Becca's Back

Roosters Anyone?

After the passport photos we headed to one of our favorite hangouts. Lucy doesn't like most servers, but LOVES her Whitney!! Check it out!

Passport Photos

Tonight we took Lucy to get her passport photos taken. I only took my camera because my daughter so does NOT like to perform, and I could only begin to imagine how she would do......
Well, she actually did pretty well!! It took a couple minutes, and we finally we got what we needed!! I am guessing it didn't hurt that we had promised her a new pair of sunglasses that she had spied upon entry to Walgreens if she completed said task. Mission Acomplished!!!

Another play date at COSI

Venting......

First let me say this has nothing to do with our trip....

I am angry. REALLY ANGRY. Many of you know that we had decided a few months ago to adopt again, this time from Taiwan. We chose an agency, we'll just call them Commonwealth, that came HIGHLY recommended by many social workers (not ours however, as she had never worked with them..) and were signed up for the Taiwan program. Long story short, things just didn't seem right. They kept asking for money, we kept sending it. Until they asked a for a huge payment...one that wasn't suppossed to be made for a year or so, closer to the day we received our child. I went to Mark and said something didn't feel right, and asked if he was okay with me stopping this adoption. He agreed. That night I sent them a letter describing all the inconsistencies with what was promised, and with what was reality, and told them we were NOT comfortable moving ahead, and asked for our money back. The first letter in response essentially called me a liar. The second letter promised a refund saying because Taiwan had changed it's laws, and because we could not get what was promised us, they would mail us a check. Give it a few weeks to arrive they said. So we waited, and waited, and waited........
Three weeks ago Monday Commonwealth said they sent out the check. Two weeks go by, and NOTHING. So Monday I e-mail and tell them the check hasn't arrived. They confirm the day it went out, and include the address to which it was sent. Still, hasn't shown up. I e-mail again, and get a response today. ...........seems they are closing. Our adoption money is gone.

I am so angry I am shaking. Please pray for us.

CCAI Travel Group #1168 Reunion: Six Flags

I must state at this point that we are missing 1 family. They are from California, and couldn't make it out here this summer. We all would have loved to see them, especially little "Su Su", now named May, and her big brother Griffen, but understand that it is a really long trip. Phoebe and her family came in from Kanses, and Josh's family from Michigan. We do not believe that the kids really remember each other, but all warmed up pretty quickly. It has been such a joy to see all their smiling faces (well, okay from the other 2 kiddos...not MINE!) and to have them all together again. It has also been wonderful to spend some time with the parents, catching up on all their lives and sharing "war stories". Phoebe's heart surgery was done in China pre-adoption, but Josh and his family had to fly home early from China last year because he was so ill. He had surgery as soon as he came home to the US, and although we all keep in touch throughout the year, it is just better to share some details in person. We hope to continue these reunions every year so that the kiddos have yet another connection to China, and so we as parents, can continue to marvel at these little miracles whose souls are just so resilient! Enjoy the pics, these are just a snippet of our day at Six Flags!

A sneak peak...................

Travel Group Reunion!

We just arrived at our hotel in St. Louis, and are SO EXCITED to meet the rest of our group!! We are the first ones to arrive, and are just dying to see the kiddos now, just over a year later! We will post pics tonight!

A Day at the Mall

Think mommy shops to much? Lucy knows right where to go in Gymboree to find the t.v. and cartoons!! We joined our friends Shannon & Linley, and Karin & Kaylee at the mall to hang out today, catch some deals, and grab some lunch.