Our Family

Thank you for checking us out! We set up this site so you can track our progress to adopt a baby from China. We also added some info about cystic fibrosis and other issues in our little corner of the world.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Travel Dates!!!

We bought our plane tickets!!! Colleen and Aileen will be leaving Madison at 8:56 am on Friday, June 16th. We'll arrive in Chicago at 9:45 am, check in through Customs, and leave for Hong Kong at 12:23 pm. It's a non-stop flight (it's about 15 hour in the air) but with the 13 hour time difference, we'll arrive in Hong Kong at 4:50 pm on Saturday June 17th. So it will be dinner time there, but 3:50 am for us!

On June 18th we'll travel to Kunming, Yunnan, where Josie lives. We don't know when we'll get her but probably on the 18th or 19th. After several days there, we'll travel to Guanzhou where the U.S. Embassy is located. On June 27th we have our Visa Appointment, where we apply for a Visa to take Josie out of the country. It will be issued the next day and we'll travel back to Hong Kong. We'll leave Hong Kong at 12:45 pm on June 30th, flying nonstop to Chicago to arrive at 2:22 pm. After going through Customs, we'll fly to Madison from 4:55 - 5:48 pm.

Jim will be the only one to meet us at the airport, as this will be his first time meeting Josie. On Sunday July 2 we are welcoming our siblings and their children to visit with Josie (and our parents of course.) Then we won't be having any visitors for several weeks. It's very important for Josie to get used to us and her new environment. As a child that lived in an institution, she will have a difficult time understanding that daddy and mommy will always be here, and that we will always be the ones to take care of her. She does not need the confusion of having a lot of people around.

Less than three weeks til we travel, and five weeks until we're a new family!

Showered with Love

We have been so blessed with many people that love us. We've had three baby showers and one "virtual shower." Our friends here in Madison gave us a shower the day after we received Josie's pictures (it just happened to work out that way!) I don't have electronic pictures of that shower yet. Colleen's co-workers threw a big bash as well, complete with diaper "tiered-cake" and a handmade wall hanging with Josie's picture. Then Colleen's family gave a huge party along with her sister Aileen's college graduation party (see pictures last post). Last week we also received a large envelope in the mail with several cards from our friends in Hampton Roads, Virginia where we lived from 1995 - 2003. Many friends there have been wiating with us all the long years until we could finally have a child! They gave us a large gift card to Target with their warm wishes. We feel so grateful, and are blissfully happy with all this love! Josie will be very well taken care of by many friends and family!



Here is the wall hanging that my coworker Barb made. It will hang in Josie's room. It is supposed to be very good for young ones to see pictures of themselves. It helps develop a positive self identity.






What a time to party!

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Happy Times

Our nieces made a big sign that says "Welcome Josie"




Green Bay Packers sweatshirt!! An appropriate gift for a baby that is soon to be an official Cheesehead! Colleen's family had a baby shower for us last weekend, so much love!














We received official word that we've been invited to travel to China, and our approximate travel times are June 14-27. We will find out next week our exact travel dates.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006


Introducing Josie!


YAY!! We finally got our referral!! Thank you all so much for your support throughout this process. We received a packet of information regarding the baby we've been matched with - our daughter! We are thrilled beyond belief as God is making our dreams come true.

We made trips to each of our parents' homes this past week to tell them in person. We actually found out about her over a week ago, but wanted to see our parents before announcing to everyone.

She was born on September 25, 2005. She is living in an orphanage in Kunming,which is a beautiful city in the Yunnan province (western China.) In February she was 13.9 pounds and 23.7 inches long. Her Chinese name is Xie Ju Lian. We will keep her Chinese middle name (Xie is her last name, Ju is her first name, and Lian is middle name.) So her American name will be Josephine Maria Lian Feldhausen. (Maria is Colleen's mom's name.) We will call her Josie.

We hope to travel in June to get her. (Colleen is going with her sister Aileen. Jim is staying home to protect his health.)

Feel free to share this info with your friends and coworkers. We've found that many people are interested in the adoption process. And we also feel that everyone should see her beautiful pictures. :-)