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DECEMBER 2005

On 12/14/05 received call from Ellen at Holt our Dossier was approved and will be sent to China on Friday. We are DTC 12/16/06! What a relief!
 

Today 12/16/05 is the day…our dossier is on it’s way to China. I just keep thinking…is our daughter born yet? Is she safe and is she loved? We do know one thing, we have loved her from the moment we decided to travel to China and bring home our daughter. She has been growing in our heart since July 2, 2005.
 
Mel is in Germany on business, but I finished up our Christmas cards and sent them out today, 12/17/05. Our website should be finished this weekend as well. Here is the letter that was included with our card.

Happy Holidays 2005

'Twas the night before Christmas at the Fannon house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; the stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that next year, one more would be there!

The family was nestled, all snug in their beds, While visions of babies danced in their heads; Emily in her flannels, and Mel in his cap, Had settled in with the kitties for a long winter's nap,

Emily’s work solving computer problems and Mel’s insuring quality shall keep them both busy throughout this next year. Running a household requires much more than a glance; our schedules will be full, there's no rest, not a chance.

Adopting from China requires papers and piles, so Emily and Mel sprang from the couch to clean out all their files. Away to the Internet they flew like a bee, Tore open their e-mail and chose Holt International as our agency.

The moon became full many times this past year, we were lost in paperwork, home studies, oh dear! When, what to our wondering eyes in did appear? Our government approval, along with some tears!

With the FedEx driver so quick and so great, off went our papers to the Chinese Con'slate. More rapid than eagles, the plane it flew back, and we whistled and shouted our dossier was on track!

Now Mommy..now Daddy, Now Cons'late and family and good friends! On dossier! On airplane! On China we send; To Beijing! To Guangzhou! And to The Great Wall! Now dash away! Dossier to China (DTC), dash away all!

So now we wait a nine-month eternity, Til your picture we see, Packing suitcases with clothes and toys for our dear baby. Yet we know in a twinkling, fall will be here, and pitter-patter of feet will be music to our ears.

As we dreamt in our heads and mulled it around, what would this girl look like, where would she be found? What would she be wearing, from her head to her toes? Would her eyes be bright, would her hair stand up, just so?

A bundle of toys and a nursery is waiting, On "Gotcha Day" how will we keep from fainting? Her eyes will they twinkle, or sparkle or cry? Or will her cheeks be red and rosy and dry?

Will her small rosebud mouth draw up in a pout? Whatever her looks or her tears, we'll love her no doubt! With her broad face and round lil' tummy, we’ll shower her with love, hugs, kisses so yummy!

If she is chubby and plump, or a small little self, we will love and cherish our darling little elf, with a wink of God's eye and a twist of his head, we trust in His timing with nothing to dread.

He has spoken no words, but His work divine, to match us with our Chinese daughter so fine. We're "expecting" finally our sweet little cherry, Thanks for your prayers and our news so merry!

This summer we'll get her long awaited referral, and as fall approaches we'll jpurney to get our darling baby girl! May God bless you, your fam'lies and your holiday's bright. "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

As you can see we have much to be excited for in this new year, follow our journey to China to bring home our daughter.
Logon to our website at:
http://www.myadoptionwebsite.com/journeytoladybug
Login= ladybug
Password = ladybug06
Keep in touch with us at edfknox@aol.com

This past year was a year of healing and we now have hope. This promises to be a very special year for us, keep us in your prayers and celebrate our journey! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Bright New Year!

Love,
Mel and Emily

Today, 12/22/05 I had to go out to Sears to do some shopping, aka “Santa Work”. As I was leaving the store I noticed Sears has a toy section and it occurred to me that it might be fun to look. It was a bit overwhelming at first and then I noticed a doll. I thought to myself are you really seeing an Asian doll or are you wanting to see one so badly you are imagining you are seeing an Asian doll. Well as I inspected the box, in fact “Playful Patti” is an Asian doll. She is absolutely adorable! It then occurred to me that there may be other Asian dolls, so I began to take each doll off the shelf and in fact “boinked” another shopper on the head when I put a doll box back and it came tumbling down. At last I found 3 Asian dolls…Bath Time Patti…Meal Time Patti…Beach Time Patti, they are just darling and will bring much joy to “Ladybug” or make nice gifts for her friends.

 
 

Christmas with the kitties




Playful Patti Asian doll




Ladybug's first doll




Adoption bracelet




Blondie opening presents




Ladybug trinkets
 
As I waited in line to pay for them other shoppers commented on how adorable they were. As I left the store I began to think about our daughter and wondered is she born yet…is she cared for…is she being warm and does she feel loved.

Well when Mel got home I showed him the adorable “Asian” dolls. Well little did I know what he would share…”you know I had a baby doll…a black baby doll”. Not sure I heard him correctly I repeated …you had a baby doll, why did you have a baby doll? “No, I had a black baby doll”. Oh really, how old were you? “I was 4 or 5”. Why did you have a black baby doll..who got it for you? “I just wanted it, it got my attention!” For those of you who don’t know Mel he is known for saying the unexpected, there is never a dull moment in our house. I then decided to ask his Aunt Essie about the doll and try to find out more details. I spoke to Aunt Essie and she did not really remember the doll but she said, “if he wanted something they got it for him.” One time Melvin told Richard, “cry like I do and you may get something.” Richard said, “it won’t do me know good”. A parent’s love is not always understandable or explainable but in this case it sure made for a good story.

One of my sisters asked me how many Asian dolls I bought and I explained all of them…3. She said good thing there were only 3 you might have come home with 20!

Today, 12/23/05 my friend Dee Dee came by and visited. We shared Christmas gifts and she gave me the cutest pair of ladybug post earrings and some yummy homemade goodies. She also gave us a neat package of treats that were wrapped like a pyramid.
Well the Christmas present we got each other arrived today…the “big screen television”, it is huge. We should have many fun times watching movies and ballgames.

I also received my bracelet I had made in Abington, VA over Thanksgiving. I will share a picture it turned out really nice.

Today is Christmas Day, 12/25/05! We had a beautiful Christmas, but we were missing one thing…our daughter. We couldn’t help but think about her many miles away and wonder… is she born and is she cared for. Our Christmas won’t be complete until “our gift” is in our arms and right now that seems very far away, but in some 8-10 months we will know.

One of our adoption friends Shana (http://www.waitingforsophie.blogspot.com)

shared her adoption video on Christmas day. I just can’t say how thankful we are for those who have traveled this journey before us and who share their stories. To the waiting family, following these stories and watching these videos helps make a process that is very lengthy and full of ups and downs seem very real and gives us some encouragement and hope that our dreams, like theirs will come true.

Well it was back to work for me today, 12/26/05 and this was hard. I couldn’t help but reflect back to a year ago and what we were experiencing in our lives at that time. Last year it had just been one month since losing dear Martin Dean and I was still on FLMA. I didn’t return to work til January 10, 2005. Because I had to work today I was not able to join Mel and the Eller family at their lunch time gathering. Of course when you reflect back you also project forward and I just can’t help but wonder…this time next year will we have traveled and returned from China and will we be a family of 3? Only time will tell…let’s all pray for expeditious processing of paperwork by the CCAA and a reduction in the current wait for referral from 10 months back to 6 months. I know…I probably should not even suggest such a prayer..our time will come and it will be the right time.

We had a special visit with family today 12/28/05. My sister Teri brought my niece Angela and Angela’s fiancé Christopher and Angela’s daughter Alley for a short visit. We shared a nice meal, good conversation and of course playtime with Alley. It is always nice to spend time with family and friends.

Well today, 12/29/05 Mel is feeling sick and I am also feeling a bit sick, let’s just hope that we can feel better before our party on Saturday.

Our house is full of germs apparently! Today, 12/30/05 Mel is not better and I feel very bad as well. I was able to work, but as soon as the day was over I was in bed. Goodness do we continue with the party plans only to share our germs with family and friends or do we cancel…we will decide tomorrow early.

We are both flat on our backs sick, 12/31/05…Mel with some kind of respiratory infection and me with “flu like” symptoms. What a way to ring in the new year! We cancelled the party and went back to bed. We woke up just prior to midnight with a moment to reflect on this past year and to imagine all that is possible in 2006, it promises to be a very good year.

 

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