Monday, July 31, 2006

A Present From China


Tonight Mike came home with the most beautiful ceramic teapot given to him by a man he works with, named Jianhui, who just came back from a month in China. Jianhui is from a small village near Guangzhou in southern of China. The teapot, handmade by an up and coming artist, is the 4th dragon teapot in a series of nine dragon teapots. The top of the teapot is inscribed with the chinese characters "Dragon has four children". We thought that was pretty neat since we are ultimately planning on adopting again after Grace and that will mean we will have four children. Thank you Jianhui for such a thoughtful and beautiful gift. We will treasure it always!!!

The Night We Thought We Lost Charlotte


Last night the girls and I were watching a movie and working on quilt swaps (yup, the girls are doing it now too), when we heard the door bell ring. Weird because it was like 10:30pm. When I answered the door it was my next door neighbor, Gloria, with a very sad look on her face. She said they were just coming home and they saw a dead cat lying in the middle of the round around the corner. She thought it may be one of our cats. Her husband, Derek had it in a box outside so I went to take a look. Sure enough it was our cat, Charlotte (or so I thought), lying limp and lifeless in the box. I immediately burst into tears and came into the house to go get Mike, and the girls saw my face and they too burst into tears when I told them it was Charlotte (aka, Boo Boo). We all ran upstairs wailing and Mike came out of the bedroom wondering what all the crying was about. While Mike went out to take a look the girls and I just hugged each other on the front stoop. Mike, was checking to see if the cat was still alive, but he could tell there was no life left in this cat. He decided he better go get a shovel to bury our precious cat when he realized that he had not checked yet to see if this cat was male or female. You see this cat looked exactly like our cat but it was very unusual that she leaves our backyard. So Mike looked between its legs and sure enough, this cat looked like a male cat. Well, he said to us not to get our hopes up but he thought this may not be our cat after all. In the midst of all the excitement and trauma we had not checked to see if Charlotte was actually still in the backyard. Mike went to the back door and sure enough there was our Boo Boo where she usually is, peering in on us from the back sliding door. We immediately felt a sense of relief and last night we realized how much we really love our beloved cat, Charlotte!!!

Of course, we are still sad for this poor cat who did loose his life last night and we can understand clearly how his family must be feeling today!!!

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Ladybug sighting at Gymboree!!!




For those of you Gymboree lovers I thought I would pass along the knowledge that their Fiesta Del Sol line is on sale right now and some of the peices have the cutest little ladybugs on them. I just think they are the cutest for our little ladybugs!!! The smock jumper above is mostly floral but does have darling little ladybugs embroidered on the smocking!!! Cute!
Check out the whole line at www.gymboree.com

Friday, July 28, 2006

Ahhhh!!! I could get used to this kind of life!!!


Well Mike and I had the most amazing anniversary celebration at the Salish Resort and Spa. We started the day off with a relaxing session at the spa and indulged ourselves with a couples treatment. Here is the discription of what we experienced:

Essence of the Earth
Indulge in the riches of nature's elements. Your togetherness experience in our premier fireside couples treatment room includes a soothing foot soak, side by side Earth Cocoon, Shared Shower and Heated River Rock Massage.

Amazing!!! This was Mike's first time for a message (not usually a thing he would do) but I think besides being a little ticklish he rather enjoyed himself. Atleast he said he did but maybe that was for my benefit.

After the message we went into the pool room where they have a wonderful jucuzzi with a waterfall running into it and then we tried out the sauna and steam rooms.

We had a wonderful light lunch at the Attic Bistro with a view of the magnificant falls. We then were able to check into our room and reminisce about our wedding night 15 years ealier. After a short little nap we got all spiffy for our reservations for dinner. The wait staff all wished us a very happy anniversary and our table was set with rose petals across the table (very nice, romatic touch). The dinner, wine, dessert and coffee were amazing!!! We even got to watch the sunset over the wonderful waterfall views. After dinner we took a short walk out to the observation deck where we watched the falls in the moonlight!

When we got back to our room, the staff had come into our room during dinner and freshened things up and left us a wonderful card wishing us a very happy anniversary. We started a fire in the fireplace (each room has one), turned on some romatic jazz.............when morning arrived we woke up to breakfast in bed and even my favorite latte all made the way I like it, yum.

I could really get used to living like a princess....but I guess every 15 years will have to do! Thanks everyone for the well wishes and if you get a chance to do something like this with your sweetie....DO IT!!! You won't regret it!!! Thanks Mike for a great getaway!

If you are ever in Seattle you must check this place out!

http://www.salishlodge.com/index.php

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Happy 15 Year Anniversary!!!




Today is such a special day. Mike and I celebrate 15 wonderful years of marriage. The time has gone by so quickly and we have had so many wonderful adventures as a family. I can't imagine spending my life with any other man!!! Mike is the most wonderful husband, father and friend!!! I am truly blessed! We are going to celebrate this special occasion by revisting (kind of a second honeymoon, minus the trip to Jamiaca, man) the place we spent our 1st night together as man and wife. We are going back to the beautiful Salish Lodge and Resort for a day and evening of couple time. We will start the afternoon off with a couples spa day (can't believe I talked Mike into this one, heeheehee) and then have dinner at the resort and then enjoy our room with the beautiful waterfall views, fireplace and rustic, yet elegant ambiance. Can't wait to share all about it!

Now, what would truly make the day a perfect one, would to hear that we are LID. I heard today of a couple who had a DTC date 3 days after ours at CCAI and they found out today of their LID, so maybe we will get the word, but if we don't, the day will be perfect anyways!!!

By the way, who are those young people????

Monday, July 24, 2006

Dossier is at CCAA!!!



We got an email this morning from CCAI that our dossier has arrived at CCAA. Not that we are LID but that it is at CCAA. They said that it could take 6 weeks to be logged in. I hope this is just a standard time they quote and the LID will be much sooner. I have heard LID's that have only taken 10 days from DTC. We are at 10 days as of today so I hope to hear something official sometime this week.

Friday, July 21, 2006

It's hot!!!!


It was hot one out there today. It was 105 degrees when Mike left work and we don't have air conditioning. We have not really thought it was worth it since it is only really needed for a week or two out of the year, but tonight I think we will be rethinking that decision!!! So since it is so hot I thought it would be nice to post a picture of cool winter fun. I will keep this in my mind as I can't fall asleep tonight because I am sweating to death. Happy summer!!!

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Crazy for Cherries!!!





Yesterday the girls and I headed to the mall to get out of the heat and we hit the usually teeny bopper stores (by the way, half the songs played at Hollister were from the 80's, of course the girls were surprised I knew the lyrics)...anyways...we decided to pop into our favorite little girly store, Gymboree, and check out what was new.... and I want ga-ga over the new "Cherry" line. I love cherries!!! Not to eat necessarily but I guess because I am a huge Mary Engelbreit fan(used to work at her store), I have an affection for anything Cherry, especially in the summer. In fact, I have been toting around my favorite cherry purse this summer and my girlfriend, Inger, bought me the cutest matching cherry luggage!!! (Thanks, Ingy Bing) So you see, I am big cherry fan!!! Plus red is my favorite color!!! Well, when I saw the cute little cherry Mary Jane shoes, and the cute little cherry hat and.......I could go on and on... I was like a kid in a candy store....but I was good. It is not on sale yet! So the girls and I did our oohing and awing and then we left. Of course I will be watching for the first sign of a "cherry" sale and then I will be high tailing in back to the mall to "pick" some cute little cherries!!!heeheeheehee...I am giddy just thinking about it.

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Making a big SPLASH!!!



We are in Spokane this weekend visiting family and went on a long bike ride today in Idaho along Lake Coeur d'lane and after the first half our ride we were really hot, so mom(yes mom, Elise) suggested we all jump in the lake. Grandpa caught it all on camera to show that even though I am almost 40 I can still have fun!!! I think I really surprised the girls too. Loved that the most!!!

Friday, July 14, 2006

DTC today......but we had to find out on our own!!!



OK....after checking and rechecking my email every few minutes this evening to see if there were any late messages from CCAI, I realized I had not checked the CCAI family log-in, where they have dates of our adoption progress posted. I knew it was a long shot......but who knows, I thought, maybe there will be new information about our dossier on there......right before my eyes....there it was.....Dossier Mailed to China-July 14, 2006...blink....blink....are my eyes seeing what I think I am seeing? We are DTC!!!! Today!!!! Now, I am just thrilled with this news, especially since I was eagerly awaiting for this all week....but I am a little disappointed too. Why didn't I get an email or a call from CCAI? Why did I have to find this out on my own. If I hadn't checked this site, I would be going to bed tonight sad instead of relieved and excited. But I do get to go to bed tonight excited....I will be dreaming of our little Angel in China tonight, as our dossier flies across the ocean. We are DTC today!!!! Yipee!!!

No word yet......I need a hug!!!


Man, I have been soooooo patient all week. Here it is Friday afternoon, I have been out all day so I thought for sure when I got home I would hear something from CCAI. But there is no email or phone message saying we are DTC!!! Our dossier has now been in translation for 5 days!!!! Please pray for me to be more patient....I am trying so hard not to expect anything, but it is so hard!!!

I need a hug!

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Thanks Kim for sending me pictures of the girls so I don't miss them so much!!!

The girls are having fun with their cousins!!!



Hailey and Kyla are in Spokane right now visiting grandma and grandpa but they got spend the night with cousins Emma and Ellie. Looks like they had lots of fun at the pool. It so cute to see them all together. The two younger girls remind me so much of Hailey and Kyla when they were that age.

I know...I'm a dork!!!

I have not wanted to leave my computer today, hoping I would get an email from CCAI, knowing that I still had so much to do while the girls are gone I thought I would make myself a cute list to inspire me to get off my bottom and get some of things done. I have two days left, we'll see how much I actually get done! No word from CCAI yet and I have to leave for my physical therapy appointment. Maybe there will be an email when I get home?

Monday, July 10, 2006

Happy 60th birthday dad!!!!


My dad turns 60 years old today. This handsome picture was taken 40 or so years ago when he was in the Air Force. He was stationed in Germany when I was a little baby until I was almost 3 years. Time sure flies!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!

We are in translation!!!!


I just got a call from CCAI and our revised doctor's letter arrived this morning and everything looked great. We are in translation now so hopefully we will DTC sometime this week!!!! Gracie we are so close to making this all happen!!! We can't wait to see your precious face!!! Thank you GOD!!!!



Hailey and Kyla are in Spokane for the week so Mike and I are all alone and I have the days while he is at work completely to myself. So..... now with the no kids and no dossier paperwork to do, it is time to get some projects done!!! Mike and I painted our den yesterday, it was one of the only rooms left unpainted since our move in date a year and half ago. It feels good to have that done. I know have to plan the configuration for everything in the room since it will now be used for many different functions. Since we made the decision to adopt, I am going to lose my crafting room, which is the 4th bedroom upstairs, and all of my craft paraphernalia needs to fit into the den along with our home office stuff and I think I want to make it a great place for Kyla to do her work next year when we homeschool. Now.... I have got my work cut out for me. The room is not huge and it does not have any closets so I am going to have to become very creative with storage solutions. Today, I am going to see if there are any touch ups needed on our paint job and start planning on what to do with the rest of the room. I will post a picture when its done. The other projects I would like to get to (but may not) are painting the girls bathroom and making my valances and curtains for the familyroom and kitchen. I have had the fabric and rods for a year but have not done a thing with them. Hopefully I still like the fabric!!! I need to keep myself really busy so the week will go by fast, the girls just left on Saturday and I already miss them so much!!!!

Friday, July 07, 2006

Back on track....



After a emotional roller coaster yesterday I am back on track. I called CCAI this morning to tell them that my doctor was on vacation until Monday and that we couldn't get anything fixed until then. Well, the dossier specialist told me that we could see if another doctor who has seen me in the past could submit the new letter and that would be good in China. After many back and forth calls to the doctor's office and sounding very desperate, I got a call that one of the doctors made the changes needed and the letter was ready for pick up, with plenty of time to get it overnighted to CCAI so they will receive it first thing on Monday morning. I was praying that this was the doctor who would be asked, because I knew that he just adopted a child from Guatemala and figured if anyone could understand the urgency, he would. Low and behold he was the doctor in today....praise God!!!! Mike is picking up the letter right now and getting it on its way to CCAI. Once the dossier specialist takes a look at it she said she would walk the rest of the dossier over to the translation department herself. So we are back on track. A couple days of delay but I have learned a lot and I can feel relieved that it is all being taken care of.

Thursday, July 06, 2006


After 2 1/2 weeks of not hearing anything from CCAI, today I finally did, and it was not was I was expecting to hear. Instead of telling us that we were through critical review we found out that one document was not filled out the way should be and we need to have it corrected. Well, needless to say I was a little emotional. I thought I was ok with any timing God had in this process and yet I wasn't prepared to hear this news. My sweet husband came home early to comfort me and then went and bought me my two favorite treats, diet coke and Reeses Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. I really feel like I am pregnant, my emotions are so raw. The problem is I am not and most people can not really understand what I(we) are going through. To look at the positive side of this whole situation, the form we need fixed is a doctor's letter and it does not need to be notorized, or authenticated so that should save us some time. Unfortunately, when I called my doctor he is on vacation this week so he will not be able to fix this until Monday. The dossier specialist said that our dossier can not move onto translation until everything is complete. If anyone out there is reading this, please pray that everything comes together next week. I would love to be DTC by next Friday. I feel like I can move on with my life when everything is in China. Right now I just feel stuck. I know this is such a small blip in this process but I guess I was getting my hopes up too high. It doesn't help that I have been connecting with others in the adoption process and they have all moved forward to DTC. It is so interesting to learn how different each agency works and what they want. Some agencies are receiving dossiers and are DTC in just a couple of days. It makes me wonder why it is taking so long at CCAI. I have heard such good things about them and really it has been no problems so far but this waiting is just so hard and then to find out after weeks of waiting that something was wrong, I just wish this would have come up earlier last week. Ok, I am know getting negative which I do not want to be. Maybe I need prayers too. Stay positive. Stay positive. If there are others of you reading this with much worse things going on your lives, I apologize. I know this must seem very minimal. In my heart I know that this is happening for a reason, it's just hard.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

4th of July Parade

Emma and Nans say, "Happy 4th of July Dora!!!"
  • Emma says, "This parade is fun!!!!"


We scored lots of parade candy....yum!!!

A Water Balloon Fight





Happy 4th of July!!!!


We had a busy day celebrating the 4th. We went to a parade this morning in Bothell, we had lunch at Red Robin with Nans and Pops and Connor, we had a water balloon fight, BBQ, s'mores and early evening fireworks with the little kids in the cul-de-sac. We then went to our friends, the Jacksons, to watch the town fireworks up on the hill, but we were treated to a much bigger show when God decided to send along an hour long lighting and thunder storm, but the rain didn't last too long and we were able to continue the evenings festivities with an amazing show of fireworks like the one pictured above. My favorite part of the day was waving the flag and clapping for the vetrens who were apart of the parade!! I thank God for the sacrifices they have made to keep our country free!!!! Happy 4th of July!!!

Saturday, July 01, 2006