Ethan's Story

Leaving Friday!!

2007-11-07T13:42:00.000-08:00

I have kept my other blog up but have failed to inform those of you who may only check this one...

We are leaving on Friday to go to my parents house (8 hours away). On Saturday we will leave Evan with my parents and fly out of Denver. We will arrive in Vietnam on Monday morning (their time) and get to meet Ethan that day! The travel time itself is about 25 hours.

I can hardly wait to meet and hold my little Ethan Loc!! I will be updating this sight with pictures of the orphanage and other pictures of Ethan. but if you want all the details of the trip you'll have to check out my other blog, Beautiful Moments.

Pictures!

2007-10-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who is in Vietnam at the moment. Today she sent us some pictures of Ethan! She said she has more she'll send when she gets home. This is what she had to say about him:

"...We went to the orphanage and I got to see him. He is so adorable!!! ...Tam Binh 1 is very nice and the caregivers clearly love the kids. He is being well taken care of until you and your husband can get here. He seemed so very sweet and looks really great...."

Thank you Gayla!

How cute. He's a thum sucker!

I love this picture. Next to him is a little girl named Jenna (well, that will be her name soon). Her family is also waiting to travel. They have been waiting longer then us and probably will be waiting for a while due to problems with the paper work. Please keep them in your prayers.

Here we come Ethan!!

2007-10-29T09:43:00.001-07:00

We got the call!!!!!! We are going to go to Vietnam in 2 weeks!! The CIS is making exceptions for families who travel before October 16th and our G&R (Giving and Receiving Ceremony--when Ethan becomes our officially in the eyes of Vietnam) is the 13th so we can still make it! We will be allowed to file our I-600 and get permission to bring Ethan back while in country. I'm really excited and have a TON to do. I can hardly type much less think so I'll post more later. For now we have to go to town and send our visa application! YEA! Thank you God!!

More Paper Work!

2007-10-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

(For those who read both my blogs, this is the same post that I just posted on Beautiful Moments so you don't need to bother reading it unless you have way to much time on your hands!)

Well...we are getting very close to travel! I got a call today from the Vietnam Coordinator. The CIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) has recently changed their policy in how they process they I-600 form (this is a petition to classify an orphan, in this case Ethan, as our immediate relative). For those who are already lost...it's ok. All that really means is that there is one form that must be filled out and approved BEFORE we go to Vietnam instead of WHILE we are there. The only concern is that we are very close to travel and we can't go until we get approved. The CIS has the right to investigate Ethan's case, if they wish, to determine that everything is legal and he is truly an orphan and this can take up to 60 days. But I'm hoping for a quick approval.

SO, with all that said, we will be working as fast as we can to get this in order. Nicky, the VN coordinator, thinks we'll be in the next group to get travel dates. If all goes well, and we get CIS approval quickly, we could be in Vietnam around the middle of November! Nothing is official but we are moving along!

Sick and Tired but Ready!!

2007-10-22T18:29:00.000-07:00

I talk about it more on my other blog, Beautiful Moments, but I'm down with pneumonia. Our agency's update last week said they hoped to have more families traveling soon. Last time they said that several families got the "call" the next week. Well, our time is VERY close so I'm hoping for a call this week. Ha, wouldn't that be my luck, sick with pneumonia and trying to get ready! But on the other hand, I'm ready!!

Checking out the family!

2007-10-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

We finally got pictures of Ethan with the monkey and album! Although I was hoping for some smiles, it is still so good to see him looking at the things we bought and made for him. It's cute to see him looking at Evan in several of these pictures. The little guy has know idea how much his life will change soon. Since we've yet to see any kind of smile I've wondered what Ethan is like and if he's a serious type. I can't wait to meet him! The update from our agency said they were hoping for more travel dates soon so maybe we'll get a call next week...I'm sorry, I'm really rambling. I'm still sick and the fever does this to me!

New Pictures

2007-10-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

We got new pictures of Ethan a few days ago but I'm so sick I haven't had a chance to post them. He received the monkey and photo album we sent him but they aren't in the pictures. CHI said they'd try to get pictures of him with the gifts as soon as they can. I think it's amazing to think that he now has seen pictures of his family for the first time!

Here are a couple more pictures I thought were cute. Once again Ethan was hiding in the background of Caroline's pictures. They are a little on the dark side.

Kozy Moments...Baby Slings

2007-09-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

Update: I just added one more sling to my site today.

When we first decided to adopt we thought we could do it without going into debt. However, because we accepted a child with special needs our time frame for raising the funds was cut in half. We are now, not only in debt for the first time, but also we are anticipating surgery for Ethan once he is home.

With that in mind, I have decided to start selling baby slings. These are great for those of you who are adopting (we were actually discussing them on the yahoo group a while back). They would also make great shower gifts. :) At this point I have only made one and I'm working on a second. As I finish them I'll post pictures on a new blog I have. I'm only going to start off with a few to see how well they sell. So if you are interested please click here on Kozy Moments or on the picture. Also, I would love it if you could spread the word. If they sell well I'll make more!

Still no smiles...but pictures none the less!

2007-09-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

We have pictures...thank you Jessica! :)

He looks so deep in thought here

Ethan with his friend and the spoon again!!
Wow, he really looks different in this picture.

I can almost see what he'll look like when he's

a little older and his hair grows in!Big Bite!

A visit to Ethan

2007-09-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

The wait to get our little man has been especially hard lately. We have now entered the time frame in which we could expect the "call". Although this would still be early it is not unrealistic.

One of my friends picked up her daughter yesterday and had the privilege of meeting Ethan. She took video and pictures which I'll post as soon as I get them. However, for now, this is what she said about him:

"...He is a sweetie, very strong, walks and runs great! When I went to his room he was having his lunch...When he was done, the nanny let me hold him, but he wanted nothing to do with me. I think he just wanted his mom. I told him you would be there very soon. He has a lot of friends there especially one little guy who I have a picture with. I want you to know in person his head does not look as big as in the pictures you have and his hair is growing in. he is very alert and active. I think it may have to do with the camera. in pictures the rooms seem big to me when in reality they are quite small. There are lots of playmates for him and lots of staff in his room who really dote on them..."

Thank you Jessica! Congratulations on your beautiful little Lily Jane!

Pictures

2007-09-11T19:28:00.001-07:00

We got new pictures today! He looks a little sad. We went to the parent educational meeting with CHI in Kansas City yesterday and got to show off our referral for Ethan. It's a long drive (4.5 hours) so we probably won't go again until he's home.

What a sweet face

I love this picture of him with his

little tongue hanging out and his little elbow.

Two Years Old!

2007-09-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

A little boy awakes to a fresh day. He opens his eyes and is ready to go with all the energy of a child just turned 2. Little does he know a young woman, soon to be his mommy, is half way around the world and dreaming of him as she falls asleep. Happy birthday son...

The child plays and runs through his day just like every other, probably never realizing this day is different. Some where, not to far from him there is another woman. Perhaps she too is dreaming of him. The boy she lost...two years ago.

If only she know how much we already love him.Now he has just fallen asleep and his mommy has just woken up. She is praying sweet dreams his way. Happy birthday son!

Bringing home Ethan...on tshirt at a time!

2007-09-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

There is a little boy just waiting for us to come get him! I am ready to go...but our bank says differently.

So...I'm selling some t-shirts to help with a little of the cost. I get a percentage of every one sold so check out what I have! I have posted pictures of three of them and the rest can be viewed HERE.

Name Change

2007-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Well, up until yesterday I THOUGHT my sons name was Doan Phu Loc. The agency has been sending me a few updates with a slightly different spelling. Come to find out his real name is Doan Phuc Loc. Yes, Ph says "f"...yes, I like the first version better...no, please do not comment!! I'm now trying to find a way of pronouncing it slightly different (I'm not really sure of the correct pronunciation but I have a feeling) so it's a name he can share with pride and not get teased over.

On the plus side, I can now find it in the Vietnamese name books and it means "luck or blessing", same as Loc. I guess he's a double blessing. :)

Spoon!

2007-08-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we recieved updates on Ethan's height and weight. He is now 22.55 lb and 33.7 inches tall. Since the end of May he's gained 3 pounds but has only grown half a cm! I wish I could get a head measurement but I'm afraid that will have to wait till he's home.

We also got pictures today! I had a feeling that he was losing his hair and now I think I'm right! He seems to be growing up before our eyes. It's amazing how his face has changed in the pictures during the last 3 months! I think these are about the happiest pictures we've seen of him, I love his look in the third one. We can't wait to bring him home! :)

"Spoon!"
"...see?"
"Look at me wave the spoon!"
"What do you think...am I cute?"

Surprise Apperance

2007-08-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have had the privalage of meeting a couple of other families are also waiting to travel for their kids who are in the same room as Ethan. It has been fun to see Ethan pop up in a few of their pictures. Funny thing is it is always his back, the side of his body, or the top of his little bald head! One time I saw him hiding behind another kid. If you go to previous post you can see both Jenna and Caroline in some of the pictures I have. But here are a few of Ethan's cameos in Caroline's pictures (thanks Laura!). Oh, and notice how much this kid moves and is never in the same spot...no wonder he never gets his face in the picture. :)

Looking Good!

2007-08-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

We received updated pictures while we were in Chicago! Ethan's eye is looking much better. He is also looking older! It's funny, I don't think his hair is growing at all (I think it's shorter!). This has an advantage however since we'll have to shave it off anyway for surgery when he gets home. Wow, I can't wait to pick him up. :)

Names...

2007-07-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

My brother has a friend who is Vietnamese. She was talking to my mom and explained how to say Ethan's name. I already knew that Phu was said like "fun", and Loc is pronounced like "loud". But I always said Doan, his family name, "don". We just found out that it is said like "dwan" as in swan. I think it sounds pretty cool and thought I'd share. :)

More Pictures!

2007-07-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

CHI sent us updated pictures today! Unfortunantly, I'm a little concerned with the way Ethan looks. His left eye is a little droppy. I'm really hoping this isn't caused by his hydrocephalus getting worse. I can't wait to travel and bring my little guy home!!! He really needs medical attention. Please pray for his health.

Ethan ??? Larson

2007-07-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well I think Tyler and I are finally in agreement on a name for Ethan. Tyler's one requirement for names was that his first son's middle name be Tyler, and his second son's middle name be Scott (Tyler's middle name). I really wanted to leave part of Ethan's Vietnamese name. I was voting for his given name of "Loc" (the "o" is pernounced the same as in "loud"). SO...we have debated this for a while. We have finally come to an agreement. We'll just use both. :) Now, I'm not sure if I like the sound of "Loc Scott" since it doesn't exactly flow together. However, he will now have the family name Tyler wanted and the heritage behind his Vietnamese name as well. Not to mention the fact the Loc means blessing. This little boy has endured many things and I'm sure it is only by the grace of God. Loc has been richly blessed by God, and we have been blessed to find him! We can't wait to hold our Ethan Loc Scott Larson for the first time! :)

Ethan and Friends

2007-07-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

One of our friends just got back from Vietnam and are now home with their beautiful daughter. She sent me a few pictures of Ethan (thank you Jamie!). She said he seemed a bit shy. I hope he's not to scared when we meet him. It's funny, in the right light he looks so blonde! It must come from my side of the family. :)

You can just see the side of his face here.

Next to him is Jenna, a little girl, who is also

waiting for her family to come and get her.

This is my favorite one. I think he's sucking his thumb! :)

...Just like Mommy did

Ethan: "One who is Steadfast and Strong"

2007-06-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

I feel that names are very important and hold a lot of value. When my father named me "Misty" it made him think of the refreshing mist that rises from a waterfall. He used to tell me that my name meant "One who refreshes others". My middle name is Ann meaning "Grace" so I have taken this a step further and consider the meaning to be "One who refreshes others with grace". My name has been a beautiful challenge to live up to on a daily basis.

In naming my own children I have kept this in mind. We had chosen the name Ethan a while back but I recently rechecked the meaning. Ethan is Hebrew and means "permanent and concrete; enduring, firm and steadfast" Ethan is the author of Psalm 89 which talks of God's mercies.

As I began to evaluate the name I realized how fitting it is. Our Ethan was born to a mother with HIV yet God was merciful and he did not contract the disease. Ethan was born with Hydrocephalus and has been untreated for it. The majority of children would have died or been severely handicapped by his age, but, by God's mercy, he has pulled through with virtually no side effects. Our son is a fighter. He has been strong and, with God's mercy, has endured. It is my prayer that some day he will be able to "sing of the mercies of the Lord" and will be a young man who is "strong, firm and steadfast" in his spiritual life as well.

Another Update

2007-06-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Our second updated picutes came on June 13.

This is Ethan with Huynh Thi Ngoc Truc,

a little girl on the waiting child list with our agency.

Updated Pictures!

2007-06-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

Our first updated pictures were taken on May 31.

What a cute little guy!

I love the curled lip and raised eye brow in this picture!

Waiting to Travel

2007-06-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Now we wait to travel. During this time there are several steps that have to be completed in Vietnam before we are allowed to bring Ethan home. The main thing is the preparation of his paper work, which includes a police investigation to find the birth mother.

When all of this is complete they will set up what is called a Giving and Receiving Ceremony (G&R) in which he becomes officially ours!

The estimated time for this process is 3-5 months from the time our dossier (our paperwork) has arrived in Hanoi. We sent our dossier to Vietnam on May 21st. After being translated it arrived in Hanoi on June 15th. At this point we hope to receive travel dates in October.

The Past

2007-06-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

At 3:20 pm on September 7, 2005, a young mother gave birth to a little boy at the Tu Du hospital in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. The young girl was only 24 years old and was infected with HIV. She claimed her name was Doan Thi Thom and the father was Nguyen Minh Thinh, but no one knows the accuracy of this. She also claimed to be from the northern province of Thanh Hoa, again unconfirmed. We do know that she chose, for whatever reason, to leave her child in the care of the hospital.

The hospital named the little boy Doan Phu Loc. He weighed 7.04 lbs. and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. He continued living at the hospital for the first month of his life.

On October 20, Loc was taken to Tam Binh 1 orphanage where he has lived since. On that same day, half way around the world, another young mother (the same age) was bringing her son home from the hospital. These two little babies, a month, and half a world apart, would someday become brothers.

As for Loc's mother, we will never know her story. She was young, infected with HIV, and probably unmarried. Perhaps it was poverty that kept her from keeping her child, or maybe the stigma of being an unwed mother. We will never know. But whatever the reason, God was watching out for this little boy and already preparing a family for him. It is through this young womens loss that God has chosen to bless us with our son...Ethan.

Love at First Sight

2007-06-21T15:32:00.000-07:00

First picture we saw
May 7, 2007 was the day we first saw our son. We had officially been on the waiting list for a "healthy" child for 8 weeks. On that day I went to the waiting child list (children with special needs) and saw a beautiful little boy. His name was Doan Phu Loc and his birthday was September 7, 2005, making him only a month older then Evan, our son. I had been hoping for a child the same age as Evan so, as you can imagine, I was excited.

I began to research his condition (hydrocephalus--sometimes known as water on the brain) and Tyler and I prayed hard. One week later we requested to formally "review" him. Our agency emailed us his other pictures and medical report. At this point he would be ours if we chose him.

What can I say, it was love! We knew it wouldn't be easy and his medical condition had many unknows. We knew he would have to wait till he was home for medical treatment and that presented a big risk...but we also knew this was our child. God made it clear that this was the path He had chosen and we could hardly wait!

On May 21st we accepted the referral and Doan Phu Loc became our Son-To-Be!

Starting Out

2007-06-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

In November of 2005, Tyler and I (Misty) began to think about adoption. We had two children at the time and knew we wanted more. God gave us a desire to adopt the next child and I began to research international adoption for the next year. On November 1, 2006 Evan had recently turned 1 (the required age for our youngest child before we could begin the process) and we applied to adopt from Vietnam through Children's Hope International (CHI).

We had originally said that we wanted a child "as young as possible". We then changed our minds and said up to 12 months old, then 18 months, and eventually 2 years. We knew we would get a boy because we were open to "either" and there are more boys available in Vietnam.

Why Vietnam? I don't know. At first it was because we couldn't adopt from the other countries we were looking at because of some of the rules they had. To us, Vietnam seemed to be the best fit. But in the end, I believe it was God leading us to our son. Now, even though I have never been there I am in love with Vietnam. It is a beautiful land and I look forward to the enrichment it's culture will bring into our home and lives.

Application For CHI

Introduction

2007-06-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

I have another blog that tells all about our family as well as the adoption. However, this one is dedicated to telling of our journey to Ethan...our beautiful son.

Our other blog will be linked on the side. You can also get to it at mistyandtyler.blogspot.com