Chinese zodiac

Cindy:

You Were Born Under:

Resourceful and practical, you are a quick thinker. You are very observant - and it's hard to get anything past you! A total perfectionist, you are especially picky about looking your best. You're a big dreamer - such a big dreamer that reality can disappoint you. You are most compatible with an Ox or Snake.

What Year Were You Born Under?

Dave:

You Were Born Under:

Delicate, timid, and attractive - sometimes you really do act like a bunny. You're very compassionate and protective of those you love, sometimes too protective. Your home is really your castle, and you make sure your home is comfortable and well furnished. You don't like to argue - and you prefer a quiet, peaceful life. You are most compatible with a Goat or a Pig.

What Year Were You Born Under?

Born in our hearts...

Not flesh of my flesh, nor bone of my bone, but still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, you didn't grow under my heart - but in it.

Eyeball Cereal!

Evan & Ryan like to try and gross each other out with digusting things that a person "could" eat. Things like worms, guts, blood, and bugs are all typical ingredients but their all time favorite is "eyeball soup"! Neither Dave or I have any idea where they got this from but they think its hilariously digusting! Ryan likes to exclaim, "I eat eyeball soup!" *insert lots of laughter* then, "isn't that funny, Mommy?!"

Well I am sure somewhere in the world someone is actually eating "eyeball soup" or at the very least soup with some eyballs in it. But at the Wegmans where I shop for groceries the closest thing I found was Eyeball Cereal. The boys thought it was so hilarious and couldn't wait to dig in...but just before they did Evan asked, "This isn't REALLY eyeballs, right Mommy?"

More Snow!

Evan's 5 1/2 Birthday!

When Evan celebrated his 5 1/2 year birthday at school this week they gave him a birthday crown. In true kid brother fashion, Ryan also wanted a birthday crown. I was trying to get them both to smile so I could take their picture but Ryan just kept yelling "cheese". The more I would say "smile", the louder he would shout "cheese". Finally I started to say silly things just to try and get him to laugh. But the credit goes to Evan for saying "octopus poop"...that put a smile on RyRy's face! Ha!

Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes Quilt

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

We have joined several Yahoo! groups related to our adoption and through one of these groups we are participating in a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes quilt square swap. This week we recieved our first quilt square along with a wish for our future child (see photo) witha beautiful quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. It was so exciting to receive something in anticipation of our child. It will be even more exciting to give it to our child knowing it comes with love and good wishes from so many people. It doesn't get much better than that.

LID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is with sheer joy mixed with relief that we can report we FINALLY have our LID (log-in-date) with the CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs)! Our SW (social worker) left us a messageyesterday (2/21/2007 on Evan's official 5 1/2 birthday)! We started the paperwork at the end of June. We submitted our dossier (paperwork) to our agency just before Halloween. We were officially DTC (dossier to China) on Dec 15. It was received by the CCAA on Jan 2. And most importantly we were LID on 1/16! This means we are officially in the queue for our adoption!

Even though it seemed to take such a long time just to get here, the good news is that we are already 1 month and 6 days into the wait. Only around 22 more months to go before we are matched with our child...but who's counting?! ;)

I guess we are really on the slow boat to China!

Waiting on our LID

It's Feb 12, 2007. We were DTC on Dec 15, 2006 and have yet to have confirmation on our LID (log in date). The reality is we probably already have a LID, we just have not been told what that date is. Keeping my fingers crossed that we get it this Wednesday for Valentine's day or this Friday for Dave's (drumroll please) 44th birthday!