The time has come?

I guess you've been waiting for it? I've been thinking it for a long while. Its time to close this chapter.

I had great intentions of journaling / blogging our new life as a family of five. But I just don't seem to have the time, and everything seems so mundane! We live a very busy life, of just doing life. I can't seem to keep up with reading all my fav. adoption blogs. Or even surf the net.

Tari isn't a figment of our imagination anymore. Our long awaited and dreamed about child in China. She is living and breathing in our family. She IS us. Our journey is no longer about "adoption", rather living and enjoy life.

I was told, before Tari came home, that its not really about "adoption", its about your son or daughter. I heard it - but it didn't feel like it, because she wasn't in my arms. It WAS about adopting a child from China. I knew that child was my son or daughter... but it was about waiting, process and Ch!na Ad0ption Affairs.

Now, she's Tari. She's our daughter and our sister. She was born in China - but long long before, she was born in our hearts and our dreams.

My newest hobby is to digital scrapbook, and it's pretty much all I've been posting anyway - so I've created a new blog, for my pages. There won't be chit-chat - just pictures that tell a thousand words. So, if you want to still see us - we'll be at
www.scrappy-bug.blogspot.com

I may post here, at Aust2China every now and then - so keep me bloglined, (or not!) ~ I just don't want to feel like I must post something, at regular intervals!

Lastly, THANK YOU, to my regular readers, and an incredible network of friends that I've met through blogland. Your comments certainly pulled me out of some pretty dark moments over the last four years. They've made me laugh, smile, and feel loved.

THANK YOU.

Couldn't stop!!!

Some days, I got 'nudda'. Now creativity at all.

And then other days... I just can't stop!!! I downloaded that latest two freebie kits (see last post for links) - that lead me to Enchanted Studio Scraps - where I picked up 3 more kits for only $1 each!

I just realised, I have done two "birthday" pages, of Miss M, in a row (by accident!) This one is on her first birthday...
This one is her birthday last year...

3 months

... since our dreams came true.










So how did we celebrate our "3 months together" anniversary... we went to the hospital and had blood drawn (well Tiny, did anyway!) Poor darling. Screamed like a banchee. Thankfully, the nurse was awesome, and hit the vein first go, and the blood flowed. Took about a minute!

Just a quick note, to visit Stacey for her new freebie kit "Space Cadet" and then head on over to Mel's Lightbulb Moments or Color with Caryn or Scrappyweiss for their new collaborative kit, "Make Believe". Awesome stuff, girls!

Tiny speaks

Tiny has just started saying "Chewy"... and it sounds so cute! You also get bonus footage of my son, picking his seat!

Hope you all had a Happy Mothers Day! I was pampered all day, got special handmade gifts, cards and poems and Miss M asked Mr T to buy me a couple of "Will0w Tree" Statues. I got the Mother & Son one, and the Mother & Daughter one. A beautiful addition to my growing collection!

I entered this page into a competition, I'm not that keen on the layout, but love the photos! Tiny was fully checking out Miss M... I mean, EVERY orifice!!!

And I made this one, just for fun! Tiny LOVES to rip up tissues or pieces of paper into a thousand pieces... usually just after I've vaccuumed?!!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

The last few Mother's Days, there was something missing. THIS Mother's Day, I couldn't feel more complete! We are all doing very well, albeit ultra busy. Prioritising has become the key, to getting through each day. Slowly but surely, things are getting done.

Here's a little montage of pages, reflecting my "motherhood". My hearts are with those of you, who are celebrating their first Mother's Day with their child/children and especially to my dear friends, holding onto their dreams, of their waiting child/children. Blessings to you ALL.

And to my wonderful Mum... I love you, wish you were here.

Sw!ne Flu

Here in Adelaide, my home City, we have lots of brass statues and "arty" sculputures up our main shopping street... apparently Adelaide is also home to a few comedians?!!

Cracked me up!!! We are very serious about flu prevention here!!!

Tonight, I snuck into Tiny's room, while she slept, and snapped this gorgeous photo, of my angel, snuggling her "Tuli Cat". So sweet... I've never seen her cuddle anything before!

I also whipped up a couple of pages for the newest Digi Chicks Challenge. I couldn't decide if I wanted to do Grunge or Shabby Chic, so I did one of each!

My Shabby Chic page, features my niece (who took the "Captivated" photo of Tiny, below) - I love this photo of her.

Also, Stacey has a new freebie kit out! Love Pink & Navy!

All I do is scrapbook?

Quick update on family news: We are so busy!!! I'm slowly getting my head around, all that needs to be done each day, and prioritising certain days, to get certain things done. I guess its a start?! I've got so much bookwork to do, but I'm getting there. This week I started a "one sleep" a day routine, with Tiny. The first couple of days, she only slept just over an hour. She's getting better, I think the longest she slept was 2.5 hrs. (thats more like it!) Tiny has had a few tough days, this last week. She truly is an amazing little girl. Not sure what brought on the little tantrums, maybe it was the kids going back to school, after 2 weeks of holidays? I'm finally taking Tiny to the Paediatrician this week. That'll be fun, I'm sure!

Miss M had her sports day, on Friday. She did really well - didn't come first or anything, but did a great job anyway! It rained (again - it rains at her sports day, every year).

Before the kids go to sleep, I say prayers with them. H-man tends to have bad dreams, so he's taken to asking God for particular dreams! (ie. "Dear God, I pray that I dream about playing soccer and playing with my friends etc). Well the other night he prays "Dear God, I pray that I dream about my friends having a sleepover, and Miss H* (Hman's teacher), can sleep in that bed over there"!!!! (he has 2 beds in his room!) Oh gosh, took everything within me, not to pee my pants laughing.

OK, so you're probably thinking, all I do all day, is sit around scrapbooking?!!! Its not true!!! I do spend about an hour or so a day (more, if Mr T is out late) putting together special pages for my kids. I love the challenge of a blank page (and a new kit)!! Sometimes when I take a photo - I already know, what kit I'm going to use, to present that photo!!! Oooo - I got it bad, don't I?!!!

Well the juices most have been flowing on Thursday night (while Mr T was out late!) and I whipped up a few more pages!