Small Update

We got a call from our agency social worker tonight and they have determined her birthday to be October 8/05. Our beautiful little Libra. We're looking forward to Monday when we can meet with the agency and get all the rest of her information. We're just over the moon in love with her.

INTRODUCING Miss Olivia.....

We are thrilled beyond words to show you our first photos of Miss Olivia - we have very little information yet as we won't get her translated file until Monday. Her birthday is 8/10/05, but we don't even know if that's August 10 or October 8 - either way, she's the most beautiful, precious baby girl I've ever seen. We feel so very blessed and couldn't be happier. We'll share more information as we get it early next week.

Patience is not really a virtue...people just like to say it is.

WAITING SUCKS!!! (Sorry for yelling)

THE STORK IS IN THE AIR!!

We just found out that the CCAA has sent out referrals for families whose Log In Dates are May 31st to June 6/05, and that's us!!!! Our daughter's file in on it's way to Canada as we speak. Once it arrives, it has to go through the Ministry for Children and Families and then get translated before we get it, so we're hoping to have more information to share next week some time. YIPPEE!!!!!!! Here's an ironic detail....it was one year ago today that our dossier left Canada to go to China

Something fun to pass the time...

I found this website that will look at another website and randomly pull words from it and make what's called a word cloud. So I plunked in this blog address and here's what I got. They'll even make me a shirt with this on it. Kind of cool, huh?....our referral would be even cooler. sigh...

What keeps me going...

Man, it's tough right now to think about much other than the possibilities of referrals leaving China at the end of this week, or the seemingly never ending and unexpected delays we are experiencing. Here's a little something I read quite a while ago and it sure has been a source of comfort for us lately:

Be assured that if God takes longer than you wish, it is only to make the blessing all the more precious. ~Unknown

Hopefully, we will hear something of our referral news late next week. Please accept our sincere thanks to all of you who have offered so much support, encouragement and comfort during the sometimes trying times of this journey. Even our adoption/blogger friends, whom we've never met in person, are appreciated more than they know. It's true that friends really will go anywhere with you...thanks for coming along.

Dispelling some myths...

A word of advise.... Whatever ideas and stereotypes you have about China, it's girls, it's boys and it's cultural beliefs relating to adoption or abandonment of children, forget them all because they are likely misconceived. Most people seem very quick to assume that the reason Chinese children, specifically girls, are given up and adopted is that "Chinese people favour boys". The truth is so very far from that and much more complicated than most of us realize. If you really want some firsthand insight into understanding some of these things, check out Brian Stuy's blog. Brian is a guy who has three beautiful children adopted from China and although his views can seem a little abrasive, has dedicated a very large part of his life to researching China, and it's adoption world, both domestic and international. He is on a continuous quest to understand, and help us all understand, how the Chinese governement influences all of this and how the Chinese people feel about their children. His postings also provide some insight into why we, and many other families waiting to adopt are experiencing increased waiting times. I encourage you to navigate around his site and keep an open mind. The biggest myth I hope to dispell, and the message I hope you glean from Brian's dedicated research is this: While we all face different circumstances on a global scale, it doesn't matter what the country, the skin color or the culture...everybody loves their children.

Happy Easter.

Betty doesn't live here...

Since a few have asked.... no, I didn't bake the cake - Betty Crocker did, and if you want the recipe (and other cool cake recipes), click here.

Happy Birthday to me....

(Sing to the tune of Happy Birthday)
Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me
I'd love to have my baby girl,
Before she's Twenty three!!

It's a good day. I didn't have to wake up to an alarm, I get to coach a 9 & 10 year old girls softball team, I get to play in our last regular hockey game of the season tonight, and my husband got me a new bike! (well I went and got it, but it's from him and Emma) Yep, it's a good day. Now where's my baby girl???? I can't think of any reason why we wouldn't get our referral within the next 3 weeks, but after the past 2 months, I'm afraid to count on anything or make any assumptions. Say a prayer for us, cross your fingers, wish on a star or click your heels three times - we'll take it all.