Born In My Heart

Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone

But still, miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute

You didn't grow under my heart, but in it.

~Author Unknown~

A Peek At Jade's Room

Baby Audia!

Our newest grand-niece, Audia Janean Feagler, daughter of Olivia (Saunders) has been a delight to meet and hold. It is like living in the Twilight Zone...she is identical to Olivia at that age. Olivia & Audia are visiting from Wyoming for Katherine's high school graduation.

Care Package Sent to Jade

It is customary for parents to send a care package to their child in the orphanage after referral. Here is what we sent.

For Jade:
A Baby Mickey Mouse receiving blanket that we slept with
A "Baby's First Gund" stuffed kitten that we also slept with
Pictures of us and the cats, Baby & Jack
A disposable camera with a letter to the orphanage director asking him to have someone take pictures of Jade and her surroundings, neighboring children & nannies. The letter includes a questionaire for them to fill out so we can get to know our baby better when we get her. Hopefully they will take the pictures and return the camera to us when they bring Jade to us. Sometimes parents don't get the camera or questionaire back, but it's worth a try.

For Jade's nanny and other employees:
Severy hand lotion samples
Postcards of our area
Lindt Chocolate miniatures
Maple Sugar Candy from Maple Grove, St. Johnsbury, VT.
A short note to Jade's nanny thanking her for taking care of our baby girl

In this picture:
Since June 20 is Jade's birthday, I also included a wrapped gift with a note asking them to give it to her on her birthday from her Mommy and Daddy (Ma Ma & Ba Ba). It was the pink stuffed bunny in the top of the box. It plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" when its tummy is pressed. There are also red lights inside its cheeks that alternate blinking when the music plays. You cannot see the lights unless they are blinking. The orphanage reported that she loves music, so I hope she'll like this new toy.

I mailed this on Saturday morning and it should arrive next week.

TB signing the acceptance of Jade's referral

Announcing Our Referral In Church

Two days after receiving our referral, we announced it to our church. Being the worship leaders in our church made it easy for us to surprise everyone with our announcement.

First we sang a song that I wrote about 5 years ago called, "Lord, We Thank You." We project our worship songs on a screen using Jeff's laptop & a projector. Jeff put Jade's photo on his laptop just after the worship songs. After the church sang my song, he switched to Jade's picture. It took a few seconds for people to realize just what they were looking at. I said, "We're thankful that we received our referral!" and the church clapped. A few cried. It was a very special moment for us.

Our church family is a huge part of our lives and they have prayed for a long time for this referral to come. They have seen us through the heartache of childlessness. They've witnessed our coming to peace with God's plan. They know that we trust Him with everything...even our children or lack thereof. They know what I was thinking when I wrote, "You've listened to our prayers. You've heard the cry of our hearts. You've proven to us again, You are faithful and true, faithful and true. So, we thank You, thank You, thank You for all You have done for us."
(c) Theresa B. Gilman

A Visit From The Stork...er, Fed Ex!

For those of you wondering what mode of transportation the stork takes, now you know...it uses Fed Ex!
This guy was so nice! I told him he was our stork and he was so pleased!

Ladybug Quilt

I just have to post this picture of ladybug fabric I have to make a quilt for Jade. Now that we have our referral and will travel to China in a few weeks, I may never get the quilt made. Therefore, I'd like to have some type of evidence that I really was going to make her a quilt!

Ladybugs are supposed to be lucky in China and Jade's Chinese last name is "Fu" which means lucky, so it's fitting that her quilt fabric be ladybugs. Before I knew of her "Fu" name, I joined a ladybug fabric square exchange among other Chinese adoptive parents. Most of this fabric is from that exchange.

Playing Catch Up

I am playing catch-up tonight and posting lots of pictures.
Look for the following:

Ladybug Quilt
A visit from the stork!
TB signing the acceptance of Jade's referral
Announcing our referral in church (I'm hoping to put a video clip of it on here if I can figure out how to do it!)
The care package we sent to Jade at her orphanage in China
Our grand-niece, Audia
Jade's room

I've been thinking...

Jade was born on June 20, 2005 and was abandoned at the Huali Restaurant on August 8, 2005. That means that her birthmother loved her enough to nuture her for a few weeks so she would have a good start.
I cannot imagine the incredible pain she experienced when she laid that little bundled up baby in front of the store after holding her for 7 weeks. I imagine that she wonders every day if her baby is living, if she's been adopted, where she is, and if she is happy & healthy. Every day must be a painful day for her. And it may never change. What incredible love she must have for her daughter.
I hope very much to take Jade to China when she is 18 and search together for her mother. Not only do I want to get to know & thank this woman for the incredible gift of my daughter, but I want her to have resolution to all her wonderings. And I want Jade to meet the woman who risked everything to allow her to live.
I so wish that there was a way for us to communicate with Jade's birthmother now. I want to send her pictures & piano recital programs & report cards. I want her to be proud of the daughter that our hearts share. I don't want her to suffer for the next 17 years until we can find her. Since that is not possible, I pray for her everytime I think of her.
It is incredible that one couple has endured such pain and that that pain brings indescribable joy to another. The sacrificial love of one is bringing fulfillment of a lifelong dream for the other.
God works in mysterious ways.

Where Is Jade Today?

This is a picture of all the orphanages in Jiangxi Province where Jade lives. She is at the Fuzhou Social Welfare Institute in Fuzhou.

Click on the map and it will enlarge. Then place your cursor over the map. A square with 4 arrows will appear in the bottom right corner. Click on it and the map will become large enough to read. Look on the right side where it says "Fujian" and move a little northwest to find Fuzhou (Linchuan). Now you have found her!

Update on Jade

We received an update on Jade. She is still 18.7 lbs., but she has grown to 27.5 inches. And she has 4 teeth! Two on top & two on bottom.

I saw the pediatrician on Friday and discussing everything made her more real to me than ever. I can't stop looking at her picture. She is more mine every day. It's still all very exciting.

As for travel dates, we won't know them for probably 2 weeks. We have to wait for China to approve our trip there. Then we wait for the appointment with the consulate. Only then can we make travel plans. We are very excited thinking about our trip.

I washed some clothes for her for the trip yesterday in baby detergent. I loved folding those tiny clothes!

This is the same picture we received with our referral. I want to keep her picture at the top, so here it is again. I just love her smile!

The Bathroom Progresses

Our bathroom is about finished. I wanted to wait until it was completely finished to put up the pictures, but people keep asking about it, so here is a peek at it. We love it! Here you can see our friends from church, Linda & Mel, painting the Chinese calligraphy.








It says "Blessed Happy Complete Family Forever-Permanent Peace Love Tranquility Strength." I am hoping to write the english underneath the calligraphy. I doubt I'm going to be able to squeeze that in anytime soon!

Here it is on the red wall.

WE RECEIVED OUR REFERRAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S A GIRL!

For this child I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. 1 Samuel 1:27

With gratitude to our Lord, we happily present to you our baby girl, Fu Xiao Zheng.

Name: Fu Xiao Zheng, now Jade Xiao Gilman “Xiao” (prounounced Sheow) means Smile. “Zheng” (pronounced Szchung) means Honest, Genuine. “Fu” is part of the name of the orphanage she is in. Orphanages give all of their babies the same last name, which is always part of the institute’s name. Chinese names begin with their last name. Jade's orphanage is the Fuzhou Social Welfare Institute so her last name (listed first) is Fu.

Birthdate: June 20, 2005
Height: 25.6 inches
Weight: 18.7lbs (with 7 layers of clothes on!)

Province: Jiangxi (pronounced Jeawngshe)
Country: China
Orphanage: Fuzhou Social Welfare Institute

We will receive our travel dates in about 3 weeks. Families are currently traveling 5 weeks after receiving their referral, but that changes frequently. Either way we should travel sometime in July. We’ll update things here as we receive them.

We will be in China for two weeks finalizing the adoption, having meetings with officials, getting her visa, and doing all that is necessary to bring baby Jade home.

We are over the moon!!!

A Bit of Good News Is In The Air!

Okay, I'm not saying anything but this...our date is June 9. Read on and come back soon!



The CCAA has finished the
review of the adoption
application documents
registered with our office
before September 30, 2005.

The CCAA has finished the
placement of children for the
families whose adoption
application documents were
registered with our office
before June 15, 2005.

Our Sonogram

Trip to Vermont!

We recently went to Vermont to see my sister and her family in a cabaret. They were all wonderful! If you know Anne and her family, you'll enjoy these pictures.

Anne (2nd from the left) in "Heart" from Damn Yankees.


Aidan, age 10, singing "Not While I'm Around"
from Sweeney Todd.


Anne in "Lullaby of Broadway" from 42nd Street.

Anne in "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" from Hairspray.



Casey sings "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera.


Greg sings "C'est Moi" from Camelot.

To Jade

A former president of your soon-to-be country wrote these words.

“God has a plan and it isn’t for us to understand, only to know that He has His reasons and because He is all merciful and all loving we can depend on it that there is purpose in whatever He does and it is for our own good. What you must understand without any question or doubt is that I believe this and trust Him and you must too. What you must also believe is that I love you more and more each day and it grows more bright and shining all the time.” -Ronald Reagan

Re-fingerprinting & Paint

Our fingerprints expire after 15 months, so we were re-fingerprinted on Friday aftenoon. Jeff took the afternoon off and we drove up to Portland (1 hour north) to have them done.
Jeff's were a breeze...done electronically the first try. Mine...well...let's just say they hope they'll be accepted. We did them electronically for about 10 minutes, then with ink for another 5 minutes. Lots and lots of re-do's. They said they were not well-defined. Hmmm. I also seem to have a tiny scar in one finger (don't know when or how I got it!) and that is a big interference. So, we're waiting to see if they'll be accepted. If not, I'll just keep going back until they are.

The funny thing about this is that China doesn't care about our fingerprints. It's the U.S. They won't let us back into the country if they are over 15 months old. How wierd!

Our friend has completed some of the calligraphy in the bathroom. It looks so wonderful! Check back soon for pictures!

Yes, We're Still Waiting

I read this on another adoption blog today and want to share it.

God answers prayers in three ways:
He says YES and gives you what you want;
He says NO and gives you something better;
He says WAIT and gives you the best!!

We know that our lives are in His hands and so is Jade. That is what matters most.