Finally

Spring is here! While working on a project and searching for clip art today I came across two pics I love...so, just for fun I'm posting them.

Tulips, one of my favorite flowers.

So pretty, Chinese umbrellas.

I won't be blogging for the next few days, busy with a work conference and working late. Have a good rest of the week readers!

Jumping on the meme train...

This seems to be circulating around quite a few blogs I read, so I thought I would join in on the fun. Let it be known, this is my first participation in a meme. I was too nervous before, mainly because I didn’t know what meme meant…lol! For those of you wondering what a meme is, I found this explanation on Wikipedia:

Meme - (loosely) An interactive quiz or survey spread from one user to another on the internet.

So, here we go…

1. Can you cook?
Sure can, not sure I’m any good…but I haven’t had too many complaints yet. I love cooking. Although it's just me at home, so I don’t cook big meals often. I like to cook when people are around, for family, for B, for friends on a Friday night. Cookbooks on the counter right now are Pampered Chef – It’s good for you and Weight Watchers 5 ingredients, 15 min. (Yep, that’s right, back on the wagon…sigh).

2. What was your dream growing up?
When I was a little, I always wanted to be a gymnast. Clearly that one didn’t happen, I’m 5’10! I also remember being 18, graduating from high school and talking to my friends about the fact that when I was 25 SURELY I would be married and have a baby. At the time, 25 seemed so old! Clearly, that one didn’t happen either. Hrrrmmpphhh. I also dreamed of being a nurse and working in labor and delivery.

3. What talent do you wish you had?
I wish I was an athlete. I’m not at all. I also wish I could play the piano as well as my Mom does.

4. Favorite place?
Playa del Carmen, Mexico – on the beach, with a good book in one hand and a cocktail in the other. Around home, I would have to say somewhere up the river in the forests of NI.

5. Favorite vegetable?
Pretty much any veggie that is not broccoli, cauliflower, cooked carrots, peas, or anything from the squash family. ewwwww!

6. The last book you read?
Intro to Computers – Instructor edition. B.O.R.I.N.G. The last fun book I read was The Good Earth, while on vacation in Mexico.

7. What zodiac sign are you?
Gemini baby!

8. Any tattoos or piercings?
Yes. One tattoo on my lower back. I did the deed to celebrate turning 21 w/ my friend Jill. It’s a small daisy flower and it now has a lovely stretch mark racing across it. My ears are pierced once and I hardly ever wear earrings, just my little diamond studs every once in awhile.

9. Worst habit?
There are a few….

10. Do we know each other outside of this blog?
No

11. Favorite sport?
Yeah, not so much.

12. Negative or optimistic attitude?
I try to be optimistic, but I know there are times when I am negative and must check myself...lately this seems to be right after referrals are announced.

13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator?
Freak out. Just kidding. I would hit the little emergency button and grab the emergency phone and tell someone that I needed to be rescued straight away!

14. Worst thing that ever happened to you?
The day BB broke up with me. After 4 1/2 years of dating, living together, etc. I thought he was the one. Turns out, he wasn't.

It. broke. my. heart.

15. Tell me a weird fact about you?
I sleep with a pillow over my head. Not my face, but my head. I have to, my ear MUST BE COVERED. I am also an expert whistler, my brother is too…when we’re together we whistle to the radio and harmonize. It’s downright fabulous!

16. Do you have any pets?
Two - Timber, my chocolate lab & Satchi, my Salt Lake City pound kitty named after the Wasatch mountain range.

17. Do you know how to do the Macarena?
Do I know how to do the Marcarena? Let me set the scene: 1994-95 ish, 19 or 20 years old, 11 girls, Spring Break, Mazatlan Mexico. Need I write anymore?

18. What time is it where you are now?
5:15 p.m., I’m waiting (otherwise known as “office hours”) for my Intro to Computer students to arrive, I’ll be lecturing on Chapter 7 – Storage at 6:00p.m.. Fun times.

19. What kind of bubble gum do you chew?
Whatever looks good at the checkout aisle (sugar-free). I’ll chew just about anything EXCEPT peppermint flavor. gross.

20. Which is your favorite bar to hang at?
Don’t really have one. I live in a small town, and am in my early 30s. I don’t really “hang” at the bar anymore.

21. Do you think clowns are cute or scary? Well, I used to think they were cute until I saw the video of Anna Nicole Smith…you know, the one with the scary clown make-up and she is OUT OF IT. Now, I can’t look at clowns without that particular image clouding all clown goodness. Yikes.

22. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
Subtract 40 pounds and there ya have it!

23. What color eyes do you have?
Sh*t brown, I mean lovely milk chocolate brown...

24. Ever been arrested?
No and I don’t plan on it either.

25. Bottle or Draft?
Neither, I am a wine girl and the occasional Vodka/soda w/ extra lime. ;-)

26. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?
Put it in savings.

27. Do you believe in ghosts?
I don’t really know. It’s not that I don’t believe in them, I just don’t really have a reason to believe in them either.

28. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Hang out with my boyfriend, read adoption books and blogs!

29. Do you swear a lot?
F*ck no! (sorry mom, I know you just winced)

30. Favorite swear word?
I don’t have a favorite, I use them all equally. (again, sorry ma!)

31. Biggest pet peeve?
When people use the word I ain’t, I seen, and got me as in “I got me something” in a serious manner, not knowing it's incorrect. It's just not right.

32. In one word, how would you describe yourself ?
Childless

Messin' around w/ YouTube **updated**

Just figuring out YouTube. I thought this was pretty funny.

**What the heck happened? The code is still in my post, yet there is nothing displayed? grrrrrr.

Anniversary

A year ago today, I met my someone special "B".

Playdough conversation

Slumber party plans

Today, my 2 ½ year old nephew Jackson is coming over to stay with me (all afternoon and all night). I’m looking forward to spending some time with him as I haven’t really had a chance to see much of him in the past few months.

On the agenda so far:

• Playing at the park across the street & throwing the ball for Timber


• Playdough (man, he loves playdough and I have NEW playdough cutters for us to break in)


• Dinner


• Bath


• Diego DVD (while snuggled up with auntie whom I'm sure will be praying that he settles down and goes to sleep at a decent hour).

On the Dinner Menu...
Lean ground beef sloppy joes on whole wheat buns
Tater tots
Orange slices

And this for a snack whenever…

Crunchy Snack Mix

Prep Time: 10 min.
Start to Finish: 10 min. (can't beat that!)
Makes: 10 servings (1/2 cup each)

1 cup animal crackers
1 cups teddy bear-shaped chocolate or honey graham snacks
1 cup miniature pretzel twists
1 cup candy-coated chocolate candies
1 cup yogurt-covered raisins*

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Store in covered container up to 1 month

* Jackson is allergic to milk products, so I'll substitute w/ regular raisins. ;-)

New friends...

My friend Hannah called me earlier this week just wanting to check in and see how things were going w/ the adoption. Hannah is my friend who brought her daughter, Ari, home from Vietnam just 3 months ago (we also started this process together…gives you an idea of how FAST adoption from Vietnam is right now or was before the new China rules announcement).

Anyhoo, I was moaning and groaning to her about the wait blah blah blah. She offered her support and told me to hang in there, we had a good conversation and it was fun to hear all about Ari and how she is doing (she is doing GREAT by the way).

So, today I get an email. It stated:

Smile!!!!!
Before you know it you will have a chubby baby girl in a bikini!!
Have a great day!
Love,
Ari

With this picture attached:

How freakin’ cute is that!!

Put a smile on my face and made my day for sure.... :-)

What flower am I?

Apparently I am a snapdragon. Who knew? If I remember correctly, I think my Grandma likes snapdragons.

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Observed

Holy moly. As I type this, my Intro to Computer students are diligently working on their Excel projects. I on the other hand am breathing a sigh of relief and trying to ignore my sweaty armpits. Why? Because I was "observed" (evaluated) tonight by my division chair! Pretty scary stuff for a brand spanking new instructor who feels as if she she really doesn't know what she's doing and maybe she should have completed her Masters in Education BEFORE attempting to teach instead of "trying it out" first while working on her masters. I know I know, it is common for grad students to teach. Still, I was so freakin' nervous it wasn't even funny.

Turns out...I'm not so bad after all. We met for our "conference" while my students were taking their test AFTER I lectured on Excel for 40 minutes.

Constructive criticism offered by my division chair is as follows:

• I use "um" too much. Be aware of it and work on it.
• I don't probe my students enough at the beginning during the review of what we did last week and a few times a student asked a question and I answered her directly and turned my body away from the other students. In turn, I should have turned re-stated the question and answered so ALL the students could hear.

Umm ;-) that's it. Everything else was very positive.

I was very worried that he would think I refer to my notes too often. When I brought it up, he said "no way, that will come with experience, you are doing a great job".

Anyway...breathing a sigh of relief that I am doing an OK job for my first time.

Yay for me!

Weekend pics part 2

Aunt Sara and nephew Thomas

Dozer, B's dog

Timber and her friends

from left Dozer, Wyatt, Timber, and Waylon

Vacation post is in the works, I better get it done before I lose my tan...

Weekend part 1

Well, after my big ol' downer post late last week, I thought I'd better de-funk myself.

Friday, I went to a "spa party" with my friend Shelby. After, I met someone special back at the house for dinner and wine. Let me emphasize the word wine. But look! B assembled, I supervised.

I present the stroller. Taaaaaadaaaaaaaa!

Then last night, I found a package at my door. Inside, I found this little jar full of 365 hugs and warm wishes.

With this note inside.

My Dad sent this to me, how do I know? He gave it away in an earlier email. Mentioning something about a jar and when it was empty she would be here or almost here.

Awwwwwwww!

p.s. Blogger is so giving me grief! I hate that I am unable to left align this text..has something to do with how I uploaded the pictures, but quite frankly I'm sick of trying to figure it out....grrrrrr.

ooooh! can't wait!

Today is a new day

Yesterday, well yesterday was just a down day I guess. Feeling better about things today for sure. Plus it’s Friday and who doesn’t like the weekend!

Thank you for the comments on yesterday's post. I know this process is full of ups and downs. Yesterday was a downer day for me I guess and I'm so glad to have found this network of support. Thank you!!

Last night after work, I popped over to my sister’s house to see my nephew Thomas. He’s now 6 weeks old and weighs 12 pounds. He had the cutest pair of little tiny jeans on and a navy blue tee that said “chick magnet”. So cute. I wish I would have had the camera handy. He also barfed on his aunt…twice.

Awwwww crap

I should've read this before I published my last post. What do I really have to bitch about anyway...nothing really.

Just sittin' around waiting...

I’m over it. My chipper, cheery, everything happens for a reason, be patient attitude is gone. I get it now. I’m now a “waiting” family and it’s not that much fun.

When I was knee deep in paperwork, I was thinking all things adoption ALL THE TIME. It was all things baby and I really felt like a Mom to be. I enjoyed buying things, thinking about life after I brought her home, reading books and blogs, and discussing my adoption with others.

I would read the blogs…oh, the moaning and groaning about the wait and this and that and I would think well, how hard can the wait be? At least their paperwork is IN China and registered with the CCAA...I can’t even start waiting until the paperwork is there. At the time, my idea of the wait was the easy part of this process. Seriously, I would read blogs and wonder why everyone was so pissed off.

Yeah, not so much anymore. I get it now, I really do. The wait sucks. You know what really sucks? Every month the wait keeps getting longer and longer, so I don’t feel like I’m any closer to the end result (but I must be...right?). I feel myself pulling away from the process in a weird sort of way. Now I find myself not wanting to talk about my adoption. The whole thing just doesn’t feel real anymore. I am no longer buying baby clothes. I am no longer reading, planning, plotting. The stroller I purchased for last month’s “big” item is still sitting in the entry way, in its big huge box - untouched. My parenting magazines are stacking up nicely, unread. I am no longer hitting RQ on a daily basis. The door to the babe’s room is closed.

Maybe this is my way of dealing with it. Pretend it’s not there and the time will fly by…yeah right. Maybe I’m just trying to protect myself. I’m scared. Scared that something is going to happen and I won’t be able to see this through to the end. Is my paperwork really grandfathered in? Will my paperwork make it through the review room? It’s all so uncertain and I think it just freaks me out.

The thing is, I think about my babe every day and silently watch the days go by one by one…until the 13th of the month when I get excited for a moment (ok, the whole day and probably the day after) that the blog ticker has changed.

All around me are new mothers.
New mothers whose babies they are with now.
New mothers who don’t recognize that I too am a mom to be - - just a different type.
New mothers who don’t know that when I look at their babies, all I think about is my baby and wonder how on earth someone could leave a little being this size on the side of the road or wherever, abandoned, with no one to look after her.

And here I sit, just waiting.

1....2....3!

3 months down

13.5 to go

I hope

Referral update

An agency announcement from my yahoo board indicates that the wait is as of today 16 1/2 months from LID to referral. If the wait stays the same (which I HIGHLY doubt as it's increased each month since I started this process), I can anticipate a referral sometime May 2008 and plan to travel a month or two after that. So, I'm thinking baby will be home sometime summer 08.

maybe.

I'm back!

Ahhhhhh...took a little vacation to Mexico this past week. Here's a pic of the hotel...more vacation photos to come later in the week!

Blogger break be back soon...

Babies!

Remember this post? Proud papa, JC, sent pictures today!

Here's my new little nephew Thomas on the left and new baby Laney on the right. They are just three weeks apart and Thomas is twice the size! How cute! Here's what's funny...Thomas isn't really a tank like he looks in the pic, he's only a little over 9 lbs and Laney is tiny...weighing in at 5 lbs, 8 oz. I think (sorry John, if I am wrong). I love my new little nephew! Laney is a cutie too!

Thomas needed a stretch, Laney just wants some shut eye...

Someone special's blog debut and I holding little Laney :-)

Congratulations JC and Colleen, little Laney is adorable!