World's Shortest Personality Test

Your Personality Profile

You are dependable, popular, and observant. Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive. You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while. And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Jenny & Dave's Baby Shower

Yesterday we had a very special baby shower for my cousin Jenny and her husband Dave. They rushed off this morning to Ohio to be there for the birth of their soon to be adopted son! J & D have been trying to build a family for several years and about 2 months ago, they were chosen by this child's birthmother to be his Mommy and Daddy! Please, everyone, send your best wishes and prayers to all involved in this very amazing but intensely emotional event.

With positive anticipation of David Kenneth's birth and bringing him home forever, the men in the group went and checked out the local military museums (fun!)and we ladies enjoyed a beautiful celebration at a restaurant overlooking the ocean (good choice SIL D!). On a "domestic adoption red thread" note the waitress informed us that *she* was adopted and that she always thought being adopted was very special because she knew how much her family wanted her.
Here are some pictures of the sweet little gifts Jenny (and oh yeah, Dave) received for their son.

Soon to be Grandma Jude is ready to take on her new role!

Cousin Shannon had a doggie theme goin'.

Cousin D brought in the golf theme.

Aunt Jacque knew Jenny's fondness for nursery rhymes.

Baby shower today, baby boy tomorrow!

A windy but beautiful day!

Reading into my Fortune Cookie

We had Chinese take-out for dinner tonight. I opened the fortune cookie *before* dinner. I needed some words of hope so as not to break down and make Lisa's Disappointment Cookies due to the small referral date range!

On the front of the fortune: You shall seek out new adventures.
On the back: Learn Chinese- Children (Hai-zi)
Interesting.

Well, I guess this wait for Ellie can be considered somewhat of an adventure in itself...

Post from my agency: Our June Group's LID was June 7th. Oh, how I feel for you all! CCAA has GOT to include both the 6th and 7th next time...but what heartache for another 4 weeks or so. Disappointment cookies all round!!
You know, my LID is Feb 7...I wonder if the 7th is a common date for our agency since our dossiers are "batched" and delivered together. Hmmmmm.

Latest CCAA Update

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before September 30, 2005.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before June 6, 2005.

With a Feb 2006 LID and the continued slowdown of referrals, I'm barely inching towards Ellie.

Hangin' with Ellie's Cousin

K and I had lots of fun fingerpainting today!



Wow...is fingerpainting messy!!




So after that, playing in the sprinkler was in order

and of course that led to watering the flowers and the deck and the aunt...=)

Message for Hector: Please check out Ellie's Crib Update Update: I see my brother has added his own disclaimer in the comments!!

More Gifts from the Chan's!

My aunt Karen has been introducing me to all the Chinese tales and stories she can find! Here are two more collections of amazing tales. When she and my uncle Jack were married, The Phoenix and The Dragon were embossed on their invitations, imparting the symbolism into their marriage. Karen, Jack and my cousins sent us some gorgeous fabric which display these fascinating symbols.
They wished Elena "all the riches of The Dragon in family and prosperity" and "may the high virtue and rare talent of The Phoenix be yours". Do I sound too much like a child of the 80's when I say "How cool is that?!!" Thank you, Chan Family!


Check out some more of the wonderful fabric squares and wishes under Elena's 100 Good Wishes Quilt link.

Adoption Poem

This is the poem my Secret Pal introduced me to. Make sure you have your tissues handy.


As a girl I had a common dream, to be a mom someday.
My baby would have eyes of blue and hair the hue of hay.

But now my dreams have been transformed. New visions fill my head.
Now the tresses that I long to stroke are raven black instead.

And in my dreams those eyes are not so big or blue or round.
Now in my dreams they're almond shaped and colored cocoa brown.

And in my dreams my arms can stretch across enormous seas.
They reach half-way around the world and hold you close to me.

As you grow in your mother's womb, carefully knit together,
you're also growing in my heart, where you will stay forever.

And in my dreams the moment that your mother says good-bye,
I'll be right there to comfort you and hold you as you cry.

Our features may not look alike; we're different as can be.
But still I know the Father has created you for me.

And though I've not yet seen your face, or held your tiny hands,
and though we're half a world apart in very different lands,

I'll be right there to get you just as soon as God allows.
But 'til He says the time is right I give to you this vow.

I'll pray for your protection every day on bended knee.
For God to hold you in His arms, until you're here with me.

Written by: Gayle Leubecker

Bathtime Fun!!

My February DTC Secret Pal is awesome! She took the monthly theme of "April Showers Bring Mei Flowers" and went with the shower/bath route! Just look at this darling duck! This duck so cool it will tell you on the bottom if the water is too hot! I love the froggy toy bag...my pal warned me these bath toys seem to multiply quickly! She's started me off with these link toys (hope I can figure them out!)
The Johnson's bathtime set is so sweet. I can smell the powder right through the box. Oh, I want my baby!!! =)
And to top it all off, these wonderful gifts were packaged in tissue paper that had *ladybugs* on it!! What a great friend/gift giver/shopper you are, my secret pal!
I also received a beautiful poem by Gayle Leubecker which I want to give its own blog, so look for it tomorrow. Thank you so much Secret Pal.

Tag Teamed!

I've been "tagged" by both Lisa L. and Wanda! I'm supposed to list 6 weird facts about myself and it took me several hours to come up with them. I'm single so I don't have someone pointing them out! (There's got to be some good in singledom!)
1. I HATE talking on the phone. Really. Probably because I'm horrible at it. Every once and awhile I can get into it, but between people multi-tasking while talking, not being able to see the other persons face, my horrible hearing and cell phones breaking up...it's just bad.
2. I can't sleep if my feet are cold. So I end up wearing socks (even my wool ones!) in the summer. Eventually during the night I might kick them off, but I will lie awake for hours if my feet are cold.
3. I love naps. 3:30 PM is the perfect nap time. My dogs love it when we all take a 3:30 nap. I'm hoping Ellie will buy into this pastime, too!
4. I have to buy my chicken breasts de-boned with no skin. Eeeww. My mom will even make a special one for me (thanks Mom!)if I eat at my parents house. I'm a bad cook to begin with, but I totally overcook my chicken because I'm paranoid of food poisoning. I've been there. Never again!
5. I love to make lists and cross things off. But then I have to start a new list because after crossing off two or three items, the list looks messy. So really I make lots of lists and get little done.
6. I got my navel pierced one night when visiting my friend Angie in New Orleans (hey SHE got a tattoo!). I ended up removing it because I had this fear it would catch on something and get ripped out. Like when I was carrying my laundry basket or lying stomach down on the carpet. Have you *ever* heard of this happening?! I thought not! Oh well, the NOLA part was fun!
So now I tag 6 people so they can do their list, let us know their idiosyncrasies and tag others!
I've tried to make sure you haven't already done this, so here goes: Shannon, Sara, Jenny (although I think she's in Cancun right now!), Sandy, Tiffany,and Stephe.

Welcome to Ellie's Crib!

****UPDATE****
I would like all of my faithful readers to know that it took my brother less than 20 minutes to set up this crib. What a guy!! =)

Many thanks to my Dad who ventured out with me to pick up the crib on Saturday. Thanks also to my brother who put together Ellie's crib. All for just buying him lunch at McD's! Sweet deal. (At least I'm lovin' it! haha) Look he even has the directions out! (Must just be for the photo-op!) Truthfully, I really do appreciate the help.

Although this wait has "blossomed" to probably at least 12 months...sigh...(10 down), I am still subscribing to Lisa's Field of Dreams/Babies Analogy and am working to make Ellie's nursery a special place for her. At least I know we've got enough pink stuffed animals for her! =) Thank goodness I managed to find a brown "Ruby" bear to break up the pink!

Happy Easter!

K in her Easter bonnet, socks pulled up to the knees! So cute!

Brunch at Giggy and Papa's house.

K *loved* looking for the plastic eggs, especially as they contained small gifts. Her favorite? Purple nail polish! Aunt She-She helped apply the polish after both girls polished off a few chocolate eggs from the Easter basket! =)

Gifts from the Chan Family!

My aunt Karen and her family sent me *more* wonderful Chinese themed books. Karen, you must be doing your book research, because I've never come across some of these!
Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats has lots of interesting info, traditional stories and recipes. I Love You Like Crazy Cakes is my absolute favorite! I tear up every time I read it!
The other books are going to be great as Ellie becomes school-aged: Chinese Children's Favorite Stories has lots of traditional tales (Monkey King, Moon Goddess, Guan Yin, etc.), Yeh-Shen is a Chinese Cinderella story, The Legend of Mu Lan has the story in English and Chinese characters...too cool! There are some beautiful illustrations in all of these books.
Karen and Jack, thank you so much for all your support and for starting off such a wonderful treasury of books for Ellie! Everyone else, check out these titles for your little darlings! Good stuff!=)

Just another day

Tonight I went out with my mom and shopped for my DTC group secret pal. We came up with some cute gifts for the next few months. Can't wait to send them out! Tomorrow my agency is hosting a Seminar with a local physician who not only specializes in medical issues for adoptive children but is an adoptive parent as well. Hopefully it will be chock full of good info.

Funny enough, the agency is offering a support group afterwards. This support group has been "much asked for" according to the email. I'm afraid it will be lots of griping about the wait and the paperchase and not much support. Might have to slip out the back door early on that one...=)

Crib or Toddler Bed???

Crib or Toddler Bed?? I am trying to figure out which would be best. I've requested an infant ayap (0-12), but an infant in China is considered 0-24 months. Plus with the delay in referrals, do you think the children going to be referred are going to be older in general? I know the cribs can change into a toddler bed...but they are still pretty high off the ground. Hey, a mommy-to-be has to keep her mind busy during these forever waits! Any recommendations?

Spring Break Fun!

My niece and I spent the day at the zoo. The weather was gorgeous and the animals were all out sunning. Perfect!

What Kind of Cookie Am I?

You Are a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Traditional and conservative, most people find you comforting. You're friendly and easy to get to know. This makes you very popular - without even trying!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Double Happiness - Elena & Me

My February DTC Secret Pal left a very nice comment regarding my "2 month LID anniversary" and mentioned that the following quote was helping survive with this long wait. I think I will definitely be keeping it in mind over the next "few" months!
If happiness is in your destiny, you need not be in a hurry.
Elena is happiness and she will be here when the time is right. In the meantime I will be searching for patience! =) Thanks for the wise words, Secret Pal!

2 Months Down

As of today, my paperwork has been at CCAA for two months!! It's probably sitting there, a bit dusty by now, but it is there nonetheless. China has a quota on how many "singles" can adopt per year so really I am very lucky that I found a spot within about two months after doing all my research. I could still be waiting on an agency opening.
So Happy 2nd Month Since LID to us, Elena!

Elena's New Bracelet

The bracelet reads, "I am the best thing made in China." =) Can't wait until she gets to wear it...

Nursery of Dreams

Lisa (Tate-r-Bug)was theorizing about a solution to the referral slowdown:

"Then it hit me... KEVIN COSTNER in The Field of Dreams.... IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME.... I am not talking baseball here.... I'm talking NURSERIES.... I have been a slacker and I know others have been disheartened and lost the faith and rooms sit undecorated and unloved .... So to quote Kevin with a slight slant....
IF WE DECORATE THE NURSERIES, THE BABIES WILL COME...."

Brilliant, isn't it?!! So my Dad (Thank you, Dad!) painted Elena's nursery today and my mom and I went to look at cribs.

We're decorating and showing the love. Send on the babies! =)

Thank you!

Many thanks to everyone sending the beautiful wishes and fabric squares for Elena's 100 Good Wishes Quilt! It's going to be a fun, diverse quilt-check out the great fabric and wishes here.