Yesterday was a banner day of learning how to send your new baby boy a care package. Simple stuff, right? I received the email from the adoption agency explaining the in's and out's of this. WOW, REALLY! two pages of rules, costs etc? Enough to defeat even the most determined of people! I spent 24 hours digesting the whole thing and researching the costs to ship international to China by most known carriers.....then took a knee at the cost! Ok, this is gonna be expensive BUT a must!
Then.... in swoops the China adoption whisperer, Sonia! So grateful to someone crazy enough to adopt 3...no I did NOT typo that number!....lucky young men from China in one year! NO, NO, NO easy button Cindy, she instructs! by noon I was so elated this can and was made simple and a boys pj care package will be delivered by next week! But that in itself is not rocket science and shouldn't be!
The best part is we were able to send a letter to him with question that will once translated two ways(once to Timmy, since we don't speak a lick of Mandarin, and in return his response to us!) This sounds like boring stuff I'm sure, but all we know of our cutey is.... well not much?. Aside from two year old medical documents and pictures, and three 2 minute video clips on the adoption web site. That's it! Yes....this is truly a leap of faith and I have the beginnings of an ulcer to prove it!
In a nutshell....care package bought, letter included, hoping new pics and a little bit of what Timmy likes in this world by next week! Now what to do to keep myself occupied until next week???
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
BRAKMAN BUNCH IS EXPANDING!!
Let me introduce this cutey! We will name him Timothy Joshua once the adoption is final. He is 4 years old and has been an orphan since about 3 months of age(an estimate of course). He was left on the pavement at the gate of a hospital, most likely because his family knew he was sick and had no way to care for him. He has a serious heart condition and has had surgery once at the age of two. He will probably need another surgery once we finally get him in our arms, but we are optimistic from the advice of a congenital heart surgeon. We have called him Superman thus far due to the extraordinary amount of God's favor upon us. Please catch up by reading some of the older posts by scrolling down!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
What's In A Name?
Megan was hot to give her little brother a name. Well... other than Superman, the most adorable name we have called our little guy since I first laid eyes on his video on the adoption website. We have all put names and their meanings on a list we have been keeping since the kids were told two weeks or so ago. so with 14 names we went about the formula to name our Superman.
The formula was relatively simple:
14 divided by 5 sheets of paper, split into a fraction of 5/14 + three rounds, with the second round divided by the square root of 4.... hang in there we are soooo close.... Finally divide 5 into 1 with a little magic you will end up with......
Timothy Joshua Brakman!
Timothy- Honoring God
Joshua- God rescue's
Brakman- One crazy, competitive, nutty tribe of people!
Oh yes, this was completely random and somewhat amusing the connection to the other "internet dubbed" Superman...Tim Tebow, the Denver Bronco's QB! No one even made the connection until we went final with Superman's name and I pointed out that Superman's real name isn't Tim Tebow, it's of course Tim Brakman! The girls lobbied hard for Samuel, Beau wanted Jude badly and Wes was the one who truly put the combination (first and middle name) together. A collaborative family effort.
Now I have to admit having a picture to look at your child is so much easier than the first three of my kiddo's! Really hard to predict from an ultrasound picture what that future child is actually going to look like! Or worse, if the name chosen for that baby is really going to fit them! Gosh knows, I've been told a few times myself...."you really don't look like a Cindy?" Whatever that means?
In other related news....The in-laws are here for Thanksgiving! The kids were excited to tell their Grandma and Grandpa. Not that I am able to decipher the grandparents reaction. But it wasn't a negative reaction, so we will be happy with what we get right!
We are marching forward, full throttle, into our home study portion of this process. Hoping to get it swiftly done despite the predicted slow down with the holidays. We are so very thankful for all our blessings and hope you and your families are as well! Happy Thanksgiving to all! Well... all two of you anyway, who read this blog or even know about it! ;-}
The formula was relatively simple:
14 divided by 5 sheets of paper, split into a fraction of 5/14 + three rounds, with the second round divided by the square root of 4.... hang in there we are soooo close.... Finally divide 5 into 1 with a little magic you will end up with......
Timothy Joshua Brakman!
Timothy- Honoring God
Joshua- God rescue's
Brakman- One crazy, competitive, nutty tribe of people!
Oh yes, this was completely random and somewhat amusing the connection to the other "internet dubbed" Superman...Tim Tebow, the Denver Bronco's QB! No one even made the connection until we went final with Superman's name and I pointed out that Superman's real name isn't Tim Tebow, it's of course Tim Brakman! The girls lobbied hard for Samuel, Beau wanted Jude badly and Wes was the one who truly put the combination (first and middle name) together. A collaborative family effort.
Now I have to admit having a picture to look at your child is so much easier than the first three of my kiddo's! Really hard to predict from an ultrasound picture what that future child is actually going to look like! Or worse, if the name chosen for that baby is really going to fit them! Gosh knows, I've been told a few times myself...."you really don't look like a Cindy?" Whatever that means?
In other related news....The in-laws are here for Thanksgiving! The kids were excited to tell their Grandma and Grandpa. Not that I am able to decipher the grandparents reaction. But it wasn't a negative reaction, so we will be happy with what we get right!
We are marching forward, full throttle, into our home study portion of this process. Hoping to get it swiftly done despite the predicted slow down with the holidays. We are so very thankful for all our blessings and hope you and your families are as well! Happy Thanksgiving to all! Well... all two of you anyway, who read this blog or even know about it! ;-}
Saturday, November 19, 2011
FANTASTIC NEWS
Novenber 17, 2011 A typical busy day for me. I was also very hopful to possibly get the expert opinion of the great congenital heart defect team at the University of Florida. My dear friend (and contact) was returning to see this team with her son JJ, who himself was just operated on a month ago and is doing fantastic. Pins and needles and just knew THE most important call in my life was going to come during one of my kids four teacher conferences! My best friend Lori texted me the most perfect txt....God knows your busy, the news will come at the perfect time. Yup, she was right of course! Got the call and Sonia and a new friend Lori( a different Lori, confusing I know!) explained everything the great doctor said while reviewing Superman's file. Very treatable, will live life as a normal boy.... was really all i heard, and all that truly mattered!
A wave of relief, excitement and beyond belief awareness this was actually going to happen for REAL washed over the Brakman Tribe! This was all I needed, dont need to ever win the lottery now...although that would be so cool?!!! The kids were finally able to pin their hopes and future dreams for their baby brother for real without a drop of doubt! Paper work completed and labs that were'nt due back until another week, well of course the arrived well ahead of schedule!
LOI and first set of fees paid! Clock begins ticking for a 12-15 month arrival! Catch a flight to go tell my family, just did'nt want them to find out over the phone. They all seemed excited and listened very intently to the entire story. Yes... Dad played logical thinker....He will always be hyper vigilant over his kids and make sure we have thought everything through as thouroughly as possible! Love my parents for making me the obsessive research hound that I am! So now we move on to going public with our most fantastic of news flashes!
A wave of relief, excitement and beyond belief awareness this was actually going to happen for REAL washed over the Brakman Tribe! This was all I needed, dont need to ever win the lottery now...although that would be so cool?!!! The kids were finally able to pin their hopes and future dreams for their baby brother for real without a drop of doubt! Paper work completed and labs that were'nt due back until another week, well of course the arrived well ahead of schedule!
LOI and first set of fees paid! Clock begins ticking for a 12-15 month arrival! Catch a flight to go tell my family, just did'nt want them to find out over the phone. They all seemed excited and listened very intently to the entire story. Yes... Dad played logical thinker....He will always be hyper vigilant over his kids and make sure we have thought everything through as thouroughly as possible! Love my parents for making me the obsessive research hound that I am! So now we move on to going public with our most fantastic of news flashes!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Timeline While Waiting
Well it's time to start this journey. I have been waiting for 12 days and It's been a journey in itself. But I'm getting WAY ahead of myself here, let me back up and start from the beginning in some logical order! For about six years, since standing in line behind a mom of adopted kids waiting to register Wes for kindergarten, I have gone from the opinion of "that is crazy" and not for me to mild curiosity of what are the specifics on "how to adopt". I have looked on-line at different regions of the world and eliminated several due to glaring reason why not to adopt. My heart was being molded, shaped and prodded by God as I stubbornly came up with every reason why not to adopt. Trust me, As a veteran military wife, I had so many convenient easy reasons "why not". I was a pro at NO! But as this career and way of life begins to march closer to the finish line, the nagging question keeps pestering me. If YOU had the power to change one hopeless life and inject love, health, faith and the security each of your own kids feel when wrapped in your arms.....Well? What would you do?
I would not say the answer to that was an immediate, "get on it Cindy"! Quite the contrary. Still months went by, I slowly crunched the numbers, did some research. I of course wondered how in the world was I gonna get my kids and more importantly my husband on board with this idea? I was completely certain I errr We, I mean, were absolutely ideal for this situation. Experienced parents-check, decent job-check, excellent health insurance-check and kids who could use one more sibling to fight with-triple check!
My search settled on special needs kids. As a nurse, it would make good sense I would want to help those overlooked as to risky to adopt. I picked China fore most because of the great need there (1 million orphans in China alone, oh my!) Secondly, because China has the second least complicated process and I'm a newby at this! What I never in a million years expected was to come up empty handed in the first agency I searched! Ok, regroup....agency number two. Nope, nothing! Alright God, seriously?? Next agency please. After surfing around the web site a bit, I then click on the list of waiting children. Lots of kid's in break your heart kinda conditions, then I click on a 4 year old with a heart defect. He seems small in the thumbnail pic, maybe its an old pic? Oh yippee, three video's of him maybe they are current? Insert screeching brakes noise here....Click the start video arrow....I am in instant LOVE! I don't believe in love at first sight, but I am amending my ways! Here is the most adorable, not quick to smile, kinda shy, boy dressed in a Superman shirt complete with cape! Be still my heart!
Now the hard part.... complete fear and worry how to approach the family! I started with Beau, because I knew if he hated the idea, no need to approach Bryce..right? Beau thinks it's a good idea, but firmly states he will NOT be happy if he has to share his room with Wes. Ok, small and really strange reaction? Because I know my very analytical husband, I get a data sheet and presentation ready to launch the next day at lunch. Insert screeching brakes noise again....Um absolutely not the time after he fly's in the house announcing he thinks he should retire this summer. I'm completely caught off guard! I spend the rest of the afternoon crunching, researching and ultimately crying as this idea of mine and just breathed it last breath. It will not be possible once we return to the civilian world.
I trudge through the rest of that day with all our crazy sports, school etc schedules in full assault! I return home after the last kid picked up, and retire to the shower to rinse the heartache of this day of me. One last look at the laptop to say good bye to my Superman whom I so wanted to save. Bryce returns and gets in bed and tells me Beau has filled him in on my plan to save Superman. Now really insert screeching brakes here.... the most unexpected and joyous thing I was certain would not happen....Bryce said "let's adopt him"!!
TIMELINE:
November 1- Ask Beau and prepared presentation for next for Bryce
November 2- Crazy emotional roller coaster called HE SAID YES!!!
November 3- Contact adoption agency and get more info on Superman
November 4- The heart breaking news on how sick his tiny heart is. Talk to great friend who is a Cardiologist.... not good news. Sweet, dear friend agrees to email the experts at Univ. of FL on my behalf to get their expert advice. Superman's medical emailed.
November 5 and 6- Spend weekend sick over all this...pray...pray....pray.
November 7- Sweet dear friend tells me to stop stressing and get to the letter of intent checklist (part 1 of every adoption)! Back on track and full speed ahead with papers, numbers, reality of my already in progress life and moving forward.
November 8-14- Papers, prayer and crickets chirping! Thus far everything has fallen into place, to include the MEGA patience lesson God has Cindy learning right now!
I would not say the answer to that was an immediate, "get on it Cindy"! Quite the contrary. Still months went by, I slowly crunched the numbers, did some research. I of course wondered how in the world was I gonna get my kids and more importantly my husband on board with this idea? I was completely certain I errr We, I mean, were absolutely ideal for this situation. Experienced parents-check, decent job-check, excellent health insurance-check and kids who could use one more sibling to fight with-triple check!
My search settled on special needs kids. As a nurse, it would make good sense I would want to help those overlooked as to risky to adopt. I picked China fore most because of the great need there (1 million orphans in China alone, oh my!) Secondly, because China has the second least complicated process and I'm a newby at this! What I never in a million years expected was to come up empty handed in the first agency I searched! Ok, regroup....agency number two. Nope, nothing! Alright God, seriously?? Next agency please. After surfing around the web site a bit, I then click on the list of waiting children. Lots of kid's in break your heart kinda conditions, then I click on a 4 year old with a heart defect. He seems small in the thumbnail pic, maybe its an old pic? Oh yippee, three video's of him maybe they are current? Insert screeching brakes noise here....Click the start video arrow....I am in instant LOVE! I don't believe in love at first sight, but I am amending my ways! Here is the most adorable, not quick to smile, kinda shy, boy dressed in a Superman shirt complete with cape! Be still my heart!
Now the hard part.... complete fear and worry how to approach the family! I started with Beau, because I knew if he hated the idea, no need to approach Bryce..right? Beau thinks it's a good idea, but firmly states he will NOT be happy if he has to share his room with Wes. Ok, small and really strange reaction? Because I know my very analytical husband, I get a data sheet and presentation ready to launch the next day at lunch. Insert screeching brakes noise again....Um absolutely not the time after he fly's in the house announcing he thinks he should retire this summer. I'm completely caught off guard! I spend the rest of the afternoon crunching, researching and ultimately crying as this idea of mine and just breathed it last breath. It will not be possible once we return to the civilian world.
I trudge through the rest of that day with all our crazy sports, school etc schedules in full assault! I return home after the last kid picked up, and retire to the shower to rinse the heartache of this day of me. One last look at the laptop to say good bye to my Superman whom I so wanted to save. Bryce returns and gets in bed and tells me Beau has filled him in on my plan to save Superman. Now really insert screeching brakes here.... the most unexpected and joyous thing I was certain would not happen....Bryce said "let's adopt him"!!
TIMELINE:
November 1- Ask Beau and prepared presentation for next for Bryce
November 2- Crazy emotional roller coaster called HE SAID YES!!!
November 3- Contact adoption agency and get more info on Superman
November 4- The heart breaking news on how sick his tiny heart is. Talk to great friend who is a Cardiologist.... not good news. Sweet, dear friend agrees to email the experts at Univ. of FL on my behalf to get their expert advice. Superman's medical emailed.
November 5 and 6- Spend weekend sick over all this...pray...pray....pray.
November 7- Sweet dear friend tells me to stop stressing and get to the letter of intent checklist (part 1 of every adoption)! Back on track and full speed ahead with papers, numbers, reality of my already in progress life and moving forward.
November 8-14- Papers, prayer and crickets chirping! Thus far everything has fallen into place, to include the MEGA patience lesson God has Cindy learning right now!
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