With Arms Wide Open

For Meg... what an amazing journey!

2010-03-05T13:19:00.004-05:00

I stayed up late last night trying to get this video (that is long overdue) up and finished. What a challenge, it is definetly not a skill of mine. Hopefully you enjoy it. Mostly I hope Meg will enjoy it in the years to come. Be sure to pause the music in the side bar before pressing play.

Moving to our family blog

2009-07-26T20:16:00.003-04:00

I have kept this adoption blog since April 2007, when we first started down the wonderful path to our adoption - which led us to our amazing and completely captivating daughter: Meg. It is thrilling to me to know that I will have our whole journey documented. I plan on having the entire blog printed into a large coffee table book for Meg - something she will always have to see how much she was truly wanted and loved long before she 'officially' became our daughter.

That being said - Meg is a Lightfoot now and our family blog is where she belongs most certainly! From here on in... all news and stuff will reside at our original family blog that I've kept for several years. Meg is most certainly a big part of our family and a huge part of our hearts now - so its' time her news became just another part of "The Lightfoot" blog.

If you'd like to continue to follow life with the Lightfoots, please update your bookmark to HERE.

Meeting Great Gram

2009-07-26T11:19:00.004-04:00

As soon as we could get adjusted to the time change and life felt right side up again, we made a visit to Great Gram's apartment in Foxboro. Gram is 97 years old and the amazing glue that holds our family together so well. She held Meg - Keaton and Chloe were so proud to show their sister to Great Gram.

Some photos

2009-07-26T10:50:00.007-04:00

Finally pulling out my camera to clear off my full memory card:

A couple days before we left Vietnam, Meg was playing on the duvet we laid down in the living room of our hotel room. Next thing you know I looked over and she was sitting - I snapped this quick photo of her before she toppled over. We later figured out (by observation) that she got to a sitting position by getting up from crawling position and sliding her feet through til she was sitting. Since coming home, she is now sitting up well on her own - a big accomplishment for our little gal!

Meg, just before we left our hotel for the airport. We then passed the Canadian flag on to Renny - who hopefully will be home soon!

Leaving Vietnam - at the airport, awaiting our flight to Hong Kong:

Time is flying by

2009-07-24T09:48:00.005-04:00

The summer is 1/2 over and I feel like time is flying by. Before I know it the kids will be back in school and hopefully by (or before) then I will be able to pull my head out of my butt and get organized. I admit that coming home has been a huge adjustment. In Vietnam we were basically tourists getting to know Meg and her birth country. We had house cleaning service in our hotel suite and we had someone making all our meals.

Well, it ain't like that anymore. We came home to 2 more beautiful children that require and need much of our affection and time too. They missed us terribly and we are still making up for being gone from them such a long time. Keaton and Chloe are so good with Meg and the biggest thing is reminding them that she is not a little doll to carry around the house. They are very helpful and are always running upstairs to get me a blanket or downstairs to fetch her soother, etc... no complaints - this is what they've been waiting for. I won't pretend though that things are perfect and stress-free around here. The first week was very hard getting our clocks turned around, even though Keaton and Chloe still had soccer games, birthday parties and social things to run to. I still sometimes get this overwhelming tired feeling in the pit of my stomach at around 2pm each day. Thankfully it goes away and I can now make it til around 930pm before I fall into bed.

Keaton and Chloe have been going to bible camp all week and they are loving it. They catch the bus and head to Prince Edward County to a day camp there. Keaton loves the water time and archery and his counsellors. Chloe loves the canoeing, songs and crafts. I love that they are happy and keeping busy. I am sure next week, when they are back home and bored with me and Meg... there will be lots of complaining and me trying to find things to keep them occupied. The weather has been quite chilly and so we have not been in our pool as much as usual - this sucks because that was always something they could do to pass the time and remain active. Hoping that this coming week gets warmer! Meg hasn't been in our pool yet - it is so cold and we haven't turned the heater on b/c it is so chilly at night that it would be a waste of $ right now.

Re: my camera - I've been awful. I think I have taken 5 photos since we got home from Vietnam. I just think I'm tired and burnt out and trying to prioritize all the things that need to be done around here. Our house is a disaster and needs to start receiving some TLC. The entire bottom floor needs to be painted, including the white trim - and this is not a job I plan to undertake - so we need to save up to hire a painter. The gardens in our pool area and front lawn are completely neglected and look wild! I just don't have a green thumb at all. Truth be told, if some money dropped in our laps right now (which it will not) we would probably clean the house up... put up a for sale sign and build a new home in a country subdivision that is bigger than the space we have now. Sadly, if and when we do this we would lose the inground pool and hot tub... the budget just doesn't allow a big new house and those perks too. Shaune says we are going to hire a house cleaner but truthfully we need to get this place organized and tidy first so she can find the furniture and floor (HA!)

Meg is doing so good. I am going to take her to a weigh-in clinic next week to see how much she has grown. We got her Health card no problem and all but her doctor is on holidays til August 17th so she still has not had a check up and blood work, etc... GRR. She seems good though and is adjusting so well. She naps 3x a day usually at 9/12/3 and goes down for the night at around 8pm now...sometimes this varies but it is working good. She wakes one time at around 2a.m. for a big bottle and then goes right back to sleep til around 7a.m. - so, I am getting plenty of sleep and starting to feel 'normal' again. This old lady needs her sleep more than she did when K & C were babies!

Meg is up to eating every 3-4 hours during the day and takes 6-7oz now with each bottle. She is on Good Start and likes it. She used to eat 2oz every 2 hrs so this is a huge improvement and you can really see how much she is sprouting up and growing. Her cheeks and neck roll is expanding and yesterday I saw a hint of what could become arm rolls!!! I am excited to see her doing so great with her growth. She still is very tiny especially now that we are home and babies in the 7 month category here seem to be over 20 lbs at times!!! She is beautiful and bright and happy and we love her so much. I promise I will get some photos of her very soon. Maybe this weekend I can get my act together!

That's all for now. Just taking advantage of Meg's first nap of the day! Must go shower quick!

Homecoming

2009-07-17T15:19:00.002-04:00

Click here.

Alive and kicking...

2009-07-15T08:44:00.004-04:00

Sorry to have been such a bad blogger. I don't suspect this will change for a few more weeks though! Life is good and we are all home and a family of five finally. The flight went ok and I will write more on that and finally seeing Keaton and Chloe after the longest flight EVER in a later post.

It has taken a week to feel 'normal'. Jetlag hit me tough and it doesn't help when you can't just go and 'sleep it off'. Three children with very busy schedules are keeping us on our toes and I am falling into bed each night at 7 or 8pm (at the latest!)

Meg is doing great and and we are working on getting her a pediatrician appointment. With summer holidays upon us it seems like we may be waiting a while. SIGH! I should of taken care of it before we left for Vietnam but with our delay I guess we would of had to reschedule anyhow. Meg took a few nights to get her times turned back around but is now falling back into her 3 nap a day schedule (short naps!) and bedtime around 6:30pm. She loves the activity of our house and has her brother and sister wrapped around her fingers.

Keaton and Chloe have been wonderful helpers and really are enjoying having a baby in the house... Keaton has even helped me change a diaper and Chloe likes to help me with the bottles.

Life is busy. Gotta get going and keep Miss Meg entertained. She certainly lets me know when she requires my undivided attention! ;)

July 5, 2009

2009-07-04T20:50:00.000-04:00

Click here.

Stuff

2009-07-02T05:08:00.010-04:00

I have been lazy and not taken any photos the past several days. Hence me not blogging as much - I know everyone mostly wants to see Meg's photos :)

Random stuff:

*Shaune cannot wait to get home and have a home cooked meal of roast turkey, dressing and gravy courtesy of my mom. I'm sure he'll be hitting his mother up for a roast beef feast also. Although the food is very delicious here, he finds all the spices and flavourings to be of the same variety and is ready for some 'meat and potato' type food. I must admit that even though I am a huge asian cuisine fan, I too am missing the flavours of home finally.

*Flights are booked. We applied for Meg's Vietnamese passport on Tuesday and her Canadian passport this morning. We are booked to fly home Cathay Pacific next Tuesday evening through Hong Kong (leave HCMC at 655pm) and arrive in Toronto at the very early hour of 5:45am on Wednesday, July 8th. So... barring any 'further delays' (everyone say a prayer for us) we will be home as a family of 5 by mid day on Wednesday! We are so excited, as are the kids!

*Tampons are VERY hard to find in Vietnam. Just a warning for all my waiting mom's that may travel here and find themselves here much longer than they thought ;)

*Meg is a sleeping monster... as in: she does not sleep. I am thinking (and hoping) it is because she is growing and needs to still eat every 2.5 hours even at night. Seriously, this girl eats a ton and we are so happy. A little reprieve at night would be a blessing for her tired parents though. if anyone has any advice - we'd take it. I have got her taking about 4-5 oz and she eats every 2-3 hours all day. That is a lot of bottles. Her night time schedule lately is: Bed at 730pm at the latest. Wake for 1st night time bottle at midnight. Go back to sleep. Up again around 2:30am, eats again. Sleep zzz. Up again at 5 or 5:30am - wide awake and happy. Plays for an hour and then wants to nap for an hour. Then her day begins at around 8am. She naps a lot but only little cat naps when she is in her carrier. If I lie down with her or put her in her crib, she seldom sleeps for more than a 1/2 hr during the day. This means she has several naps a day and its not ideal. I guess we will get it all worked out once she is home and settled.

*The great news is she is growing so fast. I hardly recognize the tiny baby in those photos from June 7th. Her cheeks are getting huge and she is beginning to resemble that roly poly baby in her 2 month old photos before she was admitted to the hospital. She is also beginning to make strange if others (Loan for instance) hold her for longer than she'd like. She wants to be in her mommy and daddy's arms 24/7 and that is a great thing. She is a wiggle worm though and not much for just relaxing and cuddling into us.

*Tomorrow is Renny and George's daughters 1st birthday! They are hosting a birthday party for her and we can't wait to go celebrate with them. Lia is a beautiful little girl and has truly blossomed these past several weeks.

*Platex bottle users: If you are using Platex bottles and liners... pack WAY more than you think you'll need. I thought I'd brought way too much. But - the fact that Meg is eating so often throughout a day and that we have been here WAY longer than we anticipated - we are running out. I have saved enough drop in liners for the flight home because that will be easiest... but with 1/2 wk left here I wish I'd just brought a whole bunch more. The bottles she originally used only hold 4 oz and we are trying to get her to eat a bit more than that so switched her.

*In some ways you get used to the humidity and heat here. It is still so hot and uncomfortable at times but a little less that way each day. We are ready for some breezy Canadian summers though around our pool... where we can have ice in our drinks without spending a full day on the toilet ;)

*Shaune has had a hard go of it here. His health has not been great and the intense humidity is a killer for his arthritis. Add on to that some 'stomach issues' and he's been a very good sport (and help) considering.

*We have a few more souvenirs we'd like to get before we head home. I have bought a few things for Meg as she gets older for each 'family day' but I am thinking I should probably buy her an ao dai in every size up til about age 10 or 11? I know they are much more expensive in Canada (I saw them for $20 at a store in Ottawa, they are $5 here) and she will likely wear one at least once a year to celebrate Vietnamese TET and other functions we will attend. The tax center has some for about the same price as the Ben Thanh market... with out the bartering.

*We are loving the hotel we stay at. It is beautiful and modern and is in a good convenient location. The only issues we have had is that there is construction going on directly beside it... a tall office building going up from the looks of it. They are building the foundation the past several weeks and we have had a few days where the crane and cement trucks etc get on our nerves - most days it is ok though so we were too lazy to relocate to the other side of the hotel. The only other issues is the pool. It is big and clean but never used and not a 'social pool'. We have only went swimming 2x since arriving in Vietnam which for us water bugs is unheard of.

*The Highland Cafe is located within our hotel and is our 'room service'. The food is very good and quite reasonable. It has asian cuisine but also familiar stuff like Spagetti, Club sandwiches, omelettes, etc. The drinks they make are the highlight though - and the hot fudge chocolate brownies aren't so bad either.

*As much as we are desperate to get home, there is a part of us that will always miss Vietnam. It is the kind of place I could never describe and do it justice. It is full of lil' annoyances like honking cars, crazy traffic and intense heat yet you fall in love with this place easily. You get used to the cars and scooters honking every .5 seconds and by Day 3 you aren't closing your eyes as your taxi weaves in and out of traffic. It is easy to 'feel at home' here I guess is what I'm saying. It is also the place that blessed us with Meg and I will do everything I can to instill a pride and love in her for Vietnam - it will be easy. We plan on returning again here, our whole family and doing a tour of both North and South. I would like Meg to be around 7 yrs old when we do this so she can understand things and while Keaton and Chloe are still 'young enough teens' to want to join us on a family 'road trip'. There is so much we have not seen of Vietnam. Next time we will branch out and truly see the glorious landscapes this country has.

*Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon is very modern. It has been surprising to us just how trend and fashion obsessed many of the women are here and the amount of very high priced shopping plaza's there are to peruse. We have went in several and not bought a thing - beyond what we'd spend on things like purses and shoes for sure. Don Khoi and Le Loi street are full of big stores such as Louis Vuitton, Coach, Prada, Gucci, etc. - a shopping paradise for those that are into that.

*We prefer the other Saigon - the market and the small plaza's where things are very economical and you meet so many interesting people. Everyone has been very kind to us while we have been here with Meg. Yes, there are questions and lots of curiosity every where we go (especially when we travel as a group of 4 families) but people are kind and loving and they really love children here. It is rare to walk down a street here and not have someone stop you to ask about your baby and stroke her cheek.

Your Donations

2009-06-30T00:59:00.008-04:00

The donations have been very appreciated here in Vietnam. We were able to bring 2 very large suitcases full of essentials for the children of the orphanages including medications, educational toys, clothing, etc. One suitcase went to Vung Tau 2 and the other we gave to another orphanage that was in much need here. We also had the chance to hand out candy, pencils, balls and some older 'toys' to the older children at the orphanages of Vung Tau 2 and Vung Tau 3. They were so appreciative and excited! Another big thank you to so many generous family, friends and even strangers who donated to these children. You all made a difference and it was an experience we will never forget.

A wonderful group of family and friends at home also donated cash for us to bring to Vietnam and buy essentials for the children here. Originally it was going to go to Meg's orphanage - Vung Tau 2 but after touring Vung Tau 3 (another orphanage our agency works with)we decided that we wanted the cash to go towards buying items needed by the children here. The orphanage is quite run down and seemed to be the most in need of the essentials to help the kids there do well. Loan took the cash (we changed it into 5.6 million Vietnamese Dong and that buys a lot here in Vietnam) and did some major shopping with it. She was able to take our $350+ in cash donations and buy things like diapers and formula, noodle soup, etc for the babies and young children. Loan also had a wonderful idea: to buy all the text books the older kids would need for attending school this coming year. I absolutely love that 1/2 of the $ went to these beautiful older children who are schooled within the orphanage and help a lot with the babies and the day-to-day work around the place. Loan provided me with a Thank you letter that goes out to the following: The Aubertins, The Morins, Sheri Whyte, The Fabris, The church women of Tara's church in New Brunswick Canada, The Couplands, The Marshalls, and The Glenn family.
God Bless!

Missing them...

2009-06-27T22:02:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Vung Tau 2

2009-06-27T19:28:00.001-04:00

Click here for our visit to Vung Tau 2 orphanage.

G&R Day

2009-06-27T03:13:00.001-04:00

Click here.

June 25th in Vietnam

2009-06-25T10:00:00.001-04:00

Click here for our Thursday.

June 24th 2009

2009-06-24T19:30:00.001-04:00

...and time marches on. Click here for our day.

June 23rd 2009

2009-06-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

Today we went to the zoo. Click here.

June 22nd 2009

2009-06-23T03:40:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Good news

2009-06-22T10:26:00.002-04:00

...late coming but good news just the same. Our paperwork left Hanoi and hopefully arrives tomorrow in Vung Tau so we can have our Giving and Recieving Ceremony. If it arrives on time tomorrow, we will have our ceremony on this Wednesday. If it isn't there on time to proceed for Wednesday, we will have it apparently on this Friday with another couple from Quebec, Canada.

From there we have to apply for Vietnamese and Canadian passports and hope like heck it all happens a lot quicker than this first step did. Please send good vibes our way, as we'd love to get home soon.

Too tired to add photos or talk about our day... so I'll do that tomorrow sometime.

Night!

June 21st 2009

2009-06-21T10:34:00.001-04:00

Happy Father's Day everyone... click here for our day.

Love and hugs to my dad back home. I miss you and can't wait to get home and give you a big hug. Thank you for all you do. I'm so lucky to call you DAD!

June 20th

2009-06-20T09:10:00.000-04:00

Happy Saturday night from Saigon... Click here.

June 19th in Vietnam

2009-06-19T10:38:00.000-04:00

Click here to see our day.

June 18th 2009

2009-06-18T06:47:00.002-04:00

Click here.

Six

2009-06-16T10:02:00.002-04:00

Keaton and Chloe: click here.

June 15th in Vietnam

2009-06-15T10:02:00.002-04:00

Today we visited the Emperor Jade Pagoda. Click here for more.

June 14th 2009

2009-06-14T20:45:00.001-04:00

One week with Meg! Click here.

June 13th 2009

2009-06-13T22:03:00.001-04:00

Follow along - click here.

Meg's first swim

2009-06-13T09:49:00.000-04:00

Click here.

June 12th in Vietnam

2009-06-12T22:37:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Poor Poultry

2009-06-12T20:36:00.000-04:00

Video here.

Meg's video debut

2009-06-12T04:51:00.002-04:00

Just click here. If the video is slow loading - pause it for a minute so it doesn't keep stopping mid video (that is a note to all those with slow 'high speed' back home. :)

June 11th 2009

2009-06-11T19:46:00.001-04:00

Click here.

June 10th in Vietnam

2009-06-10T20:44:00.001-04:00

We are loving it here. Click here for more.

June 9th in Vietnam

2009-06-09T21:38:00.001-04:00

Click here.

The flight

2009-06-09T04:09:00.003-04:00

We flew Cathay Pacific and it was great...highly recommend them. The service was awesome, the meals were okay (although way better than other flights), the wine was tasty too. We got to the airport early because (what can I say...) I was NOT missing this flight. We checked in and ran into 2 other couples that were travelling with us. We ended up seated next to Olivier and Stephanie and we were OFF.

Everyone knows I was concerned about the length of the flight. The longest I'd went in a plane was 5 or 6 hours when we went to St. Lucia. I get very antsy on a plane, I can't stand sitting still in those tight quarters for so long. I did okay and Shaune did great. He is such a 'chill' man and just watched movies and played poker on the mini tv's each seat had on the flight. When he 'decided' he was ready to sleep... he slept. Me on the other hand - could NOT sleep. I went 16 hrs without any sleep on that darn plane... even after taking 2 sleeping pills. Cursed I am! So, the flight felt like an eternity for a while. I watched "Marley and Me" to which I tried to hold back sobs and kinda succeeded. What a movie! I watched some of "He's just not that into you" but barely remember it. I was up and down like a yo-yo and people around me must of thought I had to pee 20x during our flight... most of the time I was just finding excuses to get up and move.

Eventually the long leg from Toronto to Hong Kong was over - what a relief! The Hong Kong airport is great! We had some food (delicious pizza) at a place there I can't remember and then hung out and waited for our flight that would take us to HO CHI MINH CITY VIETNAM!!! That flight was a breeze and not even 1/2 full... I found 3 seats that were empty - stretched out and slept for about 2 hrs of the 2 1/2 hr flight.

...and then we were here. I can't describe the excitement of landing here - Meg's birth country and knowing how close we were to meeting our 3rd child! Loan met us at the airport and I instantly knew why every family that has went before us LOVES Loan - she is amazing and very helpful.

We got to our hotel, check in was a breeze and then we prepared for Meg by packing a little diaper bag and unpacking all our luggage and putting away her clothes, our stuff, and so on. Sleep came easy knowing that in the morning we'd be on our way to her --- finally!

A photo collection from Day 1 with Meg

2009-06-08T22:32:00.002-04:00

Click here... warning. There are a lot!

Meg's visit with Dr. Jonathan

2009-06-08T17:01:00.002-04:00

Meg went to doctor yesterday and visited Dr. Jonathan again. He remembered her well from her referral check up. He also was kind enough to go over her medical information when Meg was in the hospital here in HCMC. What a wonderful doctor!

Her appt was at 230pm and she did great. She coo'd and smiled for him and was quick to show him how much she likes to roll from her back on to her tummy. She is very little which is to be expected after her long stay in the hospital. She weighs a little over 10 1/2 lbs and her lenght is 22.5 inches long. She is doing well developmentally and is on track he felt. Her physical growth is another story and she is basically the size of a 1 month old baby here because of her hospital stay, intubation, etc. My sweet girl is doing well though and he was happy to see her strong will to roll and how much she likes to play on her stomach and hold her head up high. He wants her to see a pediatrician when we return to Canada and felt that a bit of physiotherapy (exercises) would help her strengthen up quickly.

So... good doctor's visit. I was happy to finally meet Dr. Jonathan who is very well known and respected amongst the adoption community. His walls were covered with hundreds of photos of babies and children he has looked after - many of which were internationally adopted like Meg.

Meg was eating 2 oz of formula every 2 hrs when she joined us. We've convinced her that 3 oz every 2 hrs (during the day) is a better choice and for the most part she is starting to finish these tiny bottles. The doctor wanted us to 'bulk up' her bottles so she has a more concentrated amount of formula mixed with her water. She loves her bottle warm. Dr. Jonathan told us not to offer her the bottle more than 1x. If she does not want it when it is time, do not keep 'offering it' to her til the next feeding time. He said that many children have trauma associated with being force fed or bottle prop fed in the orphanages. He encouraged us to read her signs and avoid insisting or 'encouraging' her to eat anything if she doesn't want to. This was good information to have and not something I would of thought of on my own. She is taking her bottle more readily from us though and is enjoying it more each feeding. She won't be offered any sort of solids (rice cereal) til we are home and she is completely comfortable with us. Her nanny has tried cereal and said Meg hates to have it put in her mouth and kicks up a fuss. So... she is not ready for that from us quite yet.

Well, it is the middle of the night here. Meg slept from 8:30pm til 3:30am (yay!) and I just gave her a bottle and now her and daddy are both back to sleep. I think I'll go join them.

Night (or afternoon to you all back home)!

Its 730am

2009-06-07T20:24:00.004-04:00

...the start of our first full day with Meg. My how things can change in the span of 24 hrs! She did great her first night. She is still sleeping right now at 730am! Oh my! I don't expect that to last - a very overwhelming day for her yesterday so she has to sleep it off probably.
She woke 2x in the night (i think, i'm a bit foggy on it) and at 3:30am when she woke up she thought she wanted to stay up and coo and play for about 1/2 hour - we let her of course. She is so precious. I'm just looking in on her as she lay sleeping in her pink and white crib (courtesy of the Somerset) and she is so very tiny.

On today's agenda: we have a doctor's appt with Dr. Jonathan - she is wheezy and rattles a bit when she breathes - all things we expected after her long bout' in the hospital. After talking with Loan and remembering back to how gravely ill Meg was - we feel so blessed to have her. She is such a gift and we will love her so much.

Well, since I started this post we've had a few 'delay's - Meg woke up for the day at 7:45a.m. and we just bathed her(not an easy task let me tell you). So now we will go enjoy our day.

Kids: We love you and miss you so much. I can't wait for you to meet Meg, you will love her and get a kick out of her expressions and funny antics for sure!

Bye for now.

Some photos of Meg

2009-06-07T10:57:00.002-04:00

Click here. If the colors are off or funky it is because I edited some of them on Shaune's laptop and I'm not sure if it is the best thing for editing photos :)

What a day!

2009-06-07T10:26:00.005-04:00

The day was in a word: AMAZING. It was super hot and the rain didn't come and we spent many hours in a big van transporting us here and there. I will take the time soon to summarize this special day but we still haven't gotten our room service and I'm ready for bed. Shaune and Meg are both asleep now. Meg is wonderful, beautiful, fun and so sweet. This was such an emotional day and I can't wrap it up into a couple paragraphs... so until I have time I will just say: We are in love. She is perfect. She is so little and she already has us wrapped around her little tiny finger.

I have more photos to share but wordpress (where I've been posting photos and private entries) is not working tonight for me. If (or when) it gets up I will share.

We made it!

2009-06-06T11:08:00.002-04:00

Wow, the past 24+ hrs are a blur. 16 hrs on our first flight and 2.5 hrs on our 2nd flight. It was okay but I did get antsy and couldn't sleep - even after taking 2 sleeping pills. Full of adrenaline I guess. I managed a 1 hour sleep on the 2nd flight (Hong Kong to HCMC).

We checked into our hotel a couple hours ago. It is nice and comfy with laundry in the room (handy) and a full kitchen. We ordered room service from Highlands' Coffee and it was delivered fresh (and very tasty) 15 minutes later. I thought of Keaton because we ordered shrimp fried rice and that is one of his favourite foods (rice, rice, rice!)

We've unpacked all of our clothes and put them in drawers. We rearranged our 2 suitcases full of donations as we are dropping those to the orphanages tomorrow.

We get Meg tomorrow! We are leaving the hotel sometime around 7:30am and head to Vung Tau which I think is about 2.5-3 hrs drive each way. There are 4 families going - so exciting! Renny and George have a daughter they will be getting from the Vung Tau 3 orphanage in Ba Ria, Vung Tau. Another couple is adopting beautiful twin girls and I think they are at Vung Tau 1. Jennifer and Brad are also coming along tomorrow - they have a daughter at Vung Tau 1 also.

...and then there is Meg! We will go to her nounou's house I believe to meet her nanny and learn about her schedule, personality, likes and dislikes, etc.

We've packed our little diaper bag and a comfy change of clothing to bring her home in. Guess work is what I'm going on to try and pick something that will fit her - we have no idea how big she may have grown in the past month since our last update.

Arriving here the heat hit us immediately...and it was early evening by then. The traffic is also something else. Our big van rode amongst a sea of mopeds and motorbikes. I will have to video tape the action because it is amazing. Whole families are piled on as they weave in and out of the traffic. It all seems to flow though somehow, although it was terrifying to watch as a mom drove by with an infant infront of her and a toddler holding on the back of her. Zoom!

MUST SLEEP.
I will do my best to update (with photos hopefully) tomorrow evening once we have Meg and are settled in a bit. It's baby time!

Ready

2009-06-04T18:35:00.003-04:00

...we are up at our airport hotel and relaxing (ya right!) - I am jumping out of my skin with excitement right now. We are going to order in some food I think and just relax. Shaune is actually working on his thesis tonight of all things... then he can relax and take a break from work and school for the next 3 wks.

We want to take a moment and thank all our family and friends for their support and enthusiasm and joy they've shown to our family the past 2+ years. Meg will be 5 month 3 wks old tomorrow and it took us 26 months to get to her. Amazing!

Tomorrow morning we are on our way. 935am we'll be on our way to her. My heart is so full of happiness, nervousness, anticipation and butterflies! We were told we would go to get Meg at her nounou's on Sunday (Saturday night in Canada!)... the day after we arrive.

Soon she will be with us forever.

Nervous Energy

2009-06-02T21:12:00.002-04:00

...I'm full of it right now. Tomorrow is our last full day at home to get things done and packed and ready. CRAZY! I have a pedicure scheduled and that is it. The rest of my day will be spent going over lists (and checking them twice!)

We are so excited!

Telling the kids

2009-06-01T10:14:00.005-04:00

Well, I'm finally getting around to uploading the video we took on the day we got our referral... way back on Feb. 20th! I don't know if I'll share the video of Shaune and I opening her photos for the first time, kinda personal and teary (happy tears of course)... but the video of us telling the kids once they were home for the day is adorable (but long).

To watch Part 1 below, be sure to pause the music playlist on the right hand sidebar.

My kids are funny and crazy!

Part 1:

...and Part 2:

I love this photo I took of Keaton after the video was shut off... slowly looking through all her photos. Smitten I'd say!

Lots of girls...

2009-05-31T10:44:00.003-04:00

I was just thinking about our travel group that is leaving this week for Vietnam. We are all adopting girls. One family is adopting a 4 yr old beautiful little girl, Meg is 5 months, Renny's daughter is 11 months and the other couple are adopting twin girls that are 4 months. They all are from Vung Tau and will share that common bond. I hope they can all become and remain friends through the years!

We are meeting up with one other couple that is already in Vietnam that is adopting a baby boy - lucky him... he'll be surrounded by a whole bunch of girls :) I'm guessing this won't really phase him at this age but perhaps another decade from now he might enjoy a get together with his 'travel mates'.

Today we are meeting up with sweet Sadie and her mom and Dad - we are going to a chinese buffet for lunch... to follow the tradition we started last year when they were leaving in a week to go get their beautiful Sadie. Now Sadie is 2 years old and my children can't get enough of her. They cannot wait to see her today and play with her at a park after lunch!

Other than that... packing is still happening. We figured out Skype and have that all ready to go. We are making our playlists for our Ip*ds and picking out which reading material to take for the flight.

I am nervous about the long flight. I don't fly well, I get antsy and fidgety after a couple of hours... how will I ever manage the longest leg (which is 15.5 hrs)? Sleeping aids, earplugs and a sleeping mask will hopefully help me pass the time!

One week?

2009-05-29T13:03:00.003-04:00

Click here.

If I know you or you are in the adoption community and would like to follow along with our blog while we are in Vietnam, please post here with your email and I will get you the password.

ps: the password is not changing, so if you already have it... that is all you need :)

Meg at 5 months old!

2009-05-26T09:19:00.001-04:00

I am so excited. We got new photos (8) of Meg. Click here with password.

Booked

2009-05-25T17:36:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Charming

2009-05-23T13:40:00.001-04:00

Got it... and love it!

My sweetie started soccer

2009-05-22T23:23:00.004-04:00

Chloe is not much of a sports-girl. Dancing and giggling are her sports of choice. But, this year she is a soccer girl (her choice) and is lovin' it so far. Check her out all sweaty after a game!

More photos on our family blog.

Tentative Dates

2009-05-19T15:07:00.002-04:00

Great news... just in.

Click here!!!!!

5 months old

2009-05-19T11:23:00.004-04:00

Meg turned 5 months old this weekend and I thought of her often. It was a long weekend here and we opened the pool and did some gardening, etc... we also spent time with family and friends = all of which are anxious for us to travel to bring Meggie home!

When will we get to be with her? That still remains a mystery. I am trying very hard to relish in all of our blessings here at home (there are many) and be patient. It will definetly be sometime in June at this point. Blah, I hate the thought of possibly another month without Meg.

Our luggage is all piled in Chloe's bedroom, waiting to be filled and organized. Meg's bag has been packed for a while... now I'm starting to wonder if I should take out the size 3-6 months clothes and put in the 6-12 months - it is so hard to guess on sizing. Of course I have washed all her clothes and taken off all the tags so I could have a lot of new clothing that will never make it on to our princess. Oops!

Keep Meg in your thoughts - I am finding this last stretch extremely difficult. Do I hop on a plane and head over early... or wait out an 'official' travel date? This question runs through my head several times a day. I wish I could settle on the right answer.

No new news

2009-05-12T20:27:00.003-04:00

This friday we will be 3 months since first seeing beautiful Meggie's face. My how the time has dragged at times, it feels sometimes that it has been a lifetime waiting to get to her - but of course it has not.

Nothing new to report. Because of the new regulation with DIA, papers that would normally go courier are going very s-l-o-w-l-y via regular mail. Any chances of us getting to Meg in May are slowly disappearing.

Meg is doing well though and I'm sure basking in the attention of a full time nou nou to love on her. I wonder what she is doing - she is almost 5 months old now and I find myself day dreaming about her personality and how it is probably really emerging right about now. I remember with both Keaton and Chloe... this was such a great time to enjoy them becoming a baby person. I cannot wait to hear what her coo's sound like and to hear her giggle for the first time around us!

I finished up any and all last minute items we need to pack up and hop on a plane - it is official... we are ready and can go tomorrow if necessary (a girl can dream!)

I have a few work projects to finish up and then I'm on a self-appointed 'maternity' leave until we return from Vietnam. I work freelance so I will not get a 'paid' mat leave. Hopefully when I get back I will be able to find a good balance - I know it will be a challenge at times.

Everyone continue to send prayers up that our travel time can happen soon! Meg needs us but I think we may need her even more!

Mother's Day

2009-05-09T20:15:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I plan on having a fantastic day with the kids. Our family is having a get-together at my Gram's farmhouse so I will be able to celebrate Mother's Day with my mother and also my Grandma. It will be a great day - hopefully the weather will clear up for it... it's been raining cats and dogs most of today here.

I was hoping that we would have Meg join our family before Mother's Day 2009 but I feel so blessed to know she will be part of our everyday very soon - we cannot wait. I am so lucky to know she will soon be with us and I am so lucky to have Keaton and Chloe too. Being a mother is hard at times but it is the most 'bestest' thing in my life. I love my children very much and they bring me so much joy. I am so thankful for the priviledge of being a MOM.

Shaune asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day and initially I said nothing... I have all I want except Meg and that will happen very soon I hope. But, I went on Etsy today and decided to treat myself to this sweet little necklace pendant = a map charm showing Vung Tau (Meg's birthplace) and Ho Chi Minh City... where we will become a family for the first 3 weeks we are together! I love it... it is simple and small and a big part of my heart will always be in Meg's birth country - so it is the perfect gift for Mother's Day.

My good friend Tara

2009-05-09T19:18:00.003-04:00

She has been such a support to me and now I finally get to scream and hollar: CONGRATULATIONS!

My friend, Tara lives in New Brunswick but we are old time friends who met at Camp Quin-mo-lac way back when we were teens - or was it pre teens?
She lived in Guelph and I lived in Belleville area, so we only saw eachother a couple times a year... but still our friendship was always there.

Tara is such a strong amazing person and a true inspiration for many reasons I will not get into. Trust me when I say the world needs more people like Tara.

I am so happy that on THIS mother's day she will begin the process of welcoming her new 11 year old daughter home. I am beyond excited for the journey she is on and how quickly things finally came together... when the time was just right for Isabelle to forever make her way into the Morin's hearts.

I am so excited that Noah will have a sister to love and fight with (ha!) - if he needs any advice on this matter... he can call and talk to Keaton on the phone on the best ways to bug a sister!

Love you Tara and I hope I will be able to meet Isabelle this summer if you make your way home from New Brunswick to Guelph to visit family.

Congratulations!

2009-05-09T12:43:00.002-04:00

...several of my friends in the adoption community have big things they are celebrating this past week. It has been exciting and a nice way to keep our minds off the wait.

Julia and Danny recieved their referral for a beautiful baby girl that is a little over a month younger than Meg. She is adorable, her name will be Molly and I am so happy for this family! I see play dates in the near future!

Christine from our agency, and her husband Sebastian also recieved a referral for a sweet little boy in HCMC. I hope I will be able to visit him when we are over with Meg!

Kim and her husband from Ottawa travelled last week for their twin girls and are in Hanoi right now enjoying family life ...busy life I imagine with two little babies - they are so sweet and I'm enjoying following along on their travels.

Ellie, who I've gotten to know a bit from the waiting mom dinners we all attend in Toronto - she finally has her sweet Macy who I think is almost 10 months old. What a cutie and I can see from her blog... already the apple of her mom's eye!

Nicole and Brian received their referral about 4 days before we got Meg's. They are in Hanoi and awaiting their adoption ceremony. I hope it can be scheduled soon so they can all be together. They've visited him and their blog makes me so excited for when we will finally be at that stage.

Dominique and her husband finally travelled to their son, Alexandre. They endured a long wait between referral and travel and I'm so happy they are finally a family of 3. I saw some photos of their sweet union on Facebook. Alexandre is from the same orphanage as Meg = Vung Tau 2.

There are other families in Vietnam right now too. I think our agency had 6-7 families there right now and I know there are at least 4 families from Children's Bridge there as well.

...hopefully we are next!

Update

2009-05-07T16:48:00.002-04:00

Meg is doing well. We spoke to the agency today and she is finally doing good and will be released from the hospital today. This is such a weight off our shoulders... her being sick and in the hospital for so long was very hard to take.

The greatest thing of it all is we got confirmation today that she will go and live with her nanny! She has been described as a very nice and dedicated woman and we were told she has grandchildren and calls Meg her 'granddaughter' in Vietnamese. She clearly is loving her and all this one on one attention Meg will receive is a God send we feel!

The soonest we will travel now is end of May. KILLER! UGH! But we do take a lot of comfort knowing that she has someone who loves her until we are there for her. I feel a very special love for this woman who is caring for our daughter - she has no idea how often I think of her and her situation and thank the heavens that she is there for Meg. I hope I will be able to meet her and express my appreciation to her when we travel.

I hate Mondays

2009-05-04T10:43:00.002-04:00

...the start of another busy week.
...the end of the glorious weekend.
...and bad news from our agency that has me literally in pieces.

Click here.

No news

2009-04-30T15:29:00.002-04:00

...and I slowly go insane.

I can say that this last part of the wait has been the most difficult of all the waiting we've done in the past 2+ years. I know we are in the home stretch and that sometime (I hope) this month... our time to be with Meg will arrive.

What is so hard right now is waiting for the ellusive 'travel date'. Once I know it (even though I guess it could change even after we have it) we can start counting down. Until then it seems like all we are doing is a lot of addition... adding on more and more days to the 'estimated' time of travel. I really thought with Meg so sick that somehow we'd be on a plane by May 1st at the latest. I was wrong. Maybe now we are shooting for mid May at the earliest and late May most likely. UGH UGH UGH.

We are still waiting on another update on Meg. She was probably going to be released from the hospital this week into her nounou's care - but I don't know at this point if that has happened yet. I am assured she is recovering and they will not release her until she is all better. She is in good hands... I just want her to be with me at this point. Soon hopefully!

I decided to make a list today of all the things we 'should try' and get done before we leave. This list includes such things as opening our pool, getting the flower gardens prettied up, cleaning the house top to bottom (boo!), painting Meg's dresser white, applying for Blue Cross for in Vietnam (can't do that til we have an actual travel date), etc etc.... so we do have lots to keep us busy - still, I'd rather drop it all and GO.

Pray for soon please.

Celebrating and counting down to Meg!

2009-04-27T19:36:00.010-04:00

First, we are still hoping we'll have a travel date sometime this week. This morning Puralator dropped off all our paperwork we need to take with us to complete Meg's adoption in Vietnam - exciting!

We had a wonderful weekend. On Friday evening we attending the first (annual I hope) TDH Gala fundraiser. The money raised was going directly to the improvement of Vung Tau 2 - Meg's orphanage. It was a huge success and I saw many familiar faces as well as met a lot of wonderful families... and families in waiting. It was also nice for Shaune to finally meet so many friends I've made over the past 2 yrs. Renny and George were wonderful and hosted us for the night at their place in Toronto. It was a fantastic evening! I didn't take a camera but hopefully I can highjack a few photos from Julia or B?

Saturday we had a party to celebrate Shaune's Nana - who turned 95! Great time!

Sunday was a big day. Our friends put on a baby shower for our family. It was a joyful event and I was overwhelmed with appreciation for the people we have in our lives... so much love and support and excitement was in the air. I cannot wait until Meg can meet all those that attended and sent her love and well wishes. My friend Melissa made a beautiful (and very tasty) celebration cake that was so huge.... and yet still almost all of it disappeared. That is a sign of a great tasting cake! We were showered with wonderful gifts for Meg, including toys and pretty little outfits and so much more. Thank you to all our friends and family that took the time to come and celebrate with us... at long last it is finally happening :)

All photos by my friend Kerri!

4 months old

2009-04-25T17:46:00.002-04:00

New photos here!

2 more weeks maybe

2009-04-23T16:31:00.001-04:00

...maybe being the key word.

I spoke to our agency and it looks like it will be 'early May' at the earliest before we go. That really isn't too far off - I'm just hoping it doesn't keep getting pushed back til we are late May. We are still waiting for the investigation to be done - I guess this is the final step before we can arrange G&R and travel. Everyone send a prayer up that things go smoothly and quickly so we can get to Meg soon.

I would really love an ACTUAL date as I'm a 'count down' type of person ...maybe mid week next week we will have one (I hope!)

Our agency director just got home this morning from her trip to Vietnam. I'm anxious to hear all she found out while there and if she was able to see Meg. She had a very busy schedule but I am hopeful she may of found an hour to go see our sweet girl.

I'm going to call back on Monday or Tuesday of next week and hopefully I'll know more then.

Also: SKYPE... if you have it, let me know how it works. We are signed up under llightfoot @ xplornet . com (remove spaces) - we still need to get webcams for our computer and laptop so we can chat with the kids by video while we are away. The kids think this is 'so cool' of an idea!

Planning

2009-04-21T18:47:00.005-04:00

... got my guide book, time to start thinking about what we 'hope' to do while in Ho Chi Minh City! Ideally I would love to stay in a resort on the South China Sea for 4-5 days during our time in Vietnam but we will have to play that one by ear... depending on the weather, the heat, and mostly our sweet little girl and her health. I've got Mui Ne and Vung Tau resorts bookmarked and ready to read up on more.

Anything in and around HCMC that we shouldn't miss?

Truthfully I am SUCH a wimp in extreme heat and humidity - I know I'll mostly be chilling at the pool and/or standing in front of our air conditioner in our hotel room.

Still no official word on when we will travel. It looks like the first or second week of May at this point - I was hoping for late April but I'm trying to be patient and get our big 'to do before we go' list checked off.

To support Meg's orphanage

2009-04-20T18:32:00.002-04:00

On Friday night we are looking forward to attending a fund-raising Gala in Toronto, put on by my friend Christine and our agency. The event is in support of the children of Vietnam and to raise funds to improve conditions at Meg's orphanage: Vung Tau 2. I am really looking forward to meeting friends for a night out 'on the town' and meeting some 'email buddies' that I've never had the chance to meet in person before.

Shaune has never met any of my friends I've met the past 2 years at the 'waiting mom' dinners I attend bi-monthly and so he is looking forward to meeting people he only knows by their names (or the names of their beautiful children).

For anyone reading that is interested in attending and supporting such a great cause, you can get more info and buy tickets here.

We are going to have a busy weekend. Friday is the Gala, Saturday is a birthday party and Sunday is Meg's BABY SHOWER!!! Each and everything this weekend will be a celebration.

All things Baby!

2009-04-18T20:37:00.002-04:00

There is a different shift in moods around here. Since hearing that travel is coming in the next few weeks we have been bustling around preparing our travel needs & getting the house as organized as possible for Meg's arrival.

A friend, Melanie was so generous and gave us a lot of her baby items that she no longer needed... including an infant seat, baby swing, lots of teeny tiny clothes, a bassinet, etc!!! We are so lucky. My sister in law Sarah also showered us with lots of great goodies for Meg - our girl is spoiled already! Thanks to Mike & Sheri - my couz and his wife for an adorable outfit (including some cool shades) that they prepared for Meggie!

Thank you also to my cousin Sheri who generously donated to Meg's orphanage!! You are wonderful!

So, tonight I'm washing and folding and hanging baby clothes! Preparing, nesting... whatever you might call it. I can go anytime now.... I just need a firm travel date so we can book our hotel and flights!!!

Exciting for sure.

Better today

2009-04-16T10:12:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Hard at times

2009-04-15T10:30:00.001-04:00

Click here.

Flying

2009-04-09T22:46:00.002-04:00

What airline did you fly with to Vietnam? Where was your connections? Would you recommend the airline? Anyone we should avoid?

For my Canadian readers: does Air Can*da suck or is it a decent flight?

I have been checking on flights a bit and it appears each of our flights could cost anywhere between $1700-$2300/each. Let's hope we find a seat sale or something. I think we will have our adoption agency book for us as this seems to be the easiest and then they are able to make the changes for us if we get lucky and can return home a bit earlier than the 3 wks planned stay. Don't get me wrong, I cannot wait to travel and see south Vietnam... but I will want to get home to see our kids as soon as possible... that I know for sure.

Not booking tickets yet - just dreaming of doing it soon! Gotta do my research, ya know. :)

Cuteness

2009-04-09T17:51:00.005-04:00

I've been madly searching for simple little summer outfits for Meg, romper style clothes that are one-piece and super easy and comfy for her to wear. Today, I bumped in to this cutie pie seahorse romper at Old N@vy - cheap and cute... gotta like that!

It is starting to hit me that we could be leaving for Vietnam in 3-5 wks time (please no longer than that!) and I have VERY little prepared for her. I think you just get more relaxed with each child and I've been 'around the block' 2x before and am hoping I remember how to do it all. I know that what we actually "need" is much less than all the things we as new parents (again) want for our girl. So, the crib has yet to be set up because we know she will be in our bed for the first weeks home. Then if she is still very small, we will use a bassinet maybe - it all depends on how young she may or may not be when she is back home with us.

I have my stroller and am still deciding whether to buy the infant carrier carseat that clicks right into my stroller. She is only 9lbs 7oz so it 's not like she will be out of it a month after she gets home... and it makes shopping with the stroller and getting around in the city so much easier - I will probably cave and buy one.

What else??? Hmmm, well - all her clothes I've purchased have mostly been 6+mo. Well, that aint gonna work so great on a 10 lb little gal. So, I'm starting to buy some things in size 3-6 mo (which she may still be swimming in) and then I will buy her some clothes at the market in Saigon once we get to hold her and figure out what size she'll take. FUN!

So, I wish we had a day to count down to. Having to wait while Meg is sick has been difficult. I worry about her but know they are giving her good care and that her nanny is kind and loving to her. I hope that in the next couple weeks we will get a firm idea on when we will travel. Our agency director is going to Vietnam next week and will probably have a better idea after that. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that Meg will be with us soon.

More thank yous...

2009-04-08T23:00:00.004-04:00

Sarah, Aaron, Adah and Tom-tom... thank you for the special surprise gift box of treats for the kids at the orphanage. We have already got them in our donation suitcase and I know the orphanage will appreciate such great stuff.

Tara, my friend - thank you for your gift to Vietnam's children. We continue to put all monetary donations away for when we travel and trust me, this will make a big difference = buying things like formula and essentials for the orphanage over in Vietnam is much cheaper than buying it here. I will never forget how supportive you have been to me during this journey. I hope your own journey starts to flourish soon and we can begin celebrating your anticipation of a new child in your family to love!

Kelli - I got your package last week and am sending you a big hug. Scabies med's are so expensive to an orphanage and the tubes you mailed me, along with other helpful things will be much appreciated at Meg's orphanage.

I'm writing thank you's as they come so I don't forget... I'm a forgetful person. I just want everyone to know how wonderful they have been - it means a lot!

Friends

2009-04-07T23:38:00.003-04:00

Time again for my weekly fun entry at I heart faces. Check out this link for all the entries. This week it is 'My friend and I'.

These 2 are besties... and the smiles runneth over whenever they are together. They love eachother - isn't it obvious?

Cloth diapers

2009-04-07T09:54:00.002-04:00

We are going to attempt this. And it is a BIG investment so when I say we are going to attempt this... I really mean "we are stuck doing this whether we like it or not... once the purchase is made". I've looked at lots of cloth diapers and have pretty much 100% decided on the Bum Genius one-size diaper system. Basically it means that these will fit our teeny tiny girl from the time she is home (we aren't attempting cloth diapers during travel to Vietnam)until 'hopefully' she is potty trained. They expand because of a snap system. They are about $24-25 per diaper and I "think" we will buy about 16 in a variety of perty colours :)

So, before I buy these - I'd love to hear from any and all with an opinion... especially anyone using this system.

My biggest concerns are:
1) Is 16 cloth diapers enough if I plan on doing the laundry every 2 days - I'll have some Pampers for back up incase we get sick or have a few off days.
2) Leak proof? Are these really going to be absorbent enough (i can add the 2nd absorbency pad in at bedtime)?
3) Fit: I get how they can expand to fit her for a few years but what about the leg room and fit around the leg openings? Too loose as a baby and too tight as a toddler maybe?

Anyhow, tell me about your experience with cloth diapers (the good, bad and ugly) and any tips too would be helpful.

New photos!

2009-04-06T17:35:00.001-04:00

Click here. I'm feeling giddy to see her sweet face again!

2 years!

2009-04-06T12:46:00.003-04:00

Wow, we've got to the 2 year mark!

2 years ago today, our family took the leap we'd been dreaming of and started on our adoption journey by mailing in our application to our adoption agency. The ball started rolling right away and homestudies and dossier prep followed shortly after.

It is hard to believe it has been 2 yrs already. It has been the hardest thing ever but also so wonderful. Soon, hopefully our new family will all be together and we can start the next exciting chapter in the Lightfoot book of life! I'm so anxious to hear when we may travel and really wish I could just throw open our suitcases and get to the business of packing! Soon I hope! Pray it is soon that we can hold Meg in our arms - we need and love her so!

Celebrating 2 long years where I've learned so much: patience, hope and faith, ... and love above all else. Anything and any amount of time to get me to her is worth it.

Update

2009-04-05T22:26:00.004-04:00

Click here.

Thank you Richelle

2009-04-04T08:53:00.001-04:00

A friend with a heart of gold gave a generous monetary donation for me to take to Vietnam with us and buy formula and food, etc for the kids at Meg's orphanage. I just had to say a big thank you for having such an open and giving heart!

You rock!

Update

2009-04-02T22:33:00.002-04:00

Our Meg is still in the hospital and is recovering but much slower than we had hoped.

Please keep her in your thoughts and send lots of love and healing vibes and prayers her way - it would mean so much if we knew many people were sending her all the healthy and positive energy they can.

This has been very difficult and waiting for her condition to improve has been a true test to my heart - I want to jump on a plane right now and be with her. We love her so and want her back in good health quickly! I hope that somehow she knows there is a family far far away that is yearning like mad to love her endlessly and forever.

OHIP fixes things

2009-04-01T13:22:00.002-04:00

Good news on the OHIP 'hiccup' I posted about last month, that had Ontario families coming home with their adopted children only to find out Ontario was denying the child their medical coverage and insisting on a 3 month waiting period before the child would be eligible.

I (along with many other's that contacted Minister Caplan's office) got an email from Heather Mack this morning with good news that OHIP has fixed their error and all families of internationally adopted children will not have to go through the OHIP denials that some families unfortunately did.

"I am pleased to say that changes made to Regulation 552 are effective as of today - April 1, 2009. The regulation impacts internationally adopted children for both their eligibility for OHIP coverage and their eligibility for an exemption to the 3-month waiting period. These children will now be eligible for OHIP coverage while they are in the process of applying for Canadian citizenship. Once adopted, they will be eligible for OHIP coverage as soon as they arrive in Ontario with their parents - without a three month waiting period."

Thanks to everyone that emailed or called - together we made a difference and helped expedite things so that no other families will have to put their childrens medical care on the back burner while waiting on a 3 month 'waiting period' to pass.

Fun-filled day

2009-03-31T18:17:00.004-04:00

I'm up in Ottawa with Shaune for a little R&R (while he works at a conference) and spent a great today with friends I never get to see.

Kim picked me up at around 10am and we headed to Samantha's place. I've chatted with Samantha many times by email and facebook but never met her in person. She was a great hostess to us and the highlight was of course meeting her beautiful twin boys. She has been home a few weeks and is doing a great job I think! We had a great visit and Michelle eventually popped by with her sweet little girl Aimee. We had a great lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant. It was delicious... and Michelle's firm rolls with peanut sauce looked good also! ;)

Kim was wonderful and drove me around her beautiful city - we stopped at several baby shops and I managed to see many adorable baby items. I bought a Belle Baby Carrier after trying on many different kinds. I like that there was very little fabric involved and that it was organic... and mostly that it was comfortable. It is a front carrier that you can wear the baby out or facing in. I think I will appreciate the lack of bulky fabric and straps in the heat of Vietnam (in rainy season).

Here is a photo of the one I chose... it is very 'unisex' which I'm sure Shaune will appreciate!

Thanks for a great day out girls! Thanks Samantha for the terrific book - we will cherish it! Thank you Michelle for the sweet gift you prepared for Meg - the dress is adorable and I love the little swim floatie! Kim - you were so kind to entertain me and drive me around all day - thanks so much for that.

Peace out... going to grab some tasty foods!

Pout

2009-03-30T07:40:00.006-04:00

This week at I heart faces the theme is 'pout'. I had to dig to find some classic Chloe pouts but I found 3 and then had to decide on my favourite one. This photo is of her a few years back at my brother-in-law's wedding - She was certainly displeased about something.

Click on the photo to see it larger.

...Stuff

2009-03-26T18:26:00.006-04:00

We are hoping to get another update on Meg soon. I'm praying she is getting much better and is possibly even out of the hospital soon. I barely have a moment in the day when she is not on our minds... I don't know how we will possibly wait another 1-2 months to hold her - but we will - whatever it takes.

I went shopping on Tuesday for some baby items and found a cute diaper change pad that is pink with white polka dots. I also got her a sweet little bathing suit (yes, another one) and a plaid sun dress. I'm really trying to hold back and not buy her too many clothes just yet since I should wait closer to travel to see if we can get an idea how big she is getting. Still - how can a mom resist?

We have 'almost' 100% decided on this hotel to stay at while in Vietnam. It is a serviced apartment hotel and looks very nice and is close to the city center where we will need to be from time to time to complete our paperwork to get us all back home. We are considering either the studio apartment or the 1bdrm. The Somerset seems to cater to our agency so we are hoping maybe some other families will be staying there also. It has a beautiful pool that I'm sure we will appreciate in the sweltering heat of Vietnam!

Hmm, what else? Well, I had hoped to get new photos of Meg when Loan (our in country coordinator) went to visit Meg in the hospital but she was unable to get any. She did however report that Meg looked okay and she continues to get better. I am unsure if we'll get any more photos before May when we travel :( I know another woman that is travelling to Meg's orphanage before we go and if we are lucky she might be able to tell us how big she is getting and snap some photos of her.

Thank you Rhonda and Kim and Cari-Anne!

2009-03-24T19:25:00.006-04:00

My good friend Rhonda dropped off 2 big bags full of Platex drop in bottles for little Meg to use and a ton of the liners too... all left over from her youngest.
You have just saved me a ton and I love this type of bottle so will definetly be using them.

Also, my friend Kim gave us a wonderful exersaucer for Meg - it is the little Einstein one and I'm sure Meg will enjoy hours of fun in it!

Last but not least I've been meaning to post a thanks to Cari-Anne who works at Walmart here in our city. She doesn't know me and yet came across my blog and felt compelled to donate to the children in the orphanage. She gathered up some wonderful things that I know will be very appreciated by the orphanage. The generosity of strangers sometimes takes my breath away - one person reaching out to help someone else... just because they can and want to. Cari-Anne, you are a special type of person to do that.

Tonight Shaune and I are going to go over some preliminary travel plans and 'budgeting' for while we are away. I heard from Helene today who said we could travel as soon as the beginning of May but then she reminded me that things can change and not to assume - this is just the earliest guess she had. It would be wonderful to travel in less than 3 months but I'm not holding my breath about it. I'm just planning on keeping busy (ball hockey is starting soon and then soccer for both kids) and trying to stay sane :)

No flash

2009-03-24T13:43:00.009-04:00

Another week for I love Faces and this week the theme is "no flash"... i have a bazillion photos to chose from since I avoid the flash like the plague - but this is the first one that caught my eye so I am going with it for the KIDS SECTION:

...and my cousin Crystal will probably want to kill me but I love this photo of her on our annual Thanksgiving haywagon ride... partaking in a shot of Butterscoth Ripple, so this is my entry for the ADULT SECTION:

Update

2009-03-24T11:13:00.002-04:00

Meg has pneumonia and is in the hospital but our director says she is getting better and they hope she'll be discharged soon. I feel a bit better:
a) knowing why she is there
b) hearing she is getting better

Meg is 3 months old now and I so wish I was there to care for her myself.
We love her and are counting down the days til' she is forever ours.

Worried

2009-03-24T09:03:00.003-04:00

...found out Meg is in the hospital. I do not know why yet and have been waiting several days to hear. I hope our agency will let me know something soon as I'm so worried about her. My heart sunk this morning when I read an email from a friend that is over in Vietnam right now and she said Meg was brought into the hospital. It could be something fairly 'small' but my heart is still racing with concern.

I feel completely helpless and useless - I just want to go there and be with her and make sure she gets all the care she needs. Of course, with up to 2 months left before we can travel that is not going to happen and I feel really sad this morning. I have been so great about this part of the wait but hearing she is sick brings out the momma bear in me and I just want to get there and hold her.

I have no choice but to hope and pray all is going to go well and that her nounou/nanny is loving her and doing the things I would do if I were with her. Hopefully today I can hear what is the matter and I hope it is something small and that she is on the mend.

Please join me in sending healthy and happy vibes for our little one - it's all I can really do from 1/2 way across the world. This wait now 'officially sucks'. Worry, worry, worry!

No photos

2009-03-19T16:51:00.003-04:00

Boo hoo.
The bad news is Monica was unable to get any photos of Meg or even see her because Meg was out seeing the doctor at the time of Monica's visit. I'm so sad - I was so hoping to see her face. I now am worried and wondering what would of had her out for a doctor visit.

The good news was that the reason Monica couldn't stay long at the orphanage is because it is under construction and hopefully getting a clean up (it needs one). Hopefully conditions will begin to improve. This is a photo of her orphanage from yesterday (courtesy of Monica).

Anticipation

2009-03-18T20:47:00.002-04:00

A friend is leaving for the orphanage in 2 hrs. She got to Vietnam a couple days ago and leaves soon to take the 2-3 hr drive to Vung Tau...and to her son. I am so excited for her - but I'm also admittedly excited for us! She is going to give Meg our care package and hopefully get some photos of her so we can see how much she has grown and changed.

Seeing her change through photos is hard but I'm just so excited to get to see her face again soon. I wonder if she has lots more hair. I wonder about how she is eating and if she still has those chubby cheeks and double chin I love. I wonder what her personality is like and I am wondering so many other things too.

Monica said:

If all goes well with my computer you may have pictures of little Meg tomorrow morning when you wake up! We will give her lots of cuddles for her family.

So... keep your fingers crossed that I have new photos to add to her photo album by morning time! Also, I want to wish Monica well and say thank you so much for offering to take Meg our care package. It is so kind of her!

Green

2009-03-16T16:06:00.006-04:00

Jumping on the bandwagon here and giving "I Heart Faces" a shot, for the fun of it. The topic this week is "green" and I instantly thought of this photo I took of Chloe on her 3rd Halloween. It is one of my favourites still.

Click on image to enlarge.

Friday Night and Meg's adoption ceremony outfit (maybe)

2009-03-14T11:39:00.007-04:00

I had a great Friday night. I drove up to Toronto for our bi-monthly waiting mom dinner that we get together with. There were mom's adopting from Vietnam, China, Ethiopia and domestic last night. It was a great evening. I met up with Jules and Catherine in Whitby and we drove the rest of the way to the Yorkdale mall together. I had one objective: buy a really darling outfit for Meg to (hopefully if it isn't too big) wear at her G&R Adoption ceremony - the day she officially is placed in our arms and becomes our daughter in Vietnam.

I spotted the dress on-line right away yesterday so I went in to Baby Gap knowing what I wanted. It is so darling, complete with a little hat and I just need to find some little socks and shoes (or Robeez) to go with it.

This is what I chose - the pink and green combo is so fresh and one of my favourite colour combo's right now:

Thank you Diana!

2009-03-12T19:24:00.003-04:00

My son goes to school with a great kid and this kids mom is pretty great too. She has been so supportive of us during our adoption and so kind.
The day Keaton went to school after we got our referral, Diana and Dalton had spent the night before and made homemade Vietnamese cookies and cut up tropical fruit to take in to Keaton's class... a surprise to Congratulate him on the big news.

That is some kind of special I think! Keaton came home that day feeling so happy and told me all about the cookies they'd made him. I can't say enough about what a great lady she is (and her son is pretty darn great too).

Today Diana showed up at our house with Dalton and he was so excited. Dalton had a big box that he'd prepared and inside the box was all kinds of useful donations for Meg's orphanage and the children there - stuff like toothbrushes and markers and crayons and scabies medication. It was so sweet to see this friend of Keaton's so extremely excited to be GIVING. He said to me "This is for the kids in Vietnam where Meg lives"... Diana is doing such a good thing for the children at the orphanage but I think the lesson she taught her son about the joy in giving to those in need is just great!

Thank you Diana. You are amazing!

Follow up

2009-03-11T10:02:00.003-04:00

A follow up on this Health care for children born outside of Canada 'issue' has now been covered by the Ottawa Citizen and I hear the Globe and Mail is working on a story as well.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Health/Citizenship+rules+block+OHIP+some+children/1375683/story.html

Seems different stories are coming from the Ontario government vs our federal government. I really hope what they say is true and that this mess was just an oversight and things will be corrected soon, for the sake of the children.

Keep sending in your emails and phone calls, they seem to maybe be working!

I love my country, I'm so proud to be a Canadian. I am happy that our voices can be heard and our government is going to do what is best for all the Ontario families affected by this oversight.

OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) denies our adopted children

2009-03-09T20:18:00.006-04:00

A new and alarming policy has begun to be inforced by the Ontario government and I have spent today writing all my members of Parliament and local MPPs to let them know how the decision of our government is and will affect our children, adopted outside of Canada.

Up until a few wks ago, a child adopted internationally was granted OHIP (medical coverage = we pay a lot of taxes for this and other things) upon arrival in Canada. These are children that have went with only the bare minimums in health care usually and have lived most or all of their lives in institutional care - surely they need this health coverage more than most. But... our government in their infitite wisdom has deemed these children as "denied" and we (and other families) will have to sit through a 3 month waiting period before our daughter can get the basic health care that we as Ontario residents pay for.

Do you know what that means for these children... for my daughter. It means even though they are deemed Canadian citizens from day 1 in Canada, they have been declared not worthy of the same health care that children adopted WITHIN Canada are. So... second class citizenship then? It is infuriating and sad. International adoption seems to be taking hits from all sides the past year and this is just one more straw on the camels back.

If this policy is not overturned (and I'm praying with all of us rallying behind it that Government will come to their senses and go back to the way it has always FAIRLY been done), what does this mean for the children - especially the children that have special needs? How many families can afford to pay for health care out of pocket for such simple and routine things as innoculations, testings, etc? And for special needs children - how many families will afford the types of special care that their children will need once home... should and can all these children WAIT 3 months just because our government decided to change a policy without any word or warning to the adoption community at large?

So... fellow Ontario residents - what can be done? If you are friend, family, fellow adoptive family... you can contact your local representatives - as well as others (I will add emails at the bottom of this post) letting them know that this is an unfair decision that affects negatively so many innocent children.

For more information, go to this open yahoo group where the situation is explained much better than I can explain it: CLICK HERE.

Here is the link to your MPPS in your area: CLICK HERE.

...and here are a few other people that helped make the decision that is now affecting so many adoptive families.

1.) David Caplan - the Minister of Health: dcaplan.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

2.) Abid Malik - the Director of Policy for the Minister: Abid.Malik@ontario.ca

3.) Heather Mack - the Chief of Staff for the Minister: Heather.Mack@ontario.ca

4.) Ron Sapsford - the Deputy Minister: Ron.Sapsford@ontario.ca

5.) Ken Deene - Assistant Deputy Minister, Health System Accountability and
Performance Division: ken.deane@ontario.ca

6. Dawn Ogram - Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate and Direct Services: Dawn.Ogram@ontario.ca

and... here is a form letter for anyone interested in writing (change as needed to fit your situation):

Dear _______________,

It has come to my attention that recently several families have been denied OHIP coverage for their newly internationally adopted children, having been told by both ServiceOntario staff and Ministry of Health staff that these children are required to have lived in Ontario for three months prior to obtaining coverage.

This is extremely upsetting to me both as a resident of Ontario and as an adoptive parent. This new policy, implemented January 2009, is clearly discriminatory as it does not provide equal treatment to our adopted children as is provided to their born-in-Ontario counterparts. It is even more confusing that the Ontario government would choose to deny medical coverage to infants and children who have just come from institutional care in developing nations and therefore require immediate medical attention to ensure their well-being, now and in the future.

This matter is urgent as every day, more and more children are being denied health care upon their arrival in Ontario. Ministry staff have quoted Regulation 552 of the Health Insurance Act as the reason for the denial of OHIP coverage, however to my knowledge this regulation has not changed and previous to January 27, 2009 internationally adopted children were able to receive health care immediately upon arriving home to Ontario with their adoptive parents.

Our adopted children deserve to receive fair and equal treatment as compared to children who are born in Ontario. I respectfully request that action be taken immediately to remedy this situation and I look forward to hearing your response on this urgent matter.

Respectfully,
Insert your name and contact details

Donations to the orphanage

2009-03-05T15:18:00.003-05:00

I have not gotten into too much detail about Meg's orphanage but I will say that she is in a very poor orphanage that is suffering from lack of the essentials it needs to love and take care of all the children in it's care.

At a Halloween party we hosted in 2007 we collected 2 large suitcases full of new clothing for the children at the orphanage. I am happy that I'm finally at the point where it is all being folded and packed for our journey. I am so grateful for so many generous friends that participated in the clothing drive.

Now, I am hoping to ask for help again. This orphanage is in dire need of so many things and I want to take as much for the children as I can fit in my 2 extra suitcases. If anyone near or far would like to donate to the children (who range in age from 0-16 yrs of age) of Vung Tau 2, I would greatly appreciate your help.

Things the orphanage needs (to name a few):
Crayons, toothbrushes, medicines for scabies, Tylenol for young babies, stimulating baby toys like link chains that are non fabric (because of scabies), coloring books, mild soaps.

This is something I do not ask of lightly. I know times are tough and the economy SUCKS. It can be something very small and it can add up to things that can make a real difference to the many children in Meg's orphanage that will never find a forever family and who call this orphanage home.

If you have adopted from Vung Tau 2 and would like me to get a message to your child's nanny or an updated photo, please let me know. If you'd like to donate please just email me and I will provide you with more information.

Also... if there are any stampers out there: I have a very (and I mean VERY) large collection of Hero Arts stamps that I will be auctioning off (or email me if you are interested before I ebay them) - I will be donating the proceeds to this orphanage and the proceeds will likely help pay for essentials such as baby formula and food for the children.

My email for either interest is: llightfoot@xplornet.com

For Meg

2009-03-04T23:04:00.003-05:00

I went and picked Meggie up a few things to send with a friend who will be uniting with her son at Vung Tau 2 in the next couple weeks. I decided to steer away from fabric items just because Scabies is in the orphanage and I don't want to make matters worst, especially in her crib.

I decided on this little photo book. I have photos chosen of each of our family to print out and I am going to add the Vietnamese name (ie: Dad is Ba) onto each photo. Hoping Meg's nanny will show her our photos once in a while. I know she is young but what the heck.

We also are sending her a Link set that can hang on her metal crib for something to kick and swat at and stimulate her. The bee's wings click and turn.

I am going to send a disposable camera with flash as well, so maybe the nannies will take some photos of her in the coming months so I have a record of all her changes she will make before we can travel - I think she will cherish having as many infant photos of herself as possible someday.

Care package suggestions

2009-03-03T20:26:00.002-05:00

I have the opportunity to send a little package to Meg and her nou nou (nanny).
I am not sure really what I should send that is practical and that will make her comfortable, etc.

Is a Kooshies wipeable photo album with her families photos in it a little too old of a gift for a 3 month old, maybe her nou nou would hold her and leaf through it with her?

I was thinking of sending an ultra soft plush pink blankie for her to lie on. I know it is hot over there but still, maybe it would be comfy to lay on her crib under her, etc.

At Vung Tau 2 I am not sure if the babies are in the institutional metal cribs that I could send a little crib pully toy for her - anyone know?

I would love other suggestions. If I send her pj's would she get to wear them or would they just go into circulation with all the other orphanage clothing? What would you send for a little girl you already love but can't hold for another 2.5 months?

Another look....

2009-03-02T11:11:00.002-05:00

Click here. Photo of Meggie taken Feb 18th.

So, so so so so happy

2009-02-26T14:50:00.003-05:00

... for a friend who has waited right behind us on the list for her baby girl and finally has seen her face.
Congrats to you (you know who you are) and I cannot wait to share this special time of joy and anticipation with you! I really hope we will travel together.

Friend, she is so beautiful. I'm sure her and Meggie will become great friends, just as I consider you a wonderful friend and support!

Walkin' on sunshine...

2009-02-25T16:08:00.006-05:00

I find myself in a daze most of the time since our proposal of our daughter last week. I am happily enjoying this time and think of Meg often... well almost all the time! She is a part of our everyday chatter around the house and everything we plan now includes her. I also can't leave the house now without wanting to gather and buy the things we are going to need... I guess nesting is trying to set in already - even though we have a few month wait ahead of us still.

We are very happy. Period. Happy and feeling so lucky.

Today I ran into town and bought a cute adoption story book - it is a cute book!

I also got a super cute outfit for her. I can return it if it is too small - it is from Children's Place and so sweet - it was mostly the hat I fell in love with!

I also have 100% decided on the Bum Genius diapers that extend as the baby grows... so these should fit her from whenever we are able to bring her home until potty training. Since it is a big investment I am really happy that it will be a one-time only thing pretty much. My local store sells 12 and the 13th pair is free so I'm going to get them soon.

I have video of us when we opened up Meg's referral photos for the first time. We also video taped the kids when we told them the news and showed them her photos... it is sweet and funny - I will get that all uploaded to share some time soon.

Her name

2009-02-22T11:26:00.001-05:00

...will be Meg Linh Bao Thy Lightfoot

Her Vietnamese name is Bao Thy - pronounced Bow (like how) Thy (likethe letter T)

Linh is a Vietnamese name and honours my husbands mother, who's name is Lynn.

We were told by a Vietnamese family last night that her name means:Precious gem (Bao)and poem (Thy).

I am already calling her Meggie! To Dad and kids she is lil' Meg.

Sweet, Sweet Baby!

2009-02-21T14:52:00.002-05:00

Peek-a-boo!

If you know me and need the password, email me and I'll get it to you asap.
llightfoot@xplornet.com

Oh happy day!

Wow!

2009-02-20T22:11:00.003-05:00

You must read this old blog post below that I posted 2 months ago. A post about a vivid dream I had about my daughter... the first (and only I think) vivid dream of her. Here is a small snipit of my post:

"Do you think dreams mean anything? I dream a lot ... Shaune says if he does dream, he doesn't remember anything when he wakes up.

Last night I had very vivid dreams of being in Vietnam and meeting our daughter for the first time. Our family was there with us (I wish!) and the orphanage was very loud and chaotic. There were tons of people in front of us and a woman was pointing to a little girl and saying "she is right there" and it didn't matter which way I darted, I could not see her. Then there she was and she was beautiful... she smiled and then held on tight to her Nanny.

...Just something I wanted to document - just in case dreams do mean something."

Ok. I'm sharing this with you because I about fainted when I looked back on my blog to this post to see what I was doing on the day our new baby girl was born. December 17, 2009 - the night I put my head to my pillow and dreamt this first startling dream of her was on her first day on earth. I wrote about my dream the next day on Dec. 18th.

Now how freaking cool is that?!