Cutie Patootie's Everywhere...

Today, I received pictures from friends of my parents who are in China getting their sweet bundle. Her name is Cai, she is 9 months and she is so chubby and sweet. I just want to squeeze her. It seems that she loves her bath and her brother and sister love her already!!!

Fallon allert, my silly neice posing in the sink tub. She loves to take a bath. You cannot mention the word or she goes nuts. It is so funny!!

Mom and the Bachelor...

My mom went to an event called the "First Ladies Tea," for breast cancer survivors and one of the guest speakers was Bob the Bachelor!!! He was one of my favorite!!

Okay, so catching up a bit and Fathers Day...

Well, for fathers day, dad and I went bike riding -- no this is not a photo of us, but I thought it was funny and you know my sick sense of humor... Anyhoo, I couldn't ride and take photos but maybe one day I'll be talented enough to do that. We went down to the waterfront downtown and rode for almost 2 hours. It was really a lot of fun!! I can't wait to go again. Then afterward we went to lunch and then we went to have pedicures together. He was hesitant at first but once they started working on us, he was pretty much liking it!! Then on Sunday everyone came over for a cookout and swimming! It was a great weekend!

So Far behind...

Well another round of referrals have matched and we are now up to November 7, 2005. Getting closer !
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In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans" that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger.


Take a look...you won't believe your eyes!!









This is so precious and reminds me that it is just like those of us waiting on babies, I doesn't matter where they come from, what country, what color, what culture, when you are to be a mother, you just need one to call your own no matter what!! I think it is great!!

Happy Birthday!!

They are so cute!!!!

My new friend Shannon had a birthday party for her twin boys Palmer and Jack. She has arranged for Jack to Marry Izabella one day and then Palmer is going to marry my pal Donna's China girl. That is if we get them before Jack and Palmer turn 10!! Anyhoo here are there pics from the party today!!

Still no word on referrals yet. No matches since May 1. Come on China, I need my baby!!

The Queen is Coming!! The Queen is Coming!!!

This week is what is called the ever famous Kentucky Derby here in Louisville, KY. It seems as if we will be hosting The Queen this year who will be with her husband, Prince Philip. They will be attending the 133rd Run For The Roses -- The Kentucky Derby on Saturday as part of a six-day trip to the United States that also includes visits to Virginia and Washington, D.C.

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Also, here are some photos of my little friend at work today. She is sooo cute!! Here name is Camile - she goes by Cami. We were blowing bubbles:

YIPEE WHOO HOO - 6 Days Closer!!

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before November 1, 2005. This means we are getting closer --70 more days to be matched before it is our turn!!

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Here Comes the Bride...

One of my favorite co-workers and friends got married on Sunday, April 29, 2007. Mer and Jer have been counting down the days until the big day. It was a beautiful ceremony and wedding and I especially love the flower girl -- her little niece from China - Jalynn. I'm sure you can figure out which one she is. Very sweet little girly. Congrats Mer and Jer!! Hope you are loving Aruba!!

This is the most precious photo!!

Okay, here are the Easter Pictures

Here is the beach volleyball game...

This is our house...

Happy girls on the beach...
Us...
Easter Eggs in the sand...
Hunter is pretending to be Erkle...
Audry is 0ur potential pro volleyball player...

Easter at the Beach

Well, we have taken a trip to Destin, Florida and it is 59 and raining - on Easter. Our friends that we came with planned to hide Easter Eggs in the sand for the kids and we were going to have a little Easter Worship on the beach and read the bible but since it is COLD AND RAINING neither one of those are going to happen. So we are all in long pants and sleeves and sock in this beautiful house sitting right on the ocean and we cannot go out and enjoy the sand, but on the flip side, it beats Kentucky. We shopped last night and I have yet to take the first picture.

On the adoption side, referrals have not come out yet and everyone is antsy and edgy! I feel very sad as last year I thought that I would have Izabella maybe by now to hide Easter eggs for but instead we are still waiting and the wait does not seem to be any closer. If anything longer.

I will post some photos later. I have not even taken the camera out of the bag!!

NEWS NEWS - We're Getting Closer!!

I looks as if referrals are now out through October 24, 2005!!! Yoohoo!! So here is a potential schedule that someone in our adoption group came it with. I'm loving it:

Oct 25- Nov 13thish - Referrals beginning of April 2007 - Travel end May 2007

Nov 14thish to Nov 24thish - Referrals beginning of May 2007 - Travel end June 2007

Nov 25th-ish to Dec 13thish - Referrals beginning of June 2007 - Travel end July 2007

Dec 14th-ish to Dec 25thish - Referrals beginning of July 2007 - Travel end August 2007

Dec 26thish to Jan 13thish - Referrals beginning of August 2007 - Travel end Sept. 2007

This last one would be us since our referral date is January 10, 2006!!!

It is exciting - I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!!

Here is our niece Fallon saying HI FIVE to the Good News!!!

The last of the Adoption Classes!!!

We spent he day and night in Lexington again. We spent the day in our last class required for the adoption. It was a lot of fun. We met some really neat people who are actually on the verge of going to China and one that is almost on their way to Guatamala to all pick up their baby girls. VERY exciting for them!!

We decided to celebrate Valentines in Lexington. We spent the night, had a nice dinner out and went to see Norbit. It was really fun.

Before we left I received another package from my secret pal. It was full of fun goodies...

Here is what we got:

1. Princess Tag Book

2. Baby Einstein's First Words Around the House

3. Fisher Price Tabletop Playmat

4. Leap Frog Fridge Farm. It is really cute. It sticks to the fridge and makes farm animal sounds.

My secret pal is awesome!! Can't wait for Izabella to get her hands on these!!!

My Wonderful Ladybug Swap Gifts

In my LID group that will possibly get a referral at the same time as us, we have these swaps. This one was for ladybug things. In the Chinese Adoption Community, ladybugs bring luck!!! My wonderful swap partner Kathy sent me the best bunch of Ladybug stuff!! THANK YOU KAHTY!! Here are pictures...

Good News - One step closer...

A new quote from CCAA:

"The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 13, 2005."

This means that we are getting closer - our documents were registered with their office January 10, 2006. If they do a 1/2 month at a time we could have our child's info by maybe June/July. That is my hope.

I'm so sick and tired of waiting!! The weekend is here again so I am going to do something fun...

I am Officially a China Baby Aunt

One of the families in our travel group that went to Philly back in September, we call ourselves the East Coast Panda's should be back from China now. Her name is Lia. She is so precious!! Makes me more excited!! I believe she has some type of minor special need and that is why they travelled early. Congratulations Cappello family!!!

And on another note, Scott and I have just been exercising like crazy every morning at 5:30 am. I know it sounds crazy but in some sick twisted way I think it helps us with our stress level. We are much easier to live with when we exercise. Plus it helps with losing weight which we can both afford to do.

This passed weekend I went to General Butler State park with a group of 19 other girls to scrapbook from Friday at 3:00 until Sunday at 6:00. We had so much fun!! It is nice to get away and just hang with the girls. Of course I didn't get to hang with my mom like I thought. She was having some back trouble and I was sad!!

This was our little room we worked in...

My crazy friends Kim & Morgan...

My Friend Cris - the craziest. She wouldn't let us sleep at night, she kept on giggling and leaving the lights on... LOL
We just had a going away party a week ago Saturday for our good friends Jon and Lisa and baby Hudson. They moved to Austin, TX with his job and we will miss them!! This is a picture of Scott holding sweet little Caroline, her daddy and Scott grew up together. She is so precious. Wouldn't you know that I didn't take any pictures of Jon and Lisa with Hudson. There were like 50 people and 25 kids running around so it was a bit distracting but good to see them one more time.

IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY - LID THAT IS!!

Family

Today is our 1 year anniversary for our LID (Log In Date, which means the date our paperwork was logged in to China). I cannot believe it has been a year. It has gone by so quickly!!

I just wonder if Izabella has been born or is close to to it and I think about the mother who has to give her up. How hard would that be?? I know how hard 3 miscarriages have been, and I cannot imagine the pain of carrying a child full term and holding her in your arms and being forced to abandon her!! Anyhow, little does she know, we already love her, pray for her, want her and have more things than she will ever possibly need!! She is Blessed and doesn't even know it!!

With that said, I pray that this is a magical year!!

CCAA (Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs) Update

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before September 27, 2005.

This is the newest news we have been given. Looks like it may be this time next year before we get to go to China!! I really think we could pursue a domestic adoption at this rate and get a baby before all this happens!! I am really frustrated today!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

See I promised all my Christmas Card recipients that I would keep my blog updated better in this new year. Well our holiday was pretty uneventful!

This picture is our nephew Garrett around the holidays. This is my favorite picture from Christmas. It is so funny!! He always makes funny faces when he is trying to smile. It is hysterical.

Well it seems that 2007 is already showing some improvements on the adoption front. Referrals have only been matched with families with Log In Dates (LID) through September 9 of 2006. It seems that the rumor is that they will be matching families with LID through September 28, 2006 which is almost a whole month!! And it will happen the end of the week. I hope this is true because it means they will be getting closer to matching those of us with LID in January 2007!! This is really good news!

I am getting ready for my big scrapbook weekend in a few weeks. It will give me time to work on Izabellas life book!! There are 20 of us going to General Butler State Park for the weekend. I am so excited!!

Presents, I love Presents!!

Well here is the most beautiful gift from a couple of my East Coast Precious Pandas. We were suppsed to decorate and make sparklie and we were having so much fun eating and laughing that we totally forgot about them. So, just a couple weeks ago, I got this in the mail and I'm not sure if it were Stephe, Donna, Cheryl or Wanda but I love mine and it made me cry. There was a beautiful little poem on shiny paper. I loved it. And, just a couple days ago, I got my cute little onesies from the onesie swap!! Thanks Michelle!! They are sooo cute. I just love getting gifts in the mail. I have been obsessed with getting mail since I was a child. So everytime there is a package on the porch or in the box, I revert back to childhood!! I know, I'm strange!! If only I would open the box and find a little baby girl from China!! Then I would never be the same!!

FREAKED

Okay, I guess I am just living in my happy little oblivious part of the world these day. News of referrals taking 14 -- 16--18 -- even 24 months, thinking, awww it won't take that long, just don't think about it. Well, on my way into the driveway, the neighbor pulled in behind me and I got excited thinking OMG, they got their referral - they are adopting from CCAI and were logged in in September '05. He proceeds to tell me that they got a call a few weeks ago saying it would be at least February before they would get their referral - so if it is 5 months behind now, how far behind will they be in January??? My happy world of oblivion has just crumbled...

My Thursday Night Fix...

Ok yes, I am addicted to Grey's Anatomy. Hey what ever it takes to pass the time. Dr. McSteemy - wow - who wouldn't be addicted. He looks just like Scott in a towel - how'd that happen?? LOL
























I went to Scott's football practice tonight. I'm not sure what football is all about other than huddling and crashing into each other but hey, to each his own!!! Here are some photos from the practice... Look at that cute little Bell kid in his helmet!!!!!!!




















And, look at the awesome gifts our secret pal sent to us!! Many of the items WILL be traveling with us to China!! Lots of cute items!! Love Them!!!!!!!!!!

Look one of them says... Made In China!!!!!!!!!!