Some Rambling Thoughts

Hola! We have now officially hit week three in PGN. What does that tell you? Pretty much nothing. The wait in PGN is long these days. I am choosing to believe the changes in the internal PGN process, delays and other things within PGN that are causing the slowdown are simply because they want to make the process more uniform and better. There are MANY MANY families ahead of us in the PGN line and they have been waiting a very long time. I will hope and pray that these children all come home soon. As for us, the girls will come home to us when it's their time. Plus the memories they're building in Guatemala will help them as they get older.

Jayden is now in week 2 of KinderCare Summer Adventures Camp. It's similar to her regular Kinderare kindergarten but involves more outside play, water and costumes at least twice a week, and ZERO naps. I'm go with everything except the zero nap part. She's small and busy enough that she needs naps. She was sobbing tonight telling me she wasn't tired but yet could barely stand up or keep her eyes open. Too funny.

Devin called from Russia today. She couldn't talk long but it was good to hear her voice. I've been worried about her overnight train trip to and from Moscow. I've been worrying about train crashes and terrorists. OK, so I'm a Mom. I worry about really stupid things now and then. OK, maybe more than now and then when it comes to my kids.

Work is good but continues to be busy. I think everyone has come to realize or understand that the pace won't likely be decreasing post merger/integration as they thought. I'm not entirely sure why they thought it would. I've been extemely busy now for two years - due diligence, pre-merger, post merger and now as we grow. Personally, I'm having a ball at work, which is the way work should be. We have the most incredible leadership, starting at the top and moving through the organization. I truly feel lucky to work there. And for the record, no one at work knows about this blog so I can be honest here.

My niece Heather and my nephew Chris have both added children to there families in the past few weeks. Our family now welcomes Heather's son Zeke Martin, who had to fight a bit after arriving early, and Chris's daughter Tessa Armstrong. Beautiful babies everywhere!

So there's been a lot of posting about a situation in the China adoption circles involving a family that just traveled to China to meet and finalize the adoption of their daughter. The short story is that after spending 4 days with her, they felt her health was too weak and they were not equipped as a family to deal with the likely unknowns about this child's future. What they say is that did not ask for a special needs child, have another daughter at home who is also adopted from China, and after meeting with health experts, their agency and Chinese officials, a "rematch" was made. The first child was taken into custody by Chinese officials.

There is much speculation about what will happen to this child and whether or not she'll be eligible for adoption in the future. I don't know this family at all. On the surface, it looks like the family made an educated decision for their family and that decision was supported by their agency, medical doctors and Chinese officials. I've read various posts about what horrible people they are for "choosing" to decline the first child. Plus, this is an experienced international adoption family.

Unfortunately, I can't line up with the people who want to lynch this family. Various countries have different processes for "selecting" a child when it come to international adoption. In China, they assign you a child and you can accept/decline from photos after the end of a wait that is likely in excess of a year. When you arrive in China, you meet and finalize the adoption. I have to wonder how many rematches occur quietly that are only heard about in the specific travel groups. (This one got public fast after the family posted the rematch on their blog.) In Guatemala, you get photos, medical information and could even choose to travel down and meet your child before you accept the referral. (Most don't.) Ultimately, I have to line up with parents making a decision that they feel is right for their family and the daughter they have now. I have to HONOR a parent's decision to be honest about what needs they're capable of parenting.

OK, flame away on this one but this is just my opinion.

Well, I'm off. Have a great day!