What a nice surprise!! Michael took me to the Boston Harbor Hotel for our Anniversary! I didn't bring my camera and I'm kicking my self for that. We have a suite that is overlooking Boston Harbor and it is absolutely beautiful.
Here are some picture of what our suite looks like...I got the pictures from their web site and they look a little small, but this is what our suite looks like:
I was going to go to the spa and get a message, but unfortunately, they were all booked up for today. I wish I knew we were coming here, I would have called earlier to make an appointment...great husbands don't think about those things.
So, now we have to decide where we are going to go for dinner. I'm thinking Italian food, but we will have to see what Michael is in the mood for tonight.
Michael was just at the gym and I think he will be going back...this is how all the other people live I guess...it's all so fancy!
Here are a couple of pictures of the hotel:
This is our 5th. Anniversary BUT it's the 1st. one that we have all to our self...and that is so special!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Happy Anniversary Michael
Today is our 5th Anniversary and I just wanted to shout it out!! These first five years together have gone by so quickly. Some day soon our family will be complete.
Happy Anniversary Michael!! Love you!
Happy Anniversary Michael!! Love you!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
My Mind is Racing...
It's been one heck of a day today!
I'm crazy busy at work, which is great, but today when I was driving home I kept seeing in my minds eye my beautiful baby girl. I imagined things that we would do together, her official meet and greet with family and friends, her christening, our first trip to Disney Land...just the three of us, what fun! Michael actually relaxing and playing with the baby...it's so weird.
I guess that even though I'm crazy busy (again, this is good) Alison is always on my mind weather I'm aware of it or not. I did have a very peaceful feeling as I was driving home, like...don't worry Kathy...she is coming home...Is HE telling me it's going to all be good and that my prayers are going to be answered? I don't know...I hope so.
I've been staying away from the rumor sites lately and I'm finding it easier not feeling like I have to look every hour or even every 10 minutes!! The wait is what it is and there is nothing I can do to change that...maybe it's acceptance.
I think, WOW...Our anniversary is this Saturday...I can't believe that it's been five years for me and Michael and look at how fast five years have come and gone. I know that August and the Olympics are going to be here before we know it and I just have this feeling that, yes, it is going to pick up after August. We are going into April and the CCAA is still working on early January 2006 referrals...I think they may get out of January 2006 some time this summer. This will still put our referral in the later part of 2009 or even possibly 2010 (I'm hoping that will not be the case), but with the number of people leaving the program (this is very sad) and the talk that more orphanages will be up and running and are in the process of getting the children ready for IA...I guess that I'm feeling very positive about things.
So between work and doing stuff around the house all is well and busy in my world. Spring is finally on the way and I have lots to keep me busy in the yard...I have to redo my flower gardens...well maybe not me, but I'll make sure that Mom comes down to visit a lot until we get it right!
We planted some trees last year and one is definitely dying...same spot where our old "new" tree died. I think we just need to pull it down and put in a gravel/flower area and I can add a bird bath, a feeder and maybe a tall bird house on a large pole. I love the birds.
Still NOTHING has been done in the Nursery...you wait and see...we are going to get stuck behind the 8 ball on the nursery...we are going to get our referral and be no where near ready.
I've been working on a needlepoint for the nursery of some fairies with flowers and a hedgehog...I've been working on and off for a while and I think that I started in the wrong spot and it's looking like I'm going to run out of material before I can finish the design...(hit my hand to the forehead!)
I've put down the attempts at quilting because I was getting frustrated with my inaccuracies...thinking that even though the fabric was "just a little off" from the size it should have been...I'm learning the hard way that you can't be just a little off and I'll be working on this again very soon when I can find the time...I'm ready for the battle to make my babies blanket!
It's good that I can blog. I make Michael's head spin when I start talking about everything that is bouncing around in my head...things I need and want to do, what happened during the day and on and on...so now that I have it all out, he will be truly grateful once he gets home. (Here I go babbling again...but I can do that here.;-)
I'm crazy busy at work, which is great, but today when I was driving home I kept seeing in my minds eye my beautiful baby girl. I imagined things that we would do together, her official meet and greet with family and friends, her christening, our first trip to Disney Land...just the three of us, what fun! Michael actually relaxing and playing with the baby...it's so weird.
I guess that even though I'm crazy busy (again, this is good) Alison is always on my mind weather I'm aware of it or not. I did have a very peaceful feeling as I was driving home, like...don't worry Kathy...she is coming home...Is HE telling me it's going to all be good and that my prayers are going to be answered? I don't know...I hope so.
I've been staying away from the rumor sites lately and I'm finding it easier not feeling like I have to look every hour or even every 10 minutes!! The wait is what it is and there is nothing I can do to change that...maybe it's acceptance.
I think, WOW...Our anniversary is this Saturday...I can't believe that it's been five years for me and Michael and look at how fast five years have come and gone. I know that August and the Olympics are going to be here before we know it and I just have this feeling that, yes, it is going to pick up after August. We are going into April and the CCAA is still working on early January 2006 referrals...I think they may get out of January 2006 some time this summer. This will still put our referral in the later part of 2009 or even possibly 2010 (I'm hoping that will not be the case), but with the number of people leaving the program (this is very sad) and the talk that more orphanages will be up and running and are in the process of getting the children ready for IA...I guess that I'm feeling very positive about things.
So between work and doing stuff around the house all is well and busy in my world. Spring is finally on the way and I have lots to keep me busy in the yard...I have to redo my flower gardens...well maybe not me, but I'll make sure that Mom comes down to visit a lot until we get it right!
We planted some trees last year and one is definitely dying...same spot where our old "new" tree died. I think we just need to pull it down and put in a gravel/flower area and I can add a bird bath, a feeder and maybe a tall bird house on a large pole. I love the birds.
Still NOTHING has been done in the Nursery...you wait and see...we are going to get stuck behind the 8 ball on the nursery...we are going to get our referral and be no where near ready.
I've been working on a needlepoint for the nursery of some fairies with flowers and a hedgehog...I've been working on and off for a while and I think that I started in the wrong spot and it's looking like I'm going to run out of material before I can finish the design...(hit my hand to the forehead!)
I've put down the attempts at quilting because I was getting frustrated with my inaccuracies...thinking that even though the fabric was "just a little off" from the size it should have been...I'm learning the hard way that you can't be just a little off and I'll be working on this again very soon when I can find the time...I'm ready for the battle to make my babies blanket!
It's good that I can blog. I make Michael's head spin when I start talking about everything that is bouncing around in my head...things I need and want to do, what happened during the day and on and on...so now that I have it all out, he will be truly grateful once he gets home. (Here I go babbling again...but I can do that here.;-)
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Happy Birthday Samantha!!
Today we celebrated Samantha's 17th Birthday. We went into Boston for the day and had so much fun! We had lunch at Dick's Last Resort in Faneuil Hall and the theme at Dick's is that staff is rude to you and they make you wear silly hats...here is Samantha in her birthday hat...
Here is a picture of Samantha and Julia (her BFF) at the Holocaust memorial...
We shopped all day and the girls got their shoes for prom then we went into the North End for cappuccino and biscotti...the cafe was packed and they had a violinist and accordion player walking around playing good old Italian music...here is Samantha and Julia and a beat Cindy...
We ended our birthday celebration by meeting Michael for dinner at Kitty's...it was a great day and now I'm pooped!
Here is a picture of Samantha and Julia (her BFF) at the Holocaust memorial...
We shopped all day and the girls got their shoes for prom then we went into the North End for cappuccino and biscotti...the cafe was packed and they had a violinist and accordion player walking around playing good old Italian music...here is Samantha and Julia and a beat Cindy...
We ended our birthday celebration by meeting Michael for dinner at Kitty's...it was a great day and now I'm pooped!
Friday, March 21, 2008
WOW...LOOK AT THESE....
We received some wonderful presents from our January Secret Buddy...these are awesome...take a look...
These are the CUTEST red shoes!! They are squeaky shoes...when Alison wears these she will squeak when she walks...here is a close up picture...I just LOVE THESE...Thank you so much Secret Buddy if your reading this!!! You're really the BEST SECRET BUDDY! I can't wait to meet you!
We also received a picture frame for our little princess...
AND we got this adorable little lady bug plaque that will fit perfectly in the nursery on the small little wall space next to the door...
When I showed these presents to Michael I told him, some day these little shoes will fit our daughter...some day we will have her home and I can't wait to use all the wonderful presents that you gave us for Alison...you truly have been a blessing in this horrible wait.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter full of blessings.
These are the CUTEST red shoes!! They are squeaky shoes...when Alison wears these she will squeak when she walks...here is a close up picture...I just LOVE THESE...Thank you so much Secret Buddy if your reading this!!! You're really the BEST SECRET BUDDY! I can't wait to meet you!
We also received a picture frame for our little princess...
AND we got this adorable little lady bug plaque that will fit perfectly in the nursery on the small little wall space next to the door...
When I showed these presents to Michael I told him, some day these little shoes will fit our daughter...some day we will have her home and I can't wait to use all the wonderful presents that you gave us for Alison...you truly have been a blessing in this horrible wait.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter full of blessings.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
I-600A
What is an I-600A you ask?
An I-600A is a form from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) allowing us to adopt a child internationally. The I-600A is valid for 18 months and ours is about to expire in June 2008.
Today I received the paperwork to start the application process all over again. I think that I'm a couple of steps ahead of the game because when we did our initial paper chase I got 4 copies of all the forms that needed to be notarized.
So we have to sent the following information off to our agency to be re-submitted to CIS:
1. Copy of our Favorable Determination (1-797C) - This is our fingerprint approval. We also have to bring this updated approval with us to China. (I'm sure we will be doing this again before we go.)
2. A signed letter requesting a one-time extension of the I-600A at no cost for this update.
3. 2 signed statements from Michael allowing discussion of our files and one saying that we will provide originals of all papers on request.
4. Copies (not originals) of both of our birth certificates.
5. Copy (not original) of our marriage certificate.
6. Original arrest document and a signed/notarized letter of apology. (Remember, Michael had that little incident with an open container in public back when he was 18!! This will haunt him for the rest of his life).
All these papers will go off to our agency and they will attach a copy of our updated home study to CIS and hopefully, we will get our re-approval with no problem.
So, being the organized person that I am, I have all these forms in Alison's life book and I should have all of these sent to the WHFC by the end of this week.
The good news is that the first re-fingerprinting and the first I-600A extension are at no cost to us...the next one we will have to pay for...
We are still coming to get you Alison...
An I-600A is a form from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) allowing us to adopt a child internationally. The I-600A is valid for 18 months and ours is about to expire in June 2008.
Today I received the paperwork to start the application process all over again. I think that I'm a couple of steps ahead of the game because when we did our initial paper chase I got 4 copies of all the forms that needed to be notarized.
So we have to sent the following information off to our agency to be re-submitted to CIS:
1. Copy of our Favorable Determination (1-797C) - This is our fingerprint approval. We also have to bring this updated approval with us to China. (I'm sure we will be doing this again before we go.)
2. A signed letter requesting a one-time extension of the I-600A at no cost for this update.
3. 2 signed statements from Michael allowing discussion of our files and one saying that we will provide originals of all papers on request.
4. Copies (not originals) of both of our birth certificates.
5. Copy (not original) of our marriage certificate.
6. Original arrest document and a signed/notarized letter of apology. (Remember, Michael had that little incident with an open container in public back when he was 18!! This will haunt him for the rest of his life).
All these papers will go off to our agency and they will attach a copy of our updated home study to CIS and hopefully, we will get our re-approval with no problem.
So, being the organized person that I am, I have all these forms in Alison's life book and I should have all of these sent to the WHFC by the end of this week.
The good news is that the first re-fingerprinting and the first I-600A extension are at no cost to us...the next one we will have to pay for...
We are still coming to get you Alison...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
CHINA'S ONE CHILD POLICY
One of the boards that I look at every day posted a blog about China's One Child Policy and I wanted to share this with everyone so that you can all get a better understanding. This is from China Adopt Talk a.k.a. The Rumor Queen's blog and it's long, but a very informative read.
China’s One Child Policy
Let’s look back in history for a bit to understand why the policy was put in place to begin with. After years of food shortages and people literally starving to death, the country was finally able to feed most everyone. But the government looked ahead and realized that if families continued having lots of kids that in another decade or two there would (again) not be enough food to feed everyone. Realize that in the late fifties and early sixties it is estimated that between 20 and 43 million people in China died of starvation. In some areas one out of every four people died of starvation. Imagine 16 of your friends and family, with four of them dead to starvation and you perhaps not far from it. Can you imagine how scary it would be to have the money to buy food but no food available to buy?
So, in the late 70’s when the one birth policy was put in place, it was done so in part to keep the population from exploding back to what it had been when there wasn’t enough food to feed everyone. This is a bit simplified of course since there was more at work during the famine than just population, but it’s a complicated subject and I’m trying to do this in a blog post and not a book.
If you’ve visited China then you know that there is plenty of food now. Well, there may be some shortages right now because the winter storms disrupted the crops, but in general terms, if you have the money to buy food, there is affordable food to buy.
It has been my experience that most Chinese people understand the reasons for the one child policy. I say this based on conversations I’ve had with them. They are sad that they are only allowed one child, but they understand the reasoning for the policy and they are not bitter about it. Many of them appreciate that it has kept the country from going back to the days of food shortages and say that it is necessary, even though they are sad that they can’t have more children.
But now the government is having to deal with a reality where there are enough people who can afford to pay the fines for more than one child that it has become noticeable. And those who can’t afford to pay the fines are crying foul. I’ve seen it myself, the fancy hotel elevator with the well dressed family that has three kids. Walk around the areas where the rich shop and you’ll see families with more than one child. But go out into the countryside and you will mostly only see families with one child. Now there is some bitterness, where there was not before.
The government is looking for a solution to this, and has begun putting political pressure as well as the threat of fines to keep their wealthy people limited as well.
And, they are starting to put out hints that they are reconsidering the law. But I really don’t see them doing that any time soon. And even if they do change it, my guess is that there will still be restrictions in place, they’ll just loosen it even more than it has already been loosened. It hasn’t been the “one child policy” for a long time. First, it’s really the “one birth policy” since twins and triplets are okay. And second, there are now many ways to legally have more than one child without paying fines. In some areas if your first child is a girl you get one more chance, though if your first child is a boy then you are done. Also, two only-children parents are allowed to have two kids, no matter the gender of the first.
But, back to our discussion of the ramification of taking the one child policy away. Let’s shift directions.
Think about this: There are almost as many honor students in China as there are students in the U.S.
In 2005, there were 74.9 million children under age 18 in the United States (source)
In 2005 there were 352.7 million children under age 18 in China (source)
If you figure the top 20% of the population are the honor students, then China has 70.6 million honor students. I’ll say it again: There are almost as many honor students in China as there are students in the U.S.
To further think about this, then realize that China has around 14 million college students (source) and in the U.S. there were 15.9 million people in college in 2004 (source). They have almost five times as many kids as we do, and yet almost the same number attend college. I’ve been told that it’s harder for a Chinese student to make it into a relatively unknown college in China than it is for an American student to make it into Harvard in the U.S.
Now let us look at arable land.
As of November 2005, China had approximately 122 million hectares of arable land, covering 13 percent of its territory. This amounted to 0.27 hectares per capita, less than 40 percent of the world per capita average, one-eighth the U.S. level, and one-half the Indian level. (source). According to Google conversions, 122 million hectares = 301.5 million acres.
The United States had 470 million acres of arable land in 2001 (can’t find anything more recent) (source).
China has less arable land than the U.S.
Are you beginning to understand the problem here? If China’s population starts exponentially increasing then in todays global market we will be looking at worldwide food shortages. Under Mao’s reign they didn’t look outside the country for food. But in today’s market they’d get it from wherever they could, at whatever price it was offered.
I’ve tried to give you an idea of the population disparity. How crowded China is. Without seeing it for yourself, it’s hard to get it across. When trying to explain what it was like to go to a market in China I told my mom it was like a store in the U.S. the day before Christmas. Every day. And the traffic? Like the traffic around the mall the day before Christmas. Every day.
The Chinese government will do what is best for China. The one child policy is harsh, and cruel and sad. But the alternative could (in the long run) also be harsh, and cruel, and sad.
As I said, I haven’t talked about it because it is a complex issue. When I think of the individual people I know in China then I’d love for them to be able to have a huge family. But, when I think of the overall effect of this happening across China, I’m actually pretty glad I’m not the one making that decision.
The equitable decision would probably be for the rest of the planet to also be responsible with how many children we bring into the world. But I doubt that will be happening any time soon. And, again, I’m glad I’m not in a place to have to make such a decision.
China’s One Child Policy
Let’s look back in history for a bit to understand why the policy was put in place to begin with. After years of food shortages and people literally starving to death, the country was finally able to feed most everyone. But the government looked ahead and realized that if families continued having lots of kids that in another decade or two there would (again) not be enough food to feed everyone. Realize that in the late fifties and early sixties it is estimated that between 20 and 43 million people in China died of starvation. In some areas one out of every four people died of starvation. Imagine 16 of your friends and family, with four of them dead to starvation and you perhaps not far from it. Can you imagine how scary it would be to have the money to buy food but no food available to buy?
So, in the late 70’s when the one birth policy was put in place, it was done so in part to keep the population from exploding back to what it had been when there wasn’t enough food to feed everyone. This is a bit simplified of course since there was more at work during the famine than just population, but it’s a complicated subject and I’m trying to do this in a blog post and not a book.
If you’ve visited China then you know that there is plenty of food now. Well, there may be some shortages right now because the winter storms disrupted the crops, but in general terms, if you have the money to buy food, there is affordable food to buy.
It has been my experience that most Chinese people understand the reasons for the one child policy. I say this based on conversations I’ve had with them. They are sad that they are only allowed one child, but they understand the reasoning for the policy and they are not bitter about it. Many of them appreciate that it has kept the country from going back to the days of food shortages and say that it is necessary, even though they are sad that they can’t have more children.
But now the government is having to deal with a reality where there are enough people who can afford to pay the fines for more than one child that it has become noticeable. And those who can’t afford to pay the fines are crying foul. I’ve seen it myself, the fancy hotel elevator with the well dressed family that has three kids. Walk around the areas where the rich shop and you’ll see families with more than one child. But go out into the countryside and you will mostly only see families with one child. Now there is some bitterness, where there was not before.
The government is looking for a solution to this, and has begun putting political pressure as well as the threat of fines to keep their wealthy people limited as well.
And, they are starting to put out hints that they are reconsidering the law. But I really don’t see them doing that any time soon. And even if they do change it, my guess is that there will still be restrictions in place, they’ll just loosen it even more than it has already been loosened. It hasn’t been the “one child policy” for a long time. First, it’s really the “one birth policy” since twins and triplets are okay. And second, there are now many ways to legally have more than one child without paying fines. In some areas if your first child is a girl you get one more chance, though if your first child is a boy then you are done. Also, two only-children parents are allowed to have two kids, no matter the gender of the first.
But, back to our discussion of the ramification of taking the one child policy away. Let’s shift directions.
Think about this: There are almost as many honor students in China as there are students in the U.S.
In 2005, there were 74.9 million children under age 18 in the United States (source)
In 2005 there were 352.7 million children under age 18 in China (source)
If you figure the top 20% of the population are the honor students, then China has 70.6 million honor students. I’ll say it again: There are almost as many honor students in China as there are students in the U.S.
To further think about this, then realize that China has around 14 million college students (source) and in the U.S. there were 15.9 million people in college in 2004 (source). They have almost five times as many kids as we do, and yet almost the same number attend college. I’ve been told that it’s harder for a Chinese student to make it into a relatively unknown college in China than it is for an American student to make it into Harvard in the U.S.
Now let us look at arable land.
As of November 2005, China had approximately 122 million hectares of arable land, covering 13 percent of its territory. This amounted to 0.27 hectares per capita, less than 40 percent of the world per capita average, one-eighth the U.S. level, and one-half the Indian level. (source). According to Google conversions, 122 million hectares = 301.5 million acres.
The United States had 470 million acres of arable land in 2001 (can’t find anything more recent) (source).
China has less arable land than the U.S.
Are you beginning to understand the problem here? If China’s population starts exponentially increasing then in todays global market we will be looking at worldwide food shortages. Under Mao’s reign they didn’t look outside the country for food. But in today’s market they’d get it from wherever they could, at whatever price it was offered.
I’ve tried to give you an idea of the population disparity. How crowded China is. Without seeing it for yourself, it’s hard to get it across. When trying to explain what it was like to go to a market in China I told my mom it was like a store in the U.S. the day before Christmas. Every day. And the traffic? Like the traffic around the mall the day before Christmas. Every day.
The Chinese government will do what is best for China. The one child policy is harsh, and cruel and sad. But the alternative could (in the long run) also be harsh, and cruel, and sad.
As I said, I haven’t talked about it because it is a complex issue. When I think of the individual people I know in China then I’d love for them to be able to have a huge family. But, when I think of the overall effect of this happening across China, I’m actually pretty glad I’m not the one making that decision.
The equitable decision would probably be for the rest of the planet to also be responsible with how many children we bring into the world. But I doubt that will be happening any time soon. And, again, I’m glad I’m not in a place to have to make such a decision.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
AGENCY UPDATE
I just checked my agencies web site and they have now updated the wait time to adopt from china to 26-28 months.
We we started the process over a year ago we were told up to 18 months...do you think we will hit 48? I'm thinking that 36 is going to be a better number to focus on for now.
We we started the process over a year ago we were told up to 18 months...do you think we will hit 48? I'm thinking that 36 is going to be a better number to focus on for now.
Friday, March 7, 2008
INCREASE IN DONATIONS TO SWI...
When we started the adoption for Alison we were informed of fees that were required and mostly all these fees have been for our adoption agency and the U.S. Government, very minimal monies have been sent to China...this was an application fee.
Once we travel to meet Alison, when ever that may be, we will need to give a donation to the Social Welfare Institute (SWI) where Alison comes from, mind you, this donation is still MUCH less than we have paid to our agency and our government. This donation helps the orphanage do the things that they do, cloth, feed and care for the children.
There is a buzz going around that the donations may be going up, but again, it's a very minimal amount.
Some speculate that because the SWI donations have not increased for the past 15 years and have not met with any inflation, that it just cost too much to make the children that are available for international adoption paper ready. Some feel that if the donation fee increases, this may increase the number of children who will be made "paper ready" and could possibly increase the number of referrals and hopefully, speed up this long, long process.
Others speculate that because there are certain quotas set up as far as the number of children who are actually available for international adoption (and that quota number has gone down each year for the past couple of years) that the increase in fees is only being put into place to cover the loss of donations that the SWIs are no longer receiving because in the decline of adoptions processed.
Who knows which scenario is correct...we can just hope and pray for the best.
Once we travel to meet Alison, when ever that may be, we will need to give a donation to the Social Welfare Institute (SWI) where Alison comes from, mind you, this donation is still MUCH less than we have paid to our agency and our government. This donation helps the orphanage do the things that they do, cloth, feed and care for the children.
There is a buzz going around that the donations may be going up, but again, it's a very minimal amount.
Some speculate that because the SWI donations have not increased for the past 15 years and have not met with any inflation, that it just cost too much to make the children that are available for international adoption paper ready. Some feel that if the donation fee increases, this may increase the number of children who will be made "paper ready" and could possibly increase the number of referrals and hopefully, speed up this long, long process.
Others speculate that because there are certain quotas set up as far as the number of children who are actually available for international adoption (and that quota number has gone down each year for the past couple of years) that the increase in fees is only being put into place to cover the loss of donations that the SWIs are no longer receiving because in the decline of adoptions processed.
Who knows which scenario is correct...we can just hope and pray for the best.
ANOTHER LIST COMPLETED...
Our paperwork for Alison is expiring. So we have had to update EVERYTHING from our original paper chase. I'm so glad that I got multiple copies of everything we had to provide that was notarized.
1. Updated Medicals, done 10/07
2. Updated CORIs, done 1/08 and again 2/08 (Michael's got lost)
2. Updated Home study, done 1/08
3. Corrections to Home study, done 2/08
4. Re-Fingerprinted, done Today!
Coming up in May we will start the process for our re-application to CIS giving us approval to adopt an orphan and bring her home.
I know that Michael and I will have to do this all over again, defiantly in 2009 and possibly the year after that.
1. Updated Medicals, done 10/07
2. Updated CORIs, done 1/08 and again 2/08 (Michael's got lost)
2. Updated Home study, done 1/08
3. Corrections to Home study, done 2/08
4. Re-Fingerprinted, done Today!
Coming up in May we will start the process for our re-application to CIS giving us approval to adopt an orphan and bring her home.
I know that Michael and I will have to do this all over again, defiantly in 2009 and possibly the year after that.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Secret Buddy Revealed!
I just wanted to send a BIG THANK YOU out to the Groves Family of Arkansas. They were my Secret Buddy from my February swap group.
The Groves family has just come back from China after receiving their beautiful little girl K and allowed all of us in the group to follow their story…it was so special to follow the story of someone that you actually know AND THEY WERE YOUR SECRET BUDDY!
Thanks you so much Groves Family, I loved the gifts that you sent for Alison, especially the random hats that came in the mail! And I loved following your journey to K.
Now I just need to find out who my other wonderful buddy is from my January group. These swaps are the best things that I have joined since we started this adoption and they truly help with the wait for Alison.
One day I will know who my January buddy is too and I can’t wait to thank them as well for all the wonderful gifts that we have received.
The Groves family has just come back from China after receiving their beautiful little girl K and allowed all of us in the group to follow their story…it was so special to follow the story of someone that you actually know AND THEY WERE YOUR SECRET BUDDY!
Thanks you so much Groves Family, I loved the gifts that you sent for Alison, especially the random hats that came in the mail! And I loved following your journey to K.
Now I just need to find out who my other wonderful buddy is from my January group. These swaps are the best things that I have joined since we started this adoption and they truly help with the wait for Alison.
One day I will know who my January buddy is too and I can’t wait to thank them as well for all the wonderful gifts that we have received.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
MORE SNOW...
Okay...I'm about done with winter!! Today is March 1 and we are in the middle of a snow storm...AGAIN!
I'm tired of shoveling, I'm tired of bundeling up, I need spring, I need to see the trees start to bud and the flowers start to bloom.
Hurry up!!
I'm tired of shoveling, I'm tired of bundeling up, I need spring, I need to see the trees start to bud and the flowers start to bloom.
Hurry up!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)