More pictures of Ezra

Well, I have to post more of the fam. It was a great day today. The other kids met their baby brother and were SO excited on the way to the hospital. Kate, the 2.5 year old started singing (unprovoked) and looking out the window of the van as we were going to hospital, "I'm going to meet my brother, I'm going to meet my brother." When I understood what she had said, I looked at her, and repeated it and she just GLOWED - she then started 'jumping up and down' in her car seat - sheer excitement!! When we got their, they ran in the room and all took turns holding him and loving on him. They were also very excited to see their Mommy and Daddy!! They will be coming home tomorrow from the hospital. So - I'll post (probably too many) pics from today.

Well, the spacing on these are not what I was hoping for, but I tried. I am still trying to play with the pictures and get them to do exactly what I want. I'm still learning, that's for sure.

We will see what tomorrow brings! The excitement of Ezra coming home. It is so neat to be here for this...

On a different note, still no update on the LOI or confirmed dates... Tick tock, tick tock.

I'm an Aunt... again!

My sister had her baby!! Yeah! And the really awesome part is that we came down to SC today to 'visit' and today was the day she had her baby... totally cool! We were getting off on the exit for our hotel when the call came that she had the baby... talk about timing!

To her total surprise, she had a BOY! (Matthew and I thought it was a boy...she was sure it was a girl!! She was right with her three other children, however.) His name is Ezra Fuller (last name not listed) and he is 8 pounds, 15 1/2 ounces... Another rather large child for my tiny little sister! We went to the hospital this evening and got to visit them and meet him. He is gorgeous!! Just gorgeous! And he may be a 'big baby' but he seems teeny tiny to me!! Here he is...

Wow! What a day! I'm not sure I've ever seen any other baby (besides Matthew) so early in life! Anyway, he wasn't even 5 hours old when I got to meet him... how special!

Well, we got up early today, and I drove 550 miles, all by myself, so I am tired and ready for bed!! The trip was very uneventful (which is always a good thing). Oh yeah, except for the fact that my tire was almost flat 100 miles in so i was afraid I'd have to get a new tire. I filled it up though, and so far it seems to have held... I kept checking it on the trip down. Thank goodness it didn't blow! OK, time for bed - enjoy the pictures of Ezra as much as I am... :)

Christmas 2007

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! We had a fabulous time together. My brother came out and stayed two days from the city and my parents were here a week. We wrapped and wrapped, and watched Christmas movies, and listened to carols and just had a great time! This was really the first year Matthew has gotten up 'early' and wanted to get started. I've been lucky until now, I guess! He woke me up at 6:30 and I was 'ready' by 7:00 or so... (I was stalling a little bit!) It was a great day and we had a lot of fun. I hope you all did as well!

It was a little sad this year - missing friends I haven't seen in too long, not being able to be with my sister and her family as well as knowing that my little baby girl is spending her first Christmas without her family in Kazakhstan! I thought about her a lot, and I did get some gifts for her, both from my parents and from Matthew (who went shopping with my parents!) They were really cute. Next year will be really awesome to have another little one around on Christmas morning!

My sister, although she had some close calls, has not yet had this baby. She'll be induced Friday if she doesn't have it tomorrow. Matthew and I have decided to go down there Friday and come home Tuesday! That'll be awesome!! Can't wait to meet and greet my new niece or newphew! It'll be great to see the other three too!!

My grandmother taught my sister, me and my brother how to crochet when we were growing up... Neither my sister nor I can (or do) this at all. My brother, on the other hand, is gifted and has made many nice blankets for us over the years. Well, he had already bought me my Christmas present this year, and wasn't going to get me anything else, or so I thought, but he 'got' me another one. A hand made blanket that he had done. It is INCREDIBLE!! It is huge (so that when I cover up my feet are not hanging out the bottom of the blanket!!) It would easily cover a king sized bed!! Here it is....

So, that was a total surprise and is just so lovely!! I don't know where I'm going to put it yet, but I've got to find just the right place for it.

I am still waiting to receive my LOI. I am waiting for that phone to ring!

Baking Fun

Matthew and I finally got to make the Gingerbread House today. Now, it's not like I do this from scratch or anything, but it was fun nonetheless. Actually, you never know with Matthew if he will be in the mood to sit long enough to help and 'do', but he did. I helped construct the walls of the house, and he did 100% of the decorating. THEN, he frosted cookies and decorated them too. I was totally impressed. Usually he'll do about 3 cookies, eats one or two, and is done. :) Here is some of his handy work.

Then we decorated cookies, and he did all the red ones.

I did the white ones and the yellow ones... (we had done green on another day.)

We had a great time! I am so glad i am here with him for this Christmas! (The chance of travel was always there, but of course, it is now pushed to beyond Christmas, yeah!!) What a blessing to be home with him.

The other thing I've done this weekend is paint the nursery! The green is exactly what I wanted. The other walls were supposed to be 'creamy' and they are in some light, but in other lights, it looks very pale yellow. I like pale yellow, it's just not what I wanted. But, by the time I put all the furniture I bought in that little room, there won't be much wall left to notice the variation in color, so I'm going to try not to fret about it. Here are some shots of the room.

Exciting stuff, right? Well, exciting or not, it all had to be done. I am sore from painting. It seems so easy, and yet at the end of the day... muscles I didn't realize I had hurt. Oh well! Now, the room just needs furniture, and a little girl from Kazakhstan to make it complete! :)

Are there others who use blogspot who post pictures? Am I doing something wrong in that it posts them ALL up top and you have to edit the HTML to fix it? I feel like I must be doing something wrong. Also, can't I line two or three up across instead of having them all post down the page? Just wondering! Help!

I have my third interview with that company I've been waiting to hear from, tomorrow! Yeah! But, I'm traveling soon and will be away for two months, and then need the time when I return to get the baby adjusted... so, I would LOVE a job... But I need my first three months off, ok?? Ugh! I hope that all works out so I know the new job thing settled before I travel. That would be awesome.

I also need to START my shopping, so tomorrow after the interview I will be shopping... before I get to pick Matthew up from school like a Mom who doesn't work! :)

Friday night

How does this happen? It is Friday night... and I'm sick! I should be enjoying this time, right? Man, I hope it passes FAST so I can do the 8 million things I have on my to do list! I'm not as bad tonight as I was last night, but I'm not good... my fever is keeping the chills 'around' which is a bummer, I can't get under too many more blankets. :)

I hope Matthew and I can make our Gingerbread house tomorrow. It'll be fun. Right now we are watching Christmas Specials (Charlie Brown right now.) We're about to watch Home Alone, one of our favorites.

I hope everyone has a great night and weekend! Stay well and enjoy the season - :) What a wonderful time of year!

So I'm getting pretty darn excited for the baby to be... and I HAD to buy something!

So, I've been waiting and waiting, and wanting and wanting to buy SOMETHING, and I gave in on a few small things. But, I really wanted to start buying some of the bigger things for the baby. I want baby gear... the problem is, we don't know the age, or the size, or anything - so buying the small stuff is hard. But I had to buy something, so I bought the furniture!! So, below is a picture of the furniture - i just LOVE IT! :) I can't wait to get it delivered! I plan to paint the room later this week so it is all ready for the furniture...

Anyway - to spare you any more pictures (and spare me from trying to upload them (not hard) and get them where I want them to show in the blog (this is hard!) I'll just tell you what else I bought. I bought the mattress for the crib and a high chair.

OK, so I quickly changed my mind, I had to show one more picture. I put the high chair together today... For now it's in my dining room, I'm sure I'll put it in her room for a while once I decide I need the space in my dining room for the holidays! I thought this was a really neat high chair and will really match my dining room table and chairs! It's cool too that over the wood tray is a plastic tray that can be used and then put in the dishwasher! neat! Such different choices even since Matthew was a baby!

My parents are here until Monday morning. Today, we made some Christmas (cut-out) cookies. We went to make the frosting and only had a tiny amount of sugar, so we'll have to frost them tomorrow. My brother came out from DC to visit us again today too. It was a really great day - I had an awesome time and it just felt very Christmassy!! Music, and decorations, baking, all spending time together, putting together high chairs... fun stuff!

My brother (Bobby) showed us a picture of a child he just signed up to sponsor through World Vision. He is so cute! That was really neat to hear about and look at the info on the website! I can't wait to look at that website some more.

One last thing... I got new windows for the house on Oct. 3rd. Ever since then, my bedroom and sitting room have had lovely sheets and towels hanging on them because I had had blinds on the windows before and decided not to put those back up. So, I've had old sheets in the nice new windows. My mom and I finally bought some new curtains for those windows which I put up today. They look great - at least much better than the sheets and towels... Since my room faces the street, I'm sure the neighbors will now appreciate my curtains as well! :)

Monday Monday

There really isn't much going on around here, but I thought I'd give an update anyway! I was hoping to hear something today about the job interview I had had, the man was just back today from vacation... but I heard nothin'. Oh well, I know how things are when I first get back from vacation, so maybe there just wasn't time to worry about hiring someone... I'm hoping that's the reason, anyway!

On a brighter note, we did get our Christmas tree this weekend! Matthew and I went with my parents and my brother. It was chilly, but NOTHING compared to what Sunday and today are! Wow, the wind outside is brutal!! I got the lights on (only ten strands this year) and then many of the ornaments. I still have one box of ornaments to go though - I'm running out of room. This years tree is smaller than last year, but not small!! Last years tree was just huge! The tree is nice, I am a little afraid it won't last til Christmas, there are already a few droopy branches! (And we're watering it twice a day!!)

My parents did come up on Saturday for the Patriots vs. Ravens game tonight in Baltimore. They came Saturday so they could go get the tree with us. The bummer is, my mom got really sick on Sunday and is still under the weather! Poor thing. She is just miserable, and only marginally better than yesterday. Anyway, because of her illness, she couldn't go to the Ravens game, and Matthew couldn't go because of school tomorrow and he wouldn't get home until about 1:00 a.m. So, I thought about going with my dad, but then broke out laughing at myself. I'm cold when it's 70 degrees outside... so this would NEVER do! it's like 35 degrees with 50 mile an hour winds, and they just showed SNOW (flurries) on the screen. Although flurries would be 'cool', I would be so cold it just wouldn't be fun!! Anyway, my dad decided not to go by himself and sit in the cold either, so we are all home tonight, watching in the warmth of the house. It also helped to make the decision KNOWING that the Patriots are going to KILL the Ravens tonight. :)

I can't wait until tomorrow night. My friend Judy and my mom (I hope) and I are going to a concert at my church. It is a speaker who is one of the funniest ladies I've ever heard speak and also the singer Kathy Troccoli. I have been to this event many times (3 or 4) in years past and it is just AWESOME. I just hope my mom feels better enough to go along with us!!

I went and got some bourbon from a friend tonight to make my bourbon balls. She said, I'll just put it in a mug... I thought, um, no... I really don't want to drive home with a cup of bourbon in an open container. I can see it now!!! Anyway, we found a travel cup (with a lid) so I felt better about having it in the car! Besides the bourbon balls, I also plan to make our Christmas cookies (frosted cut-outs) this weekend. Does anyone have any great cookie recipes? I'll be home (not working!) so I'd love to try something new this year!

It may not last, so I have to say it now... THE RAVENS ARE BEATING THE UNBEATEN PATRIOTS!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!!! (and WOW!)

Don't forget to vote for the Christmas decorations (I think you can do more than one vote at a time!) and girls names too!! :)

A Charlie Brown Tree...

"Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer. Fun for all that children call, the greatest time of year. Snowflakes in the air. Carols everywhere. Olden times and ancient rhymes, Of love and dreams to share. Sleigh bells in the air. Beauty everywhere. Yuletide by the fireside, And joyful memories there. Christmas time is here. We'll be drawing near. Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year. Oh, that we could always see, Such spirit through the year." I love a Charlie Brown Christmas - classic! What I love more is that I just spent $40 on a Christmas tree for my sitting room (I like our real trees the best, but we don't have it yet, and it we aren't sitting in the living room, then you can't see it!) So, I decided to buy a small, 4.5 foot tree for my sitting room, and I just put it together. It's prelit, and i haven't fluffed the branches yet really to make it look like a real tree, so in the meantime, it is a true Charlie Brown tree. Ornaments might help. :)

I have most of the Christmas stuff out now. I haven't placed it in the right places yet, but it is out of the boxes and ready to be 'put'. We are going to get our real tree next Sunday - I can be obsessive about it, so it takes a while to get all the lights on, especially!

Our neighborhood already has a lot of outside lights up and lit. There is one of 'those' houses in the neighborhood... with SO many lights, it could light a small town. (no kidding.) the lights and decorations are set to music on the radio when you are near their house, so you can listent to Christmas songs and watch the lights 'blink' in unison. I took some cell phone video.... i just have to figure out how to download it and then post it. It's too classic!

Well, another week at work. I don't want to go - this weekend went way too fast!

I should hear about the interviews I had last week, hopefully tomorrow. Of course, I guess I'm only hopeful if I GET the job... not so much otherwise! I do want to know what I'm dealing with though (job or no job...) so I'd just as soon hear so I know the 'deal'!

I hope everyone has an awesome week. I hope to hear something from the adoption agency this week... but I think it's too soon and I probably won't... wait, wait, and wait some more! :P

Thanksgiving Day

What a difference a week makes! Today was a great Thursday - time spent with family and counting my many blessings. Not having the baby girl in Kazakhstan yet here in Virginia with us just gives us time to be patient and anticipate the joy she will bring to our family with her when she arrives! Spending the day with Matthew, my parents and my brother, what a great day! We missed my sister and her family, but did get to talk to them and know all is well. I missed extended family that we've been able to celebrate with in years past, but am grateful for the wonderful memories all those Thanksgiving conjure up!! I am grateful that we had enough food on our table to feed 20, not just the 5 of us eating the dinner. I am grateful to have such great friends - some near, some far - so new, some long-time friends I've known for 25 years! (Am I old enough for that??) - some from work, some from church, some from elementary school, some from high school, some from the blogging family - you all bring so much to my life and I am so thankful for each and every one of you. I am so certain I could sit here and list out many many more things for which I am grateful, but I will spare you all. (Besides, I need to get to bed - can you believe, I have to work tomorrow??) Anyway, I know we all have things for which to be thankful!! What a great day to reflect on these blessings in our lives. :)

Lastly, I just want to send our thoughts and prayers out to those IN Kazakhstan now as I type. Going through their bonding periods, waiting for court (or in court NOW!), waiting for the day they are allowed to come home with their precious babies. It has to be difficult to be away from family on a holiday, but knowing they are with their beautiful babies must more than make up for that. If you want to follow their stories, their links are on the left side of this blog.

Have a great week everyone! Someone suggest some good poll ideas... I am trying to think of what the next should be!!

The Day After

I have a second job interview on Monday morning for a company I interviewed with this past Tuesday. But then at 4:30 on my way home from work, I got a call and got ANOTHER second interview with the OTHER company I interviewed with this week (on Wednesday). I've been trying to get a job for six months and never even got a second interview, and now two interviews, out of the blue, that both resulted in second interviews!! WOW! Who would have thought! Now... to get through the interviews and get an offer!!

You know, I was hoping to have the rest of the year off, to decompress.... If I'm lucky enough to get an offer, or dare I say two?? I wonder if I'll have to start in December or if I can begin Jan. 2?? I would really like some time off! :)

OK, getting a little carried away. Isn't it funny how fast things turn around though?? Yesterday, no job offers to get me out of the mortgage business, today, two second interviews for next week. It's a holiday week... aren't people on vacation? :) I'm glad they're not..... :)

The other thing I want to post is that last night, Matthew and I were watching TV and I was laughing and laughing and laughing (as was he, but he always does). I hadn't realized HOW long it had been since I really laughed, even when we would watch something funny... but as I was, it dawned on me and I was sad that I have let my current job effect me, especially at home, for as long as I did! The COOL part was that Matthew, saw me laughing, and came over, and gave me a hug and said, "You're happy and laughing! I like it!" It had been way too long since I decided to let work roll off my back! I can relax and be happy again, especially at home with Matthew who deserves my best! My job never used to effect me this way, but the last 'while' (maybe even a couple of years!) has really been bad, and getting worse, so unfortunately, it did effect me in ways I didn't ever want it to! It's in the past now! Time to move on. Praise the Lord! :)

I am cold in my house, and Matthew is camping tonight. I think he's nuts, but I hope he's having fun. He enjoys it, and this camping trip is local, so he's only about 5 miles from home, or so. It seems like they are in the middle of nowhere, but they are actually right next to a major highway, or maybe two! I think that's funny.

Is everyone voting for your favorite food? Inquiring minds (mine!) want to know!

Not a great day

I went back to the dermatologist today to have a 'thing' checked on my back. Well, she couldn't rule out skin cancer, so she did a biopsy. Now, it should be no big deal she said, even if it is cancer... but come on!! A bad day at work and a cancer biopsy in the same day... It's a day to remember (or forget?!!!) that's for sure!

I'm getting excited now about the holidays. Yeah!! I will be having family here this year since we weren't sure where we'd be, or whether I'd be traveling or not (in Kazakhstan.) Of course, i'm not in Kazakhstan (Check out their weather by the way - yikes!) So, it will be me and Matthew, my brother and my parents. Quiet, and different than we are accustomed to. I wish we could have more family come, or that we could go somewhere...

Like I said, it'll be quiet - but for this year... that's ok. We will miss my sister and her whole family who are staying in SC to celebrate. (She's due with her baby in 6 weeks... so she needs to stay put!) Also, my mom's brother and sister-in-law were hoping we could all travel there this year (to TN) but it just didn't work. My grandma will be visiting them however. I'm hoping next year we can all get together!! With my new addition from Kaz, and my sisters newest addition in the new year, and my cousin who is also expecting a little one... we could have quite a new generation to start a NEW 'kids' table and I might actually get to sit with the adults...

I'm going to try to set up a new poll, for fun... Tell me what you favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is. (Hey! I'm unemployed... cut me some slack!) :)

Fri-dee nite

I love Friday nights! They are always good... this one is especially good. This week was SO bad, (at work), that makes nights at home, especially Friday night at home, all the better! Yeah!

I am enjoying the comments you all are leaving! Thanks. :)

My mom are dad are coming to visit tomorrow. my brother will come for the day as well. We will celebrate his birthday, which was last week. I still need to make the cake... my mom is bringing the cake pans. I only have 13X9 pans, and he likes the round, double decker cakes... so I have to borrow the pans. It may still be warm when we're eating it, but that's OK. :) He will go home tomorrow night, but my parents will stay until Monday a.m. They'll be back again next Saturday and stay through Thanksgiving weekend. I'm hoping to take some time off while they are here. We'll see how that works out!!

I only put up a few more decorations tonight for Christmas. They were all in the one box that I brought up last night, I just didn't finish it all last night. Now I can take that one down tomorrow and bring up the next one. :) I have a LOT of Christmas decorations... it takes a LOT of time to put them ALL up.

Well, no more news on the adoption today, or this week. I guess I'm not expecting to hear anything for a while, unless they have an updated time frame at this point. I'm excited to continue hearing the stories of those who are there now, and J and M leave next week. Yahoo!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

The day that wouldn't end

OK - I'm in my happy place... sitting down to read the blogs about people who have either been to Kazakhstan to meet and bring home their child, or those that are currently there, having the time of their lives with the children they just met! It is SO exciting to read these wonderful stories! And the updates from home are just incredible! Anyway, I love reading all these great stories.

It is so great to be at home with Matthew. Work stinks and some days are just excrutiating. Today was one of those days. Although unfortunately I can't shake my 'mood' when I get home, at least not completely, inside I'm so happy to be home for the night and with my boy. Let me just say... the mortgage business is no place for the faint of heart! I look forward to the day I can move to the next stage of that part of my life. In the meantime, I am trying hard to focus on fun things with Matthew, getting ready for Christmas, which I will almost certainly be home for at this point!!, and preparing for a brand new baby girl!!

Sorry to be so contemplative, it was just one of those days!

Matthew really ended the quarter on a high note! He got a 98 on his GT History project, and 98 on his spanish Day of the Muerta project (a project on my 107 year old great-grandmother!) and a 95 on a math test! Bam! Unfortunately, the quarter started 'slow' so the average is just that... This quarter SHOULD go much better... Let's pray!

Ok, so my village is up, and now my nativity scene is up along with a few knick-knacks. Yeah yeah, I know it is early, but it makes me relax and happy to focus on other stuff when I'm at home. Come Dec., I'll be ready to ENJOY the decorations rather than just dragging them all out of the closet. :) Baby steps... and it'll be a winter wonderland before you know it! (It already feels like one outside!!)

Hump day news

Well, today brought a little bit of news, one shot, some stress at work, and one funny Matthew story.

The little bit of news. The adoption agency got word about a few things. 1. Choosing 'girl' has turned out to be no big deal, with no roadblocks at this junture. (This is what I believed in my heart all along, that it would be no big deal.) 2. The first email update said I would even need to do more paperwork for a girl, but until one is identified for me, they weren't going to tell me what. Upon further questioning, it turns out they actually are not going to require any further paperwork. 3. My paperwork will remain in the region in which it has already been sent. This 'change' hasn't changed that at all. So, unless something changes in the future, Petropavlovsk, here I come! I always said I would be going to the coldest region during the coldest part of the year. For those of you who know me, this is God's idea of a practical joke. 4. The timeline is looking like Jan./Feb. at this point, but as we know, that is a moving target! (IN two days last week, it was Dec., then it was Jan./Feb., then it was end of Nov.... ) So, I take it as a loose guideline at this point. I'm ready if they call tomorrow. I'm also ready to wait!! Whatever! I am so glad that the 'threats' or should i say warnings about choosing girl over boy/either regaring delays, extra paperwork, possible dealings with people acting 'Eastern European' etc, have fallen apart, at least so far!! yeah!! Let's keep up with this trend, and let's shorten the time line a little. I'll be ready to leave Dec. 26th. :)

I went for part two of my Hepatitis B shot today. It hurt only slightly. The real pain was paying for the shot. That seems like cruel and unusual punishment. I have to PAY to be pricked with a needle and inserted with a disease, and then I have to fork over money! Doesn't seem right to me. :)

Stress at work - what else need I say?

Matthew's story. One of his teachers relayed this via email to me today. Last Friday, before a 4 day weekend for Matthew, she assigned an assignment that was partially due today (after the long weekend) and the rest due this Friday. Matthew does not like homework. He really doesn't like weekend homework. So when she assigned it, she said, Matthew was not very happy about his Friday assignment. In fact, she went on to say that he gave her a BILL for $11,000 for her to pay in order for him to do it. (**Oh yes he did!) She told him that he could bill her, but that she couldn't pay it. She said he would get paid in the future when his schooling paid off and he gets his first paycheck at his first job. She ended by saying that Matthew is a character. A character indeed!

I guess him billing her for the homework is like my thought about trying to be PAID to get a shot. I guess like mother, like son.

Another day of 'updates'

Well, today I called the adoption agency, as I said on Saturday I would be doing. I did make up my mind (let's hope I 'read' God's mind right too!! LOL.) Anyway, I called to tell them I have decided girl! Since i had to decide one or the other, I have decided that is my wish. I still wish I didn't have to PICK, but since I did.... then... I did! (Of course I'll still say if either meant 50/50 that would be fine, but it doesn't mean that anymore.) Anyway, let's not go THERE again...

I'm not real sure how well that went over when I told them. I mean, the agency doesn't care, but now they are worried that in some Eastern European places may think I don't have a 'good reason' for changing my mind. (Remember, I chose either, they are the ones that said either is boy only.) So, I may be in for some paperwork, which I knew. It may take longer, which I knew... so I'll give them what they want and hope they don't throw any other curve balls along the way. I won't like curve balls. (Like if they decide to be all Eastern European and just say, too bad, you said either first, now you get a boy.)

What I don't like is that it makes it sound like I don't like boys. I love boys! But when pushed to make a choice, I have a boy and would love a girl.

The extra waiting is really a blessing right now, actually. Matthew needs the extra time with me right now, so I am thrilled about that part, quite honestly. I'll be home for the holidays, another big bonus. It'll give me more time to save money... now if only I would actually DO that! There are really many pros and I can't think of many cons... I mean, waiting, but in the long run, what difference does that really make? I mean, Matthew will still be in College when this baby starts kindergarten. Does a couple extra months REALLY matter? I think not... And I think it will be a blessing to Matthew who is still adjusting to Junior High.

So, don't forget to vote. I'll leave both boys and girls names up there, since this could get all Eastern European - and I just like to see what others are picking. I only wish I knew who was voting for what. So far no one name has more than one vote... LOL.

Thanks for all your support. I appreciate the prayers too! For all you praying people, KEEP 'EM COMING! For those of you that don't... start praying! Pray for the process to go quickly (relative) and smoothly and that they'll accept my request for a baby girl. Thanks!

On a sad note... my friend Julie has been visiting her father (for over a month). He was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. She had some great time with him this last month, is even grateful she got laid off from our company at the end of Sept. so that she had this time to spend with him!! (There is a silver lining in every dark cloud, that is for sure!!) However, he lost his battle with cancer yesterday. He is now out of pain and no longer suffering! However, the family is left to cope with his passing and prepare for the funeral - please keep them in your prayers as well. Thank you.

Shoot!

Colts lost. Darn it!

Patriots vs. Colts

Go Peyton Go!! Matthew and I are routing for the Colts... BIG TIME! These teams are both undefeated and we think the Pats are overrated, espeically Tom Brady. Someone has to win today... we're hoping it's the Colts! The Ravens don't play until Monday night this week... we play the Steelers... I don't have a great feeling about that one, but if we can beat them, then YEAH!



Matthew and I have had a great day. He is leaving in a bit to go to Pat's for the night. Tomorrow is a teacher work day (so is Tuesday.) He is spending the night tonight and spending the day with Stephanie and Evan tomorrow. Pat will bring him home tomorrow night, right before the Ravens game.



Daylight savings time ended today. It's getting dark, and it's just 5 p.m. Sad face.... But it wasn't dark when I woke up this morning, smiley face! it's been really hard to get out of bed recently because it's still dark when we LEAVE to take him to school!



OK - I'm not the only one, because I've read other about others already doing this too, AND I have an excuse.... but we decorated a little for Christmas this weekend. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE thinking, and yes, I'm nuts... BUT all we did was the village, which isn't necessarily CHRISTMAS and that alone takes so long that if I don't get it up... it consumes a whole day later to get it out, set it up, clean up all the boxes, etc., so then I'd be ready to get 'more' out when it's actually time to decorate and all I'd get done is the village. Also, there is the possibility that I won't be around at Christmas, and I just can't miss that whole season... So I started early, just in case. So there, those are my excuses and I'm sticking to them!! It looks good - so far, no blown fuses!

Don't forget to vote for baby names!! I like seeing the votes! :)

50 days until Christmas. Have you done any Christmas shopping yet? (Or worse yet... any Christmas decorating?) I wish I could have a countdown to travel... unfortunately, that's an unknown... Ugh!

Update for Saturday

Hi everyone - welcome to my page! I just sent out an email letting more and more people know the address of this now that I know more what I'm doing!

I also just wanted to say, I know I went on and on below... about the gender topic. It was really my forum to chat about it because there is no one person to go to and I needed to talk! Anyway, I am feeling really great now about what I have decided at the moment, so come Monday, I'll make it official I think! For now, go ahead and vote on my baby poll names... I don't know if I set them up right, but I tried! :) Please vote and feel free to leave suggestions. Just don't be offended if I don't use your name choice. :)

I hope to talk to each of you soon! Keep in touch! Thanks for checking this out!

Windy Day!

Well, Hurricane Noel is making an appearance here... at least a little bit. We have the wind affecting us and it is making it COLD today! I had to turn the heat up a good bit!

Matthew went to a scouting event this morning, and after I dropped him off, I went looking for baby furniture. I found something I really like, but of course, it turns out to be one of the most expensive! I wouldn't have it any other way! No, but really... it isn't the cheapest furniture but it is good quality and will last and last. I think I am going to go ahead with it, but don't need to rush at the moment - it is in stock. Gotta love 'in stock'. I want to paint the nursery first so the furniture isn't in the way, but need to get a move on then!

I did hear from the adoption agency a few times this week. There was slightly downer news when they said the new time line is now more like Jan./Feb. (not Dec.) and that was for a boy. If I wanted a girl... it would be even longer. (I had put 'either' on my original application but later said I 'preferred' a girl.) I had to make a decision about the sex. Basically, I can 'choose' a girl, or I can stick with 'either' and I'll have a boy, so either way, I'm reallyhaving to now choose the sex of my baby. I didn't want to. I wanted it to be either and no decision, but like I said, I've basically been told choosing 'either' at this point will mean a boy.

SO, after thinking about that for a day, I actually had a few questions for the adoption agency, so we chatted for a while on the phone yesterday after trading emails back and forth this week. She really helped me get a grip on some things and it made me feel better to have spoken to someone about my questions. Then I had to get back to work. I went in to a big meeting, while I was in that, my cell phone rang... It was my adoption agency again! That's odd. We haven't spoken in months and I just got off the phone with them. What in the world could possibly be new already? I had to call back after the meeting and there was news!

My dossier had actually moved from the Ministry of Foreign Affiars to the Ministry of Education (which wasn't known in the earlier phone call that day). AND it had moved from MOE to a region!! Good grief! 1.5 hours before it was still in the MFA, but obvioulsy not! Now, I could hear something by the end of November!!

Anyway - the big thing now is that the gender is an 'issue'. Basically, again I was told I have to say one or the other. "Either" is fine, but it will mean boy is what I'm being told. So. although I do not want to 'decide', either way I am deciding. Does that make sense? I always wanted 4 boys. Never girls. However, from the start of this adoption, I have believed this would be a girl. I am so sure of that now, that although I don't want to say I want a girl (or read differently, I don't want a boy), that is what I think I have to say! I don't know why I have such a hard time with this, but I am. Anyway, it does mean that it will most likely take longer. It may NOT be the end of Nov. now since I am going to tell the agency on Monday that I want a girl for sure. (They said I'll have to re-do a few forms now!) Anyway, I don't want to decide the wrong thing because I have to redo a form, and I feel as though either way I am deciding what I'm getting. Yes, girl. Either, boy. So, I think I'll stick with my gut and go with the girl. It's a hard decision for some reason, and I'm going to think about it until Monday for sure, but then I'll let them know and start re-doing what I need to then. (Unless i change my mind tomorrow and go with the 'either'.)

I mean, the one truth there is of course, either means either, so it could still be a girl... but I've been told that is very unlikely if it remains either. I don't want to play God and pick the sex of my baby, but I think I have no choice now. I don't know.

Anyway, that's where we are. Deciding about gender. Picking furniture. (I was waiting until I knew the gender and would have gotten white for a girl and oak for a boy and now I've done a 180 and I think I'm going dark wood (like cherry) and it'll be good for either. Man, I'm waffling on everything! :)

I still hope to travel soon, and at the same time, I was SO relieved when I was told I'd be here through the holidays. I don't want to leave my baby (Matthew!) at Christmas! At the same time, I'm just so anxious to meet the 'new' baby that hearing it'll be after Christmas is hard too. I'm ready... NOW!

So, pray for me and the 'gender' thing... although now I'm pretty sure I'm going with the girl. (Of course, 22 hours ago, I was pretty sure I was going with 'either' and pretty much that meant the boy...) LOL. Give me 24 hours and let's see where I stand then.

Pray for Theresa who took off today with her Mom for Kazakhstan to meet her baby boy!! I can't wait to read all about their adventures. Pray for the Morgan's who are with their beauty Roxana right now and approaching the end of their bonding period. Pray for Jen and Marshall who are waiting for their LOI so they can go meet their precious little girl!!


I can't wait to see what Monday and next week brings. Things are definitely moving along - even if I don't know 'where' next! :)

It's Christmas Time!!

Or, so one would think while walking through the store today, Oct. 30.

I went to the grocery store tonight for a roaster chicken for dinner tonight and tomorrow, a bagel for breakfast, a birthday card for my brother that i need to mail, like NOW, and halloween candy. I went to the isle that the seasonal items are always in... to buy the halloween candy... and do you know what was there?? Candy canes, stocking stuffers, Red and Green Candy M and M's, etc. I know it gets earlier and earlier, but can they at least wait until my procrastination gets me the halloween candy before they put it all away and replace it with Christmas. I mean, we're talking 36 hours... that's all. Can they wait that much longer? :)

On a different note... I see the light at the end of the tunnel. the first quarter of school (7th grade) is almost upon us. the quarter ends on Friday... yeah! I think we're almost caught up. I'm in no way trying to rush time or anything, BUT 'we' got off to a rocky start school work wise and are playing the catch up game!! So, we're almost done. (Yes, I said 'we're', I think I am reliving 7th grade, or parts of it, through Matthew.) :)

Here's one dumb project, although it was kind of fun! He had to do a Biography on a dead family member. Luckily, we have few of these so far... but the funny thing is, this is for Spanish class, for Day of the Dead, and his 'report' is allowed to be written in English. Tell me what possible significance this has to Spanish if we're writing the entire report in English? I mean, I couldn't be happier, I'm terrible in Spanish and he's not that much better at this point, but to me, then, that is just BUSY WORK. Why bother? People are busy enough these days not to have busy work.... thank you very much.

Have a Happy Halloween everyone. I think I'll just play the Grinch and turn off my lights since I don't have any candy... Can I hand out Slices of Cheese, Individual Walnuts in a Shell, baggies full of Special K? I really don't have any 'back-up' plan here... help me! :)

Adoption and Attachment 101

It's a small world - therefore- there are just so many original thoughts out there. I am copying from a blog, that copied from another blog to give some advice to well meaning friends and family members who just don't understand all the intracacies of adoption and adopted children. Read, learn and enjoy...

Do's and Don'ts for Family and Friends of Adoptive Parents regarding attachment

Do

1. Offer household help (running errands, preparing meals that can go right from the freezer to the oven, etc.) so the mother can spend more time holding the child.

2. Accept that attachment issues are sometimes difficult for anyone outside of the mother to see and understand. The mommy knows her child the best.

3. Be supportive even if you think everything looks fine to you.

4. Allow the parent(s) to be the center of the baby’s world.

5. As hard as it may be for you, abide by the requests of the parents. Something as simple as passing the baby from one person to another can make the attachment process that much longer and harder.

6. Accept that parenting children who are at-risk for attachment issues often goes against traditional parenting methods and beliefs.

7. Remember that there is often a honeymoon period after the child arrives. If the parents are taking precautions, they are smart and should be commended and supported!

Don’t

1. (Don't) Assume an infant is too young to suffer from emotional issues related to attachment. Babies are not immune. If they've had different caregivers all their little lives, who could they have attached to?

2. (Dont') Judge the mother’s parenting abilities. What looks like spoiling or coddling may be exactly what the child needs to avoid a serious attachment disorder.

3. (Don't) Take it personally if asked not to hold the baby for more than a minute or maybe not at all depending on the situation. This is not meant to hurt you. It is meant to help prove to the baby who her mommy is and help her to form a positive attachment with her. Some babies have had many many caregivers in their lifetime so this is very important.

4. (Don't) Put your own time frames on how long attachment should take. Every child is different.

5. (Don't) Offer traditional parenting advice. Some well-meaning family members will tell a new mother not to pick the baby up every time she cries because it will spoil her. A child who is at-risk from attachment issues must be picked up every single time she cries. She needs consistent reinforcement that mommy will always take care of her and always keep her safe.

I hope this is an insight to the idea that attachment can occur even in infants. If you consider the percentage of their lives where they haven't attached to anyone (probably 100%), then it doesn't matter if the child is 8 months old, 18 months old or 3 years old. It is still 100% and they don't know any different. They need to learn to accept a parent and learn to rely on them, 100%!

Much anticipated

Well, the much anticpated day has come and gone. No, not a referral. Nope, no one told me what region I'll be traveling to. Nope, didn't get my LOI either. I got my vaccinations today! What fun! I had to make the appointment 3 weeks ago before I could get in to get the shots, so this past three weeks was hard... not because I haven't heard a word from the adoption agency, or a word about the adoption, but rather because I had to anticpate the SHOTS~! I have passed out in the past from some shots, other times I am fine. It's all in the nerves. Anyway, I was so afraid with the multiple shots that I would again pass out. I did not!! Hurray! I got a Hep. A, and part one of the Hep. B shot (there are two more parts of that shot in two weeks, then two weeks after that.) I also got an MMR booster. I had this shot as an infant of course, but not since. Anyway, this one HURT. It burns going in and really leaves an after effect in the arm after it went in. It is short lived though and so far, I'm fine. I am taking the Typhoid pills, which start today and are taken every other day for 4 pills worth. So, except for the pills, I am DONE with shots. Well, no, I guess I'm not. But done for today. :) It was only3 today - not quite as bad as I thought. I have to check and see if I have gotten tetanus recently. If not, I'll get that when I have the second dose of Hep. B. I think I've covered everything now regarding the shots.

School has been crazy recently for Matthew. We are adjusting to seventh grade - and still learning what it takes to get good grades on tests, and projects and homework!!

I have been reading (Ok, we're calling it stalking now) many blogs recently. I am going to try to link to them on this blog so you can follow along! Theresa just got her LOI yesterday! She leaves for Semey NEXT Saturday! The Morgans met their beautiful baby girl this week. Jen and Marshall are anxiously awaiting the CALL! Payton is waiting for her mommy to be able and come and get her!! We'll all be parents of our beautiful children before you know it!!

OK - here it is for those of you that have lost track.... TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY is Christmas! Happy shopping!

Another beautiful day

Hi everybody!

Let's start with adoption news. There is none. No updates. I haven't even gotten the long awaited packing list from my agency yet because they are updating it/redoing it. Luckily, I have acquired a few from others who are either in the process or have been and I'm trying to tweek my list accordingly. it's so hard to know what to pack, and even harder to even imagine fitting it all in one suitcase. You have GOT to be kidding. LOL. Well, I'm sure I'll make it work, I just don't know how. :) Although I have no news, and I could be TOTALLY wrong here, I have a feeling I am going to hear SOON that I'll be travelling. I do not know (of course) what kind of lead time I will be getting, but I just have a feeling it is coming soon.

So, I have ordered some things from magellan's for travelling. I have done laundry of my winter clothes so I can pack things for the trip. I have enough other clothes that I just won't wear the ones I pack for the trip. my big goal this week is to start getting money for the trip... I know and have also heard that it takes more than one trip to the bank to get all the 'new' bills that you need, so I'll start now! Also, I go this week for my vaccinations. I didn't realize some of those (Hep. A and B) are in three parts. I hope I have enought time inbetween - I don't know how long in between doses it takes. I got my flu shot last week. I hope there are no side effects either. :)

Let's see, don't people say you nest before you give birth? Well, I'm doing that too, before the LOI comes! LOL. I'm really feeling the need to prepare, prepare, prepare. I just feel like it's that close. (I wonder how far off I really am??)

Matthew just got home from a scout campout. great weekend for camping. He said it was hot in the day and then freezing at night. Luckily, he took shorts for the day times and his really warm sleeping bag for sleeping, so he was OK. They went to the mountains and he said it was gorgeous.

Well, time for more cleaning! Hopefully, I'll have some news to post soon! Have a great week!

October weather - that's what I'm talking about!

At last! The weather has cooled off. Last weekend through about Wednesday this past week, it was record breaking heat!! 94 degrees many days in a row. If you know me, you know I LOVE summer, but this was absurd! It has finally cooled off and is so much more seasonal now. Refreshing! Brisk. Lovely.

There really isn't much to report on the adoption front. The next thing I will probably know or hear is when it is time to travel. We're estimating Dec. right? So December is only 6 weeks away! So, if I get 3 weeks notice to travel, then I should be hearing in about 3 weeks. Now of course, i could be traveling at the END of Dec. rather than the beginning, but what it means is... IT'S GETTING CLOSE! I don't think about it too much though or I'll probably start to get nervous, and overly excited. There is time for that when the time comes!

I go get my vaccines next week. Yippee. Not really looking forward to that, but also not willing to take the chance of not getting the vaccines. It would be just my luck to get typhoid while I'm there trying to adopt a child!! Nope. I'm getting the vaccines! :)

The Ravens won today! yeah! The Redskins lost! Yeah! The downer of the day was that Dallas lost to New England. They were both undefeated. Darn it. I wanted Dallas to win and New England to lose!! Matthew, Mom and Dad had a gorgeous day for the game today. Perfect weather.

I played with the blog a good bit today. I really had no idea how to set it up and figured out how to add some links, etc. I definitely want to be able to do this when Mom and I travel to Kaz and I don't want it to be THE most boring blog EVER. Now, to figure out how to add pictures! that's next!

Enjoy the start of the week. Hopefully, I'll have more to update, SOON!

Hello Everyone!

Well - I don't know what happened to my first blog... it's dissappeared! But, I'll start anew...

The news of the Our Family at the moment is that we are in the process of waiting to travel to Kazakhstan to adopt a baby! The process has been a smooth one thus far... now we await travel! The estimated time frame for travel is December at this point. My dossier finished at the Consulate and went to country on August 29, what a special day that has turned out to be! Neat! Now it is a waiting game to get the invitation to travel. They say I should get 2-3 weeks notice before it's time to actually go. the estimate is December, but they say it could still be November - January!!

my timeline has been: sent initial paperwork on Feb. 2. My home study was complete and I got agency approval on May 3rd. I got my I171-H approval on Tuesday June 12th. This was 2 days shy of 6 weeks at NIS. I had knee surgery on June 13th. I sent my completed dossier to my agency on July 5th. They sent it for translation and review on July 11. After that it went to the consulate, but I do not have that date. It left the consulate, as I mentioned above on Aug. 29. I believe it is at the Minitry of Education. It will next go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or perhaps I have them backwards.) from there it will go to a region and then I will get an invitation to travel!! Since I am single, my mom will travel with me and my dad will stay home with my son, Matthew while we are away. Matthew will also continue to see his dad during that time as well.

The other big event of the month is that Matthew has started Junior High School which has gone so well!! Praise God! He really seems to like it and no real transition took place. The hardest part is remembering to bring home all of our homework!!

I am trying to get some of the things together for travel, like gifts for the workers in the country, etc. Stuff I don't need but that I also don't want to be worried about when I get 2 weeks notice to get there! I am loading my iPod so it is ready, etc. I know those two weeks will be insane anyway, but I'm trying to eleviate the panic of having nothing ready or thought of ahead of time.

Matthew, Mom and Dad are on their way home from the Ravens game today. We won in a last second field goal as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Phew!

I'm going to try to keep practicing with the posting so I know what I'm doing when I travel and can keep you all up to date! can't wait until that time comes! :)