Photo in last post

No-one commented on the weird looking stockings hanging on the line?!! You are all so polite!

The photo says:
Milo: "I'm a really naughty boy, and I keep pulling Mummy's washing off the line, and then I play tug-of-war with it, with my mate Chewy. When we finish playing tug-of-war, I chew it up - I really like to chew the buttons off and I really like to eat zips too. I forgot to mention... I only like my Mummy's clothes, and I'm very choosy - they have to be as new as possible."

Chewy: "I had nothing to do with it - it was all Milo... now let me in!"

Mummy: (who is behind the camera) "Milo - I'm ready to take you to the pound. I've had enough. You've eaten at least $300 worth of my clothes in the last 2 weeks. At least Chewy only used to eat my undies".

Daddy: (who is nowhere to be seen, but offers this advice) "Hang balloons off the clothes line, put some pepper or chilli sauce in them - when he bites the balloon - it'll pop and he'll be covered in spicy stuff - and the noise will scare him - he won't do it again".

I was spying on Milo from H-man's bedroom window, when my friend rang and offered this advice- Milo was trying to bite the balloon, but it was too big and kept floating up when he tried. She said, put the balloon in the end of a stocking, that way he'll pull it off the line, bite it.... ending in desired result.

RESULT: Milo pulled both stockings off the line, bit both of them - chewed up the stocking, licked up every last drop of the chilli sauce. He's just dumb. He'll keep pulling my clothes off the line - got any suggestions? (other than Mr T's who said to put the dogs in the shed, when washing is on the line... they'll be in there for weeks!!!!)

New Poll!

H-man asked me today when it was Christmas - I said 30 days (its actually only 29!)... it got me thinking... geez.... it's the end of the month.... and what comes out at the end of the month? (besides new grey hairs, desperately needing hairdresser attention?!)

REFERRALS!

Or allocations as they are usually referred to here in Oz. I sneaked a peak at RQ. She's saying it's likely they'll get to 23rd (doesn't get a rating though, as it's pretty much guess work!). I'm still not banking on it... we'll see. I went to post a comment, to thank RQ for her great work, when I read the last comment...
"We got our referral today!!! Baby Girl, under 1 *expedited SN*"
My stomach flip-flopped... if SN referrals are appearing, one would think the NSN wouldn't be far away?!!

Its been 4 years and 2 months, since we began this journey...

It seems so surreal that this leg of the journey could finally be over... and the real journey is about to begin!

**New poll**
So tell me... What are your guesses for our wee one?!
* Province?
* Male or Female?
* Age?
(leave your answer in Comments... if you comment as "Anonymous" - make sure you put your name at the end of your comment so I know who you are!!!)

My Guesses are:
* Guangdong
* Female
* 10 months

Finally - they say a picture says a thousand words... what do you think this picture is saying?

Funny Story

When I was reading PIPO's blog, she said she was trying to learn some Chinese, and hoped she wouldn't offend anyone with her Chinese, when in China! Well, that brought a very funny story to my mind, which I don't think I've shared here, before.

Picture this:
We're in China. (In Xi'An) We went to have dinner at a local restaurant. NO-ONE in the restaurant spoke English. So there was lots of gestures and pointing to pictures! The waitress pulls out the chair, and motions for me to sit. I sit, H-man sits next to me. Mr T was taking off his jacket or something, and didn't see the waitress come round behind him. Mr T, instinctive pats Miss M on the bottom and says to sit down. He was highly embarrassed to find, he'd patted the waitress on the bottom!!! He then proceeds to say "Xi Xi" (thinking he said sorry).

He actually said "thank you".

So not only did he "touch her up"... he then thanked her for the pleasure!!!!

33 Months

The number 3 must be quite significant, to me, I think. Apparently, if you add all the numbers up in your date of birth, then add the total together, you'll eventually get a single number, and thats supposedly your lucky number. Mine is 3.

I am one of 3 children. I was born in the third month. I'm about to have 3 children. Even our house number has a 3 in it! So... I'm hoping this IS in fact, my lucky number and maybe "33" will be the charm, and we'll see Mini in a couple of weeks! Oh! I just had a thought! Our girl's name has 4 letters in it... but our boy's name only has 3?!!! hehehe!!!

I dreamt about our referral last night! Here in Australia, apparently, we get a phone call when the file gets to the agency office, (to say the file is in), but we don't get any information for 2-3 more days til the file is translated. Then we go into the office to see the file... there is no "call" where we get all the information - which is a bit of a bummer - but thats the way it is.

Anyway, in my dream, we got sent a piece of paper, with 2 photos on it and some brief information. It said we have a daughter. Her name was Hua Hudd (and there was another "H" name on the end, I can't remember what it was though!) There was no other information. The little girl in the photos, looked to be, just under one. The date on the photo said 11/11... and I couldn't remember the year, but decided it said '07! So I was trying to speculate how old Hua must be - I decided almost 2. The pictures were interesting! In one, the little girl was looking around a couch! In the other she was asleep in a lounge chair with a carer!!

When I woke up, I was analyzing my dream! I think her name was Hua, as a couple of little girls, I know, have that name. Hudd? Not sure!!! Never even seen that on a referral before!!! Mr T likes the name Hudson, so I was thinking that might be why it was Hudd?!! 11/11 is my friend's little girl's birthday - so I'm assuming that's why it was that date! And the pictures? Well, the little girl, looked slightly asian, but upon thinking about it, she looked alot like a little girl (sibling) at school! Its been years since I've dreamt of our child. I think its funny I had that dream last night (our wedding anniversary yesterday, and our LID anniversary today!).

16 Years

You still got what it takes, Baby!

The spunky bloke in the photo brought these home, for me! Awww.... so sweet!

#1 daughter made these for us... I love 'em!

I bought my man a "T0p Gear" boxed DVD set... I know the way to my man's heart... (through a gear box!!!)

**EDIT** What's a girl to do, when her man is racing on their Wedding Anniversary? GO SHOPPING!!! Especially when a certain store has 40% OFF ALL CLOTHING!!! I bought 3 massive bags full (no surprises there?!!... and NO! not all for me, some is for Christmas Pressies!) Here are my top 3 bargains:

Long Sleeve Tee for ME! Broke the bank at $3... perfect for a chilly China winters day, No?!!
ITS A BOY?!!! No worries, got that covered! Total out of pocket expense $3 each!

Last, but certainly not least... cute lil tee. Bargain of the Day at only $1.43

Tagged

Tongginator's Mama tagged me! Obviously, my dodging and weaving tatics aren't in good form?!! Nah, I need a good distraction... albeit for 5 minutes!

Three Sixes

Six Things I Value:
1. Family. Family is funny. You can love on them and then in 2 minutes be yelling at them... but all is well?!!
2. Honesty. There was a time, when hubs was so honest with me. It sucks. "The Truth will set you Free" ~ is something I live by. Sometimes I'm a little too honest, and get myself into trouble!
3. Independence. Not in the self-righteous way. In the "I know who I am" way.
4. God's Blessing. I'm amazed everyday at how much we are blessed.
5. Friends. My friends are like gold. We don't always agree... but we listen, and that's what makes them such good friends.
6. God. God is in everything I do. He is the "glue" in my life. And trust me... over the years, I've needed LOTSA glue!

Six Things I Don't Support:
1. Lying/Deception. Absolutely can't stand it. Refer to #2 above... The TRUTH will set you free. Absolutely NO GOOD EVER comes out of lying or deceiving people.
2. Alzheimers Disease... any disease really. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all just pass away in our sleep, when we're really really old? No pain, no frustration, no hurt.
3. Labour Party. (political party)
4. Expensive fuel!!! But I do support it, coz I have to?!!!
5. Taxes. I get that we have to pay tax. I don't get why, when you're in business the tax-man makes 2 thirds more than we do...and we're the ways doing all the work? Our Govt is given $1,000 for every child, before Christmas. My FIL was very excited and told us... I said, "No Dad, we won't get a cent... we work to hard". The dole bludgers will get it though. True story.
6. Laziness. For your own sake... get off your butt and go do something! (said, as I'm sitting in front of the computer?!! what a hypocrite?!!!)

I'm sposed to tag 6 people, but I'm too lazy!!! HA!!! Not true, I'm already 4 mins overtime - gotta take the kids to school! If you wanna have a crack... and need a distraction like me... go for it!

Finding my Mojo

... I've been looking for it everywhere! I think I found it. It appears it slipped down under the cushions on the lounge. I've dusted it off. Still doesn't fit, quite like it used to... I just need to pull myself into shape!

For the first time in about 2 weeks, my tummy did a "flitter flutter" as I thought, seeing our son/daughter in 2 weeks COULD be a realisation.

I even ordered Mini's Christmas gift! Thanks to this lady... for tempting me with such devine toys!!! I've ordered 4 Melissa & Doug food sets - they look absolutely amazing. I'm so "over" plastic toys. Particularly "educational" toys!!! I spent a fortune on "educational" things for Miss M, when she was a baby... she preferred an empty C0ke bottle with a bit of dry rice in it!!! Figures! The M&D sets weren't cheap! First I went to Am@z0n. Cheap sets (US$15) but the post was a killer, at US$67!!! Then add about 30%, to equate it to the AUS$. See. Not cheap. I did, however, manage to find them on our Aussie eb^y, the sets were $34 (ooo-ahh) but I only had to pay $10 to get them all posted! (and thats all in AUS$! so deduct 30% to get the US$) Cool!!! I've ordered the "Food cutting", "Pizza", "birthday cake" and "sushi". I wanted the sandwich one... but she didn't have that one :( Maybe I'll need to suck it up next Christmas, and go with Am@z0n?!! If your kids have any of these sets... leave a comment on what you think!

I even looked at RQ. Nothing going on... but I succumbed, and looked!

Oooo. Can I bear more disappointment?

Probably.

1000 Days

Yep... you read it... 1,000 days. Madness, I tell ya! Do you like the pic? This was us, squeezed into our little train cabin, on the overnight train from Beijing to Xi'An. I really like this photo, I thought it seemed quite appropriate... it looks like we're all waiting on the edge of our seats! (which we were/are!)





This week is a massive week of numbers. Today marks 1000 days. Its our LID anniversary this week, our wedding anniversary, and Mr T is racing in the Classic Adelaide so he's hoping to improve his rank this year too! I think he finished at about 32, last year. I was so impressed! Its the first time he's ever raced in anything! And he didn't crash and die... that's always a bonus!



Its been such a funny, old month. Some mornings I wake up, and my heart skips a beat... could we see our child's face in 2 weeks time? Other mornings I wake up, feeling nothing. Can't get too excited ~ you'll only get disappointed. The lady in the bank said today "Aren't you getting ready to go to China"? (she ordered my "crisp new notes", so I told her all about it!) I sadly shook my head, and explained the incredibly small batch last month. I said "We SHOULD get in the next lot of allocations... but I'm not holding my breath". It makes me feel sad, that I'm not over the moon excited! I just don't want to be bitterly disappointed. I didn't think we'd make it, last month - but thought we'd DEFINITELY be in for Dec. But all I can think is, "what if they only allocate 2 days again?" We're still not in.



I know God's plan is perfect. I know that when we do see our child's face, it'll be so worth it. I truly do know that, and believe that. But don't kid yourself... adoption is by NO MEANS easy ~ "the wait is like being on a rolla-coasta" - truer words have never been spoken!

Recipes, trees and angels

The lovely Shelley, sent me an email, inviting me to join a recipe exchange! What a great idea! I need every distraction I can get at the moment, so I participated! I was going to give my lemon meringue pie recipe, that I know off the top of my head - but then thought, it's a "packet" of this and a "tin" of that... I don't know the weights etc, and we call our things different names here!!! (ie. we call cookies = biscuits etc!)

So I gave this recipe:
HONEY MUSTARD CRUMBED CHICKEN
4 x 125g chicken breast fillets, no skin
1/4 cup german mustard
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tspn minced garlic
salt & pepper
cornflake crumbs

Preheat oven to 180 degreesC
Combine mustard, honey garlic, salt & pepper in a bowl.
Coat each piece of chicken, then roll in cornflake crumbs.
Place fillets on non-stick oven tray lined with baking paper.
Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Serves 4.

(go to onlineconversion.com if you need to convert the measurements/temp. etc)

Then I thought - ooo! Does America have cornflakes?!! If you don't know what cornflakes are, use any type of unsweetened rolled wheat/corn breakfast cereal.

The bonus with this recipe... it only has 1.5g of fat per serve! Its yummy, quick & easy, and low fat?!!! Too good to be true, hey?!!!

Here's my lemon meringue pie recipe, I'll try and guess the weights etc!!!

1 pk sweet plain biscuits (about 200-250g pk - I use Nice biscuits in Australia)
80g melted butter
1 tin sweetened condensed milk (I have no idea how much is in there - 300ml?!)
5 eggs (separated)
1 good size lemon
1/4 cup castor sugar

Preheat oven to 150 degreesC
Crush the biscuits. (I throw them in the blender) to make fine crumbs. Mix in melted butter. Press into pie dish.
Tip tin of condensed milk into bowl. Add 3 egg yolks. Add juice from one lemon, and a bit of lemon rind. Beat together. Pour onto prepared pie dish.
Beat 5 egg whites, slowly add sugar. Beat on high speed, for about 5 mins, til whites are stiff (peaks form). Spoon onto condensed milk mixture.
Bake in oven for about 10 mins - til egg white goes slightly brown. Keep and eye on it - you don't want it "cooked"!!

Cool down. Serve with whipped cream.

Mmmm-M!

**Note: the recipe only calls for 3 eggs, for both lemon mix, and meringue - I like more meringue, so I use 2 more eggs!**

The tree is erected! The Christmas pagaent was last Sat. so in this house, "the season" has begun! We usually watch the pagaent on TV then put the tree up. H-man was out with Mr T & Miss M was busy painting... so no-one watched the pagaent, but we still put the tree up in the afternoon!

Did you notice the little shoes under the tree?! I showed a friend my cutesie-bargain buy, and was too lazy to put them back in her room, so I put them under the tree. Its a bit of a reminder. Every year I've bought Mini a present. I haven't bought anything this year. I looked at all the pre-school toys, and just couldn't buy one. Maybe, just maybe, if we are actually allocated Mini in the next batch - I might venture out to get something. So for now, the shoes will do!

Every year, there's a punch up over what is going on top of the Christmas tree. This year, the kids negotiated between themselves, and both their angels are on top!!

But wait, there's more!

"The Master of Disguise""My Cheeky Girl"

(this has always been my fav. photo of Miss M... even after 9 years ~ this page is now my desktop background!)

Hot!

The kids had their School concert last night, it was on Jesus' life. From birth til ascension. It was really good. I love hearing the whole school sing. They sound amazing. Miss M didn't get a solo part, but did get an echo... which was really a solo part, coz she did it on her own, and you could pick her voice! She also got to read a scripture, which she'd memorized - I thought she was amazing, not only memorizing quite a long scripture, but remembering it infront of all those people!!! Miss M was dressed in "Jesus day" clothes, Mr T asked if she was Mary, she said "no, just a Jew"! The way she said it was funny!! H-man, wore his black pants and had to wear his sports day teeshirt. It annoyed me, that in their item, they were in lines... so you could see the person in front, but that was it!!! But H-man, will not conform and jumped out of the line a few times to wiggle his hips and boogie!!! He also finished by throwing himself down onto his knees, with his fingers up like guns!!! (note: this was not an official part of the performance... H-man likes to adlib... much to his teachers horror!)

The weather has really been heating up here, this week. Yesterday it was 36 degreesC! (close to 100F!) And the heat seems to bring out all kinds of horrible bugs! Chewy was barking like a mad-dog the other night... here's what he was barking at! It doesn't look big, in this photo - but it was a BIG spider!!

The warm weather has also brought out a million ants! Grrrr. I HATE ants! They got into my food cupboards - they were everywhere! Ant-Rid is wonderful. 2 days after I squirt a bit of this gear out, for them to eat (that's what they're gathered around, in the photo below) - I haven't seen anymore ants! (And NO! The movie Bugs Life hasn't made me feel sorry for the little buggas one little bit!!!)

I forgot! I was in T@rget getting Miss M's Christmas pressie and just happened to see these gorgeous little shoes! For the bargain price of $6.86!! LOVE em!

...geez I hope we're allocated a girl!!! I just can't help myself!

Thank You

Thank you so much for your well wishes for my Grandma and for me.

My Mum phoned first thing this morning (after several phonecalls to the Home yesterday), to tell me, Grandma steadily got worse after I left. Without going into all the details of her terrible day, yesterday, there is one positive that came out of the day! Her Doctor saw her, and diagnosed a urinary tract infection, which often causes alzheimers patients to have halucinations. I'm not glad she's got a UTI! But I am hoping that was the only reason she was halucinating.

I love Mr T. He is my rock, when I'm a basketcase! He said last night, one consolation is, that Grandma doesn't know she's in a bad way. That is true.

Thanks again for your wonderful words of support and prayer. You have no idea, how much I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Perspective

I went to visit my Grandma in the nursing home today. Grandma has had alzheimers disease for several years, and has steadily gotten worse over the last year. When I say worse, I mean, she repeats the same thing several times, before realising, she's already said that! I'[m the only family she has here, now, and I haven't been to see her in over a month. I feel terrible about that. I go and visit her, give her an update on Mini's adoption. Talk about the kids and my family. She'd listen, taking it all in, and ask me questions (often the same question!) regarding what we've just talked about.

Today was different. It was 930am and Grandma was in her dressing gown, at her little table having her breakfast. Her hair was messy. Her bed unmade. I guess you might not think that's odd. But it is for Grandma. She's up, showered, dressed and ready to go at the crack of dawn. She often didn't know what she was going to do, as she'd forgot what day of the week it was - but was ready to go, when the nursing staff told her what was on the day's agenda.

As soon as Grandma saw me, she excaimed "Oh! My granddaughter! I'm so glad you're here!" She's always glad to see me, but she sounded troubled. I asked what was the matter. And for the next 15 minutes I heard a complete mish-mash of information - including the two little boys that keep misbehaving in her room. I thought, some visitors kids must've accidentally gone in her room. Unfortunately, it was the "invisible" boys - that only Grandma could see and hear. She'd stop midsentence, and say "hear that? where are those naughty boys?!" When I said I couldn't see them, she told me I was ridiculous, he was right there, but his friend had run away. She was very worried, that these children were her responsibility and their parents must be worried sick, she had to take them to the Police Station. She started talking to the boys.

I felt ill. I wanted to runaway and burst in to tears. What has happened to my Grandma?

I didn't stay long, the nurse came to encourage Grandma to have a shower and get dressed. She said she was just about to go to bed for the night. I didn't want to leave, but at the same time, I couldn't be there any longer.

As soon as I left her room, I was crying. I cried for my 40 minute trip home. I'm crying now. How do you try to help someone who doesn't know they need help?

Gosh, I love my Grandma. It completely breaks my heart, that the intellegent, generous, kind-hearted lady, that is my Grandma... is slipping away.

Pulled the pin

.... on face b00k. Got and email from a friend, saying my photo was all over some other site?! (knew I shouldn't have used that naked shot on my profile!... i'm kidding!) That was the last straw. Pulled the pin.

Didn't really like it anyway. I like my blog. And reading my friend's blogs. ;) Who needs stinkin' FB when all my friends are here?!!


I just opened this in my email... my goodness... I really needed a good laugh! Hope you get a chuckle out of it too!!! Specially you Janet, Polar Bear Mama & Shannon! (and any other teacher that I've shamefully neglected!)


Kids are quick. . .

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: Maria.
____________________________________
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
____________________________________________
TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.
__________________________________
TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't
have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!
__________________________________________
TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
_______________________________________
TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is..
TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
________________________________
TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry
tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't
punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.
______________________________________
TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
______________________________
TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as
your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog.
___________________________________
TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when
people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher

Of course, no offense is intended on the last one... but geez, it does apply to some teachers!!!

Ooo! I just remembered something funny H-man said the other day.
He was standing in line, at school, and he kept running out of line to go pick up a stick, or run around etc. I got all cranky at him and said "That's enough. You need to stand in line, and listen to your teacher. You better not behave like this when I'm not here. I'm tellin' ya, you better pull your socks up mister". Him and his friend standing next to him, both look down at H-man's feet. He's wearing sandals. H-man looks all confused "but I don't have socks on?"!! I couldn't help it, I bust out laughing. And explained, it was a figure of speech - just something people say, when they mean you need to be on your best behaviour. H-man still looks confused and says "but what's it got to do with socks?"!!!

Geez it was funny. He's right. What does good behaviour have to do with socks?!!!

Alive... breathing

Yes, I am still alive (even if I did sound a little suidical in my last 2 posts!)

I am getting over my own little pity party. It might take another bottle of wine, or two!! NO!!! I'm kidding... please don't tell my SW about my drinking... no, I'm not drinking ~ there's nothing to see here folks!

I had a lovely quiet day yesterday, digital scrapbooking and quietly going about my housework. Had friends call in just after dinner, and they ended up staying the night - as they live over an hour away! So it was nice to wake up and have a nice relaxing breakfast of bacon and eggs with good friends. We went to Church ~ AMAZING how the sermon is all about our current struggles, and gives great encouragement on how to conquer! We caught up with our batch for a lovely "Greek" lunch, overlooking the sea. It was gorgeous. Everyone came back for a coffee, and have just left. We wished each other well, and all said we hope the next time we meet, we'll be holding little photos and leaping/screaming for joy!

So here I sit, pondering what the week will bring. I just looked at my calendar, the 18th of this month will mark 1,000 days logged in. Just another milestone. We can count days all we like, but it won't bring our baby any faster. We can stalk rumour sites, but it won't bring our baby any faster.

Maybe my pity party, hasn't finished yet?!

Digital Scrapbooking makes me feel good, which makes Mr T happier, because its much cheaper than shopping!!!

"Snap Out of It!"

Geez - I just felt so unbelievably rotten last night. I spoke with Mr T, and he said "I don't know why you're so worried/mad about things you have no control over". He always knows how to verbally slap me!!! Its true. Yes, you could say my anger/frustration/sadness is all justified, but at the end of the day - there is NOTHING I can do about the situation.

It wasn't just the news about the amount of allocations, it's the non-sale of our house. Its the business. Its friends who's marriages have fallen apart. Its the constant "passing the buck" (to me) from other people, who can't be bothered doing things themselves. Its friend's that have been told they have a 5% chance of surviving the cancer that has taken over their bodies.

I said to Mr T "It just feels like we can't cut a break at the moment". Everything feels hard.

But, it's all about perspective - if I only dwell on the negative - its all I'm going to see and feel. We are amazingly blessed. Sometimes I'm too caught up in my circumstances, to see it.

NEWS!!!

Finally!

Babies have started appearing on RQ. I've got everything crossed, that Emma arrives today or tomorrow! Emma's family were logged in on the 20th... not only will be super-duper great for Emma's family... but it's good news for me, as it'll mean, CC.@A is only TWO days from our LID!!! Which means - we'll DEFINITELY be in, in December.

CONGRATULATIONS TO:
Ruby is Coming
Waiting for Lauren Elizabeth

I must admit, I was a grumpy cow yesterday! With rumours of only a two day batch this month - I wasn't depressed, I wasn't sad.... I WAS ANGRY!!! I kept (bitterly) saying to Mr T - "GREAT! Now we might not even see Mini in December!".... ever the optomist, hey?!!!!

I'm feeling like I've hit a bit of a "Zen Spot", now that there are reports that the 20th have been allocated! I just need to see a baby or two that was logged in on the 20th... and all will be well! I figure it gives me another month to organise my kids, Christmas etc ~ and KNOWING we WILL see Mini in approx 30 days!

Wow! 30 days? After 4 years, of praying, thinking about her (which could now be HIM!), changing her name 3 times!, shopping for her, blogging about her, dreaming about her... we're finally in the FINAL days! I'm guessing we have approx. 2 months left as a family of four.

Other good news (I'm just full of it today!) - we FINALLY decided on a boys name. If we're allocated a boy - we've narrowed his name down to ONE name!!! I had a list of about 6 names, with about 20 middle name variations!!! We still haven't decided on a middle name - but that's no biggie! He's got a first name! I tell ya, I've been sleeping alot better since we made the decision. Mr T has been saying for at least 6 months now, he's sure we'll be allocated a boy!!! Its really freaked me out.... I HATE being unprepared!!!

So - our child (whether male or female)... has a name! Woohoo!
...and its not Mini!


*EDIT* - Now I'm gettin REALLY MAD!!! It appears some wrong information was announced, and it "appears" [[AA only got as far as the 17th Feb. Yes folks, and enormous 1 and half days of files was allocated this month. So sorry to Jen and family - you WILL beyond a shadow of doubt, see Emma in Decmeber.

Truly, I thought waiting 33 months was hard... this last week has been brutal. Yes, I know, I'm a whinging cow... I'm really mad. The bad news is, if they only managed to allocate under 2 days this month - there's a good chance they'll do it again next month and we still won't be in.

Unbelievable.


Lord, Give me Strength.

11:22pm

Its 11:22pm, I'm just heading off to bed, and thought I'd check to see if any new rumours have surfaced...

Unfortunately, it's not looking too promising. A couple of European Agencies are saying the batch will only include a couple of days?!!! What the?!!!!

I.just.don't.get.it.

Why has it taken them longer to send out the batch... and it only includes 2 days? Obviously, these ARE only rumours, and we can't be sure til the families receive their allocations, before we can determine the actual cut-off. There are also reports the files will leave in the next day or two (although one agency says they've already left?!) I hate it when there are so many conflicting reports!!!!

We saw Mummy III tonight! I like those movies - I love how they throw some humour in amongst the "scary" stuff! It makes it seem far less scary!!! Its certainly not a movie, my kids will be watching - but I thought it was pretty good. We love Jet Li - and this was his first movie as "the bad guy"! He was, as always ~ GREAT!

I also made a couple more scrap pages.... enjoy!

(the last pic, is obviously my kids... the butterfly in the pic symbolises Mini ~ butterflies mean new life! ~ I REALLY LOVE this page! I've made it my desktop background!)

Sending out the vibe...

Still no news. Urgh.

In an effort to send good "baby vibes" across the ocean, I did what I said I wouldn't do (til we got our referral) - and put our little one's jogger pram together! Here's how you put a $38 e.ba.y jogger together...

Step One:

Retrieve dusty dented box from shed. (sneeze 20 times, from all the dust up your nose, then blow all dust from your nose, into a Kleenex!)

Step Two:

Open box.... Oooo-Aaaah over plastic covered contents.

Step Three:

Remove pieces from box, remove plastic, and lay all pieces on the floor. Ooo's and ahhh's have now change to "oh crap, does this thing have an alan key"?!!

Step Four:

Open main part of pram, and attach front swivel wheel to front forks.... (more oh craps! hope I've put this on tight enough!)

Step Five:

Fix "brake" bar to back forks, and "smack" each back wheel on. (it said til the click, but I smacked it with my hand to get it on, so I didn't hear it click!!!) It doesn't appear, it's going to come off.... all must be well.

Step Six:

Attach "parent tray" and "baby tray"... ooo goodie, I have a tray?!!!

Step Seven:

Voila! Its done! It goes UP.... It goes DOWN!

Step Eight:

Mini (ha!) enjoys a ride! (oh and I'm not sure if you can see - but I've put in a "pramliner" that I bought about 3 years ago - it's mint green with Classic Pooh on it. I love Classic Pooh. Now, its nice and squishy and comfy.... and hopefully if Mini makes a mess, I can throw Classic Pooh liner into washing machine and pram will still look good as new!....hopefully!

I know I'm ridiculously excited about a new pram... after Mini has been home 2 weeks, the novelty will have worn off, I'll be ticked off about how heavy the darn thing is to throw in the back of the car!!!

Busy Saturday!

Sorry for my ranting in the last post. I hate being a whinger... but I just couldn't help it Friday night!!!

Anyway - moving onto happier times! On Saturday H-man had his birthday party (11 days after his birthday!) ~ he was very happy to have it later, as he got to be the birthday boy longer!!! We invited about 12 kids from school, but 4 ended up having some weird virus (high temps, headaches and nausea) so we only ended up with 8 kids (+ our 2!) H-man wanted to watch St@r W@rs Cl0ne W@rs . I wanted to do the party before his birthday, in the School Holidays, but rang the cinema and they took it off 2 days before school holidays started???!!!! What's with that?!!! I wasn't very happy. Mr T had a business trip to Indonesia, and was able to pic up a genuine B@li copy!!! Oh, but it's not a copy (if you ask them!!!) ;)

The kids played "pin the light sabre on Y0da" (instead of pin the tail on the donkey!) - I'm pretty sure the kid that won, cheated, since he very carefully put it right on "the spot". We had beanbags and matress on the floor, put the movie on the "projector" which beams up, covering the entire wall! They had their pizza while watcing the movie... well all 20 mins that they actually stayed there watching the movie!!! They all went outside tourmenting the poor dogs!! The boys went to H-man's room, recovered every weapon he owns... and I didn't dare go see what they were doing with the weapons (although I did the responible parent thing, and told them not to hit each other, or the dogs). I was a slacker and bought a mud cake platter, which had a big mud cake in the middle and mud cake cupcakes around the edge! We just stuck st@r w@rs figures all over it!!! With sports day on the Friday, I really didn't want the added pressure of coming up with a cake master piece... the mud cake went down very well!

The kids left 2 hrs after they got there, with the chocka-block full lolly bags! And once again, peace was restored!

Daddy bought himself a new toy!

Quiet Sunday afternoon...

I named this one "waiting".... this is how I feel at the moment... waiting at the gate. The photo of me, was actually taken while we were waiting for a taxi in the lobby of a hotel in Beijing!