GONE!

I got rid of the freakin lady bug counter. I got sick of it taunting me. LH posted a few weeks ago that the wait is currently 14-16 months from LID. Our director is in Beijing and plans on meeting with the CCAA and will ask about the wait. It should be interesting to see if we hear anything. Tracy's agency over at our unforgotten daughter posted that her agency "expects the wait to increase in 2006". So the lady bug ticker is GONE!

Agency Called.....

Our agency called us today. They received their new list of waiting children. Sophie was not on this list. I am very disappointed (see post below and read about my "plan"). Living Hope requested 10 children but only received 5. If they place all the children before 3 months they can request another list. They will keep the files of the children who don't immediately place for 3 months, then they can request another group of children. Lets say it takes 3 months to place all 5 children that means that they can request a list in January. It can take1-2 months to get a new group of children, so now we are in February or March. Our LID is 3/29 and I am sure our agency wouldn't let us match with a WC so close to our log in date. I hate this wait.

Happy Fall Y'all

I love the fall. It was beautiful here today, sunny and cool. The great thing about living here in NC is that the temperature will stay “Fall like” well into December. I hardly ever wear a heavy winter coat; forget about big bulky Yankee sweaters! It is so nice. We had a pretty busy weekend. Our church and Catholic school had its annual Oktoberfest. You have to love drinking beer and eating bratwurst in the church parking lot! On Saturday we headed over to one of the teachers houses from school for a family Halloween party. The kids carved pumpkins and went on a “red neck” hayride. What is a redneck hayride you ask??? Well all you have to do is throw some hay into the back of a pickup truck and jump on in! LOL It was funny and the kids had a blast. Hannah went trick or treating with a friend over at the sorority and frat houses at a nearby university. She had fun and any opportunity for her to dress up as “prom queen” works for Hannah. Ben went to his second party of the weekend (no school tomorrow) dressed as one of the Blues Brothers. We are all pretty much wiped out even with the extra hour of sleep! We hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying the last days of October.

Can Bunny Slippers Make You Happy???

First let me say I am not a silly slipper kind of girl. I am a regular slipper kind of girl. Why the bunny slippers?? Last week work sucked. Nothing big just those pain in the neck things that come up from time to time. Then of course there is the wait, a true test of patience. Which brings me back to the bunny slippers. I found these on line at www.runawayrabbit.com/index.htm I am not sure how, I don't recall ever looking for bunny slippers!? I decided to buy them this week. I needed something that reminds me to lighten up a little, to say ok more than no to Ben and Hannah, to think of Sophie laughing at her Mama's silly slippers! I also bought a pair for Hannah. Something silly to share with her (Ben said "“ummm no I don'’t think I need bunny slippers. Thanks for asking."”) They work!! Every time I put on these ridiculous slippers they remind me to lighten up and r-e-l-a-x. Not only do they make me a little happier, part of every sale goes to the Gift of Adoption Fund. This fund helps families afford adoption. So "“hop" on over to run away rabbit get yourself some silly slippers and support adoption. I can guarantee they will make you smile :)

Friends, Food, Fun and Fire!

We had a fun weekend here in good ole' NC. Friday night we headed over to meet some friends over at a new brewery that opened here in town. It was fun. They still had a training menu, and our server could probably tell us more about where bud light was on sale as opposed to if the Indian Pale Ale was very bitter. But it was good to be out with friends....And of course having a night off KP isn't bad either. The family we went out with will be leaving for Vietnam in November to bring their daughter home. They were planning on adopting from China, but heard that things were s-l-o-w-i-n-g down ( ya think!!). They changed programs and submitted their dossier to Vietnam in September, were referred one month old little girl at the beginning of October and are going to Vietnam in November!!!! How's that for a speedy referral!! I have to be honest and say that even though Vietnam is faster (for the moment anyway), I have always believed that one of my children would be from China. So we celebrate for Christine, Jason and Alex and soon to be little Anika and wait for our Sophie.

In other "happenings" we had our good friends Heather, James and Lillie over for some Indonesian food, s'mores and a roaring fire out in the firepit. ( My camera didn't work so I "borrowed" this picture from Lillie's blog). It was great to see everyone, Lillie has changed so much since the last time we saw her. As for changes in James and Heather.....well they are like old pros! Relaxed, laid back parents with a sense of humor! Lillie came home with James and Heather in August. Heather and Lillie came by about a month ago and Lillie was doing great, a little cautious, but really adjusting well to her new life here in the U.S. The little munchkin that was at our house on Saturday was quite the explorer, she felt comfortable and was a little social butterfly. After awhile she put her arms up and wanted to sit on my lap! Melted my heart :) Hannah loved playing with her (for the record Hannah has about had it with waiting for her sister!) and I was happy that the pets were nice and calm around Lillie. I can't wait for Sophie to come home and play with Lillie and Hannah.

SEND A QUILT SQUARE MOM, DAD, JACK, KRISTIN, AUNTS, UNCLES AND COUSINS IN MA AND WISCONSIN!!!!!!!

Nothing New...Except we changed the song

Nothing new in the way of baby Sophie. I am convinced (bad thing to do by the way) that we will be matched with Sophie from our agency waiting children's list in November. They are expecting a new list in November or early December. Why have I convinced myself that it will happen soon, well for starters this is the plan. Laugh....Yes I know what happens when you make plans. I know I am likely to get a nice thump on the head from God, reminding me who really is in charge of the "plan". But as some of you know Ben and Hannah were both born on their due dates. Ben was born at 7:00 pm on his due date and Hannah was born at 1:00pm on her due date. They both probably would have arrived earlier in the day, but nothing says pain relief like an epiderall! I like to consider myself a pretty easy going girl, I hate to deviate from the plan, especially one that has been in the works for some time.

In other TBG news we celebrated the Moon Festival with some good Chinese food and moon cakes. It was cold and rainy here in NC so we never did get to see the moon, but it was fun to introduce this tradition to our family. Ben is on the DL for his flag football team. Ben broke his arm and will be in a orange cast until November 2nd. We spent 4 hours in the emergency room on a Saturday. Not fun, but Ben got a lesson in the culture of poverty and lack of health care for those who don't qualify for assistance, yet don't make enough money to live on and have health insurance. We learned that you can go to a urgent care office ( Doc in the Box) and spend a lot less time, get an x-ray and a cast. Ben left the emergency room in a splint, they don't do casts anymore in the emergency room. Who knew!

Just a reminder if you have not sent a quilt square.....I NEED MORE!! C'MON FAMILY THIS IS NOT THAT HARD. YOU CAN DO IT :)