Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Check out this cutie!
It's gotcha day for Alan & Shannon! If you want to see one cute baby and TWO happy parents go to www.thestoryofyou.com and click on the "in China now" tab, then go to Mia P. she is a joy to behold! I know her big brother Ryan must be absolutely thrilled at home having fun with Grandma.The other babies on the site are pretty darn cute too and well worth the look.
| posted by Julie at 12:17 PM
Monday, March 27, 2006
Restaurant Activity Bag!
This post is for you first timers out there like me, you BTDTs (been there done thats) will all be saying well of course you need that.
The subject is "the restaurant bag", you utilize this bag strictly in restaurants (or the DMV and places like that where waiting is involved) it stays in the car and isn't played with in the house to keep it fresh & effective.
This bag will save your sanity, I promise, when the little one is waiting for his or her food or just doesn't want to eat in the restuarant and is getting ready to explode you pull out "the bag", just seeing "the bag" has soothed the savage baby many times and many dinners have be rescued by "the bag" in just my limited experience.
What's in this magic bag you may ask? Well here's the contents of my friend's bag and this one is a proven winner (3 kids) so we'll go with it: crayons, coloring books, books (old and without value-think ketchup & juice stains), little toys of the FREE variety from Wendy's & McDonalds things you don't mind losing and NEW free toys from Wendy's & McDonalds waiting to be opened for the serious baby meltdown. That's it, it's not expensive or trendy it's just useful.
I am now the proud owner of a hand-me-down restaurant bag and couldn't be any happier! Not only do I have oodles of toy, crayons, books etc. my friend Danielle and her daughter Peyton (former owner) have even been saving me the NEW toys for Kacey's bag. All I had to do was throw the stuff in the wash and I am ready to go :) Thanks girls!
Don't laugh this one off, no matter if you are waiting for a boy, girl or twins (Mary Mia) you NEED this bag! You'll be thanking me the first time you are out in your favorite Mexican, Italian, Steakhouse Restaurant and need to pull it out.
Dinner is served and everyone is happy...BRILLIANT!
| posted by Julie at 1:14 PM
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Meltdown Averted!
http://awaitingava.blogspot.com/I want everyone to go to this BLOG and watch the video posted today, I mean EVERYONE, I'll know if you skip it.
You will then understand that the referral meltdown is over for me, this video tells the story much better that I could ever do it. I will keep it close and watch as much as I have to in order to keep the faith :)
Be patient if your connection is a bit slow, it may start and stop on you but trust me, please, this is worth the wait...literally.
Ava's mommy is from Georgia, we met at our monthly meeting which is how I learned about her BLOG.
| posted by Julie at 2:05 PM
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Referral ???NEWS???
Honestly I don't know if this is news or not but I'm just here to report the facts. We July folks got an email from Great Wall yesterday saying that we should expect our referrals in May or June. Well, I've been expecting May (the smart girl side of me) but hoping against hope that it would be April. I guess it's just not to be, but wait, who really knows? Even the CCAA doesn't know how many babies they will have to match each month until they get their paperwork.
As of today, March 22nd I am hereby stating the following:
- I will not succomb to the bad rumors of gloom and doom.
- I will continue to shop at Gymboree for pretty things whenever I want to.
- I will continue to pack and repack Kacey's suitcase two/three times a week.
- I will even pack her diaper bag for the trip.
The hell with the rumors (sorry for the bad word) I'm going to China, I'm going have a daughter and I'm going to be ready. I'm ready now and I'll be ready in May or June, I will not be beat down by the CCAA, Great Wall or the Yahoo Groups!
Ok, that's that, now back to our regular programming :)
| posted by Julie at 9:39 AM
Monday, March 20, 2006
Mouse-Cookies-Easter Table!
| posted by Julie at 10:28 AM
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie He'll Want a Glass of Milk!
I have decided that I am just like the mouse in this story. On another subject if you haven't read the book, one in a series, it's not to be missed! Ok, back to what I was saying...you remember, about me and the mouse!This weekend I was getting out my Easter decorations in honor of the first day of Spring, well I brought up my crates (yes I said crates) from the basement and put out my decorations...this looked very nice but then I a saw my Spring table linens at the bottom of a crate and thought OH I should wash and iron my linens. That was all well and good but after I got done ironing I thought to myself (just like the mouse) I should just go ahead and put them on the dining room table rather than fold them and have to re-iron. That's exactly what I did and guess what? The linens looked so sad on the table all by themselves that I proceeded to pull out the remainder of my decorations and set my table for Easter--4 weeks in advance!!!
It looks quite beautiful but I'm quite sure that my housekeeper is going to be certain that I am delusional now, first it was a finished nursery without a baby, then a garage and now an Easter table a month in advance. Oh well, she'll understand...right Jan? For the next 4 weeks every meal will be eaten at this lovely table, be it pizza or Lean Cuisene it will be enjoyed.
Let's hope by this time next year or MUCH sooner I will not have time for such flights of fancy :)
Please take special not of Kacey's highchair in a position of honor...it's been there since last July a log in date gift to myself.
| posted by Julie at 10:07 AM
A close up of the afore mentioned tree :) Can't wait to show it to Kacey this time next year.
| posted by Julie at 8:46 AM
This is the most beautiful time of the year in GA and I can prove it. I've titled this photo "a room with a view" just get a load of the beautiful tree outside my family room window!
| posted by Julie at 8:44 AM
Aunt Becky rocks, she sent Kacey a big box of beautiful things including this precious Christmas dress. Thanks!
| posted by Julie at 8:41 AM
Friday, March 17, 2006
It's Kacey's World Now!
The continuing saga of the "long reach of a small girl from China".
Kacey now has a presence in the garage. I was pouting last weekend and decided to get busy instead so I got out the paint, the rollers and the drill, went to Lowe's 3-4 times for supplies and voila! Kacey has her own section of the garage. We can put all her toys and supplies right there where she can reach them and play to her little heart's content.
Let's Play SOON!
| posted by Julie at 11:41 AM
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
South of the Border!
Hola Y'all! It's me writing from Mexico, time for some more postcard installments...well it would be if I hadn't lost my USB cord and the ability to download my pictures :(Look for lots of new posts over the weekend, I've been in Cancun (still very sad after Hurricane Wilma), Guadalajara & Puerta Vallarta during this busy week. Just trying to make the time pass faster, the busier I am the happier and less stressed I am. Who knew selling steaks could be so therapeutic!
Also look for new photos of my secret garage project which is "muy bueno" if I may say so myself!!!!
Did I tell you guys that I'm also writing Kacey postcards (the real ones with tacky tourist spots) from every city that I've worked in while I wait for her, I tell her about the city or country and add an interesting factoid or two. Someday she can read the postcards and roll her eyes at me in disgust...I can't wait.
One more thing and this is a BIG one...Katie Starr's stork is in the air. The 26 lost GW referrals are winging their way to Austin and should arrive by Friday, I'll bet Lori and Marc are more than a little excited and so are we.
Adios for now.
| posted by Julie at 2:10 PM
Friday, March 10, 2006
Practice Packing!
Voila Space Bags Save the Day!
Now most of you know that I practically travel for a living so the fact that I am actually having to "practice pack" is truly a bizarre concept for me. Normally, I go to the dry cleaner, do all my laundry, jam some stuff in my suitcase, take some stuff out and rush to the airport with no time to spare.
Well, this my friends is a different ballgame. I've never packed for or traveled with in infant so everything is fair game!
Here's a look at my 1st packing attempt, please keep in mind that there are no clothes, pjs, socks or other wearable items in this entire mess. I don't know what size she will be and just don't know what to pack so this is just her essentials (or what I consider those essentials). I bought the OTC drugs on the packing list and they almost filled the entire suitcase...when I added a couple pair of sunglasses, toys and blankets it was spewing out the top.
Photo number 2 is me with a better grip on the situation and SPACE BAGS which I think are going to save the day! I'm going to pack her clothes and goodies in those and put them in my suitcase, I've decided that if I have to wear the same pair of capris/shorts and shirt everyday that's just fine but Kacey will not want for anything. If I think she might need it, it's going...unreasonable, indeed, but that's that!
Here's hoping I'm doing this for real very soon along with all my buddies in line with me, before me and behind me.
| posted by Julie at 9:40 AM
Thursday, March 09, 2006
A Change of Seasons!
Well it's that time again, when Winter turns to Spring (although my pictures posted in the wrong order) and my thoughts turn to to traveling to China to meet Kacey!I bought her this very sassy coat on close, close, close-out for less that $10 but then had a bit of buyer's remorse...am I turning my little one into a "hoochy mama" with stuff like this? I sought some advice from my friend Bob, who has known his share of HM's in his day, and he said..."if you wear size 2-t there is not chance that you can look like hoochy mama it just doesn't happen". I'm going to trust him, go with this theory and hope that it gets cold enough in GA next year for Kacey to look divine in this little number!
The Spring frock, well that is pure me...if they had the little beauty in my size we'd be wearing matching dresses.
Here's to Spring and the growing hope of pretty girls in their pretty dresses running through our flower beds very soon!
| posted by Julie at 9:18 AM
Monday, March 06, 2006
The Honking Worked!
I woke up this morning and went to work expecting an average mundane Monday, boy was I in for a surprise!When I clicked onto the CCAA website, as I do every morning, there was the news that I've been waiting for...."the CCAA has finished review of the documents registered with our office before July 31st, 2005". Since I was logged in on July 8th THAT'S ME!!!!!
What does this news mean? Well, it means that my paperwork had no problems and was approved by China and it means that my file (really just that attractive passport photo I sent and short bio) has been moved to the matching room. It's not being matched yet but it's there, sitting on a shelf with all it's July friends a little closer to it's turn.
I'm going to take this as a good sign, we (July) did not stay in the review nearly as long as April and May and maybe they (CCAA) are ready to pick up the pace. I know that their goal was a 10 month wait and to accomplish this they can't keep up this slow pace. They need to at least match 3 weeks at a time!!!
The bottom line is this, best case I'll get my referral in late April, more realistic thinking would say May. I chose to be unrealistic about this and bet the ranch on April...what the hell I can un-bet the ranch at any time since I don't have one to bet anyway.
This is movement and I desperately needed some movement so let the good times roll and get those late May and June referrals in the air. I'm ready for Motherhood!!!
Hang in there Kacey Mommy's coming :)
| posted by Julie at 9:42 AM
Friday, March 03, 2006
The greatest gift EVER Katrena!
| posted by Julie at 10:02 AM
WHAT MY SECRET PAL GOT...
You guys may think that you got great stuff from your Secret Pal but just take a look at what my Secret Pals Z & T got the day after the shower...my goodie box didn't stand a chance after this little package arrived!!!That's right my expedited buddies received their referral of the lovely Katrena. She is so very cute and the perfect gift. She's currently 7 months old and residing in the Jiangxi Province.
Both Mom and Dad are overjoyed and ready to go! Wishing you speedy and safe travels.
| posted by Julie at 9:57 AM
