More Maggie Rose!

Check out these adorable pictures that came in our referral packet.

She looks so tiny!

Lady, give me my mom and dad, stat.

Look at that hair! Now, do you think they shaved the front and side of Maggie's head or does she just have super producing follicles towards the back?

Yes, Yes, Yes!

I FedExed a letter stating that we accept Maggie's referral this morning. Our agency's Child Match department should receive our acceptance letter on Monday and then will send it to China. China will then in turn give us approval to travel there to pick up Maggie. After our U.S. Consulate appointment is set in China, we will know our travel dates. I'm in a bit of a daze. After all these years, things are finally moving...fast!

The Stork Has Arrived!

Our FedEx guy arrived a few minutes ago. Of course, I made him take the traditional stork picture. At first when I asked to take his picture, he was taken aback but when I explained why he was very nice about it. He has friends who have adopted from other countries.

That package he's holding contained more pictures of Maggie Rose! I don't have a scanner so I won't be able to post her pictures for a while. You know, I thought that dark stuff on top of Maggie's head in her referral photo was the background, but it looks like that's her real hair! OMG!! Her other pictures show this big tuft of hair near the back of her head. Oh, I hope they don't shave Maggie's head before we pick her up. I want to put a bow in her lovely hair so badly!

Big Brothers!

We are so thrilled. We hope to receive more pictures of Miss Maggie tomorrow. Needless to say, it's been a pretty non productive day. Tomorrow I'll be on stork lookout as FedEx brings our little girl's referral packet.

Introducing Maggie Rose

Name: Yong Xiao Qing 

Translation: Dawn Celebration
DOB: 2/14/2011

Province: Hunan

Dear Maggie Rose

Dear Maggie Rose,

We are finally going to see your precious face tomorrow. Your mother, father and two brothers, Jack and Liam, are so excited! You will have two wonderful playmates when you arrive home. They are awnry sometimes but also very loving. Once you get to know them, you'll probably think they're some of the funniest boys you've ever met.

I have wanted you in my life for a very long time. When I was a little girl I wanted a little sister so badly. My mom finally told me, "You'll just have to have your own little girl someday." It's been many years since then, and more than five years since we began our China adoption journey. And now, it's time baby, time to get to know you through a picture and a few descriptions. Your daddy and I are so blessed. I hope you will one day love us as much as we already love you.

Love with lots of hugs and kisses,

Your Mommy

Here Comes Maggie - Tomorrow!

                       

7/27/2011                       Matches Arrived!!!
We just received a group of matches for our families who are logged in July 7, 2006.  We did not receive any matches for our families  who are expedited due to Chinese Descent.  We do not know the official cut off date at this time as the CCCWA has not updated their intranet  site.   Congratulations to our matched families!  We will be making match calls  tomorrow.  We will update this website when more information becomes available.

We will get the call tomorrow and finally hear about our precious girl! If my head could spin, it would right now.

China Update

This update was posted on our agency's website this afternoon:

7/20/2011

Preparing to work on Matches

The CCCWA is preparing paperwork to begin to work on matches. We do not know the log in dates for the next group of matches at this time nor do we have any further information.

We will update this website when more information becomes available.

So, if referrals are finished this week/early next week, we may just see Maggie Rose's face for the first time next week. I'm in a state of disbelief about China right now and about the amazing moment I may be experiencing soon. Maybe it's time I start waking up.

90 Miles in 90 Days

A few months ago, the city put a small gym in the building where I work. The equipment is leftover from the city's recreation facility so the machines are loud and some features don't work, but for me, they're just perfect. I can jog on an old treadmill during my lunch hour (for free) and tone some of my flabby areas.

A few months ago, the city began its 90 Miles in 90 Days program for employees. Employees were encouraged to complete 90 miles of walking, running, biking, etc. in 90 days. Those who completed this challenge were entered into a drawing. Well, I finished my 90 miles a few weeks ago. And I found out today that I won a bike!! I am so excited. Actually, a city employee called me to congratulate me and ending up informing me of my win because I had been in an edit suite and hadn't seen my notification e-mail. I meet my bike for the first time on Friday. Wee!

Now, I haven't rode a bike in ages. Not even sure my butt will stay on the seat. Don't even want to think what the back "bumper" will look like.

Weekend in Review

Last weekend, we attended a family reunion. When I was a kid I dreaded these get-togethers, bu when you get to a "certain" age, it seems like reunions are the only times big families get together besides funerals. My grandmother Mary, my father's mother, passed away many years ago but two of her brothers and one sister are still alive. Since I never knew Grandma Mary, I have talked to Aunt Janet about her in the past. I wish I'd had the time to talk to her brothers at the reunion but I was a little busy watching monkeys run around with their second cousins and one little monkey wanted to keep going where he shouldn't go.

Could it be this little monkey? He can't sit still, although he has been more cuddly lately. Those darn one year vaccinations and teething - not a good combination for a baby. Liam's hair looks really light in this picture. And his eyes - red. :)

Too bad the boys aren't old enough to help Grandpa with some heavy farm work. It would help if this was a real gator too.

Big Shoes to Fill

Someone had a little fun with my shoes tonight. I remember slipping on my dad's shoes when I was a kid. I thought dad had the biggest feet! Sadly, I think Jack has better looking legs than me. :(

Happy Birthday Little Man!

Liam turned a year old today. And to think - a year ago, we didn't know about our special guy. He was still a dream. Meeting his birth mother and grandmother was an incredible moment. And then we were able to visit with Liam. He was sleeping. Our lovely social worker said that he looked happy in my arms. He slept through most of our visit so who knows if that is really true but it was a comfort at the time. Liam also peed on me when I changed his diaper. It felt like an initiation of some sort, like, if you can handle this woman, wait till you see what else I can do.

Liam is an active little boy who never wants to slow down. He's always on the go but he's also shown tender moments like his cute open mouth kisses or his head butts which he thinks are terms of affection. I can't wait to discover more about my little man whom I still call my baby and probably always will even if it embarrasses him. I love you baby!

Mike loving on his boy.

Ready to be a big brother!

Ready to go home.

Maggie Rose's Quilt

When Mike and I began the China adoption process, I learned of a tradition among adoptive parents - the 100 Wishes Quilt. The quilt includes 100 different pieces of fabric, or in our case 130, from family and friends. Family members and friends also provide a wish for the child with a piece of the fabric to be placed in a scrapbook. That way, the recipient always knows who gave each wish and material.

With Maggie Rose's referral nearing, mom has been working hard to sew these blocks together and she has done an amazing job. I can't wait to go home this weekend and touch what I am seeing in these pictures. To me, quilts are a work of art. There is a lot of hard work and love invested in each one. And this one is for Maggie Rose. Isn't that beautiful!

More Pictures From the Party

Me and my nephew Christoper - why does almost everyone I know like to remind me that I'm vertically challenged?

Sam and Eli - who turned one last week. He and Liam are only eight days apart! Very special boys.

Jack and Aunt EE, a special woman who spoils Jack rotten.

Eli enjoying cake.

Yummy mommy!

Cousins, brothers and friends.

Liam's Birthday Party

Liam turns one year old this week! I can't believe it. I remember when he was just a little baby. Now my baby is turning into a little boy. Today, we hosted a birthday party for him at Pizza Hut. Thank goodness for air conditioning. I guess it's a good thing my mom nagged me until I changed the location from a park to PH.

It took Liam just a little while to realize that he could make a big mess and did he ever! Look at that impish grin. What a cutie! We were so blessed to have many of our family and friends present at his party - they were the best presents!

A big birthday shout out to my dad who celebrated his birthday today. Mike's and my brother Doug's birthdays are also coming up. So many July b-days!

Coffee Break

So, I'm enjoying a visit with someone this morning and drinking (real) coffee, then I leave and realize that I have coffee stains on the right side of my shirt. Seriously, it's looks like I'm leaking. And we have a shoot with the City Manager this morning. Could things get any better? Life makes me laugh. Happy Friday!

Five Year Anniversary

Chart taken from Rumor Queen.

Today marks five years since the day we were logged into the China adoption process. On that day, the social welfare institute in China received our official papers and stamped them with the date 07/07/06. Then put them in a pile with other July 07, 2006 prospective adoptive families. Wow, it's hard to believe it's been five years. And those five years do not include the additional 8 months or so it took us to gather all of our paperwork for China.

As I looked through documents today, I came across a letter to a Secret Pal back in 2007. At the time I lamented the two year wait being better than a three year wait. Ha, if I had only known.

Unless China somehow misses me like some families who were logged in June 2006 and still have not received their referrals, we should receive Maggie's referral by the end of July/early August. Last night, I had a dream of a five month old girl who had a little scratch on one side of her head. I wish I had woken up at the time and written her name down. She had several. I thought one was Heshe which doesn't make sense and seems about normal for one of my dreams. I even saw Maggie's face which may have been inspired by the beautiful faces belonging to girls who were referred last month to a couple of friends in my Yahoo group. They are now anxiously awaiting their Travel Approval so they can bring home their precious daughters.

According to Rumor Queen, we should start hearing rumors in a couple of weeks or so. Based on the timing of past referrals, our referral is predicted to arrive between July 22 and August 16, but most likely will arrive between July 29 and August 4.

Happy Fourth of July!

Liam's first swim!

We spent the day at my brother Billy's in-laws. They live on a lake so it was a great opportunity for the boys to test their sea legs. Although Liam wasn't too thrilled when the bigger kids would splash water, he seemed to mostly enjoy his first time swimming.

The boys enjoyed riding on a mechanical horse. Good thing we knew the owner who opened the quarter box and let them keep riding.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth! We sure did.

What Liam Wants For His Upcoming Birthday

Necklace? Check. Pink comb? Check. Random cardboard box? Check. How about some new blinds?

I Come In Peace

Now, change my dirty diaper.