New Year's Resolutions

Here are my New Years Resolutions. Although some may seem a bit selfish and superficial, they are much needed.


1. Read more
2. Exercise (3 times week, 20 minutes)
3. Drink more water and eat healthier ( no diets!!)
4. Think Positive (this past year I let lots of negativity in. This year I will speak up more and speak positive.)
5. More me time

The New Yuck!!

I'm back at work. The rumors are incredibly horrible, yet a real possibility as things continue to go in a downward spiral. Possible cutoff for next batch...DRUM ROLL PLEASE........DEC. 19th!
Now, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say my prediction is the 20th. Which is still horrible, let me show you my new predictions based on the new LID POLL taken a couple of weeks before Christmas.

BATCH_______ CUTOFF

Jan 08'________ Dec 20th
Feb___________Dec 26th
March_________ Jan 3rd
April __________Jan 9th
May __________Jan 12th
June _________ Jan 17th
July __________Jan 24th
Aug_________ Feb 4th

Aug. being our month, if the other rumors are not true. The other rumor is that the CCAA will stop referring in April or May and then resume after the Olympics. If that is the case, let's say the last batch is in May and they start back up in Sept. That would put us at referral in Nov., possibly traveling at the end of Dec 08'. And that's if they start back in Sept. I know the Olympics start in Aug, but I'm not sure when they end.

Season's Greetings!

Today is my last day at work until after Christmas. It's gonna feel good to be home for a while and not feel rushed. Maybe I can catch up on some house cleaning. Ya know, the kind where you feel like you've actually done something other than the everyday stuff. I know it's Christmas and suppose to be chilly outside, but their calling for 68 Sunday. Ye ha!!!! I'm gonna enjoy that too!!!(Christmas Day's Forecast 47) Anywho, Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

New Olympics Rumor

The deal is now we are hearing all sorts of things about how CCAA will handle Referrals around the Olympics. Most agencies state that only countries whose Consulate's are located in Beijing will be affected. ( The US Consulate is in Guangzhou.) Some however are reporting that the last referrals will be in March or April and will not resume until after the Olympics. Other's are saying that TA's won't be given after May.
Now, how will that affect us. I was guessing a June Referral at the rate of the last few batches. With that said if referrals stop, then resume after the Olympics, we might have her home by next Christmas. I can't Believe I'm saying next Christmas already but who would have thought we would have waited this long! Oh well kinda gettin' numb to all this anyway.

Christmas Gathering

T'was the Night Before Christmas

I'm not even a mom yet and this made me cry.


'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thru the abode,Only one creature was stirring and she was cleaning the commode.The children were finally sleeping, all snug in their beds,While visions of Hot Wheels & Barbie, flipped through their heads.
The dad was snoring in front of the TV,With a half-constructed bicycle propped on his knee.So only the mom heard the reindeer hooves clatter,Which made her sigh, "Now what is the matter?!"
With toilet bowl brush still clutched in her hand,She descended the stairs and saw the old man.He was covered with ashes and soot, which fell with a shrug,"Oh great," muttered the mom, "Now I have to clean the rug."
"Ho Ho Ho!" cried Santa, "I'm glad you're awake.""Your gift was especially difficult to make.""Thanks, Santa, but all I want is time alone.""Exactly!" he chucked, "So, I've made you a clone."
"A clone?" she muttered, "What good is that?""Run along, Santa, I've no time for chit chat."Then out walked the clone - the mother's twin,Same hair, same eyes, same double chin.
"She'll cook, she'll dust, she'll mop every mess.You'll relax, take it easy, watch The Young & The Restless.""Fantastic!" the mom cheered. "My dream has come true!""I'll shop, I'll read, I'll sleep a night through!"
From the room above, the youngest did fret,"Mommy?! Come quickly, I'm scared and I'm wet."The clone replied, "I'm coming, sweetheart.""Hey," the mom smiled, "She sure knows her part."
The clone changed the small one and hummed her tune,As she bundled the child in a blanket cocoon."You're the best mommy ever. I really love you."The clone smiled and sighed, "And I love you, too."
The mom frowned and said, "Sorry, Santa, no deal."That's my child's LOVE she is trying to steal."Smiling wisely Santa said, "To me it is clear,Only one loving mother is needed here."
The mom kissed her child and tucked her in bed."Thank You, Santa, for clearing my head.I sometimes forget, it won't be very long,When they'll be too old for my cradle and song."
The clock on the mantle began to chime.Santa whispered to the clone, "It works every time."With the clone by his side Santa said, "Goodnight.Merry Christmas, dear Mom, You will be all right."

Christmas In Our Hearts

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.
Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours!

RQ's Latest Numbers

To get an idea of how previous months have fared on the “Horrid/Bad/Mid/Good” scenarios, we have this little graphic. It doesn’t go back farther because before June, RQ was moving numbers around. The horrid case has happened once before this month, that’s why the column was there to start with. Now it has happened twice.



The horrid and bad cases do seem to be the new norm.
Here are RQ’s projections:





So, looking like a June Referral for us. (right now) With travel normally being 5 to 8 weeks, maybe we can make it over there an back before the Olympics. (08/08/08)

Silver Bells

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It's Here

My Sofa has arrived! Now, I want to go get it today, but I don't want it in my living room until Christmas. (or at least the weekend before) If I bring it home now it just won't feel like Christmas. So I think I will unload it at my dad's for now. Yeah, that's what I'll do. And then maybe on the 22nd William can bring it home. Then we can enjoy it through the Holidays! I won't really get a chance to snuggle up on it until then anyway. William's cooking a pig tomorrow, then next Saturday is our Christmas Party, and we maybe doing Christmas with my mom on the 22nd. Busy, Busy, Busy. That reminds me, Frosty's coming on tonight at 8:00!

Dec.5, 2007 Referrals

Kinda expected it. Six whole days.

Com'on and surprise us for a change!




Oh well, maybe we'll make it before
the Olympics, but it's not looking good.





Still 6 months away unless there's
some kind of miraculous speed up.

Merry Christmas!!!

OK, so I've not been myself lately. I apologize. I will try very hard to remove the "scroogey-tude" and have a "Hap-Hap, Happy, Fa-la-la, Merry, Jolly"(you get the picture) Holiday! We started putting up the tree last night. The lights are done anyway. The garlands up, we're still not going put all that stuff up outside. Sorry, it's too much and not enough time. But we will party as usual. Go ahead and start breaking in those vocal chords! And I'll do my best to create a warm, inviting place for us to celebrate family, friends, and most importantly our Lord, Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:9-10 "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully, administering God’s grace in its various forms."

Sophie Shopping!

Aren't they adorable! I want one. They are both by Berenguer,
but carry very different price tags. I just love those pouty lips!

Nothing Yet

Can you believe it is December the 4th and nothing! We're not sure if referrals are in the air yet. Come on, let's get this batch over with so I can Stop hitting the refresh button and get on with the Holidays. This is the time when I always seem to have a hard time thinking about anything else. It's like you have this tiny glimmer of hope for some kind of speed up. Hope is a good thing, it keeps us going. Lately I've felt like this whole adoption thing is a dream. Are we really adopting or is it all in my head. Maybe I should pull out some of the paperwork and pinch myself to see if I wake up. Or better yet, let's see a full two weeks of referrals, I guarantee you that'll wake me up!

Bad Day

This Just In: Another agency chimes in saying the cutoff is the 14th. (6 days)


I just knew we would have some solid info on referrals by now. Looks like we'll have to wait til next week. I sincerely hope they match more then 6 days. Eight would make me feel a little better, ten would be good, and twelve that would really help take the sting out of Christmas. This is one ride that I will be sooo glad to see end of. The first couple of years I think I handled pretty well, but these past few months.....like today I just wanna crawl up in the bed, pull the covers over my head, and try it again tomorrow. I do not feel Holly or Jolly and I'm, at this moment, just ready for 08'.

Cutoff For Dec. (Rumor)

Right now we are hearing the cutoff is the 14th . That is just sad. If this is the "new slowness", I'm just gonna scream!! A couple of months ago we were averaging about125 RQ folks a month. Now that we are finally through Nov, looks like CCAA is gonna slow down even more, averaging around 100. I know that doesn't sound like much, but when you've been waiting this long, 5 is a HUGE number!
Where does that put us? With Our LID being 1/27 we are looking at a May Or June referral. That's right. We are in the same freaking place we've been since we started this adoption, six months away from a referral. I can't believe I let myself get excited last month. I knew better. Looks like another banner month for us PAP's.

Starting To Catch The Holiday Spirit

I had the best Holiday with my DH. We went shopping together. See we never go together Christmas Shopping b/c he's buying for me and I've already bought for the family, yata,yata, yata. This year we are being a little selfish. And I Love It! We've gone a little over board this year on each other, but oh well. Come Christmas Morn we'll be cuddling on my new sofa watching "It's A Wonderful Life" on his new LCD 1080p HDTV! So, now that all the shopping is done. Whose hanging the lights? (Hey Nicole!!!!)

Political Quiz

This is very cool. Try it. I was not surprised with my results.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm

Thanksgiving Day Forecast

Turkeys will thaw in the morning, then warm in the oven to an afternoon high near 190°F. The kitchen will turn hot and humid, and if you bother the cook, be ready for a severe squall or cold shoulder.

During the late afternoon and evening, the cold front of a knife will slice through the turkey, causing an accumulation of one to two inches on plates. Mashed potatoes will drift across one side, while cranberry sauce creates slippery spots on the other.

Please pass the gravy.

A weight watch and indigestion warning have been issued for the entire area, with increased stuffiness around the beltway. During the evening, the turkey will diminish and taper off to leftovers, dropping to a low of 34oF in the refrigerator.

Looking ahead to Friday and Saturday, high pressure to eat sandwiches will be established. Flurries of leftovers can be expected both days with a 50 percent chance of scattered soup late in the day. We expect a warming trend where soup develops. By early next week, eating pressure will be low as the only wish left will be the bone.

Family in China Needs Help

Update 11/18: They are home!!!

Update 11/16 : Thanks for all your calls and prayers. The Congressman's Office was flooded with phone calls. Sandi will be soon be on her way home. I'm hearing today or tomorrow.

This was posted on the RQ site this morning. I feel a strong responsibility to get the word out.

Posted by RQ:

The story as I understand it, is that the dad was having problems managing his diabetes and he died in China. I’d like to express my condolences to the family.
But the reason I’m posting this, is because another blogger has reported that the consulate is refusing to issue the child a Visa into the U.S. The mother is apparently going to be required to fill out a new I-171H with her new marriage status.
According to this blog, the mother is asking for people to help her out by contacting her senator and representative. You can find their contact information on that blog.
Again, my condolences to the family.

Gettin' There

Still working on the nursery. I'm trying to come up with some creative wall art. My husband is very gifted and wants to draw a mural on the wall, but I know me, I am so sentimental, that I will not ever want to paint over it. That's just not gonna work. So, I bought a large canvas and I think he's gonna do Pete's Dragon. With it being so close to the holidays I don't see it getting done anytime soon.

I'm trying not to buy clothes. It's so hard to walk through baby section and not pick up those little winter sets. They're so cute.

I have made a copy of the "Packing List". I am trying to go down that and start marking off things. The closer we get to our LID, the more excited I let myself get. Right after Christmas I plan on hitting those sales. Hum, let's see, I need..................where do I start? I'm thinking Smithfield, NC.Anybody up for a road trip?

Enjoying Life

OK, so it takes me a while to get pictures
developed, I'm still not going digital anytime
soon.


I love summer pictures. They are so full of

color and I really enjoy watching the kids.

Some of them loved the slide, but a few were

a little weary of it. All in all, we had a great time.

And It's the 8th!

So this is it for this month. If the CCAA only does 8 LID's per month,
that puts us at June 08' for a referral. Yes a referral, that would make travel maybe in July. Or should I say hopefully, because the Olympics start 8/08/08. That's right, oh please Lord, let us travel before then. I cannot believe we could actually go through another summer without our daughter. Please let there be some kind of speed up.

Venting

Eight days! Eight Stinking Days! They should have easily gotten to the 12th. Dec is alot smaller than Nov. 05 Lid's. What's the deal. This political bull crap really gets me. There are children there. Don't try to feed me the "their are more PAP"S than available children" line. Tell that to someone who will bite! This is crazy. I am so tired of thinking this spring, this summer, next spring, next summer. I don't have a clue. Who knows, the CCAA might decide to just start sending 5 LID dates a month no matter how many parents are logged in.

Reflection

This morning I kept myself from the computer for a while. It felt good. I've been hitting the refresh button alot this week waiting to hear any new info on referrals for this month. I got a little book work done, some cleaning, then I looked outside. It's beautiful today. The sky is so blue , the leaves are changing colors, and fall is here. I'm feeling very blessed this morning. Just thinking about my family, friends, all the wonderful things the Lord has done in my life. I am so unworthy, but he loves me anyway, unconditionally! It does me good to sit back and reflect on my life and to know that He has been with me through it all. God "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20). He has more for us than we can imagine! He gives me peace as He moves me into the future HE has for me and my family.

Going Down

This is typical. We are now hearing a cutoff around the 5th of Dec. Rumors seem to always be good out of the gate. And EVERY month we seem to have some theory as to why they might speed up, so that we can believe the "first rumor out", only to hear this crap a few days later. Sorry not in the greatest mood at the moment.

Seven Days of Soup

Here we go people. A couple of months ago I finally, after 17 years, quit smoking!! Wow, I Know! Well, I've now gained my "holiday weight" two months too soon. So today is Day One of a seven day diet. At the end of the seven days and I quote"if you have not cheated you should have lost 10 to 17 lbs!" So next Monday, if this diet works (and I do not Cheat), you will see a link to it on the left hand side off my home page. Not only am I suppose to shed pounds, but it will clean out my body of impurities, give me a feeling of well being and energy! Sounds like the bomb, right? We'll see.

European Rumor!

A European Agency says the cutoff is the 12th! Sources say this site has been right in the past. If we could actually get 12 days of referrals, OMG, that would definitely revive the faith that some of us had in the CCAA! We are expecting the Nov. batch around the 5th. Give or take a few days. So, hold on, this is just the beginning. COM"ON DEC!!!!

Where have all the rumors gone

This is the time of the month we wait for rumors. Us PAP's handle this time differently. One of my fellow Jan. LIDer's posted a thread this morning that just brought a smile to my face, so I thought I'd share:
(Bonnie Tyler's "I need a Hero")

Where have all the rumors gone
and where are all the mods?
How's our street-wise queen
gonna analyze the odds?

Isn't there a thin hope out there to read?
Late at nite I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need

I need a rumor!
I'm holding out for a rumor til the end of the night
It's gotta be good,
It's gotta be fast,
and even better if its right

I need a rumor!
I'm holding out for a rumor til the morning light
It's gotta be sure,
It's gotta be soon,
And it's gotta be an R5!

Somewhere after midnight
in my wildest fantasy
somewhere just beyond my reach
is the child for my family

Racing through the message boards and rising with the dawn,
there's gonna be an awesome thread to convince me it's the one!

REPEAT CHORUS

1st Rumor Out

O.K. So the first rumor this month is that an agency told their PAP that the CCAA has matched thru the 10th of Dec. The 10th would be great. Alot better than the lousy 5 days last month. Plus that would put us back on track for the Spring. Better not get my hopes up, this is the first rumor out.

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

I have finally decided on a fabric. I really hope I like it, cause in 8 wks it'll be in my living room!

RQ's New Predictions

These are the latest predictions from RQ. Keep in mind, these are predictions. Notice that our LID is not on there yet.

With that in mind, let me explain the China IA program to my family and friends that are not exactly in the loop. We have a log in date (LID) with China (CCAA) of 01/27/06. As of now, the CCAA sends out one group of referrals per month. On October the 8th (actually sooner, but I won't go there) Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAP's) logged in between Nov. 26th and Nov. 30th of 2005 received their referrals. It took five (some say six) months to get thru Nov. 2005 LID's. December and January are smaller months (less PAP's logged in), so we're hoping to get thru sooner. Only time will tell.

Frogs, Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails!

Well, today we found out my sister-in-law in having a boy! My brother is over the moon! This will be their first child and we had a feeling it was a boy. Bring on the Dump Trucks and Trains!

The Roller Coaster

This is my first post. To bring everyone up to speed, DH and I started on this journey in July of 2005. And with refferal times at 6 months, THEN, we just knew we'd hold our daughter in the Summer of 06'. Well, here we are Oct. 07' and I couldn't really tell you Summer of 08' for sure, the way things have changed so much through this process. I can tell you that I believe there is a little girl over there for us. I am so thankful that God is in control and although I do not understand why this is taking so long, I know that he has a plan. There are alot of days that I have to remind myself of that.