One Month Home... The Scoop So Far

One month ago today, we flew home from China. As cliche' as it may sound, I can't believe it's been a whole month. So much has happened in this past month, so I figured I'd catch you up on some of it. I guess I'll begin with a synopsis of the medical conditions that Raina is facing.

Raina was born with a defect that is called congenital anal atresia (sometimes termed imperforate anus). During her fetal development, her colon failed to fully descend and connect to the rectum. As a result, she was given a temporary colostomy in her upper abdomen probably within a day or so of her birth. This was done so that an exit could be established for waste. The second stage of the process would be to create an anus (anoplasty), and correctly build her lower intestine to the outside of her body. After healing, the colostomy could then be reversed. None of these subsequent surgeries took place, and she was found abandoned just before her first birthday. Within the orphanage setting, they were not equipped with the resources to help her further. So she still has her colostomy which we care for on a daily basis. Shortly after coming home, a battery of tests were conducted on her (which you can read about in my previous post). The conclusion of some of these test results threw us all for a loop, as we discovered that Raina has quite a bit more wrong on the inside than we were aware of. She was born with a minor heart defect (VSD), which seems (at least for the time being) to be functional... meaning, they would simply like to monitor her every six months to see if any changes take place in her heart that would require something further (like a surgical repair). This was a small victory, and one in which we thank God for. In a total shocker, it was determined that Raina has only one kidney. This information became of extreme importance to us because of the fact that she was originally diagnosed as having a fistula (connection) between her intestine and her bladder. With the possibility of infection and potential damage to her renal system through this fistula, her one kidney must be protected at all costs. Thankfully, the urinalysis has shown that her kidney and her bladder are normal, with no signs of damage at this point. This was again, another bit of great news... it seems that God has protected her precious kidney thus far. We are certainly "hyper-aware" of what we see in her diaper, and we have had a few scares. So, needless to say, we are anxious to have the experts at Cincinnati Children's look into this further. The next thing we learned has to do with Raina's skeletal design. She was born without the lower 3 segments of her sacrum and her coccyx (the bottom of the spinal column and tailbone). This is evident when you look at her body structure. This could become a critical component of her future in many ways. The spinal cord runs the length of the spinal column, with the bottom most part serving the nerves for bladder and bowel control. At this point, it is undetermined how much of these nerve endings are in place for Raina. From an orthopedics standpoint, she may also have future issues with the development of her hips and pelvis as she grows. We were not able to get a very clear analysis of her reproductive system, so there are many question marks surrounding that as well. As the pieces of this puzzle began to fall into place, it became more abundantly clear that Raina has the signs of what is called VACTERL association. In a nutshell, VACTERL is an acronym, not a disease or a syndrome. It is used to describe the types of anomalies (physical birth defects) children may have when they are born. A child with three or more of these specific anomalies in any combination may be recognized as fitting the VACTERL Association. The specific needs of each child who has VACTERL vary from child to child, as well as the severity of the anomalies. Examples of the anomalies that may occur are:

(V) - Vertebrae problems - abnormally formed vertebrae, tethered spinal cord, extra ribs, missing ribs and tailbone, etc.
(A) - Anal anomalies/rectal problems - no anal opening.
(C) - Cardiac problems - minor to massive heart problems.
(T) - Trachea (windpipe) - improper connections between trachea and esophagus.
(E) - Esophagus - part of the esophagus connecting the mouth and stomach is missing.
(R) - Renal (kidney) - abnormal kidney(s).
(L) - Limb - various hand, feet and leg problems, missing bone structures are common.
Excerpt taken from vacterlnetwork.org.

Raina has the V, A, C, and R of the acronym. After shedding our fair share of tears regarding her situation, we have settled on the realization that although this has proven a huge surprise to us, none of this has been unknown to God. He has been aware of her needs all along, and was just waiting to place Raina into our family. We are overjoyed at the fact that this incredible little girl is a part of us now. In a very short time, the Lord has given us renewed perspective. Now, that's not to say, that along with the joy, we will not experience the darkness that is to come also. We are no different than any other family that has a child with special needs. It is a roller coaster that has hills, peaks, dips, turns, spins, loops, corkscrews, and dark tunnels. Yes, it's true... we are not the same family that we were before... but we are much better now that Raina's here. With all the challenges that our futures hold together, we must remain convinced that He will never leave us or forsake us... that He is faithful... that He knows what He is doing... and that He will be glorified through our circumstances. I'm sure that there will be days when it won't be nearly as easy for me to type those words. But He is enough... He HAS to be enough. Our friend, Carol Shrader, (who exemplifies this truth beautifully) has become something of a hero in our eyes - a true inspiration of character and strength. God's blessings are hugely evident in her family's life, and, although it may be from a far away distance, we are thankful for her humble influence on our lives.

Other than that, we have been enjoying getting to know Raina. She is a total delight most of the time. She has begun to settle into somewhat of a decent sleeping pattern. She eats almost everything we give to her. She has started to say some English words (mama, bye-bye, bubbles, banana, baby, eyes, nose, toes, blocks, shoes - just to name a few) and her laugh is downright infectious. She has become a hit everywhere we go - people just can't get enough of her beautiful face. And neither can we...

One Week Already

Well it's been one week home already, and we can hardly believe where the time has gone. A little synopsis: Raina began her time at home here completely messed up with the time change. She thought that bedtime was more like 4am instead of 9pm. This proved extremely challenging to our transition back to homelife since our exhaustion level hit an unprecedented high. Coupled with the time-out-of-whack, was the world's most raging ear infection in her left ear. Turns out, she has a ruptured eardrum, for which we have her on a double antibiotic to heal. Our pediatrician said it's one of the nastiest he's ever seen, which we thought was oh so special. We pray she does not experience any hearing loss from this. She has spent the week getting to know Evan and Colin (she has taken to them both very well). And we've discovered that Raina has one incredible appetite, for which we are thrilled. She is figuring things out in her own time - and considering all the changes she has been through in the previous 3 weeks, we feel she is adjusting extremely well. She has been a wonderful addition to our family, and we still pinch ourselves that she's really here. Friday was her initial pediatrician appointment for a full examination. A plan has been developed to begin her first testing - pelvic and sacral spinal MRI, kidney and bladder ultrasound, EKG and Echocardiogram, and a full urinalysis (which will all be performed next week at the University of Chicago). When the results of these initial tests are in, we will be traveling to Cincinnati Children's Hospital to consult with their Pediatric Colorectal team, as the focus of Raina's surgeries will be performed there. Our pediatrician, as well as Dr. Levitt's team in Cincinnati, have been encouraging to us. We are fully aware of the potential future that Raina faces - the best case and worst case scenarios. Although there are many unknowns regarding her condition, we are moving forward in the confidence that she can and will be helped. I realize that I have not delved into the full details of Raina's condition (which I will attempt to clarify when the official plan is in place). I feel it will be more appropriate to share when I can clearly lay out the steps ahead, without resorting to speculation. Until then, we are simply a happy family of 5 learning to live with each other. Yes, we're tired. Yes, we've been frustrated. But no, we wouldn't change it for the world. Because when you love each other as much as we do... that's just the way it is.

Coming Home

Well, this will be my last blog posting while in China. Tomorrow we will make our final jaunt to Hong Kong, followed by a quick turnaround flight to Chicago. Today we had our appointment at the US Consulate in Guangzhou where we took the oath, and our adoption of Raina was officially recognized by the US Government. Upon landing at O'Hare airport, Raina will be granted her US citizenship, and the process will be complete. There is a sadness in leaving here. We've made friends... lasting relationships. It seems almost surreal that it's ending. All the waiting, all the planning, all the anticipating... it's finally over. When those wheels touch down on Chicago ground, Raina's new life will begin - an American life. Although we have only known her such a short time, she is one of the most incredible people we have ever known. We would give our lives for her, our precious daughter. And there is a whole group of other people whose lives have been changed forever also. The picture above is of our travel group. Every one of the people in this photo have a story to tell. Every one of these little children will touch countless lives when they return to the US. The miracle of adoption reaches far and wide... from the cities of America to the villages of China... the Hand of God at work amongst the people of the world. We say this all the time, but I'll say it again: If you would've told me 5 years ago that I'd be blogging from the other side of the globe with the most beautiful 2 year old little Chinese girl sleeping gently in the bed beside us, I would've told you "You're crazy". But that's what God does - He changes your world. Sometimes it's scary, sometimes it's exhilarating. But it's ALWAYS what's best. So there it is... The Curatolo family... coming home... no longer waiting... for Raina.

More Pictures... What Else?

We have had a lot of free time here in Guangzhou (sometimes it seems like too much), and at this point we are just looking forward to getting back home to the US. The paperwork that was filed with the US Consulate takes a few days to process, so we are in a holding period. We have our appointment before the officials on Wednesday the 4th - where we will be "taking the final oath" regarding our intentions in adoption. Until then, without much to post, (other than another pic of the beautiful White Swan) I figured I'd post the most important thing I could think of... more pictures of Raina.  Enjoy.

The Red Couch

Today was a somewhat slow day with only a little official business to attend to. We had all our US Consulate paperwork to go over, which took some time - but the real event of the day took place this morning. It was time for the famous "Red Couch" photos to be taken here at the White Swan. In the lobby of the hotel, there is a red couch where pictures are taken of all the adopted children. This has become something like a right-of-passage for all families staying here. Traditionally, families dress their children in Chinese clothing, and we just couldn't resist following along with this. Raina looked simply delightful in the little China dress we bought for her. All the children in our travel group took pictures together - all dressed up in their cute China clothes. Completely... adorable.

Guangzhou - The White Swan

After a long day of travel, we made it to Guangzhou - the final leg of our trip. The US Consulate is in the city of Guangzhou, so that makes this the last stop for all American families adopting from China. We landed late, and made it to our hotel - the infamous White Swan. It has been a pleasant reuniting with the families from our travel group. This hotel and area is a hotbed for American adoptive families, so it's a very welcome place. There are families that look like ours absolutely everywhere - it's almost commonplace - VERY refreshing. We have a beautiful view from our room at night. Although we were definitely spoiled by the amazing Lakeside Hotel in Fuzhou, the White Swan is certainly nice. After a quick night's sleep - (too quick), we were up early for Raina's medical exam. This process is basically a formality that all families must go through to receive a doctor's seal-of-approval. Raina received a TB test also, due to the fact that she is over 2 years old. We enjoyed a little shopping this afternoon, followed by a great dinner with the entire travel group. This was a wonderful time of just being together - great conversation, great food, great company. Yep, we are glad to be in Guangzhou. Back to the White Swan, where we enjoyed another evening of cute Raina mischief. Although at times she can test us with just how far her little toddler limits can take her, she is still our dream come true.

Fuzhou Free Day 3

Yep... that's right... free day number 3 here in Fuzhou. This also marks the halfway point of our time here in China. So it's downhill from here. We had only one main excursion today - to the Fuzhou Panda World Museum and Research Center. Panda bears obviously come from China, with the majority of them living in Western China. There are only about 1000 panda bears living in the world today, so the government of China has set up panda research centers in various provinces throughout the country. Seeing the pandas up close was a real treat - they are beautiful creatures. Raina enjoyed watching them as well as what is known as the "lesser" pandas - a smaller raccoon/cat type panda with huge paws. The lesser pandas did a performance show for us that was so cute - we all enjoyed it. After Panda World, we did a little shopping, followed by some lunch. Then back at the hotel, another hysterical discovery: upon seeing a reflection of light on the ceiling from a small mirror, Raina couldn't get enough of it. For some reason, she would try to "blow" out the light like a candle. Watching her puff out her lips and blow sent us in to completely hilarious laughter. She is the cutest thing on earth. We took our daily afternoon walk on the boardwalk outside our hotel, and it was beautiful as usual. Although we have thoroughly enjoyed Fuzhou, we are anxious to get to Guangzhou so we can reunite with our travel group. Being the only caucasian couple with a Chinese child has provided us with some awkward moments. Our guide Isabel (whom we simply adore) informed us that very few adoptions take place out of the Fujian province - only 92 in the year 2008. She told us that many of the Chinese people here do not even know that international adoption exists, so they are puzzled when they see us. Isabel gets asked questions by the people when we are out with her. We've been stared at, pointed at, and talked about. It has made for some uncomfortable moments, but we just press on. As we prepare to leave Fuzhou, we do so with a level of sadness. Leaving here will pull us one step further away from Raina's heritage, the only home she's ever known. We grieve with sorrow for her birthmother. Although we will never know her, we thank God for her bravery - to make, undoubtedly, the most difficult decision of her life - to give up her child for a hope at a brighter future that she could never provide. She does not know that by doing so, she has given us the most precious gift - our beautiful daughter. We are so thankful for Raina's caregivers and her orphanage doctor. We are grateful that they not only took care of her needs, but that they truly cared for her. And most of all, we thank the Lord for His beautiful gift of life displayed in the eyes of Raina... she is our little angel.

Fuzhou Free Day 2

Today was another day of free-time touring. First we visited the memorial home of Lin Zexu (1785-1850), who was a Chinese scholar and official during the Qing Dynasty. He is recognized as a national hero for his stance and fight against the opium trade in Guangzhou at the time. Because of his "high moral ground", he is generally considered a role model for moral government, especially by the Chinese people.  We toured a memorial created for him, and visited a Tea House opened in celebration of his life.  We were treated to a demonstration of the art of tea service in China.  Eloquent hand gestures, sweeping pouring motions, specific tasting techniques, even the posturing of the fingers... all very important to the "right" way to enjoy tea.  Fujian's mountains make it the number one producing province of tea in China... they are serious about tea here.  We then made our way to the West Fuzhou Buddhist Temple, a breathtaking campus of wonder.  Dating back 1200 years, the Buddhist buildings and pagodas are simply beautiful to see.  Serene grounds, quiet and simple walking paths through trees and rivers - contrasted with giant temple structures of bright color.  Although watching the monks and people worshiping left us with a slightly empty feeling, we were amazed at the beauty of the place.  After leaving the temple, we had our guide Isabel do us a huge favor.  We had her order PAPA JOHN'S for us!  We picked it up on the way back to our hotel, and we ate American pepperoni pizza and drank Coke right there in our room.  Pure American food heaven.  Believe me, as far as food goes, we are really looking forward to getting back to the US.  Adventurous in Chinese cuisine... we are not.  Trust me, this ain't Panda Express over here.  We had a good evening together enjoying Raina's personality... she is really the cutest thing on earth.  I got her to explode with giggling by doing the simplest little things, like tossing little finger puppets in the air and letting them land on my head.  Her laughter is one of the most glorious sounds we've ever heard.  So there you have it... Fuzhou free day number 2 in the books.

Fuzhou Free Day 1

After a busy day of paperwork yesterday, we've entered into a period of 3 straight "free days". This morning, our guide Isabel treated us with a visit to a beautiful park located across the lake from our hotel. We had a wonderful walk along the boardwalk with Raina in her stroller. She quickly fell asleep and we enjoyed a great stroll through the park. It was a very nice time outside in absolutely gorgeous weather. All in all, we had a "lazy" day without much going on. Raina has taken to looking out the window of our hotel room. And a new hilarious development... Raina must have her shoes on at all times. Even with her pajamas on, she puts them on. She's not happy when they're off. We also discovered that, although we were told that Raina weighs 27 pounds - well... um... we put her on the scale - she's a whopping 18 pounds. She is the littlest peanut, just wait till you see her. She may just be a Curatolo after all...

She's Officially Ours!

Today was a full day for us. Today was the day that we had to complete the official process of adopting Raina in her province. The Chinese officials granted us legal guardianship for 24 hours (from the time we met her) to make a final decision. This is designed to give the adoptive family and the authorities an opportunity to confirm the match through mutual agreement. We knew that the first stop of our trip today would be the one we were dreading the most, since we would have to again see Raina's caretakers from her orphanage, as they would be required to be at the meeting. So first, we went to the Fuzhou Civil Affairs office (kind of like a little courthouse... emphasis on the "little"... yet very official). There, we signed many documents, placed our thumbprints (Raina's footprint) on their seals, and were interviewed by the higher ranking officer about our reasons for adopting Raina and our intentions of providing for her life from this point on. This was surprisingly a very nerve-racking experience and we felt a lot of cultural pressure entering the interview. We did see her orphanage workers again, and our fears were realized when Raina wanted to go with her Nanny. This was shorter-lived than the day before though. Signed, sealed, delivered... RAINA IS OFFICIALLY OUR DAUGHTER! We took a final picture with the officials, and we headed off to apply for Raina's passport and US Visa. This was a quick visit without much fanfare, and then we were on our way to the Fuzhou Notary Public Office to notarize and get verification that we are who we say we are. Another official interview where we were asked about our intentions in adopting one of China's children. With this, we were off to a good old-fashioned American visit to McDonald's and Wal-Mart. One final cab ride back to the hotel, and then we were in for the surprise of the day... with a little patience, Raina came out of her shell big time. She was drinking from a bottled water, and coughed a little. We laughed and she thought our laughing was funny. This started about a 20 minute episode of "fake" coughing and total giggling. To watch her interact with us this way was simply priceless. We finally got to see her real smiles and hear her glorious little laugh. It was heaven.

We...Have...Raina.

Well, this is the blog posting we've been waiting to share for almost 3 years.  We are in a hotel room in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China.  And sitting in the bed with us is our precious Raina.  She is the most beautiful thing we've ever seen.  This day has been incredible... impossible to put into words that will ever do it justice.  We met her in a hotel meeting room, and it was one of the most memorable moments of our lives.  After taking care of some paperwork, we were back in our hotel room with her, and 3 representatives from her orphanage - the director, her main nanny, and the orphanage doctor.  They were wonderful people.  We spoke to them through our guide, who interpreted for us all.  They presented us with gifts, clothes, shoes, and a photo album they made of her life there.  This orphanage REALLY cared for her, we can tell.  After they left, Raina went through a very difficult - heartbreaking time.  She cried a life-shattering wail that rocked us all.  She is grieving yet another abandonment from the orphanage that is the only life she remembers.  Laura just held her tight for at least an hour as Raina clinged to her.  Her sorrow slowly turned to anger, yet when she wanted "down", and Laura put her down, she reached out her arms for Laura even through her tears.  After awhile, I began to distract her with some toys, and she warmed to the idea of playing.  We ordered room service, and we have now sat in the bed for almost 2 hours.  Raina has eaten crackers, Gerber puffs, dried fruit, fried rice, french fries, and she's drank Apple juice from a sippy cup, and milk from a straw.  She has already exhibited amazing skill at stacking cups, fine detail, - we are simply amazed at her in every way possible.  She is a glorious gift from God, and we are busting at the seams just looking at her.  Glory to God, blessed be His name... Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.  We're looking at one right here.

Hutong, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square

Today we had another long day of touring.  What we saw were some of the most amazing things we've ever seen.  The simplicity of the Hutongs, an area of Beijing that represents the "old" China... the forgotten past.  Where the streets are narrow, and life is quiet - almost peaceful.  Then the stark contrast of the Forbidden City... where extravagance reigns.  The home built for the Emporer, on display - opulent, overkill, almost ridiculous in size and design.  Complete the tour with Tiananmen Square... vast, open, empty space stretching in all directions.  Mao's vision in the tangible world.  The power of the state ruling over the insignificance of the people - Pure China.  All unforgettable... but what lies ahead for us tomorrow will be the most unforgettable moment of our entire trip - our meeting with Raina.  This is a moment we've dreamed of for so long... just in time to shatter Mao's dream.  Raina is not insignificant... we came here from the other side of the world for this one very important girl.  An orphan no longer...

1st Day - The Great Wall

After a fairly decent night's sleep, this morning we toured what is called a "Cloissone" factory, where they manufacture works of art from copper and colored enamel. Witnessing the process was amazing, from the beginnings of the basic materials to the final steps of polishing - a truly beautiful art. We then went to the Great Wall of China. The weather was absolutely beautiful, we couldn't have asked for anything better. We took a cable car up the side of the mountain to an entrance spot where they funnel the tourists. We then climbed some incredibly steep angles and stairs to the highest point. The view was one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen. It was amazing to see the majesty of the mountains peeking through the haze, and to look at the dragon-like wall snaking in both directions as far as the eye can see. Standing there upon this wondrous man-made structure gave me the sense of just how small we are. It's easy to feel insignificant on that wall... the history, the shear magnitude of it... it's quite humbling. We then went to lunch, where we were treated to some... eh, let's just say very interesting "meats". Laura and I weren't feeling that adventurous (shocker), so the rice and chicken did the job just fine. Back to the hotel for a quiet evening, one of the last ones we'll probably have for awhile.

Here We GO!

Tomorrow we will be boarding a plane bound for Beijing. A flight that we sometimes thought would never take place is finally going to happen. A whirlwind of emotions is swirling through our heads. We are exhausted already... all the planning, packing, last minute details... it's all done, and we are ready to go. Saying goodbye to our boys has proved difficult. 17 days is an AWFUL long time to be away from them. We will miss them desperately. But this new chapter of our lives is about to begin, and we want to savor every moment of it. I hope you enjoy the ride with us... now let's get going!

Travel Itinerary

Today we received our official itinerary for our in-China travel. It basically gives a detailed schedule of where we will be, and the things we will be doing on a daily basis. It looks like there's some exciting things for us to see and do, as well as a good amount of down time... just waiting for appointments. In a nutshell, it breaks down like this: We fly out of Chicago on Wednesday, October 21st - landing in Beijing on Thursday, October 22nd. We spend Friday and Saturday touring Beijing (I can't wait for that!). Sunday morning, we fly from Beijing to Fuzhou, the capital of the Fujian province. THAT SAME AFTERNOON, WE WILL BE RECEIVING RAINA! So, October 25th is what is affectionately referred to as "Gotcha Day". Monday the 26th, we have some official adoption appointments. Tuesday is a "free" day for us. Wednesday and Thursday we will be doing some more touring of the Fujian province. Friday the 30th, we will receive our final adoption documents from Raina's province and late that same evening we will take a flight from Fuzhou to Guangzhou. This is where the famous White Swan hotel is, and this is where we will spend the remainder of our time in China, doing all sorts of official adoption things. The schedule takes on a busier form here in Guangzhou. We will have medical appointments, visa appointments, and US consolate appointments every day beginning Saturday, 10/31 thru Thursday, 11/5. We then take our final in-country flight from Guangzhou to Hong Kong sometime after 11pm Thursday night (undoubtedly the toughest flight due to how late it is). We will spend our final night/early Friday morning (11/6) in a beautiful Hong Kong hotel before we prepare for our final 13+hour flight home to Chicago, a mere 11 hours later.
Without question, this will be the MOST demanding travel of our entire lives, with a 2 year old in tow. Pray for Raina, and pray for our endurance. We need to stay healthy... this is very important.

What A SURPRISE!

This past Friday night was a night that I will surely never forget. Under the impression we were going over to some friends' house for dinner, we were greeted at their door along with a screaming chorus of "SURPRISE!!!". Our very dear friends (the Leistra's and the Shelby's) succeeded in throwing us a TOTAL surprise shower for Raina. They had planned this for about a month, secretly registered us at Target, sent out invitations to a huge number of our friends and family, and pulled off what I consider to be one awesome event. We were completely blown away by it... overwhelmed at the love and committment that these loved ones showed toward us and our sweet Raina. It was a joyous time, filled with food, fellowship, and fun. (Not to mention one of the coolest cakes I've ever seen.) The generosity heaped upon us by those so close to us was a great reminder of selfless relationships... giving because you love to give... because you love who you're giving to. A giant THANK YOU to all who were a part of such an amazing night. Raina will someday know just how desperately she is wanted - how incredibly special she is. That night, a good friend told us that she can't wait to meet Raina, because it will be the closest she can come to meeting Jesus on this earth. Her explanation was simple - Matthew 25:37-40 (The Message) - "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."

2 Weeks To Go

Two more weeks... Man, the time is flying. We are reaching the final stages of our preparation. We still feel like we have about a gazillion things to do before we leave, but we're slowly getting there. We're checking things off our list and taking care of details. We've spoken to a few doctors this week about Raina's medical treatment when we return. They are beginning to develop a tentative plan for her initial care which will involve much testing before anything can be officially determined. Our anxiety level is rising as we anticipate going. Lately my new prayer has been that the Lord will grant us His peace through the difficult times that lay ahead. That we will lean on Him, and on Him only. Please pray for our family. Pray for our travel, and for our boys who will remain home while we're gone - 17 days is an excruciatingly long time to be away from them. And pray for Raina... pray for her EVERY time you think of it.

Hope Is Like The Sun...

October 3rd. Three years ago today was a very dark day in our family. A tragic loss. Little did we know that it would set us on a course that would change our future. How could we have known? We couldn't. What sense did it make? None. But funny how God's wisdom shows up in the unexpected. Laura has a little "flip"-type calendar... you know the type. Each day you flip to a new page, and on each new page there's a saying or quote of some sort. Well, on this 3rd day of October - a date that, as the sun rises, brings with it the pangs of sorrow - these are the words that spilled off the page of the calendar as we flipped to today: "Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us." Indeed... what a picture in words. Our God certainly has a way of using the simple things in life, like a little calendar. These words were written by a man named Samuel Smiles. And I hope he doesn't mind if I make the slightest change to his profound thought. Here's mine: "Hope is like the SON, which as we journey toward Him, casts the shadow of our burden behind us." Oh, yes indeed... what a picture in those words.

One Month From Today

Exactly one month from today, we will be boarding a plane for China. Thus will begin the final leg of an exhausting, yet life-fulfilling journey. We have begun to get aquainted with our travel-mates. 4 families from Bethany will be traveling together... One from the Detroit area, one from the St. Louis area, one from nearby northwest Indiana, and us from the Chicago area. We will be meeting together here in Chicago and flying out of O'Hare non-stop to Beijing. The details are falling into place, and the excitement is building now. It's difficult to describe, but I keep getting this picture in my head. There was a day when I gave my life to Jesus Christ, and on that day He called me his child... an orphan no longer. Oh, how we long to say those words to our sweet Raina.

SWI of Putian City

To Melissa, (the one who commented that she is also adopting from the SWI of Putian City) - our Raina is indeed from the same orphanage. If you view my profile, you can click the link to send me an email.

We've Got A DATE!

Yeah, you read it right. Wednesday, October 21st, 2009... we will be flying from Chicago to Beijing, China. The date is set - and we are excited to go! For those of you who have been with us since the beginning of our journey, you know how much this means. To actually have a date somehow makes it so REAL. Just 5 more weeks... and we're outta here. Beautiful Raina, mama & baba are coming...

Test Post For China (w/ Spector Logo)

This is a test posting to see if I can email my posts into Blogger in China, because the site may be blocked. jcuratolo.waitingforraina@blogger.com

Update!!!

We sent a care package to Raina's orphanage last week. We used a service run by a wonderful girl in China named Ann (redthreadchina.com). She put together a little photo album of our family (with pics that I emailed to her) for Raina to have. We also sent a little doll/blanket, and a cute duffle bag for her belongings to bring home when we pick her up. We also asked Ann to try and get any updated information from the orphanage about our little girl. Well, today we received a great email with updated measurements such as: height (33 inches), weight (27.5 lbs), feet size, head & chest size, and how many teeth she has (16 little chompers). Not only are we thrilled with her growth progress, we were also told "She can walk by herself now, she can crawl steps, she can catch water and drink it by herself too!" And... NEW PICTURES! Just as we suspected, since the climate she lives in is similar to Florida, they keep her head buzzed - but we think she is the most adorable thing anyway. Now, we just want to GO, and it shouldn't be too much longer before we know when that will be. Stay glued...

Happy Birthday!

Today is Raina's birthday. She is 2 years old today. I'm not sure if the orphanage will recognize her birthday... (they might not even know it). But today, we will sing Happy Birthday to this beautiful little girl, we will light some candles and we will eat a few cupcakes in celebration of this little milestone in her life. She won't have any idea that on the other side of the earth, a family she doesn't know yet will be thinking of her on this day. (Well... we think of her every day anyway.) And I can promise you, her next birthday... well let's just say- we're sure she'll remember that one.

Raina's Bedroom

Thought I'd post a pic of the progress we've made in Raina's room. We just have a few things left to hang on the walls, but other than that... It's finally done. Gotta always hand it to Laura - her color choices never fail. We think our little girl's gonna like it. This sure is a far cry from the Blue & Yellow of the "Michigan" room... We're proud of it.

Chinese Travel Visa

We went to the Consulate General of the People's Repulic of China in Chicago this morning. We were officially given our Chinese travel visas approving our travel to China. So, when we receive our travel arrangements from the CCAA, we'll be heading out soon. It won't be long now...

Typhoon

Dwellers clear remains of their houses at Meiyang Village in Zherong County, southeast China's Fujian Province. Typhoon Morakot has killed at least three people and caused direct economic loss of almost 2 billion RMB yuan (292 million U.S. dollars) in Fujian as of Wednesday afternoon, after a powerful landing in east China on Sunday.

After attempting to receive whatever information we could from Bethany's in-China representative, we were told the following: "The typhoon hit the province, but the local government prepared well. The orphanage staff said that we do not need to worry because they have typhoons every year and know what to do. Thank you for checking." This is somewhat reassuring for us, as we were quite concerned about the state of things for the children, their orphanage, and the workers. We pray for their quick recovery efforts, and we hope that this will not affect our impending travel.

Official LOA

Well, this is the document that says it all. It is the official Letter Of Approval stating that we are the chosen parents to adopt Li Hua Yu. She is our Raina... and we are her family... and printed on this piece of paper that came from China are the words that say it's so. It is the most beautiful piece of paper I've ever seen.

All In The Same Day...

Well, we've been waiting for our pre-approval since we turned in our LOI (letter of intent) to Grand Rapids about 3 weeks ago. We found out this morning that our PA had arrived at Bethany on July 17th (we just weren't notified). This was excellent news... so imagine our surprise when an hour later our social worker called to tell us that our official LOA (letter of approval) came TODAY! We are officially LOA! This is a tremendous step forward, and one that we certainly didn't expect to come this quickly. This process is in full fast forward mode, which seems strange, since we spent the last 2 1/2 years in a virtual holding pattern. The speed of this is certainly overwhelming, as it may now only be 4-8 weeks until we actually travel to China. We feel overjoyed, yet unprepared - (which I guess is normal). We have much to get ready, and little time for it. But God is faithful - He has known the timeframe of this from the very beginning. Hang on Raina... we're coming sooner than we thought.

Fujian Province

Raina comes from the Fujian Province, which is located on the southeastern coast of China. Below are some interesting facts about her homeland.

"Fujian is about 46,000 square miles in area (about the size of England), and much of it covered by subtropical vegetation. To the north, west and south mountains form its border, while to the east the province looks some 100 miles across the straits to Taiwan. Fujian's coastline is twisted and complex. Only extending about 310 miles as the crow flies, the coastline in fact meanders in and out and around covering over 1,800 miles, and there are about 1,000 islands off its shores. Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Xiamen are the most important harbors in the province. The proximity to Taiwan has exerted a powerful influence on Fujian.

The Fujian province is divided into eight municipalities: Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Putian, Sanming, Nanping, and Longyan, plus Ningde administrative prefecture. Fuzhou is the provincial capital.

Fujian's climate is subtropical maritime, with hot and sticky summers, cool and pleasant autumns and winters. Plentiful rainfall and the backdrop of hills and mountains have produced rivers short and swift. The province is rich in natural resources. More than 100 types of minerals are mined, including tungsten, iron, aluminium and copper. About 40 percent of the province is covered in forest.

Fujian or Min cooking is one of eight 'notable styles' in Chinese cuisine. As Fujian is a coastal province, emphasis is on fish and shellfish, frequently flavored with rice or grain wine.

Fujianese people are said to epitomize Chinese entrepreneurial skills. This is evident in the busy city markets and in the business empires built all over Southeast Asia by Fujian emigrants. The province is the ancestral home of about one-third of the world's overseas Chinese (approximately 20 million) - a direct consequence of its coastal position and long seafaring tradition."