Saturday, September 30, 2006

THANK YOU!!!!

I WOULD LIKE TO SEND A HUGE THANK YOU TO CONNIE FOR GIVING MY BLOG SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MAKE-OVER! CONNIE ISN'T EVEN COMPLETELY DONE WITH THE TOTAL MAKE-OVER. SHE IS STILL PLANNING ON PUTTING A FEW DOO-HICKEYS ON THE SIDEBAR AND ADDING A CLOCK WITH CHINA TIME (I BEGGED FOR THE CLOCK BECAUSE I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED TO ADD ONE WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS!). I ASK YOU, HOW ON EARTH COULD IT GET ANY COOLER? THANK YOU CONNIE! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!!!!!

Monday, September 25, 2006

DOING THE MATH


I thought I better get out the calculator for this one. Alright......The way I figure it, there are 211 days between our log-in-date and the last day matched (August 9th). If they were to keep it to a 14-15 month wait, tops (which is what the CCAA just recently said in France or Spain-can't remember which one) then....................They are going to have to match 23-24 days per month for us to receive our referral in June, 2007. Hmmmmm. Sorry, the Hmmmmm was PMS related. I guess it's possible.

CCAA SITE HAS BEEN UPDATED!

It's official! Families that were logged in between July 23-August 9, 2005 will be seeing pictures of their beautiful babies today or tomorrow. It looks like they matched 18 days worth this month. If I haven't added that correctly, it's because I have only had about two sips of my coffee. Well..........it's not as many as I would have liked to see, but I'll take it.

Friday, September 22, 2006

HAS ANYBODY SEEN THIS GUY???


I REALLY THOUGHT HE WOULD BE HERE BY NOW. MAYBE MONDAY. DO YOU THINK THAT HE IS CARRYING SUCH A HUGE BATCH OF REFERRALS, IT SLOWED HIM DOWN? I'M NOT GONNA LIE, I HAVE MY HOPES UP FOR A HUGE BATCH. IF WE GET THE KIND OF BATCH THAT WAS SENT LAST MONTH..............................I'M GOING BACK ON HIATUS! OH, AND IT REALLY DOESN'T HELP MATTERS THAT THE WEEK THAT REFERRALS USUALLY COME OUT IS THE WEEK BEFORE MY LITTLE VISITOR. SORRY IF THAT WAS TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

WAITING WITH CHILDREN

Before you begin reading my post, I would like to direct you to this post from Johnny and then you can return to my blog if you would like to hear my response to Johnny's post.
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Johnny emailed me a couple weeks ago (along with some other waiting gals already with kids at home) and sent us an early addition to a post he was publishing today. I must begin by saying that Johnny's blog is one of my favorites because he sometimes seems like one of the few calm ones in the bunch. Johnny always seems ( I realize looks can be deceiving) so calm about the wait. It's a guy thing, right Johnny? Yep, Jeff is the same way. I was quite honored that Johnny asked me to participate. Perhaps, it is because he feels like I'm a prime example of a woman waiting for my baby (with 3 bio kids at home) that is losing her mind over this never ending wait. Yep, I'm hanging on by a very thin red thread.
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I want to begin by saying that I have given this subject quite a bit of thought during the wait for our daughter. I had actually thought about doing a post about waiting with children vs. waiting without children, but never seemed to get around to it. There have been many times that I will come across a blog of a childless couple that is also waiting for their adopted child. Many times they have chosen to adopt because they have had problems with infertility. I often think, MY GOD, I can't believe all that they have been through and now THIS! It's just not fair! I have had days of MAJOR guilt because I sit here complaining about the wait and I have three beautiful children at home. It MOST certainly makes the wait MUCH easier to handle because I am so busy with my kids. I can't even imagine how much slower time would pass if I didn't have my kids. Why is it then that some days (not ALL) I feel like I'm losing my mind over the wait for our daughter? It's because I have NO control over what could happen. Must. Be. In. Control. It drives my crazy that I am at the mercy of the CCAA and at any point during this process they could decide that we are not suitable enough to adopt one of their beautiful babies. If I was told today that I wouldn't have my daughter for another two years but, I WOULD HAVE MY DAUGHTER, I swear to all of you that I would relax. I love my family and I enjoy my children, BUT I have this never ending feeling that someone is missing. That someone is Ava. I am so in love with this little girl and we have never met. The fact that I have opened up my heart and there is even the slightest chance that requirements for adopting could change, this late in the game, or my fears of China shutting down their international adoption program completely, is what is driving me insane. It is the reason that I have not started the nursery. You see, even if I do already have three beautiful children, I still long for the baby that isn't here yet. Is she already born? I wonder if she being taken care of. I wonder if she is feeling loved. I miss her. It's a mother thing. I also wonder why it is that everything has to be such a big secret. Why is it that our agencies can't pick up the phone and call the CCAA and be told approximately when referrals are being sent and an approximate date of the cut off and pass it along to the waiting families? Why do we still have to wonder why things really slowed down and wonder if there is a chance that things will ever pick up again? That my friends, is the reason that some days I feel like I'm losing my mind. It's a control thing. It's the unknown. It's a mother that is missing her baby.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

DECEMBER OUT OF REVIEW!!!


WOW!!! That was fast!! Congratulations to all the December families that have made it out of the Review Room! I have heard (I won't say from where) that a couple of early March log-in-dates were asked to supply additional information to the CCAA. We are logged in March 8th. This is a time when no news is good news. At least until we see the CCAA update that all of March is out of review!

Monday, September 18, 2006

To: Ava From: Emma

Ava received the most adorable gift in the mail today from Emma. It was such a nice surprise to receive something in the mail addressed to Ava. I hope Ava doesn't mind, but I HAD to open it! Ava received an adorable bib & burp cloth. The bib says...............Eat like a lady. The burp cloth says..............Burp like a lady! The best part is that it has her name on it and ladybugs too!! I'm not going to lie to you, I'm ladybug obsessed!!! Emma's mommy also enclosed the sweetest card in the package. She said that sometimes seeing Emma's name makes her feel more real during the long wait. It is sooooo true. Thank you, Kim. Thank you for making Ava seem a little more real to me today. You are a wonderful friend.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

REVIEW ROOM UPDATE

FAMILES WITH LOG-IN-DATES IN FEBRUARY HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED QUESTIONS BY THE CCAA. IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT DECEMBER-FEBRUARY FAMILIES HAVE REACHED THE REVIEW ROOM! OUR LOG-IN-DATE IS MARCH 8TH............. WE ARE GETTING CLOSER!!!!!!!!!!! ONCE OUR FILE PASSES THE REVIEW ROOM (OH PLEASE LET IT PASS WITH FLYING COLORS), THE FINAL STOP IS THE MATCHING ROOM! AS SOON AS WE MAKE IT OUT OF REVIEW........................LET THE SHOPPING REALLY BEGIN!!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

LADYBUG SIGHTING!


I'm not really sure if this counts as a ladybug sighting or not. I was doing a little shopping online and came across this beautiful purse. At first glance, I didn't notice that it had a ladybug pattern on it. When I realized that it had ladybugs, OMG, I just HAD to have it!!! I have to tell ya.....Retail therapy does help get one in a better mood! If you are feeling a bit down today (or are feeling great but want that feeling to continue) get out your credit card and check them out.
You can thank me later..........or maybe not.

Monday, September 11, 2006

GRIFFIN TURNS 12 TODAY!

We had a B-Day celebration going on this weekend for my son, Griffin. Last year we celebrated Griffin's Birthday with the family, the day AFTER his sleep-over with friends. He was soooo tired during the family party( after staying up until the wee hours of the morning) that he was falling asleep at the dinner table. This year we decided to do the family thing FIRST and that worked out MUCH better. I of course forgot to bring my camera to dinner. So, I give you just one picture of Griffin & his buddies. (Note to self: Make sure laundry is all put away BEFORE taking picture or make sure door is closed.) Everyone had a good time at the sleep-over in spite of the fact, that one boy had to leave a bit earlier than expected. The boys were playing around downstairs when the injury occurred. They didn't want to tell us that the boy (in green) had hurt is foot while they were goofing around. I was wondering why that kid was limping but then got busy doing something else and didn't ask! I never saw the kid arrive so I just kinda shrugged it off thinking it was a previous injury!!! Jeff heard them whispering about the injury and checked the kids foot out. He thought it was best (in the eyes of the court) to call the kids mother and suggest she takes him for an x-ray. Thankfully, there was at least one parent that was all over the situation!!! Griffin called to check on him the next day and it turns out to be just a very bad sprain. THANK GOODNESS! Who says we don't know how to throw a party??!! Huh, huh?


HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRIFFIN!! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

Friday, September 08, 2006

THE NUMBER 6 OR BOY CANDY!



You may be wondering what kind of blog I'm running over here at Journey to Ava! I was looking for a sweet little number six to add to today's post. I head on over to google images when I am in need of such a picture to add a bit of zip to my normally dull post. Imagine my surprise when I type......The number 6. Hit search. I see this........... Boy candy???? BTW, those were their words-not mine. What is up with that?? I was looking for the number 6!!!!! GEEZ!!! So much for trying to keep this blog on the wholesome side!!!! Enough about boy candy............(Ladies, I'm going to be checking my site meter to see if you gals are spending longer on my site today!!!!) Today's post is bought to you by the NUMBER SIX!!!! Today marks our SIX MONTH LOG IN DATE ANNIVERSARY!!!! Are we 1/2 way there? Doubt it. Are we 1/3 the way there? I'm hoping so!!!!!! Let's hope for a great big batch of referrals this month!!!! Happy Anniversary to Melissa too! We're one month closer to our little ones.

Thursday, September 07, 2006

HIATUS CUT SHORT AS MORE GIFTS ARRIVE!


How can one continue on hiatus when you start receiving all these really cool gifts in the mail? One must come off of hiatus to give a proper thank you to the gift giver! Last week I had to come off of my hiatus because Melissa send me that cool shirt! I am once again off my hiatus (did you even know I was back on hiatus??? No? Well, I was.) because my Feb/March Secret Pal sent me these wonderful gifts for Ava. Thank you! I also really appreciate the nice card. August was a pretty crappy month but I am feeling better now. How can I possibly stay in a foul mood when I have all of you? Not possible! =)

Monday, September 04, 2006

FOR MELISSA

I went to my mailbox last week and found a wonderful surprise there. Melissa had sent a shirt to me (and several other blogging sister's) that reads...I SURVIVED CHINA ADOPTION 2006-2007. I had been so down in the dumps last week after the latest referral batch so, when I saw the shirt I of course cried (happy tears). You know how these adoption hormones can be!!!! Melissa requested that we take a picture of ourselves wearing the shirt and post it to our blog to show that "we WILL prevail". Melissa knows that I hate any and all pictures of myself and have yet to post a single one on this blog. So, she added a special note that I could photo-chop my head out so I can remain unseen!!! I thought the gift was so incredibly thoughtful that I decided to come out of hiding.......FOR MY FAVORITE BLOGGING PAL.................. Melissa! I know that as soon as our plane is safely off the ground (LEAVING China) I will be putting this shirt on for the plane ride home. Melissa, thank you so much for such a wonderful surprise! WE WILL PREVAIL!!!

As an extra bonus I give you a picture of Jeff. We took this picture this weekend at the sand dunes on Lake Michigan.
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