Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Lots has been going on since I last wrote. Christmas is my favorite time of year. It is also my busiest time at work. Non-profits are always thankful for the charitable feeling people have around the holidays.

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving. My family is very close and we get together often. It is always loud and lots of fun. We drove to Arkansas on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to visit my Uncle Bob. My mother's brother and sister from Memphis were also there. Uncle Bob has prostate cancer and is having surgery in December. We really enjoyed our visit. Please remember Uncle Bob in your prayers.

The trip there wasn't so great though. Grace is a champion traveler. She has been on countless flights and long road trips. The drive to Mountain Home, through the Missouri bootheel and north Arkansas, was terrible. The roads are curvy, hilly and mostly two lanes. Poor little Grace got carsick. She threw up four times (once in my face). She was so pitiful and it was so hard to leave her in the carseat. She was fine once we arrived. I got baby Dramamine for the trip home and she did fine.

I am thankful for so many things...my family, my health, my friends. All the things most people treasure. I am also thankful for many small things. I am thankful that:

Grace can help me dress her. It has made life much nicer.

Grace is such a good eater. I can usually find her something to eat wherever we go.

Grace loves books. She is constantly bringing me a book to read and likes to sit by the bookshelf and look through her books.

Grace will be spending her first Christmas at home!! Vietnam was great, but I got really sick of Sandy Beach Danang and that Christmas tree on the second floor.

The Lost Pumpkin Photos

I realized that I hadn't posted our impromptu visit to the pumkin farm. Grace and I were on the way to the mall for a day of shopping with my nieces Kristan and Kayla. On the way to the mall there is this farm called Green Acres; they raise strawberries in the Spring and pumpkins in the fall. We thought it would be fun to take Grace. She had her squeaky shoes on that day and it made a hilarious video. Green Acres is right beside the highway so there is a lot of background noise.

This was originally a comment left on my friend Kelly's blog. Kelly's post seemed to stir people up. I weighed in on the subject a little late. Since I am fairly opinionated, I want to make sure everyone knows how I feel about things. I left this comment on Kelly's blog. Please go back and read her original post. She says some important things very eloquently.

Kelly and I have gone through this journey together. I traveled to Vietnam with she and her husband. We met Lucy and Gracie at the same time. Obviously I also used VORF. I also changed from another agency, one who FORGOT to put me on the list when I recieved my 171. There are many reasons, personal reasons, why a person may switch agencies. I am glad I did. When we had our CIS interview in HCMC the interviewer commented on how ethical and together VORF is.

When we were in Vietnam Kelly and I met families with extremely young infants, families with very sick babies, families who had no idea about physicals or appointments. Agencies provide you with a list of references in your application packet. CONTACT THEM. If you don't get references with contact info MOVE ON and find another agency.

Yes we got quick referrals because it was a new agency. VORF only started facilitating adoptions in Jan 06. Prior to that they were strictly a huminatrian agency working to make things better in Vietnam. However they hired a very experienced facilitator and in country rep. Check out their website to see the fantastic things they do in Vietnam.

I began my journey to Grace in Jan 06 when agencies were just being liscensed. During that entire year, until I held her in my arms, I was terrified that corrupt practices would again close Vietnam adoptions. Remember those families who received referrals just before Vietnam ceased adoptions? I read their blogs as they were slowly receiving travel approval. That wait...it broke my heart. All that heartache because some people didn't want to follow the rules.

Those people completely disregard everyone else when they make unethical decisions. What about the babies that were crowding the orphanages during the period when adoptions halted? There were growing older. People don't request older kids. The orphanages were full. Were all children take care of? Orphanage workers could only do so much and with no adoptions, monetary support for the orphanages must have severely decreased. Less money and more children...a problem caused by selfish people.

In closing, the only story about her abandonment that I have to pass on to Grace is the one that I was told. Is it suspect? Maybe. But that is the history I have to give her. That and little Lucy sleeping in the cradle beside her.

Aunt Rachel's Birthday

My great Aunt Rachel turned ninety and we celebrated with a huge bash in Chicago. I was so excited because I haven't seen her in four years. I used to fly to Chicago a couple of times a year until she moved to Wisconsin. Travel became a little more complicated then.

I have to tell you Aunt Rachel is the most amazing person you could ever imagine. She and her husband moved from TN to Chicago during the Great Depression to find work. Her husband died when she was in her 50s. After that she decided to get her GED. Then she graduated from college. After college she began traveling. Most of her trips were with Elderhostel.

She has stayed on a sheep farm in New Zealand, she was in Poland when Communism fell, she has worked at an excavation site in Mexico. You name it she has done it, she has been everywhere. Except for Vietnam. That is the one place she always wanted to visit and never got to. She was so excited to meet my little angel from Vietnam. There is another reason she was excited. Grace is named after my lovely grandmother who I adored. Gracie and Aunt Rachel were sisters with a very close bond. Here is Gracie from Vietnam meeting her great, great Aunt Rachel. Grace really liked those pretty pearls.


Is she doing yoga?? Cobra pose?? In a dress??


Exercise is done and it's time to get up and socialize some more.


Grace found a great new friend in her cousin Dan. Dan is Aunt Rachel's son and he is the kind of guy that kids always love. Grace was no exception. Dan made her laugh and smile. He also gave her juice. Juice means alot to her.



Grace and her Pappy. He is always there to encourage a funny face.

Happy Halloween

Okay I am running a little behind. We have just gotten home from a long weekend in Chicago. More on that later.

I had a hard day at work on Halloween. Therefore Grace only visited Aunt Becky, Aunt Terri and her grandparents. I figured she will only remember it in pictures. Sadly I did not get the best pictures. She wouldn't stop running so most are blurred. Terri said that she has some great ones so maybe all is not lost. It was very sweet, everyone had bought her favorites. She got raisins, peaches, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, etc. Here is my little fairy.

Gracie the Animal Lover

My daughter loves animals. She always has. They always make her smile and giggle. The other day we were sitting outside and my parents' two cats got into a fight. She thought it was hilarious! I had to hold her back, she wanted to run over to them.

She loves Ellie, our yorkie. She has always loved to watch Ellie run around, she'd just laugh. Now the more mature, more mobile Gracie has begun to chase Ellie. Ellie bolts under the couch or some other out of the way place to hide. Here's Ellie making a quick getaway.



I hate it for poor Ellie, but it is so funny. Not only does she run around after Ellie, she squeals with delight while she does it. She also likes Ellie's things.

I am hoping that the Department of Human Services doesn't show up on my doorstep, but I had to post this. It's happened before and I try to keep the crate shut all the time. However sometimes I slip up and leave it open.

This is Grace in Ellie's crate. I looked up and she had crawled inside. All you could see was her striped butt. Fortunately the camera was on the table
and I was able to capture the moment. Before you are too disgusted, please know that I change Ellie's pillow very frequently.


I have had several people comment about how long her hair has gotten. Isn't that crazy. She was such a little bald baby when I brought her home. Below are a few recent bathtup shots. Look how long her hair is when it's wet. Compare that to the bald baby bathing in the sink in Vietnam.

My Big Girl

Doesn't she look like such a big girl in these pictures? Sometimes I look at her and it amazes me how much she has grown and changed. And jeans always make babies look more grown up.




She looks so calm and serene in this picture.


And then the baby of a million faces emerges...

Miss Personality

What is Miss Personality like these days?

I know this looks strange but this is something Gracie CONSTANTLY does. If you are sitting she will straddle your ankle expecting you to take her for a ride on the "horse." In this photo I was sitting on the couch and she just came up and sat on my foot.

This is Grace with her beloved Leapfrog table. Her new thing is to turn it upside down and just sit on it and rock.

Grace's favorite toy is her Winnie the Pooh car. Here it is standing on end after a crash.
At least she found an inventive use for the piece that fell off.
Her most recent injury.

She Looks Like a Wild One

Like all of us, Grace doesn't look her best in the morning. She kind of looks like a wild little baby. Doesn't she remind you of Mowgli from the Jungle Book? I think it is the hair. However I absolutely adore that wild look. It makes me think of Saturday mornings. That is when we enjoy lazy mornings in our pjs. We have so little time to just hang out, that is why Saturday mornings are so special.




I love this photo. She looks like she is doing the supermodel pose with her cheeks all sucked in.


This is Grace's favorite toy. Aunt Terri gave her this lovely Winnie the Pooh car for her birthday. It features a nice, loud horn and you can push a button and the Pooh song will play. Grace's favorite road trip starts at the sofa and ends at the window looking onto the front yard.


Barrel rolling - Gracie style

One year ago today...

I first saw Grace's face. That evening ended two excruciating weeks of uncertainty. Seriously those were the worst two weeks during the entire adoption process. You see Grace was initially referred when her friend Lucy was referred to Kelly and Justin. However Grace was turned down. She was turned down because the position of her body looked awkward in the photo.

The entire time I was aware of what was going on. I knew about the referral, questions about health, and the turn down of the referral. Normally this would not be the case, however because of internet groups I was painfully aware of what was going on with the baby. I had so many questions in my head. Would this little girl be referred? Would they classify her as special needs just because someone thought the photo was weird? Will I ever know what is going to happen to her? I couldn't get that little girl off of my mind. I must have driven my friend Susan nuts. Every night I would talk to her about this baby. She kept telling me "God knows where your baby is, if this is her they will refer her to you." I knew that was my baby. What was the hold up? Finally, after two long weeks, I found out what was in store for that little baby girl.

I had been to my parent's house to have dinner with my mother. Daddy had gone out to eat with his friends - male bonding. When I got home that evening I noticed there was a message on my machine. It was from my agency and it said "I'm going to try your cell. I'm looking at her pictures. I have to talk to you." I live next door to my parents, so I had walked down there with no purse or phone. Who doesn't have their phone AT ALL TIMES when they are so close to their referral. Me, that's who.

I immediately checked my email. Sure enough Grace's pictures were in my in box. I couldn't open them, the moment was too big. I needed someone else to witness it with me. I called my mother. She came flying out of her house and was at my door in no time. My mother and I opened up the pictures and saw nothing awkward about the beautiful in these pictures. We saw a beautiful baby girl who had a little bow of a mouth and big, pink cheeks. So kissable! Within 30 minutes my house was full of family. We couldn't take our eyes off of baby Grace.

Here are the pictures I first saw of her.

I was right. That was my baby. That baby is Olivia Grace Thao and I love her more each day. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with a daughter who is funny, stubborn, loving, nosy, and all the things that she is. I am thankful for her birth mother who wanted this little baby to have a better life. I am thankful for the woman who turned down the referral. Here is Grace's original referral photo.



This is a picture of Gracie today. Everyone has these great pictures of their baby with the referral picture. It is such a cute idea. Grace would immediately put it in her mouth. I don't know how you all got them to hold the picture and smile sweetly at the camera.



I love you Grace. Happy referral day!

Visiting Family

Yesterday was a big day. My mother's entire family got together to wish my cousin well. He, his wife, and four children are going into the foreign mission field. It will probably be about two and half years before we see them again.

They had already decided to take their two kids and become missionaries. And SURPRISE, Keri was pregnant with twins (and I don't think Paul had told her that twins run in my family). The boys are now five months old and ready to go. Here are Peyton (on the left) and Pierce with big sister Kati and mom.




They are soooooooooooo cute and have very expressive faces just like their cousin Gracie. They are about the same size and weight that Grace was when I was in Vietnam. I can barely remember her being that little. Look at my big girl, passed out from the excitement.




Kati has three brothers and was excited to play with a little girl.




Nanny holding one of the twins.




Do you think Grace is a little jealous? She looks so sad.




We love you Paul and Keri. We'll be praying for you.

More from the wedding...

Here are some more pictures from the wedding. The others didn't let you see Grace's beautiful dress, all you could see was her bib. And, well, I don't have any new pictures. I really hate that she had her bib on in all the candids.

Grace and Nanny


Grace and Sheila

Crystal's Wedding

Isn't my niece stunning? I have never seen her as beautiful as she was on her wedding day. I know that sounds cliche, but it's true. I suppose brides should be the most beautiful on that day. They take all that extra time to groom and get ready.

There was only one person who could rival the bride. Grace. The photographer got the sweetest picture of my brother, the father of the bride, blowing bubbles for his niece. She was captivated.

Grace looked so pretty in her beautiful dress. However her hair was in her eyes all day. We lost her bow somewhere between home and the church.





Out of all the memories I have from Crystal's wedding day, one stands out from the rest. Grace, my sister and I rode with my parents. As we were driving down the road, my seat belt locked. No big deal. Happens all the time, right? As I always do when this happens, I unbuckled the belt and pulled on it to unlock it. When I did this about a foot of my hair was pulled into the seatbelt mechanism. We were about 30 minutes from home and I had to ride holding my head about 2 inches from the seat. Those were the longest 30 minutes of my life! By the time we got home I was screaming for someone to give me scissors. The funny thing is that you couldn't tell where I had cut myself free. And it was a big hunk of hair. I had been growing my hair to donate to Locks of Love. After that ordeal I decided it was time to cut it. The next week I donated a 13 inch pony tail.