We're Home!!!!

Wow, at times it seemed like we'd never make it, but last night finally arrived. The kids were great on the plane, the plane itself was barely able to takeoff given all the excess baggage we had, but we arrived home, and the kids had a great night. Feeding them was difficult last night and this morning, as they knew they were in a new home and were very occupied with checking out the surroundings, but they now already seem to be at home.
We spent way too many hours at the mall this morning/afternoon. This is an experience I want to do away with. Spending our weekends at the beach seems like much better family time, than weekends at the mall.

When we got home, we arrived to friends awaiting us on our front porch. Kathy and her three adopted kids. Kathy is a single mother and is twice as good as parenting as most couples. She adopted her two oldest kids, Sam and Lina from Vietnam, back in '99. Then her sister, Melody (one of my closest friends) adopted Jack from Cambodia. When Melody passed away due to Cancer five years ago, Kathy assumed custody of Jack. It is so nice having them as friends. Her children will be excellent roll models for our kids. We have other friends here that have adopted children as well from Vietnam, China and Africa. It has been really nice to be able to talk with them as we've gone through this process. At times, it has felt like they were more excited about our kids than we were :)

Here is a photo of (in order of age) Sam, Lina, Jack, Tri and Cai.

Kathy adopted Sam and Lina at the same time, like we have.  Sam was about 9 months old and Lina I think was about 5 months old.  So she really has a sense of what we've been going through.  I can't count the number of times Virginia and I have remarked how lucky we are that we are doing this together and not as a single parent.   

Babysitter While We Pack

We'll we're out of here in a few hours, and still much to pack. Luckily we have a babysitter! Baby Einstein!

Legal Parents at Last

Well the day has finally come! John and Virginia are officially/legally parents. When asked how they felt about this turn of events, Tri and Cai had this to say (note we shot only one video....no retakes, no rehearsals.....what can we say, our kids know how to perform on cue!):



Virginia has a bunch of other stuff written about various "moments" in Vietnam which we will post shortly. But time just flies by. This morning we left at 0630 and got back at 1730. Tomorrow we'll depart at 0700 and again be out all day. Tomorrow we plan to be at the Vietnamese passport office at 0745. We are hoping to get their passports before the end of the day. We also will initiate Canadian citizenship and passport applications. But we don't need these to leave Vietnam.
Most Canadians would need to stay longer to either wait for Canadian passports to return to Canada, or wait for a Canadian visa for the Vietnamese passports. Luckily, Vietnamese citizens do not require a visa to enter Indonesia. So as long as we get their Vietnamese passports by tomorrow evening, we're good to fly home to Jakarta on Saturday!
Then, the Canadian passport process can take longer. Ultimately we'll need them for December, and it will make things much easier if we can get them earlier, so that we can get them permanent stay residence status in Indonesia (Vietnamese are technically only welcome for 30 days in Indonesia).
Off to bed!


What a GREAT DAY!

Life's A Beach!

Boy, did I NEED some adult company. I didn't realize how much until I met Annie and Terry, a Canadian couple from Montreal. They are here in Vietnam with their daughter Mya and now they have a new addition to their family: a wonderful little boy they call Lyam. I liked Annie and Terry as soon as I met them; they both have a great sense of humour and we get along very well. So well, in fact, that we just spent 3 days together at a beach called Mui Ne. It is about 4 hours from Saigon; they were planning on going and they asked me and the kids to come along. And we did! I have to say, however, traveling is just not the same with two babies - we had so much stuff! Above is a picture of Annie with SOME of our stuff! Holy over-packing Batman!

And the beach was lovely - white sand as far as the eye can see, deep blue sky, warm breeze, and did I mention there were ADULTS THERE??? Anyone who is a stay-at-home parent will understand. I absolutely love my children, but it can be pretty challenging (and lonely) being here without friends or family. We spent our days swimming in the pool and our evenings having dinner with Terry, Annie, Lyam and Mya.

As you can see below, Tri (as usual) was the life of the party - dancing on tables and such. Cai, however, had a little too much wine with dinner and passed out in her pram!

We stayed at a hotel/resort called the Seahorse. It is very nice, right on the ocean. But I don't recommend it; the owners were really out for money. I think it is a little over-priced for this part of the world and, get this, when we decided to leave a couple of days early, they were going to charge us for nights we DID NOT stay. What???

Terry and Annie went to the front desk to tell them that we'd be checking out the next day and upon hearing this ridiculous news, Terry called me in my room and told me to come to the office and "raise a fuss". Well, did I!! It was great!!! I laid it on THICK, vented all of my frustrations about being here alone, pulled out the old acting skills and let her rip! It was very cathartic. And, they finally agreed. To tell the truth, I think they were just a little bit afraid of me (and Annie, she is no slouch).

It was fun.
And boy, did I need it.


But, all in all the beach trip was fun. We swam a lot - both Cai and Tri love the water, I am happy to say. The only problem was that Cai was just not feeling well - she had a lingering reaction to her mega-vaccine (she had five in one - we will NEVER do that again). She wouldn't eat and I was worried. I am happy to report, however, that  she is MUCH better now that we are home! Whew!

But then, it might just be like John says: Cai is fussy, she cries a lot, and she is difficult.....hmmmmm.......like mother like daughter? Perhaps.

On another note, Tri now has TWO TEETH!! Hurray for Tri. Sadly, he is really suffering. Poor little boy. It really hurts! And when Tri gets crying, his sister likes to join in (out of sympathy).

And a final word - daddy comes in two more days!!! We can't wait. We love you daddy (John). xo

CALL THE TOOTH FAIRY!

Ladies and Gentlemen (drum roll, please)........................  Tri Franklin Holmes HAS A TOOTH! Okay, so maybe it isn't as exciting to the rest of you, but to those of us with no adults to talk to, it is monumental! I did a major happy dance in Tri's honour! The only sad thing is that his daddy had to hear about it on skype and that he wasn't here to see it. Don't worry, daddy - there are more on their way!

In other news, mommy is very, very tired. So this is going to be a short blog: Cai and mommy were up all night last night. Poor Cai had a horrible reaction to her first vaccine - fever, sore spot and a rash. It was awful and the sweet little thing could not bear to be out of my arms. And so we sat and talked softly all night. She finally fell asleep around 5am, but only for an hour.

The day went a little better and she seemed a lot better before she went to bed - almost our same old sweet, smiling Cai. Here she is having a little cozy play time before bed.

Man, we have wonderful kids!

Out Here On Our Own

Well, we are surviving! It was way more fun with daddy around, but Tri, Cai and I are doing fine. We do our best to get out for walks (when it isn't raining), dance when we can and sing lots and lots of songs. We sure do miss family dance time, though: the whole Holmes clan loves to crank up Sharon, Lois and Bram and dance our faces off! Tri is especially enthusiastic about family dance time - his whole body shakes with excitement and his arms and legs flap and flap....

Today we went to see Dr. Jonathan. He is our FAVOURITE pediatrician. What a wonderful doctor; we wish we could bring him to Jakarta with us. Both Cai and Tri had a check up and I, the over-protective, over-organized, over-anxious mother, had a million questions for him about poop, food, gas and all that good stuff. I will spare you the details. Both children are healthy and happy - and so far I am not doing anything terribly wrong!

Then we had a big outing - the grocery store. Oh, what an exotic life we lead! I went looking for baby food and juice and came back with the cutest little hats for the kids. I am including a picture here - they are the kind that look like a bandana tied at the back. I think Tri, in particular, looks like a real biker! You go, Tri!

Tomorrow, I hope to go and see Terry and Annie - a Canadian couple who have recently arrived in Vietnam and whose Giving and Receiving ceremony will be the same as ours. Let's hope that is soon.

On that front, I had a bit of a melt-down, yesterday. I know, those of you who know me well are SHOCKED that I could be dramatic. I guess it was just one of those days and the pressure of leaving my "real life" behind for 3 months was getting to me. You see, I organized a new program for work and now I am not there to get it set up. So there have been many skype calls to the new staff, in a vane hope to help them feel better about being out there on their own. A lot of that going around. They are lovely women, though and I am sure they are just fine. Still, hard to manage career and mommy-hood and I am not even AT WORK!

I have renewed respect for parents who work full-time and raise happy, healthy children. Hats off to you.

And so, it looks like we have 10 more days until we see daddy - he is coming for a long weekend visit. It is also his birthday, so the kids and I will have some surprises up our sleeves! We can't wait! And then, we he goes back again, it will only be a short while (we hope) until he is back for the ceremony and then to take us home!! Hurray! It will be so wonderful to have our family together again - John is missing so much! Below is a photo of Tri drinking ON HIS OWN for the first time!

WE MISS YOU DADDY!

Tri and Cai were just telling me how much they miss their daddy. It just isn't the same around here without him. Dancing with just mommy isn't quite as exciting and Tri is always looking for his daddy so he can shake all over with excitement.

Cai laughed out loud today. A wonderful, full belly (sort of) laugh. I was so sorry John missed it.





We got some bad news today: it looks like our Giving and Receiving ceremony has been postponed a little longer - again. I am very, very sad to say that it looks like I will be here in Vietnam, without John, for longer than I had hoped. The latest is that the ceremony may be the last week of August. John will come back, then. Boy, I wish it was sooner. We will then have to wait a week for passports before we can go home.

So send your warm thoughts: it is pretty lonely here in Vietnam with no one to talk to. Unless, of course, I can figure out this language!! My plan is to get out every day: to the zoo, to a museum, shopping, whatever. Anything to make the days more fun.

And, for you addicts out there, I will try and keep blogging!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen.....John has left the building!

Well, I am sad to say that John has left Vietnam for Jakarta, leaving behind the three of us to fend for ourselves! We are very sad to see him go and we hope it won't be long before we get word that our Giving and Receiving ceremony will be soon and John can come back to get us! We want to go home!!

We are doing well, though and we have a nanny with us to make life a little easier. She is wonderful. Her name is Tam and she has known Tri a long time: she was his nanny in the hospital before I got here. So we are settling in well.

Now let me tell you about yesterday's adventure!!!

Since it was John's last day in Vietnam, we decided to go to the zoo. "Never mind those rain clouds," I boasted to John, "It will be fine!" Famous last words.

The zoo was great - lots of shady trees to walk under, very pretty, lions and tigers and bears, oh my. The usual. Tri got so excited at the petting-zoo with the goats. It was adorable! When he is excited, his whole body literally shakes. It is a riot. And Cai really seemed to enjoy herself, too. She is really coming along - smiling all the time now. And she can take a soother!! Life is good.

So....to the adventurous part.

I saw the thick, black, ominous clouds first.

And then the crack of thunder.

And then the race to find shelter!

It was CRAZY!! Tropical rains continue to amaze me. They are violent and beautiful all at the same time. We found shelter (thank God) and spent the next 1 1/2 hours feeding the children (gotta love bottles-to-go) and riding out the storm.

We waited.

And waited.

And waited.

No end to the rain. And it was getting dark.

So, we prepared to venture forth. We put both kids (now mercifully sleeping) into one carriage, attached the rain-cover and set out. The water was past-ankle-deep. And wouldn't you know it - NO TAXIS!!! So we went to a nearby hotel (the one I stayed at when I arrived), ate dinner and waited.

We waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Not a taxi to be had.

Well, as you must have guessed, we DID make it home. Eventually. All in all, I think we waited about 4 hours. The kids had their bedtime bottles in the taxi on the way home and flopped into bed. Happily (not) John and I stayed up to pack!

Looking back, I think the last time I suggested we "just go anyway" it poured like mad.

Why do people listen to me?

And so now, we are without daddy. We already miss him.

Hurry back, John! We love you xoxo