FCC Moon Festival 2007 !

Riley all dressed and ready to go to Moon Festival ! Our local FCC- Families with Children from China celebrate this event yearly with all members ! It means alot to us to be able to help the children remember their heritage !




Raeghans's ready to go too ! At the Moon Festival they have lots of games and goodies for the kids !




Riley tossing a bean bag !




Grandma helping Raeghan get a duck from the duck pond !





Riley's getting a good view of his bowling ball hitting a strike !




Raeghan and Riley love to bowl !




Roll ball ! Roll ball !






In China they will call your child "lucky baby, lucky baby ". They don't get it, WE are the lucky ones ! Look at all these faces !





Riley's ready to fire his nerf darts !





Raeghan showing off all her loot !




Riley placing with his buddy, Corbin ! Boys will be boys !




Bethany, my friend Becka's daughter. She is adopted from Vietnam almost 8 yrs ago !





Jen-Jen, Raeghan's best friend and Raeghan showing off their new tattoos !




Riley in line to play the ring toss, he likes winning prizes !




One of the FCC mom's telling the story of the Moon Festival ! The kids loved it !




Raeghan and friends listening to the Moon Festival story !

A little good news..........

Today is Day 78 of the wait for LOA- Letter of Acceptance !

My agency was told on July 10th that my dossier changed from non-special needs to special needs, so this is where I am counting from !

I did speak to Amanda today at my agency and she said they are expecting a package Monday or Tuesday ! Sounds good !

She did mention it was due to come according to what they told her 4-5 weeks ago ! Or maybe.......... she really knows something, and can't say anything !

Come on LOA's !!!!

With it coming next week if it does, then being signed, it would go to China, they are all closed next week and with the next document needed : TA ~ Travel Approval, it could be 2-3 weeks after the LOA goes to China !

So my best prediction is as it stands : Me and Rachael might be in China over Thanskgiving holiday ! Wonder if they have Turkey there ? LOL I will settle for pigeon !!! Tastes like chicken...........

Wish us luck ! Going to be a long weekend !

Our FCC is having Moon Festival celebration tomorrow, some come back tomorrow to see some wonderful pics of the kids in their chinese outfits ! Raeghan will be in pink again, it still fits ! Riley gets to wear a new gold and red one for the first time, it is so cute !

Charlotte

Another BOY in the family !

It's with great JOY to announce that I'm going to be a grandmother !

And IT'S A BOY !!!!!

Rebekka and Dan are pregnant with their first child, a son ! Due 2~19~08 !!!!

So far she likes these names : Carter, Cooper, Joel, Ryder and Brayden !

What do you like ?

Charlotte
mother to Rebekka, Raeghan, Riley, soon Rachael, and grandma to "Baby Shrimp "

Raeghans's finding spot !

Just got email from my friend Jennifer, whose daughter, Lela is one of Raeghan's orphanage sister's, she was found one day before Raeghan. Here is what she writes, didn't know it was going to make me so emotional !


"We went to Shaoguan yesterday. It's a three hour trip under good circumstances and we got kicked off the highway for an unmarked detour about an hour away. It was also raining on and off.

I gave the Ayi's Raeghans pictures and they said they remembered her.

Raeghan's finding place is at the foot of a road that empties into a traffic circle across from a bridge that marks the start of the road to Guangzhou. The name of it used to be translated as something like shrub villas, but it's been recently changed - the fancy sign now says "Forest Villas" it's the entry to a housing development. There was a group of volunteer workers cleaning it up when we were there, officials, according to our guide, I guess for the photo op, so a lot of cars parked and hard to get a good shot.



Ayi's looking at Raeghan's pictures and info on finding spot !




RAEGHANS'S FINDING SPOT !

Update on Rachael !

Here's the latest on Rachael !

Her LOI was sent on May 22nd, 2007, and we found out on July 10th, 2007 that her dossier moved from the non-special need room to the special needs room !

So as of tomorrow it will be officially 74 days waiting for her LOA- letter of acceptance !

And it has been 4 months since the LOI was sent !

My agency said 4 weeks ago, it would be 4-5 weeks before the LOA came ! They checked on all the documents and there is no problems !

There is a holiday in China for the 1st week, so hoping that it comes this week and not next ! Just want it to come !

Will be sending my passport to a good friend in Texas this week who will get the needed Visa stamp on it for me, it is good for 6 months !

Thinking if it all goes as planned will travel in or during Thanksgiving !

Still need a few more funds, will be doing another Chip In fundraiser soon ! Appreciate so much everyone's donations, love and support to BRING RACHAEL HOME !

Charlotte

Another 1st for Riley !

Riley learned what Easy Cheese was tonight ! I keep forgetting he's only been home since last year and there are still so many first's he's never experienced, as you can see from the picture he sure did like Easy Cheese !

Charlotte

Rebekka graduates !!!!

Rebekka graduated last Friday from Arthur's school of Cosmotology. She will take her boards next month and will become official !-






Rebekka with her best friends at school !





Rebekka receiving her certificate from her teacher ! I am so proud of her !




The certificate ! It is so hard sometimes to see my little girl's last name different now that she is married !




Raeghan and Riley are so proud of their jie jie !

PLEASE CONSIDER A BOY !

If you are considering adopting a child from another country, who may or may not have special needs PLEASE consider a boy ! My 1st adopted daughter was a non-special needs adoption, and my second which I thought would have been a girl was a BOY ! I found him one night on an agency list a friend had sent me. I wasn't looking that soon to start another adoption, or even thinking of a BOY ! But he found me !





Riley on his 4th birthday, he was so excited to get a guitar from friends !





Riley, as the ring bearer at his sister's wedding !




Riley loves stuffed animals !




Riley, Christmas 2006



Riley's 3rd birthday !


Riley on gotcha day ! He was 2.75 yrs old, and he weighed 26 lbs !




Riley at around 18 months old ! What a cutie !





One of the first pictures of Riley I saw when I decided to adopt him ! Wasn't he darling !





Riley was cleft lip and palate affected ! Lip was repaired in China ! Palate in Arkansas once home !


I can't describe in words how wonderful it is to have a SON ! He is such a joy !

Charlotte

Raeghan starts dance and gymnastic class !

Raeghan loves TUESDAYS ! It is DANCE day at pre-school ! She is taking her first dance and gymnastics class, and the best part is it is at the pre-school so I don't have to take her once a week ! Last year we tried a gymnastics class for Raeghan and Riley and it didn't work, they were too young and Riley was just home, so it is so nice to see Raeghan liking this class ! Riley goes to speech therapy, and so this is something special for Raeghan ! When Rachael comes home she will join it next year, I want to give her time to get used to being home at first.

Raeghan let me put her hair up this am in her first french braid ! I think it turned out so cute !




Raeghan stretching with a friend !




I can't remember the last time I could touch my nose to the floor like that ! Raeghan is quite limber !





Raeghan with a fellow dance mate !





Raeghan gets home from pre-school and puts her dance outfit right on to show us what she learned today ! I am so excited she likes it !

Charlotte

Happy Birthday Dad !

Here's a favorite picture of my Dad and my brother, Tom !

Today is my Dad's birthday, he would have been 66 ! He passed away unexpectantly on January 28th, 2006. We were all together at the FCC CNY party that year when we found out the sad news !

Even though it's been a while I still miss him so much !

I love you DAD !

Charlotte

Raeghan's finding spot !

My good friend, Jennifer and her husband Jamie and their daughter, Lela are finally going to China to adopt their daughter/sister, Lian !

Their blog is www.Lianmakes4.blogspot.com

Lela and Raeghan are orphanage sisters and their birthdates are one day apart, Lela is one whole day older !

When we got to get the girls in January of 2005, it was right before CNY so we weren't allowed to go visit the swi. Every child that is abandoned in China has a finding spot, it is where their family has left them to be found.

Jennifer's family is heading to bring home Lian and they have been granted permission to go see the orphanage where the girl's lived for the 1st year of their lives ! And she is going to try to go and find the girl's finding spots and take pictures !

They leave Tuesday and will go tour Beijing first, then go the Lian's province to get her, when they make it to Guangzhou, one day they will go to Shaoguan ! Please follow them along on this journey they have waited for so long. They had some delays last year that set them back a little, and so it took a little longer from them to get Lian, but the time has come for this girl to come home ! Yah !

I was able to make photo copies of my documents and email them to Jennifer, here are some pictures from the past. A few of the first time we saw Raeghan. I don't know why it gets me so emotional, but it does ! She was my first adopted daughter !





Raeghan's mug shot ! Isn't she adorable !



Raeghan's referral pictures !



Another referral picture !



RAEGHAN NOW at 3 1/2 !




This the finding ad document in Chinese !




This is the finding spot document in English !

This is what it says :


This is to certify that Shao Furun, female, born January 21,2004 was found at the road entrance of Conglin Mountain Villa, Zhenjiang District, Shaoguan City, Guangdong Province on January 21,2004. She was picked up and sent to our welfare institute by the Police Station of Zhannan Road, Shaoguan City on January 21,2004. Her biological parents and other family have not been found up to this day.

HER FAMILY HAS FOUND HER NOW FOREVER !

Charlotte

Happy Labor Day !

Raeghan posing her with new pink boots she got at Target today and her dance leotard and skirt. Raeghan starts dance and gym class tomorrow at the daycare.



Riley with his new Spiderman sneakers !

Today was a day off for me, my first one in a long time. Maybe I should call it a day off from my 2 jobs, because I wasn't off duty as far as being mommy and cleaning house. I focused on laundry today and the kid's room, their room is now clean, and I cleaned out all the closets and dresser drawers and got down all their fall clothing. I was worried Raeghan wouldn't have enough, and was wrong, so much of what she wore last fall will fit this fall too, so between her and Rachael they should have plenty to wear. Riley is the one who will need some more clothing, he is just growing so much ! He was 26 lbs. when he came home last yr. and now he's 34 lbs.

Please continue to pray for Rachael in China and for her family !

Charlotte

POPCORN FUNDRAISER STARTS !

It is popcorn time again ! This popcorn would be great to bring to Razorback games, to give as a housewarming gift when you go visit someone for holidays or as a Christmas gift !

It is gourmet style popcorn from www.popcornpalace.com and as most of you who got it before have learned it is delicious !!!!!

It is starting today, September 1st, and closing September 15th, orders will be placed on September 17th, with delivery by the end of the week !

These flavors : cheddar cheese, white cheddar, gourmet caramel, chicago style, and rainbow are : $5 a bag, $10 a jar.

These flavors : cookies and cream, caramel nut, macadamia butter crunch and chocolate drizzle caramel are : $7 a bag, $ 14 a jar.

There is a 5- flavor gift sampler with big bags of caramel, cheddar cheese, cookies and cream, white cheddarl and caramel nut : $25

And a 6- way tin of kettle corn, fiesta mix, cheddar cheese, chocolate drizzle, double chocolate and chocolate pretzels : $35.

You can email me your order and send the cash or a check made to me : Charlotte Weddle by September 15th, or let me know and I can come get it from you !

This fundraiser will profit for me 50% and it will Help to Bring Rachael Home !

I appreciate so much everyone's love and support during the adoption for me ! I am so greatful for all my friends, and I know so many of you know what it is like to need a few extra $ for the adoption process !

If you would to like to help and don't want any popcorn on my blog there is a place where you can donate through Kiingdom Kids, or on paypal, or there is a wonderful magazine fundraiser too !

Please share this with anyone locally, shipping the popcorn for me would spend the profit, so I am only doing this locally.

Please continue to pray for our family as it grows again !

Charlotte, Rebekka, Raeghan, Riley and soon Rachael !

www.rachaeljanew.blogspot.com