Hope you looked!

Ugh!!!! Notice the edited previous post. Note my frustration!!! Apparently I am with the only agency in the US that has an agreement between the agency and the adoptive parents to not allow things like the name of the baby, date of birth, Provence , or photos to be posted. (By the way... the agency DID NOT scold me, a fellow adoptive parent did) So I've removed the details of our daughter including her name.

The part that urks me is China has no problem with posting. It's a "blanket" policy of the agency. And it's sooooooo HARD to NOT SHARE OUR JOY! We've shared here for the past 3 years and we're so excited that we'd like to share with the WORLD... anyone that wants to know all about our beautiful daughter!

But we did sign the agreement and we would NEVER jeopardize our adoption or cause any ill on anyone else's so we will concede and do as we agree...

that doesn't mean I have to be happy with it.

*** Disclaimer!!! I did not and have not mentioned the name of our agency. They have done nothing but bring us happiness and I'm sure they only act in regard to our best interest.

We have our Referral!!

Here's what we know so far!
She from the ********* Providence and is the **** **** SWI.
She's 11 months old born on January **, 200*.

On Sept. 22nd she weighed 14.3 lbs and was 25.6 in. tall. She laughs a alot, likes to play peek-a-boo, and likes the bright colorful toys.

We are in love! She has big brown round eyes and looks so tiny! Her fingers are long and Mei said she may just grow up to play the piano!

Will try to update about the day later... It's so hard coming down off Cloud Nine to do this post!
She is beautiful!

We are not supposed to post pictures until she is officially ours but if you email me I'll share privately! She is gorgeous!

Stork Alert!!

Okay, so I don't THINK we could be anymore excited that this! I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about all things Lexi (and I even dreamed we got the referral and it was a boy!) so I slept in until 10:00 when Geoff called to say he was on his way back home. (There was a power outage in Savannah due to a fire and they closed the office) Then he said, by the way the RQ says the 28th is in and referrals should be arriving soon. THAT WOKE ME UP!! I got up and checked the computer to find that Evelyn in FL was on the phone with her agency! She has a daughter! So we are anxiously awaiting news here... on pins and needles... going nuts and can't function even 3 feet from the phone or the computer!

Ordinarily we could call our agency but since they are CLOSED the best we can do is hope that Mei checks the mail today. So we're bracing for a long labor just in case we don't get the call today. The timing is perfect, Geoff is home unexpectedly and doesn't have to take time off of work. I'm home! The call sheet is ready. The video camera is set up to record my cry-fest! LOL! I even showered in record time this morning! I didn't even shave my legs (which I do religiously every day!!!) Come on phone RING!!!

We have a Make-Over!!

There's nothing like a pending referral to bring on the much needed blog Make-Over!! I've been working on this project for quite awhile but finally put it all in place today. I created my own header and background using a digital scrapbooking kit that I bought from Sweet Shoppe Designs. I can't take all the credit though as I used a tutorial from Shabby Miss Jenn Designs. I actually purchased a blog kit from her this summer but never used it. Once I got into digital scrapbooking I decided that I wanted to make my own design and here it is!! Now I need to redo my links on the side and learn a few more things.

I also got our belated Christmas Newsletter done today. Since Christmas is over, it will be a Happy New Year letter now! :-) I have run out of time this year with so many family things going on and the birth of Christopher Evan. So hopefully those will be mailed out on Monday and arrive in time for New Year's Eve.

I'm still working on a holiday slide show. That's another story!

Geoff and I are still on cloud 9 waiting for referral news! We're getting ready for the wave of things to do once we get the referral. I don't think we will know anything on Monday but a girls got to hope for Tuesday or Wednesday!!

On another note... PLEASE NOTE! We cannot post referral pictures because of our agency's policy. So if you would like to know more, email us privately and we'll hook you up!

Just Beside Myself!!

Okay after all this time, how could I be SURPRISED that we are next??? I guess the answer is because in the process I've become to expect disappointment and this month has been no different. We expect to be next but I've always been a little guarded to say the words "NEXT". After reading several Internet posts today, I'm jumping in full force and am embracing the anticipation of NEXT!



The comment below is word for word from the RQ!

"Two agencies are saying the cut off is the 28th.If agencies are hearing the cut off date, then that could mean referrals aren’t so far away. Perhaps the CCAA is going to work to get two more batches out before they leave for their CNY holiday."

This means referrals could arrive NEXT week! OMG!!! I'm so ready and so not ready!! I tear up every time I just think of finally KNOWING who are daughter is, where she is from, how old she is, and finally will put a face with the spot in my heart that is so in love with her.

So here we are! We are in labor folks and in full stork alert!

Now for the tricky part! Our agency is off for the holidays until January 5th! YIKES! We did receive an email though from our adoption counselor saying that they would notify families of Travel Approval and other things so we are assuming referrals will fall into that category. So will we hear something next week? Will we be parents next week? I'm so excited it's surreal!

You always hear that things come in threes. Here is our list of three this week.

1. On Monday, we finally got our i-800 in the mail! (After 6 months of waiting since the paperwork was mailed in)

2. We met with the Pediatrician on Tuesday to discuss Lexi. Talk about feeling like expectant parents!!!

3. Referral news... even if just rumors at this point.

So Geoff keeps telling me that I have to stop crying. I don't call it crying though. It's just happiness spilling over!

P.S. I will try to post some Christmas details but first have to have some time to FOCUS!! WOW, WOW, WOW !!! We're going to be a Mommy and Daddy really soon!!

Finally!!! Winter Break is here!

Today was the last day of school for two weeks!!! I've had a very busy week building up to this point doing all kinds of stuff. Every year it is a really rough week and this year is no exception. The thing I missed the most about a "routine" week was getting Brennen for a few hours during the week and giving his Mommy a break. I did have my spirits uplifted yesterday though with a surprise visit from Sara and the boys. (Sara and "THE BOYS!"... it just hasn't set in yet that I'm a 2 time Grammie!!!) They had been to Wal Mart to get Christmas photos of the boys made. The sad part is that they both had to wear their Christmas outfits and it's HOT here! Like in the 80's!!! (We're hoping for cooler weather next week... "please Mother Nature!!") I immediately took Bren in and took off his sweater! But while they were here, I couldn't resist trying to get a cute picture of the baby! (I'll admit I took probably 30 pictures to get this perfect one!)

Little Christopher Evan is so tiny. In this picture he is laying in the lap of my Boyd's Bear "Father Kristmas". The bear is about 12 inches tops sitting down. His little 0-3 months outifit given to him by his Great Aunt Carolyn is too big on him but he's so adorable!

Of course, no photo shoot would be complete without a Brennen shot... this is going to be a future digital layout called "Brennen Vs. Lexi's Christmas Tree". He had a hay day with it the day after his brother was born as I loaded the car to go visit them. We've since given up on the tree this year. It's just too tempting for Bren. I had decorated all in red this year for Lexi and the beads were strung perfectly on the tree. I never even got a chance to take a good photo. The best thing I did was decorate with non-breakable ornaments (of which it WAS loaded with pre-Bren!) LOL! We're rethinking the Christmas tree in the toodlers room idea! But isn't he just sooooo cute as he is so tempted and intrigued by the tree???

Chinese 4 Dinner tonight... want to know why????

We had Chinese take-out for dinner tonight in celebration. Take a look at this direct quote we got today from our agency...

"We finally received words from China today that this referral’s cutoff date is 2/23/2006 (from last one-2/17/2006). ******’s next waiting LID is 2/27/2006; so we should have one referral next month."

Guess what???? We ARE that family!!! We are NEXT! Next month when referrals arrive... we SHOULD see our daughter's precious face! We will learn what providence she is from... what orphanage she is at... how old she is... old much she weighs... all those lingering questions, hopes and dreams will finally begin to be answered!

Geoff actually got the email and forwarded it to me. I sat at my desk and felt tears begin to well-up in my eyes. To get this close and know it is amazing. We finally saw some kind of confirmation in black and white!! I could barely contain my joy! Just think, in 3 months (more or less) we could actually be holding our daughter! What a wonderful feeling!

I was just over the moon excited and began to tell my friends at work. I had several ask me if we knew for sure it was next month. Of course, in this journey there is no 100% sure but we have the "feeling" and obviously so does our agency!!! One friend asked me if I felt pregnant yet. We've been "pregnant" for 3 years... so I guess this is early labor!

When we get our referral, I plan to post all the information right outside my classroom door complete with pink balloons! Finally... that light at the end of the tunnel is glowing brighter and brighter!! And I sure feels good!

Babies Update

Our lives have been a lot topsy-turvy since the arrival of Baby Christopher. We've been trying to help the new parents adjust and give them time to settle in. However Baby Christopher had to be put back in the hospital this weekend with dangerous levels of jaundice. He may be there several more days as they try to get the billiruben levels down. When they admitted him last night, it was 24. At the last check it was 15.9. This poor little guy has been through so much! Sara and Chris have been really great dealing with it though. They are wonderful parents and are holding up well in a time of crisis.

In the meantime, Geoff's parents came to visit from their SC house this weekend. They met Brennen for the first time and we spent the afternoon together. After we took him home, they ended bringing him right back for us to keep while the baby is in the hospital. We surely love having him around and enjoy every single second with him but it's unfortunate that it is under these circumstances. Having Grandchildren is a wonderful thing! But I have to admit, it makes me long to have Lexi home even more. You hear Grandparents say all the time that the grand kids are wonderful and that one of the perks is that you can send them home. We don't like to send them home and savor every moment with them. We won't have to send Lexi anywhere. And what a wonderful addition she will be to our family.


Brennen was a bit apprehensive at first and wasn't sure of Geoff's parents at all. But he warmed up quickly and was very entertaining. He especially enjoyed sharing their food and going outside with Great-Grandpa Jake.

So tonight when things settled down, I took a picture of Brennen and emailed this collage above to him Mommy, Daddy and Baby Brother. We are learning so much by having Brennen around so much. He is a wonderful teacher for all the little things we need to know when Lexi arrives!

And speaking of Lexi, referrals are due in anytime. CCAA is really close to our LID. Last month they logged in through Feb. 17th of 06. Our date of course is Feb. 27th. I've pretty much resigned myself that our referral will not come until January. But in just a few days we will be able to enjoy the wonderful words "WE'RE NEXT!!!!" In the meantime, there are two very special boys that we can enjoy extra time with!!

Welcome Baby Christopher!