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.

Adoption Timeline

Here is the basic timeline for the "main" events along my adoption journey...

March, 2004- Started contacting agencies looking for a single parent "slot" to adopt, and to put my name on various waiting lists, that I am told could take 2-4 years before reaching my name.

July 19, 2004- Attend workshop on domestic adoption. Decide to get started on domestic adoption and continue looking into foreign adoption possibilities.

August 10, 2004- Apply with Vista del Mar for a homestudy. Receive packet of documents to start gathering.

August 11, 2004- fingerprinting appointment for state of California

August , 2004 -Doctor's appointment to check to make sure I don't have TB or other health issues.

August 30, 2004 - first meeting with social worker, she suggests continuing investigation into Chinese adoption but will proceed in with the domestic homestudy plans at the time being. Turn in the first round of many documents. Sends requests for referrences to provide letters of recommendation.

September, 2004 - start contacting agencies again about China adoptions and other international adoption possibilities such as Haiti, Russia, Kazakhstan, et....Every agency I contacted about China told me that I would probably be waiting at least a couple of years before I could proceed.

September 9, 2004 - second meeting with social worker

September 30, 2004 - social worker visists my home

October 1, 2004 -domestic homestudy is completed

October, 2004 - contacted by other agencies about beautiful children available for adoption: 2 boys in Kazakhstan, triplets in Haiti, children in Russia, Ethiopia. Still no confirmation of the "right" place to go. Decide to continue considering China, including "watiting children."

October 15, 2004 - Send for certified birth certificates, which are required for international adoption paperwork

October 27, 2004 - Contact an agency (which I will not name) that tells me I can be on their list and start the process for China and that they will send me the information.

October 28, 2004 - Contaced ASIA of Oregon and put my name on the waiting list. Contacted by ASIA telling me that my name was already on the list (for almost 2 years now) and that I was #6 and would probably be able to start on my paperwork around January, 2005. So now I have two possible agencies.

November 2, 2004 - Contacted by the first agency and told, very nicely, that they would not be able to help me in the adoption process because of my religious beliefs. I am deeply saddened by the lack of understanding towards my beliefs in Jesus Christ. But you know how the saying goes: "when one door closes, another one opens..." because two days later:

November 4, 2004 - Contaced by ASIA - I'm now one spot closer

November 5, 2004 - Now #4!! Wow...moving right along.

November 8, 2004 - Received this message from ASIA - "Now you're number #3! If I get through 1 more person you will be able to apply and get started:-)"

November 15, 2004 - Given approval by ASIA that I could send in my application to get things started!

November 15, 2004 - Submitted application to ASIA

November 17, 2004 - Forwarded copy of domestic homestudy to ASIA

November 24, 2004 - Signed contracts and agreements and submitted to ASIA

November 29, 2004 - ASIA accepts agreement and sends the packet of forms and documents to be completed

December 7, 2004 - Send Letter of Intent, Guardianship Letter, Statement of Current Marital Status, Certificate of Profession and Income and Financial Statement to ASIA for review

December 16, 2004- Fourth appointment with social worker. Submit I-600A (without homestudy) to Los Angeles office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), receive fingerprinting instructions

December 18, 2004 - Fingerprinting appointment for Federal approval

December 20, 2004 - Medical appointment and notarization of medical report

December 21, 2004 - Send Birth Certificate to Idaho Secretary of State for authentication

December 29, 2004 - Send Birth Certificate to U.S. Dept. of State for authentication

January 6, 2005 - Send Guardianship letter to Arizona Sec. of State for authentication

January 13, 2005 - Submit updated homestudy to USCIS for approval; go to Police department to receive notarized police clearance letter; send Birth Certificate to Chinese Embassy for authentication.

January 18, 2005 - Send all documents (so far) to Secretary of State for authentication

February , 2005 - Submit documents (so far) to Chinese Consulate for final authentication

February 7, 2005 - Attempt to pick up documents from Chinese Consulate (L.A. traffic causes me to be 3 minutes late)

February 8, 2005 - Pick up documents from Consulate, fax to ASIA

February 11, 2005 - Pick up 171H approval from USCIS, authenticate at local County office, the Secretary of State office and drop off at Chinese Consulate for final authentication

February 15, 2004 - FedEx final packet of documents to ASIA

February 17, 2005 - Dossier to China

March , 2005 - Received "brown envelope" from US Consulate in Guangzhou China

March 8, 2005 - Logged in to the CCAA system in China

August 10 , 2005 - One year since first submission of application for homestudy!

October 3, 2005 - DATE OF REFERRAL!!