Happy New Year!

Good riddance to 2008! Bring on 2009!

Here are some more pics of our Christmas decorations. This is my favorite display ~ my Precious Moments nativity set. My mom started me out with the basic set and the three wise men, and my sister-in-love scours e-bay every year to find good deals on additional pieces. This year I was surprised to receive the goat (very rare!), the pig and the bunnies. Once Ladybug comes home, I think that we will use the nativity set as an advent calendar and put one piece out a night until Christmas. Just a few more angels and we'll have plenty to do that!



Hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!
:D

Christmas Decor ~ #1

Well, since this site is about sharing, I think I'll post a series of our Christmas decor. Not many folks will get to see it this year IRL, so I'll share it virtually.

Tonight I'll post some outside pics. Sorry so fuzzy, but you can't really use a flash and get the twinkling effect. We bought new LED lights this year for the house and tree. It took a little getting used to the white light vs. yellow lights, but I really like it. The blinkie snow men are new this year. They are my favorite!

And, we timed it just perfectly. The day we put up the outdoor decorations was the one day that we had snow that actually stuck! You can see it in the pics! Adds just the right finishing touch!

Enjoy! :D

Getting Closer...

... to 100 squares, that is. I have 94 now. Just 6 more to go! I started laying it out on our guest bed to see what squares I want next to each other. I'll give it a couple days before I start sewing it so I can play with it some more.

If you have yet to send in your squish, please get it to me asap. I'm going to get to 100 one way or another! :)

The line is moving slow as ever. They are up to 2/17/06. Keep up the prayers for a speed up soon!

And we are still in review. Some agencies are reporting that their March folks are out of review, but our agency still shows that we are in. Sigh. I guess no news is good news, but I'll still be glad when we are out of review.

Happy Fall!

:D

WE ARE IN REVIEW!

After 18 months, our file is finally in the Review Room! Some one may be looking at all our paperwork right now and determining if we are eligible to adopt a precious child from China. This is one of the last hurdles that we have to over come. Hopefully we will be out of the Review Room by Christmas.

After we pass the Review Room, we move on to the Matching Room. When it is our turn, they will take our file off the shelf, shake the dust off, and match us with Ladybug. Our place in line is 3/30/07 and they are on 2/9/06. It's like the deli line in Dante's 5th circle.

This is progress. This means we are real. Now let's hope that this line starts moving!

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

:D

Adoption Song

Well, I heard the best song on the country radio station the other day. Try as I might, I couldn't find the lyrics or a video on YouTube given the limited lyrics that I remembered. On my way to the dentist today, the station played it again and told me the title!

The song is "Here" by Rascal Flatts. It's the third video below. Let me know what you think.

The other two videos are songs that have helped me get through the wait.

Enjoy!
:D

Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell

Another one that helps me get through the wait!

Rascal Flatts - Stand

Not for the adoption video, but a song that has really helped me get through this wait.

rascal flatts here lyrics

I think this is it! Let me know if you think this is a good adoption video song.

New Landscape

You may be aware of our boxwood issues. Apparently the front of our house is exposed to super sunshine that burns your average boxwoods. We've gone through two sets since we have lived here. B did some research and found some sun resistant boxwoods. If these die, we know we have mega problems, since they are made of plastic! They look great from the road and are very low maintaince. I hope they work out.

You can also see our new wishing well in the pic. We also have a new wooden planter that will go inbetween the boxwoods, but I'm waiting for cooler weather so I can plant some mums in it before I put it out. Maybe next weekend.

I also posted a pic of our humming bird feeder! We have humming birds! They are so pretty, and my next goal is to get a pic of one at the feeder....

Just thougth I'd share our new landscape!

:D

Only 13 more to go!

I counted up my squishes the other night and I now have 87! Only 13 more to go to get to 100!

It is my plan to start working on piecing the quilt after my fall class ends in the middle of October. If you still have a squish to send, please get it in soon! I have so many beautiful squishes and the quilt is going to be just stunning.

Things are going well for us. I'm taking economics this fall, and it is very cool to finally understand these concepts. I am surprised how many economic concepts are coming out in the political ads and conversations. I was so stoked that I understood the phrase used at the RNC: "China is like Adam Smith on steriods."

Our next big house project is the lawn. B ordered a whole bag of super seed, so hopefully we'll have a lush green lawn soon!

China is still crawling along. They have referred through February 9, 2006, so that puts us about 14 months behind the front of the line. I still have my fingers crossed that we'll see a significant speed up by the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009. There are reports that March 2007 is in the review room, but our agency still reports that their February 2007 folks are still in review. I will be so glad to have this milestone behind us! Not that I am worried about being rejected, but it will be nice to know that we are in for sure.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
:D

Let the Games begin!

Well, it's that time again. Every four years my world revolves around the athletes of the olympiad. This year is obviously near and dear since it is being hosted by Bejing. We originally thought that we would be watching the Olympics with Ladybug here in the US. Hopefully she'll be home by the 2012 London Olympics!

But it is kinda cool to think that she is part of the national pride and ferver that is sweeping China right now. At the very least, her birth mother is enjoying China's coming out party, and that will always be a part of Ladybug's past.

We are putting all prayers and good thoughts toward a speed up in referrals after the Olympics. The CCAA has referred families logged in through 1/31/06. We are logged in 3/30/07, so there are still 14 months between us and where the current referrals are. Please keep a speed up in your prayers so we can be united with our daughter soon!

Hope you are enjoying the Olympics! Take in the beauty of the country ~ hopefully we'll have pictures of us in front of the venues in the not too distant future.

:D

Ain't We Got Fun!

For our tenth wedding anniversary (time flies!), we decided to go on a fantastic Carnival cruise out of NYC to St. John, New Brunswick. It was a wonderful four days of being spoiled with service and gourmet food. We took a bus tour to St. Martin to see the sea cave and have "world famous" clam chowder. Canada is beautiful country!

There was so much to see and do on board the ship, as well. We loved to people watch in the casino and every night we were treated to an awesome show. The Karoke bar was a hoot, as well! (No, I did not get up and sing. There was not enough liquor on board the ship for that to happen!) It was so nice to be able to pop back to the room for a quick change or a nice nap and not have it interrupt the day.

And the dinners! Perhaps my favorite was the Chateaubriand, or perhaps the Maine lobster tail and shrimp, although the tiliapa was yummy. B enjoyed the prime rib, panko crusted shrimp, salmon and chicken. The appetizers were wonderful as well. Fresh fruit, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, mmmmmm. And the desserts! You would gain 5 lbs just reading about them, so I'll spare you all but the melting chocolate cake. Chocolate cake on the outside, yummy hot fudgey chocolate sauce on the inside, served with vanilla ice cream. I'm drooling right now thinking about it!

It was a wonderful way to pass the time while waiting for our Ladybug. It is great to have short term things to look forward to help me from going crazy waiting for her!

Hope you were able to get away for a bit this summer!

:D

IZ - Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World

Somewhere Over the Rainbow/ What a Wonderful World

Don Henley - Taking You Home

Taking You Home

Martina McBride - In My Daughter's Eyes (LIVE)

New Adoption Video Candidates

It's been a while since I posted some videos.

"In My Daughter's Eyes" is just a great song and makes me think of what I want to be to our daughter.

"Taking you Home" is my current favorite. I think it is just so appropriate, with the waiting theme.

Finally, Iz's version of "Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World". It is just a really pretty song, and makes me think of our Ladybug waiting Over the Rainbow for us!

Let me know what you think, and if you have your own suggestions!

Lessons from Lemons

My Aunt Janet once sent me a card that said: "When life hands you lemons, stuff them down your bra. Can't hurt, right?"

Seems like I am always trying to find new ways to use the lemons that life hands to me. This latest lemon of the ever expanding adoption wait (we are now at month 13 of our "10 month wait") has really put a lot of things into perspective for me. Please indulge me while I muse on some of those lessons in periodic posts on this blog!

The first lesson comes from a Don Henley song, "My Wedding." The lyric is "To want what we have, to take what we are given, with grace." That has really hit me hard lately. It seems that we have been looking forward to the day when our family starts to grow that we have forgotten to live in the present. I know that I have gotten caught up in the monthly countdown and have been wishing away this past 13 months.

So, after hearing this song, I have taken the challenge to really want what I have right now. I am in the very fortunate position to be married to the most wonderful guy in the whole world. He is so supportive of me and is truly my best friend. I can enjoy just being us. I have a great job, and a goal of completing the business certificate program. I going to start living for today and just let tomorrow come.

We've been dealt a pretty tough hand, but it is what it is. We can scream, cry, fight, blame, and withdraw from life, but what good would that do anyone? So, we choose to take what we have been given and make the best of it.

We have been blessed by wonderfully supportive family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and kind words.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

:D

One Year Down...

Well, we celebrated our one year LID anniversary on March 30. Who knew a year could go by so fast and yet drag on. What a weird sensation.

Still no good news out of China. Looks like April will be another 5 day batch of referrals.

B is almost done with his MBA degree. He is looking forward to being done with homework. I, on the other hand, have just started back to school. I figure that I might as well do some thing constructive with the wait. I might even be able to earn MY MBA!

Well, that's all for now. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!
:D

New Focus...

So in the craziness that we call our life these days, I have a new focus. I'm trying to find songs for the adoption video. I will occasionally post songs that are in the running, and you tell me what you think.

This first one comes from my mom. I love it because I can totally see my DH dancing with our DD to this some day, and really live the words. (Have I mentioned that I have the best DH in the entire world?)

Enjoy "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

She spins and she sways
To whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders
It's been a long day
And there's still work to do
She's pulling at me
Saying "Dad, I need you
There's a ball at the castle
And I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone...

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone
She will be gone

Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
But I need to practice my dancing
Oh, please, Daddy, please?"
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she'll be gone

Steven Curtis Chapman ::

Cinderella ~ possible adoption video?

Urgent Request

Many of you may have heard about the snowstorms in China. What you might not have heard about is the many orphanages that have been hit hard by the storms. Many are located in parts of the country that do not typically have such harsh weather, and therefore do no have heaters, blankets, warm clothes, etc. They are having trouble getting food and supplies into the orphanages. Roads are closed, and supplies in local stores are quickly becoming unafforadable due to supply and demand.

Even though Ladybug might not be born yet, we have many friends whose daughters are suffering right now. We have a couple friends who have pictures of their daughters and are just waiting for travel authorization. Can you imagine "knowing" your daughter and wondering if she is warm and fed tonight?

What can be done? There is a reputable organization called Half the Sky Foundation. They can be found at www.halfthesky.org. They typically provide support for the children of China in the orphanages until their adoptive parents can come for them. They have set up an emergency relief fund called the Little Mouse Emergency Fund. (2008 is the year of the rat/mouse.) If it is within your finaical wearwithall, please consider a donation to this fund. There is a little mouse icon on the homepage. They money will go to help provide diapers, formula, blankets and other immediate relief to the orphanages affected by the snow disaster. As with most developing countries, they can get a big bang for an american buck, so even a small donation can do a lot of good.

If you are unable to make a donation, please pray for the safety of all the little ones in the orphanages. They are among the most vulnerable in this type of situation and I am so concerned for their wellbeing.

Hope all is well in your neck of the world!
:D

100 Good Wishes Progress #1

I've gotten a lot of questions about what exactly to send, what kind of fabric prints, what a wish should look like, etc.

So, here you go! Here are some pictures of fabric squares and some wishes and the scrapbook. The fabric should be 8x8, 100% cotton. Let your imagination run wild!!

Hopefully I will have all 100 squishes soon and will be able to start work on the quilt piecing! I think this will be incredibly theraputic for me and make the whole adoption thing seem more real. Sometimes the looooong wait makes it seem like it is never going to happen, like it is some sort of pipe dream that we are not getting any closer to. It helps to do concrete things to get ready, like decorating the nursery and making the 100 Good Wishes quilt.

Thanks for all of your support! If you haven't sent in a squish yet, get it in quick!

:D