Come on, baby needs a new pair of shoes!

In my effort to make room for all of Baby S's clothing and also so that I can start purchasing shoes and toys, I have succumbed and am now cleaning out my stash and selling off all sorts of fun and whimsical items. Please take some time and check out my listings on eBay.

Thanks!

Ladybugs and nightmares

Yesterday I made a ladybug cake for my friend Daphne and if I do say so myself, I think it turned out quite adorable. But let me tell you, the swarms of ladybugs that invaded my dreams last night were quite horrible.

The dreams reminded me of when I was a child and I was terrified of butterflies. Everyone thinks butterflies are so pretty, so colorful, but those bodies ewwww, creepy...I do not like bugs! So when I was a little girl, I was afraid that there would be butterflies in my room at night and that they would "get me", my own personal, bizarre monsters. To get me to bed each night and so that I would be safe, my Mom would spray my room with butterfly killer, a.k.a. room deodorizer. I remember one night though when she sprayed with a different scent, as she had used up the first can, and I called her out on it. That wasn't my butterfly killer!! She was quick though, as she had found stronger, longer lasting butterfly killer that didn't need to be used every night...Smart aye? I guess the butterfly killer worked as my room was not only butterfly free, but it was also the best smelling room in the neighborhood!

Minua Rakastan Sinua

Sometimes when Eammon wants to tell me something privately he will either use Cockney or if it's numbers or one of the few words that I know, he'll say it in Finnish. Often he'll tell me that he loves me in Finnish, Minua Rakastan Sinua. So, that got me thinking about how to say I love you in other languages, specifically Mandarin, Wo ie ni. Here's a site where we can learn how to say I love you in dozens of languages.

I know that there's lots of love in the air. Congratulations to all the April Pandas and Mei Dreams who received their referral this week.

Way too weird

A while back I ordered Leap of Faith : Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor, our next neighborhood book club book, as a used book through eBay and when it arrived I set it aside. Well I finally opened the book and found the invoice tucked just inside the front cover. I then started flipping though the pictures in the center of the book and found a folded up piece of paper. I pulled it out and look what it was! Weird, too weird.

Hat-trick Friday

The postman must have thought it my birthday with all the packages arriving today, all for me, me, me!! OK, mostly for Baby S, but *I* got to open them. All three of my secret pals sent wonderful gifts this month with the swap theme being Chinese New Year.

My July dtc pal was very creative and sent this beautiful National Geographic Wall Map of China along with items for Baby S's scrapbook, stickers, coins and confetti. I am going to get the map framed and then when we get our referral, we'll be able to look up at the map and find where our daughter is located.

The next box was *huge*, coming up as high as my knees so I just knew that it was from my CCAI August/September Pal. Sure enough, the box was just full of wonderful items. The Disney crib toy set is adorable and I keep pressing on Pooh's hunnypot listening to it play the music that goes along with "Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh. Tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff. He's Winnie the Pooh, Winnie the Pooh." Then there's Eeyore, awwww.... everybody loves Eeyore...and Tigger too!! She also included a beautiful vase, a fun, super soft ladybug pillow, a coordinating frame to the one she sent last month (which I had almost missed,) some chopsticks and check out the wine bottle qipao...how cute is that!!! The funniest thing though was a note she included so I would be sure to find all the wonderful things she included this month.

To complete my wonderful day of gifts, my August dtc pal went with a Year of the Dog theme with this fabulous Scotty dog dress with little heart buttons and check out the hearts on the back...soooo cute!

She also sent aCD which says Happy New Year, The Spring Festival Music Collection. I am looking forward to listening to it!

Thank you to all three of my wonderful secret pals. I love all the interesting, fun and beautiful items that you send each month. I'll be sorry when these swaps end but I am looking forward to finding out the names of my fabulous pals.

Local Adopters descend on Chinese restaurant

Last night was our local adopters monthly get-together. Forty two people gathered at Classic Gourmet for an evening of fun, laughs, conversation and lots of food. It was so nice to visit and talk with those we've met before as well as the first-time attendees. We were all excited to meet Charleigh, the first and only child thus far, since our group started, that has joined her forever family. She charmed everyone, spent lots of time on my lap and gave wonderful hugs. We also got to share in the excitement over the referral of Emily, checking out all of her pictures and reports from China.

At the restaurant, we had a private room and the children were able to play with one another, blowing, chasing and popping bubbles. All the children were so well behaved and Jack was a star, keeping all the younger kids occupied with their bubbles and cars. The best eater award goes to Max Z. who must have visited the buffet line no less than a dozen time with at least that many trips again to the soft serve machine.

Quote of the night:
"You're never too old for bubbles!"
From the wisdom of Jack.

Billy, Jack & Heather

Angela & Jay

Keegan, Stephanie & Dave

Jill, Charleigh, Mia, Tracy & Laine

Bonnie & Bubba Jr.

Boys & their beer

Brad & Laura

Bubba Jr., Lisa & Charleigh

Ilene & Michael

Julie, Daphne & Cindy

Charleigh & Sonia

Rob, Deb & Noah

Dave & Jodi

Cindy & Brent

So Sweet

Today my mailbox contained a package from my girlfriend Joanna and her children. Rachel, Sarah and Benjamin each sent a wish and Sarah made a special quilt square for Baby S's book. Thanks Grosz family!

Neglect

My car has been having a few problems lately so I finally broke down (me, not the car) and dropped it off at the shop. After taking a look at my poor, old, 1991 Volvo, Palmer the shop owner called to ask a few questions and let me know what needed to be done.


Palmer (with his Jamaican accent): Ma'am when was the last time you had a tune-up?

Me: Ummm... {hedging} I don't really remember. {thinking I don't want to tell him that I haven't had one since moving to Georgia in 1998}

Palmer: You need new spark plugs, a distributor cap and a rotor. Do you remember when they were changed?

Me: Aren't they original to the car?

Palmer: Oh my. The air filter needs to be changed too.

Me: Oh! {delighted with myself because I remember having this done "recently"} I had that changed two oil changes ago. It needs to be done already?

Palmer: Yes Ma'am it's dirty and not seated properly. It's allowing leaves and debris into the lines so those too need to be cleaned out. When was your last oil change?

Me: Ummm, gosh I don't remember, let me look it up. {shuffling through papers} Oh, December 29, 2004!

Palmer: Well Ma'am, you're due for an oil change.

Me: OK yeah, it's probably needed at this point. Oh, I had a new battery put in the car in November '04 and the radio hasn't worked since because I don't have the code, is it possible to get that code?

Pathetic, I know!

Let me stop here and say in my own defense, since December '04 I've only put 3,119 miles on my car. So, I'm not way over due on the mileage for an oil change, but yes I know, over due on time. Also, since I drive so little, most of the time I honestly don't even notice that there's no radio. {Yes Daphne, I know that alone would have you in the market for a new vehicle!}

Driving my car home from the shop today with it's tune-up and all of it's new parts, it felt like a new car. I'm $160 lighter, but Palmer did say that my car should last at least another 10 years. I love my old Volvo, so the thought of having it for years to come and the idea of no car payments, made me very happy.

I should be giddy...but...

Today we have been logged in with CCAA for five full months. According to our original timeline, we should be about one month away from referral and seeing Baby S's picture. Instead I'm thinking that we are *maybe* at the halfway point of our wait. I'm trying to be positive, I still have many things to do before Baby S's arrival, but I could complete them or pass them over if I could get my baby now!! I wish that CCAA could just give a month when we will get our referral and then the there would be a date to look forward to. They know how many dossiers they've received for each month, they know how many they can process and match each month. So, based on those numbers, why can't they give us something more than they do?

Whinge...complain...grizzle...moan...

Our day at USCIS

Back in April, in addition to all the adoption paperwork, Eammon filed with USCIS his N-400 "Application for Naturalization". In just over a week, they cashed our $330 check and told us not to expect to hear anything, for a period of, no less than 450 days! Surprisingly, we got a notice from them in early November saying that Eammon's Citizenship test would be on Monday, January 9, 2006.

So today we spent hours at the MLK building, with thousands of other people waiting and waiting. Eammon was *finally* called in for his , asked 7 questions about U.S. history and the government, given an English test consisting of reading and writing two simple sentences, asked a few "moral character" questions and then was told he passed!! So soon we should receive form N-445 "Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony", make our final trip to the MLK building where he will become a U.S. citizen!

Here you can take a version of the test.

While sitting in the office waiting for him, I realized that all the adoption paper work has been submitted obviously using his U. K. Passport. It now appears that he should have his U.S. passport before we travel for Baby S! He will have dual U.S./U.K. citizenship, but I guess I need to find out if we need to make any changes or do anything special before we travel. Has anyone else been in this situation. Guess I need to make a few inquiries.

Can't teach this old dog new tricks

My brain has been uncooperative and said a big fat N - O to Monovision. After four days of unrelenting nausea, headaches, winking and blinking I returned to the eye doc to say that my brain was not figuring out which eye to see out of and I would succumb to using reading glasses when necessary. So now I am the old fart proud owner of over-the-counter +1.0 vision readers.

Welcome Emily Faith!!

Congratulations Daphne & Greg on your beautiful new daughter. Can't wait to give her a big snuggle and put all those ribbons in her hair!

A big congrats to all the other lucky folks with LID's from April 15 - April 24 2005, who received their referral.

My new friend...wink, wink

Today I lunched with fellow blogger and Mom-to-be Trixie. We met at one of my favorite lunch spots where we sat for hours chatting and having a good time. It wasn't until my tush felt like it turned to lead that we vacated the table and went on our way. I love meeting local adoptive Moms, especially when they are so much fun...and don't take offense at all my winking!

Update on Monovision: Day 2, headache: yes, clear vision: no, number of people who probably think I'm flirting with them: way too many!

Flirting idiot

Just so you know, it's official I'm getting old. Today I went to the eye doctor for my annual eye/contact lens exam and also to be checked as I have been having difficulty reading labels and small print up close. The doctor checked my vision and said that my distance vision is the same and hasn't really changed in 20 years, but said that I now need reading glasses. She said that I could get a pair of over the counter magnifying glasses or I could try what they call Monovision. I opted for the latter and now have my distance prescription in my right eye and a different prescription in my left eye so that I can read things up close. My brain hurts as it is trying to adapt and "learn" to see with the eye best suited for the task.

Driving home, all the other drivers must have thought I was flirting with them as I kept winking, trying to look out of my distance eye for the road and my up close eye for other things...OK, I looked like an idiot... Everything is blurry; up close, distance and mid-range. The headache is there but I don't want to pull out the lenses because that will make tomorrow worse as my already fried brain tries to learn something new.