Journey to Matthew

We are HOME!

2007-11-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

Matthew was sleeping and George and I were talking about how much we loved our children when I looked down and saw this light on Matthew's head... I knew then we were blessed and he was coming home despite what the mean 'ole USCIS woman said!
Matthew and Marissa having a bath... Marissa was not thrilled with the depth of the water!
Matthew and daddy... Daddy's goal is to NOT let Matthew fall asleep!

Matthew and I got home late on Friday... so late I would almost call it early on Saturday. We had a long trip (26hours), but a good one. The flight crew of EVA Air was very helpful during the flight and we had the baby bassinet, too. Not a bad trip.

The kids and Rick met us at the airport and it was a very emotional meeting. We had thought we might not make it home with Matthew for many more weeks, but here we were... home. We just keep thinking about how powerful a few thousand prayers can be... He is amazing and wonderful are His works!

I came down the ramp with a blanket held in front of Matthew so that they couldn't see him. They called out to have me move the blanket, but I just kept walking toward them, smiling like a crazy, tired mommy who was happy to see her kids. People around them started staring at the blanket, too. Then, when I moved it, everyone understood that we were adding a baby to the family because Marissa called out that he was cute and I had 'picked a good one'! The boys were calling out their own hellos to Matthew while Rick and I just stood there, smiling at our now complete family. It felt so great to be home with my whole family around me. I can't describe how terrific it was.

I spent the night with a very upset baby who didn't want to sleep for longer than 20-30 minutes at a stretch. Finally, at 4:30 am, I got him to sleep for a couple of hours. Rick tried to help, but Matthew was unhappy and only wanted his mommy. We sure didn't blame him, poor little guy. So, Rick slept in the guest room and Matthew and I took over the master bedroom and hung out all night. Saturday passed in a cloudy daze for me and I don't remember much other than being surrounded by loud, happy kids and being extremely tired. I was afraid to nap because I wanted to sleep that night. Unfortunately, Matthew had other plans for the two of us and last night went much the same as Saturday morning had gone, only he allowed Rick to be included. The evening took on a surreal, nightmarish quality, but at least I was at home!!! And I thought I was sleep deprived in Vietnam... LOL.

Tonight should be better, though, because we were able to keep Matthew awake a lot more today. He is such a good baby and his brothers and sister LOVE him. We will add more pictures and another post tomorrow, but for now, here is Matthew and his daddy, one George took of a 'blessed Matthew' in Vietnam, and one with Marissa.

Hugs from Home (with extra special hugs to my 'family' in Vietnam),

Jules and Matthew... and our family!!

11/14/07

2007-11-14T05:10:00.001-07:00

Today I want to start my post with a HUGE thanks to my agency, PLAN Loving Adoptions, for all their support and assistance during this very difficult time. They have been able to work miracles on behalf of my family. The team here in Vietnam has been in contact with us daily and has gone so far as to help with finding a hotel, providing supplies for the baby when our luggage was lost and their biggest accomplishement for the Nolte family is... WE ARE GOING HOME!!!

That is right, Ladies and Gentlemen... Matthew and Mommy are going home later this week! I was crying and laughing and shouting all at once. It is such a great feeling to know that the embassy did the right and legal thing by our family. I am glad that all the calls from home did what we needed them to do, keep the embassy to a stricter time frame. All the support from friends and family paid off! Tell your senators we said Thank You! I will email them all myself, too, when I get home. Just don't forget the 3 families I am leaving behind. They still need our help and I will be getting on that ASAP! They are good, loving, kind people who still need to bring their babies (Lauren, Patrick, and Ian) home. We will prevail, even in this time of political unrest.

For now, it is bath time for Matthew, who just spewed milk everywhere... in a few days, I can say, "Look, Daddy, he needs you." I will be saying that a lot for the next couple of weeks.

Happy Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

11/13/07

2007-11-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

The family I am missing... A LOT!!!!

Just a quick... and slightly late post...

We celebrated a birthday here last night (one of the moms) and it really brought home how much I miss my kids. Everyone had a great time, lots of talking and laughing, tons of pizza and drinks, and everthing was topped off with a beautiful cake and a rendition of Happy Birthday. Seemed like family... feels like family...

We also spent 3 hours at the embassy, but they decided that they couldn't talk to me and that i should try again tomorrow. Sigh, guess what? I will get to sit there for another 3 or 4 hours tomorrow... what fun. Rick or a lawyer might call (please!) then I could walk around the lake or go shopping. Great idea, huh?

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs from Hanoi,

Matthew and his mommy

11/12/07

2007-11-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Cross your fingers, tomorrow (today for Jules and Matthew; remember, they're 14 hours ahead of us) we should find out if those bureaucrats at the Embassy have made up their minds about our case--whether Jules and Matthew get to come home now (or some undetermined date in the future)! Jules is prepared to camp out at the Embassy until they tell her something.

I tell you what, I'm definitely ready for them to come home! I'm fully qualified to take care of our kids full time (only for an afternoon here and there :)) but, come on, this is Jules' job! I'm used to deploying overseas for 4-12 months at a time while Jules stays home. This is totally backwards! On reflection, though, I don't see how we could do this any other way. Jules is much stronger than I; she's able to care for a 4mo old, who spends most of the day (and night) burping/farting/pooping/crying/feeding, on only a few hours of sleep, and still be able to put on a happy face and carry on. Me? If I lose too much sleep, watch out, my inner teddy bear starts to growl!

Well, you don't want to hear what's going on here at home. I'm posting today for Jules only because the Lucky Star II has wireless (no direct hook-up to the internet, and is it ever slow--think of dial-up), and she was too tired last night to do so. Sooo....

Until next time
Rick (& the rest of my little gang)

11/11/07

2007-11-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Out for our daily walk. This one was around the lake.
Some of my group out for lunch at the Cyclo Cafe... good food!
Matthew is getting ready to help me wash bottles in out two plastic tubs.

We had the best pizza for dinner tonight... I'd tell you the name of the place but it is a tricky Italian title and I am positive I'd mangle it. After dinner we had banana splits to fill up the corners of our tummies and to fit in a piece of fruit... fruit is good for me, right? Even when topped with ice-cream and chocolate sauce???

Matthew was such a joy today. He has a tummy ache and spent 1/2 the day spitting up and throwing up, but we still fit in so much laughter and fun. He has a positive and happy disposition that is hard to resist!

We also want to send out a big THANKS to Cherie's daughter (whose name is as hard to spell as that Italian place!) for bringing over a suitcase for all of us. Our families got to send a few neccessary items to her and she brought them over for Team 10/06. I have a sweater and jeans!!! Matthew has onesies and pants that fit!!! Life is good...

Kisses and Hugs from Hanoi...

Matthew and his Mommy

11/10/07

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

Matthew is happy in the morning....
... Happy after lunch...
... and happy at the end of our long walks! Just a happy little guy, our Matthew is....

Look who's 4 months old today... Matthew!!!
Today we went to the store to pick up a couple more boxes of formula, diet coke, and chocolate. I think I will need to diet when I get home... not to lose weight, which I seem to be doing here, but to retrain my taste buds to be healthy again!! I have become a bit of a stress eater. I eat breakfast and then either lunch or dinner, but not both. One meal a day is dedicated to snacking... chips, chocolate, pretzels, granola bars, yogurt with fruit, etc...

We all went out to lunch and to wander the streets today as a group. That is 5 adults and 4 babies. Tuesday it will become 4 adults with 4 babies as the last of our 'Dads' has to go home. George will be missed as he has been great at running errands and helping everyone out. But he has missed 6 weeks of work and he has to return... sad times.

Well, Wendy and I are having Movie Night, which means rewatching one of the 8 movies I brought over. We are calling downstairs to see if they have a microwave we can use for popcorn. Popcorn, Diet Coke, Ritz with Cheese Crackers, a good rerun... just like home! All we need are our families and it would be perfect.

Love to all,
Hugs from Hanoi,
Jules and Matthew

11/09/07

2007-11-09T03:30:00.000-07:00

Good morning, Sunshine!
Matthew's big sister said he needed food so I fed him baby cereal!

Hello from Vietnam! Matthew and I had a fun day. We talked to daddy on Wendy's web-cam, went to the Big C, had a bath, and he had his first bowl of cereal. The kids love to see their brother on the web-cam as much as I love to see them. They are growing so much! Next, we went to the Big C, which is the Vietnamese version of Wal-mart. We needed diapers, snacks, baby cereal, and a bowl/spoon set for Matthew. He slept through the excitement, but I am sure he would have loved it if he had been awake. After we ate sesame-encrusted tuna with steamed veggies and rice (yum!) Matthew had his bath. He is a true Nolte... part fish! The boy loves to kick his feet and splash, splash, splash! Last, I fed him his first ever baby cereal. He ate every bite, then drank 4 oz of formula. After a HUGE burp, he fell asleep on me and I put him to bed. As soon as I am done posting, I will be ready to sleep, as well.

We did go to the embassy again today. They finally issued the rest of my group their NOIDs. Took long enough... Now we can begin to fight for their children. You can't even start to prove your adoption is legal or gather missing documents until you get the NOID, which tells you what is missing. Matthew and I will never get a NOID due to the adoption paperwork being full and complete, but we will have to wait another week or two while the embassy 'takes a pulse' on our case... which means what? Who knows, but at least we all know it is complete and legal in two countries, so that is a positive. If making us stay helps the embassy with their private agenda, so be it. I just wish they could tell us more than 'we are taking a pulse'. :)

Have a wonderful day/night! Hugs from Hanoi,
Matthew and his Mommy!

11/8

2007-11-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone! Jules isn't able to come to the phone right now, so leave a message!

Well, I guess you can't, so I'll leave one for you. I'm part of Jules' support staff back home, and am here to tell you, THANKS for all the support YOU'VE given us in getting Matthew (and the other kids: Lauren, Patrick, and Ian) home (no, the embassy/USCIS hasn't approved/issued a visa yet (grrrrr))! I just ask that you continue to e-mail Mr. Eric Alexander at hanoiadoptions@state.gov, flood his inbox with requests to send Matthew home to his forever family.

I sent off a scathing e-mail to him yesterday, and was also called by a member of Sen. Kyl's staff, Phoenix office; I've been assured an inquiry will be made into our case. I've been reading the PLANVN list-serv on Yahoo (for adoptive parents in the Vietnam program), and know that a lot of you have been contacting your senators as well (thank you!). With all this attention on the embassy/USCIS, something good has to happen for us (and hopefully for future travelers to Vietnam)!

I talked to Jules this morning before I left for work, and she's doing well in the new hotel (she fell getting out of the tub, didn't want to step on Matthew in the process, and crashed hard). She's very grateful for all the support given to Team 10/06 and can't wait to be one of the 'supporters'. Thanks again.

Rick (and Nick, Jacob, and Marissa)

11/07

2007-11-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

This is a request from my son, Matthew Hoang Anh and his entire family. We were told today, by Chief Officer Eric Alexander of the Consular section of the US Embassy that they do not have any negative information on our case with which to issue us a NOID. I asked when I would get my approval and a visa for my new son and he said maybe in a week or two. They have said my paperwork is 100% legal and filled in perfectly, but that we can't go home. They seem to be hoping that something bad will turn up in the next week or two so that they can issue something against us! This is a terrible thing for our Embassy and for USCIS to be doing to an American citizen and her infant son. They are holding us for no reason and have told us that they are going to continue to hold us here for a vaguely worded and unspecified length of time.
I have talked to my agencies representative and we agreed that we need to flood the Embassy with calls and emails requesting that I be given our approval TODAY. Please, call and email your senators with this update. Call and email Mr. Eric Alexander with a strongly worded plea for our visa approval to come TODAY. Be eloquent, my friends, be passionate... I will be doing the same for others when my turn comes to be the supporter rather than the supported.
My husband is having his military supervisors send messages of hardship and duty, my fellow teachers are sending in their messages, and our families are chiming in, too. But, thus far, it has been my fellow adoptive parents that have reached the most government officials... adoptive parents are able to fully understand our situation and can relate to it better than others.
Matthew and I need as many senators and congressmen as possible checking this out... it just can't be legal to hold us semi-hostage in a foreign country without justifiable, factual, logical reasons.
Thank you for all you have already done and I am sorry to have to ask for more, but I am. Please, call them all again, tell them our story, give them our blog address, give them my email address. Thanks again, and again, and again...
Jules and Matthew

11/05/07

2007-11-05T02:35:00.000-07:00

Matthew and his Mommy!
Matthew snoozing in Lauren's PINK bouncy seat.

That which we dreaded with all our heart and soul has come to pass. The US government has decided that our cases are not compliant with the laws of the US and are therefore going to be denied. Think of how that feels... I have had Matthew for over a month; I walk the halls soothing him when his scabes itch; I bathe him in green tea to calm him; I feed him and hold him; he and I play together and laugh together; I love him every bit as much as I do my three other children and they want to take him away. My heart is aching today.

There were very few reasons given over the phone. We all have meetings tomorrow with the embassy people, so maybe then it will all start to make a little more sense.
We are gearing up and preparing to fight this, but it is very scary and frightening being here alone and going through this. I can't lose this baby, he is a solid part of my heart and he is mine forever and ever... it just has to be...

Hugs... and tears... from Hanoi,
Jules and Matthew Hoang Anh Nolte

11/4/07... part two

2007-11-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

(if you haven't read part one, do that first!)

Okay, I am too excited by the chance to come home with Matthew to wait. Here is the contact information for the people 'in power' here in Vietnam. We have spoken to (or tried to speak to) them all with varing degrees of success. Donald and Monica are very nice, but still no information forth coming from them, so...

On Tuesday morning let the calls begin!!! Or, you can send e-mails starting on Monday evening. Email/call every government offical you can reach and ask (or beg) them to contact these people in Hanoi and find out what is going on with our cases. We need information. Remember to refer to our Key Points... that is what we need addressedUS government officials are our best hope of resolving this. We need them involved and active. I am including our contact info, as well. Pass it on with your calls and emails.

On behalf of the families here in Hanoi, thank you, thank you!

Here is a link to the list of senators... write to all that represent your state!

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Here is the Vietnam government people's information:

Donald Mattingley, Consular OfficerUS Embassy, Hanoi

(84-4) 850000 x 6181, 6129

Monica Boduszynski, Consular OfficerUS Embassy, Hanoi

(84-4) 850000 x 6181, 6129

Eric Alexander, Consular Chief American OfficerUS Embassy, Hanoi

(84-4) 850000 x 6181, 6129

Mary Ann Russell, USCIS AgentUSCIS, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

(84-8)8235395

Here is the families' information"

Rick and Jules Nolte
nolte.nations@cox.net
http://journey2matthew.blogspot.com/

Jeff and Wendy Helkowski
jwcmth@yahoo.com
http://www.babyjellyeans.com/
last name: Helkowski (view website)
password: vietnam

George and Monica DeGioacchino
mtdigio@yahoo.com

http://digiovn.blogspot.com/

Jim and Tracy
(info to come after I get permission to post it here)

Key Points:

* Our I-600's were filed under the old process, but we are somehow caught up in the change to the new process, which goes against what the USCIS told all the agencies would happen to families who were already in country. It is causing unnecessary delays in our processing.

* The 2 PLAN groups that cleared before us had the same paperwork, same orphanage, same agency and cleared in 2 1/2 to 3 weeks while we are starting our 5th week without any word of where we stand or how long this will take. The ever lengthening wait is causing hardship back home as costs are mounting, we are having to move hotels, families need us for day-to-day functions, and, of course, we have jobs we need to return to. It is unfair that our government is the cause of all our current problems, when they are the very people we expected to turn to in our time of need.

* Every group member has called the Embassy for information on our cases and have been told our situation is 'classified and private' and they can't discuss it with us. It is our child's case and our adoption and visa... if they can't discuss it with us, how can we know where we stand? They can keep us here for an unspecified length of time, but we are told to expect several weeks... 6-8, possibly 10...

11/4/07... Special Request

2007-11-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

Our group... Team 10/06! The babies (left to right) Patrick, Ian, Matthew, Lauren, and Sinh (who went home with her family to California!)
Matthew in his new hat... I think he loves it!
Matthew and Lauren... still holding hands.
Lauren loves Patrick's feet... she was laughing loudly while playing,but Patrick was super-cool-calm.

Our agency, PLAN Loving Adoptions Now, is totally wonderful! The staff here in Vietnam met with our group today and told us all the plans they have put in place to help us bring the babies home. They have retained lawyers in both Vietnam and DC and have run through every scenario possible in preparation. I feel so much better after the meeting, even though I am still scared spitless about the upcoming battle. We have, as a group, planned our own recourse, which includes the help of each and every person who is reading this blog... lucky you! On Tuesday, I need... no, Matthew needs you to contact your senator, congressmen, etc and tell them about our plight. I am listing a few key points that we are most concerned about and need addressed. Our primary goal is to bring these babies home without having to stay another 10 weeks fighting our cases against the USCIS (United States Customs and Immigrations Services) in the US court system.
Key Points:
* Our I-600's were filed under the old process, but we are somehow caught up in the change to the new process, which goes against what the USCIS told all the agencies would happen to families who were already in country. It is causing unnecessary delays in our processing.
* The 2 PLAN groups that cleared before us had the same paperwork, same orphanage, same agency and cleared in 2 1/2 to 3 weeks while we are starting our 5th week without any word of where we stand or how long this will take. The ever lengthening wait is causing hardship back home as costs are mounting, we are having to move hotels, families need us for day-to-day functions, and, of course, we have jobs we need to return to. It is unfair that our government is the cause of all our current problems, when they are the very people we expected to turn to in our time of need.
* Every group member has called the Embassy for information on our cases and have been told our situation is 'classified and private' and they can't discuss it with us. It is our child's case and our adoption and visa... if they can't discuss it with us, how can we know where we stand? They can keep us here for an unspecified length of time, but we are told to expect several weeks... 6-8, possibly 10...
Your support is essential to our success. Please take time to look up your congressmen and state senator today. Think about others in your state/community who you think could help us get home with our children. Then, tomorrow, I will post the addresses for USCIS, offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Your help will make all the difference in the world. Please, help... don't turn away thinking someone else will do it. One family had to wait over 3 months... another was told 'You can always give the baby back and just go home.'... a couple of families adopted two babies but they each had to leave one behind due to the US government's interventions... Matthew, Patrick, Lauren, and Ian really want to come home to America and they thank you for your help and prayers.
May God bless our endeavors,
Hugs from Hanoi,
Jules and Matthew

11/03

2007-11-03T03:16:00.000-07:00

In front of our hotel...
Matthew and Lauren...always holding hands!
Team 10/06... my travel group with PLAN, having a wonderful lunch out.

Today my group... we call ourselves 'Team 10/06', as that is when our travel was... had a great lunch at a funky little place that used old cyclo seats for their decor/seating. It was a wonderful place and it is near the hotel we are moving to on Wednesday.
Our new hotel is called the Lucky Star II and is in the old quarter of Hanoi, about 1 mile from my current hotel. Wendy and I went over and saw the rooms they have for us and they are very nice. The rest of our group has made the move and are happy enough to be there and settled in. Just so no one worries, I have the room until the end of November and have the option to extend, if needed.
Our agency is so on top of things with the adoption and the possible NOID (notice of intent to deny). They are going to have a local lawyer and a lawyer in DC work the case if we are denied Matthew's entry into the US. As a group, Team 10/06 is planning things we can do to help bring our kids home. Remember, the NOIDs are from the US government and do not reflect on my agency or Vietnam! My group is talking about having senators and congressmen get involved, contacting the local embassy's adoption branch, keeping pressure on the consulate down in Ho Chi Minh City... we just need to be involved and active to make this work. These are our babies!! Not one of us could stand to sit back and watch this happen without trying to help.
Well, I am going to feed Matthew and watch a movie with Wendy and try to think of the fact that we haven't actually got a NOID, yet, and we still have a chance to get home without a NOID... I will keep you posted...
Hugs from Hanoi,
Jules and Matthew

11/02/07

2007-11-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

You have no idea how much I miss these guys!!!
My wonderful new son whom I love very much!
My rock... my foundation and source of strength... the one I love 'more'.

Well, who knew we would still be here posting in the month of November...

Matthew and I are doing well, but are a bit depressed about not being home with our family. I am sorry to say there is a chance we will be here for another 4-6 weeks. I am not saying this to upset anyone, but just to keep you informed. The US Embassy and Consulate are the only ones who are having problems with our paperwork... actually they are having problems with a lot of families' paperwork. The adoption agencies are happy with the paperwork, the Vietnamese government is happy with it, but the US is worried about a couple of small points. Really small points... things like, did the birth parents know the baby was going abroad (the parents signed the paper that said they knew that)... Then it's, did they understand the paperwork they signed (the Vietnamese birth parents go through an interview process before they relinquish the baby and it is all gone over with them then). Like I have said before, if our government doesn't work quickly in the states, why should it work quickly in a foreign country?

Just a reminder... don't mail us any care packages :) We are trying to find out ways to get things to us without paying the heavy import tax. It is turning cold here so we are starting to wish we had brought coats and long pants... long sleeve shirts, too. Incoming parents are bringing us things like bottle liners and we have bought the babies some warm clothes. The women here yell at us if the babies are not bundled up extra warmly. Everyone is walking around in capris and a short sleeve top, but the baby has to have a hat, socks, long sleeves, pants, and they love to see a jacket and mittens! Very funny.

Off to give Matthew a bottle and a much needed nap,

Hugs from hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

10/31/07

2007-10-31T07:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! Hopefully your pumpkins are cute and your candy is sweet... and you remember to be safe and have fun! We had several little trick or treaters from families who were here to adopt come by. I hung a sign I had made on my door and bought candy so they would have another place to go. It was fun!!

We still haven't heard any news about being able to come home, but I will call again tomorrow and hope for the best. We are all having problems as our hotel is filling up and they can not extend our stay any longer. I am moving in with Wendy because she has her room until next Wednesday. George and Monica called 5 or 6 other hotels before they found one that had room for them. I think they will move out on Friday. I will be very sad to be parted from them. We are almost out of some things, like bottle liners, but we are asking the families who are coming over to bring extra for all of us. You can't ship anything because the taxes are VERY high and I would have to pay more in taxes than the stuff is worth.

I think we will come home before it is too much of a problem, though. I am renewing my Vietnamese visa this Friday as it expires on Monday, but that is easy enough to do. Our agency is being really supportive, but they are getting frustrated with the US Embassy, too. It is such a hassle over just paperwork.

Well, sorry for the long post, but there it is. I miss you all very much!!

Halloween Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

10/30/07

2007-10-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

Life-size figures of the prisoners.
Memorial wall of the suffering and hardship from this time in history.
This was labeled the 'Head Chopper'. Self-explanatory, I guess...

Just a short posting today. We have had a stressful day of trying to get our approval from the US Embassy. No luck. Matthew and I have been here almost a week past our scheduled return date and might not make it home until next week at this rate. Vietnam is a wonderful place and Hanoi has a lot to offer, but we want to go home. I'll keep you posted as we get new information.

I am posting pictures of the prison attached to our hotel. Wendy and I visited it today. It is a very interesting place, but with an awful history, if you know what I mean. I think it might be the same prison that a US senator was at... not sure...

Praying for good news from the Embassy,

Matthew and Jules

10/28/07

2007-10-28T04:15:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Lauren at lunch... sleeping.
Matthew after lunch... sleeping.
Dinner... Chocolate Buffet!!
Dessert... High Tea with clotted cream!
Matthew after dinner... wired!

Today we all went to a very fancy hotel and had an early dinner. To start, I ordered the chocolate buffet... all you can eat chocolate! I followed this up with High Tea... scones, clotted cream, biscuits, fruit, cucumber sandwiches... Yum!
I also went shopping again today. Didn't buy much, but I had a great time looking. The weather was hot and humid, so Matthew and I cabbed it back to the hotel to have noodles with Wendy and Lauren. I am getting better with the chop sticks, but I'm not as good at it as Wendy... she is a pro and can pick up tiny pieces of veggies.
Well, tomorrow we are calling the embassy, so feel free to send us all your happy thoughts... we will need them! I want to come home.
Hugs from Hanoi,
Jules and Matthew

10/27/07 part 1

2007-10-27T05:54:00.001-07:00

Matthew and Mommy on the streets of Hanoi.
Pagoda Dragons
The very excited world traveler... NOT!
Matthew and Mommy trying to cross the road... kind of like playing 'Frogger'.
A B52 Bomber that went down in the Vietnam War.

Today was spent hiking all over Hanoi with Wendy (and Lauren) and George and Monica (and Patrick). It was hot and sweaty work, but we found the bomber remains, visited a pagoda, and rewarded ourselves with lunch at Kotu. Kotu is a place that trains Vietnamese youth to become more employable by giving them skills in the food service industry. Good food, great service.

After getting back to the apartment/hotel, Matthew took a cool bath, drank 5 ounces, and passed out. I am having a mushroom pizza and fries for dinner, then off to bed I go.

By the way, this morning I went down to Wendy's room and was able to use her web-cam to call home. I saw my kids and Rick and they saw us... well, they were mostly interested in Matthew, who in turn was interested in the bottle I was holding! But, it was great fun to see them!

Hugs from Hanoi,

Matthew and Jules

10/27/07 part 2

2007-10-27T04:08:00.000-07:00

More pictures...

10/26/07

2007-10-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

Happy baby... we were playing in the apartment/hotel.
Matthew and Lauren by the pool.
Matthew just hanging out and wanting to go home.

We called the embassy today. It seems that they decided to investigate our orphanage and our children. They sent a 'team' of translators and embassy employees out to the province to do their check-it-out-thing. The orphanage is well run and has kept very good records on every birth mother and child for over 10 years, so we hope to pass the test and come home soon. Please do NOT send us a care package... the taxes on a shoe box size package is about $50-60 ! We are doing fine and can buy most of what we need here. However, I will be burning the 4 pants and 5 tops I brought as soon as I get home so as to never have to look at them again!

Today was a hang around the hotel and eat chocolate day, but we are planning to sightsee a little this weekend. I will post more tomorrow.

Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

P.S. Nick, Jacob, and Marissa...

I miss you so much and want you to know that I will be home as soon as I can. Matthew and I are sad that it is taking so long, but we are doing all we can to get there, so be patient. I LOVE you all!!! Continue being good for daddy. I am proud of you all.

XO, Mommy

10/25/07

2007-10-25T06:18:00.000-07:00

No embassy appointment today... although I sat there at the embassy with Wendy for over 3 hours hoping for one! It didn't work, but we were told to call them in the morning to hear more about our group's cases. Cross your fingers for good news.

Matthew and I went to a Vietnamese quilt shop run by an Australian and an American. They employ local women to sew the quilts for a decent wage, teach them skills, and the women get some health benefits. It is a not-for-profit organization that makes top quality products for a great cause. They are called Vietnam Quilts and you can check them out on-line. When I get home I can post pictures of the ones I bought, but they wrapped them up tightly in tape for packing.

Hugs from Hanoi,
Matthew and Jules

10/24/07

2007-10-24T04:13:00.000-07:00

"But I want to go home NOW.... I don't want to wait a week!!! Waaa!!"

Highland Coffee is in the large building.
Drive-up paperwork processing. Don't know what kind of paperwork, though...

Okay, let's get the embassy appointment out of the way... I won't be home on Friday. No one is sure when we can come home, but we think it will be another week. I am hopeful for a quicker return, but I'm not holding my breath. That said, feel free to pray... or call the US embassy! Only joking about the call!

Today we went walking around Old Hanoi. It is a lovely place, full of people and noise. It is a bit dirty and run down, but still a good place to walk and sight-see. The heat was a bit much, though, and we headed back to the hotel before lunch time. It was noodles for lunch and then a quick nap.

After naptime, we had ice cream with some friends at Highland Coffee. Later, we watched TV in the room and had leftovers for dinner. Not a bad day, but we are still ready to come home. Vietnam is a wonderful place to visit, but my family is in Arizona and I miss them.

Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

10/22/07

2007-10-22T16:55:00.000-07:00

The entrance...
The puppets are portraying a ceremony...
The peacocks are doing a mating dance, then an egg puppet arrives, then the egg opens and a baby peacock arrives.

Extra pictures from the Water Puppet Theatre... enjoy!

Hugs,

Jules and Matthew

10/22/07

2007-10-22T06:01:00.000-07:00

Entrance to the theatre
The stage made of water (the puppeteers are behind the green screening)
The first puppet dancing on the water.
Dinner before the show... Italian food in Vietnam.

WOW!!! The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre was so wonderful and fantastic and beautiful and... well, you get the idea. There are musicians off to one side that play the music and sing. The puppeteers are hidden behind a screen and push the puppets through openings to make them perform on the water 'stage'. They had puppets of dragons, water buffulo, people, peacocks, fish, and so much more. I hope the pictures do it justice, but I am not sure any picture really can. My favorite act was 'Dragon Dance', which had four dragons, two shooting water and two shooting fireworks! You had to be there. At the end of the show, they raised the screen so we could see the puppeteers, standing waist deep in the water, moving the puppets on the long poles. If you ever get the chance, go see them! They perform on tour all around the world, so keep your eyes open. It is worth the ticket price (here in Hanoi it was about $3... amazing price and I would be willing to pay a lot more to see it again in the states with my family.)

10/21/07

2007-10-21T04:50:00.000-07:00

My legs and arms are sore today! We walked all over the old quarter of Hanoi. Don't tell Rick, but I went shopping... more than once! But, then again, if he didn't want me to shop, he shouldn't have left me alone here with Matthew... Matthew LOVES to shop! We bought a stroller and several things from 'silk street' and 'baby street'. Things are grouped by type and sold all along the same street. Makes comparison shopping easy :)

Tomorrow we are going to the Water Puppet Theater. It is a centuries old art form that is falling out of use in most parts of Vietnam, but Hanoi is lucky enough to have a major theater that performs about 4 times each day. The cost for great seats is 40,000 dong... about 3 American dollars. I think the price includes a program and a paper fan. It lasts for about 50 minutes and the artists stand chest deep in water while performing with puppets on long poles that they move through the water. The water acts as a stage. I'll post pictures after the show tomorrow.

Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

10/20/07... part two

2007-10-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

Our fancy lunch...

Some additional pictures of Ha Long bay...

A few more pictures from Ha Long Bay...

10/20/07

2007-10-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

When a farmer wants to sell a cow at the market, he ties it up and straps the cow onto the back of his motorbike! Yes, the cow is alive! Very odd sight. Double click to see it close up.
If you look between the boats, you can see the dock. That is where we started, then we climbed from boat to boat with our babies tied to our chests, trying the whole time to not fall in the bay!
Wendy, with Lauren, and Matthew and I at the caves in the middle of Ha Long Bay.
The floating fishing village in the middle of the rocks of Ha Long Bay. There is even a floating school house!
We grabbed the two shaded chairs on the top deck. After about an hour, we moved downstairs for a very good seafood lunch. Shrimp, squid, crab cakes cooked in the crab's shell, etc. Yum!

The entire day was amazing and there is too much to tell you everthing here. I might start a new post, just to add a few more photos. We had a great time, but now I am tired and off to bed...
Good night from Hanoi,
Matthew and Jules

10/19/07

2007-10-19T02:45:00.000-07:00

Today was a very busy day, but before we tell you about it we want to tell you about yesterday and our embassy appointment. All did not go as planned. Due to an unforeseen complication with the US Immigrations and the Vietnamese Government, we may have to stay a few days longer. I was told in some cases it can be up to an additional 3 weeks longer, but for us, it would mean only a day or two... three days, tops. I am still praying hard to come home on Friday. I will know for sure by Wednesday night what's happening. Otherwise, all our paperwork is in order and we are ready to be done!

Today we picked up Matthew's passport. It has the cutest picture of him on it. Of course, the agency kept it for additional paperwork so I couldn't take a picture of it to post... and, no, I wouldn't have posted the entire thing.. just the picture :)

We also had his medical appointment today. Our family each guessed at what we thought his weight was... the answer is... 13.5 pounds! My guess was 12.4, so I don't think I won the guessing contest. The doctor kept saying how healthy, strong, and happy our baby was. That was very good to hear. We know how wonderful he is, but it was nice to have a doctor confirm it.

We are off to book our day trip for tomorrow, so I will say bye for now.

Hugs,

Matthew and Jules

10/17/07

2007-10-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

Jacob at 1 month
Jacob at 8 yrs

Jacob was giving Matthew's crib a trial run and Rick caught it on film. I am hoping that Matthew fits better than Jacob does!! Although, even at birth, Jacob managed to fill up the crib pretty well... he was born 10lb 2 oz!

What a great big brother Jacob is going to be... again!

Hugs from Hanoi,

Jules and Matthew

10/17/07

2007-10-17T03:02:00.000-07:00

Another day in the hotel. Today, I worked on a miniature scrapbook for Matthew. I think it is looking good, but I wish I had brought more in the way of supplies. I had to borrow scissors from Monica, but at least I remembered double-sided sticky tape!
Tomorrow, we have our appointment at the US Embassy so I will have more to report than today.
Hugs to all,
Jules and Matthew

10/16/07

2007-10-16T05:56:00.000-07:00

We had another day at the hotel, though we did go for a short walk and hang out by the pool. It was so nice that I was beginning to wish I had brought my swimsuit when two boys ran out and jumped into the water. They shot back out of the water, screaming about how cold the water was. I felt a lot better about the lack of swim wear!
Matthew and I got the time for our embassy appointment on Thursday... 1:10pm. I hope the person I talk to will find all the paperwork in order and give us the date and time for our second appointment, but I doubt that is the way it all works. Still, I have my fingers crossed and I am praying hard... I am so ready to bring him home. Vietnam is a wonderful country with so much culture and history, but it is missing something... MY FAMILY!!!
Hugs to all,
Jules and Matthew

(I can't upload pictures today... I'll try again later)

10/15... again!

2007-10-15T03:20:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post... Today my friend, Wendy, and I went to a local open market and I wanted to post a few pictures from our trip. The pictures are of bananas, dry goods (like beans and rice), assorted eggs, and the 'other red meat'... dog. The dog is not from pets. it is specially raised herds of dogs. Still gross!!!

The bananas looked good, though!

Jules

10/15/07

2007-10-15T02:45:00.000-07:00

Today we went shopping at Kraft-link and I bought a few presents and then went out for dinner with Wendy and her daughter, Lauren. I also cooked green tea leaves... sticks, berries, and all. Then, I mixed it half and half with water and bathed Matthew in it. Hopefully, it will help heal his skin. He is having a scabies relapse and is very itchy.

We also got our first US Embassy appointment date... on Thursday. I was hoping for Tuesday, but at least I have a date, right? I am happy about that! Then Friday we pick up his passport and get his medical appointment. All that is left after that is one more Embassy appointment... then WE CAN COME HOME!!! Friday the 26th can't get here soon enough... I miss my kids and Matthew misses his daddy.

Well, we are off to play in the scabies ointment... that's right, the fun never ends, LOL!!!

Hugs,

Matthew and his Mommy

10/14/07

2007-10-14T04:01:00.000-07:00

Today Matthew and I went to the Temple of Literature in Hanoi with two other families. It was beautiful, but very humid. I took several pictures and bought a few gifts, too. All in all, it was a great outing. We were supposed to go to lunch afterward but the heat was oppressive and Matthew was getting fussy... loud and fussy.

After a quick cab ride back to the hotel, we took a cool bath and drank formula, although my 'formula' looked a lot like Diet Coke. All this was followed by a nice, cozy nap.

I think that we will stay in tomorrow or hang out by the pool and read. Nothing too exciting, but we enjoy the restful times just as much as the outings. Can't wait until we can come home and my naps can be longer!!

Hugs to all,

Matthew and Jules

10/13/07

2007-10-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

Well, today Matthew and I hung out at the hotel. We didn't go anywhere, but we did have guests.

First, a woman came by to do paperwork for the embassy appointment on Tuesday. Hurray! Appointment one scheduled... check! Medical scheduled for Friday... check! Pick up Matthew's passport next Friday... check!

Next, our friends George and Monica came over to visit for a few hours and brought Matthew's little buddy, Patrick. He has the absolute cutiest hair!!! That is him and his daddy in the picture above. Matthew has a cute little head, but Patrick's head has such personality with that 'do.

Then it was dinner, a bath, and now bedtime. Not too exciting, but a great day overall.

Hugs,

Matthew and Jules

10/12/07

2007-10-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

First of all, Rick left today to return to the states. He seems to think the kids miss him, but I think it is the other way around! According to my sister, who is with our kids, they are having a blast and don't miss us all that much. But, there it is, Rick is heading west today and arrives Friday night, AZ time. He is just hoping that Nona doesn't choose to 'forget' to pick him up.

Matthew and I are planning to stay close to the hotel for the next few days and then we have several appointments scheduled for next week. I am hoping to come home a day or two early, but I don't think it will happen. Adoption events seem very well planned here in Vietnam, with each piece of the puzzle carefully laid out for us. It's a very reassuring process and I appreciate all the work that they put into it. There are no worries, you just know it is getting done right and quickly as possible.

Nap time in Hanoi... I'll post more tomorrow.

Hugs,

Jules and Matthew

10/11/07 Giving and Receiving Ceremony

2007-10-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today was our giving and receiving ceremony. It was another 3 hour drive away and Matthew handled the drive by sleeping the whole way... both ways! He woke up once each way to eat a quick snack, then right back to sleep. During the ceremony he... yep, you guessed it... slept some more. He woke up several times, looked around, and decided it wasn't anything he needed to be a part of. We don't think he understands how this day changed the course of his life... we know that today's ceremony surely changed our lives... We are proud to be the parents of 4 amazing kids.

Each family signed about 7 papers and swore that they would take care of the baby they were given. The director gave a longish speech to each family, which the interpreter shortened greatly and just said, "You keep the baby, yeh? How 'bout you?" It was kind of funny, actually. When it was our turn to say something back to the director, we said something about how we were honored to have Matthew in our family and how we would love and care for him. She translated that we said, "Thank you."

Tomorrow, Rick flies home and ditches Matthew and I here for another two weeks. We are going to be fine, but are not thrilled about it. I plan on getting a lot of reading done during his naps and doing a lot of walking the rest of the time.

Time to pack up for Rick's flight... I'll post again tomorrow.

Hugs,

Jules... and Rick, too :)

Gotcha Day Posting!

2007-10-10T20:27:00.001-07:00

These pictures are from our Gotcha Day on Monday, October 8th. They were taken by our friends, George and Monica, who were also getting a baby... Patrick. The woman in the black top is Cherie Clark, who works with PLAN. She is the one who assisted with the placing of Nick with us over 12 years ago! The woman in white is one of the nannies who took care of Matthew.

We will post again today, after our Giving and Receiving Ceremony.

10/10/07

2007-10-10T04:43:00.000-07:00

Three months old today!!! Yea, Matthew! We started our day with a bath to wash off his scabies medication and he loved it. He was all smiles when we finished and wrapped him up in his towels. Then we spent the morning hanging out in our hotel room and talking on the phone with the kids. It was a great way to start my day.
In the afternoon, we walked around Hoan Kiem Lake. It was a bit hot and all the exhaust from the mopeds and traffic was a bit overwhelming so we headed back to the hotel. On the way back we saw a 'buffet' set up on the side of the road. You paid, got a porcelain bowl, and dished up what you wanted. Then you squatted down and ate before giving back the bowl. It was kind of interesting, but seemed popular as the woman had several customers hanging out eating.
Now we are in our room and waiting for 'the call'. This call will tell us when we will have our ceremony. This is the one that makes it all official in Vietnam. It should be tomorrow, but we don't know when.
We will post again soon... have a great day... we did!

10/9/07

2007-10-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

We Have Matthew!... and luggage, too! Most of you know that we got to Vietnam on Sunday. What you might not know is that due to a typhoon, we were delayed and rerouted after Taipei to both Hong Kong and Saigon before getting to Hanoi. We arrived in Vietnam over 12 hours late and without luggage! We arrived at our hotel at midnight and 8 hours later we left to get Matthew. It was a long drive and we were very tired but too excited to sleep on the bus.
Finally, after 4 1/2 hours of driving, we were at the orphanage!!! They took us upstairs to a meeting room and we sat down around a formal table. We thought the director was going to come in and talk to us, but instead, nannies walked in with arms full of babies! Matthew was easy to spot... he was the cutest one... though we might be prejudiced just a little. He was brought in first and when they turned to look at all the parents to find his, we were already standing and reaching for him. We will post pictures of the moment later (other families took photos for us as we had no camera... see above about the luggage, LOL)
Just to set the stage, remember that we had been traveling for three days, arrived without luggage, got up on Monday to put back on Friday's clothes, and spent 4 1/2 hours in a van. We had not eaten on the ride and were feeling very tired... then we got Matthew. It was as if nothing else in the world mattered. All our problems and concerns were gone and we were just at one with the world. It was such a great day.
Matthew is a very easy baby. He is sweet and loving and has the best burping skills I have seen in a long time (watch out, Jacob, it's competetion!) Right now, it is 3 am and Rick is feeding him so we can go back to bed :)
We will try to post daily from here on out. Now that we have luggage and Rick figured out how to get the computer to show our blog in English, it will be better!
Well, we are off to bed now and will post again soon,
Rick and Jules

10/1/07

2007-10-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Subhas Nolte

Well, we just got word that, due to some meetings happening in Matthew's province, we won't get him until Thursday, possibly Friday, of next week. I know this is a delay of 3 days but, come on, the rest of this adoption has been so smooth that we were expecting something. I just keep saying 'it is only 3 days, only 3 days...'

Something wonderful also came our way today. Our coordinator in Vietnam is Cherie Clark. She has been in Vietnam for many years. Cherie was a vital piece in Operation Baby Lift back in the 70's. She was also the woman who, after meeting Mother Theresa in India, started the International Mission of Hope in India. Funny thing... that is who PLAN matched us with Nick through! Cherie knows Nick's massi (auntie or care giver) in India. She recognizes the photo we have of Nick while he was in her orphanage. To come full circle... she matched us with our first child and is now helping us with our last... almost a miracle, we'd say.

If you get a chance, read her books... After Sorrow Comes Joy (Vietnam) and her newest (still being written) is Before They Had a Name (India).

We will keep you posted as the events unfold,

Rick and Jules

9/29/07

2007-09-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hello, All! We just wanted to show off a donation we are taking to the orphanage from Fay and Bill Tedrow (Julie's mom and her husband). They purchased all these stuffed animals for the older kids at the orphanage to enjoy. We are so excited to be able to bring the children something to snuggle with. All we were bringing them was a big bag of Smarties and DumDum pops! They are going to LOVE these as much as we are going to love passing them out.

We leave in 6 days and get Matthew in only 9 more days!!!

Love to all,

The Noltes

9/23/07

2007-09-23T16:58:00.000-07:00

Today we set up Matthew's crib. It is adorable! The crib is white with high, rounded ends. We chose a jungle style bedding in green, tan, and assorted colorful animals (elephant, lion, turtle, etc.). It matches the light green, white and tan colors of Marissa's room. Speaking of Marissa, she tried out the crib. While we did laundry, she napped in it! She says it is good enough for her baby brother. I just wish we had taken a picture.

The first of our suitcases is already packed, too. We have most of the baby basics packed along with a few diapers... ha-ha! We still need to add our clothes and more baby stuff, but we have almost two weeks before we leave, so I think we are doing great.

Our passports are back with our Vietnam visas on them. Not as fancy a visa as China's, but hey! It will get us into the country, so no complaints!

The egg picture is just a bit of fun from Rick's day. He and Marissa were putting groceries away, when... OOPS! I think I will be going back for more eggs later today. She was helping daddy to clean it up and I just had to take her picture. She was very disgusted by the whole mess.

Love to all and I will post again soon,

Jules

9/15/07

2007-09-23T16:23:00.000-07:00

Travel dates... and new pictures! What a great day for the Nolte Family! We are traveling much sooner than expected... in 3 weeks to be exact. That is about 6 weeks sooner than we were first told. Not to worry, though, we are READY! Except for the crib, car seat, diapers, clothes, formula, diapers, visas, diapers... or did I mention the diapers already? :)

A fellow PLAN Loving Adoptions family saw Matthew at the orpanage and sent us a new picture. We were glad to get it and to see how healthy he is. The care givers are very kind and loving toward the babies, so that has helped us be a bit more patient. He is being loved on... and with those cheeks, he should be!

Hugs,

Jules

9/8/07

2007-09-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

We got the call!!! Matthew is an actual little person! He was born on July 10th, 2007 and currently weighs about 11 pounds... assuming we converted the information correctly.

The kids are very excited about having a little brother. He is such a cutie!

We are now awaiting travel dates. The agency thinks we will get them in a couple of weeks, then we would leave about 6 weeks after that. So, expect us to travel in November...?

We will keep you posted.

Love to all,

Rick and Jules

2007-06-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

We are almost done with our paperwork at this time. All we have left is to get the I-171H back from Immigrations and send it all to PLAN. Then they will get it sent on to Vietnam. When we get the package to Vietnam, it will take them a month or two, or three, to match us with a little boy. Then, we hope to hear from the DIA (Department of International Adoptions) in Vietnam saying that they are referring a child to us! It is our hope that PLAN will have some information about our Matthew in late August and that we could travel by October! Remember, this is just our timeline, not an official one.

Here's to keeping this blog updated and to keeping everyone informed...

Rick and Jules