Hi from Hanoi! After thirty plus hours of travel (we think...calculating is difficult on very little sleep), we have made it, and we are checked into the hotel. The hotel is beautiful, and we are really ready to crash (but in the interest of curing jet lag I am bound and determined to make it to 9pm local time before I fall asleep).
The only hiccup thus far is that they told both us and our travel companions that our giving and receiving ceremonies have been moved from Monday to Tuesday (due to a department meeting on Monday). That is a bit of a bummer, because it means that we will not take custody of Noah until Tuesday. However, we will get to see Noah Monday. They told us that they would take us to the orphanage on Monday for a few hours to play with him! That may actually turn out to be great, because we will get to see more of Hoa Binh and may get more time to see where he lives and talk with his caregivers than we would have if we had had the ceremony on Monday.
Yay!
We have started this blog to keep our friends and family informed about our adoption journey and our eventual travels to Vietnam to unite with our baby!
Nate and Martine
Blog Archive
Right Now In Hanoi...
The Quilt of Squishes Project
We are creating a quilt made of "squishes" (quilt squares and wishes) and known as the 100 good wishes quilt. We are relying upon friends and family to help us get the squishes we need.
Please visit www.quiltofsquishes.blogspot.com to learn more and to check the progress of this project.
Wish Lists for Noah
Vietnam/Adoption Links
- Adopt Vietnam
- Adoption Agreement between U.S. and VN
- Adoption Buzz
- Adoption Etiquette Primer
- Adoption Learning Partners
- Chao Ban Vietnam Adoption Newsletter
- ComeUnity
- Families with Children from Viet Nam
- Iowa Asian Alliance
- Our Adoption Agency
- Pictures of Vietnam
- State Deparment Info Regarding Vietnam Adoption
- U of MN International Adoption Clinic
- Viet World Kitchen
- Vietnam Adoption BlogRoll
- Vietnamese Adoptee Network
Our Adoption Timeline
- A. Sent for Copies of St. Lucia Marriage Certificate (9/13)
- B. Applied to Agency (9/18)
- C. Applied for New Passports (9/22)
- D. Registered for the Vietnam Program (9/25)
- E. Attended Orientation Meeting at Agency (10/4)
- F. Sent in preliminary info and I-600A to the CIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service) (10/4)
- G. Our First Home Study Visit (10/8)
- H. Our Second Home Study Visit (10/17)
- I. Our Marriage Certificate Copies Arrived (10/18)
- J. Martine's Passport came (10/23)
- K. Nate's Passport Came (with incorrect spelling) (10/25)
- L. Nate's Passport sent back for correction (10/27)
- M. Our Last Home Study Visit (10/31)
- N. Nate's Passport Came (correct) (11/1)
- O. We edited a draft of our homestudy (11/28)
- P. Homestudy Signed and Sent to CIS (12/13)
- Q. Fingerprints (1/3)
- R. I-171H Arrived!! (1/12)
- S. Dossier Sent to be Translated (1/25)
- T. Dossier On Its Way to Hanoi! (2/20)
- U. Dossier Reached Hanoi! (2/26)
- V. Recieved and Accepted Referral!! (5/21)
- W. Applied for Visas (6/4)
- X. Visas Arrived! (6/8)
- Y. On 6/29 heard that we will be traveling on 7/5 to Vietnam!!!
- Z. Giving and Receiving Ceremony 7/10
4 comments:
Congratulations on making it to Hanoi!! Sounds like everything is going well - sleep, good hotel, lots of food and seeing Noah on Monday!!! So glad you have been able to post twice already - we are excited about hearing from you often and in great detail!! Is it hot and humid? What about the traffic? Did all your baggage arrive safe and sound? I imagine you will be shopping soon - hope that goes well. We miss you and can't wait for your return with Noah. Love Mom et al
Hey guys. So glad to hear that you made it safely. I was watching my watch trying to figure out where you were at any given time. Not sure I was accurate :)
Good luck with everything and keep on posting. The cats are dying to know what you are up to!!
Nate & Martine,
My name is Dennis.I am Troy's father.My wife (Donna) and i really appreciate your comments and updates on your trip.Tell Troy and Kasey that we love them and hope everything is going well.
Dennis and Donna
CONGRATULATIONS MARTINE & NATE!!! I heard from a fly on the wall (Hint: initials are AD) that you are new parents - CONGRATS!!! I just wanted to congratulate you...Hoping everything is going well and I'm wishing you all my best!!! Safe travels...Sarah (your former neighbor 4 houses down on the left hand side of Shoreway Road)...;)
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