Is It A Sign??

Maybe I am just looking for any glimpse of hope during this looooong wait for our daughter, but who knows, maybe it IS a sign, even if a small sign.


Yesterday my sister came by my Mom's apartment so after we took my Mom grocery shopping (which I bring her every week) we headed out to the mall afterwards. As we were walking to the entrance there was this large black bird in this small tree making alot of noise. It was the only bird in the tree. As we walked past it I had said something about maybe it being a "Raven" (our daughter's name) although I don't think it was and I don't know enough about ravens to know where they are found. But it sure was making alot of noise, almost like it was trying to get our attention (I know I am stretching it here... lol ). ANYWAY, then afert he mall we hit the Barnes and Noble for a few.. and on the way out I happen to glance at the display right by the entrance/exit and saw the following book on display, "Ravens", by George Dawes Green.



Anyway, I just thought it was kinda funny and thought I would document it. I don't think our daughter is born yet, but you never know.

Also my sister gave me this cute photo album before we left for the mall, since she knows I have this ladybug obsession.. lol Thanks Kathy!




Let's see... what else is new.. Not too much... lol I did start working on putting our blog into scrapbook pages for a "Journey To Our Daughter" 12x12 photo book. I'm doing each month with a different digital scrapbooking kit (different colors/layouts, etc). I'm also adding some things I didn't blog about as I think of them. I'll end this photobook maybe with a referral picture! Then start a new one for from referral to meeting our daughter, or something like that. All I can say this is going to be one HUGE book as each month will have several pages, depending on how many posts there was for that month. Here is what the cover looks like, unless I decide to change it. I even ordered a single 12x12 page from Snapfish just to see how it would look full size. I really like how it came out. This is the low resolution version.

Random Pics

July Referrals

2 more days... March 21 & 22, 2006

27 Months...

Can you believe it?

Had to bring Goku (younger cat) to the vet today. Noticed yesterday that he was limping around holding his front paw up in the air, he wouldn't put any pressure on it, but he let me touch it and feel around adn it didn't seem to hurt him, only when he walked he was not using it. Doc said didn't feel like anything was broken and he could of just strained it and to see if after the weekend he starts using it before we do an xray. While at the vet he put him on the floor to watch him limp... and of course he didn't, he put pressure on it and found a corner to try and hide. As soon as he got home, limp limp limp. I think (hope) it's just a sprain from Yoshi chasing him. We have a little doggie door we put on the basement door when we moved in for the cats to get into the basement. Sometimes Yoshi, being the instictive hunter he is, will watch the cats come downstairs, wait till they are in between 2 "safe zones" (stairs going up and away from him and doggie door to basement) and then he'll chase them as they dive thru the doggie door trying to get a piece of cat leg or tail. Sometimes I hear then crashing thru the doggie door and tumbling down a few steps to get away. And then there are times where Jake can come up on the sofa with Yoshi lying there and there is no drama. Go figure.

More Scrap Stuff

Just playing around with some more scrap pages... practicing with shapes and different layouts. I'm probably starting to use the same photos in multiple pages, but I can always go back and put a different picture in if I want. Here's a couple more of the dogs.

I also started thinking what I want to put in the book I want to make of our journey to Raven. I'm probably going to take most of what I've been blogging (when I blog.. haha) and make layouts of each month up until referral, then I'll make another book of actually meeting Raven and the China trip and all that. I also want to start working on some pages for a lifebook for her, but I have to do more research on what should be included and maybe start collecting some digital scrap kits for that.

To start, I think I am going to go back to the beginning of the blog and start making layouts of everything there like making the decision to adopt, China, dossier preparation, etc.

I made this page for somewhere in the middle of the book since this journey is so long some months there is nothing really new for me to blog about. LOL But during some of the simple things in day to day life, I think of doing those same things once Raven is here. I try to imagine her in different scenarios, like at the park or the zoo or a carnival or just simple things like making cookies or reading bedtime stories. So here are some of those things.

Anyway, everyone have a good 4th!!

Random Scrap Pages/Pics

Not much going on here. Work. Eat. Sleep.

June Referals

March 15, 2006 - March 20, 2006

Another 6 days! Ok now let's get up to at least 15 days a month and we'll be really moving!

Happy Birthday Mom!

26 Months Waiting...

and waiting and waiting and waiting...

Just a few doggie pics...

So I've been playing around with digital scrapbooking more and made a few layouts of the dogs. Figured I might as well practice now so when Raven gets here I can whip up pages quickly... lol Can't wait till I can take pictures of her!!! I think the dogs are getting tired of me running after them with that little silver box all the time!

May Referrals

March 9-14, 2006

Woohoo, 6 days. Better than 2. I'll take it! lol

25 Months

I thought a speed limit sign would be appropriate for how fast this line is moving. Still here, still waiting.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all Mothers and Mothers-to-be!

Happy 4th Anniversary Babe!

I know hubby has forgotten that today is our 4th anniversary, he has no memory. We've been together since 2000 and I think he finally knows when my birthday is. LOL Well, what can you do? LOL I'll probably FYI him sometime during the day since he's off today, maybe. LOL Maybe I'll just tell him I posted something really interesting on the blog! LOL I'm so bad!

On a side note, I've been getting into Digital Scrapbooking recently. I think I'm addicted! I'll post more about that another time.

YES!

YES! YES! YES! It's soooo nice to know that a real-live human being actually physically touched our paperwork, that all is satisfactory with it and that it has been moved to the matching room!! Just to be in the matching room is exciting even if we still have to wait even longer (1, 2, 3 years?). The next time someone touches our paperwork should be to match us with our daughter! Wow. That just gives me goosebumps.

Congrats to all my fellow April '07 LID'ers!!

Puppy & Projects

Just wanted to post a couple of new pictures of the new puppy.. who is now 22lbs and growing fast! Here's Yoshi and Dexter is a moment of peace. Don't see this too often! LOL They are usually all over the place chasing each other and playing..LOUDLY! This is on our (or should I say "their"?) sofa with the lovely cover which as to be on at all times since we are such bad pet parents to let our dogs on the sofa.. LOL

Dexter was in the habit of eating his food while lying on the floor which I took as his bowl being too low for him to eat comfortably while standing, so I built him a stand. I had seem some online and in stores that were ridiculously expensive and figured I could build one fairly quickly for him, so here is my version on an elevated dog feeder. I think the bowls that fit in here are the 1 quart bowls. I also made one for when he gets bigger for the 2 quart bowls which I still have to stain or paint, then Yoshi can have this one. Yoshi already has a metal stand that lifts the bowls off the floor a bit and he doesn't have to bend so far to reach them. I read it's healthier for the dogs to have their food elevated, I believe it was 6" below their height at their shoulder. Dexter is still a little short for the first one but seems to like it. They definitely need their own stands because they can't eat in the same room together.. it ain't pretty! lol Working on that though. Dexter doesn't care if I put my hand in his food or pick it up or feed him out of my hand, but let Yoshi get anywhere even by the doorway to the room where he is eating and he growls like a 100lb dog. lol Well at least they keep me busy! lol

Soooooo apparently some of April 2007 is out of the Review Room!!! Wooohooo I can't wait till my agency lets us know we are out too!!! Hopefully it'll be soon!! It'll just me we are pretty much approved to adopt from China (2 years later) and we can rest a little easier. Then we move into the matching room to be matched with our daughter!! Of course, it'll still take a few more years probably, but just to be in the matching room finally would be great!

24 Months..

WOW! I just can't believe that 2 years have past since being logged in. That means 2 1/2 years since we decided to adopt. That is a loooong time. The wait time is up to 37 months I just read somewhere, which means for it to stay at 37 months (giving us another year) and not go higher, CCAA has to refer about a months worth of LIDs each month. I don't see that happening. I'd be happy if they started referring at least 15 days a month. That would give us another 27 months to wait. I don't think they've done 15 days since we've been logged in. I keep going back to checking other countries and agencies and requirements and time frames, but then remember that we don't have any money to do a concurrent adoption, so I don't know why I torture myself. It's just so sad that adoption is so expensive. We were fortunate that we were able to refinance 2 1/2 years ago to even start this adoption. I can't imagine if we didn't have that option. All I know is I am not ready to give in to being childless.

Ok.. pity party over. Thanks for "listening".

April Referrals - 2 Days

March 7 & 8, 2006

Dexter

No, not the serial killer (for those of you who watch). Here's our new addition to the family! Two weeks ago we went the animal league and brought home a puppy. He's 12 weeks old now and a little ball of energy. Yoshi gets along very well with Dexter, unless he's he's too tired to play and is cranky or Dexter goes by his food... lol We've been wanting to get Yoshi a playmate for some time now and Yoshi has been putting on some weight but he'll be getting plenty of exercise now that Dexter is here. Dexter is a Collie mix. From the picture in the last post you can see his paws are the same size if not a little bigger than Yoshi's already! This dog is going to be HUGE! I think they said 60-70 pounds. Yoshi is about 35 pounds. I had my mind set on getting a small to medium size dog, but I have no willpower. LOL I saw this little guy and he was so scared, had to break him out! So I've been dealing with some "potty training" accidents and training and trying to get some sleep at night. Dexter is a barker apparently, and he let's you know at 3AM that he is ready to start the day. Anyone got any tips on getting a puppy to sleep all night.. or at least not bark and whine and scream?

Here are some pics of the new little monster...

Been Busy...

...more to follow...

Happy Birthday Yoshi-Bear!

23 Months Waiting...

Wow. It's hard to believe it's been 23 months already. At least we are in the Review Room at this point! I wonder how long it'll take to get through. Hopefully we won't be questioned. Once we pass the review room I have "permission" to start working on the nursery. lol (As if I need permission.. lol) I'll probably start off slow and just paint and put some shelving in the closet, nothing crazy.

So for all you RQ junkies, speed up or no speed up? THAT is the question.