Trooper Turns 91

Tooper hits the big 91!

Today Trooper celebrated his 91st birthday! That's 13 human years (13x7=91). Trooper's birthday dinner included chicken parmesan, Italian medley salad, and pumpkin birthday pie with Mom, Dad, and his brother Eric.

Trooper's birthday gifts included yummy rawhide bones, a memory box, a new collar, and a doggy bath massager. Misha, of course, ate Trooper's rawhide bones.

Trooper's favorite part of the evening was when his brother Eric scratched his tummy, making his hind leg flail uncontrollably.

Trooper and Misha try on their Halloween costumes

Our Adoption Journey Takes on a New Path

Pamela with adoptive parent and her 18 month daughter

For those of you who’ve been following our adoption journey, it’s been over 13 months since we began the process to adopt a little girl from China. There have been many twists and turns and our journey has taken a new path.

A couple of weeks ago, after months of soul searching, several discussions with our social worker and our friends in the adoption community, and interviews with over a dozen adoption agencies, we know that our daughter is waiting for us in Vietnam. This new path feels so right for us. We have signed on with an agency in Oregon that has been placing children in Vietnam for over 30 years.

Vietnam is a small country with a rich history and culture. This ancient civilization is a combination of Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer and more than 50 highland minority groups. The long struggle for independence has given the Vietnamese a deep sense of national pride; however, the years of war took their toll on the economy.

The countryside, where a large part of the population lives, is locked in poverty, leaving many infants and children orphaned or abandoned. Birthparents who leave their children do so with great difficulty. Often a large extended family is involved in the decision to place a child for adoption, wanting only the best for them. The Vietnamese people greatly value the lives of all their children and do the best they can with limited means to provide support and education for children, including those in orphanages.

This weekend John and I had the great pleasure of attending an event in McMinnville, Oregon honoring dignitaries and orphanage directors from Vietnam. Many families who have adopted children from Vietnam through our agency gathered to provide thanks and share stories with our Vietnamese guests. After a brief ceremony we were fed a traditional Vietnamese meal. John and I were able to make new friends and talk with other families who have been through the process. We couldn’t keep my eyes off all the beautiful children and are counting the days until we have our little daughter safely in our arms.

The families and their Vietnamese children

Pamela chatting with adoptive mother and her daughter from China

The Vietnamese delegation from Ho Chi Min City.

Families enjoying a Vietnamese lunch