We're here and well...

Well, we arrived in Taipei on Sunday night. The flight went well, although sooooo long. It was midnight when we got to our hotel and checked in and all. We were starving though so Joby and I went walking in search of food. Our driver, Nick, had told us it was safe at night as long as we didn't go down dark alleys. And the concierge at the hotel told us there was a McDonalds open 24 hours around the block. Come to find out, there are 3 McDonalds within walking distance, 3 7-11's, a Dunkin Donuts RIGHT next door and Starbucks 3 store fronts over! hahaha, and I was worried. ;-)

Monday we got up and took a taxi to AIT (the American Embassy) where we met with the Cathwel representative, Lily's Nanny, and Lily. We could only get an appointment for Monday morning at 8am, so had to pick up Lily at the Embassy instead of the orphanage. She was so cute! The Nanny was so very helpful in getting Lily to make up with us. She was sly! She brought treats, gave me the box and told Lily, who they call Chiao-Chiao (Chow-Chow), get the treat from Momma! In Chinese of course, but we understood the gist. So, after a few minutes of this, she let me hold her. She loves music and will calm down pretty quickly if you sing... anything!

After this, we went to the clinic because she needed to be re-checked for treatment of a sore-throat. The doctor there was very nice and spoke English fairly well. He donates his time to the orphanage! She is on antibiotics, but isn't fussy about it. You would never know she was sick.

We made a stop at the orphange following the clinic. This entire time Chiao-Chiao let me carry her, hold her, etc. We went to meet Sister Rosa who runs the orphanage and get more information from her caregivers. They gave us more pictures, including some from when she was a baby baby that her birthmother wanted us to have. The social worker had someone make a charm bracelet for her that has the Chinese characters of her name on it! The gave us her medical information, a letter her birthmother wrote her for when she is older, and... an animated Santa Clause! Apparently she loved this so much that her caregiver wanted her to have it. She knows how to push the little button on the base so it sings and dances. How funny. It was a quick visit, as we have to go back on Thursday to meet the birthmother, and will see more then.

So... we've been back to the hotel now for Monday and Tuesday. We've made small trips out to shop and eat, and Chiao-Chiao has done sooo well!!! We are very impressed. She seems to have made up to both Joby and I very well. We were warned that many orphanage children don't make up to men very well initially, but she's done wonderfully with Joby! She will smile for him more easily than me!

So, that's where we are at this time. Today we're going to try to find the Toys R Us and get a couple of small things for the plane. We have it incredibly difficult to find toys here!! None of the stores around here seem to carry any. But we got the name and address of the Toys R Us fromour driver and so we're going to try for that. It's such a long plane ride that the poor baby has to have something to do. We did find, by accident last night, that she seems to love cartoon t.v. She watched it last night for about 1/2 hour while drinking a bottle.

Well, Lily and Daddy are beginning to stir so I better get the day going.

Sheryl

Less than 1 week from now!!!

Alright... in less than one week we will be enroute to pick up our daughter!!! Joby and I were just talking about it a few minutes ago and it was like it HIT both of us at once... All of the preparations, the paperwork, the worry, (the money!) and it's finally happening! WE ARE GOING TO TAIWAN AND WILL BE PICKING UP OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IN LESS THAN 1 WEEK! This time next week, we will both be trying to sleep (most likely both talking!) on the plane enroute to Asia! So... everyone who has prayed, please say a "thank you" for all of the answered prayers! We are so very grateful!

So, right now, at 10:00 pm, we are cleaning up again from our construction work on our house. We now have the foyer re drywalled (I finished mudding the drywall about an hour ago), Amber's room is done (except the final coat of paint on the wall), and the family room, well, I'm able to shut the door leading to the rest of the house and turn my back and it will be fine. I know I can keep the babies out of there when I get back until Joby can finish it... so no worries. We know it will come together as it should!

Here is a picture of Elizabeth helping Daddy with reframing our family room. So darn cute!!!! And I wish I could show you a picture of her with her little plastic hammer hitting the 2x6 when Joby was hitting it up above... but I was so busy smiling and being in love that I forgot to take the picture, so you'll have to use your imagination. (just picture the cutest thing ever.... there you go!)

I apologize if I'm rambling; and even I can tell that I am, but I'm just too tired from construction ever lasting and can't keep the phrases smooth. But we had to share how excited we are, and how grateful for all of your help. So... good night. I'll post soon when I have more to say (and can say it with some semblence of continuity!)

Sheryl

Where we are...

As of today, we have plane tickets and hotel reservations. We leave on July 25th, arrive in Taiwan on July 26th, and pick up Lily on July 27th! So, the countdown is on! We are trying to finish everything that we put off when we were trying not to focus on the wait. (Teach us!) It will be busy, but at least time will go by quicker.

Today we also received our latest updates on Lily. She is still almost exactly the same size as Elizabeth. However, it said she is walking a lot; falling down while doing so, but walking. I'm so happy that she is progressing... but as a mommy, I was sad also to realize I wouldn't see those first steps. So many things in this adoption have been like that. Happy and sad both. But I can tell you, happy more often than not... and definately happy now that we can go get her! Now Joby really better put that crib together that remains in the unopened box in our upstairs hallway. (I think we were afraid to put it together.. that it would somehow "jinx" something) So, we've moved Elizabeth's stuff around to accomodate her new sister. I really think it's going to be great for both of them!

I've posted the latest pics we received only today. She's so darn cute I can't stand it! 5 more weeks!!!

Sheryl

Our call came!!!!

It happened!!!! Yay! We received a call today from Julie (our caseworker) that said our civil ruling was yesterday and she got the news today that it was final! So, we have permission to fly end of July. We must fly out on July 25, arrive Taiwan July 26, and pick up Lily July 27th! Then a couple of days in Taiwan getting visa's etc., and we come home July 31st!

I am sooooooo excited I could pop! However, now we definately need your prayers! We must come up with the final part of our funds to travel. No longer is it, "coming up", or "in the near future"; now it's NOW!

So, please pray for us; that we find the funds in time, and that Lily has a reasonably easy transition and isn't scared to pieces for very long with us. I so hope she transitions well, for her sake. I can only try to imagine how scary it will seem to her when we take her from the orphanage; the only home she's ever known. So, if you can, I would definately appreciate those prayers now!

Joby and I appreciate EVERYONE who has helped along the way. Financially, emotionally, and prayerfully! We needed every piece to complete this. So, if you hang in there with us for the next 6 weeks, it will all be worth it. I can't wait for you'all to meet our youngest daughter!

GOD Bless, goodnight
Sheryl

And the winner is........

The winner of our quilt give-away is.... Julie Druen from Mandeville, LA!! Because I was mistaken and our meeting way NEXT week (geez, I need to look at the calendar more often!) we let little Elizabeth pick out the winning ticket. We figured, "who could be more impartial than someone who can't read the name anyway!". :-)

We want to thank Aunt Gretchen and Aunt Heidi for the quilt! It is so pretty and we appreciate it more than we can say. It was an extremely thoughtful thing to do and it was our most successful fundraiser! We want to thank EVERYONE who purchased a chance to win the quilt! The give-away would have not been such a success if we didn't have such support! And we would like to thank those friends of ours who helped advertise the give-away... Aunt Gretchen, Aunt Heidi, my sister-in-law, Loey Wilkerson, and Angela Belle Gamble. None of these people had to help us, but all did. Thank you so very much.

Joby and Sheryl Hyman

quilt give-away deadline extended...

We have decided to extend the deadline until next Saturday night. This will allow one of the little ones from our Down syndrome group to pick a winning name!! (I didn't want to be the one to do it.) So, if anyone is interested and forgot to get a chance, this is the "last chance" call. It's such a beautiful quilt! (I'm really hoping she'll make me one at some later point in time! haha)

And thanks again to all of those who have already supported us by participating. We're getting there... slowly but surely!

Thanks again,
Sheryl

Tomorrow our package will reach the family taking it to Taiwan. Not a big deal to many, but to us it's one step closer to Lilly; A BIG DEAL! :-) I still think it's such a considerate gesture for a family who's going to pick up their own daughter, worried and anxious and excited about meeting her, leaving their own children, etc., to offer to take a package to Lilly for us. Thanks again Kelly and Jamie! We really appreciate it.

We had a hard time thinking of what to send, and we were aware they would have limited room to pack our stuff! So, in the end, we sent a small blanket that I made with 2 pictures of Lilly on it (thought maybe it would feel more personal to her), a picture of our present family without her, and a picture of Joby, myself and Elizabeth (do you know I can't find a picture of just the 2 of us at all recent! Go figure!) So, we sent the blanket, a doll that Elizabeth helped pick out (and we bought an identical one to keep here so that if hers was lost or left behind, at least one toy might seem familiar) and we sent a little cotton dress. I hope she enjoys the toy and the blanket and that the dress is a help of some kind to the orphanage.

So, now more waiting...... and the picture above is Tia holding Elizabeth while I'm packing the box... she was a little bit confused why I was sending a toy AWAY. But a hug from a sis is all it takes to be fine again.

Please continue to pray for Lilly, and for a speedy court decision.

Sheryl

Middle of the Month Time!!!

At our house, as with the Gambles, etc., that means updates with pictures. I've talked about having a "middle of the month" celebration because everyone around here gets so excited! So, here are some updated pics. Happy and sad time for me. I absolutely LOVE getting the updates and the pictures, but at the same time, it looks like she's growing up without me. I so badly want to go get her NOW! But, I could not be able to see her at all, so I'll be happy about that.

And thank you to those who have already purchased a chance to win our beautiful quilt in our "quilt give-away"! We so appreciate it. And don't forget, for those of you who would still like the opportunity, it ends May 30th, which is coming up fast! It's an absolutely beautiful quilt and would look lovely in anyone's home.

Now for the pics of the cutie!!!!

What a busy, but beautiful, weekend!

Wow, what a busy weekend! This was "Prom" weekend at our house! The twins had the Junior Prom on Saturday and it kept us busy all day Saturday. The morning started with nail appointments at 10 am (the girls have been babysitting to pay for these!) and continued through the afternoon for the hair updo's! (Have you seen my daughters hair? They have A LOT of it!) But I have to say... I would change a minute of it. They are beautiful in grubby clothes with ponytails, but they were stunning Saturday night! However, this momma sure felt old when they left IN THEIR DATES CARS for the dance and festivities! Geez, where did the time go?!

It's moments like these that make me stop and realize just how proud I am of how my children are turning out. They are such good kids! And I have to admit, you definately see it more with having a toddler with special needs and watching how responsible they are, how caring and how protective they've become. The friends they choose definately fall in line with their ideals regarding this also. The girls' boyfriends and friends know and act the same way regarding how attentive they are with Elizabeth and about spending time with her and helping her reach her goals; ones that are often harder for her than typical kids. All of the kids that come here know and respect the fact that my kids DO NOT use and DO NOT ALLOW the use of the word retarded in their presence. I can say the same for my son and his fiance. All of the above are just more reasons, on top of the ones more specific and individual to each child, that I'm proud of my kids. I know, of course, that I'm biased. But I really do believe they are turning out to be wonderful, productive human beings that anyone could be proud of! I'll stop now; I've heard tears are bad for electronic equipment!

Anyway, I've gotten off topic (nothing unusual there for me!). But the weekend was wonderful... even the rain stopped for the girls to get the pictures taken and get to and from Prom.

On a down note... The Gamble family, traveling the same road with us and adopting Grace, another young girl living in the same orphanage as Lilly, received a call that they were assigned the judge that would require lots of additional paperwork and the time and costs associated with that. (each judge apparently has their own set of requirements). So... if you all could say a prayer for them, that they are able to get this all accomplished smoothly and nothing holds them up, that would be wonderful. Grace needs her Forever Family just as much as Lilly, and the Gambles want to fly to pick her up just as much as we do to get Lilly. So, we know there is power in numbers.......

Sheryl

Drawing for a beautiful quilt...

Joby's Aunt Gretchen and Aunt Heidi made and donated this beautiful quilt for us to use as a "give-away" to help with the costs of Lilly's adoption. So... we're having a Drawing! For $5.00 a ticket, you can enter the "Quilt Give-Away". This quilt would look wonderful in anybody's home! The drawing will be held on June 1, 2009. You do not need to be present to win. If you click on the "Donate" button on the Right side panel it will take you to the paypal page where you can use your paypal account or your credit card. If you would rather, you can also send us a check directly to our home address. Just post a comment here and I'll send you our address. Either way, make sure you put your name and phone number in the reference section! Thank You in advance and Good Luck!!

I just saw this quote on the Gambles blog and had to "borrow" it. It's sooooo perfect! Of course, she's using it regarding their adoption also, so I know she knows what I'm talking about. But when I read it, it was Exactly how I've been feeling! I couldn't believe it. Perfect! So often, we just have to step forward!

"We almost could have missed this!"

"In a defining moment in your life, you either step forward in faith and power or you step backward in fear." -James Arthur Ray


Sheryl