Thanks Kristie and Loghan!

Good buddies Kristie and Loghan just got back from NYC a few days ago after a modeling gig for Loghan. Their trip to the city included a visit to Chinatown where they bought Abby her first pair of Asian PJs! Thanks to you both for always thinking of us! I love them and can't wait to see how they look on Abby.

Kristie and Loghan also brought Erin back this beautiful Asian dress. She looks adorable in it!

Kristie when you read this please send me a picture of Loghan in her dress so I can put it on my blog. Thanks again! Love you guys, Aunt Jenny

Referrals Are Here!

Referrals are coming in today after a long wait for many lucky people. A lot of young uns too!! While I rejoice for all the newly expectant parents, I can't help feeling a little jealous as well. So what better way to boost my spirits???? I rode the ZAMBUKA (no idea how it's spelled?) at work today. At the hospital I work at we have a little man that rides around the halls on a Zambuca and polishes all the hallway floors. He never comes in our unit because the machine is pretty loud. I have always secretly thought his job looked like fun and casually mentioned to a coworker buddy at work last Friday that I would love to circle our unit (the ICU) in it. She thought that was hilarious and said lets see if you can. First she called our Nurse Manager and asked her if there was any policy that would not let me ride it. Our Nurse Manager replied, (to her) " Not as far as I know. You just need to go and knock the little man off that drives it and steal his keys." (Jokingly of course!!) We laughed and went back to work. Over the weekend that same coworker buddy decided that instead of Zambuca Jacking the little man she would just ask him. Long story short he showed up today and let me ride. I circled our unit twice the second time one handed. And it was fun I must say and I am willing to bet that there are others out there that also secretly would have liked to ride.

Cautiously optimistic

Yea for the CCAA!!! Their website has been updated today. Referrals for 13 days worth of LID's have been issued today. The CCAA has also finished processing documents logged in with them through October 31st. Basically for me that means only 1 more months worth of documents to go before MY DOCUMENTS reach the review room! We still don't know for sure how long the official wait for referral will be but there have been some pretty consistent rumors that the CCAA do not want to let the wait exceed 12 months. The amount of days worth of referrals issued today seem to support that rumor. What happens next month remains to be seen but if the referrals issued in July exceed 13 days worth of LID's or even all or most of July's then things are certainly looking up. Again I have to wait and see what happens next month. I know I say that every month but this truly has been one of the most positive days in The China adoption community for a while. Everybody cross your fingers and toes and pray that things continue to pick up or at least don't slow back down again...........

Virtual China

Wow this is cool. Click on today's blog entry title for an awesome perspective of China!

Clothing Police

For my friends in the non China adoption community, I give you these pictures of honest to gosh clothing police. You have often herd me speak of them. The Chinese believe that their babies must be kept warm no matter what the temp actually is. (although I have read that in the extreme summer heat exceptions are made) They dress their children in multiple layers and frown on others that do not do the same. The clothing police are not really police. This is just a name given to them by parents in the adoption community. They are mostly older ladies, ie grandmothers who won't think twice about approaching the baby and feeling their hands or cheeks to see if they are warm enough. They have also been known to feel the babies clothing checking to see how many layers the child is actually wearing or to pull down a paint leg or sleeve that has slipped up. I have even read of incidences where they will actually yell at you in Chinese if they feel that you have not dressed your child warmly enough. This is something adoptive parents have been informally trained to expect. I have learned many tricks from reading others blogs on ways to prevent this. Put tights under your babies pants, carry a receiving blanket with you at all times, put a hat on them just to name a few.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads in my Life!! You are all wonderful in your own special ways and I love and thank you for the differences you have made in my life. Next year I hope to have Abby with me. While she may or may not have her own Father, (fingers crossed in hopes that I do find my Mr Right someday) it is my hope that she will always know how lucky she is have the love and support that will be given to her by all of the Dads and Uncles in her life.....

New Car???

I have been thinking about buying a new car. Currently I drive a 2000 Volkswagen New Beetle. It is a great car, only has 44,000 miles on it, gets great gas mileage, and best of all it's paid for. As far as space goes "not so much!" On days that I have my niece and nephew with me (plus all of their stuff) we are pretty packed in. The trunk is also pretty small and I'm not sure it will be able to accommodate a stroller. Plus I would like a car that would hold them, myself, and Abby. The VW only seats two in the back. My nephew will be 10 when I get Abby so he may be big enough to sit in the front by then although he is also Mr Safety and may not want to take the chance. Anyone out there drive or know somebody that drives a VW with kids? If so how is it working for them? The two cars I am considering buying are the Toyota Prius (above) and the Toyota Matrix (below). Both seem pretty roomy with decent size trunks. My biggest dilemma though is deciding if it is really in my best interest to take on a car payment when I really need to be saving money? My plan was not to buy the car until right before I go to China for Abby thus holding off on the additional bill until the last second possible. But maybe I should wait until we get back. First seeing how things go without the car payment? I just don't know but unfortunately it looks like I have plenty of time to think about it.

Abby's got a new ride!

Thanks to everyone for your kind words of encouragement. I am better, just need to try and have more good days than bad ones.......On a more positive note! Check out our new glider rocker that I put together all by myself! (yap I'm Proud) It was a real bargain at Target. Oh and please ignore the mess around it. As you can see I still haven't gotten around to starting Abby's room. Don't know if it will be too depressing looking at a empty room for another 6, 9 or who knows how many more months. It's really the painting that is holding me back. If I just got that done then I would go to town. I just hate to paint. Maybe I will start small and just buy the paint......

Yuck!

Well what can I say? After my last upbeat post I have gone into a funk. I'm not sure what set me off either. I have been off all weekend and all I did was sleep. There was plenty I could have done but I just did not have the energy to do it. Okay I did do a little cyber shopping for Abby but even that did not make me feel better..............

Logged in 6 months today!

6 months down as of today and I am finding myself with feelings of peace. While driving home this evening, after watching my niece Erin's softball game, I was riding along listening to my favorite adoption songs. I drove and sang and thought about my wait for Abby so far and wondered how much longer it would be before we finally meet and get to spend the rest of our lives together. Feelings of frustration filled me as I drove into a thunderstorm. Then all of a sudden in the midst of all of the heavy rain the sun broke through the clouds. It was then that I felt myself filled with peace. I felt that everything was going to be alright and that this adoption is most certainly going to happen I just need to relax and realize that it is not going to happen on my timetable but when it is supposed to. It was a good feeling. I drove along now searching (as best as one can while driving 65 miles and hr on the interstate) for the rainbow that I knew was out there somewhere. Then right before the turn into my neighborhood I saw it. I knew it was there just like I know my Abby is out there waiting for me............

Last Call For Quilt Squares

Okay Folks, This is absolutely my last call for quilt squares. You know who you are..... I will be sending them off at the end of next week to have Abby's 100 Good Wishes Quilt made. So unless I hear from somebody that really meant to send us a square and wants to be included this is it. I would also really like to thank everybody that sent us a square!!! The enthusiasm I have been met with while working on this project has been awesome. I promise to post a photo of the finished product as soon as It is done. Thanks Again :D

Hurricane season starts today

May It be a quiet one!