Rejuvenating Mini Vacay!

After missing our trip to BC earlier in the month, Sharon and I were able to head north for a few days of rest, relaxation, spiritual replenishment, fun and laughter! Ahhhh....just what the doctor ordered! Her hubby Larry was volunteering in the kitchen at nearby Camp Mini-Yo-We that made it's mark on the map when it was used to film the 1995 movie, 'It Takes Two' starring Mary K*te and Ashley 0lsen. I'm guessing Larry's glad he wasn't there during the taping of the food fight scene although I'm thinking it would have been a blast!!

We left home Sunday afternoon on a high as Grandpa had been able to come home last weekend for his very first overnight! He did SO well and we're looking forward to bringing him home again tomorrow. He is doing really well and we're taking things one day at a time, seeking God's guidance and leadership as to what His plans are for Grandpa's care.

The weather was forecasted to rain all 4 days that we were at the trailer but that didn't matter to us. In the end it was a wonderful combination of sun, rain and everything in between! Our Pastor was one of the guest pastors this week and we were blessed to learn much from him. He was teaching from the book of Ruth and one of the messages that spoke to my heart was seeking God during the waiting times of our lives and not sitting idle during the waiting. Yes...that one I have covered!

It was a wonderful reminder that God has plans for our lives right now, and we are to seek Him now even as we wait for our little ones. We are to be 'Traffickers of Hope' to those around us. I thought that was a neat term. I pray that during this time of waiting God is using me as a 'Trafficker of Hope' to other families whose hearts also long, and arms ache, for their little ones to be home. Hannah is so close and she is never far from my heart and I dare say an hour goes by without my heart and mind wandering to thoughts of her. Thank you Lord for being with me during this waiting time and for all that You are teaching me.

Tuesday afternoon started off rainy so after chapel we headed to Bracebridge and went to a little ceramics store. We'd wanted to do this last summer but had not been able to so it was on this years wish list of things to do. What a wonderful, relaxing afternoon we shared together! We both chose the same piece but the end product (at least the mid products as they're still away being fired) were oh so different and unique. It will be exciting to see what they look like after being fired! We're already planning our next pieces and hoping that we have another opportunity either there or at a place close to home to paint another piece. It would also be a fun afternoon to share with Rebecca and Victoria.

Wednesday was Canada Day and we took advantage of the times that the sun shone to be out of the deck reading and sharing time together.

Thanks for a wonderful mini vacay Sharon! Love you friend. So thankful for the friendship that God has blessed us with!

Phew!! Now THAT Was A Day!!!

Thank you...thank you...THANK YOU!!! Yesterday was an exciting day that in many ways was amazingly humbling.

The excitement of potentially receiving Hannah's referral was first and foremost in my mind all-day-long!! I'm not sure my feet hit the ground the entire day and the girls at work just kept laughing at me (and with me) and were SO encouraging! They found themselves thinking of their children, talking about them more and one gal even changed her screen saver to a picture of her 3 beautiful children. It truly was a day when family was celebrated even though I did not receive Hannah's referral.

My email box overflowed with well wishes, excitement, threats of heart attacks if I didn't call my agency again ;o) and more than anything love, love, love!! I received many encouraging emails and spent much of the day trying to work while at the same time my mind was all over the place!! Rumor Queen was refreshed frequently as I looked to see if any other agencies were receiving referrals or anticipating referrals. In the end it appears this was an anomaly and only 1 agency received referrals. This has happened one other time as I have waited for Hannah. We're never sure why it happens but sometimes it does and we just need to accept it and celebrate with those who are blessed to receive their unexpected referrals. One of my fellow 'GTA Waiting Mommies' received her referral. Congratulations Lori!!

What has also happened is that my heart is once again opening to the possibility that July could be Hannah month! *GASP!!* I could be seeing my sweet baby's face in a matter of weeks!!!

Thank you again! I am thrilled to be sharing this journey with you and am thankful for all the love and support you showed during yesterday's excitement! I can't imagine what referral day will be like!!! SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing Yet....I Think These are Braxton Hicks Contractions!

OK...have done VERY LITTLE today other than email people, refresh RQ and jump around giggling like a silly school girl!! The girls at work are just laughing at me and getting excited along with me!! Not sure if I'm in labour or if these are Braxton Hicks contractions but whatever....they're EXCITING!!!

Just spoke with my agency and she has not received anything yet. What I did learn is that she does not get any forewarning that a package is coming. No tracking number to trace. No DHL to stock....just a ring of the doorbell will tell her that the next batch of referrals has arrived!!!

So what does this mean? It means that nothing has happened yet. Yah, that's helpful isn't it?!!

I truly believe that the batch received by Children's Bridge was an anomoly and not an indication that other referrals will be received today. I'm basing this on the fact that no other agency in the entire world is reporting referrals.

So, what do I think? (Because you know I have an opinion!) is that the next referrals won't arrive until mid-late July but I now have renewed hope that Hannah's referral will be included in those referrals!!! Breathe....breathe!

Could It Be True??????????? Breathe.....BREATHE!!!

This will be quick as I have SO many more questions than answers and still waiting to hear back from many people.

I logged into my email tonight to find numerous emails from friends stating that their Canadian agency (NOT my agency) made referral calls today for their families logged in on March 21/06 and March 23/06 families!!!!

I've emailed my agency to see if they're expecting a package but have not heard back from them. I really don't anticipate that they are but, if this rumour is true then it does look really, really, REALLY good for me receiving Hannah's referral in just a few weeks!!!! I may be eating that Humble Pie after all!!! With pleasure!

I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Breathe Cath.....BREATHE!!!

** 7:00am Friday, June 26th UPDATE **

At this time I have not heard anything new. Still waiting to hear back from my agency to see if they're expecting any packages from China. I'll wait until 9am and try calling her.

I've confirmed by snooping around that families with this other Ontario agency having LID's of March 21st and March 23rd DID receive referral calls yesterday based on what they wrote in chat rooms and on Rumor Queen.

Celebrating 39 months Closer to Hannah!

39 months ago on March 23, 2006 my file was logged with the China Center of Adoption Affairs and now I am OHSOCLOSE to receiving Hannah's referral!!! 39 down and only 1 or 2 to go! Wheee!!!

God has been my continued strength and guide through this entire process. He has provided peace and comfort during the wait. The wait has been so much more than I had ever anticipated but not one second longer than God knew it would be! He was just keeping this part a secret. :o)

Will 39 be my last log in date celebration before Hannah's referral? I don't really think so but I believe 40 will be it! Now, should I be wrong and Hannah's referral arrive in July, I'll happily serve myself up a big ole helping of Humble Pie!!

I am so thankful for each of you too! Some of you are new friends I know only through comments and emails; others we've met in person; some have become treasured friends that feel like we've known one another for years and others are family and friends who knew me 'pre-adoption' days and have been supporters and my biggest cheerleaders. To each of you...THANK YOU!!!

39 closer and the end is in sight!!!! Can you believe it?????? Soon, very, very soon we will all know who Hannah is...the baby girl God planned long ago to be my daughter and I, her Mom!!!

A Day of Fun from Beginning to End!! Part III - Smores!!

Mmmm...is there a summertime campfire treat that's any better than smores? I don't think so!

These pics need no explanation (other than names) so I'll let them stand alone.

Ryleigh

Austin

Ro

Ree

Perfectly toasted marshmallows. Thanks Mark!

We had such a great time visiting with you Stacey and Mark!! Thanks so much for the delicious supper and smores afterwards!

A Day of Fun from Beginning to End!! Part II - Bloggy Bash on the Beach!!

What an amazing treat it was to meet up with some bloggy friends on the beach in Monterey! It was pretty cold when we arrived and we thought we might not stay for long but we got to talking, the kids were playing in the sand and before we knew it the sun was out, it warmed up for a bit and it was beautiful!!

The bloggy group consisted of (from l to r) Kayce, me, Stacey with Ryleigh and M3 with Ro.

I'd had had the privilege of meeting Stacey in February at a CNY party but this was the first time to meet Kayce! We hit it off immediately and just like so many other times when I've meet bloggy friends, it was like we'd known one another for years. Following one anothers blogs allows us a glimpse into each other's lives so meeting in person is just a wonderful extension of that online friendship!

An added part of the excitement is that Kayce and her husband Mark have a LID of March 29th so only 6 days behind me. It was wonderful to get excited together and talk about baby stuff knowing that we'll both be receiving referrals SOON!!

Stacey and her adorable Ryleigh chit chatting with us in the sand while big brother Austin and daddy went crab hunting. Guess they were successful! Poor Stacey about freaked out (and I don't blame her!!) when one of these crabs got loose and decided her pant leg was the next place to climb. No thank you!!! Someone quickly grabbed it thankfully!

The girls using Tuba Dad as a human monkey bar!

Ro enjoying some Daddy time while

Ree enjoys some time with Mommy.

It was a wonderful afternoon of talking, laughter, chatting about referrals and so much more!! It was great to see Stacey again and so good to meet you Kayce!! Next time I'm in town we'll have to get together and we'll have the babies with us!! Wheee!!!

A Day of Fun from Beginning to End!! Part I - Monterey Aquarium

Saturday was a wonderful day of family fun!! We began the day bright and early and headed to the Monterey Aquarium. What a great place with tons of beautiful fish and so many other interesting things too! Fun!!

Daddy helping Ree climb her favourite rock

Ro imitating the fish that swim with their mouths wide open

Ro and the shiny fish

Climbing the seahorse in the seahorse exhibit which was fascinating!

A huge school of fish! They were so interesting to watch!

Family fun at the hands-on water exhibit

My mermaid impression.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

Hi Dad! Sorry we can't be together today but so happy we were able to celebrate together last week! Soon you'll have another granddaughter to add to your day of celebration!!

Love you!!

This morning we're enjoying a slow, leisurely, quiet morning at the Villa da Salsa. I woke early suddenly panicked that I wouldn't have any way to recored 'THE CALL' should it come in the next month, so hopped online and began researching the 'Flip' that I've heard so much about. After reading many reviews, discussing the different model options with M3, and being thankful that they've recently been made available in Canada, I went ahead and ordered a Flip UltraHD Camcorder. I'm excited for it to arrive within the next week or so and get familiar with it! Guess this means I should finally file my taxes for 2008! (In Canada we don't have a filing deadline when receiving a refund so they're technically not late even though I am letting the govn't use my teeny, tiny bit of refund money. Better change that soon!)

While I was doing my research I could hear little girl voices giggling downstairs. With it being Father's Day I let them hang out with mommy as they prepared him breakfast in bed for daddy. You can imagine my surprise when a short time later b'fast was delivered to me too!! Mmmmm.... a happy face made of toast, cheerios and bacon! Served with Cherry Coke to drink. These girls know me well!!

While M3 and I were chatting the little girls decided they needed my comforter to make a bed for themselves so that they could nap on the floor. After explaining to us that they needed us to whisper so that they could 'nap' (which lasted all of 3.2 seconds!!) they were off to hang with daddy once again!

The time difference also allowed me to call my Dad and Grandpa too to wish them a Happy Father's Day! Cool!! Mondern technology rocks!

Now, I'd best finish this post and get myself out of bed before M3 thinks I'm waiting for lunch to be served in bed too! Although, what would be wrong with that??

**Update**
This is what I found when I went downstairs a few minutes ago. Looks like M3 found my chocolate stash while she was was preparing b'fast in bed. (Don't worry Scott, she's only a milk chocolate kinda gal so yours is safe!) Oh well, her eating this ENTIRE chocolate bar for b'fast makes for a good story and this afternoon I'll hit the store and restock before packing tomorrow. All being said, I'm guessing it's a really good thing that I can do my final restock at the airport just prior to flying out as she and I have polished off more chocolate this week than either of us will admit!!!

Thank You and Friday Fun at the Pool!!

THANK YOU for all your comments of excitement and encouragement! As M3 and I were talking in the car tonight after another great day together (will blog more tomorrow) we talked about what a wonderful blessing our blogs and the friendships they have introduced us to, are!! I am humbled over and over again by the people who have taken an interest in my little corner of the world and more importantly, in Hannah's adoption!! I have had the privilege of meeting many of you in person and many new friendships have been formed in person, or here via the blog. Even though many of us have never met face to face, you are appreciated and thought of as friends! I said to M3 that I feel badly for those who have missed this opportunity of meeting people who share such a unique bond. You have been and continue to be an encouragement as Hannah and I prepare to meet one another. Also, many of you are ahead of me and already have your children home and you will be my source of contact when I face the many new situations that will come with having a daughter who will most likely have spent the first number of months of her life being cared for in an orphanage. Your experiences will be ones that I draw on again and again. Hannah's referral may be just around the corner but our friendships have just begun! That's exciting!

Also, kudos to M and M for picking up on the pictures taken at home before I left for vacation. Just prior to locking up my desk to head out I remembered to take a series of pictures of potential referral groups. I must admit that as I took more and more beads out of the jar on the left and moved them to the right, my heart beat a little (ok...A LOT) faster!! I can't wait to go back to work on Tuesday and move the beads for real! Wow...6 beads over and only 3 left!! (The stats located in the sidebar will also be changed once returning to work as those files are located on my work computer.) An updated referral statistics chart (tracking referrals for the past 3 1/2 years) will be uploaded then too.

For now I want to share some pics and videos of Friday afternoon's pool fun. The girls have changed immensely as these pictures show.
Ree 2008

Ree 2009

Ro 2008

Ro 2009














Check out how independant they are this year!!



Using me as a human jungle gym which you can tell I don't mind one single bit!!


During our time at the pool Tuba Dad came home from his business trip. I saw him coming so was able to catch the girl's excitement on video. Too cute!!!


Once dad was there he was the only one they wanted to be with and who could blame them!! Catching Dad up on all the adventures of their week.

Happy Father's Day Tuba Dad!!

6 Days of Referrals Sent....Only THREE Remain!!!

Wheee!!! As M3 would put it, I'm 'ohsoclose' to receiving Hannah's referral now!!! Today referrals were sent for families whose Log in Dates (LIDs) were March 15 - 20, 2006. What is my LID? MARCH 23rd!!! Yes, only THREE, count 'em 3 LID's left to be matched until I see my sweet baby girl's face!!! Hannah has had a name for 4 1/2 years now and soon she will have a Chinese name, birth date, place of birth, personality and precious, precious little face!!

Now, I need to be honest with you and let you know that I believe my referral will be delayed a month from what I have been anticipating and will now happen in August rather than July. Even though there are only 3 days left, they are all dates with large numbers of families logged in based on Rumor Queen polls which I base my guesstimations on. The poll I have been using since November 2008 has seen an average of 63 families placed in each referral batch. The number of families from this same poll that need to be matched for them to get to me is 108 families. A quick look at the math and it appears that July will not be my month but August.

Now, I could be wrong, CCAA could do a large batch and I would be thrilled to be served up a big ole serving of humble pie!

Regardless, I know that God is in control and He knows exactly when 'The Call' will come! Trusting Him and counting down the days until the next referral batches are sent out! Sleepness nights filled with the wonder of anticipation coming up is my guess.

Hannah, Mommy is waiting for you and I pray for you daily sweet baby girl. You are never far from my thoughts and always in my heart. I love you already!

Love you baby girl! Mommy xoxo

Hanging Out with Wela and BobBob

The days are flying by at an alarming rate and I just want them to slow down!! M3 and I comment often about the time we spend together just enjoying doing whatever it is that crosses our path. We're often found playing with the girls or reading to them and other times when they're at preschool or napping we blog (surprise, surprise!), tidy the house, shop or talk. talk and talk some more!! The friendship we share is a precious gift and I am oh so thankful for it! 18 months ago I'd been to CA exactly once in my life and now I've been blessed to be here 4 times in the past year and a half and each one of those trips has been a precious gift of time with a treasured friend and her amazing family!!

Speaking of family, M3's doesn't end with herself, Tuba Dad, Ro and Ree. Her parents, fondly known as Wela and BobBob, are part of the Salsa package deal and I couldn't be more thankful! Tonight we loaded the girls into the van and headed to Wela and BobBob's for a yummy salmon dinner. Deeelish and made all the better when Wela served up some of her famous Apricot Dream Bars for dessert. (Uh oh! Just typing that caused my mouth to water and my mind to wander to the container on the kitchen table housing the Dream Bars Wela sent home with us. Oh the quandary...blog...enjoy a snack...blog....hmmmmm.... I'll let you know what won out at the end)

After supper we went for a beautiful walk near their home. Wow! So much to see! Deer, wild rabbits, bee hives and fruit I normally only see in the grocery store. BobBob plucked a delicious orange right off one of his trees for me!

The girls were super excited to go for our walk after supper and introduce me to, 'Da big gwass hill!'

It didn't take long to see why the girls loved this hill...they were able to toboggan California style! I'm not sure if it was a first for them or not but from the giggles and laughter and shouts for 'More pweese, more!' it was easy to see that this would become a new activity at BobBob and Wela's!!

It was great and I have to say, there is a lot to be said about tobogganing on the grass: it's warm; the hill is much easier to walk up when not covered with ice and snow; it's warm; and probably my favourite: there's not the snow pants, coat, hat, scarf, boots and mitts to stuggle into over a 15 min period only to hear your child say, 'I have to go to the bathroom!!!' Oh yes, we Canadian's know it well!

I took my turn taking the girls down the hill but somehow managed to lose Ro as she did a nose dive into the grass. Oops! She climbed right back on and off we went. Pulling a 'toboggan' in blingy flip flops.....who woulda thunk it?? (And yes, I'm still in lurve with my flip flops and now have made it my mission...and taken M3 down with me...to find another pair before headed home. Must-have-more-Yellow-Box-flip-flops! Don't worry Carol, I'll pull you into this dark hole of flip flop lovliness with M3 and I! Joybells, come join us!)

Back to the tobogganing fun. BobBob, ever the handyman, rigged up a rope to help pull the toboggan up and down the hill. I can't hazard to guess the number of times he pulled 2 adorable, laughing, screaming, giggling, hysterical little girls down the hill only to hear them beg for more before the sled had even ground to a stop at the bottom! (M3 caught some great video! Check back on her site tomorrow to catch the fun in action!)

After all the tobogganing fun it was time for 2 tired big girls...and 2 still energetic little girls, to head home! We were all really surprised when we turned a corner near home and this is what we saw...an entire field of goats that had been hired to 'cut the grass.' So much fun!

Once home it was pj time and after a game of Crazy 8's, bed. Wela had bought them some new pj's and oh my are they cute!! Ree on the left and Ro on the right were showing M3 and I some of their fashion posing skills!

M3, I cannot begin to tell you how much I love spending time with you and your family!! I am so thankful that even though we live in 2 seperate countries and thousands of miles apart, that doesn't affect our friendship in the least! You are a precious friend and I cherish the times we spend together! Love you!

Now, about the quandary I faced earlier. I'm not saying what happened but we'll let the picture speak for itself! Mmmmm...night! I'm going to dream of yummy apricot sweetness.

When You're 3, Life is Just Silly!

Phew!! It's 8:30pm and M3 and I are sitting on the couch, recliners out with laptops perched atop our legs. We made it through the day which at times seemed questionable! I tell you...whoever said, '3 is the new 2' was oh so right!!

Ro and Ree are as adorable as ever but today they were ummm, what shall we say, 'spicy'?!! Yes, that's a good word! It was a non-preschool day so we cruised around at a slower pace in the morning. They both slept in...if you can call getting up at 7:12 rather than 7:00 'sleeping in.' They still have clocks in their rooms and know to wait until the first number is a 7 before leaving their rooms. Yesterday morning my door opened and 2 adorable little eyes were peeking in at me. A little voice asked, 'Cafrin?...said with a long A sound....Your cwock say seben?' and when I agreed that it did, Ree did a little skip, jumped up in bed with me and snuggled in. Oh I tell you, there's nothing like lovins from a little one! Tonight Ro came over and suddenly planted a kiss on my cheek. Warmed me through and through!

Back to this morning. M3 and I decided last night to treat the girls to pancakes using the 'Batter Blaster.' Pancakes made easy for sure! The girls love to help in the kitchen and I'm continually amazed at just how much they can do! They help with coffee, baking, cooking and so much more. They require a little guidance but basically with a little help are able to do so much! They even clean up afterwards. Bonus!!

Today's baking adventure started when they donned their gingerbread aprons and ran around the kitchen singing the song, 'Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!'
Ro

Ree

While we eventually had a number of yummy pancakes to enjoy for breakfast (what a great idea to make them dollar size and serve as fingerfood with syrup to dip them in!) our baking time was not without it's challenges. The girl's spicyness came out and the baking was interupted on a fairly frequent basis with one girl or another heading into time-out and then coming back in to pick up with the baking where she left off. I tell you, M3 is AMAZING with these girls and they know their limits. They push them and when they push too far it means a trip into time-out but she's fair, consistant and the girls go without question. Often with wimpers, crying or sad little faces but to time-out they go the very first time they're told. Once again I'm learning so much from this great mom!! M3, I stand in awe at all you do with your precious little girls!

We attempted to take pics of them in the cute outfits they had chosen today but by the way breakfast had gone we should have known it wasn't going to go well. It was a quick photoshoot and we were on to gymnastics. What we didn't know at the time was that it would be their last gymnastics class...at least for now. The girls love, love, love being together and as the title of my post says, 'When you're 3, life is just silly!' Ro and Ree are the cutest little girls who can giggle like none other! Just a glance from the other can cause bursts of uncontrolable giggles to erupt time and time again. A while back M3 put the girls in different gymnastics classes to try and curb some of their energy. Each week one girl was in parent 'n tot class with M3 while the other was in a class with other toddlers where the parents weren't with them. This morning Ree was on her own and had energy to burn. The coach was a younger gal and about half-way through the class Ree was brought back to us and said that she couldn't be in the class any longer. Oops! Guess the girls will be trying something else right now. Variety is the spice of life so it will be neat to see what they try next!

Lunch was a picnic at the park and then it was ahhhhhh.... nap time!! It's days like today that naps are an especially big treat, for us at least!

LOL! Here were our coping mechanisms for the day of silliness. M3 checking out the 'mommy juice'

Yes, that's an ice cube in her teeny tiny glass of bubbly. :o)

Me with the chocolate, peanut butter cup ice cream Tuba Dad bought before he left. Thanks TD!!


The girls woke up still overflowing with lots of energy so we quickly revamped our plans of going out for a crab dinner. The last thing 2 excitable little girls need is to be asked to sit quietly in a restaurant. That just wouldn't be fair to them so we enjoyed a lasagna dinner at home and then went for a nice long walk in the neighbourhood, played at the park and then it was bedtime once again.

While it was a long day I have to tell you that the girls didn't argue or fight. They just don't do that. What they do is laugh, giggle and totally enjoy one another! Today was a silly day and I must say, being 3 rocks!!

When you're 3, life is just silly! And I think many of us would do well to spend a day being 3 every once in a while and take some time to smell the flowers while wearing a tutu and mismatched shoes!

'Cafrin....Why you take Ro's Kittycat boots???'

That was the question that was posed to me by an adorable little 3yo voice on the phone a few weeks back. The phone had rung and the call display showed me it was my wonderful friend in CA. Yay! It's always great to chat with M3 on the phone and catch up but this was not to be initially. No, it was not M3 calling (she was too busy laughing hysterically in the background) and in turn I was being grilled by a 3yo about the whereabouts of her sister's kitty catboots! And oh boy...this little girl was not backing down easily!!

Let's go back to February's visit when M3 mentioned she had a bucket in the garage of things she had put aside for Hannah. Inside it were the adorable Easter dresses from the year before, shoes, clothes, oh so cute bathing suits and....'the' pink kittycat boots! At the time the girls showed a little concern for the boots but when we explained they were too small for them they were appeased....or so we thought!!

Earlier this year M3 started Fashion Friday's and often one of the girls would choose to wear the green froggy boots that coordinated with the pink ones and oh the guilt I would feel!! Seeing their adorable outfits minus the boots that I knew were tucked away for Hannah made me cringe. I asked a few times about mailing them back but since M3 and I were both convinced that they no longer fit we decided they'd stay with me. That was before the phone call and surprise trip so you know it...the very first thing in the suitcase were those pink boots!!

Oh the glee when Ro found her boots had returned! She put them on (yes, the size was mismarked and they fit just fine) danced around and basically has worn them most of the time since.

M3 and I attempted to take a video of the girls telling us the kitty boot story but the first one was cut short when Ro decided that the sandbox of sand in the bottom of her boot was just a little too uncomfortable to continue. M3 say's I've got the mommy voice down already when you hear my, 'Oh great!'


The 2nd attempt was more successful. Here's the girls understanding of the travels of the pink kitty boots:


And if you think the guilt is over...umm, nope! Did you catch Ree's comment towards the end of the video? She now wants to follow up on the bathing suits that also headed home last trip. Even today at the park Ree said we were flying to Canada to find the missing bathing suits! Oye vey!!

Greetings from Salsaville!

Yay!! It's a wonderful treat to be hanging out with some extra special friends again! This was a surprise trip that came about at the last minute but that only adds to the fun! I arrived yesterday afternoon and the fun began immediately. When the girls woke up from their naps we headed out to supper at Chuck E Cheese's. A great time was had by all! The girls have some unique ways of riding the rides that's for sure! Who knew Clifford's nose was actually a seat??

Today after dropping the girls off at preschool M3 and I headed out for a belated birthday pedicure. When I was here in February we went for birthday pedi's for M3's b'day and this month when we found out I was able to come out she said we'd go again. Yay! A pedi is such a treat and even more so when shared with a friend!

M3 also helped me find my very first pair of flip flops. Can you believe I've never owned flip flops in my entire life??? What's up with that? Normally when I've tried them on that toe thingy has bugged me but she introduced me to 'Yellow Box' flip flops and oh my...they're like pillow slippers! I wore them for the entire day and my feet felt mahhhvelous!

The afternoon was spent hanging out at the Seniors BING0 Hall with Wela and her friends. Here she is ~ up to no good with her friend Janet.

M3 quickly found out that these people take their BING0 seriously! (Well...except for our group ~ see pic above) and she was a little nervous about the whole thing. She decided that the garbage bag intended to hold our losing BING0 cards could be used for other purposes if the stress became too much for her. Thankfully it wasn't needed for that but by the end it did hold our entire table's worth of losing BING0 cards. We learned a tough lesson today. Did you know that if you have a BING0 and don't call it before the next number is officially called that it's too late and you're no longer eligible to win?? We didn't but let's just say someone at our table found out the hard way. Yuck! The good news is that I didn't embarass our group this time by calling a fake BING0, much to the relief of all of us!

M3 brought some of the BING0 cards home with her and the girls quickly picked up on the fun! Go Ree!

PS - For those checking in for lots of pics of the adorable Ro and Ree, please know that I am trying but due to the sheer speed these cuties travel at it's not an easy task catching them in action. I'll keep trying though and promise more tomorrow. M3 and I have posts on the way....one story from 2 different angles. Check in tomorrow for all the fun details.

A Bit of This `n That and...Hey, That Wasn`t So Bad!

As you can tell, life has been a little busy and not a lot of new or unusual stuff has been happening so posts have been few and far between. That will all change soon as I head out for some Salsa lovins in just a few sleeps! Yay! This trip was an unplanned surprise when sadly Sharon and I had to cancel our BC trip due to her dad`s health. Please continue to pray for grandpa. He`s doing some better but his family are still faced with challenges and our heart`s desire is that he is moved closer to home as `the system` moved him to a location 35 mins away from home a couple of weeks ago. The travel makes life more challenging for sure but so far we`ve still been able to spend time with grandpa on a daily basis. For that we are thankful. A little tired...but thankful. Trusting God as we wait to see what plans He has for grandpa's continued care.

Tonight he and I went out on a `date` to Swiss Chalet. What fun!! It was adorable when I showed up at the hospital and he was waiting for me at the nurse`s station. He knew I was coming to take him out for dinner so he surprised the nurses and me by dressing up in a shirt and tie for our date! We had fun and I know it was a treat for him to get out of the hospital for a couple of hours too. Love you Grandpa!

A HUGE congrats to Kris who recently received a referral for her sweet daughter Ellis Gao Mei. Oh Kris....Ellis is an adorable little girl!!! You have waited so long and so patiently and I am SOOOO happy for you!! Congratulations!!

Now, how do I segway to my next topic? Guess there isn`t an easy way so I`ll just jump in there. This week I experienced my first m*mmo. Hmmmm...interesting. Not nearly as uncomfortable as I`d thought but I believe a lot of that has to do with the new machines they have compared to those I've heard of in the past. It took only a few minutes, was a little uncomfortable but nothing like what my mind had created it to be. I'd heard they'd squish the girls to shapes they'd never known before but this just wasn't the case. Thankful for modern technology! If you're of an age that this is something you should be having done I'd recommend you not let the fear of the potential pain stand in your way. It was a little uncomfortable for seconds each time but never once painful.

Now, if you've been around here for any amount of time you know that I have a way of creating 'situations' for myself even when I don't try to! Hmmm...the infamous crazy glue post comes to mind. As much as I was happy with how well my first m*mmo experience went, I guess I was a little more nervous than I realized and when she was done I just wanted to get out of there! I dressed quickly and headed to work breathing a huge sigh of relief. Fast forward 2 hours later when suddenly I remember the ummm...'bandaids'... with the metal beads that the technitian had me put on the tip of each of the girls. Sure enough a quick check (TMI??) and I realized that they were still there!! Oops! Thankful to be wearing a slightly bulky sweater that day...and for not flying and having had to have passed through a metal detector at the airport...I decided to leave them in place until I wasn't in the middle of the coffee shop! Can't imagine how I would have explained this one if I had been flying! Anyway, later in the day I was able to remove the bandaids. Note to all: DO NOT rip them off quickly like a normal bandaid! **OUCH!!!** Attempting to do so will encourage an instant yelp, tears and wonder as to how bad it would be to wear these bandaids permanently??? Deciding that wasn't an option with my upcoming flight to Salsaland on Monday it was time to remove those things and I'd say slow and steady wins the race.

What's the moral of this story? The worst part of the entire m*mmo was removing those silly bandaids! I'm wondering if they used crazy glue on them??

A Weekend We've Waited Over 3 months For!!

What a wonderful gift this weekend was! Grandpa has been in the hospital for 3 months now and this weekend was an extra special treat as we were able to bring him home for the day Saturday and then again on Sunday!! Two weeks ago 'the system' moved him to a new hospital which rather than being 5 minutes from family is now 35 minutes away. The added drive has been a challenge but we have still managed to work it out that someone is with Grandpa each day and again in the evenings. After a bit of regression when he was first moved, Grandpa has been getting increasingly stronger and healthier and last week we thanked God that the catheter which had been causing him great pain was removed. He's done really well without it and we're praying he can continue without it! It's amazing what you find yourself praying for when a loved one is ill. :o)

Here are some pics of the weekend we shared together.

Grandpa enjoying time at Sharon's. When he first got into the car he was quiet but told us he was just 'soaking it all in.'

Entertaining us with the one piece he plays on the piano.

Helping Larry with the lunch dishes. Hey, it couldn't be all play and no work could it? Grandpa loves to do the dishes and was in his glory doing some normal daily tasks. Hmmm...wonder if I can convince him next time that he'd like to dust my place?

Sharon and Grandma sharing time together. We're all so thankful for the gift of having Grandpa home this weekend!! Thank you Lord!

Cuddling on the swing, just like old times.

Relaxing on the front lawn, just enjoying being outside in the sunshine and fresh air. Things we take for granted the Grandpa now appreciates so much!

Smooching on the front lawn. Caught ya!

A sweet hug for Sharon when he found out that we were going to return again Sunday morning, take him to church and home for the remainder of the day.

Sunday was another wonderful day and Grandpa went home for a few hours to the home he shares with Grandma. An emotional day and he did so well but oh how it broke our hearts to take him back to the hospital again this evening. Already planning for the next time we can bring him home!

Love you so much Grandpa!! xoxo

Two New Families Formed!!

Today was another amazing day as friends were introduced to their precious children!

Meggie met Mommy and Daddy in Vietnam. Leslie and I became friends while working at a local scrapbooking store a number of years ago and our friendship was renewed when we both began international adoptions. Congratulations Leslie and Shane!!

Pug Baby met her wonderful Pug Mama and Big Daddy earlier today too. What an adorable little sweetie she is! Congratulations Pug Mama and Big Daddy!!

So very, very happy for both of these friends!!

Thankful for Safety

Yesterday afternoon as Norma, Joel and I were headed out for break we noticed sirens but really didn't think too much about it. Working in the downtown area just 2 blocks from the police station, sirens are just a part of daily events. I was surprised on my way home 2 hours later to learn that there was a train derailment only about 5kms. from our office. Thankfully nobody was hurt but it was a close call as freight cars and some carrying chemicals went off the tracks and tumbled into people's back yards.

Tonight when Sharon and I were out I decided to see if we could get near the scene. I was shocked when we were allowed to drive right up to the area where they are cleaning up from the accident and we saw how bad it was and also how close it had been to people's homes. It reaffirmed how thankful I am that nobody was hurt!

Here are a few pics I took and the final pic (showing how close it came to people`s homes) is one from the newspaper.

The thing I am most thankful for is that this accident didn't happen 10 minutes earlier. The home my parents live in is the one I was in from an early teen. This exact train rolled behind my parent's home (100' behind their home) just 10 minutes earlier!!

Thank you! and....NEXT Month!!

Thank you so much for all your Birthday wishes yesterday!! I had a wonderful day celebrating it with family at lunch and then later with friends! More celebrations to come tonight with my friend Deb then in a couple of weeks with a precious friend whom I'll be visiting with. Birthdays are fun!!

Can I tell you how excited I was to wake up this morning and realize that next month...NEXT MONTH I should be gazing at a picture of my sweet daughter's face for the very first time?!!! Believing that I'm 2 referral batches away from receiving Hannah's referral gives me great hope that July will be our month!! Ooooo...goosebump moment for sure!!

This morning's devotion in 'Our Journey' by James MacDonald was a wonderful reminder of God's faithfulness and truths. They are:

God always has a plan for you

God' timing is always perfect in your life

You have nothing to fear

You've got a lot to learn - not handling situations on my own but humbling myself and realizing the God uses everything to accomplish His good in my life. Amen!!

The really neat thing is that these truths are applicable to both the exciting and challenging times in my life right now. We are still spending time daily at Grandpa's bedside, caring for him, loving him and still with so many more questions than answers and yet still trusting God each and every step of the way.

The above truths are useful in our love and care for Grandpa which is a challenging time and yet they are also just as true in the excitement and anticipation of waiting for Hannah!! I love how God is with us always. Through the good times and the rough ones and that through it all He loves us, cares for us and never leaves us!!

Trusting You today Lord for both Grandpa's situation and my sweet Hannah too. Thank you that You have a plan for me and that Your timing is always perfect. Thank You for the faith and courage to believe that You are working out all things for good in my life. Amen.

Operation Basement Tidy!!

Have you ever been faced with an overwhelming task that desperately needs to be done but you just don't know where to start?

This has happened with me when it comes to the amount of things I have accumulated for Hannah. As I've been preparing for my precious baby girl over 4 years, it has been a fun time of gathering things she will use. Also, people have been amazingly generous as is evidenced by the picture below and I also must admit that mommy had purchased her share of things too. (This pic shows a small portion of what I have. There is still more in her room and the nursery furniture is not in this pic. Wow! A baby sure does use a lot of stuff!!)


Today I was given a HUGE gift!!! Mark and K2 as well as my friend Norma and her hubby John came to my home for 'Operation Basement Tidy!' In less than 5 hours they were able to accomplish what I have not been able to do in 4 years! To say I was overwhelmed by their gift of love would be a huge understatement!!

Sometime last winter when I was at Mark and Michelle's I mentioned about the state of the basement being beyond me. Almost before I finished the sentence Mark offered to come over and help me organize it. Little did I know how serious he was and how others would jump on board to help out too. (My parents offered to come over this morning but it's not a big space so I'll use their help later on! ;o) Mark and Michelle, K1 and K2 arrived this morning and within minutes the doorbell rang and Norma (the friend who will be accompanying me to China) was there as a surprise and John was not far behind her. WOW!!!

I have the most amazing group of friends and I am SO thankful for each and every one of them!!

Here are some before and after pics showing the fruit of our labour.
Before

After

Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Some action shots...


Michelle and K1 were also at the house, holding down the fort upstairs. They were a great help preparing lunch and cleaning up afterwards. Today was a true group effort and I am so thankful for each of these wonderful friends!!

Operation Basement Tidy was a HUGE success. The next task on my list is to go through the items stored below the steps and then begin to tackle her room. More Hannah prep pics to come! This is fun!

Celebrating 38 months Closer to Hannah!

Saturday I celebrated my 38th Hannah~ versary!! What a wonderful day it was as I was spending the day with family, seeing referrals of friends arrive and knew that at the time we were within hours of friends meeting their precious little ones for the very first time!! 38 months is a long time to wait but knowing that 39 should be the last time I celebrate a Hannah~versary before seeing my sweet baby girl's face, it was fun and exciting!

As we were in Windsor for a couple of family get-togethers, mom and I hopped across the border to Detroit where it was time to shop for Hannah....and mommy too. I now have a Diaper Champ and bottles added to the collection of items I'll need before she comes home. It's so neat to be purchasing things that my sweet baby girl will use! And SOON!!

Congrats also goes out to 2 friends who are now holding their daughters in their arms and close to their heart! Lisa and Tate!

T, J and Emerson!


Exciting days with more and more excitement to come this summer!!!

6 Days of Referrals Sent....ONLY NINE Remain!!!

This week CCAA sent out 6 days worth of referrals (March 9-14, 2006) which means there are only 9...count 'em...NINE days of files to be covered before I'll see Hannah's face for the very first time!!! Can you believe it?!!

This keeps me on track for a July referral with travel in September. A friend from work will be travelling with my parents and I when we meet Hannah and I asked Norma how she felt about celebrating her birthday atop the Great Wall of China!! She thought that sounded just fine! (Sorry John, I might be borrowing your wife for one birthday...thanks for all your support in her coming with me to meet Hannah!)

Take a look at the jars! The glass beads are flying out of there now and there are not enough to even have them touching one another. Can I get a Woo Hoo???

It's hard to anticipate when the next batch of referrals will be received because of this month's delay due to the flu. We had heard rumour late in April that the referrals would reach the 14th so it is quite possible (but not definite) that what was received this week was early May's files and that CCAA is already well on their way to preparing the next batch. Regardless, I'm holding on to July and my tummy is flippy floppy with excitement!!

Hannah's referral pictures have been taken and are getting ready to head to Beijing. Heh...my pictures were taken almost 4 years ago. I'm guessing she'll wonder who this old gal is who is picking her up! ;o)

Hold on Hannah....Mommy will be there soon. Praying for you daily baby girl. I love you more than I can say!! Love, Mommy xoxo

Duck, Duck...Fox!!

Tonight Sharon and I went up to visit Grandpa. We went for a walk in the park and even though it was chilly out we enjoyed an ice cream while watching a baseball game.

On our way back the hospital we were shocked to see a fox walk right in front of us! The hospital is in the middle of the city and this is the first fox I've ever seen anytime in my life!

I captured this video while we were wondering what he was up to.


We soon found out that he was looking for a bedtime snack and sadly a duck was his latest catch.

On to better times...Sharon shares a hug with her dad before we left for the night. Love you grandpa!!

Referrals on Hold??

Although an official announcement has not been made, it appears that CC*AA is holding referrals due to H1N1.Rumours abound as to what 'might' be happening but realistically we don't really know. What I do know is that it has now been 40 days since the last referrals were sent out and other than during SARS, referral batches have never reached this duration between them.

When they will begin to be sent out again, nobody really knows. Also, the question of whether more days than normal will be referred is also anyone's guess. After SARS CC*AA sent out larger referral batches so this may happen again.

Since I have no real answers my heart is still preparing for a July referral with travel in late August/early September!!! Ooooo....SO close!

One thing that makes me smile on a daily basis is people asking about Hannah's referral. Rather than asking about referral dates, etc. I'm often asked, 'Have you moved any beads lately?' I love that the visual of the beads moving from one jar to the other is so helpful for people! It is for me too as daily I gaze at the jar on the left with the bottom showing and only 15 lonely beads in it! YES!!! Unfortunately none have moved lately but when they do I'll be shouting it from the roof tops!!

Waiting Moms...Plus Their Mom's...Dinner!

This month's waiting mommies dinner fell on Mother's Day weekend so we decided to switch it up and open it up to multiple generations. It was a wonderful treat for our mom's to meet some of our adoption friends and also some of the babies already home! I'm sure this will become an annual tradition but as one gal said, next year we might want to consider moving this particular dinner to Chuck E Cheese's with all the babies and little ones that our group is celebrating! Yay! That's what it's all about!! After a number of dinners with little/no referral information to share, this is changing and each dinner is one of celebration!!

My Mom and I

Diane, her mom Donna and daughter Grace. LOL! Can you tell Gracie has 3 older brothers who encourage all her adorable antics?!
Andrea, her mom Sally and daughter Sarah
Sharon and Nathaniel
Christine with her Mom and Mother-in-law. Christine and her hubby received a referral of a wonderful baby boy in Vietnam just last week!
Robyn and her Mom Heather. Robyn is also a new Mom as she and her hubby received a referral of an adorable baby boy inVietnam, last week!
Bev and Benjaminh
Grace (l) and Sarah getting to know one another.

This year was my last Mother's Day before Hannah is home and she was never far from my heart, thoughts and prayers! I love you sweet baby girl!! Next year we will celebrate this extra special day together as MOTHER and DAUGHTER!!!

Grandma and Grandpa's 65th Wedding Anniversary!!

Today we celebrated a beautiful occasion that few have the privilege of celebrating: Grandma and Grandpa's 65th Wedding Anniversary!!

The girls decorated Grandpa's hospital room last night and Grandpa had fun being in on the surprise for Grandma! Grandma, Sharon, Joy, Japhia, her son Daniel and I enjoyed a time of celebration this afternoon. A few pics of our time together.

Grandpa ready for the festivities to begin

Grandma and Grandpa

Sharon and Grandpa

Whispering 'sweet nothings' into Grandma's ear ;o)

Cutting the cake

Grandma and Grandpa and their girls. L to R: Sharon, Grandma, Grandpa, Joy and Japhia

The evening visitors. L to R: Chris, Joy, Grandpa, Grandma, Me, Gord, Larry.

My gift to Grandma and Grandpa

Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa. We all love you so very, very much. xoxo

Another Speed Bump!!

Silly me!! When people have been asking about when I anticipate receiving Hannah's referral I've actually been narrowing it down to a month or two. My current answer has been, 'Probably July but possibly June.'

Now, not so much!! Just when I was oh soclose Swine Flu has reared it's ugly head and thrown the world of International Adoption (and many other situations) into a state of unrest. Yes, it appears that CCAA is going to hold referrals for a period of 20-30 days and then re-evaluate the situation.

Can I blame them? No, not one single bit. They lost many precious people to SARS and now I completely understand them wanting to be careful with this newest problem.

When SARS stopped referrals and travel in 2003, CCAA still worked and when they were open to travel again worked very hard to make up for lost time by sending out double batches of referrals. Oh how I hope that happens again this time!

So, I have no answers nor does anybody else. What I do know is that I hopped on this stroller coaster a long time ago and am still on the ride of my life! Oh the stories I'll have to share with Hannah when she gets older! Sure hope she likes roller coasters! I've learned to love them over the past 4 years!!

My heart goes out to Lisa, T and Pug Mama who are all holding pictures of their precious little ones and now don't know when they'll receive their travel approval and green light to go to China. As hard as this added speed bump might be to me, I cannot begin to imagine how hard it must be for those who know who their child is. Hugs and prayers for you dear friends.

The Man in My Life!!

You may have noticed that blogging is happening a little less often these days and it's for a very good reason...There is a man in my life and we spend almost every evening together!! He whispers in my ear, shares his pie with me, takes me out for walks and even complains if I think about saying goodnight without kissing him goodbye!

Who is this man that I love very much?

Grandpa!!! 'Grandpa' (Sharon's dad) is still in the hospital and has been for 8 weeks as of today. We're still adjusting to the changes in his life and his family are working daily towards finding answers as to what will be best for Grandpa. Sadly the error in meds that he was given appears to have triggered some permanent changes in him. We believe that God is totally capable of bringing the old grandpa back but should he remain as he is they are preparing for what might happen next.

As he spends his time in the hospital with his wife and daughters by his side during the day, I get to spend most evenings with him and you know what....I wouldn't want to be anywhere else!! As much as I would love for Hannah to be home now, since she is not I am thankful to have this opportunity to spend time with Grandpa and in turn help out my precious friends, all whom I love very, very much and are like a 2nd family! We are so blessed to share the friendship that we do!

Here are a few pics to show some of the good times Grandpa and I share together!

Offering me some of his yummy blueberry pie. Mmmm!

Of course I'll have some!

Ice cream parties

Many, many.......MANY walks around the halls of the 7th floor and,

Dates at Tim Horton's in the lobby!

Love you so much Grandpa! I'm so glad we have this time together!!

Celebrating 37 months Closer to Hannah!

These flowers were a beautiful gift from my dad this week. What better way to celebrate this month's 37 month Hannah~versary than with flowers given to her Mommy by her Grandpa? A Grandpa who already loves her very much!

Here we are... another month closer to my baby girl and she's so close now that I'm starting to wake up with my heart racing as I consider that I'll soon be seeing my daughter's face for the very first time!!! I'm excited, thankful, anxious, frightened, and a wealth of other emotions are constantly flooding my heart and mind! After more than 3 years I'm just months away and can probably say less than 100 days away from receiving Hannah's referral!

With the excitement comes the 'What have I done with my time? I'm not ready!' feelings of minor panic as I consider what needs to be done to prepare my home for a baby that will be mobile when we get home. Yikes!! I received the sweetest email Saturday from friends who are planning a work day to come help me tidy my basement. Do you know there are people who really enjoy such things?? Who knew?? Not I, but I am oh so thankful for these precious friends who will help me organize and move things around. It's not in bad shape, it just needs organization and more purging. Thank you, thank you friends!!

Now Hannah's room....that's a different story! Her room has become a place to store many of the clothes, toys, equipment and other things that have accummulated over the past 3 years. People have been oh so generous and I have also started purchasing some things so that I'm not having to buy everything at the last moment. Add that to a room which already stored my scrapbooking materials and assorted 'stuff' and I have another big HUGE project in front of me. My friend Deb came over in January and helped for a morning and we were able to organize some of the room. The fact that I can now walk in it even a little bit is because of Deb and her help. I'm too embarassed to show you pics yet but someday will show you the 'before' and 'after' pics.

So here we are, 37 months closer and bubbling over with excitement!! Rumours are out there that matching for the next batch of referrals has begun. I'll be doing a post about the matching room since it will soon be Hannah's file that they're looking at and matching it with mine. But, I'll leave those fun details for another time.

Thank you to all of you who are sharing this amazing journey with me!!! I am thankful for all God is teaching me during this time and for the amazing friends He has introduced me to too!

37 months closer! I love you Hannah! Mommy will be there soon!!!

The Sound of Music!!

Sharon and I treated the girls to a night of live theatre for their birthdays. What fun it was to go and see, 'The Sound of Music' together! The girls have both enjoyed the movie and for years Sharon and I have enjoyed hearing them sing the songs in the car and talk about their favourite parts of the movie. Last night we were able to enjoy it in Toronto and it was amazing!! So many neat effects that I hadn't anticipated but will leave as surprises for those who are able to go see it. If you're in the area or visiting sometime, I'd highly recommend going to see it!

This video isn't from the Toronto production but is such fun to watch! I was introduced to it last week when Ford posted it on their blog. I later found out that the first dancer who was also the choreographer is a local guy. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear watching it!


Not sure why the picture keeps freezing but if you double click the video it will take you to the Y*uT*be version and you can watch it there without the stops. It's well worth it!

The End of Another Roll-Up Season

As roll-up seasons have come and gone, 2009 was a good year! Less purchased and more wins makes for a winning combination. I didn't even need to use the 'Whining Wins' category this year but did make a contribution to a friend's Whining Wins. Poor Jeff! ;o( Glad you enjoyed your coffee!

As for the contest at work, I tied for 2nd with MaryAnne! Yay! Not bad since in previous years the term 'bottom feeder' was often thrown my way. Please note, even though it appears Mark and Russ did not truly participate they did but sadly do not have an endless supply of caffeine located right behind their office building. Sadly we do....and we have the jitters to prove it!


Now, let's discuss Mike's win. Yah, yah, it's the second year in a row he's won. Blah, blah, blah! We were all disheartened by his walloping us for a second year in a row but when we walked him to his car all became clear. This is what we found!

Sad...yes, very sad!

Lest we get discouraged and think that winning cups don't really exist, I offer you 'Exhibit A' which is a real, live winning tab!! My friend Larry won a $100 Timmy's card...

...and has even received it! Way to go Larry! Maybe next year we'll let him in on our contest and maybe he'll be able to give Mike a run for his money?

Hmmm, just realized that during next year's contest I'll be on maternity leave with Hannah. (Wheeee!!!) Would it be a bad thing if one of her first words was 'Rr...Rr....Roll-Up?!!'

Cultural Differences In Raising Babies

I have read a lot of information in my years of waiting for Hannah and have tried to do my best to prepare for her. I still have much to learn but I'm working on it. Today Rumor Queen added a post that is SO helpful in helping me to realize some of what Hannah may be experiencing now and how best to help her through our initial time when we meet one another. If you're adopting or even family/friends reading this post, please take the time to hop over to RQ and read her very informative post.

I will choose to do things differently for Hannah than may be the 'norm' but this post will help us all realize that the beginning days of her life are not what most Canadian babies experience. One of the very best things I can do for my little girl when we first meet is to meet her needs in the way that she is accustomed and then in time, as she is ready, slowly transition her to what will work for she and I as a family.

Topics covered in the post are: Potty Training; Split Pants; Changing (or more likely not changing) clothing on a regular basis; Bathing; Bottle Feeding; Feeding, Attachment, Mongolian Spots and more.

2 Big Days of Referrals!!

This month CCAA matched 2 days of files. It may not sound like a lot but I'm thrilled!! It wasn't that long ago that I dared to voice to a few friends that I believed it might take CCAA 2 months to get through March 7th purely because of the large number of files logged in that day. Not only did the match all of March 7th this month but they did the 8th too! And, to top it off some families with a LID of March 9th even received their referrals! Not all of March 9th, but some...and we'll take it! In the past CCAA has not matched partial days so not sure what this is all about but I do know that some wonderful little babies will be coming home to their families sooner than we originally thought! Perfect!!

2 days closer (as I'm choosing not to include the March 9th date in my calculations as it wasn't a complete day) and now there are only 15....count 'em f-i-f-t-e-e-n days between where CCAA is currently matching and when they get to my file! That's 10 fingers and 5 toes....and I'll take it!!

Add to this 3 wonderful bloggy friends receiving their referrals and it's been a GREAT weekend of happy family news!

Congratulations to Lisa and her adorable little Tate!


Simply T with cute as a button, smiley Emerson Grace!


and Pug Mama's beautiful, ready to roll baby girl!!


I've had the pleasure of meeting all these Mamma's in real life and I couldn't be more thrilled for them!!

CONGRATULATIONS FRIENDS!!!!!!

Immediate OHIP Coverage Granted!! Thank you for you help!!

I wanted to say thank you to all of you who helped this situation by contacting your government officials. I'm excited to say that our contact with the provincial government was successful and they changed the Regulation as of TODAY!

I received an email from one of the ladies I have been in touch with numerous times over the past 3 weeks and this is what her email said,

'I am pleased to say that changes made to Regulation 552 are effective as of today - April 1, 2009. The regulation impacts internationally adopted children for both their eligibility for OHIP coverage and their eligibility for an exemption to the 3-month waiting period. These children will now be eligible for OHIP coverage while they are in the process of applying for Canadian citizenship. Once adopted, they will be eligible for OHIP coverage as soon as they arrive in Ontario with their parents - without a three month waiting period.'

Thank you again to all who took the time to write on behalf of those of us adopting. She made it clear that it was our input to their offices that helped them correct this situation in such a timely manner!

'On behalf of Minister Caplan I want to thank everyone for bringing this issue to our attention. It was through your contact with this office that we were able to move quickly to correct the problem. I know that this was an unnecessary and stressful situation for many of you and I truly thank you for your patience while we corrected the regulation. ' Thank you Heather!! We appreciate all you did on our behalf too!

So happy that this is one less hurdle I'll have to jump when Hannah first comes home. New referrals should be arriving in the next couple of days and even though I know I'm still months away from receiving Hannah's, it will be fun to celebrate with friends who will see their child's face for the very first time!!

Teaching Studio Reno

I was going through pics and realized I hadn't posted the end product of the home renos I had done just before Christmas. Until mid December I used my family room to teach piano. It's worked well but with Hannah coming home soon and my home being tiny and an open concept main level, it was time to have a portion of the basement finished and the piano studio moved down. It's a great place to teach and I really like the my main floor is back to being family space. Here are the reno in pics.

Old teaching area on main floor

Basement pics 'before'

Along the way








Piano movers moving the piano...we were not about to attempt that!

The finished product! SO happy with this new teaching studio!!

Dad...my first 'student'. :o)

A Little This and That

A hodgepodge of things in this post.

Yesterday's 3 year Hannah~ versary and this months anticipated referrals had me in the mood to dream all things Hannah and make preparations. I spent a wonderful evening surfing the net and playing with her wish lists. I was super excited to see that Toys R Us in Canada is now carrying the car seat I would like to purchase for her. It will take some saving but knowing how much time she'll spend in it, safety and ease of use are of utmost importance. Many friends have chosen Britax car seats and knowing that they're so safe had me longing for once since I began her adoption but until recently they were difficult to find in Canada. Since it's illeagal for us to purchase a car seat in the US to use in Canada, I'd spent many hours researching car seats to find another brand to buy. Last night I was super excited to know that Hannah will be in the safest seat I can find. That makes this mommy very happy!!

Tim's winnings this year are going really well. 3 donuts and 4 coffees. Wheee! My friend Larry won a $100.00 Tim's gift card! Shhh...don't tell him but when I helped him fill out the paperwork last week I might have put my address on the form. OK, I didn't...but it was fun to tease him and the thought crossed my mind!

On a totally different note, please pray for my friend Sharon's dad whom I have fondly called 'Grandpa' since I was a young teen. Grandpa had surgery 3 weeks ago today and even though the doctors felt he would recover well, he has had multiple complications. The biggest problem is that they gave him morphine which he is highly allergic to this has caused the man his family loves to pieces to come and go emotionally. 3 weeks later and he is still hospitalized but at this time we are very thankful for that. Grandpa might be almost his normal self in the morning but by late afternoon and into the evening his mind plays tricks on him and what is real to him is not what the rest of the world sees. It's so difficult on all of us to watch him struggle like this and we pray daily that God would heal his mind and body. Please pray with us. Thank you! Love you so much Grandpa!

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