One month down....11 more to go. Little T, we are one month closer to you!!
Friday, June 30, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
20 Years
20 years.
20 years ago we said our marriage vows and started our lives together as man and wife. We have learned so much. How to love, fight, forgive. (making up is always the best part!). We've learned what makes each other tick, what makes us laugh and cry. There have been many moves, houses, and cars. We've been through hurricanes, tornados, floods, sick kids, sick parents, sick friends, and many deaths.
As I sit here and think back over the years I'm amazed by you. You are our children's hero, my hero, my rock. You give of yourself so freely, to your family and friends. I see the love you have for me in your eyes and in your actions. When I said I wanted another child, you weren't happy, but you said okay, albeit a year later! People said that we wouldn't last 5 years, but look at us - it's been 20 years. 20 of the best years of my life.
Memories are many with you. From meeting you over orange juice to moving to NC to getting married and having our boys. Remember our "cut off the jam" roll-a-thons on the waterbed? We had no money back then, but boy did we have fun! How about the "glowing eyes in the closet"? Too funny. The parties at the trailer, our first new house, "Banana T". I could list a million of them.
Thank you for the past 20 years. I know the next 20 will be even better!!
20 years ago we said our marriage vows and started our lives together as man and wife. We have learned so much. How to love, fight, forgive. (making up is always the best part!). We've learned what makes each other tick, what makes us laugh and cry. There have been many moves, houses, and cars. We've been through hurricanes, tornados, floods, sick kids, sick parents, sick friends, and many deaths.
As I sit here and think back over the years I'm amazed by you. You are our children's hero, my hero, my rock. You give of yourself so freely, to your family and friends. I see the love you have for me in your eyes and in your actions. When I said I wanted another child, you weren't happy, but you said okay, albeit a year later! People said that we wouldn't last 5 years, but look at us - it's been 20 years. 20 of the best years of my life.
Memories are many with you. From meeting you over orange juice to moving to NC to getting married and having our boys. Remember our "cut off the jam" roll-a-thons on the waterbed? We had no money back then, but boy did we have fun! How about the "glowing eyes in the closet"? Too funny. The parties at the trailer, our first new house, "Banana T". I could list a million of them.
Thank you for the past 20 years. I know the next 20 will be even better!!
Postcard Swap
Big T was proud of me last night. I actually sat down and wrote out the postcards for the swap that I'm in. Between baseball and NY I just haven't had the time to get them out - but today is the day! I'll run to the post office on my lunch break and send them out.
Now you may wonder what I'm going to do with all these postcards I got. Scrap them of course!! K at work suggested I put them in a pocket - which is a great idea! I'll show the picture side and create a pocket with a copy of what is on the other side.
Tonight I'll run to the store and get some material for the quilt swap. I've already got one square so I've got to get ready for that too. I'm also going to sew a wrap or a Mei Tie wrap or both! I haven't decided yet. The wrap is the most comfortable and versatile but looks more confusing than the Mei Tie. The wrap doesn't put the shoulder strap on top but rather puts the fabric on the ball of the shoulder making it more comfortable. I've seen where the two have been combined and I think that is the road I'm going to take.
This is what the Mei Tie looks like.
See the top 2 shoulder straps? I'll make those wider so they will wrap my shoulder instead of just sitting on top.
Now you may wonder what I'm going to do with all these postcards I got. Scrap them of course!! K at work suggested I put them in a pocket - which is a great idea! I'll show the picture side and create a pocket with a copy of what is on the other side.
Tonight I'll run to the store and get some material for the quilt swap. I've already got one square so I've got to get ready for that too. I'm also going to sew a wrap or a Mei Tie wrap or both! I haven't decided yet. The wrap is the most comfortable and versatile but looks more confusing than the Mei Tie. The wrap doesn't put the shoulder strap on top but rather puts the fabric on the ball of the shoulder making it more comfortable. I've seen where the two have been combined and I think that is the road I'm going to take.
This is what the Mei Tie looks like.
See the top 2 shoulder straps? I'll make those wider so they will wrap my shoulder instead of just sitting on top.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Blog looks
I'm sure you noticed (who couldn't) that the blog has changed looks and has been renamed. I haven't decided to keep this or switch back to the other one. The title also changed from ChopSticks to Baseballs and Ballerina's. Some of you might wonder where baseball comes into the mix. I have 2 boys ages 13 and 16 who play baseball almost year round and when not playing baseball they are in some other sport. If I'm not at a ball field of some sort I'm in a gym watching wrestling. I think this title more accurately describes us as a family - or will describe us as a family as soon as little T gets here.
On the adoption front nothing new has happened. China just finished matching babies with their forever families up to the 28th of June. This seems to be in line with the one year wait we are being told by our agency. Stacy, whom I met through one of my groups, sent me my very first quilt square (Thanks Stacy!!(Our Journey to Grace) I'll get a picture of it soon and post it.
On the adoption front nothing new has happened. China just finished matching babies with their forever families up to the 28th of June. This seems to be in line with the one year wait we are being told by our agency. Stacy, whom I met through one of my groups, sent me my very first quilt square (Thanks Stacy!!(Our Journey to Grace) I'll get a picture of it soon and post it.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Dolls
Magnolia
Check out the dolls I bought for little T. Magnolia is the first dolls name. Just click her name to go to the site. I saw it on Waiting for Baby Mia's site. Click the site name to check it out! The second doll I ordered from eBay. It is a butterfly cabbage patch doll which is Asian. I've been having a difficult time finding any Asian dolls, let alone cabbage patch ones. Isn't she adorable!!??
Check out the dolls I bought for little T. Magnolia is the first dolls name. Just click her name to go to the site. I saw it on Waiting for Baby Mia's site. Click the site name to check it out! The second doll I ordered from eBay. It is a butterfly cabbage patch doll which is Asian. I've been having a difficult time finding any Asian dolls, let alone cabbage patch ones. Isn't she adorable!!??
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Another Adoption
WOW! I just finished talking to a friend who knows the saga of this adoption, how hubby was adament in saying no and how we finally got all of our paperwork together and sent off. She said some time ago that she would like to have another child but her husband did not want one. I mentioned adoption and she said her husband would have none of that! Keep talking to him I said. Guess what??!! I'm so excited!! They are going to adopt!! Yeah!! Not internationally, but through the foster system. They start classes in the fall.
Monday, June 19, 2006
100 Wishes Quilt
100 wishes quilt
You're probably wondering what this is!! Now that we are officially a "waiting family" we can start on the next project. Here is some information on the quilt:
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the family and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. We ask that you please participate in this project. We love the idea of welcoming our daughter into our home with a quilt that represents the good wishes for her from our family and friends.
Here Is What We Would Like You To Do:
1) Choose any 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from a piece of clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to have a design and color that you like.
2) Cut one 8" x 8 square from the fabric.
3) On an acid free piece of paper (so it will last a long time), put a small piece of the fabric, include your "good wish note" and your name and address. The fabric will be used to make a quilt, and the notes will be placed in a life book which we will give to our daughter when she is older. She will be able to match the fabric and wish with the squares in her quilt.
Ideas For Selecting Fabric Squares - Select a fabric that is meaningful to you. 100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better. If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than one good wish note and pieces of fabric. We ask that the fabric is pre-washed (to prevent shrinkage) 8x8 fabric square and we will add it to the squares for little T's quilt. In China, these quilts were originally made from the garments of family and friends surrounding the child with luck and good wishes.
Ideas For A Good Wishes Note - Well, what would you wish for an infant to have in her life? Some ideas are good health, perseverance, compassion, love, and a sense of humor. Use that as a guide for your good wish note. Keep in mind that our daughter will not see your note until she is older. It would be great to get the fabric and notes by March 2007 so the quilt can be completed before we bring our baby home. Please take a few minutes from your busy schedules to help us create this very special keepsake. The miracle of this adoption has been helped and nurtured by so many of you and this will be so incredibly meaningful for us as well as our new arrival!
I will be sending out an email to our family. If you would like to participate please let me know by leaving a comment and I will email you our address. Once we start getting squares in I'll probably set up another blog for the pictures and wishes.
You're probably wondering what this is!! Now that we are officially a "waiting family" we can start on the next project. Here is some information on the quilt:
To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the family and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. We ask that you please participate in this project. We love the idea of welcoming our daughter into our home with a quilt that represents the good wishes for her from our family and friends.
Here Is What We Would Like You To Do:
1) Choose any 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from a piece of clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to have a design and color that you like.
2) Cut one 8" x 8 square from the fabric.
3) On an acid free piece of paper (so it will last a long time), put a small piece of the fabric, include your "good wish note" and your name and address. The fabric will be used to make a quilt, and the notes will be placed in a life book which we will give to our daughter when she is older. She will be able to match the fabric and wish with the squares in her quilt.
Ideas For Selecting Fabric Squares - Select a fabric that is meaningful to you. 100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better. If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than one good wish note and pieces of fabric. We ask that the fabric is pre-washed (to prevent shrinkage) 8x8 fabric square and we will add it to the squares for little T's quilt. In China, these quilts were originally made from the garments of family and friends surrounding the child with luck and good wishes.
Ideas For A Good Wishes Note - Well, what would you wish for an infant to have in her life? Some ideas are good health, perseverance, compassion, love, and a sense of humor. Use that as a guide for your good wish note. Keep in mind that our daughter will not see your note until she is older. It would be great to get the fabric and notes by March 2007 so the quilt can be completed before we bring our baby home. Please take a few minutes from your busy schedules to help us create this very special keepsake. The miracle of this adoption has been helped and nurtured by so many of you and this will be so incredibly meaningful for us as well as our new arrival!
I will be sending out an email to our family. If you would like to participate please let me know by leaving a comment and I will email you our address. Once we start getting squares in I'll probably set up another blog for the pictures and wishes.
Home from the Hospital
Mom is doing well. She came home from the hospital on Sunday. The doctors are very pleased with her progress. She is able to carry on a conversation without being prompted and she has her appetite back!
Father's Day was great. I cooked T's favorite meal and invited our neighbors over. We swam and ate and enjoyed each other's company. Their little boy took a few steps at our house! Too cute! Their daughter was excited to see me after 2 weeks...she wouldn't leave my side!
While in NY I redid the room my mom will be staying in. My brother came in and put lamenated wood flooring in the room, I added an area run, dusted, cleaned everything up and it looked great. I also went and bought a sofa slipcover and new sofa pillows for the living room. My dad got a new phone for Father's day from me. This one has 2 handsets!! He thought you had to have 2 phone lines for this...too funny. I went through a ton of mail, dusted, vacumned, cleaned off the computer desk, swept and mopped floors. Mom said she was pleased with everything.
Not much happening in the adoption world. Just chillin'! We have 7 ballgames this week so we'll be very busy.
Father's Day was great. I cooked T's favorite meal and invited our neighbors over. We swam and ate and enjoyed each other's company. Their little boy took a few steps at our house! Too cute! Their daughter was excited to see me after 2 weeks...she wouldn't leave my side!
While in NY I redid the room my mom will be staying in. My brother came in and put lamenated wood flooring in the room, I added an area run, dusted, cleaned everything up and it looked great. I also went and bought a sofa slipcover and new sofa pillows for the living room. My dad got a new phone for Father's day from me. This one has 2 handsets!! He thought you had to have 2 phone lines for this...too funny. I went through a ton of mail, dusted, vacumned, cleaned off the computer desk, swept and mopped floors. Mom said she was pleased with everything.
Not much happening in the adoption world. Just chillin'! We have 7 ballgames this week so we'll be very busy.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
A Thousand Miles
I'm sitting at my mom's desk waiting to call the charge nurse and I saw this bookmark and smiled. Our journey to little T did begin with a single step. Not only will it be over a thousand miles but it will be for many, many months. The 12 month wait is very hard - we've only been a waiting family for a few weeks! I wonder at night if she has been born yet. Is she okay? Is she cold? hungry? scared? crying? So many questions are running through my mind. Are we just crazy starting all over with another child now that the boys are older and able to take care of themselves?
These questions may never be answered. Unless little T's mom leaves a note with her birthdate we won't even know that. That is scary - the "not knowing" part. We won't know her medical history, her family history - nothing. Of course, no one knows the future but at least we know our pasts. I can't imagine what it will be like for her when she gets older. I'm not prepared for the questions that I know she will ask - but that is something I can do while we wait to meet her. I can learn about China, read books, read blogs of other families that have adopted, and learn how they handled the questions.
Yes, our journey started with a single step - but it will continue for many many years.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Quick Note
Just a quick update. I am still in NY and mom is still in SICU. We are praying that she gets down to the floor today. She is finally responding to us!!!!
Adoption update - we received our LID (log in date). It is May 30th!! We made the May cutoff.
Adoption update - we received our LID (log in date). It is May 30th!! We made the May cutoff.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
I'm Addicted
Being addicted to the RQ site I sent an email to our agency concerning the newest weight questions. Though I don't beleive that we have anything to worry about (rumors were for 300 or more pounds)I just felt better knowing something. Here is there response to me:
"The dossier department forwarded me your email and I am happy to try to reassure you. At this time, China does not have any restrictions for family’s adopting from China based on weight. If such a regulation should be put it in place, it does not affect people already in the process who are logged into the CCAA. I know it is a fear that many people are experiencing right now based on the rumors but we have not seen this to be an issue for anyone to date. We are a very cautious and conservative agency in making sure that we present dossiers to China that we believe are fully qualified based on China’s qualifications. I hope this helps! "
So I'm trying to stay off of RQ (sigh...like that will happen!) and being upbeat and positive about the whole thing. I'm in a postcard swap with one of the lists I'm on so that will keep me busy doing her scrap book. As soon as we get our LID (Log in date in China) I'll join a quilt square swap. (more on the 100 wishes quilt to come later!)
In other news - my mom is not doing well at all. Her heart valve is leaking to the point that it is breaking up her red blood cells causing her to get blood on a weekly basis now. On top of that she has a dissection of the arota. (<--click here to learn more about it!) She is taking tests today to see if she is strong enough to undergo surgery on June 7th. I'll be traveling to NY on the 5th if the surgery is a go and will probably not have access to the internet while I'm there. This surgery will be for the valve and not the arota. She will need to recover from this surgery and then go again for the other surgery. If she doesn't have this done she might live for another 6 months to a year. Please please keep her in your prayers. She is so important to me and has shared my dream of adopting even when big T wasn't on board. I so want her to meet little T next year!
"The dossier department forwarded me your email and I am happy to try to reassure you. At this time, China does not have any restrictions for family’s adopting from China based on weight. If such a regulation should be put it in place, it does not affect people already in the process who are logged into the CCAA. I know it is a fear that many people are experiencing right now based on the rumors but we have not seen this to be an issue for anyone to date. We are a very cautious and conservative agency in making sure that we present dossiers to China that we believe are fully qualified based on China’s qualifications. I hope this helps! "
So I'm trying to stay off of RQ (sigh...like that will happen!) and being upbeat and positive about the whole thing. I'm in a postcard swap with one of the lists I'm on so that will keep me busy doing her scrap book. As soon as we get our LID (Log in date in China) I'll join a quilt square swap. (more on the 100 wishes quilt to come later!)
In other news - my mom is not doing well at all. Her heart valve is leaking to the point that it is breaking up her red blood cells causing her to get blood on a weekly basis now. On top of that she has a dissection of the arota. (<--click here to learn more about it!) She is taking tests today to see if she is strong enough to undergo surgery on June 7th. I'll be traveling to NY on the 5th if the surgery is a go and will probably not have access to the internet while I'm there. This surgery will be for the valve and not the arota. She will need to recover from this surgery and then go again for the other surgery. If she doesn't have this done she might live for another 6 months to a year. Please please keep her in your prayers. She is so important to me and has shared my dream of adopting even when big T wasn't on board. I so want her to meet little T next year!
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