Sewing away!

I've sewed a few more little dresses. The green ladybug dress is for our granddaughter and the other one is for Little T. I'm really enjoying this and have started on 2 more dresses similar to the ladybug one. There is a hat and little pants for the ladybug dress. When I showed Big T the material for Little T's he was like "I hate to tell you this but those 2 materials do not go together.". Ha! I showed him! I wanted contrasting materials which is why I picked those two out. That dress cost me a total of $3.00 including the pattern!!







One more picture for you! T turned 18 yesterday!! Good God - where does the time go?? We gave him some cash and some tools for his car and took him to dinner last night. (Family tradition) After dinner he came over and was messing around with L and I was taking pictures. I asked him to smile for me and this is what he did!! Nice huh??!!!

Quickie!!

No....not that kind of quickie!!

Here's a quick page I did tonight of my niece. I've played with the picture using photoshop and then used scrapbook flair to create the page.

Happy Easter!!

I hope everyone had a Joyous Easter! We went to my BIL's and enjoyed the day with family. As you might know our niece had a baby a few months ago and today was the first time I've had the opportunity to hold him. What a cutie!! Here are some pictures of Little A and also our other little niece and nephew.










I've also been busy on my sewing machine and made this outfit for Little T. I've already started on another one and I'll post a picture of it when I complete it.




Nothing happening on the adoption front. Still waiting for our agency to get another list in. It's so frustrating!!

Check this out!!

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Referrals are Here!

Well, CCAA referred from December 28th until January 4th - 8 days. God that stinks. And hurts.

162 minus 8 leaves just 154 days until our LID!! blech.....

Happy Leap Day!!!

Hi Stranger

A couple of things to talk about. We didn't get a referral from this past list. I'm okay with that. It's hard but God has this in his hands and I have to trust that. Our agency has requested another list so hopefully it will come in March. Will we get our referral then? Who knows - but it is more likely to happen.

Wrestling is finally over. T won conference champion and was one match away from going to states. I truly believe that if he hadn't been hurt at the beginning of the season he would have gone to states. He was disappointed yesterday to say the least. We are so proud of what he accomplished!! To go as far as he did was a testament of his devotion and commitment. Baseball has already started and he has his first scrimage on Monday. No rest for the weary!!

L is also doing baseball but will be on the JV team. He's excited to start in again after his diappointing wrestling season. He just needs to realize that he has to put forth an effort. Things won't come as easily as they did when he was younger.

Work - god, what a mess it is. We are in the middle of a huge conversion from one system to another one. Part of the conversion is combining the hospital and the SOM's data so there is just one medical record for a patient. Great idea - bad plan. The hospital will control the server and be the "gatekeepers" of the data. This means that any changes we want to make, say to add a cpt code or a billing area or even a doctor has to go through their change management crap. Not a good thing because our users are totally spoiled. Plus there will not be any custom programming for the new system which means I am literally working myself right out of a job. The go live isn't until late next year and then we will keep the legacy system up for another year but it's still scary!!

Little T's OGWQ is close to being completed. I've got 4 more rows to quilt and then I'll put the border around it and viola! Its done. Big T can't get over that I've actually done this. I've included a picture of the back material that I choose. The border is a pink chenille that will really set it off. I can't wait to finish it!














Here are some wrestling pictures and a scrapbook page I put together.

Happy New Year!!

Actually, yesterday was Chinese New Year in China so I'm a day late but Happy New Year anyways!!

Is it 2006 yet?

Heh, you're probably wondering what in the world I'm talking about. Well folks, referrals are starting to arrive. Remember last month they got through the 19th so you would hope that they could get through the 31st this month. News Flash!! They didn't! Are you suprised?? I'm not! They did 8 days worth this month and got through the 27th of December. Hey - they just started December in November of 2006 and these are only February referrals so what are we moaning about?? 5 months to get through one month??

So, let me answer my question - no, it's not 2006 yet!!

162 - 8 is 154 - only 154 days until our log in date!

How long have we been waiting????

MONTHS!!!!

Sock Hell and Other Juicy Tidbits

Ok, I'll admit it! I can't stand folding socks!! I hate it! Because of this we have what they boys have nicknamed "Sock Hell". What is it? Its a laundry basket filled with unmatched socks that they must go through each morning. Do you think they would take the initiative to fold them? Hell No! They are boys and teenaged boys on top of that!

I have been totally freaking out the past few weeks. Our fingerprints expired last year and we went and had them taken again in November. I was told that here in our state we have up to one year to get USCIS an updated home study. Cool...or so I thought. At the beginning of this month we received a letter from Homeland Security stating that effective January 3 you must now send in a home study update within 30 days of your fingerprint appointment. Oh shit!! They gave me until February 7th to get them an update. I have to get physicals lined up, new letters of reference, a social worker - total panic mode. This cost us an extra $250 bucks to boot because we have to expedite our home study. Good grief!!

The boys are doing great. Wrestling is starting to wind down. Last weekend they were at a team tournament. T went 4 and 0 and L went 0 and 4. Poor kid, he's so frustrated. He'll do fine, he's just in a very difficult weight class!! Big T is great as usual. This wait hasn't gotten to him at all except for the fact that he says he is getting older!! Ummm....aren't we all???!!!!


Lets see, other than that not much else has been happening. Oh - I ended up cutting my hair earlier than what I originally thought. I've been growing it for Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. I was going to wait until we got Little T's referral but it got to the point where I couldn't stand it so I cut it all off!! I think J measured it to be 14 inches in the back. She cut it into a cute style. I've never had my hair this short so its a very big change for me. Poor J, she told me after I left her house she had to take a Zantec before bed because she realized she had cut most of my hair off!! She thought I was going to hate it - but hey - it's just hair!! Actually - I like the cut.




No news on a referral yet. I know my agency is still going through the files and having some translated. It's still a slight possibility we'll hear something from this batch but it will probably be the next one.

New List!!!

Yes! Our agency got their new list on Friday! I'm so excited - this could be the list that Little T is on!! Wow....this actually will happen this year - that is so hard to believe. After waiting for over 19 months and to be so close to our referral, man, I'm jumping up and down!!! Please, please, please let our daughter be on this list!! Everyone, keep your fingers and toes crossed!!!

I swear, I can't concentrate on anything!!!

Gifts and Nomination

Wow!! I got my very first nomination! Yeah!! Jonni over at Journey to Sofia & Samantha nominated me for the "Blogging With a Purpose" award! Wasn't that sweet? Jonnie went to China last August and brought home adorable little Sofia. She and John are paperchasing right now to for a little sister who will be named Samantha. I've met some wonderful people out here in this big cyber world. They have helped me during my loss of my parents and during this long wait for Little T. You are all wonderful! I enjoy sharing in your joy as you each meet your child!!

Here are the guidelines -

AWARD GUIDELINES:
1. Awarded parties must nominate five people who have not received the award.
2. The blogs that receive the award must serve some purpose.
3. In their post about the award they need to link back to the original entry.
4. Awarded parties must post the award banner on their site. The banner must remain linked to site.
Eric Novak's

Here are my nominations:

- Karen over at Living In the Momement. Karen is a mommy of 2 wonderful little boys and used to work with me. She's a no nonsense type of girl who stands for what she believes. I met Karen at work where we were always joking around and bitching to each other!! She is also a cat lover so she can't be half bad...

- Shana over at Waiting For Sophie. I've enjoyed her blog since 2005 when she and her husband adopted their beautiful daughter Sophie Lu. They also adopted handsome Ollie from Guatemala when he was 8 months old. She is a wonderful writer who takes such pride in her family. I know I can go to her blog for a quick fix of cuteness!!

- Mary-Mia at Do They Have Salsa in China?. She and Rod adopted their identical twin girls in 2006. She is very down to earth and keeps us all in stitches over the shanigans of her girls. Go on...go visit her but beware of the cuteness!!!

- Carla at Ladybug-Katie. She and her husband just got back from China a month ago with their beautiful daughter Katie. She also has 2 handsome little boys who are spoiling their little sister. Carla and I met over at RQ and became friends right away. She is a funny writter who has a thing for sales!! (hehe...)


Now, not only did Jonnie nominate me for this award but when I got home Friday there was a package sitting on my counter from her!!! (nice wrap job!!) If felt like Christmas all over again! Here are some pictures:


She also sent some chocolate malt balls that were quickly devoured - God they were good!! (you must send me more!) I just love the little glow worm - when you squeeze the belly it lights up and sings lullabies. The sweet sweater and jeans - I just can't wait to get those on Little T! Look close at the socks - they say "little dancer"...cute!!! Not only did she go crazy with that but she also bought my son and his girlfiend some items for their baby! Jonni - thank you so much. That was very thoughtful!

Pictures !!

Big T has been bugging me to get some pictures of the boys to send to his mom. Here are a few of them. I've also added pictures of T's girlfriend (who is almost 6 months along now) and our dog with her new toy that she got for Christmas!!

T putting his little brother in a head lock! Hey - save that for wrestling!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

L said he wanted to show his belly to so here is a picture of all 3 of them - what a bunch of monkeys!!

 

KaCee and her new Christmas Toy!!

 

5 days

Yep, they referred 5 whole days - didn't even finish December 2005...just wonderful. Wanna know something else? 2 of those days were weekend days....so really, they referred 3 days. Wow...



But - that is 5 less days for the count down!! So now there are 162 days left before our LID! Yah!!

Thoughts of 2007 and beyond

I know, I know, I haven't even wrapped up Christmas yet and I'm already doing a post for 2007 - oh well!!

2007 - what a year! I lost my dad just 6 short months after my mom died, found my friend again, saw other friends become parents for the first time, laughed, and cried. T became conference champ again, contracted MRSA and spent some time in the hospital. L played baseball and thoroughly enjoyed himself over the summer. When my neighbors moved to Iowa I not only lost a good friend but 2 sweet little carpet munchers whom I dearly love and miss. This is the year we were "supposed" to have seen little T's face, the year that we decided to do a special needs adoption and the year that my oldest son announced he was going to be a dad.

2007 - gone in a blink. Yes, it went by fast - too fast! What will I change, what will I do differently this year? One thing I know for sure - I will start living again. I will start doing things and not worry how it will affect our adoption. If a new opportunity presents itself I will not turn it down without even thinking about it. I will enjoy my boys, husband, and new granddaughter. I will trust that God has a plan for me and my family.

Resolutions? Nope, I break those anyways. I'm just going to eat better, exercise more, be more patient, more tolerant, and laugh. Our referral will happen when it's meant to. Life is just too short to sit here and worry about the what if's. Will I still stalk RQ? Of course! But - I won't worry about what is said because there is nothing I can do to change it. Will I bitch about the wait - oh no doubt, bitching is a women's right, isn't it?

2008 is going to be a great year! We WILL meet Little T this year, we will meet our granddaughter this year, T will graduate high school, we WILL travel to China, and L will continue to amaze me with his sense of humor and sense of self. 2008 - an Olympic year for China and a heart-stirring year for our family!!

19 Months and Grandparents??

We hit the 19 month mark yesterday. The latest rumor is that China will refer to the 19 of December 05. That will be just 5 days. And that means they have only referred from somewhere towards the end of September to December 19, maybe 3 1/2 months for the ENTIRE YEAR!!

So, are you ready for our news? I think the title gave it away but we are going to be grandparents!! Wow - its weird writing that. Grandparents. T's girlfriend is 5 months along and is due in May. She is having a little girl. Shocked? We were!! Shocked and disappointed. I think we have accepted it, what choice do we have. He still plans to go to college up in West Virginia and she does to. He can do it but it will just be a bit harder. We went to Big T's brothers house yesterday for our family Christmas and she went with us. Everyone could tell and asked me if she was pregnant. Then the jokes started. Poor T!! His uncles and cousins teased the hell out of him but he just smiled and joked right back. We should have warned his girlfriend about how they are but I think she was okay with the teasing and joking. At one point Big T's oldest brother handed T a full coverage chemical suit and told him he should wear that for now on!! Imagine the jokes getting worse from there. Too funny.

New Years Eve - what are you guys doing? I think we are going over to a friends house and party with them. Or maybe we'll stay home? Who knows, we are still up in the air for our plans...

Exciting Times

I've got to be cryptic here but there are some exciting things happening in our part of the world. No, it's not adoption related (man, I wish it was!) but it is very exciting anyways!! More news coming later...