An itty bitty announcement

The Burch Family is expanding! We are adopting again and hope to complete the adoption by the end of the year!

Commonly asked questions:

Will your next child also be from China?
No. Since China closed to single adopters, I can't adopt from that country right now. After lots of exploration and prayer, I have accepted a slot in an agency's new "pilot program" in Taiwan.

Taiwan? Where's that?
Taiwan is a small island off the coast of China. China still considers Taiwan to be part of the mainland, while Taiwan considers itself to be an independent nation. The U.S. walks a fine line between recognizing Taiwan and not offending China.

Taiwan does international adoptions?
Yes. Many children in Taiwan are adopted domestically within the country; however, Taiwan also has a small international adoption program. Being single and pregnant carries quite a stigma in Taiwan, and some young women are rejected by their families when they find themselves in such circumstances. Those women may choose to parent or to place their child(ren) for adoption. Other children are available because of abuse or neglect in their birth families or because they have been orphaned and there are no other family members available to rear them.

How old will your next child be at adoption?
I don't know. Right now, it looks like I will probably be referred a baby. However, I am open to a child of any age.

Will you adopt a boy or a girl?
I don't know. As part of the program I enrolled in, I am not allowed to request gender. So, the gender of my next child will be totally up to God...imagine that!

What does Amelia think?
She is THRILLED and thinks that any person who speaks the English language must be blessed with the news that she is going to be a big sister.

Do you have names picked out?
NO! This is a big source of debate at our home at the moment. You are more than welcome to leave your favorite picks in the comments section!

Amy, Amelia, and ???

Happy New Year

I love new year...new hopes, new dreams, new commitments...a chance to start over. I am hoping and praying for wonderful things for our family this year. God has blessed us so richly, and I know His plans for us will continue to unfold in ways we could have never dreamed or imagined.

A White Christmas, in Texas? YES!

I only remember having a White Christmas one time in my life, as that as an adult when I visited my cousin for Christmas in Colorado. This year, it was Texas' turn! The part of Texas we live in gets snow two or three times each winter, but it usually only accumulates enough to barely cover the ground and usually melts by the afternoon. This time, we received about 5 inches overnight. Since we don't really have the infrastructure for much snow (snow plows, snow tires, etc.), life just comes to a screeching halt when we get snow and especially if it's icy. Amelia and I went out to play for awhile on Christmas Eve morning, but it was really cold (windchill 9) and the wind was blowing the snow in our faces, so we didn't stay out too long. Still, it was a fun change of pace.




Because it was too dangerous for everyone to get out and drive (the snow melted and refroze, making the streets treacherous), all the Christmas Eve services in the area were canceled. I can't remember the last time I didn't get to church on Christmas Eve, and I missed it. Instead, we gathered in front of the fireplace, and my dad read the Christmas story, and then we sang Christmas carols together.

On Christmas Day, Amelia opened presents with her cousins, decorated cookies, and was generally jovial. We didn't venture out since it was still very cold, and the snow had iced over and made things slippery.






Our Christmas was also touched by the final homegoing of my grandpa, Amelia's great-grandpa, Grandpa Burch, just a few days earlier. He was 87, and right until his final day on this earth, he was in generally good health and good mind. He managed to mail all his Christmas cards, and on the morning he died, had been down to his church to deliver gifts to the church staff. I found Amelia and my Christmas gifts in our stockings on Christmas morning - he left nothing undone. Grandpa simply sat down in his recliner and never got up again. We should all go to peacefully and with all our earthly chores done. We will miss him -he was a humble and quiet man who loved his Lord and his family, but we are so blessed by how easy and peacefully he went to his "real" home in Heaven. Gives new meaning to "I'll Be Home for Christmas" - Grandpa was home for Christmas.

All in all, another wonderful Christmas.

Our family wishes you the joy and blessings of Christmas, and we hope that you and your family know the love that God sent in His son, Jesus - the greatest gift ever given.

Love,
Amy & The Chunster

Oh, no, Santa is ill...

At school, the Pre-K friends each made a Santa. Amelia's Santa was brought home and lovingly hung on the refrigerator. I came home, glanced at it, and went on about my business. Later, Amelia asked me if I had seen her Santa. "You did a great job," I told her. She replied, "Uhmm, Mommy, did you notice anything about my Santa?" I went in and looked closely...and that's when I realized what she was wanting me to see. I looked at her, and she said "Yep, Santa is a little bit sick. Santa's got pink eye." Sure enough. I guess when you get bored with regular Santas, you start giving them medical conditions?!?! When I asked her why she made Santa sick, she said,"well, he's only a little bit sick, Mom. It's just pink eye." And so, friends, here is Santa, as interpreted by The Chunster. I just want to save this moment for posterity because if she ends up in medical school, I will have this for the baby book.


Amy
Mother of Dr. Chunster

In search of a great Christmas photo

Let's face it, I am seriously lacking in the photographer department, and my Chun-bug, who is cute as can be in person, is just not photogenic. Thus, trying to find any photo worth printing on a Christmas card is a challenge. I am so behind, I think I will send New Year's cards this year.

All Aboard the Polar Express!

Yes, we went last year, but Amelia loved it so much, we went again this year. Always a fun outing!

Happy Thanksgiving

Our obligatory turkey photo!