everyone had different opinions. So, my definition would be a few days .. theirs could be three weeks! In the end the important thing is that we receive it in time for our travels before the Olympics. Time will tell! :) The sooner the better.

Day 1 of Vacation!

2008-06-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

What a day this has been - the ride on the emotion roller coaster!!! I am hoping that it is done soon. Today, our agency received 3 LOA and they were out of order. No reason! I was told that they would try to find out why we have not received ours ... but was told a few weeks ago that there were no problems with dossiers. Several other families received their yesterday but were really scattered. Maybe tomorrow will be the day!

Today, your sisters and I went "window shopping". Alexandra told me that I broke the rule of "window shopping" because we went inside of the store and looked instead of staying outside. I guess she is politically correct .... however, we never bought! What a kiddo ... so full of questions. Tonight she was telling me about how Hawaii was formed and the volcanos there! Anyway, back to today ... Both girls checked out ok at the eye doctor this morning ... later we went card and sticker shopping for you. The girls were so excited to have their own card to mail you and to be able to write in it. I enclosed a picture of each of them and wrote their name on the back again. Hopefully, those will get to you. And of course, it rained today so that put a damper on things.

Officially Vacationing

2008-06-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Your sisters and I are officially on "Vacation" as of tomorrow morning for a week. I will need to make a trip to the spa after this! :) We actually have a good week planned and hope that it included receiving a call from our agency that your LOA has arrived!! I am way to excited and keyed up - Just ask your Dad and Sisters! :) Anyway, we are planning a trip to the eye doctor tomorrow and the rest of the week we have Kaleidoscope, Marble Moon and of course to get a manicure and who knows what else on the agenda. Janie is really wanting to go to the T-Rex Cafe. For some reason she loves to eat inside of a restaurant. They will think of lots of other things. Janie is busy asking to go shopping. :) Asked who was gonna pay and she just shrugged her shoulder with a smile and her cute little laugh. I explained the concept of "Window Shopping" ... she didnt much like that.
This weekend we just did a few small projects for your arrival.

USPS Coming Your Way

2008-06-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were told that it was OK to send you another small package. So, today I gathered a few things for you and will try to send it your way soon. At this point, you have ball cards, a T-Shirt that says "USA", suckers, stickers, silly putty, hot wheels and sticker book. I plan on adding a few photos for you in there also. I hope you enjoy!
I am really hoping that we receive your LOA this week or early next. I have been hearing that "Ladybugs" will be falling within the next few days! :) Besides, I am going crazy here and about to get the straight jacket out of the closet from the previous 2 adoptions!:) We hopefully, will make it to China before the Olympics if that happens :) Be on the look out for 2 Hunan Dollies and 2 old folks (we really arent that old but your Dad seems to think I am at least - or so he says)! :)

Another Weekend Down

2008-06-01T15:28:00.001-07:00

Well, we have another weekend down and counting the days for our LOA and then our TA to arrive! Hoping this is our lucky week Quinn :) It was really hot and muggy all weekend to say the least. Saturday, I stained the front and back decks and the wood on the front of the house. What a sticky job! Glad that one is done and can be crossed off the list. The girls hung out on the swings and played.

Today, we went boating and fishing. Janie was the only one that didnt catch anything. She sure tried her best and was a good sport about not catching one! :) We took a boat ride over the C-Point and had a picnic early in the day. The sail boat races were going on also. It was interesting watching them when the wind layed down :) Not a pretty site to see. You will love C-Point ... there is a very large castle (For Real) off to the side and you can see most coves on the lake and all of the beautiful houses - The lake is absolutely gorgeous - and we hope you will love it as much as we do! :)

Late this afternoon, Daddy groomed the holly tree out front and was quite interesting watching him dance around the yellow jackets and trying to keep from being stung! Yikes!!! He made it without any stings - Yeah Daddy! The girls were so tired after being out in the sun the majority of the day that they just wanted to lay around and watch "High School Musical" and put a puzzle together!

Ladybugs Slowly Falling

2008-05-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

LOA and TA have slowly been coming in all week for those that have LID late 2007 and have submitted PA or LOI 4/08. The latest that I have saw was dated 4/17/08. We are LID 4/2/08 and am really hopeful that they are finished with those dates and work on the current batches. I am really hoping that we receive our LOA this next week! I have felt for a while that this will be the timeframe for us.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-26T12:43:00.001-07:00

It is a holiday here in the U.S. ~ Memorial Day. We shampoo'd carpets, worked in your bedroom a bit more, laundry and other fun household stuff! Daddy is going fishing this afternoon if he doesnt get rained out. It is a horrible day for humidity and storms. I think the girls and I will watch a movie or do something girly like paint toenails, etc. We wish you were here with us on this "stay home day" (as your sisters call it)!

Your Bedroom

2008-05-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

Today and yesterday I worked on painting your room. I was terribly disappointed because the blue was too dark and the brown was not dark enough. In the end, it looks fine. We just want everything to be PERFECT for you! So, it is blue all over with a brown stripe painted half way up the way (all around) ... The bedding is light blue edged in brown plaid.

We looked at mattress' yesterday for your room but have yet to purchase. I hope to get the curtains made next weekend. We also went to Gymboree and bought a couple pair of shorts for you later in the afternoon. Alice Jane wanted to shop all day! She has more energy for shopping (loves it) than we have money! I think she beats me out of the shopping ring! :)

The Tooth Fairy Visit

2008-05-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

Alexandra finally lost her 2nd tooth and is very excited about the Tooth Fairy visiting tonight. She is so curious about whether it is a boy or a girl. She told me that if you dont believe, you dont get money! :) She is excited about saving her money and counting ahead for what she might get for those other lose teeth in front before we go to China! She wants one of those "Big Red Bills" :)

More Arrivals

2008-05-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Well, another week has passed with LOA's arriving early in the week. I believe that there were 4 that arrived. We are next .. I feel it Quinn! Today, TA's are supposed to arrive for various agency's. At least that is the latest buzz. My nerves are not in too good of shape right now .. you will find out that your Mommy can be a little impatient at times when it comes to waiting for something exciting!

We have a long weekend coming up in observance of Memorial Day. My plans are to work on your bedroom and get it completed if possible. Hopefully, I will be able to leave the office and go get paint for it later today! :) (having a hard time leaving the computer with all of this excitement going on) It is supposed to rain pretty much all weekend. Your sisters are trying to think of fun things to pass the time with the rain and your Daddy is making plans to go out on the lake to fish ... and he thinks us girls are fishing with him in the rain! Not good!

The Graduate!!!

2008-05-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today our little Alice Jane graduated from Pre-K .... YEAH!!!! She was very excited too. Ms. Penny's prediction for her was to be a famous Psychologist who would help other one day! (Because she is so sensitive). Also, won the award for the best handwriting! We celebrated by having cake and punch. What a fun event. She wore her green cap and gown too :)

Another Weekend Down!!! YEAH~~~~

2008-05-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

We have had a busy weekend so far and am trying to gear down and get ready for work tomorrow! I stripped a large wallpaper border in your room and am trying to prepare for painting next weekend. Daddy says you wouldn't like girly stuff in there :) I had lots of little projects to be completed before Alice Jane's friend came over to visit and have dinner Saturday afternoon.
Today, we focued on cleaning the pontoon boat to get it ready for summertime! We cruised around the lake for a while ~ What a fabulous afternoon for that! Daddy didn't even bring a fishing pole with him this time - which is amazing in itself! :)
Tonight, we sat down for dinner and Alexandra asked if she could say a prayer for you. She was so sweet --- "Dear God, please watch over my brother Quinn and keep him safe. Please make sure that he has everything he needs ... Not what he wants but what he needs. Our family really needs to be with him before the Olympics and my heart is growing bigger all the time with love for my brother". So thoughtful of her.
Alice Jane just made a "Family Book" of our house, Mommy (with blonde hair) and Her on the inside. The front has the whole family's name on it ... Mommy, Daddy, Alex, Quinn and Alice! Soon, we will be that family of 5!

2008-05-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Papa!!!!

Long Week

2008-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

What a long week this has been and so sad ~ The news of the Earthquake victims has proved to be devistating for families. As of this morning there have been near 30,000 confirmed dead. Japan has brought in rescue workers also to assist. We have found out that there is a blood supply shortage in China. Needless to say, I am losing my mind over this news! I have been speaking to our agency back and forth all week long to see what we need to do to get your filed expedited. Unfortunately, it is up to God to provide the angel to sit on the Reviewers shoulder! Daddy and I are still discussing the possibility of doing this but will have the week to discuss it more as our case worker is out of the office on vacation all week. We are hearing rumors that LOA and TA's are on their way - Maybe we will be in that group! Time is looking bleak to bring you home before the Olympics but we are still hopeful!

Update

2008-05-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

Today we received a brief update on you for measurements and Lab Results. According to the email you are currently 45 lbs and about 44". I spent some time talking with the Hematologist Office also. You are just a few inches shorter than sister. What a cute duo you two will make as "Twins" :)

China Earthquake 7.8

2008-05-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

What a morning this has been Quinn! We got around as normal this morning and as soon as I got to work I heard the news ** Sichuan Province in China had been hit by an Earthquake which measured 7.8 ** WOW!! The last time this had happened in China was about 100 years ago of this magnitude. The devistation these people have had is horrible ~ buidling flattened, people buried, lost families, etc. Of course, I was frantic waiting to hear news about you. The only thing that I could find that was of some relief was the Changsha felt movement and didnt realize what it was until the news came out. I immediately emailed several folks in hopes of finding out something. I was told last night late that Hunan was ok and this morning that Loudi was ok. I just need to get you home as soon as possible ... The bad winter in Loudi, Earthquake and the Olympics! When we traveled for Alexandra it was 911 .. Alice Jane it was SARS and all of these events for your trip. Too many delays here ~
Please God, watch over my son and keep him safe!! I know I sound selfish with all of the events going on and the loss' that have happened but please help me bring my son home soon ~

Happy Mothers Day!

2008-05-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

Today is Mothers Day ~ I hope every mother out there is able to experience a day full of love and hugs! The girls are at Aunties house and am going out in a few minutes to get them. I really missed them last night. You will find that you rarely ever get to leave our sides!

We are having a BBQ today and hopefully getting to enjoy some sunshine! It has been really rainy and grey these past few weeks. The girls both came home with cards and pictures for me... What prizes they are and I love them all! One thing was missing though - YOU! I will miss you being here with me today and will say a special prayer that God will allow you to be with me soon :) Alice Jane brought home the sweetest paper as my gift. She was able to answer questions about me .. The one that I love the best is: My Mommy is so smart because ****** She is able to fill out lots of paperwork to get my brother Quinn home! Both girls are excited too! Hopefully, soon we will be united and no more tears for being apart.

The Sleepover

2008-05-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Today the girls and I hung out and got ready to go to Aunt Tammy's to see your cousins and Aunt's and Uncle. Alice Jane and Alexandra are spending the night while Daddy and I go to a movie. We went to Taco Bueno and then to see National Treasury 2 with Nicholas Cage ..... one of our favorites! Right after getting out of the movie, I got a call because Janie missed her Mommy and was really sad! Alexandra promised to give her a hug from me and hold her hand!

2008-05-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Great Grampy!

Journey to Quinn Michael

Day

Day

Today is the Day!!!!

Almost There!!

Waiting!!!

Fabuloso News Today!!!!!!!!!!

What a Rotten Week !!!

Some News Today and Some Not So Good

New Years Eve

We Survived the Holidays!

What a Wonderful Day This Has Been!!!

AHHH ... A Semi Quiet Day!

What a DAY and a HALF!!!!!!!!!

Happy Gotcha Day to Janie and Happy Day Bleeding Free For QUINN!!!!

GT On the Move!

GT Strikes Again

~ One Year Ago Tomorrow ~

Lou Juan is Home!

** Finally Ming & Qi are Together **

*** Merry Christmas ***

Lots of Celebrations ~

Another Dr. Appt

Fishing ~

One Month Home ~

~ Fully Recovered ~

~ Settling In ~

We Are HOME!!!

Home Bound!!!!

Chen Temple

New Photos

US Consulate

New Photos

2 Days Left ~ YEAH!!!

Shopping

Cuteness Alert!!!!

We are in Guangzhou!!!

One Day Closer to Home ~

Group Photo

A few bruises ~

It is OFFICIAL!!

A tale of Two Hunan Dollies

Happy Labor Day!!

Gotcha!!!!!

In Changsha ~

Alex on the Great Wall

Beijing is almost behind us! Next Stop QUINN!!!!

Sleep Deprived ~

Sightseeing ~

The Big Bird In The Sky Has Landed!!!

Today is finally the Day!!!

Almost Airborne ~

The packing is done FINALLY!!

4 Days Left (Almost 3) ~

One Day Closer ~ We are almost there!

** The Real TA Arrives **

Alexandra on First Day of School!

School Already!

China Travel Arrangements

One Day Closer!!

China Domestic Flights

Travel Approval Arrives

International Flights and Consulate Appointment

Another Weekend

******* TA Landing ********

The Federal Express Man Visited Today!

The Ladybug Has Landed in Indiana!!!!

A Few Ladybugs Landing

I caught the Big One Daddy!

Updated Photos

Good Bye Uncle Brian

Zoo Sleepover

The TA Ladybug Lands

Dr Grimes & TA Ladybug Landings

Update

~ No News Yet ~

Happy Fathers Day Daddy & Papa!!

Only a Few Days Left of Vacation

Flying Vacation!

Day 1 of Vacation!

Finally Ming & Qi are Together

* Merry Christmas *

The Real TA Arrives

* TA Landing **

Officially Vacationing

More Arrivals

China Earthquake 7.8