So I decided to try rag rolling Asia-Faith's hair (and mine too)...it is quite a nifty little technique that usually is done with rags, I on the other hand found a use for the cotton wool strips that I bought!
Asia-Faith sat very still during the whole process, and then went to sleep with them in and I took them out the next morning! She looked too cute! (Nothing new....she is always cute!)...
She has this little saying that she says lately to us that is too adorable...she says "I love you so so so so much 10 dollars" (or sometimes it is 20 dollars!)....very precious....
So on Friday our dear sweet landlord took me and the kids back to the Household Registry Department. We had been there a week before to fill in documents and such to get Asia-Faith removed from the Household Registry in Taitung and moved to one here in Hsinchu...
Anyway, there were a bunch more forms to fill out, but they were able to change her "birth" name to our family name and her new Chinese name...Mei Ya...and then they even asked if I wanted an English version of the document (for NT$ 150), so I said definitely, and then they said well for an extra NT$20 I can get 2 :) Although the English version will only be available in a weeks time...
However I did get the Chinese version so we were able to head straight from the Household Registry Department to a travel agency (I was told by my landlord this is the way it is done, so who am I to question...), anyway, we went to the travel agency to apply for Asia-Faith's Taiwanese passport! That will be ready in about 2 weeks time (because of the Double Ten day coming up it will delay the paperwork a bit), but we will have her Taiwanese passport soon!!! Then after the travel agency...we headed to the Hospital, to the Health Insurance Department and were able to change her Medical card name to her "new" name (took about 10 minutes if that!), and they will send the new card in about a weeks time!!!
Wow, I have to say...Taiwan is efficient!!!
Our next step, once we have all these documents and passport in hand is to send it off to our South African liaison office and they will then start paperwork for her to become a South African citizen and get her South African passport!!! Although this part of the journey could take a good few months!!!!
Asia-Faith is now officially, finally, without a question... OURS!!!!
Jason called me at lunchtime to let me know our landlord in Yilan had called him to say some documents had arrived yesterday and she was forwarding them on to us in Hsinchu.
I called Deana (http://mlchome.org) to let her know that I should be receiving them at least by Friday....and then shortly after that our new landlord knocked on my door with some mail for us...I immediately opened it up and since it was in Chinese asked her to read it for me...just to make sure it was the final decree and not a letter saying they need more info...and true enough...IT IS OUR FINAL DECREE!!!
So one year, 6 months, 2 weeks and 3 days later...she is ours, although she has always been ours in our hearts and in our minds...but it is just great to know that legally, on paper, she is ours!
The paper chase is not yet over....there are still a few things to be done, such as remove her from her current household registry, apply for her Taiwanese passport, and then apply for South African citizenship and passport....let the fun begin!
Well, on Friday, 8 August...we had to say goodbye to Doodlebug...he is now with his forever family...
It was a very sad day, well, actually a sad week, for our family as we had all grown very attached to him.
It was the first time I had been a foster mom, and honestly, I don't know if I could do it again.
For 4 months I rocked him to sleep, sang to him, tended to him as if he were my own, loved him as if he were my own, and tried to protect my heart...but before long he had crept in and now I know he will always have a special little place.
Our family still miss him lots, I miss his warm little body in my bed next to me (where he used to sleep), I finish doing dishes and think to myself I need to get Doodlebug's bottles ready for the night...only to remember he is no longer here...he was such a tiny little boy, but he has left such a big void....
~* For Doodlebug *~
I knew from the start this day would come, And I thought I’d be prepared to send you on I never knew it would be so hard, You see, you have crept into our hearts.
Your beautiful smile, your precious grin, The void you are leaving you can’t even imagine I would do it all again, you bet I would, For the memories you have left us are so very good!
Now my precious Doodlebug, We need to send you on, But please remember we love you, And forever stay strong!
~* Starr *~ 08/08/08
~* Follow Your Path *~
As I sit here holding you, Tears streaming down my face You are smiling and gurgling, Oblivious to the changing pace
Your are a delight and a joy, And you are one special boy Filled with love and laughter, Your memory will linger long after Your journey with us has come to an end, But your life is just beginning my little friend You have a new path, Follow it well Maybe one day our paths will cross, who can tell?
WOOHOOOO!!!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME SHOUTING FROM TAIWAN???
This afternoon a mailman arrived with two envelopes that I had to sign for....
I knew it could ONLY be something about the adoption!
I opened them up and it was 4 pages long...all in Chinese!!! It did have our names and Asia-Faith's birth date on them, so I knew it had to be something regarding the adoption.
I quickly called Deana (mlchome.org), and she told me to scan and email them to her....and then I waited....
Finally a little later in the afternoon I got a call back from Deana to say......it is the first part of our Final Decree!!!!
I cannot believe it....we are almost at the finish line.....
Basically what this means is....
FIRST RULING (Part 1 of first decree)
Once the District Court hearing has been completed and the judge has had time to make a decision to finalize the adoption, he/she issues the first part of the Final Decree.
This is a short statement signed by the judge that is forwarded to the parties involved (social services organization on behalf of the adoptive family and the birth family) notifying everyone of his/her decision to finalize the adoption.
This first part of the Final Decree must go to each party and there is a waiting period of 10 days before any more can happen to ensure everyone has been notified of the judge's decision.
The First Ruling generally comes about a month after the Hearing. (although in our case it has been 8 months...buy hey, who's counting!) LOL
So the document was dated 24th July...so hopefully they count the 10 days from that date and not the date that we signed for the document....(wishful thinking?)...
After the 10 day waiting period is up, the second part of the Final Decree is forwarded to all parties. When the second part of the decree is received....the court process is DONE!!!
Then the last process will be to have her name removed from the Household registry
The household registration is a file located at local government offices in Taiwan that contains certificates and information about each person in Taiwan.
The child's household registration is attached to his/her guardian's file until the adoption has been finalized by the Taiwan courts.
Once the child has been legally adopted in Taiwan, you file with the government office to remove the file from the guardian and create a new file showing that the adoptive parent(s) are the new legal guardians.
Anyway, we are just sooooo excited right now....I had to call Jason right away, as he is already living in Hsinchu to give him the great news - and he was so excited and couldn't wait to go and tell all his work colleagues!
The boys kept shouting "She is ours!", too precious...and then Asia-Faith was running around saying "I am Asia-Faith MeiYa Tonkin" ~ Got to love them!!!
Now just to get through these next few days!!!!!
Sorry, for some reason I can't upload pics today...will try again tomorrow:(
Well, the documents that we needed to sign arrived on Monday morning (21 July), and Jason and I signed them and sent them back off in the mail, and Deana (http://mlchome.org) called on Tuesday to say she received them and had taken them to the courts!
So now we wait, again,.......hopefully we will get our final decree SOON!!!!!
On another note...we are moving again!
This time we are heading to the west of the island to a place called Hsinchu - also known as the "windy city"! So from the wettest part of the island to the windiest!
Jason will be leaving on Sunday, and then he will look for an apartment for us, and then myself and the kids will probably move across around August - fun times ahead!
I got a call from Deana today (Morning Light Children's Home), to tell me there were some documents that needed our Chinese names and signatures on so she will be sending them off to us in the mail tomorrow (Thursday)!
This is looks like the final step to our final decree!!!
We are so happy that it looks like we are getting closer to the finish line!
Well, this month of June marks the 2nd anniversary of us living in Taiwan!
She has this little saying that she says lately to us that is too adorable...she says "I love you so so so so much 10 dollars" (or sometimes it is 20 dollars!)....very precious....
