Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Ok, so I "borrowed" the title of this post from Jack Johnson's song. But that's what we are doing. Apparently referrals are on their way for families with LIDs through May 25th. It's quite funny reading the posts on the Internet groups...some people are angry that things aren't moving faster and others are pleasantly surprised because the CCAA sent a batch at the end of February, which was not expected due to Chinese New Year. The glass "half empty versus half full" thing rears its head once more.

One thing I've noticed is that a lot of us that have LIDs in August-November or so haven't been posting much...I think we are all out of things to say.

So, what is going on NOW? (I am trying to do the whole "live in the moment" thing. Not a very natural thing for me.)

Tim has ordered me to mention the late Valentine's Day he bought home for me on Friday...he is very impressed with himself. It's an orchid, which I've wanted for a long time. The cool thing about this orchid is once it blooms, it is supposed to have a vanilla chocolate fragrance. If you know me, you know chocolate is a non-negotiable part of my life. So, kudos to Tim for a very thoughtful gift. Ok, hon?

Tim and I had a nice dinner with friends on Saturday in their home, along with another guest. Funniest incident of the evening...I said "pissed off" during the dinner conversation, and the lady of the house was upset...I guess she doesn't like that phrase too much. She said "Tammy, we don't use those words in our house". I felt like a little kid getting scolded. It was very weird. I was stunned into silence...a rare event for me. Tim and I now have a joke about dropping the "PO" bomb.

Tim and I actually did some household chores this weekend. We cleaned and grocery shopped. Tim paid bills. I did some laundry. We planned our dinner menu, as well as our workout sessions, around this week's American Idol. Don't forget to vote for Taylor!

I made the mutts some homemade ginger cookies yesterday...flour (4 cups regular, 2 cups whole wheat), water, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. I am pretty sure there was as much dough on the floor as ultimately ended up in the cookies. I had a hard time rolling it out properly. Tim had to rescue me.

Uhhh...a rolling pin? What's that? Some kind of primitive weapon?

The cookies do look and smell great...we have bone, schnauzer, and bichon frise cookie cutters. Sadly, I am REALLY tempted to try one and risk the wrath of Indie and Buca.

Tim has nick-named his daughter to be "Smella Bella". And apparently whenever he calls her that, he is going to follow it with "Go see your momma" so that I can have the privilege of changing her diaper. Anyone in the market for a husband? The orchid and Smella Bella are mine to keep though.

I am now reading the novel "Gilead", and Tim is reading one of his fantasy/sci fi novels that all look the same to me.

It's been pretty cold here in MA and the dogs are having a hard time going outside to do their business. I had to pick them both up this morning because their paws hurt so badly, and carry them up our street. Indie is 12 pounds, and Buca is 20 pounds, so I had a bit of insight as to what it will be like to lug a kiddo around.

I thought that by now I would have finished reading my two baby care books, but of course, I haven't. I think part of me is worried that if I read them too early I will forget the important stuff by the time Bella comes home. I do read about attachment issues...but only a bit at a time. I get too scared otherwise. The range of experiences is so large...I just pray that we will have the wisdom to recognize problems if they exist.

On Wednesday I am going to see a hand surgeon. I have a weird boney protrusion on the top of my left hand, about 1" up from the wrist. It is not a ganglian cyst, which was my primary care doc's initial guess...she says it's too hard. My official diagnosis is "wacky bone". I hope I don't have to have it surgically removed, because I like creeping Tim out with it.

Yep, it's a pretty exciting life around here sitting, waiting, wishing.

Some good reads

I've recently read two books relating to adoption.

1. A Love Like No Other
A collection of essays on adoption...international and domestic, closed and open.
My favorite is the one by Dan Savage.

2. Meeting Sophie: A Memoir of Adoption
A single mom adopts a baby from China, suffers loss, and finds joy. I'd love to meet Sophie...she sounds like a trip! I especially liked this book because McCabe is an academic, like myself, and she speaks to both the pleasures and trials that life can bring.

Tim to Buca: I wish I knew how to quit you.

Yes, I am weird...and addicted to blogging!

Rather than bore the adoption community with my guilty little pleasure, American Idol, and my new crush, contestant Taylor Hicks, I've started a new blog at www.ilovetaylorhicks.blogspot.com. Poor, poor Isabella with the wacky mama.

New rumors on the wait

The most recent rumor flying around the Net is that those families with July log in dates (LIDs) are now in the "matching room" at the China Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA)...this is the step prior to receiving a referral. The families with August LIDs are now having their dossiers looked at in the "Review Room"...this is the "room" prior to entering the matching room, where CCAA can request addtional information for a family's dossier. Of course, Tim and I have a November LID, so we are still a long way off from anything exciting. But you knew that already!

My most frequent phrase these days is "I want my baby". Of course, I know I am months away from bringing home my baby, but that doesn't stop me from saying it. Most of all, I hope that wherever she is, she is warm and well-cared for. And I hope that somehow, someway, somewhere in her heart she knows we are coming for her.

The virtual me

The virtual me is a lot skinnier than the actual me!
Also, the virtual Indie (to the right)is a lot less cute than the real Indie!

And this from Todd, Tim's brother and Isabella's Godfather:

I'm not convinced that Tim would win, even with a 100% handicap. He can barely lift his own arms.

The Toddfather.
**************************
I love the Toddfather!

Why I sometimes hate being a professor

One of the classes I teach is statistics. As part of that class, I require the students to learn how to use Microsoft Excel...you know, acquire a marketable job skill. But I don't assume any prior knowledge of Excel. For the first problem set of the semester, the students need to collect a data set - 30 observations and 5 variables. All they have to do for this assignment is turn in a printed speadsheet with this data.

I have a handout on how to open Excel, save your work, enter data, print in Excel, etc. It explains what a spreadsheet is, what a row is, a column, etc. When I hand out the assignment, I give the students this handout. I also draw a spreadsheet on the board, explaining that they need 30 rows and 5 columns of data. I did this last Thursday.

Today:

A student comes up to me after class. He points to his assignment.

Student: What's this Excel stuff?

Me: It's a software program by Microsoft office that uses spreadsheets, like the one I drew on the board on Thursday.

Student gives me a blank look.

Me: Do you have the handout I gave you on how to use Excel?

Student: I don't know.

Grrr!!!

Some not so heavy lifting

So, recently Tim and I finally got off our butts and joined a gym...a YMCA. Yes, I am still recovering from the shock. We are excited because we got a family membership, which means we'll be able to add Bella on at no additional charge. There are two pools there and they have a water babies class, and swim lessons for kids. Tim and I have gotten, well, soft. And I figure it's now or never...staying in shape won't be easier with a little one.

On Saturday, we each had our nautilus machine orientation session. I decided to come up with a scheme to motivate both of us, and suggested that Tim and I start a competition about who can lift the greatest percentage of their total body weight. Well, Tim blatantly refused, supposedly because he was worried about my well being.
So, I basically started clucking like a chicken and picking "feathers" off him. I also threatened to call his brother, the French Irish Bulldog, and tell him that Tim had become a member of the poultry family.

After our individual orientation sessions on Saturday, one of the trainers told Tim that he was wise not to take me up on the competition. I think it's because the trainer knew I'd kick Tim's butt fair and square.

Tim is now claiming that I have an unfair advantage, being lighter and having a more compact body type (in other words, I am not tall and thin like him). He also claims he is at a disadvantage because years ago (1998-2001) I used to work out religiously, including strength training. Never mind that I haven't worked out steadily since 2004 and I've put on a gazillion pounds since he and I started dating.

So I decide to offer Tim a 25% of total body weight HANDICAP. In other words, if he lifts 50% of his body weight on a given machine, I would have to lift 76% of mine to claim I beat him. He still turned me down, and refuses to budge unless I offer him a 100% handicap. Yeah, that seems fair! Carla is a witness to this ridiculous attempt by Tim to secure his 100% handicap.

Yesterday (Monday) we went back for our 2nd strength training workout. In the past 36 hours I have had to watch Tim flex numerous times, and talk to his biceps and triceps..."How you doin?" He has also started singing James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" to his beloved (but invisible to the rest of the world) biceps and triceps.

Yes, my husband makes me laugh EVERY SINGLE DAY.

We did it...Baby got a crib!

OK, so she doesn't really have it yet, but we've ordered it. We went to Boston Baby this afternoon and ordered a crib, a crib mattress, a dressing station, and a glider rocker.



This is the crib, in the same finish we ordered ("Pecan"). This crib converts to a toddler bed, and then a full size bed. We like the idea of it staying with Isabella for a while.

For the dressing station, we ordered the one pictured, but without the hutch. The wall it's going on isn't that big, and we felt like the hutch overwhelmed things a bit, although it would be gorgeous in a bigger room. Maybe we'll try to get it when we move her to a "big girl" room. Fortunately, the nursery has two closets, one with drawers and cubbies. We also have some built-in bookshelves in that room.

Then we ordered a glider rocker. We are hoping it will fit in our nursery, but ir may not without crowding the room too much. If it doesn't, it will go into the guest room next to the nursery.



I must say Tim was QUITE bossy about the whole glider rocker thing. He immediately eliminated many of the models on the floor, including anything that was fully upholstered. We ordered this model, in an oak finish that is pretty close to the finish on the crib and dresser, and in a tan microsuede fabric. We didn't get the ottoman, since that seemed like one more thing that we didn't absolutely need.

This furniture will be delivered in 8-12 weeks. Uh oh, gotta get cracking on eliminating my boxes o' junk.

Crib Fear

OK, so I have had two sets of crib bedding forever (we moved them with us from the DC area in August). I have some books. I have some toys. I have clothes.
A nursery lamp. A crib mirror. Wall decorations. I even have curtains hung. And a doorknob sign that says "Bella's Room".

But no nursery furniture.

Friends who are at about the same waiting stage as us have had furniture for months, or have at least ordered it. We have had the nursery painted for a few months (it took two attempts on the trim...the first color we chose looked horrible if we turned a light on).

So why haven't we gotten furniture? Is it because as long as we have no furniture, I can put off dealing with my boxes o' junk that are still in Isabella's room? Well, Tim probably thinks so (the boxes o' junk are a long standing bone of contention, and sadly, I have to admit Tim is totally right. Did I just say that?!).

But the truth is, I am nervous about getting the crib. I've looked at cribs. I even think I know which one we'll buy...a Legacy lifetime crib, which has no moving parts, and converts to a toddler bed, then a full size bed). But I am afraid to have the nursery completely set up when we are still far away from a referral. Why?

I don't know which kind of "expecting" mom I am going to be.

Am I going to love going into a fully furnished nursery, dreaming of Isabella? Is it going to make the whole thing feel more "real"? Will I love showing the room to friends?

Or will passing by a completed nursery make me yearn for my baby even more than I already do? Is that even possible?

I've talked to friends, and most have enjoyed setting their nurseries up, even if they were months away from a referral. I just don't know about me, about us.

I figure March is the absolute latest we should order a crib, based on the highly unlikely (OK, completely ridiculous) idea of receiving a referral in May or June. So I have suggested to Tim that perhaps we should take a ride to Boston Baby this weekend, as they carry the Legacy line. Wow. BIG STEP.

Isabella's room is the smallest of our bedrooms...we will eventually move her into a bigger room (we are still trying to decide if and where to have a playroom...we could spruce up the finished part of our basement, but that would involve additional $$$ that we just don't have right now. Or we may relinquish the large guest room. It remains to be seen). So we will purchase a crib, a dresser that can be used as a changing table, and a rocker for the nursery. Fortunately that bedroom also has two closets, and some built-in bookshelves.

I KNOW the adoption is real, I KNOW we will eventually bring home a baby...Tim and I will be parents. But there is a real part of me that won't FEEL it is real until she is in my arms. I am terrified of the possibility of going through another holiday season without her. I KNOW I will have to bear it if that happens, but right now I cannot bear the thought of it.

And all of this manifests itself in crib fear.

More on dogs...

So, Tim has a theory that most people don't want to read about the Westminster Dog Show results on an adoption blog. You know what I say? Too bad. So, if you aren't interested, please stop reading. Besides, I have nothing interesting to say about the adoption. "Hi, here we are, and yeah, we are still waiting. Oh, and yes, it sucks". Riveting.

So, the winners of Best in Group are:

Sporting: Golden Retriever
This dog is so so so beautiful. The picture does not do him justice. I think of this dog as the dog you should see when you look up "dog" in the dictionary.



Hounds: Scottish Deerhound
Love this dog...as well as the Irish Wolfhound. Such elegant, refined beings.



Herding: Old English Sheepdog
Gotta love anything with this much hair!



I would not have wanted to be the judge for the Best in Show competition. The dogs were all wonderful. But in the end, Rufus, the colored bull terrier, was the chosen one:

Old Dogs!

OK, so I now know that Tim and I are officially getting old. Last night, the Westminster Dog Show showed Best of Group for the Working, Terrier, Toy, and Non-Sporting groups. The Bichon is a non-sporting dog and that group was shown between 10pm and 11pm. Tim and I were both struggling to stay away just to see the Bichon!
Of course, Indie and Buca were sleeping on Tim and me, respectively. Nice warm cozy dogs!!!

Here are the Best of Group Winners:
1. Working: Rottweiler

Gorgeous Dog!



The Giant Schanuzer in this group was also beautiful! Here is she is:


2. Terrier: Colored Bull Terrier



Sadly, the Mini-Schnauzer did not win.


Cocoa, the cutest Norfolk terrier came in second. I love Cocoa, but she has won Best in Show before. This is Cocoa:



3. Toy: Pug



I fell in love with the Pom from this group, even though in general I am not a Pom person.



4. Non-Sporting Grop: Dalmation

Here he is:


The Bichon Frise came in 3rd place:



Tonight we've got the Herding, Hounds, and Sporting Groups. Stay tuned for more dog news!

Hot Dog!!!

A reminder to all you dog lovers...today and tommorrow is the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, to be broadcast between 8-11 pm Monday and Tuesday nights on the USA network, EST.

Of course, in our house, there's a tie for "Best in Show":

Indie (Independence Josephine Carney, Female, Bichon Frise, 3 years old):




Buca (Sambuca Jones Murphy, Male, Mini-Schnauzer, 1 year old):





Cast your votes here!!!

We do let Indie and Buca watch the show with us and see their ho-hum competitors!

Me, my grandma and a tree.

This is a picture of me, back in the early 70s, when I was almost a year old, with my grandmother, Beryl. My grandma died this past Thanksgiving somewhat unexpectedly. I was given some of her old photos, and I really like this one.

Why?

Well, first of all, it makes me wonder about whoever took the picture! As far as I know, no one in my family is legally blind, but looking at this picture makes me wonder. Or is the tree the star of the show here? Kinda funny, kinda great. And I do like trees...in fact Tim sometimes refers to me as a "tree huggger". His response to wasting paper products is "the tree is already dead".

Secondly, I look really happy in this picture, and I think that reflects how I really was around my grandparents. As a kid, I LOVED going to my grandparents' house for the weekend. They were FUN.

Finally, I always thought my grandmother was a beautiful woman. Not classically beautiful, but she was radiant. I think she really loved her life, that she had found her place in the world. I consider it an enormous compliment when anyone says I look like her.

The day my grandmother died, I had some friends over for Thanksgiving Dinner. It was very weird. Then there was the wake and the funeral, and that was that. I went back to the office the day after the funeral.

After my grandfather died, I felt horrible for about two weeks. I kept picturing how he looked those last few hours in the hospital - like a tortured animal. It was raining the day of his funeral and all I could think about was that he was getting wet. I remember trying to go back to my graduate work after his funeral, breaking down in my dissertation advisor's office, and then hiding out in my apartment for the next week or so.

This death was different. As turbulent as my relationship has been with my mom, I've been very worried about her. She lost her father in the mid 1990s, she lost her older sister a few years ago, and now she has lost her mom. My mom's husband is very ill and she takes care of him at home. She must know that soon, in many ways, she'll be alone. I also think that I took some comfort in believing that my grandmother would be united with my grandfather in some way. I can picture him trying to smother her with kisses and her blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl.

I see my family shrinking, and I know there's nothing I can do. I wish I could repair broken relationships, or get some time back, or whatever. I've tried at times, and have never been successful. We only get so many chances, only so much time.

Here's the thing though. My grandparents were disappointed in some of my choices (such as my first marriage to a much older man, and my reluctance to comb my hair, which particularly bothered my grandmother). But I know they loved me irregardless, in their own way. I didn't always spend as much time with them as I could have, especially my grandmother. I got divorced, moved around, etc. But I know that they knew I loved them too, in my own way. And maybe that's enough. I hope so.

Snowy Snowy Day

So, we are getting hammered here with snow in the Boston area. It is gorgeous though. I am saying that because we haven't started shoveling yet. I am upstairs in my attic office, pretending to work.

I am pretty down today, although I'd be hard pressed to say why. Could it be because I just read online that our lovely Vice-President accidentally shot one of his hunting buddies?
I WISH I was kidding about this one. I sometimes have this fantasy of penning up certain humans in a game park and letting animals eat them alive. As you can tell, I've got a way to go on that whole "inner peace" thing.

I want to bring my daughter home. I am really tired of counting down to some unknown date. It's like running a race without knowing when the finish line is coming up. Of course, I know most of my readers are in the same boat, so I will try not to whine too much.

Recently, my buddy Kikalee wrote about some of her favorite mood music. So, today I will share with you some of my current favorite songs. I won't go into "all time favorites" because that list would involve too much thinking, and too much explanation, neither of which I feel like doing right now.

1. Be Mine, David Gray. Because it's about a guy feeling crazy in love, which everyone should experience at least once. And I love the rugged quality of his voice.

2. Cello Suite No. 1 in G, written by Bach, performed by Jacqueline du Pre. One, I love the cello. Two, this piece always stirs me, no matter what kind of mood I am in. Finally, this piece is used on one of my favorite films of all time, You Can Count on Me. Ironically, on the first remotely romantic weekend Tim and I ever spent together, he made fun of me for adoring this movie and much of the music in it.

3. Pilgrim, by Steve Earle. I love Steve Earle, period. And this song was also used in the previously mentioned excellent film.

Tim, on the previously mentioned weekend: I'd never listen to this kind of music.

4. Fix You, by Coldplay. Just a beautiful song.

5. Split Screen Sadness, by John Mayer. I sometimes think you have to have gone through a very serious breakup or a divorce to really get this one. But maybe I am just being melodramatic.

6. Most of the Time, by Bob Dylan. Again, the getting through a divorce thing. This song was also used in the sountrack to High Fidelity, a good film, and an even better book by Nick Hornby.

7. Grissom's Overture, from the CSI soundtrack. Love, love, love the Grissom character, and love this instrumental too.

8. Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own, by U2. I love U2 and nursed major crushes on both Bono and the Edge for several years.

Tim: Who's the Edge?

9. Hurt, by Johnny Cash. In my opinion, a hugely more moving song than the original by Nine Inch Nails. I also love the video.

10. Are You Gonna Be My Girl, by Jet. Cause this song makes me want to dance. I also love the name "Jet", which is our former dog sitter's name. I'd love to name a daughter "Jet", but Tim has vetoed that one. I think he's trying to ensure that his parents don't disown him.

11. Square One, by Tom Petty.

12. One Week, by The Barenaked Ladies. Because this song cracks me up, and we can all use more of that.

13. Goodbye My Lover, by James Blunt.

14. Wheel, by John Mayer. Can't help but like the idea that the love we give is going to come back to us somehow.

15. A Case of You, by Joni Mitchell. She's amazing, but this is my favorite.

16. 10,000 Miles, I Take My Chances, and One Small Heart, all by Mary Chapin Carpenter. OK, I am cheating here, but I adore her.

17. Breathe Me, by Sia.

That will have to do for now. I must prepare dinner with Tim, and get ready for Grey's Anatomy, where I will shameless oogle Drs. Sheperd and Burke, and hope for the recovery of the husband of one of my current favorite female characters on TV, Dr. Miranda Bailey. Oh yeah, and she should be having a baby boy!

Tim After a Tough Day At Work

Tim is a big South Park fan, so I thought maybe we could use our own personal South Park characters. If you can't live without your own, click here.

Tammy Teaching at the University

Bib Fun!

I joined a "Bib Swap" with my October 2005 DTC group. Each month, for the next six months, I will send a bib to a group member, and in exchange, I will receive a bib from another group member. We have "themes" for every month.

This is the bib I received for January from Sherry in Missouri, along with a cute little note that I will save for a scrap book for Isabella. Adorable, isn't it?

I am not sure Tim gets these swaps. I wish I had a photo of the expression he has on his face when I talk about it, or when I showed him the bib. Not really an eye roll, not an outright laugh or smirk, but more a "You're my crazy wife, but I love you anyway" look. Come to think of it, I get that look A LOT.

Actually, I am kind of surprised I've joined the bib swap, as well as the Secret Pal swap in my November 2005 DTC group. I've done a lot of things during this wait time that have surprised me. But it is kind of a neat thing to have people connecting all over the country, and sometimes internationally, over the Internet and through the mail over ONE thing. We're all waiting, waiting, waiting...

Some more from Isabella's Closet

Since referrals started slowing down, I have actually CALMED down in my clothes buying for Isabella But she has received a few new things in the past few months, and it's time for me to catch up posting them.

I love Gymboree's "Paper Lanterns" lines. It's discontinued now, but I have bought lots of items with tags from Ebay. Tim and I have sold some things (old CDs, DVDs, and books) on Ebay recently, so that's helped a lot.

Why do I love the Paper Lantern Line? Yes, it looks Asian. But I also just love the colors...light green with purple. I give myself permission to buy any item I can find from this line as long as it is sized 6-9 months or larger. Here's one item I've bought recently.



Another outfit I bought recently (also from Ebay) is an item from Gymboree's "My Best Friend" line. It's got a dog, people. Of course, I had to get it.



Carla came over last night, and bought an outfit for Bella with her. Why? I have no idea. That's just the kind of thing Carla does! Here it is:



My rationale with having clothes that may not fit Bella is:

1. I can always leave them in China for the orphanage, or for another adoptive family. There may be a family in our travel group that needs the sizes we have.

2. I can always give them to a friend...Andy and Nicole's daughter may be just about right to fit into some of them.

3. I can try to sell them on Ebay.

4. I can always donate them to an organization here in MA.

So, the way I see it, no great losses!

CAWLI Chinese New Year Madness!

Today we went to our adoption agency's Chinese New Year Party. Many, many people. Many, many beautiful children! It was unbelievable. There was a silent auction and a raffle to benefit CAWLI's Rainbow Fund,which gave the Chinese orphanages $127,000 in 2005 alone. There was traditional Chinese music and dancing, as well as a lion dance.











We went to the party with our friends Cheryl and Bruce, who are waiting for their daughter Mya.





We saw Sparky and her husband Bob, who we met last week. Tim and I think they are fantastic, and not just because Sparky thinks that the CCAA is going to speed up again with referrals after Chinese New Year.

We also saw a couple from Quincy, MA that had been at our pre-travel meeting in December at CAWLI. We met their three year daughter Julie, who is, of course, adorable. She will soon have a mei mei!

The best, most moving part of the party was when our agency director, Lillian, was presented with a gift because it is the agency's 10th anniversary. For each year, there was a child holding up a sign to represent all the families that had been built through CAWLI that year. I love listening to Lillian speak. She is just so genuine. As Sparky's husband Bob said, "she is a real hero".





Tim and I both agreed that this party will be a lot more fun next year when we have Bella. But we had a great time, and it's a wonderful thing to see all of these families running around, all created by Lillian's work. And Tim says the cookies were really good too.

The Year of the Dog

Happy Chinese New Year!!!
As I am sure most of the readers of this blog know, a new Lunar New Year began last Sunday...the Year of the Dog. We are big fans of this year because 1. we love dogs, 2. Tim was born in the Year of the Dog, and 3. and most importantly...
WE WILL BRING HOME BELLA IN THE YEAR OF THE DOG.

Here's the scope on those born in the Year of the Dog:

People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders. They are compatible with those born in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit.

I was born in the Year of the Rat:

People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox.

What's this? Tim and I are not compatible?

If Isabella is born in the Year of the Dog, I am going to be seriously outnumbered.
Yikes.

I must end here, as I gotta go charm members of the opposite sex, get mad at them, and then gossip about it tomorrow. Oh yes, and convince people that the Tammy way is the only way.

EmmaLi is home with her family

Back when I first discovered on-line adoption groups, I "talked" quite a bit to a woman named Dawn in the Mid-West. Dawn and her husband had two biological children, and were looking to adopt a daughter from China. We struggled through the paperchase together. Then Dawn and her husband found their daughter!

EmmaLi was a waiting child...she had a club foot that has since completely straightened out. And she's not waiting anymore! She has her family...a mom, a dad, a brother, and a sister. And they have her.

This is EmmaLi:



EmmaLi and her family arrived in the US and went home just a few days ago.
Dawn tells me that EmmaLi is transitioning beautifully and that she is especially smitten with her big sister.

Dawn has been a great source of support for me, and I am so happy for this family.

Look at their girl! Isn't she lovely?!