Am I off....or what?

With the Spanish RQ predicting a cut off date of Dec 19, 2005, I am way off with my predictions. Guess that is why I didn't continue with the Stats courses in College. I really never believed that December was going to take more than 3-4 months to get through. It looks like close to 5 months to get through the smaller month of December. I am so tired, but still hanging in there.
Hope your Christmas was bright. I had a nice one with my girls and hubby!
May 2008 bring you peace, love, happiness, and health. It will bring us another year of waiting. I am thinking that the Olympics will not even effect our adoption, because we will not be there until next year! Here's to 2009!

The Ostrich

Head in the sand.....no way.....not coming out..........the wait is wearing me down......la,la,la,la,la,la.......I can't hear you! When wlll that referral come......April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November???? Wake me when it is over!

Wow! the guilt...

Do I feel guilty for not writing...not so much. I am just treading water these days. In a holding pattern waiting for the call. I am, however, wrestling with the guilt or better yet sadness of turning down a SN referral. We, as a result of the ever lengthening wait, have put an application in with our agency for a SN child. I carefully listed all of our strengths as a family and individually. We got a call based on our "strengths". When I put in the application for a SN child, I had something in my mind. A single SN in my mind. When we got the call, this darling little girl had two SN. So, after much family discussion, we decided that she needed more than we could give as a family. So the sadness comes from having that photo in my hand, having the ability to change her life, having the ability of getting my daughter now, having the ability to parent this beautiful little soul.

My crystal ball...

I have consulted and re consulted my crystal ball. It hasn't answered me until today. Today I went back to that referral calculator website. I plugged in all of my guesses/predictions for our referral. I came up with a date and date that appeared TWICE with two different sets of data. My referral date is drum roll please.....April 30th. On that day I will see my daughter's face for the first time! I needed to consulted the crystal ball, I did, and I now have a date!
APRIL 30, 2008!!

19 Months

Oh how did I miss our 19 month LID anniversary?
I know because:

1. Time is ticking by without a referral, so I lost track of time and LID!
2. My friend, Rebecca is in China now getting her absolutely gorgeous baby, MeiLin. I have been following her blog hourly. Go see it!
3. Her friend Tiffany is there as well. Things did not go as well for her until yesterday (pics on R's blog).
4. Working
5. Having my house painted (inside). Yay!

I am still thinking that this adoption thing WILL happen in Mar, Apr, May, June timeframe!

Remember This Entry?

ODDS: Likely, Hopefully, Dreaming
Sept: 24 Nov, 29 Nov, Finish Nov
Oct: 4 Dec, 9 Dec, 10 Dec
Nov: 8 Dec, 21 Dec, 20 Dec
Dec: 15 Dec, 5 Jan, 31 Dec
Jan: 26 Dec, 13 Jan, 15 Jan
Feb: 6 Jan, 24 Jan?, 31 Jan
Mar: 13 Jan, 4 Feb?, 15 Feb
Apr: 21 Jan?, 15 Feb?, 29 Feb
May: 29 Jan?, 26 Feb?, 7 Mar
Jun: 6 Feb?, 8 Mar?, 14 Mar
Jul: 16 Feb?, 19 Mar?, 21 Mar
Aug: 24 Mar?, 30 Mar?, 28 Mar


Congrats to all the families who will be seeing their children's faces for the first time. Referrals are in and they are through the 25th of November.

Believe it or not, I am pleased that the CCAA got through the 25th. Surprised and pleased. We are getting closer!

18 months

WOW! Holy cow! It has been 18 months today since we were LID! That is two pregnancies....unbelievable! We are 18 months closer. To those of you who are logged in around our time, we're closer,hang in there. Congrats on your major anniversaries.

Scroll down to the August 10 entry.

I wrote a draft that I can not move up. So work those fingers and scroll down to view it.

A cool invention

Okay, check this out!

800 days

Eight hundred days ago, we started this process for our daughter. Eight hundred days have passed. We signed that contract on June 1, 2005. It took us until Jaunary 15, 2006 to gather our dossier. It amazes me, because my doctor took 13 weeks to write my medical report. That put us behind what we thought was 3 months. It turns out now to be more like a year. Unbelievable! Well, no use crying over what's in the past. Just like Rafiki said (from the Lion King). It is in the past. Our daughter will be coming. I have seen it first hand with my friends. It really does happen. I am getting pangs of excitement thinking about what is our future. I firmly believe that we will be there by this time next year. I really believe that WORST CASE SCENARIO....we will be there for the Olympics.
Nonetheless, let's see how high that ticker gets by the time Flora is home. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? I am guessing 1108 days! Only 308 days left! We have passed the point of no return!

Diaper Bag Challenge

Ye ole' diaper bag.....One of my DTC January peers has started a cool little blog to keep us occupied. Packing lists challenge. First up the diaper bag challenge. What to put in the diaper bag for China. Let me start by saying I am a minimalist. The less the better. I am nearly always prepared, but at a minimalist level. For example, why would I carry nail clippers in my diaper bag? I can cut nails at home. If, IF there is a nail emergency....can you say Walgreens? Having said that here is my list.
First up: the Diaper Bag.

The changing pad is included with this bag.
Next, Diapers (4) and Wipes


Diaper ointment (I found that I didn't use it much, and it was heavy) So here is my solution.


Check out this web site for travel sized items. It is very cool!
Next, I keep one burp cloth for whatever. I found this fancy one at Target. It is part of the Amy Coe line.

A Bottle with many liners. My girls (and I) have always preferred the Playtex style (not the drop-ins, as I have found that they leak easily) bottles.

I love these scented dirty diaper bags. They are a MUST for China sans the holder.

A really cool blanket.

Shout Wipes for "accidents and spills."

Take and toss spoons that I won't toss, but if they are lost, I will not mind. A plastic knife and fork to cut-up food. I hear that they can be difficult to find as chopsticks are mainly used.



Oh, I forgot the cute bib. I am not so hot on disposable ones (not environmentally friendly you know).

I had purchased a thermos per all the recommendations. I have since decided against it and opted for this cool invention. It is lighter too.


Some things may be omitted or added, depending upon the age of our daughter. A younger child may warrent an extra outfit. An older child might warrant a sippy cup and/or child sized utensils.

My Referral Calculations

So I spent hours....H-O-U-R-S trying to predict the future. I want to know when that referral is coming. We want to repeat the vacation of a lifetime, the BVI, on a sailboat. Ideally, we want Flora to join us. We feel that it would be a fantastic trip with her, especially being recently home. Bonding would be great as it would be uninterrupted family time together. But the question remains, do we book? or do we anticipate a summer referral/travel. So I spent Monday morning figuring it out. Here are my predictions which are similar to RQ and Dave's. I used RQ's numbers and I used both to see if my numbers were way off. They weren't. I used formulas and I used dreaming to calculate my referral date. Here they are.....


ODDS: Likely, Hopefully, Dreaming
Sept: 24 Nov, 29 Nov, Finish Nov
Oct: 4 Dec, 9 Dec, 10 Dec
Nov: 8 Dec, 21 Dec, 20 Dec
Dec: 15 Dec, 5 Jan, 31 Dec
Jan: 26 Dec, 13 Jan, 15 Jan
Feb: 6 Jan, 24 Jan?, 31 Jan
Mar: 13 Jan, 4 Feb?, 15 Feb
Apr: 21 Jan?, 15 Feb?, 29 Feb
May: 29 Jan?, 26 Feb?, 7 Mar
Jun: 6 Feb?, 8 Mar?, 14 Mar
Jul: 16 Feb?, 19 Mar?, 21 Mar
Aug: 24 Mar?, 30 Mar?, 28 Mar

Disclaimer: Anything with a ? denotes no actual number info, but more based on formula and past records. I also do not claim to "take over" the RQ prestigious position and Dave's accurate formulations. I just want to know when, WHEN, W-H-E-N!!!!!

Some of the most exciting referrals yet!

I am almost over the moon to say that R. and T. (her friend I have never met, but feel connected to regardless) got the call. The stork has landed. The referrals have arrived. Check out these two absolute cutie pies! http://www.ourjourneytomeilin.blogspot.com/ and http://www.ourjourneytogracie.blogspot.com/. These little ones are so lucky to have inherited such great families, but these families are even luckier to have been entrusted with the care, well-being, and love of these amazing girls, MeiLin and Gracie! Cheers!

R.,RQ and Wren

I have not let this wait drag me down much lately. I am anxiously, ANXIOUSLY awaiting the referral for R. This is my last friend who is before me. I can't wait it should be anyday now!
The other preoccupation I have is figuring out about "when" our referral will arrive. I know you are thinking that, E., that is what you have been doing since 18 Feb 06. True, but it has changed. Now, as we are 13 (yes, 13) LID's from the top of our agency's LID list from reaching our goal. We are getting closer and therefore more accurate in our guesses. That is why I have been searching RQ's site for the guesstimate of our month of referral. I have also found this site http://www.curewitz.com/WrenSiteEstimates.htm which crunches numbers. According to this site, we are talking a May 08 referral. I have been checking out RQ's archives for her guess and I have yet to find it again. I will let you know what she says once I search more......it's alright, we have PLENTY of time!

17 on the 17th

Seventeen months down and only (insert any large number here) months to go! Sarcasm... just something extra I provide! Honestly, my current answer, when asked when do I think we will get our referral, is one year. Time keeps ticking and I am not shortening that number, still one year.

The Young One is 10 Today

Today my baby is 10. I can hardly believe that she is a decade old! She is hobbling around as she broke her right leg a week ago. It is amazing and not so debilitating as she can swim, yes I said SWIM in her cast. It is entirely waterproof. Her leg is wrapped in bubble wrap and then a fiberglass cast is put on her leg. It is a walking cast so no crutches. The only thing she can't do....the beach because of the sand. How did you spend your 10th birthday? Happy Birthday, sweetie darling!

The Old One is 12 today

Happy Birthday to my oldest baby.....I can't believe she is that old!

Ollie, Ollie outs in free.......

Okay here is our newest addition. He is the absolute cutest EVER. Many non-dog fans say that he makes them want a dog! He looks like a lamb....Ollie is on the right. I think this breeder is the best I have ever worked with. Check out her babies at http://www.rainbowtoypoodles.com/.

Wow, have I lost interest!

For those of you who read this blog...maybe 2 or 3 people at this point, I want you to know that I have totally lost interest in posting here. Sure one fine day when referrals are on the IMMEDIATE horizon I will be back, just like Arnold. However, for the next year (which is the new and improved estimate when Flora will be here) you can expect very intermittent blogging.
But before I sign off today I want to bring you up to date on a few things....
1. Friend L had gotten her beautiful daughter Fin. Fin is much more delicious and gorgeous in person (truly). Check out her blog at http://mylittlebitosharkbait.blogspot.com/
2. Friend R had a hansom baby boy, who I might try to steal in the dark of the night as he is sweet, adorable, and just all around lovely. Check out her blog at http://www.ourjourneytomeilin.blogspot.com/
3. And Me? well, let just say that this wait is interminable! I have drifted back to that world of abstraction when it comes to Flora. She is so distant to me. So in the meantime I am getting a puppy! Crazy, I know. Ollie or Archie (we haven't decided yet should be next week). Stay tuned......

Phone rings, "This is your Wake up Call!"

Yesterday, as I was sitting at the local USCIS office waiting to be fingerprinted, I did some math. My math was not complex, but it was revealing. Our HS is dated mid January. Our state only allows a one year time frame on HS. Our agency allows a three month window for a paperwork deadline. So what math do you ask I calculated? If we don't receive our referral by October 2007 this adoption = another $600 for a HS update!!! When we started this journey, it never occurred to me to redo a HS once! And now I am looking at TWICE!!! By the way, did I mention that I believe my HS agency, which is different then my adoption agency, has done some "questionable" practices. I think I may switch agencies for my HS. I am looking into that now (thanks R for your help!).

Out of Review and The Rollercoaster Ride

On Thursday, February 2, 2007 at 5:50 am, I got out of bed and checked the computer as I do every morning. Daily, I go through my e-mail and check the RQ. To my surprise the CCAA updated their website (which was a shock in itself, as there has been much speculation if they are/were going to continue updating their website). My computer popped up that Referrals had been made through October 13, 2005 AND Review Room reviews had been made through March 22, 2006. What a double bonus day. Yippee.
Now onto that rollercoaster, I have been on a downward ride lately. I want to talk about our adoption, but I don't want to be submersed in it (i.e. daily checking of blogs, contact, and so forth). So to all my blogger friends our there....I am sorry. Perhaps this review room coup will get be back up the hill on this rollercoaster.

Anniversaries Abound

Jan 18th- was our 15th wedding Anniversary
Jan 20th- was our 1 year Anniversary being DTC

A Little Bird Told Me...

A little bird dropped an e-mail in my box. The e-mail said.....we should hear shortly that the February LID's are out of review (the CCAA will be changing their website soon). Which means our dossier was in order, and the CCAA had no questions for us. Additionally, it means that we are good to go. We meet their criteria, and we have been approved to adopt! Hooray! Now, if we could move along with the whole matching process! My guess is that we will be in China sometime between August and November of this year.....but I thought that we would be there last October/November....in other words what the he!! do I know!