Pager Travel Posting #8

Home at last. Details later! 26 Mar 2005/3:22 PM CT

- James

Pager Travel Posting #7

On our plane at LAX and soon to be homeward bound. Ian is still on Taiwan time, so Daddy only got two hours of interupted sleep. I sure hope Mommy is well rested! 26 Mar 2005/5:51 AM PT.

- James

Back in the USA!

I'm writing tonight from the Embassy Suites South at LAX. We survived the 11 hour flight from Taipei in fair shape. Ian was pretty loud and fussy for a couple of the early hours, but then settled in and slept a bit. We're worn out but happy to be most of the way home.

We have a 6 am flight in the morning to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Mobile. We'll be home shortly after 1 pm.

Ian is doing great through the whole ordeal, even after catching the minor cold I took with me to Taiwan (don't worry, I brought it back too!).

I know Heather is anxiously waiting at home, and will probably be at the airport too early tomorrow afternoon.

From LA to L.A....

James

25 Mar 2005/5:07 PM PT

Goodbye to Taiwan

The time has come for us to begin the trek home and say goodbye to Taiwan. Under other circumstances, it would have been wonderful to explore this island nation from north to south, but we came with only one goal that mattered: bringing home Ian!

It's still a few hours until our flight, but we're busy packing and getting ready. We're leaving with so much more than we brought!

I hope to continue at least the pager updates once we get to LA (landing Friday at 2 PM PT).

Thanks again for all your support and prayers!

James

25 Mar 2005/11:30 AM Taiwan Time

Quick Update

Really quick right now as we're waiting for our escort to take us to a local craft market...

Yesterday at AIT went perfect. We should have Ian's visa in hand when our escort arrives momentarily!

After AIT, we visited Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world. It's beautiful, and has a very interesting western-style mall, but mainly very high-end stores. We had lunch there and tried some of the local food. Not too bad! :)

Gotta go!

James

Off to AIT

Ian slept pretty well last night, though he ended up snuggling with me all night. I've never slept on a harder bed, even in the military!

We're getting ready to head out to the American Institute in Taiwan to apply for Ian's visa (I was a teenager before I got my first visa...kids these days!).

Anyway, we're off to breakfast, then AIT, then some shopping and a visit to the tallest building in the world, the Taipei 101 building.

God bless!

James

23 Mar 2005/7:45 AM Taiwan Time

Live from Taipei...

What an incredible journey this has been! I'm writing from my hotel room in Taipei, which thankfully has a free high-speed internet connection. It's still not quite 6 am at home in Mobile, so I've yet to talk to Heather and tell her the wonderful news...Ian is in my arms and he's ours!

We got off the plane this morning at a little after 5 am Taipei time. After immigration and customs, we waited for our escort and headed to Taichung (about 100 miles south of Taipei on the western coast). We waited for an hour at a government office for some paperwork, then visited the foster family's home and picked up Ian. He was napping at the time, but woke up. Still, he was the Ian from all the pictures we've received: a bit serious and stoic. We'll, that was just the nap talking, because once we got him back the agency and had some time playing with him, we saw the giggles and smiles come out. He's still a bit serious at times, but he's finally three-deminsional!

We also had the honor of meeting his birth mother and her father. What an emotional trip it was for us all. The obviously had deep feelings for this little boy, as did the foster mother. We assured them that he will know he has a family in Taiwan that loves him dearly.

It's been a long day and there are many more details I want to write, but other than sleeping on the plane, I've had nothing in a long time. Doing okay, just need the break tonight. I'll write more later and share the following pictures for now.

All my best!

James

Shortly after we first met!


Ian in the home of his foster mother in Taichung.

He doesn't seem wild about hats!


Ian on the car ride back to Taipei (no car seat, but we made it fine).

Ian was sitting on my stomach on the bed and giggling. I asked Barbara to take a brief video of him having so much fun, but he fixated on the camera and hardly moved. Five seconds later, he fell asleep! Just like that!

Pager Travel Posting #6

It's Monday morning at SFO, and we've boarded the EVA flight to Taipei. We'll leave in about 15 minutes. This will likely be my last post before getting Ian. Hope to post more online from hotel, but may not have access. Thanks to all! 21 Mar 2005/12:05 AM PT

- James

Pager Travel Posting #5

We ate here at SFO and managed to get to our gate. I had to check one of my bags due to weight limits being different on international flights. I hope I have clothes when I get there! We take off in about two hours, then land after 12-14 hours. Then we go get Ian! 20 Mar 2005/10:07 PM PT

- James

Pager Travel Posting #4

Just landed in a slightly wet SF! Everything has been on time and now we switch from Delta to EVA after a six hour layover. More before we takeoff for Taipei... 20 Mar 2005/6:40 PM PT

- James

Pager Travel Posting #3

Barbara and I are sitting together on the plane that will take us to SFO. We'll take off soon and be in San Fran in about five hours. Hope this is working! 21 Mar 2005/4:22 PM ET

- James

Pager Travel Posting #2

Just landed in Atlanta and taxiing (sp?) to the gate. Off to San Fran in about an hour! 20 Mar 2005/3:15 PM ET

- James

Pager Travel Posting #1

The trip has begun! I'm sitting on a plane in Mobile and waiting for everyone to board so we can leave for Atlanta. I'll post again from there if I can. Timestamp: 20 Mar 2005/12:52 PM CT

- James

The Road to Taipei

I'm getting ready to shut down my computer and leave for the airport. In just a few short hours, we'll take off from Mobile and being a 30 hour journey across 11 time zones to pick up Ian!

The forms are notarized, fees paid, bags packed and itineraries in hand. Somehow we pulled it all together! I'm not sure I've ever seen Heather as motivated as she was to finish the paperwork and pack Ian's things! While I'm off jet-setting, she can wrap up the finishing touches on his room and around the house.

We're exhausted at this point, and the trip will be a welcome rest, though we know the real adventure begins Tuesday morning when we arrive in Taiwan.

Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. I'll try to update via my pager or laptop (in the airport lounge) if possible while we're in the US. And hopefully I can get online once or twice from Taiwan and do some international posting!

James

Completed Itinerary

Wow! What a day this has been!

Heather called me a little after 1 pm ET with the good news. I could tell something important was up because I haven't heard her that excited in a long time!

I told my boss and co-workers I wouldn't be at work next week, and waited for the call from New Hope, our adoption agency. When they called with news and details, I started making the arrangements. It took more than two hours on the phone with Delta in a crazy attempt to use my 250,000 miles in less than three days for the weekend between spring break and Easter. Not too successful, but I managed to get a duct taped itinerary that had us barely arriving in Taiwan in time, and leaving at the first possible moment, only to spend Easter weekend in LA.

I reserved it, then started looking into other options. One of those options is named Todd Gallinek, a travel agent that specializes in adoption travel and came highly recommended. I can't help but continue to recommend him.

Todd was able to work out a better itinerary, using my points for the domestic flights and paying for the international side. It cost a bit more, but with the upgraded seats, it will be much more comfortable...especially on the way back with Ian.

So we're off to Taiwan Sunday afternoon from Mobile, going through Atlanta (where else?) then San Francisco to Taipei. We'll get to Taipei Tuesday morning, so essentially it's time travel since there won't be a Monday, right? We'll then drive to Taichung, pick up our son and meet his foster family (and maybe his birth mother), and then head back to Taipei for the night. Wednesday we'll have an appointment to get Ian a visa with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Thursday we should get the visa, and then enjoy the city and culture until we leave Friday afternoon.

The plane must have a flux capacitor for the way back to the states too, because we'll leave Taipei Friday afternoon and land in LA (Los Angeles) two hours earlier...? Strange, but true! We'll spend the night in LA, then head back on the first flight Saturday morning, arriving in L.A. (Lower Alabama) Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Heather has been scrambling to get all the paperwork together and bags packed, and her Aunt Barbara scheduled a last minute meeting with the Customs Department in New Orleans to get a last minute passport. She'll have it either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning (just in time!). Once Heather and I have some forms notarized Saturday, we should be about ready!

!!! <-- (Random exclaimation marks since I'm using so many tonight...) I'll wrap this long boring post up with just one more thing... The events surrounding this adoption, especially the last few days, have been directly controlled by the Good Lord. From the two big pay raises since August, Hurricane Ivan's financial windfall, new roof, and freshly painted nursury, my promotion, the paperwork and how everything has simply fallen into perfect order at the last minute; I can't believe that any other explaination makes sense.

Eph. 1:5 -- He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. (NIV)

Under Roman law, I've heard that a man could deny a son of his own blood and sell them into slavery, but if a son was adopted, the legal obligation could never be broken because he had willfully chosen him as a son.

It's sad in the first aspect, but the fact that a chosen son could not be cast off, leads us to better understand God's love for us as adopted sons and daughters through Christ. It is a bond that cannot be broken!

My prayers go out to you all tonight in thanks for your love, support and prayers for us throughout this journey. Please continue to visit often, as I will update you along the way as best my internet connection allows.

God Bless!

James

On Our Way!!!

Just got THE call! We had our Second and Final Ruling yesterday (probably as I was typing my last message...go figure!)!

Now we have to scramble to get to Taiwan!

More later when we have details!

James

Feeling Closer

Hey Everyone,

No major news tonight, just wanted to write a quick note to say hi and express some thoughts (guys have thoughts, not emotions!).

It's been three weeks now since the First Ruling. We could literally hear that the Second Ruling is in at any time, though another couple of weeks would not be surprising. Heather and I have a feeling that it's eminent, but that could come from the fact that there are still several things we need to do to finish getting ready.

There's paperwork to fill out, letters to notarize, fees to pay, bags to pack and travel to arrange (though the arrangements can't really be made until we get the Second Ruling). We're also hoping and praying that the passport office can process Heather's aunt's passport quickly. We've decided it is best for Heather to stay home with Anna while I travel to pick up Ian. So Heather's Aunt Barbara has decided to step in and help out on the trip. But she didn't have a passport, so that's been ordered and expedited, and hopefully we'll have it in two weeks or less. (isn't government efficiency an oxymoron?). I guess we should pray more than hope!

So here I sit, alone in a hotel room in Annapolis, MD on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, waiting for a simple phone call that says we can travel halfway around the world to pick up our son. Isn't life surprising sometimes? God certainly has a path for us!

Check back often (or add it to My Yahoo!) for the latest and greatest news! I hope to publish blog postings and pictures throughout the trip. And if technology won't cooperate, I'll surely post them after the fact! This is the place to go to find out first (or second...you know what I mean!).

Thanks as always,

James

Someone Got a Haircut!

We got some new pictures of Ian today, and all I can say is "Don King no more!"

I had written a blog message last week, but it got eaten by some kind of digital monster because after I hit "publish" it disappeared. I wasn't up for recreating it, so I just decided to go to bed and be done. But the basics were:

• Still tired of waiting, but excited to have the First Ruling
• Just got back from training in Texas for my job (now certified in SAP Portals!)
• Just got back from Disney in Florida (exhausted then, but well rested now that I'm back at work)
• Just started new job in Annapolis and finally received promotion to Manager

So as you can see, it's been busy and eventful!

Last week we wired $10,000 to Taiwan to pay for the biggest single chunk of the adoption. It was nice having that money in savings, even if it was mostly from a credit card! Only a few thousand left to pay, plus travel costs. Overall, it should come in right around $25,000 (but it is so worth it!). Company benefits and tax credits will cut the cost in half. If anyone is considering adoption, please don't let the costs stop you. There are ways to make it happen if you pray hard and have it in your heart to adopt. Just don't quit before you get started.

We're starting to gear up our travel plans...more on that later.

Thanks for your continued support and prayers!

James (and Heather and Anna and Ian)