Born in my heart!!!

Isn't this beautiful. This was a gift given to me by my friend Lucia and her family as a Thank you for helping with their son's surgery. Although it wasn't necessary as a thank you gesture, it is a much appreciated and now cherished gift. I was sooooo excited to get a gift in the mail, so excited that I couldn't get the package open. Jon had to open that very complicated envelope for me. I love it and it means “Sheng Zi Wo Xin” (Born in My Heart). It's from China Sprout if anyone is interested. Isn't that so perfect.

When I first rec'd it, I didn't know what it meant. So, when I called to tell them Thank You I asked. When Lucia told me what it meant, I had to hold back tears. Perfect, I say, perfect for how I feel. It is now proudly around my neck where it'll stay. So again to my friends-Thank YOU!!

Think Blogger THINK!!!

Yay for me. I have been nominated for the thinking blogger award. That's so exciting. Anyhow when I started on the whole computer web log thing, I was mostly stalking others journeys. Then I started blogging last March, when we got onto the infamous waiting list. I've written about all the ups and downs. The joy and sadness all the while hoping and praying that we'll get word soon. But during my journey I still stalk A LOT of blogs...

I am supposed to continue this nomination thing to include 5 blogs that I love. I've tried to leave out those that have already been nominated, but the following are a few of the blogs I read frequently(trust me it was hard to narrow this down to 5)...

The Long Road to Taiwan: Here Jen talks about the journey to baby William. I love how honest she is about the wait and she always makes me feel not so alone.

Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish: I have been following Lucia for a very long time. She was actually living in Japan, when they adopted her daughter, and they were able to foster her before her actual adoption. Lucia is always uplifting and positive and a great support.

Waiting for Abby: What do you do when you wait. You blog, you shop, you talk about it and does she. I tune it to see how Jenny is dealing with the ever increasing wait in China. It's been hard, but she's dealing fantastically. She's so ready for her Abby.

Awaiting Ava: This is a relatively new blog to me, although she's been around a long time. I just feel connected to her. She's super funny and insightful.

And I waited for the last slot to go to my friendy friend Val: {muwahhh} over at

Happy Girl(s): She makes me smile everyday. And she posts pictures just for me(sometimes) okay maybe not just for me, but she makes me feel like she's posting them for me. Seriously, she's been a great support to me!!

So to all the nominees Congrats and if you feel like it, write your own post about 5 of your favorite bloggy blogs.

It gets me EVERY time...

I don't know why I feel compelled to look and check on our agency website(note: this post may sound very familiar). I knew this information. I spoke with the agency and I knew the average wait was 18 months. I've read the letter from Cathwel stating this information. So why is it that when our agency website actually states this, my stomach drops in horrid surprise like this is the first time I've heard this before. I surely could've upchucked right there. Seeing it in writing on the website, despite clear knowledge of the information, is like a sucker punch every time. Maybe because I feel like if they don't change the website there's still a chance that our referral will come sooner then what they're telling me. Yes, I know this is naive, but if it's not officially on the website that's how it feels, like maybe, just maybe we will slide in under what they're telling me, because well you know it says on the website......

But again they have updated the website(NOT LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW) and the average wait is now 14-18 months for an infant. A total Gut buster, seriously. I know it sounds irrational because I've been telling you all this for a while now. But sometimes I like to hold on to some glimmer of hope that we won't have to wait 18 awful months...which by the way would be ANOTHER...5 months til referral and lets not forget about court....tack on another....

Oh forget it!!

TILE...TILE...WE HAVE TILE

We finally have tile in the kitchen, front door, and dinning room. My stove is out of the garage and my kitchen is back together. We still have some finishing work to do, but it looks soooo good. I know I'm a geek, but I'm super excited about getting it done. Ohhh and if I stop by your house this week to eat....this is why...

The Lion King

My birthday celebration continued last night. My MIL got Jon and I tickets to see The Lion King here in town for my birthday. So with the money my folks gave me for my birthday I was able to get something nice to wear and off we were to a night of Theater. So Thanks to our folks!! It was so good. Seriously, the costumes were amazing, the singers phenomenal and overall it was an amazing show. If you have the chance to see this in your town, I would totally reccommend it. And get an aisle seat too. The animals come down the isles several times during the show. Trust me the costumes...SUPERB!! My first time at the theater. I loved getting dressed up and seeing Jon all gussied up too. We had a nice dinner before hand and actually stayed out past our bedtimes. See, for those that think I refuse to leave the house....I really do!! We actually have a life. And right now the guys are laying tile in our dinning room, foyer, and kitchen. Picture of that soon too!!

Cathwel Families UNITE!!

Hi All. We have started a yahoo group just for those that have or are in the process of adopting through Catwel. As many of you know adopting through Catwel is a birthmother program which affords many positives. The only downside is the wait has become much longer. We thought it would be nice to have a place just for us to share. So if you're interested.... It's called AdoptTaiwan-Cathwel. Enjoy and come share.




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13 divided by 100, multiply by.....

Oh who am I kidding. No matter how you do the math...it doesn't make it any better. We have posted 100 times and we are now at 13 months waiting!!! Yipee!! Do you hear the enthusiasm. If you don't it's because it's not there. But seriously this last month went by fairly quickly. I've noticed that I've had "butterflies" or is it "bats" in my stomach pretty consistently now. Maybe that means it's getting closer. So as we speak our album is seeing some light. It's a little dusty, it's been sitting there a while. But it can see the daylight. It can breath a little easier. Some of the weight..or wait(ha..ha...I make myself laugh) has been lifted. We're nearing the top. And soon, hopefully in the next two months. Two very scared hands will gingerly unwind the ribbon that's holding it together. She will gingerly open the cover of the pale green album and see us for the very first time. She will hesitantly begin reading our letter to her. Maybe that's why the bats are doing somersaults in my belly!!!

Just because.

That was then.......

This is now:

Just because I have nothing else to talk about. I am still amazed that this is the same puppy that we brought home. When we brought Sawyer(the puppy) home, Our Skylar(the boxer) was soooooooooo excited that she drooled like there was no tomorrow. We had to follow her with a rag to clean it up, seriously she's not normally like this. And it was odd, she would foam at the mouth she was so excited. And by the next day she wasn't drooling. But we often wonder if she'll be like that when we bring the baby home. So full of excitement that not only are we going to be dealing with being new parents, but then we'll have to follow her around with a rag to soak up the drool!!

Some people have asked us what we're going to do with our dogs when the baby gets home. Umm...seems like such an odd question to me. We aren't going to "do" anything with our dogs. They're gentle and good around children. Always have been. But there are some people that are worried that we'll have such big dogs around our baby. I just don't know what to tell them. I debate with them. I stand by our position. But it scares them. They tell me horrific stories about what they've seen in their lives. And I tell them horrific stories about other things. We'll watch them when we first get home to see how they're going to react. But they've been around babies no problem. The worst things we'll have to worry about is Skylar licking the baby to annoyance and Sawyer...well he's so mellow, we don't worry. I've always had a dog and there will always be dogs in our home. And if we feel it's going to be a problem then , we'll just have to section off the house, one side for baby, one side for the puppies. It's simple!!!

Go Shorty it's my Birthday!!!

Yes today is actually my birthday. I am an April Fool's baby. No jokes necessary I have heard them all. One of my friends actually told me today that being an April Fool's baby really fits me...ummm....not quite sure how to take that. :0)

Anyhow, no pictures. I am on a picture strike until I loose the extra poundage.

Went to SeaWorld yesterday and aside from paying $3.19 for one coke, which by the way we shared because...well, we paid $3.19 for one coke and we just couldn't face the idea of paying another $3.19 for another coke. Jon did a double take on that one, thinking the guy was wrong or that he bought something else by mistake with the coke...

But they give you free beer....go figure!!

Did I just loose my train of thought...guess I did. We had a great time. I absolutely love SeaWorld. I swear I was dragging Jon around like a little kid. When we first came in the entrance I actually grabbed Jon's hand and ran him over to the stingrays!! Which by the way you can feed..for a small price...but feed none the less. Oh and in case you didn't know... stingrays' mouths are on the bottom of their heads, not the sides. And they don't particularly like it when you try to shove a dead fish into their gills....which looks like their mouth....but it isn't......oh so I've heard.......

We saw their new "Believe" Shamu show. Which is pretty cool. But if you're in a precarious emotional state, it's like a thirty minute hallmark commercial. If I wasn't in a stadium full of people that I didn't know...I would have been crying the whole time..all the while screaming ..."I BELIEVE....I BELIEVE!!!"

It was a great day, then I got to hang out with my family today. It was a great birthday weekend. So tomorrow I have to catch up on all my bloggy friends...see ya then.