It's the little things... What it means to me Jiayin Designs Contest

What it means to me Jiayin Designs Contest

In life, it is often the little things that make a big impact, and I have learned so much throughout my journey of adoption: patience, kindness, love, strength, faith.  All of these lessons have changed my perception and outlook on life, and frankly have made me a better person. Although this journey is not for the faint of hearts, it is worth it!

Many ask me: How do you do it? sometimes I'm not even sure how I do it! But I often catch myself saying, "it's the little things that get me through"...I've waited for almost 2 years the little things have helped.  It's the little things: a letter from a dear friend, a surprise email with a photo of my beautiful daughter, just-because-flowers, and wearing my Jiayin pendent.  Since day one, I have worn my Mama necklace it makes me feel connected to my Lottie Lee even before I saw her sweet face for the first time.  A few months ago my husband bought a personalized charm, and everyday since I wear Lottie's Chinese name close to my heart. I adore this pendent and cannot wait to give it to my daughter one day and tell her I wore it close to my heart for our entire journey. It sounds silly, but it's sometimes the little things in life..

Why, would I enter this contest if I already have two charms? well I would love to give the charm I receive to my dear friend Lynn Marie who is waiting for her daughter.  I know it would help her get through the remainder of her journey as she awaits LID and her LOA for her sweet daughter Abby Rose.  We began the journey togther both receiving our referrals on September 20, but since we were in different parts of our journey, I will be able to travel to China before Lynn Marie.

Who knows why or how God knew we should be friends, but He did.

We never met, actually haven’t even been able to speak on the phone yet, but we are real friends.

It's probably the first time in my life that I have felt such comfort and kindness with a complete stranger.

We don’t know too much about each other, but we have one similar thing in common.

We are waiting for our daughters, and they lay next to each other every night in China.

Lynn Marie and I met because of our daughters, but I feel there is a greater reason why we have become fast friends. Together we listen, support, and share our stories; together we wait patiently and sometime not so patiently. We answer questions and are there to just listen. We are wide awake in the middle of the night typing on our phones, sending messages back and forth. We cry for each other's great moments and felt the pain during the hard times. I am so thankful for Charlotte and cannot believe I have been chosen to be her Mama, but I realize there are also great things connected to her. Without our Charlotte, I would have never met Lynn Marie, and it's like God knew we should be friends and gave us our daughters to watch the friendship blossom. It's pretty remarkable actually.

Click here to: JiayinDesigns on Facebook

Click here to: Jiayin Designs

One Less Tonight

Throughout this process, we have been blessed to meet so many other AP (Adoptive Parents) who are adopting from China, we are a tight knit community who supports one another, loves unconditionally, and oddly enough most of us have never met in person or even spoken on the phone.  Tonight I know several families who are in CHINA right now meeting their babies for the very first time.  Together we have cried  and celebrated each others journeys, its an incredible feeling... tonight there is one less...well actually many more than one less!


Matthew West: One Less

Lottie Lee's Auction STARTS TODAY!!!!

Today begins the start of the “It’s Time to Bring Lottie Lee Home ONLINE Auction”! This auction is one of the ways that we will be able to fund Lottie's adoption. Thank you to the many people and businesses that have generously donated!!! Thank you for being a part of the journey to bring Lottie Lee home! Now…let’s get her here:)

 

100% of the items have been donated with the purpose of helping our family fundraise to bring our daughter home from China! Our estimated cost for airfare is $2,800-3,000, with an orphanage donation at $5,500. We would love to meet our fundraising goal, so we can begin our second adoption!
 
This auction will end on February 5th at 10pm
 

 To Start Shopping click here:

Check over 100 donated Items!: Click here

 

Ready, set, BID!
Thank you all for the SUPPORT and LOVE!!!!!

This Love

This Love by Mandi Mapes

I’ve never felt this way before
funny how you found you’re way to my door   
and suddenly my prayers are coming true
and these arms are not letting go of you

this love this love is the deep kind
you’re my baby, you’re my sunshine
I’ll hold your hand, be your biggest fan
and I’ll love you all of the time

our eyes are not quite the same shade
and your hair blows in the wind a different way 
but I am your mother and 
I love you just the same 
so I’ll take your hand honey 
and you can take my name

my heart has been redeemed,
adopted and now I know my Father
this grace that I’ve received 
I want to show you
I want to show you

this love this love is the deep kind
it hangs on through the storm and the sunshine
I’ll hold your hand, be your biggest fan
and I’ll love you all of the time 

Lucky Ladybug

Well we found a ladybug late last night, we are officially on day 8 of the TA wait, hoping we hear good news soon!  We are more than ready!!

 

 

LADYBUG LEGENDS:

Nearly ALL cultures believe that a Ladybug is lucky.
Killing one is said to bring sadness and misfortune.

In France, if a Ladybug landed on you, whatever ailment
you had would fly away with the Ladybug.

If a Ladybug is held in the hand while making a wish,
the direction that it flies away to shows where
your luck will come from.

If the spots on the wings of a Ladybug are more than seven,
it's a sign of coming famine. If less than seven, it means
you will have a good harvest.

In Belgium, people believed that if a Ladybug crawled across
a young girl's hand, she would be married within a year.

 

People in Switzerland told their young children
that they were brought to them, as babies, by Ladybugs.
(...and we thought Storks did that)!

In some Asian cultures, it is believed that the Ladybug understands
human language, and has been blessed by God, Himself.

 

In Brussels, the black spots on the back of a Ladybug indicate to the
person holding it how many children he/she will have.

According to a Norse legend, the Ladybug came to earth
riding on a bolt of lightning.

The Victorians in Britain believed that if a Ladybug alighted on your
hand, you would be receiving new gloves.....if it landed on your head,
a new hat would be in your future, and so on.

In the 1800's, some doctors used Ladybugs to treat measles! They
also believed that if you mashed ladybugs (ewww!) and put them
into a cavity, the insects would stop a toothache!

During the Pioneer days, if a family found a Ladybug in their log cabin
during the winter, it was considered a "Good Omen".

In the Spring, if numerous Ladybugs are seen flying around,
British farmers say it forecasts many bountiful crops.

Many Bretons believe that the arrival of Ladybugs will bring fair weather.

Folklore suggests if you catch a Ladybug in your home, count the number
of spots and that's how many dollars you'll soon find.

In Norway, if a man and a woman spot a Ladybug at the same time,
there will be a romance between them.

It's time to bring Lottie Lee HOME! Online Auction

We need your help!

Help our family as we continue raising the funds needed to bring home our daughter from China! 

We will be traveling in the next 4 weeks, and still have more in adoption and travel costs to raise! Flight to China average 1,500-2,500 per person depending on airfare and flight availability.  100% of your bids will go towards helping to bring Lottie Lee home! The auction will run from January 25-February 5th at 10 pm. To bid: Log onto Facebook: here is the link to our auction: Click Here: To enter Lottie's Auction Page

Just comment under the picture of the item or service that you would like to bid on with the dollar amount. The photos will be loaded on January 25! Happy bidding and THANK YOU for helping us to bring sweet Lottie Lee home!!! 

Here is a sneak peek of some of the 145 Auction items!

Auction Items include:

Baby items: handmade blankets, sweaters, hair bows, baby legwarmers, shoes, clothes

Jewelry: bracelets, necklaces unique handmade pieces

China items: some unique pieces, adoption tees, jewelry

Art work: Some unique and one of a kind items, includes sketches, paintings, pottery

Gift certificates and other services in the Austin, Round Rock & Georgetown Areas.

And so much more!!! Please join us on January 25th and shop to help bring Lottie Lee home to her forever family

Gorgeous Purple Scarf

Faux Burberry handbag

Touchdown Baby Legwarmers for baby boy or girl

Small decorative silk flower arrangement

Handmade pottery

Infant hat 0-3 months

Baby shoes-Size 3

Handmade smocked 18 month Angel sleeve dress

Handmade bead bracelets

Authentic Turquoise New Mexican  necklace

Handmade beaded bracelet

A letter to Lottie

Dearest Charlotte,

You have been chosen to be a part of the best family in the world.  This means you will always be loved.  I know you are thinking all families have love, but Fogarty love is different.  We have been shown by our matriarch and your namesake that love is not only when everyone is happy, but especially when there is an issue or a problem.  As you are growing up, there will be times when you and your parents will not always see eye to eye, but underneath, the love of your extended family and especially your parents will always be there.

Thanks to everything your parents have done to communicate to us every step of your progression here, you have also touched and woven your red thread through your extended family.  Even though many of us live in different states, we are only a phone call or a plane ride away.  Always know that you have been chosen for all of us and we will always be there and LOVE YOU!!

Welcome,
Love Aunt Amy & Uncle Brad

Lottie's Homecoming Dress

 

Look at Lottie's lovely handmade dress from her Grandma, its absolutely beautiful and we cannot wait to see her wearing this beautiful dress.

All About Fundraising!

Here is a list of all our Current Fundraisers!

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CoupAide Restaurant.com Gift Cards

Restaurant.com Gift Cards make great Gifts

During the remainder of our Adoption Journey 10% of donations received from CoupAide gift cards for the Lottie Lee Fund will be given to Smile Train to help deliver cleft lip surgeries to children in need! If you would like to be a part of Lottie Lee's Red Thread please contact us.  We have gift cards and Holiday cards Place your orders by e-mail winncastagno@yahoo.com

Gift Cards are also available online Click here for Online CoupAide website

8 Reasons why Restaurant.com Gift cards make great Holiday Gifts.

1. Your supporting cause collects $10 with each purchase.

2. Huge bang for your buck. You receive a $50 gift certificate with only a $20 contribution.

3. Instant gratification. Receive your gift certificate immediately upon purchase.

4. Certificates make great gifts and never expire.

5. With over 18,000 partnered restaurants nationwide use these gift certificates while your in our out of town.

6. Extremely easy to use. Visit Restaurant.com, find your favorite restaurant, print the custom voucher, and give it to your waiter.

7. You may break your $50 up in $10, $15, or $25 to redeem at multiple locations

8. 10% of funds will be donated to Smile Train

...................................................................................................................................................

Lottie Lee's Online Auction

Help our family as we continue raising the funds needed to bring home our daughter from China! 

We will be traveling in the next 4 weeks, and still have more in adoption and travel costs to raise! Flight to China average 1,500-2,500 per person depending on airfare and flight availability.  100% of your bids will go towards helping to bring Lottie Lee home! The auction will run from January 25-February 5th at 10 pm. To bid: Log onto Facebook: here is the link to our auction: Click Here: To enter Lottie's Auction Page

Just comment under the picture of the item or service that you would like to bid on with the dollar amount. The photos will be loaded on January 25! Happy bidding and THANK YOU for helping us to bring sweet Lottie Lee home!!! 

Here is a sneak peek of some of the 145 Auction items!

Auction Items include:

Baby items: handmade blankets, sweaters, hair bows, baby legwarmers, shoes, clothes

Jewelry: bracelets, necklaces unique handmade pieces

China items: some unique pieces, adoption tees, jewelry

Art work: Some unique and one of a kind items, includes sketches, paintings, pottery

Gift certificates and other services in the Austin, Round Rock & Georgetown Areas.

And so much more!!! Please join us on January 25th and shop to help bring Lottie Lee home to her forever family

.....................................................................................................................................................

The Sassy Stitch Shop 

 With the holidays around the corner why not give the gift that helps 2 beautiful girls unite with their forever families.  Please help Molly Kate & Lottie Lee by purchasing one of Sassy Stitches' beautiful crocheted hats and ALL the proceeds go to the two families to help with the adoption cost!  

 FB pricing is Owl & Tiger hats $20, Monsters $18, Girly Grannies, Shell Stitch, and plain beanies $15 and birdie beanie is $19 as shown (with 3 birds). All hats are customizable and several types of yarn and colors available. Prices are not including shipping.   Prices are high on Etsy due to paypal and other extra charges.  Please be sure to mention that your purchase is for Lottie Lee. And allow for 3-4 weeks for design & shipping.

Thank you so much for all your continued support and LOVE!

Check out the Sassy Stitch...here- Click here: The Sassy Stitch on Facebook

And here... Click here: The Sassy Stitch Shop on Etsy

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Just Love Coffee

We began a second fundraiser with Just Love Coffee  all proceeds will help bring Lottie Lee home.  There are many varieties to choose from and now your morning cup of coffee could mean so much more, it can make a difference for our family!  

Want to learn a little about Just Love Coffee.  Their vision is not only creating outstanding coffees, but coffees that are fair and sustainable. Fair- meaning that the coffee farmers are paid a living wage for their work. Sustainable- meaning that the coffee cherries are grown and harvested in a way that protects our precious natural resources. Just Love coffees purchases only organic, shade grown, coffee beans- Fair Trade Certified, when available. In addition, Just Love is a Fair Trade Certified company.

We will be filing our documents in the upcoming months and the sales from Just Love Coffee can help us with our final Dossier payments.  Do you  want to buy some coffee in honor of our sweet baby girl??...please click here Coffee for Lottie Lee and happy shopping!

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When it all began-March 4, 2011

While looking through old photo albums I came across the photos from the night we spilled the news about our adoption.  We had been discussing adoption for years, and always thought we would adopt our last child. 

In the Fall of 2010, several circumstances made us begin to think why not now, why wait, lets do this.  By winter of 2011, we were discussing adoption and leaning more about various countries.  By early March, it was decided we would begin the process of a China adoption.  

That evening while celebrating our friend’s house warming party we could not hold in our exciting news any longer, we broke down and told our Austin family.   It was a magical night and goes to say, it describes our Austin Family accurately.  There was not a dry eye, it was a celebration and not one person questioned why we chose to adopt, we had complete love and support from the very first second of our journey.  We are so blessed.  Here are a few photos from that fun unforgettable evening.

A friendship across the miles: My friend Lynn Marie

Who knows why or how God knew we should be friends, but He did. 

We never met, actually haven’t even been able to speak on the phone yet, but we are real friends.

 Its probably the first time in my life that I have felt such comfort and kindness with a complete stranger.  

We don’t know too much about each other, but we have one similar thing in common.

 We are waiting for our daughters, and they lay next to each other every night in China.

Lynn Marie and I met because of our daughters, but I feel there is a greater reason why we have become fast friends.  Together we listen, support, and share our stories; together we wait patiently and sometime not so patiently.  We answer questions and are there to just listen. We are wide awake in the middle of the night typing on our phones, sending messages back and forth.  We cry for each other's great moments and felt the pain during the hard times. I am so thankful for Charlotte and cannot believe I have been chosen to be her Mama, but I realize there are also great things connected to her. With our Charlotte, I would have never met Lynn Marie, and its like God knew we should be friends and gave us our daughters to watch the friendship blossom. Its pretty remarkable actually.

Click here to Follow Lynn Marie's journey to Abbe Rose

Lottie Lee's Book Nook

Our cozy book nook, complete with our DZ rocking chair

The most beautiful girl in the world

Saw this quote & it was a perfect touch to our nook

Felix the Fox-Lottie Lee will be photographed frequently next to this handsome guy

Look at all those books!

We love our Book Nook & look forward to rocking our baby to sleep after reading her a bed time story, we have a pretty good feeling this space will hold many memories and be a favorite place in our home.

The pieces of her story

So I had to share my scrapbook for Lottie.  I am a bit of a perfectionist and enjoy scrap-booking, but due to my OCD, my scrap-booking projects take forever!  Four years later I still work on our wedding scrapbook!

I knew I wanted to be able to document our adoption process and wanted it to be simple, fast, but still a wonderful artifact for my daughter.  One day she can look at her story and learn all about her adoption.

This amazing book was kind of a mistake, in an attempt to organize all the pieces, I began storing them in a journal, until I decided the inevitable, if I don't finish this project now I will never finish it!  So I just began ripping (yes I know! not even using straight edges: Insert gasp).  Then I began a sort of index titled The pieces of my story.  I explained each piece, scrap of paper and envelope. Each piece has a story and each piece can tell Lottie about her journey into our family. 

What a wonderful mistake it turned out to be!  I just adore the randomness, and it really is the pieces of her story! I never would have imagined I would love an unorganized mess as much as I do.  I am so glad I gave up the straight edge perfectionist style!  I decided to make a similar book for our trip to China. 

A dozen cleft bottles

The adoption world is a wonderful community! We all understand what adoption means and together we share our stories, advice and support.

A few months ago a fellow AP (Adoptive Parent) Mama sent an e-mail about donating some Cleft Mead Johnson bottles, and I was able to receive 12 wonderful cleft bottles for my sweet Charlotte free of charge.  Such a generous and kind act!

Even better..I was able to send 6 of these cleft bottles to other fellow Cleft Mamas who are traveling to China soon to be united with their babies.  

Want to learn more about Cleft Bottles: 

Article 5 Pick up-Officially waiting for TA

We have been waiting for this for a while and it feels surreal to actually be at our final step of our adoption!

So after the LOA is signed and USCIS sends the petition to adopt, and NVC sends letter for visas, all of these pieces make up the Article 5. This is what we have been working towards since we signed our LOA on December 4th.  To explain what the Article 5 is a letter from the US Consulate stating our Lottie Lee qualifies for a visa so the adoption can be completed!  This specific letter states that we have met all the adoption requirements and ALL of the paperwork! Now the CCCWA will formerly invite us to finalize our adoption, we now await TA-Travel Approval.  Currently TA is taking anywhere from 9-21 days.  We are really hoping for a quick TA wait so we can solidify our travel plans and go get our sweet baby!  Emotions are high..this is what we have dreamed, hoped and prayed for...its finally here!

Last night we received the formal e-mail from the US Consulate in China, the closing in their e-mail made me cry..so close!

We look forward to meeting you and your new family member when you come to the Consulate for your visa appointment!

Best regards,

Adopted Children's Immigrant Visa Unit (ACIVU)
U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou

Firsts with my Lottie Lee

Dreaming of the day we meet Charlotte Lee, hopefully only a few weeks away.  I am thinking of all the firsts we will experience within the first few days.  I brings tears to my eyes and my heart flutters knowing we are so close to meeting our sweet baby.

First smile
First kisses
First snuggles
First coo's and babbles
First giggles
First bedtime story
First dance party
First time watching her sleep
First time hearing her say Mama
First steps
First family meal
First bottle
First playtime
First crawls and scoots
First early morning wake-up
First photo shoot
First bath
First time falling asleep in my arms
First cuddle session
First time she reaches for me

Baby Bucket List

So we decided to make a baby bucket list as we await  for Travel Approval, Lottie Lee is our first child and we know how much our lives will change and cannot wait to start our journey as a family of three. So here is our bucket list:

~Play  hookie from work
~Stay up late & sleep in
~Go to the movies
~Stay in PJ's all day
~Take a weekend getaway
~Spontaneous night out
~Go our to eat for dinner
~Meet up for lunch
~Go for a drive without a planned destination
~A weekend without responsibility
~Play music loudly & have a dance party
~Play our last round of golf together
~Be the last couple at a party
~Tour a vineyard & wine tasting
~Stay in bed all day
~Enjoy silence-to read a book
~Go out to eat at a nice restaurant
~Enjoy a long bubble bath
~Girls night out
~Boys night out

Surrounded by Love

Our beautiful Hostesses

Our Austin Family

Guess where Lottie was born

Mama & GodMama

Lottie Lee's Baba & Mama

Letters to Lottie Lee

Donations from friends totaled $375.00 that we were able to donate to Smile Train

The invitation read…

Keep your Sunday best in the closet, and don’t come prepared to discuss thermometers or baby rash cream ‘cause this ain’t your typical baby shower…it's for the Castagnos after all.

Let’s stock their house for Lottie’s arrival, but celebrate her voyage in style!

You won’t want to miss the shenanigans and an opportunity to show the Castagnos growing family just what great role models Lottie will have in her new home town the ATX.

Winn & Scott are registered at Buy Buy Baby.  In lieu of a card, please consider bringing a $5 cash donation, which will be donated in Lottie Lee’s name from her Austin Family to Smile Train.

What an unforgettable day surrounded by great friends with lots of laughter and tons of LOVE.  When you live as far away from family as we do, your friends become a family to you and our Austin friends have been by our side from the first night we announced we were adopting.  It has been a 2 year process and our Austin Family has been there for every step!

The shower was beautiful and captured Scott & I perfectly, and did I mention how fun it was! 

The party was held at 219 on of our favorite spots on 6^th street.  It incorporated Lottie’s culture and time was spent together with our closest friends.  Our hostesses Kim, Amber & Nora made the event so special, including fun games and a donation box to smile train!  We were able to donate $375.00 in Charlotte’s name!  How amazing is that!  The room was decorated with beautiful Chinese lanterns and red balloons everywhere!  We were showered with gifts and have all the baby must haves to welcome home our sweet baby! 

It truly was an unforgettable evening, it reminded me how precious friendships are, how important it is to be present with the ones you love, and that family isn't necessarily your blood relatives.  Family means so much more, and we are so very lucky that all of these wonderful people are a part of our lives.  

LOVE, Laughter, & Laundry

2013 will bring so many joys, and I wanted to start it off right..New Years Resolution...de-clutter, organize, and prepare!

So what did I do? I started my nesting-which included cleaning, organizing, and labeling.  This morning while sipping on my tea as I looked through my long to-do list I decided to check my e-mail.  And to my surprise our agency e-mailed me to notify that our Article 5 drop off was on December 28th, and pick up was scheduled for January 15th!  So once we receive notification of pick up, we officially wait for Travel Approval (TA)! We are officially at the final steps of our adoption and couldn't be more excited!

So what does one excited soon-to-be Mama do to celebrate?
Laundry (baby clothes)! I have never been more excited to wash clothes in my entire life!

Lottie Lee we LOVE you so much and cannot believe we will be spending the remainder of our wait, preparing for your arrival!