Introducing Meizi Joy!

We're in China! You can follow our adventures on our adoption blog: http://redthreadtugging.blogspot.com/

Meizi Joy YunMei. 3.5 years old.
No longer an orphan, but a beloved daughter.

3 little letters, baby!

After 134 days of waiting, we received our LOA!

Shout it from the rooftops!

Wondering what that means? Well, let me tell you: LOA (in crazy adoptive momma talk) translates to "Letter Of Approval". It means that Ch*na has finally accepted/processed/approved our dossier materials and officially granted our family permission to adopt Mayzee!

10-12 weeks, baby. We're coming! Merry Christmas!

Next up: We're waiting for our I800 (immigration) Approval from USCIS, then Visa for Mayzee to enter the US, our Visas, Article 5 verifying that she meets Hague criteria (certifying that the adoption is legal), Travel approval from Ch*na inviting us to come get her, a Consulate Appointment and then we travel to bring her home. (You can see our adoption timeline here)

Unfortunately, our ability to bring our daughter home from a communist orphanage on the other side of the world depends, in part, on the US congress being able to get along with each other (at least sufficiently to keep the government running: Visa applications, etc). We're praying. We have approximately 8 weeks to raise the last of the funds needed to cover orphanage and travel fees. More information is available here if you'd like to be a part of Mayzee's story and help bring her home. :)

My heart is happy. Today we are celebrating God's goodness!

wow.

Today we received a call from our adoption agency.

It was a much anticipated call – we have been waiting for our Letter of Acceptance (referred to as LOA in crazy adoptive momma terminology) from Ch*na for over 90 days granting us official approval to adopt Mayzee. (Average is roughly 50 days, but the wait can be up to 120 days).

It was not the call we had hoped for.

Our dossier (paper baby) was sent to Ch*na (DTC) on 5/20. Shortly thereafter, Ch*na implemented a new computer system. We knew there would be problems, but in my wildest dreams I couldn't have predicted how terribly it would affect us. After our dossier arrived in Ch*na, it was set on a desk during the system upgrade and lost. L.O.S.T. (My blood pressure has risen significantly since we began this adoption)! Our agency resubmitted the digital portion about 6 weeks later and we thought (hoped) all was well. However, after noticing that our dossier had not been making any progress in the system, our agency made several calls to find out what was really going on. Finally today, the main adoption organization in China admitted there had been a mistake. Our dossier (along with 4 others) had been misplaced on someone's desk – so, after being LOST in May, FOUND in June, it was MISPLACED in July and FOUND and LOGGED IN to the system in August (Our LID is 8/13). Instead of being 90+ days into the LOA wait, we were actually 8 days along and starting over on our wait. !@*%!

I was speechless. What do you say to that? Our agency asked Ch*na if our dossier could be processed quickly since it was not a mistake on our end and was told, "No, the dossiers will be processed in the order they are received by LID. Stop calling." wow. Feeling pretty deflated right now. The families we submitted with are preparing to travel next month and we have anywhere from 4-7 months still ahead of us. My momma heart is aching to hold and protect and love this little girl. Perhaps you'll pray with us that they will process our paperwork quickly without further setbacks so we can bring this sweet child home? Mahalo nui loa, my friends. You really are the best.

As Promised

I'm back online once again as promised. I think compiling an international adoption dossier should qualify you for an honorary Masters Degree in... something.

Truly a labor of love that has taken working nearly full-time over the last 6 months to prepare.

We are DTC! Our Dossier arrived in China on Friday at 3:30pm. Problem is, their computer system shut down at the end of day on Thursday while a new system is being integrated. I go back and forth between FREAKING OUT because we missed the deadline, worrying that we won't meet the requirements of the new system, and praying that our paperwork doesn't get stuck under a big pile never to be seen again ... and having overwhelming RELIEF that it is completely out of my hands, putting my faith in God that HE will take care of our dossier, and trusting that HIS timing will be perfect.

Now we wait. We wait for our LID (Log In Date - meaning our dossier has been logged into China's system) and then for our LOA (Letter of Acceptance - giving us permission from the Chinese government to adopt Mayzee). This can take anywhere from 37-120 days after we are logged in. Of course we hope it will come quickly!

From there, we work with U.S. Immigrations again, this time to gain permission specifically to adopt Mayzee, and then after a few other Hague requirements are met, we receive TA- travel approval, Visas, an appointment at the U.S. Consulate in China and then travel to bring her home! We estimate traveling in... September? October? November? Maybe December? There is no knowing how the system shutdown will affect us, or what other snags we will encounter along the way, but we are getting CLOSER!

Closer, People! We are getting CLOSER! This calls for a celebration!

YOU + US = FOREVER

It is amazing to me the love God can plant in your heart for a child you have not yet physically met or held in your arms... but it is there, burning clear and bright.

We love you, Mayzee Joy.

We pray for you. We hope for you. We're making plans for your bright future.  And soon, love, we will come for you. This will be your last birthday without a family.

In less than 6 months you will be home with your forever family, and we can't wait to shower you with love.

Until then, happy happy day meimei.

My heart is full

It would seem that this beautiful red thread

is pulling our hearts to China.

From early on in our marriage, Mark and I have felt drawn to China. We had hopes of traveling there to bring a daughter home while we were living in Oregon, but with Mark in grad school, the timing was just not right.

A few years later, after moving to Hawaii, our Indonesian-Chinese daughter came to us, followed 2 years later by Kalea Kaura, putting all thoughts of China out of my mind.

When Naomi was born we had plans to name her Mayzi after my grandma Maza and call her Mei (pronounced "May") for short. However, when we were with her in the nursery just after her birth, Mark looked at me and said, "You know what her name is, don't you." "Yes," I said, reluctant to let go of the name. It was Naomi. We knew.

Though, somewhere in my heart I've always felt that a little Mayzi would one day come.

I "stumbled upon" the link to this video on facebook and wouldn't have given it a second thought... but then her name called to me... and then her eyes and little nose and hands... and something happened to my heart...

Our red thread journey leads here...  View and fall in love with her!

Living in an orphanage in China is a little 2 year old girl named Mayzee. She was born just days before my Grandma Maza's passing. Mei Mei ("little sister" in Chinese) is 10 months younger than Kalea and has the same strong will and little nose as both of the girls. (I think we're in for quite a ride!) She has been waiting for a family, and from the moment I stumbled upon her photo, I knew in my heart. Maybe I should clarify. My heart beat so intensely that the next day I went in for an EKG! That first night I did not sleep. At all. Suddenly I felt myself being drawn, physically, spiritually, emotionally... to China. To her.

Perhaps the clarity with which the Lord let us know this is right is proportionate to the mountain we must climb to get her home. Adoption is not for the faint of heart - I know that, but what I'm realizing is that international adoption is so far beyond what I imagined! I feel very grateful for the powerful and yet very peaceful answers to prayer we've received to guide us forward!

Mayzee (we can't share her beautiful Chinese name with you online until her adoption is finalized) has a history of seizures and needs to come home as soon as possible to get the care she needs. We would be grateful for your prayers on her behalf. Our daughters' pediatrician is also a pediatric neurologist at the Children's hospital in Honolulu. Go figure. It's amazing how the Lord often sets things in place years before we realize what is happening. I still have no idea how we will pull this together financially, but everything else is falling into place beautifully!

We were selected by the agency out of three families all hoping to adopt Mayzee and our file was pre-approved and "locked to Mayzee" by the CCCWA (China Centre for Children's Welfare and Adoption) this week! We have a long road still ahead of us, but hope to have her home with us in 8-11 months.

Naomi and Kalea are delighted to have a little sister and talk about her constantly! Kalea pulls her photo down from the bookshelf anytime someone comes to the door to show them little Mayzee and tell them all about our red thread story and her soon to be little mei mei. I can't wait for them to be together.

My heart is full on this Thanksgiving day.

so loved

Omi

Four years ago a series of miracles, unlike any I had ever seen, brought this sweetheart - my precious Momi (aka: Omi, Nomi, NaeNae, Na'Omi or NaomiArdyza) across the ocean and into our family.

A series of miracles that changed my heart and changed my life.



Happy Birthday, Omi. You are SO loved.





To her birthparents (grandmas, and those who played a part in this miraculous story), We love you. We are so thankful for YOU.





Hugs and sweet kisses,

Stacey, Mark, Naomi Ardyza, & Kalea

blessed

Among so many other things,
to have the best parents in the world.



They kept Naomi and Kalea for two days while I attended the National FSA (Families Supporting Adoption) conference in Utah and Mark traveled to Texas for a chemistry conference. (106 degrees there today - ick!) I also got to spend time with Angie and Kevin (Kalea's birth parents), and my incredibly dear friend Julie - and that was worth gold.

The girls had a delightful time with their grandmas and grandpas all to themselves!

Thank you. We feel so blessed.

Today

We celebrate being a family.

And feel indescribable gratitude
for your love and courage.

We love you.

For the love of a child

One of the most common questions people ask after hearing about our open adoptions or seeing us with Kalea's birthparents is,

"Is it hard?"
(having their birthparents so involved in our lives)

No.
It has been a blessing... beyond measure.

With the birth of each of our daughters, our family grew... not just by one, but by several people. In both cases, we added grandparents, some aunties and uncles, half-sister, and most importantly, our daughters' incredible birthparents.

You are four of the most courageous, selfless,
strong and loving people we know.
period.
Thank you for choosing life.
Thank you for choosing adoption for your daughters.
We love you.

Thank you to their families and to ours for supporting them
and for standing beside us
as we ALL welcomed these little girls into our family.

The relationship we have with our daughters' birthparents is unlike anything I know to compare... We are a family ... All of us. Perhaps most similar to a brother/sister relationship, but they are her birthparents. Every adoption, the circumstances surrounding them and the relationships are different. In both of our cases, we have been blessed with open adoptions and sweet relationships. Relationships that have brought much joy to our family and we are better people because of them.











We're not 'sharing' a baby, it's not like a divorce with visitation rights, every-other weekend, awkward pass-offs... She's our daughter... We are her parents and they are her sweet birth parents. They love her... which doesn't diminish in any way our love for her, only adds to it. To some this may seem terrifying. "what if... She decides to live with her real mom one day?" "what if her birthparents decide to take her back?" can't. Done deal. Court approved and sealed in the Temple. Not only that, but in talking with our daughters' birthparents and many others like them we've found that these kinds of concerns are the furthest things from their minds. They have made their choice and even though it is painful, they know it is right. They are giving her a beautiful gift. Life. Love. And her family.

As we first approached the idea of adoption, we were... uneasy with the idea of an open adoption. So many "what ifs..." Really it boiled down to fear of something we didn't know or understand. As we began to associate with families who had adopted children and with birthparents who had placed children, our hearts began to change and understand the great love, healing and joy that can come from an open relationship. And by the time Naomi finally came, our hearts were ready...

Ready to expand.

Ready to love.

And really, they are God's daughters. We have stewardship to teach, protect (to our best ability), and love (with all our hearts). HE did a similar thing in sending His only begotten Son to be raised by Mary and Joseph.

Thank you, Father, for entrusting me
with these beautiful little girls.

I will love them forever.

Adoption is all about love.

our journey of adoption

I've always wanted a multiracial family. As long as I can remember. I just have. After several years of marriage and no children, we made plans while living in Oregon to go to China to find our baby. Things didn't come together as we hoped and a few more years passed... until shortly after we moved to Hawaii, Yasmin asked, "How long have you been married?" (7.5 years at the asking) "Oh, have you met Sally?"

And thus began our journey of adoption. A journey that has changed and expanded and brought healing and joy to our hearts.



We set out to bring a little Chinese baby home... but our sweet Indonesian-Chinese-Egyptian baby came to us. To ALL the hands who helped to guide her home, and especially her birthparents and grandma, Thank you. We love you with all our hearts. We witnessed countless miracles, set in place by a loving Father in Heaven that brought her half-way across the world and into our arms. I'd never felt such joy.

I didn't know my heart could love like this. Naomi Ardyza Kalani. My life would be dark without her.

A year and a half passed and we began to feel an urgent need to find our next daughter. We dusted off our adoption paperwork that had been 90% complete and just sitting for the last 9 months and quickly completed and submitted all the remaining files to activate our profile. We prayed and prayed and prayed. We set everything in place and did everything we could to find this child. I would have vivid dreams at night and remember every detail the next morning. My over-active brain would then carefully analyze and over-analyze every possibility that came... it was driving me crazy. And then one day, the Lord spoke very clearly to my mind. "Let your mind be at peace. You cannot at this time understand everything that has been set in motion for this to take place."

And so I did.

And the miracles began to unfold... again.

When we received our first email from Kalea's birthparents, I felt peace. (No over-analyzing or second-guessing myself... simply peace... ok, and a whole lotta excitement!) Little did I know that the week we were quickly completing our paperwork, our daughter's birthmother was discovering she was pregnant and they were beginning their own journey towards adoption.

Making her debut 3 weeks (and 12 hours) early, Kalea Kaura Lucille. Our Filipino-Caucasian belle. Her eyes are filled with light - she is like a bright star in a foggy world.





The bond that I have with my girls is spirit to spirit. Although I did not give birth to them I feel like they have always been a part of me. We were meant to be together - to be a family. Forever.

Looking back, if I could rewind 12 years and start over again... I wouldn't change a thing. Not the timing, the heartache, or anything else about the way our family has been brought together. It is a complete miracle to me. And surely the most transforming miracle in my life.

Close at Heart

You wear one;
I'll wear the other,
And we'll always be
Close at heart.



I love you!

Forever Family

On the day Mark and I were married, we were invited to sit in the beautiful Celestial room of the Salt Lake Temple for a long time together before going into the sealing room to be married. As we sat together, we heard the most beautiful, but strange sound in the temple - a baby crying. My heart was deeply touched by that cry. Across the hallway, a family was being sealed together - a bond strong enough to unite them through the eternities. I did not know at that moment that this would become my greatest desire.

Here we are, 9 years later. Our family was sealed in the Laie Hawaii LDS Temple on November 2, 2007. It was a sweet experience.





































Naomi was delightful. She was so alert and quiet and offered lots of fun smiles for the camera in the afternoon. By the end of the day she was exhausted. There are few things sweeter than having a baby asleep in your arms.

If you would like more information about Temples,
here are a few links...

Purpose of Temples
Frequently Asked Questions about Temples
LDS Temples of the World
Temples and Family History