Wish #97

This wish came from another great family that we met while stationed at Bolling Air Force Base. Last May, we all began to scatter to the ends of this earth - and the Harraden family landed in England! Lucky Dogs!

They witnessed the unfolding of how Ty joined our family and were there to share those moments with us. Their daughter and Caitlin were almost inseparable (along with Kara Morris!) during that year at Bolling and are learning to be pen pals now. We were so touched that they sent TWO fabrics to welcome Ty.

The first fabric is a delicious bamboo print on a black background. The bamboo is such a rich, jewel-like color of greens and blues. It is a deep, rich fabric. The second fabric is a very inspiring print of the Air Force emblem. We were happy to see this - since the only one so far is the Navy emblem from the Westbrooks. :)

The Harradens wrote:

Ty -

Please know that you are loved
by many whom you have never met.
We pray for many blessings in your life.
May the bamboo print fabric remind you
of China and the Air Force print
remind you always of Tony.

Love,
The Harradens
Shaun, Vikki and Alyson

Wish #96

This was another wish from an adoptive family on the Guilt group list. They selected a happy, geometric sky print filled with different shades of blue, comets, stars and smiling suns. They wrote:

There is more hunger for love and appreciation in
this world than for bread. ~Mother Theresa

I wish for you to have a heart overflowing with
love and appreciation from those around you.

Jerry, Jodi, Gavin, Dakota, & Shelby Williams
Milan, IN USA
Forever a Family 7/23/2007

This is such a powerful and true quote from Mother Theresa. She was an extraordinary woman with so much insight into the human soul.

Wish #95

This wish comes from some very special folks in California. We met the Hurt family while we were stationed at Travis AFB. Jaye is one of those extraordinary women who cares so much about other people. She is funny and genuine and very thoughtful. Being from Hawaii, she was always bringing us delicious treats - like chocolate covered macadamia nuts! Yummmmmm.......

Her family (especially Catherine) also blessed us with our beautiful and much loved PJaye. Everyone who encounters PJaye adores her - she is the friendliest cat. She is very social and has no bad kitty habits. She is our daughter Caitlin's best friend in the world. I know it wasn't easy for Katherine to give PJaye to us - but we really appreciated it and it came at a time that Caitlin really needed it. Catherine is a very selfless and special gal. Pjaye's picture is below (just for Catherine!)



Their fabric is too cool - it is a lightning covered blue fabric with a motorcycle with flames roaring across it. It is very exciting - and absolutely perfect for an 8 year old boy! We love it!

They wrote:

Dear Ty,

Welcome to America
and to your new home!
We are thrilled for you all.
You are part of a truly
amazing family (ohana, in Hawaiian).
Happiness, fun and love to you always.

Aloha - Dale, Jaye and Catherine Hurt

Wish #94

Top o' the morning to ya! This lucky wish arrived from another gal off the yahoo group for all of us preparing 100 wishes quilts. I don't know how old Monica is, but she is a big sister (Jie Jie)to Reese, a little girl from Shanxi, China who arrived in America in May, 2007. And yes, Monica is the one that made her a quilt. I think this is a neat project for older siblings to do. Monica also "hosts" many of the swaps on the group - like I did the Red Thread Swap. I think she recently did a countries from around the world swap, and last year I think she did a Chinese culture swap. She is a busy gal, but found time to swap with me! She writes:

May love and laughter light your days,
And warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
Wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
With joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
Bring the best to you and yours!
~An old Irish Blessing

Best Wishes!
Monica Davidson
Big sister (Jie Jie) to Reese Maleah KaiJin (Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, a. 5/2007)
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

Wish #93

I was contacted by another hopeful adoptive Mom who wanted to know if I would swap squishes with her. We had a couple of nice emails and she sent this soft yellow polka dot print fabric that we can add to Ty's quilt - and it came all the way from the Canary Islands, Spain!

Adoption is such a global thing and I don't know if I ever gave that a lot of thought before we began this process and began interacting with other families online around the world. Foreign families adopt globally, as their countries allow them. In fact, children from the US are adopted by foreigners. The last that I heard from someone, we were number 5 on the list of global adoptees. Interesting to think about.....

Nazareth wrote:

Deseo que la buena fortuna y la felicidad, encuentren simepre el camino
hasta tu hogar, y tengas una vida llena de amor, alegrias y sonrisas
junto a tu nueva familia.

I wish you that the good fortune and the happiness, find always the way
to your home, and have a life full of love, happy moments and smiles
with your forever family.

Nazareth Porras
Canary Islands, Spain

Wish #92

This cute little wish comes from the Petty Family in Illinois. This family is waiting for a little sister (mei mei) in Taiwan and we exchanged from the oft-mentioned One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt Group.

The fabric they chose is a watercolor-ish nature print background with a wagon scene, boat scene and a train scene. The accompanying wish is precious and says:

The Tree Wish

Plant your roots deep,
Keep your branches flexible,
and you will weather
the storms of life.

Take pride in your roots,
they are a part
of who you will become

With love from the
Petty Family
Joliet, IL USA
Waiting for Mei Mei in Taiwan

Wish #91

Who doesn't smile when they look at this sweet, sweet fabric? There are precious red hearts dappled across crisp white fabric. This could come from none other than a friend of the family who lives on Heart Acres. Dianne and Ed are long-time friends of our family. We met them through our church when I was growing up.

I don't exactly remember when we met - but I do remember that Dianne had a cross stitch store and I bought my first stitching supplies there. Those supplies included everything necessary to make my boyfriend at the time a pillow of a mallard duck. He was a duck hunter and boy, I just knew that was the ticket. And it was - for awhile. Let's just say that stitching was the more lasting of the relationships! :) To this day, when I cross-stitch, I think of Dianne, my Grandmother and my Mom. Dianne, you are in some good company.

For awhile, Dianne and Ed lived next door to my folks in the country. Dianne and Ed still live out in the country and Heart Acres is an almost magical place. Charm lurks behind every bush, in every tree and underneath every rafter of their home. I love it there. I'll never forget the love that Dianne heaped on our Caitlin when she first arrived in our lives. And now - they are helping us welcome Ty! Dianne and Ed wrote:

Ty,

We wish you
a "Happy Heart"
in your new home!

Dianne and Ed Roper (with a heart!)

Thank you from the bottom of OUR hearts!

Wish #90

This little wish came from a member of the One Hundred Good Wishes Quilt Group on Yahoo (thank goodness for these folks!) Carrie sent an ivory ground fabric that is daintily sprinkled with daisies (my favorite), bees, butterflies and ladybugs. Now you know how lucky those ladybugs are.....

Carrie writes:

My wish for you...

Luck follows those who
truly believe in themselves.

Carrie in Ohio
LID 12/24/2007

Wish #89

I have to apologize for being pretty tardy in getting these wishes listed on the blog. I know many of you have been waiting and waiting to see them. Now that our dossier is in China and we are WAITING too - I feel your pain! :) And so - I am trying to get caught up and express our sincere thanks for all that are helping to welcome our special guy to his American home.

And among those waiting on me - Catherine and Rich Conley from New York. Catherine and Rich put together the neatest wish. They sent a rich red print adorned in a god lattice pattern. When we opened the envelope, we collectively said, "Wow!" It really is a beautiful print. But the neatest part was the reason they chose this particular fabric. I'll let them tell you in their words:

This fabric remind me
of the red envelopes given
to children on Chinese
New Year which symbolize
hope and wealth. Ty has
hope in you for a family;
you in him for a son and
brother; you all will experience
the wealth of love a family
brings. These are my wishes
for Ty: hope, wealth in
its fullest sense, and
love.


God Bless!
Catherine and Rich Conley

And attached to this wonderful wish is a Chinese New Year's envelope with an American dollar inside! I know this wish will have meaning to Ty and be something exciting for him to see.

We appreciate so much the thought that went into this - the connection that Ty will feel between China and the U.S.A....

We appreciate Catherine and Rich, too! Thanks so much!

Wish #88

This wish came all the way from Japan - just a hop, skip and jump from our Ty. The Morris family is one of those families that you hold very near and dear to your heart. They watched us go through the process to be matched with Ty - every day of it. They watched us smile, become excited, be disappointed, cry and be overjoyed. They prayed for us and held our hands and offered hugs. They are special - and so are their wishes - all THREE of them. You all are such over achievers! :)



Our Wishes for Ty

We send you our love and our wishes for today and always!



Our first wish we send is that of love --- that you may hold tight to your heart the wonderful love of your new and forever family. The word 'koi' in Japanese means love and affection. When you see your little koi fish may you always remember how much you are loved and treasured.



Our second wish we send you is that of peace. Here in Japan, the origami paper crane represents peace. May your family and your home in the United States always give you that peace.



Our third wish we send is that you will continue to grow into the beautiful design that God lovingly and purposefully created. Just as a small fuzzy caterpillar changes into a magnificent butterfly, may God's love nourish you throughout your life as you grow into His magnificent child.

Love, Manson, Heidi, Ben and Kara Morris

We met the Morris Family while stationed in DC - and think of them and miss them daily. They are "good people." :) Thank you so so so much!

Wish #87

Isn't this adorable fabric!? It couldn't be any more "boy" or "all American." One of the ladies that works with my Mom at her store sent this for Ty. Deanna has worked at the store....for a long time. She actually probably knew me when I was Ty's age! Uh oh! She accepted Tony into the fold so quickly - she probably cared about him before Dad did! :) And she and Caitlin are birthday buddies - sharing the exact same date.

Deanna wrote:

Ty,

Welcome to your new
family and new country.

God Bless You,

Mrs. Deanna

Deanna - we love that you will be amongst those special folks that welcome Ty. We love you so much!

Wish #86

This wish came from my great good friend "Dr. E" or Karen. Her fabric could not be more perfect and I smile every single time I look at it. Of course, I also smile every single time we are together - so that makes it even more appropriate! We have always managed to stay in touch over the years - not as often as I would like...but that is really my fault. When we do get together, it is so good for my soul. Lots of laughs, often lots of insight...maybe a martini or two!

Karen is a school teacher/administrator - and specializes in reading. Her doctorate is in reading. And she is a MAJOR fan of the LSU Tigers! Geaux Tigers! So - this purple fabric with the alphabet on it - was a perfect match! Karen, you are awesome - I love it!

Karen wrote:

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

My wish for you is that you discover the prosperous future that God has promised you!

Karen (with a smiley face!)

IT WORKED!!! LIKE CLOCKWORK!!!

OK - everything worked almost as planned! Caity and I ran around like crazy people and got those documents certified every which way. We went to the Secretary of State's office and they certified everything right there on the spot (and we even had a front row parking place at the capitol!)

We got money orders for the Chinese Consulate in Houston, zoomed to FEDEX and made 2 copies of all of our documents. Now, I have to brag on Caitlin a bit here - she had a system going for us and organized our documents perfectly. We had the originals and a copy in the envelope for our Houston courier and then a copy for ourselves.

FEDEX'd all - and it arrived. The courier zipped it into the Consulate on Monday a.m. and it was ready to be picked up on Tuesday. She then FEDEX'd it to our adoption agency and they received it and sent it to be translated. Our dossier was done!! And we were DTC (Dossier to China) on 2-27-08.

Our agency called the other day and our dossier was officially logged into the CCAA on 3-10-2008. And on that day - we begin "the wait." This wait will normally take about 100 days. Our timeline is on the ticker on the left of the blog.

What are we waiting for? We are waiting for our letter from China that asks us are we absolutely sure that we still want to adopt Ty. We sign this and turn it around as quickly as possible back to China. And then we wait for our permission to travel. What this means is that in July - we should be in CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Want to join us? :)

After all the fits and starts, I am amazed to say that this phase of the process worked like clockwork - just as it should. Can't believe it - but it is true.

There is so much more to share in this story - which is turning out to be so incredible. I'll share that later.

For the moment - I am going to get back to loading some of the fantastic quilt squares that we have received for Ty!