Lulu's Adventure!

Gabe turns 3 & Lulu turns 1 - with lots of jumping, sliding & fun

2008-01-15T17:26:00.000-08:00

Just wanted everyone to know that Gabe and Lulu had their birthday on January 7th. We couldn't be more thrilled. We had the party at "Pump it up!" Which is quite the facility, with large blow up slides, bouncies, and obstacle courses. Everyone had fun, and everyone ate cake!

Gabe is doing great, and is a fabulous big brother. Lulu is now walking! Its quite hysterical to see something that small bipedal. She is speaking lots of words, although I must say her first was, "Mama." Our family is happy and healthy, and we thank all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,
Joni, Aaron, Gabe & Lulu

Photos are finally on the Web!

2007-09-04T20:54:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Finally, I've gotten our Vietnam photos posted on the web. We did it through picasa web albums - so all you need to do is go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Lulusadventurepics

I'll be adding more in the next couple of days, and we'll also get some posted from when we returned home stateside - like the baptism. Thanks for your patience, and we hope that you enjoy a more in depth look at our adventure to Lulu!

-Joni

Some words of advice from Big Brother Gabe

2007-08-15T03:48:00.001-07:00

The first order of business when getting a sister is to establish what toys are yours and are not to be touched without permission.

Next, help feed her some food so she won't cry all night and keep you up (for the record she was served applesauce, not ketchup--that's for me).

You have to remember to kiss them from time-to-time to keep up appearances, particularly when the parents are around. It helps when they are sitting still and being cute.

And don't forget that feeding part. Babies really like to eat. It also helps to have some trains around at all times as stress-relievers. You never know when you'll need a train.

Gabe

International Traveller

2007-08-15T03:07:00.001-07:00

Business Class travel is definitely the way to go when travelling internationally, or at least that's Lulu's opinion. After enjoying a snack in the lounge at the airport in Hanoi, it was up, up, and away for Lulu's first of many flights.

We confirmed the bulkhead seats for both international flights, though Lulu seemed to have plenty of foot room in any seat we were in. Note how much energy Joni has in this picture, taken moments after lift-off in our odyssey home.

After the 12 or 13 hour flight from Hong Kong to LA, we were "fortunate" enough to spend the night in an empty terminal at LAX. I say fortunate because by time we got our boarding passes from the United counter (not a big fan of United customer service, by the way), the last flights had left for the night and security didn't want to let us back through. We used the "our baby needs somewhere to sleep/eat" card to get someone to let us go through security, though that was no small feat either. Apparently coming into the country on a one-way ticket sets off some major red flags, because we got a thorough "screening." We discovered that our diaper bag had apparently come into contact with gun powder during our trip abroad, which is comforting. We passed Lulu back and forth as we both struggled to stay awake until our 6:00 am departure. As a side note, apparently no one has thought it would be a good idea to serve food or drink to arriving passengers at LAX between the hours of 12:00 am and 5:00 am. As for that McDonalds mentioned in a previous post, the 4:30 am opening hours are apparently discretionary. They eventually opened after 5:00, and Joni braved the long line (others started lining up before 4:30) to secure our breakfast moments before boarding.

I didn't take any pictures in Denver because we didn't expect it to be a long layover. However, after United refused to let us catch an earlier flight (which had many available seats and would've gotten us home 6 hours earlier than we did), I got the added experience of going out to baggage claim to pick-up my carry-on bag (which I had checked plane-side in LA) due to inadequate overhead room. The "longest security lines ever seen," according to the locals in line with me, took me an hour to traverse before returning to Joni and Lulu. I will acknowledge that an United supervisor did take a bit of pity on us and let Joni and Lulu wait for me in a semi-private lounge (apparently built to house the many travellers they know will be wronged in the normal course of business). After all of that, we bypassed many better lunch options to arrive at our departure gate at the appropriate time. However, the good folks flying from Colorado Springs to Denver (14 minute flight) were delayed 2 hours, so our plane was late in arriving. Throw in a rain delay, another flight getting to board at our gate ahead of us, and an hour delay on the tarmac, and you had a weary group. I was at wits end and obviously looked it, as Joni did her best to calm Lulu and I both.

It was a fitting end to a long trip abroad. Fortunately, the payoff, seeing Gabe and family at the bottom of the ramp in Wichita, felt every bit as good as we knew it would. There were many tears of happiness and relief. As you see below, Gabe filled the part of a big brother: first by apparently eating everything in sight while we were gone and second by welcoming his sister home with a big kiss.

It is so good to be home.

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

Saying Goodbye

2007-08-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

Before we left, we said our farewells. Throughout our stay with the other three families, it was touching to see our daughters react with one another. The girls would often hold hands when near one another, and we know from our trip to the orphanage that they held hands with the children lying next to them as their most consistent human contact for the many months they awaited our arrival. The caretakers did their best, but there are just so many babies and only a few arms to hold them. Above is a picture of Claire, one of Lulu's first best friends.

As all four families enjoyed a meal together our last night in Hanoi, we all agreed it would be nice to keep in touch and hopefully reunite the girls at some point in the future, in some way. Our families share a special connection, having weathered this trying and amazingly rewarding journey together, and we all want our daughters to have as much context to their adoption story as possible. We wish all the families on our trip and those still waiting to go the very best.

Lulu's Baptism

2007-08-14T08:22:00.000-07:00

We probably need to do a wrap-up posting with an account of our trip home (36 hours) and some pics. Between the reversed sleep schedule and the hussle of life with two kids, we haven't found as much time to blog as we did in Hanoi.

However, we did want to get the word out that Lulu's baptism will take place this Saturday morning, following the 8:00 morning Mass, at St. Thomas Aquinas. We'll spend the rest of the morning with family, but we'll be opening our home to our friends, colleauges, and neighbors that afternoon. From 1:00 to 5:00 pm this Saturday (8/11), you are invited to an Open House to welcome Lulu to her extended family (all of you). No RSVP is necessary. Snacks and beverages will be provided. Gabe is insisting on cake as well, so we'll see what we can do.

Gabe is adjusting very well to the life of a big brother. If we could just get Lulu's sleeping scheduled switched from Hanoi to Wichita time, all would be well. Even with that, we are very happy to be home and reunited as a complete family of four.

Thank you again for all of your support. The fact that we made it home when we did, together, was nothing short of a miracle, and we have everyone's prayers and God's grace to thank for that.

Take care and hope to see you Saturday,

Aaron, Joni, Gabe, and Lulu

Home at last!

2007-08-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, we just wanted to let everyone know, that after a four hour delay in the home stretch from Denver - we finally made it home Friday night.

We've taken the weekend to break our new expanded family in, and Gabe is doing wonderfully as a big brother. We'll post some pictures very soon of the two of them together.

We can't begin to thank everyone enough for all of the prayers and positive thoughts. It is amazing to see all of the people who cared enough to follow Lulu's adventure. We will make sure to keep you posted of her progress as our family together and grows up!

Love,
Joni, Aaron, Gabe & Lulu too!

OOOOOOOOOOOO. . . L.A. L.A.

2007-08-10T01:40:00.000-07:00

Well folks - its good to say that we are officially back in the U.S.A. - even if it is Los Angeles! And its 1:30 a.m. and our flight doesn't leave until 6:00 a.m., and nothing's open. Also, try washing bottles in an L.A. airport bathroom - it makes me long for the conditions back in Hanoi!

We are very excited to be getting closer. In about 15 minutes, it will officially bet 24 hours since we left our hotel in Hanoi. Lulu weathered the 14 hour flight pretty well - but traveling in business class certainly helped!

Although we will be exhausted, we are looking forward to McDonalds opening at 4:30 a.m. - and then getting on a flight to bring us home to Gabe. We miss his so much, we can hardly wait to lay our eyes on him - and have him lay eyes on Lulu!

See you soon.

Love,
Joni, Aaron& Lulu

Tam Biet Vietnam!

2007-08-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

That means goodbye in Vietnamese! Hello from Hong Kong! We are officially on our way home! One flight down, three to go and a mere 28 hours! We can't wait to see Gabe, and everyone else. Lulu is excited to meet everyone!

Keep our travels in your thoughts and prayers - and see you very soon!

Love,
Joni, Aaron & Lulu

God Bless the U.S.A. !!! We are coming home!

2007-08-08T01:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Yesterday was dark indeed, in that we were told the U.S. Embassy had launched an investigation into the adoptions out of Phu Tho - which included our little Lulu. It appeared that we would again have to separate and I travel home tomorrow first - followed by Lulu and Aaron a week to two weeks later.

Low and behold, at about 8:30 a.m. Hanoi time our luck finally changed! We were granted our 2nd interview this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. and Lulu's VISA application was officially accepted and we can pick it up tomorrow between 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. which means we will make our 7:00 p.m. flight tomorrow night! All of us!! Together!! Coming home to Gabe!!!

We are estatic beyond words!! We look forward to introducing everyone to Lulu, more importantly we look foward to coming home to Gabe and all our loved ones! See you soon.

Love,
Joni, Aaron & Lulu

Lulu's

2007-08-07T07:50:00.001-07:00

Passing time with Lulu...

2007-08-06T14:05:00.001-07:00

New pics...

2007-08-05T22:07:00.001-07:00

Another day in Hanoi

2007-08-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

We did our best to pass another day before we can come home to everyone - especially Gabe. We went to Mass this morning at St. Joseph's with our new friends, Jennifer, Craig, and their new daughter, Annie. We went earlier this week and found ourselves at the Vietnamese Mass. Although we understood nothing, it was still a beautiful service. The singing was amazing, and Lulu really liked it. It was also nice to see a "packed house," with standing room only. Its amazing to see your faith practiced so fully half way around the world.

We took a "handy craft" tour in the afternoon, that turned out not to be that "crafty." We did get to see how silk is made - if you like silk, don't ever do this! It's a very primitive industrial job, with huge mechanical looms that are oppressively loud. I felt so horrible for the lady working these six looms in a small dark room. It is obvious that they work very long days, and make "up to" 70,000 Dong per day (about $4.38 U.S.). But that is nothing compared to the dying of the silk - which is an egregiously hot process involving many men and big spools of fabric dipped into boiling dye bins. Again, 12-14 hour days. These are also considered "very good jobs" because of the pay. I am very glad Lulu is coming home with us!

We also got an opportunity to go out into the countryside and see some Pagodas and local villages. It was very interesting, as we explored one Pagoda that was carved inside a cave with 108 rooms! During the wars Ho Chi Minh stayed in this cave and plotted war strategies. They even moved the TV station into the cave to broadcast for a year during the war with the French. Very interesting.

The country folk are also more colorful. The older women almost all engaged in "teeth dying" as a symbol of wealth, status, and attractiveness. Here's the kicker though - they died their teeth black! Not exactly a traditional beauty mark, but Lulu loved them! They sang to her and she thought they were great. We did run into the first instances where we don't think the local people were excited about us adopting the children and taking them to America. Either through a loss in translation, or an overly nice tour guide, they just made us promise to "take care of their babies." It was heartening in that at one temple in the country the old ladies actually took in a small orphan girl and were raising her in the temple - she was about 2 years old. Of course, they also asked to keep Lulu too - but we declined!

The heat is simply oppressive, and actually takes your breath away at times. The babies just mostly sleep when they are out in the heat. It is an interesting country with a long, rich history. We admire the Vietnamese people on so many levels. They are strong, brave, and definitely survivors. They have fought the French, the Japanese, the French again, and then us. Yet no one has treated us with any animosity.

They work so very hard, everyday of the week, for long hours and little pay - yet at the beginning and the ending of each day most families take to the neighborhood streets to share a bowl of pho and chat. It is a very social country.

The bravery to drive a car, let alone a motor bike, here proves they are a courageous lot. We hope our daughter carries these traits, and we will do our best to develop them in her new country. Life is hard here, but hearts are light and life is full - we truly want to take that mentality home with us not only for Lulu, but Gabe too.

We expect to hear when our 2nd Embassy interview is tomorrow- so we'll keep you updated.

Love,
Joni, Aaron, & Lulu

Are we home yet?

2007-08-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

As we count down the days to our return (hopefully), we continue to spend our days seeing the sights and learning what we can about Lulu's homeland so that we can provide answers to some of the questions that are sure to come some day. Fortunately, there are many beautiful and interesting places to visit, so braving the heat and humidity is worth the effort.

We began today at the Temple of Literature, a nearly 1000-year old complex of temples and courtyards that is a central part of the intellectual history of Vietnam. Among the highlights were a series of stone tablets sitting atop turtles, on which are engraved the names of all the doctors who had succesfully completed their study in the centuries of education in the outlying collection of buildings. We also had a lengthy chat with a woman in one of the gift shops who said she is from the same city and ethnic heritage as Lulu. She told us Luong means "sweetheart" and words to the effect of "a long life." She also said that the Phu Tho Province and Viet Tri, in particular, are known for producing rulers, leaders, and other professionals. She said that children from Lulu's hometown are "clever" and "lucky." This may be true of all children of parents she is trying to sell things to, but we took her to be sincere. And yes, we bought some very nice things from her.

We had lunch at KOTO (Know One, Teach One), a restaurant staffed by former street children whose profits benefit other streetchildren. The food was very good, and it was nice to support a program to benefit children who are living lives that likely would've been Lulu's if not for God's grace in bringing her to us.

In the afternoon, we visited the Ambassador Pagoda, the central location for Buddhist practice in all of Vietnam. It was located a convenient 4-5 blocks from our hotel, which was more than enough time to work up a sweat. Have we mentioned yet that it is hot here? I mean really hot. I'm not sure if it's physically possible, but I think this part of the Earth actually warms the Sun.

Tomorrow will bring another trip to Church, followed by an afternoon trip to a local village to learn about village life and see some handicrafts.

Gabe is back at home with Joni's parents, so at least he can sleep in his own bed at night. We miss him so much but find comfort in knowing we are getting closer to seeing him.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

Lulu checks out!

2007-08-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

Good news all around today. We spoke with the U.S. Embassy first thing this morning, and evidently my plethora of monikers confused them a bit. Once they inputted my first, middle, maiden, and married name into the system - they were able to verify that I am who I say I am and not some sort of felon. So our paperwork has appeared to clear, as has Lulu's - they are confident we will get our invitation for our second interview sometime Monday or Tuesday, which will get us her Visa either Tuesday or Wednesday in plenty of time to make our Thursday night flight home to Gabe!

After speaking with the Embassy, Aaron took off to pick up Lulu's Vietnamese passport - she's so photogenic by the way! We're sure she'll be a star or at least a heart breaker someday.

In the afternoon, we went to the S.O.S. clinic for her physical. Although she is a bit on the tiny side, she checked out very healthy. She now weighs a whopping 12 lbs. and is 63 cm long. Her head circumference is 39.7 cm. She has multiple "Mongolian spots," which are Asian birthmarks that are bluish in color, but hers are discretely hidden from common view! The doctor at the clinic also thought she was probably part Thai based upon her skin tone and features. We definitely have an exotic orchid on our hands.

We are especially excited as we are in the "home stretch," and can finally say we will be "home within the week!" What a great feeling. We can't thank all of you enough for all your thoughts and prayers, and following our journey with us. Although its not a typical pregnancy, it sure has been fun sharing all of this with all of you.

Love,
Joni, Aaron & Lulu

New Lulu pics....

2007-08-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

What a snazzy looking hat...

Ha Long Bay

2007-08-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Good news to start a busy day

2007-08-02T19:30:00.000-07:00

After a troubling message left by the U.S. Embassy yesterday, we were glad to find out that all that they needed was which of Joni's many aliases she used when getting her fingerprints taken. Apparently the difference between Joni Jeanette Franklin, Joni Franklin Breitenbach, Joni Jeanette Franklin Breitenbach, etc. was more than our government could bear. Fortunately, the information has already been sent to those who need it, and we've been assured we are still on track for departure next week. If anything, we were told that the fact that someone was looking at our application so soon after our interview was a good sign.

Joni is off to the local Cathay Pacific office to re-book our return flight (8/9, arriving 8/10), and I'm about to leave to pick-up Lulu's Vietnamese passport. We'll then spend the majority of the afternoon (hopefully not all) at the hospital getting Lulu's medical examination for INS purposes. Hopefully all will go well.

I've sent some pics from Ha Long Bay home, so there should be some new photos posted within the day.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

Embassy and Trip Update

2007-08-02T08:41:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

Sorry for no post yesterday, but we've have a busy couple of days. Yesterday was our first interview with the Embassy. Incredibly, the Foreign Service Officer that interviewed us was born in Wichita! What are the odds. Maybe because of that we got off on the right note, but in any event he was very positive about our case. He was sure we would be able to leave next Thursday - although we did get a message to call them back today - so keep your fingers crossed and your prayers coming that it is not bad news.

Additionally, we learned a bit more about Lulu's history - she is definitely a survivor. Although we've agreed that the blog is not the place to talk about it - our girl is definitely meant for a higher purpose and we are very lucky to have her.

Today, we took a day trip to Ha Long Bay today - it was absolutely beautiful. Hopefully, Aaron will get some photos posted tomorrow. I couldn believe the majesty of the mountains, and the beauty of the water and the boats. It really was amazing.

It is late, but I wanted to get something up for everyone to read. Tomorrow morning we go to get Lulu's Vietnamese passport, and she gets her medical exam. Very exciting. Hopefully we will have good news all around tomorrow!

Love to everyone,

Jon, Aaron & Lulu

Lulu's baptism

2007-07-31T19:33:00.001-07:00

We've been in touch with some of you, but, for others that may be interested, Lulu's baptism has been rescheduled to the morning of 8/18. We had originally planned to do it 8/11, but, even if we get back by then, we won't be in much condition to host anything. Even on the 18th, we're not sure what all might be going on, but, preliminarily, we'd considered having a get-together for friends and family that afternoon. Whatever announcements that are made will likely be through this blog, so, if you're interested in attending such an event, keep checking this site after our return.

If you didn't know about the 11th, don't feel left out. We really hadn't made any announcements precisely because of the delays we are now experiencing. The good news is that Father Mike Simone, the priest that officiated our marriage and baptized Gabe, is still in the country and has agreed to baptize Lulu. We have already purchased traditional Vietnamese clothing for Lulu, Gabe, Joni, and I, so the baptism pictures will be a special treat.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

Hello Everybody...

2007-07-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Water Puppet Theater

2007-07-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

From Prison to Puppets

2007-07-31T07:04:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy day. We started with a trip to the local Cathay Pacific Airlines office to work on our return itinerary. Much is still undecided, but, assuming Lulu's visa is approved by the end of business on the 9th, it looks like we'll all be headed home that evening together. It's four days later than we had originally planned, but it's 4 days sooner than we had feared and will allow us all to travel together. Although we have considered sending Joni home earlier, we would like to avoid that if we can all leave without too much delay.

From the airline office we literally went next door to the Hao Lo prison, "the Hanoi Hilton." Only a portion of the facility remains, and what does remain has been turned into a museum. It chronicles the history of the facility, which began as a French prison. There are some exhibits and discussion of the Vietnam War and our POW's (including McCain's flight suit). Not surprisingly, some very rosy glasses are used to view the treatment of American soldiers during their stay. However, I think it would not be a stretch to say that our troops faired better than the Vietnamese at the hands of the French. We saw one of two original guillotines that had been used on Vietnamese revolutionaries during French rule. It was a pretty odd feeling, to be so close to an instrument of death and to be walking through cells and halls that had been witness to over a century of brutality, first against the Vietnamese and later under their control.

After walking through more of the "Old Quarter," we regrouped at the hotel for our evening trip to the Water Puppets. As it sounds, the show consists of puppets controlled by sticks/ropes underwater and manipulated by puppeteers hidden by bamboo screens. It may or may not sound all that impressive, but it was a good show. Lulu really got a kick out of it, as did we. Unfortunately, we knew Gabe would've enjoyed it most of all.

We ended the evening with dinner with another adoptee couple at a restuarant where "Everything is Bun" (pronounced Boon, or numbers 45-48 on the menu at Saigon for those in Wichita). Although it was a closer question than previous meals, there's no beating the food back home. Joni decided to tempt fate and tried a "Soursop" shake. We still don't know what she drank, but it tasted a bit like a blend of mild coconuts and cantelope. It wasn't that bad. I tried some hot Lotus tea, which tasted a lot like the dirt the bulbs came from.

All in all, it was a good day. Tomorrow we have our first appointment with the U.S. Embassy to get Lulu's visa. Wish us well, as this will likely determine when she/we'll be coming home.

As always, thank you for continuing to keep us in your thoughts, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon. And don't forget to check the photo posts put up by the folks back home. We try to send back a few photos (particularly of Lulu) each day.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

And More Lulu...

2007-07-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

New Lulu pictures...

2007-07-30T17:50:00.001-07:00

Lulu's glamour shot!

2007-07-30T01:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we started the day off by getting Lulu's passport and Visa pictures taken. Other than refusing to wake up for a bit, she shined in front of the camera. She's actually coming quite the Diva. She looks to cuddle, and demands it! Which is a good sign, as babies from orphanages sometimes have trouble bonding and don't want to be touched. Not our Lulu - she loves attention!

As any good Diva demands, we spent the afternoon shopping in the Old Quarter with our friends Becca and Sam, and their daughter, Claire. We found a traditional dress that Lulu will wear to her baptism - and some new frocks for Mommie, Daddy, and Gabe to wear as well. They came from the oldest running silk shop in Hanoi - the same place where heads of State shop - we feel very fancy.

Lulu picked out a lovely wooden cricket that chirps for her brother Gabe today. It really does sound like the real thing - she thinks Gabe will love it!

Her appetite continues to grow, and we couldn't be more thrilled. She is up to 4 oz on a good feeding, a huge leap from the 1 1/2 oz she could barely get down just a few days ago.

Aside from that, and some very ancient and bad cable TV (although I did stumble upon a Vietnamese soap opera that was subtitled in English - absolutely fabulous!), we are just trying to pass the time until we can get home to Gabe and you all can meet our Lulu! Check out her pick today, we took it at lunch - she's in a rickshaw!

Tomorrow is our first interview with the embassy - so keep us in your thoughts!

Love,
Joni, Aaron & Lulu

Catching up on the news...

2007-07-29T07:44:00.001-07:00

St. Joseph's Cathedral

2007-07-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

Lulu's First Mass

2007-07-29T06:41:00.001-07:00

Lulu attended her first Mass this morning, and performed quite well. The fact she was drinking a bottle the first 30 minutes and eyeing the many pretty and shiny things on the altar the rest of the time didn't hurt. We went there anticipating a Vietnamese service, but it was celebrated in French. Lulu understood about as much of it as we did. St. Joseph's Cathedral, the "Great Church" as it's known by the locals, was built by the French in the mid 1600s, and really is impressive. Take a gander at the photo once the folks post them.

Despite the language barrier, participating in the Mass while our son and families slept on the other side of the world made the distance seem a bit smaller, for a few moments anyway.

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the cafes and craft/souvenir shops that occupy the "Old Quarter" of Hanoi. Gabe scored a few surprises and Lulu got her first jewelry, including a baby-sized Jade bracelet. As if there was any doubt a daughter of Joni would be well-accessorized. Lulu is already committed to learning the issues of the day and helped Joni read a magazine over lunch.

Tomorrow will be passport photo day for Lulu. I'm sure her photos will be far better than her parents'. It'd be pretty difficult to shoot a bad photo of a face that cute. We also hope to visit a tailor to have a traditional dress made for her to wear at her baptism once we get her home.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

Out and about...

2007-07-28T07:26:00.001-07:00

Learning About Lulu's Ancestry

2007-07-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

We spent a good portion of the day at the Museum of Ethnology, in the "suburbs" of Hanoi. It was a very impressive museum. The interior exhibits gave an account of the many linguistic and cultural groups that make-up Vietnam. We believe Lulu is part of the Muong tradition due to (1) the province she came from and (2) it being the predominant cultural ancestry. The Muongs are/were very ritualistic and have a clearly-defined political structure. They are also known for their use of varying musical instruments.

The museum also included a number of artifacts and accounts from the post-war economy in Vietnam. I was a bit surprised to see no hostility expressed toward the French, Japanese, or U.S. (all previous 'occupiers'). Instead, the museum focused on the lives of the Vietnamese people and how the government's glasnost-esque reforms (Doi Moi) in the late 80s have led to Vietnam's current economic relative prosperity after the previous state-controlled system failed to adequately provide for the people. As expressed by this museum, the people of Vietnam have a clear sense of pride and identity, and a willingness to see other people and countries as friends first, despite prior hostilities.

The exterior exhibits of the museum were a collection of preserved, original homes of the various tribes/cultures. There were a number of points of interest. One included a multi-structure home from the Cham culture that included a house just for the daughter. Lulu insisted on pointing this out to me. Women are in charge of the house in that culture, as evidenced by the mother of the house having the only key to the family's chest of prized possessions, only to be opened at her discretion on an appropriately "lucky" day. Again, Lulu and Joni thought this all sounded quite impressive.

We learned that our first appointment with the U.S. Embassy for Lulu's visa will be on Tuesday afternoon. So, until then, the three of us will continue to tour Hanoi and learn more about Lulu and her homeland.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

I'm so ready...

2007-07-27T19:32:00.001-07:00

To come home and see my big brother Gabe...

Big Yawn...

2007-07-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

I'm so tired...

Having fun

2007-07-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

Look at me...

2007-07-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy...

It's our "Nuk"y day

2007-07-27T02:18:00.000-07:00

After struggling to get Lulu to eat, we tried a new bottle system, Nuk. We also changed formula from what she had been receiving at the orphanage to a high-end Vietnamese formula. Whatever the reason, she finally started drinking in earnest and was willing to hold her bottle and self-feed a bit. She would still benefit from a stronger appetite, but at least we're getting some liquids in her.

I filed the paperwork to apply for her Vietnamese passport this morning. She'll get it next Friday, and hopefully get a chance to use it very soon thereafter.

Unfortunately, we know she won't be able to make our original departure date of August 5th. She should be approved by our embassy to travel August 7th or 8th. We're on wait lists starting August 9th, but the outlook is not good before August 13th. Joni and I don't want both of us away from Gabe that long, so we have decided (absent a literal act of congress to clear our departure by August 5th) that Joni will return on our original flight, and I'll wait until Lulu is cleared to leave and then bring her home on the next available flight (likely August 13th). It's not the best of situations, but it appears to be a necessary choice. We miss Gabe so much, and we hear daily how much he misses us. We appreciate so much our families' commitment to care for him while we're on this trip, and we know he's in good hands. We also know there's no replacement for momma's reading of Curious George each night. We also have to think of Joni's law practice and what an additional week's delay could mean. I had already planned to be on leave from work through the rest of August, so this will simply mean I'll be spending more of that leave in Vietnam than at home.

Your prayers and positive thoughts continue to be appreciated. Joni and I would rather neither of us would have to make the 30+ hour trip home by ourselves (or with Lulu), but we've got to do what's best for both our children, and this appears to be it.

God bless all of you who are continuing to participate in this journey with us. Lulu's smiles and gaining strength are our daily reward, and we look forward to sharing that reward with each of you soon.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu

1st day with Lulu

2007-07-26T02:56:00.000-07:00

Well, although we are experiencing yet more delays with the government and paperwork, it all seems a little more tolerable because Lulu is here with us.

It is unclear what her schedule was at the orphanage, and exactly what and how much she ate at what times. Its proving to be quite a little puzzle that we are trying to solve.

Getting her to eat has been challenging, as the other families have confirmed. She is eating, and we believe she is getting used to the new bottles and nipples - slowly, we see her eating more at any one given time.

She is also in love with her rice cereal - just like her brother was. The highlight of the day was she pooped. Funny, huh? After all those troubles, delays, government woes, and having everything out of our control - our days now are consumed with her bodily functions! We're just glad she's getting enough food in to make something that comes out!

We hope to make her passport application tomorrow, and hopefully get home within the next 2 weeks. Everything moves at an almost mid-evil pace over here, and we miss Gabe desparately. We just can't wait for the day that our children are together - and we're a complete family.

Who knew Wichita would ever be missed so much! Love to everyone, please pray for our safe journey, Lulu's continued health, and Gabe back home.

Love,
Joni & Aaron

A few more pictures...

2007-07-25T11:07:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Family, Lulu!

2007-07-25T02:34:00.000-07:00

As of approximately 12:30 pm local time, Lulu officially became a member of our family (at least as far as the Vietnamese government is concerned). We enjoyed a little naptime with Lulu in our arms on the long and bumpy ride back to the hotel. She's a cuddler, grandmas, so get ready.

The ceremony was relatively short and straightforward once the flurry of paperwork and signatures was complete. The Vietnamese official wished our families' well, we had an opportunity to thank them with a few words (and some boxes of chocolates), and Lulu was ours.

Back at the hotel, Lulu is putting on quite a show. She's rolling over (both ways), holding our head up in the prone position, and generally having a great time with her teething toys and other small toys we've given her. She continues to be a very cheery little girl and hasn't fussed much at all. She does jibber jabber a little bit, and she grunts a lot (she's either working on something or simply fond of that sound, :) ). In any event, we're having a great time with her, and now we can focus on her and getting us all home as soon as possible.

On that issue, we're a bit concerned. The two day delay on the front end will likely mean we'll need to reschedule our return flights. We have e-mailed and will later call our travel agent to get that ball rolling and see what our options are. We're still hoping to get all of us home before the 11th of August (the date we had previously set for her baptism). So, continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers and wish us well in our efforts with our embassy and the airlines.

We can't wait to introduce Gabe to his little sister!

God Bless,

Aaron, Joni, AND LULU!

Soon to be ours . . .

2007-07-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

Joni and I will be leaving Hanoi within the hour to travel the 2+ hours (each way) to reach the Phu Tho province, where Luong has been waiting these many months for us. We are very excited. We spent most of last night picking the outfits we'd like her to wear (and those that the locals might prefer--she must have the majority of her limbs covered, even in this heat) for the handing over ceremony.

We hear the pics from our earlier visit to the orphanage are up on the blog. Soon, more pics will be up (with the help of family back home).

We miss Gabe so much. Once we have here, we'll finally be able to begin the process of working with our embassy to get her home to meet her big brother.

Thank you again for your continued thoughts and prayers, and we look forward to sending more pics soon.

God Bless,

Aaron & Joni

Our ceremony is confirmed!

2007-07-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

We are sooooooooooooooo excited! We did get confirmation that our ceremony will be tomorrow - which means Lulu will finally come home with us! We are beyond words, and very excited for the day tomorrow.

It will be a full day, but we will do our best to get some photos of the ceremony - and more of our darling daughter soon. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Our next post should be made with little Lulu in our hotel room with us!

Love,

Joni & Aaron

2007-07-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Okay! Here are the pictures everybody is waiting for.

Monday still waiting.

2007-07-23T07:05:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the Pho Thu officials are not cooperating. Our local agency staff here explains that they are "irresponsible" and "lazy." Corrupt is also a word that was tossed about. Fortunately, this behavior on average seems to last between 1-3 days, so we are hopeful we will receive Lulu on ,Tuesday or Wednesday. Please pray for us and especially her. It literally breaks our hearts that she cannot be with us, that she is laying in the orphanage another night. But we know that God will get her to us, and we hold onto that hope.

We did explore the city a bit today after finding out that we would not go to Pho Thu. I have to say, the traffic here has a life of its own. The sheer number of motor scooters is astonding, and the traffic patterns are non-existent. Most of the time they happily co-exist - but one of our cab drivers today did run over a bicyclist! Everyone was fine.

We are exhausted - more tomorrow - and hopefully good news.

Love,

Joni & Aaron

lulusadventure@gmail.com

2007-07-22T16:05:00.001-07:00

Though we have hotmail addresses up & running, we've opened this address (lulusadventure@gmail.com) to better facilitate picture sending and centralize e-mailing. So, if you would like to reach us or tell us what you're posting, send us a note to this e-mail address. Please do continue to post comments to the blog as well, even if we can't read them. We want your comments to be part of the story of this trip and how Lulu came to be part of our family.

God Bless,

Aaron & Joni

Lulu live and in person!

2007-07-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today was a glorious day, we met our daughter. I can hardly believe it, even though I was there. All these months, all this waiting - she is utterly georgous. She is so tiny, I'm not sure she has put on any weight since she's been at the orphanage. But overall she looks perfect.

I am now sure however that if we did not adopt her she would die. The enormity of that hit me today, and the reality of the plight of all these abadoned children was overwhelming. Just as I know I am meant to be Lulu's mother, I know I was meant to adopt - and I was meant to see what the real need of the orphaned children of the world is.

The caretakers do their best, but there are up to 100 orphans in this orphanage alone. The children are cared for, but they have little one on one attention. They are not fed in person, but instead a bottle is propped up on a towel. They are left lying for most of the day, and their cries mostly go unheard except for the necessities of life. God bless these few women whom are responsible for some many tiny lives - the stress must be incredible.

We were heartbroken when we had to leave her today, but we promised her we would be back as soon as they let us to take her home forever. Our ceremony was supposed to be tomorrow, Monday. It does not look like it will happen then, and instead it will probably be Tuesday or Wednesday now. Please pray for us, Lulu, and all the other children and families. We posted some pictures that we took today. Unfortuately, since we cannot view the page, we do not know if it posted or not. If it did, you will see our tiny little beauty - she is breath taking.

Much love,

Joni & Aaron

2007-07-22T05:40:00.000-07:00

Techincal difficulties in Vietnam

2007-07-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

We are currently experiencing great diffculties both with email and our Skype telephone service. This blog might be the only contact we have for the most part. We'll keep you posted as best we can. We can also post, but can't read yours - its very frustrating. Sorry for the hassle.

We are going to the orphanage at 12:30 p.m. today, so hopefully we'll have pictures to post later.

Love,
Joni & Aaron

Good Morning From Vietnam

2007-07-21T01:38:00.000-07:00

We arrived safely in Hanoi this morning at about 10:00 a.m. local time, 10:00 pm back home. After a very eventful car drive 26 km from the airport to the hotel (we saw late night traffic at LAX, and that looked like Hutchinson compared to these crazies. Bicycles, mopeds, buses, cars, you name it. Lane markers are merely advisory, not to be relied upon. Oh, and did I mention people just randomly crossing highways, vehicles driving against traffic, and simply backing up on the highway when they miss their exit. When Joni and I were able to tear our eyes from the whirling dervish of automotive mischief around us, we saw a beautiful countryside, being tended to by people in the same way they have for thousands of years. Our hotel is nice, and the staff are helpful. We'll get some pictures up eventually.

We did venture out to the local Mall, which is very Western. It was a bit odd to see another culture so interested in ours. Having said that, everyone seems very nice, and we felt no fear walking the sidewalks and streets (except for the cars, scooters, etc--which also drive on the sidewalks). We had a bit of local cuisine, though, so far, Saigon restaurant back in Wichita winds in a walk.

The big news of the day is that we've learned we should be able to go to Lulu's orphanage tomorrow to meet her and those caring for her. We still won't be able to take her home with us, but it will obviously be wonderful to finally lay eyes and some comfy arms on her.

Joni and I are both very excited to be here, though we miss Gabe and the family back home. Continue to keep us in your thoughts, and we'll keep in touch.

Love,

Aaron & Joni

P.S. Although we have good web access, we continue to have troubles with e-mail. If you need to reach us while we work on this, feel free to post a comment to this page. We check it regularly.

Officially in ASIA! ! !

2007-07-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Aaron and I have arrived in Hong Kong safely! We are about 25 plus hours into our 30 hour journey. We only have a 2 hour flight left to Hanoi, and we board in about an hour for that.

We've been able to call home using Skype on our computer - its awesome, although accessing email has been a little more tricky with all the airports having different wifi - some of them charge. Hopefully, this will settle down once we are in Hanoi. We have also readjusted a couple of my computer settings and that seems to have helped.

I can't express how utterly excited Aaron and I are. Although we miss Gabe terribly (we talk to him on the phone - well talk is a strong description for a conversation with a 2 year old!), we can't believe we are so close to actually meeting and greeting our daughter!

Once we're settled in Hanoi we will start uploading some photos - so far nothing exciting, just a few exhausted shots of us in various airports. Love to everyone, and please keep praying for our family!

Love,
Joni & Aaron

Up, up, and away ! ! !

2007-07-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

After a very terrifying experience waiting for our VISAS (and passports) from the UPS this morning -we are officially on our way! We will be boarding in a manner of minutes and our first of four flights over the next 30 hours! But it will all be worth it. We already miss Gabe, and we were a bit teary to leave him - but we know he is in good hands. Please keep praying for us, as we are traveling a very long way for a very special purpose. More later! Love to everyone.

-Joni & Aaron

Pending Departure

2007-07-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Aaron and I are very busy getting ready for our long awaited journey to Vietnam, to finally meet our daughter, Luong "Lulu" Jeanette Breitenbach in person! Since finally getting the news, on Friday the 13th no less, its been a whirlwind (mostly an expensive one) of VISA applications, plane tickets, and that daunting "to pack" list. One thing I can check off my list is setting up this blog site. It is done! Hopefully, we'll be able to post from Vietnam, and you will get to see every moment of our journey. Thanks to everyone who has been hoping and praying for us! We leave Thursday, July 19th, and we'll arrive in Hanoi Saturday night (Saturday morning our time). I'll blog again soon!

Love,
Joni & Aaron