Growing My Own Ladybug Luck????

Without a doubt this has been a sad week for me. I have cried more this week over this adoption than I have in a LONG, LONG time. I don't really understand my super emotional state of being. I just know that I can barely say "China" without crying. I feel hopeful, anxious, worried, restless, and just plain fearful. This many emotions at once are hard to sort out. I can only imagine how I will feel when we get even closer. And I hope this passes soon! A girl can only tear up so many times! Today's news is that referrals will be mailed over the weekend and will most likely appear early in the week AND that the formula issue will not affect them. This is good news! I know that much lies ahead of us and I'm very anxious but am trying so hard to refind that patient happy person inside of me. One of the ways I have occupied myself this year has been through my teaching. So I decided to share this little tidbit below.... Hopefully, I won't appear to be too much of a crazy woman!



This may be a first for the adoption community... The picture above is a small container that has various stages of ladybugs. Ladybugs in the adoption community are believed to be a sign of good things... referrals. Well, with my Outdoor classroom activities at school we have grown Milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies and at this very moment have 60 Monarch Chrysalis' in our computer lab. We've hatched and released 29 already! Well, with Milkweed comes aphids and aphids attract ladybugs. So I've had my classes going on ladybug hunts in the Butterfly garden. We have now successfully found ladybug eggs, watched them hatch under a digital microscope and even have witnessed them changing from the larva stage to the pupa. The final stage we are hoping to view is the hatching of the brand new ladybug! So here is my container that i will be watching this weekend. As I look at it, I wonder how many others in the Chinese Adoption Community have ever grown their own luck! I know it's just a legend but I've had an amazing time teaching my students in the computer lab about the metamorphosis of both the butterfly and the ladybug. We're building projects about them both and have witnessed some of Mother Natures miracles right before our eyes. I really would love to see referrals come next week and I pray they will go through the 17th so that many of my Precious Panda friends will get their referrals. Then that will leave just me and one more. It's time for our little miracle to show her pretty little face! So come on referrals!!