7 months old today!

Today Emma is 7 months old. How I wish I were with her!

This time between the referral and waiting for final travel approval to come from the Chinese government has been the longest and hardest of the entire process. I see that beautiful girls picture everyday and just ache to hold her and love her. I pray that they take good care of her at the orphanage and that she is healthy and happy. I know my turn to go to China will come and we will be together...but waiting is soooo hard. I really truly can't stand it.

On October 11, My adoption agency sent back my acceptance letter, stating that I would adopt Emma. Since that time they have been waiting for a final document to issue granting final approval to travel to China for the adoption. Once that document is received then the agency will request a consulate date at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou, China. There the adoption will be finalized and we can come home. Usually the wait inbetween the time that the acceptance letters are mailed back to China and the date of the final approval to travel is about 3 to 4 weeks. Then it will be about 3 weeks after that that I will get on the plane to go. Every day that passes without word means that it could be later and later before I go. I initially thought I would be getting home before Thanksgiving...now I am hoping and praying that I will make it in time to get over jetlag before Christmas. Of course if it gets much later - and into December at all, that may effect my mom and sister's plans to travel with me. Oh, I feel frustrated at this waiting!

Happy Birthday sweet Emma!

Where in the world is...

China is a big country and other than a couple of major cities, many people don't know much about it. You may be curious where Emma is living right now. So here is a map of China, with Jiangxi Province and YiFeng (where Emma's orphanage is) marked. As you look at the map, you can see an island off the coast -- (just east of Jiangxi is Fujian province and across the ocean strait) - that is the beautiful island of Taiwan, where I served my mission!

For reference - Beijing is pretty far up north on the map - just inland from the big bay, and right on the coast in that same general area is Tianjin, where I lived from 1995-1996. Hong Kong is almost directly south of where YiFeng is - just draw a straight line down from YiFeng to the coast and there is Hong Kong and Macao.

Chinese 101

Here are the Chinese characters Lu Mai which make up Emma's middle name. Her full Chinese name is Zhuang Lu Mai but I will not keep the surname Zhuang as part of her name. The surname is the same for all the babies in the YiFeng Social Welfare Institute.

The character on the top is "Lu" it means road or journey. It is made up of the character for 'foot' (zu) thats the left half of the character and the character for 'each' (ge), so basically feet going separate ways = road or journey= Lu. It is used in words like luxian=route, lushang=on the road, and lujing = path and lutu = journey.

The bottom character is "Mai" and means wheat. The top half of the traditional character is a pictograph of wheat hanging from a wheat plant. The bottom half of the character represents a picture of progressing, I suppose relative to the growth of wheat. Mai is used in the word for oatmeal (maipian) and is a common surname. The most famous "Mai" word? Well I would have to say it is the one found all over China above the golden arches of McDonalds: "MaiDanglau"

Perhaps then she is the Journey of the Staff of Life....

Now Another Wait...

Here is Emma's room, finally pretty much ready. But now we have to wait to go get her. I can't imagine having to wait 8 more weeks to get her in my arms! I want to go to China now! But the agency tells me that I have to wait...at least 3 weeks for travel approval from the Chinese government and then at least 3 weeks more for an appointment with the U.S. consulate....So at least 6 weeks and probably more like 8. AAAAAGH!!! I know I will be busy getting ready, but I want to go now! Grandma and maybe Aunt Jan and Aunt Karen are going to travel with me. Won't that be fun?

EMMA LUMAI BROBERG

After seeing her picture, hearing her Chinese name and mulling it over last night, I finally settled on the name Emma LuMai Broberg. I think it is lovely and very fitting for her.

LuMai is a combination of the first and middle name given to her by the orphanage. I am waiting for the paper work so that I can see the characters and determine the meaning, but I think it sounds beautiful and works perfectly with Emma.

LuMai is pronounced with Lu = "lou" and Mai = is like the possessive "my" - as in My daughter, My joy, My blessing, My future, My love, My Emma.

http://www.babysites.com/sites/broberg

HERE SHE IS!!!!

At about 12:10 this afternoon, the call came that I had a daughter!!! She is living in Yifeng Social Welfare Institute in Jiangxi Province in China. Her name is Zhuang Lu Mai. She was born on March 27, 2005.....only 6 months old!! Wow. I can't express the joy I felt over getting the news. It is a bit surreal. I am a mother and that is my daughter! I am overcome with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for this most choice blessing. She was born on Easter Sunday, exactly one year to the day since my Grandma Buck passed away, and two years to the day since my Uncle Randy passed away. I also thought that perhaps Tess was there, helping to make sure that the right spirit was matched with me. How blessed I am.