Hello all!
I want to start out by thanking everyone that keeps asking us if we are going to update our blog. Really! My (Dayla's) best intentions have been interrupted by the last um . . . 15 months of our life. It has been really insane, but we are in Taipei, Taiwan for the next 2-3 months while we work on paperwork for our latest additions to Team Thomson. Since my last blog entry in March, we have another announcement to make.
Introducing Delan Stewart Thomson. He was born on March 21, 2008, in Tainan, Taiwan. He is our surprise adoption, and really not so different than a surprise pregnancy. And . . . we could not be more thrilled. It won't be long before we have three little monkeys jumping on the bed!
So, to back up in the story long enough to give you a better idea of how we came to be in Taipei, it all started 2 years ago, when we came to Taiwan to pick Camden up . . .
We both fell in love with the island! The people, the culture, the food, the hospitality, the food, the land, the food, the fruit, the food. Okay, well, I love the food & Sean is a really, really good sport! When we were here last, we made some really amazing friendships & honestly, we weren't ready to get back on the plane to go back to the US.
It was then that we began making plans & changes to our life, so that we could be mobile enough to make a long trip. We didn't know when, how or for how long, we just have longed for Taiwan ever since we left.
A lot has happened in those last 24 months, but I will save that for another blog entry. The process of getting back to Taiwan has taken quite a bit of effort, to say the least. But we are really glad we are here & even though I am eating the food, it is still surreal that we have returned.
The first week we arrived was spent looking at apartments & securing one. My cousin, Erin Chen & her hubby, Jacky & their 3 yr. old daughter Pinky, hosted us while we were searching for an apartment. We were able to find one that we really like in the same apartment complex as Jacky & Erin. We couldn't be more thrilled! It is in the Xindian area south of Taipei city. Right on the Xindian River. We are not able to move into our apartment until this coming Saturday & have been staying in a hostel until the apartment is ready.
When we left the States, there were a couple more steps for Quin's adoption to be complete. Since we have arrived, the adoption contract has arrived, and we are waiting on the final decree, which usually is about a week behind the contract. Until that precious piece of paper arrives, we are getting to visit Quin twice a week. He and Camden are getting along great! They have played and played on the slide & on the big foam geometric shapes in the play room where we are doing the visits. They had their first squabble last Tuesday. Quin was on little motorcycle & Camden wanted it bad! I am confident that this will be the first of many times where one has something the other wants & it causes some sibling rivalry, esp. if it involves a motorcycle!
Quin is just simply as sweet in real life, as in his pictures. He is all boy & is a very happy little kiddo. We're very anxious to have him home with us, and start our life with him!
We want to have Quin home for at least a week or so before we bring Declan home. Quin is going to need some time to get adjusted to living with us & our new home. So, I am hoping that it won't be long before all my ducklings are home in their nest!
In the mean time, we had made arrangements for a friend of ours to come and help us with the boys and to set up our new home. We are having a good time with her here & she has been an amazing blessing in helping with Camden.
I am hoping that I will be able to write more once we get into our place. And I promise, pictures are coming!
I want to start out by thanking everyone that keeps asking us if we are going to update our blog. Really! My (Dayla's) best intentions have been interrupted by the last um . . . 15 months of our life. It has been really insane, but we are in Taipei, Taiwan for the next 2-3 months while we work on paperwork for our latest additions to Team Thomson. Since my last blog entry in March, we have another announcement to make.
Introducing Delan Stewart Thomson. He was born on March 21, 2008, in Tainan, Taiwan. He is our surprise adoption, and really not so different than a surprise pregnancy. And . . . we could not be more thrilled. It won't be long before we have three little monkeys jumping on the bed!
So, to back up in the story long enough to give you a better idea of how we came to be in Taipei, it all started 2 years ago, when we came to Taiwan to pick Camden up . . .
We both fell in love with the island! The people, the culture, the food, the hospitality, the food, the land, the food, the fruit, the food. Okay, well, I love the food & Sean is a really, really good sport! When we were here last, we made some really amazing friendships & honestly, we weren't ready to get back on the plane to go back to the US.
It was then that we began making plans & changes to our life, so that we could be mobile enough to make a long trip. We didn't know when, how or for how long, we just have longed for Taiwan ever since we left.
A lot has happened in those last 24 months, but I will save that for another blog entry. The process of getting back to Taiwan has taken quite a bit of effort, to say the least. But we are really glad we are here & even though I am eating the food, it is still surreal that we have returned.
The first week we arrived was spent looking at apartments & securing one. My cousin, Erin Chen & her hubby, Jacky & their 3 yr. old daughter Pinky, hosted us while we were searching for an apartment. We were able to find one that we really like in the same apartment complex as Jacky & Erin. We couldn't be more thrilled! It is in the Xindian area south of Taipei city. Right on the Xindian River. We are not able to move into our apartment until this coming Saturday & have been staying in a hostel until the apartment is ready.
When we left the States, there were a couple more steps for Quin's adoption to be complete. Since we have arrived, the adoption contract has arrived, and we are waiting on the final decree, which usually is about a week behind the contract. Until that precious piece of paper arrives, we are getting to visit Quin twice a week. He and Camden are getting along great! They have played and played on the slide & on the big foam geometric shapes in the play room where we are doing the visits. They had their first squabble last Tuesday. Quin was on little motorcycle & Camden wanted it bad! I am confident that this will be the first of many times where one has something the other wants & it causes some sibling rivalry, esp. if it involves a motorcycle!
Quin is just simply as sweet in real life, as in his pictures. He is all boy & is a very happy little kiddo. We're very anxious to have him home with us, and start our life with him!
We want to have Quin home for at least a week or so before we bring Declan home. Quin is going to need some time to get adjusted to living with us & our new home. So, I am hoping that it won't be long before all my ducklings are home in their nest!
In the mean time, we had made arrangements for a friend of ours to come and help us with the boys and to set up our new home. We are having a good time with her here & she has been an amazing blessing in helping with Camden.
I am hoping that I will be able to write more once we get into our place. And I promise, pictures are coming!
