WOW-Way behind

It is amazing how I have fallen behind in my blog. I really wanted to post one to two times a week. It just hasn't been happening.

My puppies are growing very nicely. They are just starting to get to the playing stage. They are sooooo cute.

Now mom only weighs 4 pounds and the pups are about a pound.

I also had two cybershowers this week. Both for my March Yahoo groups. The one on Thursday was great. I got my first gift bought off my registry. Morgan had fun opening the presents.

I have also been involved in that alphabet swap that I mentioned before. I still have about 4 more swap items coming but so far I have gotten a great load. Here are some of my items.

Word has it that referrals have been sent out and are on their way. Word also has it that the cut off this month was March 17. Now that is really BAD news for us. We were hoping to get our referral next month (at the end of October) but with an LID of 4/19 I am pretty sure they won't make up that much of a difference. That means our referral won't come until the end of November or first of December. This also means that we won't be traveling in December but we will be pushed to the end of January. Chinese New Year starts on January 29th and nothing is open in China for two weeks so that bumps us to the middle of February. So in one fell swoop we lost 6 weeks. I have had a rough few days. Lots of depression and crying. A huge pity party for myself. I am starting to accept it but I am sure for the next couple weeks I will have some low times and woe-is-me times. There is a slight chance it may still come next month, but since March and April were big log in months it is really doubtful.

Okay- I need to quit being an Eeyore.

Night.

Checking off the Holidays

Today is our 5 month anniversary for being logged in. YEAH! Right around Easter I was reflecting on how by next Easter Olivia would be home with us. Well since then there are several other holidays I can now check off that she won't have to celebrate (like she does anyway) without her forever family.

Valentines Day
Easter
Mother's Day
Memorial Day
Father's Day
4th of July
Labor Day

It would be awesome if we could celebrater Christmas and her first birthday together too, but only time will tell.

Keepin On

My babies are getting pudgy and more vocal. They still have their eyes closed but should be opening in the next two days. They are so snuggly.

There are rumor running rampent on the DTC sites. The closer we get to referrals the wilder they get....

1. That referrals will go to March 25th and be mailed out by September 30th before the week long Chinese Holiday in October.

2. The Director of the CCAA is out of town until after the Chinese Holiday (he is supposedly the only one that can sign the referrals-so they would not come out until after the holiday).

3. The referrals won't come out until after the holiday but they will include March and April. (I like this rumor best!)

No matter what is true or not, right at this time our dossier is suppose to be in the "review room" where our documents are being looked at and checked over. This is very exciting because the next step is the matching room. Please start praying for us, as I believe very soon God's hand in our future will be revealed to us.

One of my friends Julia, is going back to China to get her second daughter. They were suppose to be up next for referrals. Well this last week while looking at her agencies new list of special needs children she fell in love with a little girl and they have gotten the okay to adopt her. It will delay their travel by a couple months, but she is over the moon in love with the little two year old, soon to be known as Abigail.

As the referral time comes near, we are having cyber showers in our groups. I have two this month for the March group. These are so much fun. I love showers.

My SIL, Lisa is getting very close to having her baby. She has been having contractions and the doctor said she is ready any time. (She isn't due until Oct. 3rd though).

Hopefully I can post more on referrals soon.

Another September Day

This weekend was a crazy one. Mom and Gordon came on Friday night and Uncle Jim and Aunt Trudy and cousin Jimmy and Michelle came into town Saturday night. They came for my sis-in-law, Lisa's shower today. My diaper cake was a hit. Everyone thought it was crafty. Lisa got a lot of neat things today. A fun time was had by all.

Only 1 2/3 months left until our referral (I hope). It is getting real. For a while I was turning down the excitement level. Just seemed to far away. I have been having dreams again and spending a lot of time hanging out in Olivia's room.

Last night Mike and I went to see the play Aida at Amish Acres. It was awesome. If you ever get the chance to see that production do it.

My friend from Fort Wayne is back from China with her new daughter. They had a rough time while they were there and I can only hope that they can now really start to bond and be a forever family. Their daughter (19 months) was not bonding with Cassie at all and only wanted dad. She also cried a lot during their two weeks there. Tomorrow dad goes back to work and mom will be on her own with her. It could be a tough day.

Puppies Are Here!

Annie had her puppies this morning. 5:00 AM. The first one was a boy and was born great. The second one was breech and her head got stuck. I was really worried for a while but finally got the little thing out. So: 2 puppies, 1 boy and 1 girl and doing great. Mom is doing good and is an awesome mom.

Busy Day....

Okay-I came up with an idea for my Alphabet Swap. It was so obvious. Olivia's Onsies! So I went out today and bought 27 onesies and spent several hours decorating them for my March Moonbeam buddies. I also bought more fleece and made a regular blanket and 6 mini blankets. My back is killing me from bending over all day.

I am also sick. Head cold-sinus pressure and running nose. I was up all night. Three weeks into school and it has already started! Once I start back on my bus route I seem to be sick all the time. I will get at least 6 colds over the next 9 months. Mike thinks it is because of all the snotty nose kids on my bus. He says he is going to buy me a surgeons mask to wear.

My friend Cassie from Fort Wayne is in China right now picking up her second daughter and it is not going well. Little Isabel is rejecting her and will only go to daddy. It is really hard on Cassie. Isabel seems to be grieving a lot too. She is 19 months old and was in a foster home. The kids that come from foster homes seem to have the hardest time adjusting. They are better off in the foster home, but this little one was basically ripped away from the only family she knows and put with strangers. It is sad.

Referrals did come on Thrusday. Look at my website under "The Wait" for details. There is only one group ahead of us. The March group is expecting their referrals around the end of September. There is a holiday for China and every thing shuts down the first week of October. They will probably try to get the referrals out before the holiday. BUT since they will be shut down for a week, our referral may come a little later. Who knows.

I also made a "diaper cake" yesterday for my SIL's baby shower coming up this weekend. It is pretty cool if I do say so myself.

Thats all for now.