Charlotte Bound!

Adoption (and bureaucracy in general) is always such an adventure! (Kindest word I could come up with today)  Have you ever had those days when you just knew that God was trying to teach you a lesson?  Even when you thought you "HAD THAT ONE DOWN"?  Apparently, I am being taught (once again) that I AM NOT IN CONTROL.  Seriously, I do know this.  I also know that God has this entire process in the palm of His very capable hands.  This does not, however, keep me from boiling when it comes to stupidity and wastefulness.

Today's lesson is that there are times when we must do things that make no sense.  Times when, despite the absurdity of the process, you must jump through the hoops, regardless of the cost or inconvenience, in order to reach your ultimate goal!

Yesterday, we were informed (for the first time I might add!) that Colin would need to appear in person before an immigration officer to administer the oath of loyalty to the United States in order to get his certificate of citizenship.  You might ask, "Wasn't he already a citizen when he arrived into the country?" And, the answer is YES!  However, because he was 14 when he crossed the border, he has to appear in person in order for them to give us paperwork that proves it.    Paperwork that they simply mail to all the 13 year olds who come here. Do you have any idea how much I LOVE bureaucracy? (Breathing deeply here...)

So, our 14 year old son, who does not SPEAK English, does not READ English and who can understand VERY LITTLE English, will go 4 hours away from home, to another state and nod his head and sign a piece of paper he does not understand to confirm what is already a legal fact.  Are we all on the same page here?

Hopefully, this time tomorrow, we will have this all important document in our hot little hands and we can proceed with getting him a US Passport in time for our trip to China for Cameron.

Thanks for listening.  I feel better now.

Angie

Update on Cameron

We requested some information on Cameron a few weeks ago and we got our answers back today! :-)

Looks like our sweet boy is happy about the idea of being adopted.  It is looking more and more like we will be spending Christmas Day en route to our hotel in Wuhan.    Here is what they shared about him:

1. Updated height:134CM, weight 30KG，head size 55CM，chest size 62CM， 
    Shoe size: left foot length 19cm; right foot length 21cm because of repaired club feet.
    Pants size 77CM
    Shirt size 49CM

2. What is your favorite subject in school?

 Art

3. What is your favorite food? Do you like spicy foods?

He eats regular food as long as it’s not too spicy. He doesn’t like fish because it has bones. He doesn’t like toufu as well because of blank taste. He likes different kinds of fruits, such as banana, apple, great grape, etc.

4. How do you feel about being adopted to America?

He said he really wants to have a forever family, no matter where the family comes from. The best country is USA because he can learn English. He also said that he is turning 14 years old soon. It seems hard to find forever family. He is also worried about his English. He is looking forward to be adopted by one family.

5. What is your favorite activity?

He likes jumping rope, he can jump over 100 per minute. He likes to play badminton and basket ball.

6. How do you like to spend your free time?

After finishing his homework after school, he will play badminton/basket ball or play games with his room mates. He sometimes likes to read the books which tell about animals.

7. Favorite sport? Color?

He likes red, blue, green, yellow, he dosen’t like black.

8. Personality?

He is very nice. he is very happy to be adopted by American family.

We should get our LOA any day now and then we can send him a letter, photo album and care package.

Happy Veteran's Day!

Veteran's Day has always been a day of significance in the Rylands' home.  I am blessed to say that many of my family members have served in the United States Armed Forces and I am the proud beneficiary of the freedoms that they worked so hard to secure and defend.

My grandfather served, my father served and my brother, Major Scott M. Jewell, is currently serving in the US Air Force as an F-16 pilot.  He and his wife are currently stationed in the UAE. Lastly, close to home, my dear husband, Tom, is a proud US Army Vet.  Tom's affection for the United States started at a very young age.

Tom's Father, Thomas Daniel Rylands, also in the US Army, was killed in WWII on July 3, 1944 when Tom was only 16 months old.

 As the sole surviving son of a war vet, Tom was under no obligation to enlist in the Vietnam conflict. Among his family papers is a document from the US government granting him release from any mandatory draft of personnel based on that status.

When Tom came of age, he felt that if his Father could die for our freedoms, then the least he could do was to give a few years of his life to the same cause.

So, off he went to serve his country in one of the most challenging and politically charged wars in our nation's history. Tom was a helicopter pilot for the Army Security Agency in Southeast Asia from 1966-1969.

 So, this is always a holiday that has special meaning and one that we want our children to grow to appreciate.  Today, we spent a lovely morning at Beech Hill Elementary School where Principal, Rene Harris, welcomed a very large group of US Vets to celebrate and honor their service.  It was a wonderful day that had a great deal of meaning for us.

The festivities started with a parade led by the Brownie troupe and all the Vets.  Bringing up the rear was a representation from the Ashley Ridge High School Marching Band.

Tommy & Colin waiting for the parade to start

All branches were represented.....

Who's that dashingly handsome vet there??????

 Healthy & Injured...

 Young & Old....

 Here comes the TUBAS!!!!

It isn't a parade without the drum line, right?

Tommy with his Dad at the end of the parade route

Today's Program w/ Special Mention......

The Beech Hill Chorus performed several wonderful tunes of tribute to our veterans.

Thank you to the Beech Hill family 

for taking time off from your academic studies 

to honor these fine men and women

who have served us all so well!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Moving ahead

We have great news.  The I800 paperwork was processed through the lockbox in Texas immediately and they sent it to our officer in MO via 

overnight mail!  

I had sent them an email at the support address with this request, but did not expect that they would comply and they DID!  So grateful.  We expect to get our LOA (Official approval from China) today or tomorrow and as soon as we have it, USCIS can approve our I800 and get it moving once again.

This has saved us at least 7-10 days of waiting.  Thank you Lord and thank you to those who have been praying about this part of the process!

Our next step.... sending sweet Cameron his letter and care package so that he will know for certain that he has a family coming for him!

Angry Birds Lounge Pants and T shirt

Time to start PACKING!!!

Angie

Let the Nesting Begin!

So, we are in full "nesting" mode here now as we rearrange the house once again to make room for Cameron.  When we prepared for Colin, it was a fairly simple task.  We turned our guest room into his bedroom which really only involved cleaning out the closet and getting a new bedspread.  But, for Cameron, things are not quite so simple...

The only room left for a bedroom was the one that we had been using for an office/ classroom and it was FULL!  So, the dominoes started to fall when we sold our cute round (4 person) kitchen table and moved the formal dining table into that space.

The "Before"

Then, the china cabinet had to move.  

And so it begins....

The "After"

Furniture all over the house stuffed into rooms 

where they don't belong so that we can make a path

 for something else to move...

The Living Room all crowded with STUFF!

While everyone else is working.... 

Tommy is securing the sofa!  

What a helper!!

Tommy's room turned upside down during the transition.

The before.... Classroom/Office

The After...........Cameron's Bedroom

Front Room of the house......

What used to be our formal dining room is now.....

Rylands' Academy!

Tommy's desk and learning area

Tom's desk and Rosetta Stone Central!

Colin/Cameron's Desk- Here is Colin working diligently on his World Geography lesson

White Board cleverly hung on our supply cubbies!  Go Tom!

So, we are one step closer to having the house ready to welcome home our newest son!

Falling Back!

Progress and Praises!

We finally received our I800a approval 

and now we do this lockbox thing one more time!  

This time, the I800 and all the accompanying paperwork goes 

back to the lockbox with yet another check 

(Yippie!) 

and on to MO one more time.  

BTW, normally, this does not happen back to back.  For the average adoption, there are several months between these two steps.  So, the FedEx man just left

with our new packet and it will be delivered on Monday in TX.  

Any Questions?  I know, that is not at all confusing!

So, on to the PRAISE part of this update.... Our great God has confirmed for us, once again, that this sweet boy is meant to come home and be a Rylands!  Yesterday, we received notice that we were approved for a very generous grant which has allowed us to not only pay the current bill, but have enough left over to help with the ones to come.  We are not completely to our goal, but we took a massive jump in the right direction last night!  We are so thankful and excited!

Tom and Angie

Immigration Update

Just wanted to update everyone about our timeline. We heard today from our agency that the  USCIS paperwork that was in TX finally made it to the MO office today. Our assigned officer confirmed that she would be reviewing it along with the new home study today.  Thank you all for your prayers.  We are currently still a few days behind schedule, but hope to make up that time with the I800 already being submitted ahead of schedule.  As soon as we receive our LOA (Letter of Approval) from China, the US office should be able to approve the I800 immediately.

More to come. Stand tuned!

Angie

My first wordless Wednesday!

Happy Birthday Tommy!

SEVEN YEARS OLD!!!  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

I was greeted this morning by a toasty, cuddly 7 year old who crawled into bed with us and got his 

"Happy Birthday Hug!"  

The photo is a bit blurred, but here he is...

Tommy Rylands- Age 7

His first shoulder ride!
Big brothers really are good for something!

Then, we all got up and around and enjoyed a sweet treat for breakfast in honor of the Birthday Boy!  Cinnamon Rolls! YUM!!

The Before Shot...

And after....

Yes, there was fresh fruit & milk too.....

After breakfast, Granny (my Mom) came to town and treated everyone to the boys' favorite--- Chinese Buffet for lunch!  (Are you sensing a theme???)  What other 7 year olds do you know that can't wait to get to the Chinese buffet and eat Mussels!  

The afternoon was more Granny fun. The boys made sugar cookies with her, cut them out and decorated them. I suspect this may have been Colin's first time decorating cookies.

Yes, we have a little rolling pin for the younger 

bakers in the family.....

Colin delicately placed his masterpieces on the 

baking stone.

Granny was a great teacher as she instructed on just the right thickness for the dough...

Now we get to the real artistry... 

Colin began carefully carving 

something into each cookie.  

 Ta-Da!  For the birthday boy!

Check these out!  Colin carved Tommy's name into the Owls!

Let the decorating begin! 

Meow!

Colin's Masterpieces

Tommy's Works of Art

Yum!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!