"Frogger" illustrated...not for the faint of heart!

This circa 2004 video is in our part of the city ...things haven't gotten any better. (Bill...don't watch this until we get home!) Imagine doing this with 2 adults, 2 teens, and an adopted 3 year old. Feel free to keep praying! Actually, we could avoid this...if we didn't eat. However, every trip to get any food involves at least one trip like this.

We hope to get Gracie's passport tomorrow (Monday), but Tuesday is more likely. After that she has a medical exam and then we apply for a US Visa. Though we're not holding our breath, if it all transpires w/o a hitch we could be headed home by Friday. Again...feel free to keep praying.

Today was a banner day. Gracie let both Jack and Billy hold her! Sarah was a great blessing to the other American couple here as their daughter Ema won't go to anyone but her Mom, who really needed a break, and Sarah was able to coax Ema away for a bit.

Thanks to all of you who have been adding your comments. It's a real encouragement.

Blessings,
~ Jack

Gracie Ann Nhi Klein

It is such an amazing experience to have a new baby in the family. We re-learn many things that we knew long ago. Such as, there are times in the day when you need to be quiet. Today for example, while Gracie took her nap, Mom Dad, Sarah and I had lunch in the bathroom :) it was funny to see us all eating pizza, fried rice, and fresh pineapple in a bathroom about 15 feet long and 8 feet wide. Later today after Gracie took her nap we took a walk. Unfortunately, the sling we got was to big for her so until dad figures out how to adjust it (if it is possible to) mom and Sarah will just have to carry her. She still will not let either dad or me hold her, although she did smile at me and say something that resembled Billy. She still seems a little scared of dad, but not so much of me. This is probably because I am smaller than dad so I do not seem so threatening. During our walk we stopped at a cafe and dad fed her ice cream. She seemed to open up a little more to dad and really enjoyed the ice cream. But, we do seem to get a lot of smiles from our little princess. :)


~Billy

Got her!

She is officially ours!!!

But before I get ahead of myself, let's take the day in chronological order. After breakfast, we called Henry and asked if we could go visit Gracie again, he said yes and they picked us up around nine. This time, we actually went inside her orphanage and saw where she lived, and the other orphans. We had given her a bag of treats which she immediately spread out between the children, she shares wonderfully. The three oldest children loved pushing down the button on my camera and taking pictures of each other and seeing the pictures. The two oldest (pink shirt and orange dress) are unavailable to adoption. Sadly, they are there because each has parents in jail, but they are two of the sweetest things I know. Here are pictures,








We then went to lunch at an all you can eat Vietnamese buffet where food from all three regions (North, Central and South) was available. We have documentary pictures of Billy eating pig trotters, and fried squid, and we won't need to eat again until Tuesday!



During lunch we got the call that we were going to get her today at three!!! Yeah!! If we had not gotten her today we would have had to wait until Monday. She was the best little girl that we could hope to have, didn't cry, make a fuss, or even stick her lip out. We then had a long car ride to the giving and receiving ceremony. (G&R aka "grab and run!") Mom and Dad signed a lot of paperwork that they couldn't read, and the official from the Vietnmamese Department of Justice pronounced her ours.




After that we proceeded to the office to apply for her passport and played Frogger on the road crossing. While we were in the waiting area Gracie amused herself by playing with my camera by pushing down the button taking extraneous pictures. After level two of Frogger we finally came home to the hotel. Dad and Billy are out buying water and Gracie is playing with Mom and reading a book upside down. She was very interested in the dental floss and was trying to open it before Mom took it away. She likes being bounced and spun, and has little dimples. Well, more later!

If things go really well we may actually be headed home as early as next Friday night...at 11:55 pm. Please pray all goes efficiently and we can get home soon...with our treasure.


~Sarah

Happy thanksgiving! Care for some duck feet or pickled snake?

Today while we are still waiting to receive Gracie we decided to take some time to go sightseeing. We were picked up by our driver and Chi (an AGCI guide) at 9:30 and we first drove to a quiet section (with few scooters) of Hanoi and visited a silk village. This consisted of a row of shops that featured mainly silk products. After a couple hours of negotiating we headed back to our van with several purchases including a Vietnamese dress for Gracie. We then headed on to Vietnam's first university - the Temple of Literature, over 1000 years old! (and we think Jamestown is old!) Chi was a wonderful guide! Below are pictures taken at the university.

After the university Billy stopped to buy some soccer balls because a factory is here and the balls were very inexpensive. Here are pictures of him shopping, and his purchases along with an interesting scooter.








































We returned to the hotel and then headed to the bakery for lunch.














On the way back from the bakery we saw roasted duck feet being sold by a street vendor and pickled snakes and scorpions in jars. I think we'll pass on those! Tonight we are headed to KFC (yes, they have one) for fried chicken and mashed potatoes - our Vietnamese Thanksgiving feast.

God is giving us a wonderful adventure as we patiently await Gracie. Well...mostly patiently


Love to all back home!

~Sarah

We've moved...but don't have Gracie yet

Henry, our guide, helped us better understand Vietnam economics. Translation...he turned us onto a much more economical hotel (Lucky Star) with a better room and more bed space. Wahooooo! I'm attaching a picture of the entrance. Sarah took a picture outside our window. Suffice it to say, we're now definitely in the heart of old Hanoi. The sound of honking just never stops!

We walked down to the Dong Xuan Market today and did a little shopping. This was a new experience for the kids and Susan. Crowds were unbelievable and bartering consisted of handing the calculator back and forth with each of us putting in the price we wanted. The shopping was pretty easy...it was getting back and forth from the market that was a challenge. Every sidewalk is covered with commerce and/or scooters. On the roads direction means nothing. Honk and drive is the rule. Sorry the picture doesn't show the scooters....

And, for those electrical engineers out there we've included a picture of the power line structure outside our first hotel.

The other Americans we've met have a blog here. (And they're really good at it!) They were expecting to get Ema today at 2 p.m. We've not yet heard back from them. We're hoping for Thursday but expecting Friday.

Blessings,
Jack for the rest

First Day/First Meeting

Today after a wonderful Vietnamese breakfast and some walking, we visited Gracie with the other family that is adopting. Here is a picture of the newest member of our family.

We are hoping to get (and keep) her by the weekend. Keep praying that she won't be scared, and that she will transition easily.

~Sarah

We're Finally Here!

After a 28 hour plane ride, we have finally arrived! The view from our window is beautiful,






and we are looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful and unique city. We are going to see Gracie soon!


~Sarah

Here We Go!

Six hours away, please pray that all goes well. Here is a picture of our luggage, hoo boy. 

5 suitcases, and 5 carryons. 

~Sarah

Travel Dates

We are scheduled to depart from Richmond on Sunday, November 23rd at 7 a.m. We get to Hanoi about 28 hours later. We'll be exactly 12 hours off. That'll be a challenge. We'll be staying at the "Hanoi Hotel." We're currently scheduled to return on December 11th. We're praying we actually get to come home sooner.

Blessings,
The Kleins

How about Thanksgiving in Vietnam?

We just received word from All God's Children International (AGCI) that we are required to be in VN by November 25th. We don't yet have an official G and R (Giving and Receiving) date. Joy abundant!