A Tad Late

If anyone is still out there........my sincere apologies for leaving everyone hanging. I have been updating the pics www.dropshots.com/saritawv and by all means you can now bookmark that website.
Oh where to begin. The last month has been filled with many ups and downs. The trade of spontaneity and 'freedom' for the unconditional love of a child. Oddly enough some days the trade seems tough, and then a small hand reaches out for you in the middle of the night and everything else just disappears.
Alex is growing like crazy - TD folk, I have nothing factual to base this on. No real numbers, just the weight of her in my arms! She is crawling like a mad woman and is starting to tackle the stairs. Alex has been welcomed by so many people and it has been wonderful. She is doing much better with visitors, of course if they are in our home rather than anywhere else. Alex normally returns smiles and loves all silly gestures. Her reaction to busy days comes at night when she can't shut off. She is soooo tired but her little mind is trying to process everything.
We have finally been able to identify the screams when she is sleeping. This ear piercing, blood curdling scream comes with night terrors. It is scary and very sad. We know she is having one when we can't calm her at all. Unfortunately this has been happening every couple of days so we have shed a few tears together.
Alex is one of the only children that has not been sick since we returned home. Once again we have lost track of all the blessings. Some of the other children ended up with pneumonia when they returned home but everyone (including the twins) seems to be doing better now.
Alex is fine with Brian going to school. Of course that came with an adjustment period as well. She is slowly becoming Mama's girl. I love it:)
I won't be updating this blog anymore. It has served its purpose. Thank you for allowing me to share my heart, my secret thoughts, my fears and most of all my joy. The friendship and genuine caring that has been shown through this blog and our community of friends and family is absolutely over whelming - yet another incredible blessing. You will see from the pics that Alex is a happy, curious girl and that everyone who meets her can't help but fall in love.
All my best wishes and once again thank you for being such a big part of our journey.

Home Sweet Home

Home. Sigh. Nothing better than that:) The flight was very long with Alex being over tired and therefore Miss Cranky pants and crying for a couple hours. Then she slept for 6 hours straight! Thank you so much to those that came to the airport. It was so perfect! Once again, we are so very blessed. My brother made a video clip for us - feel free to view. Thanks Mano! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZDkaLzokZY
I have also update the pics with some last ones from China and a couple from here. Skylar and Alex are going to be best friends:)
Alex is very happy and doing way better than expected! Can't wait to see family and friends tomorrow!

Good Bye China, Hello Canada

Well the last day has arrived. This day brings many mixed emotions, all of which have to do with Alex. Moving her again, leaving all sounds, smells everything she knew before she met us, arriving home, Alex meeting Skylar, China, Tiger and of course family and friends. We had a great celebration last night with some close members of our group. It was one of the best times we have had together.
So what can I say to you? The words thank you just don't seem enough. You have supported us before we left, while we were waiting and now since we have been gone. Many of you have cried tears of sadness for us as we tried for 10 years to become parents and then tears of joy when we saw Alex's face. We are so very blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing people. For those of you that have joined our journey while you are waiting for your children - your time is near and the wait is so worth it!
We appreciate all the advice and will continue to seek it out as we grow as parents. I will learn to get better at asking for help as this experience has taught me the many benefits of admitting when you can't do everything:)
I pray for each of you to have happiness and joy in your life. Each of us will find joy through different avenues. For me and my heart, my joy is found in small bundle once named Yang Xi Zi Di who was left on the steps of a restaurant in GuangDong Province on the day of her birth November 15 2006. She will be forever known as Alexandria Faith Vandernaalt.

One More Sleep, One More Sleep

At last we are almost home! Alex, Dad and Mom are weary and ready! I will post more tomorrow before we leave the hotel.
A reminder to anyone coming to the airport - we will be delayed due to customs and immigration for Alex. Not sure by how much but just so you know. Can't wait to see everyone and have a Tim's!

Great Wall, Great Climb, Great Pain

So I did it! I faced my fear of heights - yup I didn't know I had one either:) and climbed with Alex up quite some way and then climbed back down. For those of you that have climbed the Wall you will appreciate the balance required on the very steep steps. Many people commented on their way down (my way up) that I was one brave girl. I didn't fully appreciate those comments till I got to my stopping spot and looked down. Alex slept sweetly in my carrier and I sweated my a _ _ off in the 48 degree temp. Yup one of the 'hotter' days!
I am now believing that Alex was allergic to one of the medicines rather than having a heat rash. She has never gotten the rash again and she has also not taken the amoxicillin again. I will have her tested when I get home.
It was a great climb, one that I will never forget - especially tomorrow when I wake up in pain! We also went to the Jade factory, absolutely beautiful stuff! Tonight is our group pics because the twins are flying in!!!!!!! Very excited to see them and hopefully their medicals and paperwork will allow them to fly home with us on Thursday!
That's it for now. I am updating the pics as I type so hopefully you will enjoy!

Medical Review

Alex is in clean health! The doctor was a Chinese woman from Montreal and was wonderful. Alex is officially 18 pounds and is in the 25% and her length (can't remember the number) puts her in the 50%. I am not excited nor concerned about those numbers - they are what they are. Alex's lungs are clean - she had bronchitis. Her bum will take awhile to clear up as the bed sores were infected when we got her. Her one spot on her head from scabies will take another two weeks to go away - that is good to know. Her physical development puts her in the range of a 6 month baby but we have seen incredible progress since we got her and think she will catch up in no time. Her speech is delayed and will most likely continue to be for the best part of the year. Alex was already delayed with her speech and then we switched languages on her. Don't get me wrong we aren't saying that she should be actually talking just making multiple sounds - again according to the doctor. Her ears are alright and she responds to the bell when she is ready:) Sweet stubborn young lady.
Alex is still freaking out every time Brian leaves - even to go to the washroom. This behaviour began on the day he went to the orphanage and has yet to go away. I am not taking this as a rejection of me but more of a fear of him leaving her. Alex will only fall asleep at night with Daddy and in his arms. I say will only because it is not for lack of trying. The screaming is quite crazy if he even tries to lie her beside him. As we are in two seperate double beds, I am actually sleeping great:) Alex is waking up throughout the night to smell him, touch him and look at him. We are hoping that this resolves itself by the time we land in Canada otherwise we are very screwed when Brian returns to school - Mom I know you hate that terminalogy but really it captures my concern nicely:)
So that is it! Off to the Great Wall tomorrow. I hear that since the Great Wall was closed for the last two days all the tourists in Beijing will be climbing together tomorrow - can't wait:) Seriously I am pumped because what a wonderful experience to have with my daughter - she will be strapped to my front and we will climb together. TD Folk - bring on the stair climb!!!
Have a great day! Tomorrow will be a long one for us as we are also going to the Jade factory in the afternoon. I will try to post.
3 MORE SLEEPS!!! I may have made a mistake last time with my count I get confused easily!

Almost Home

So Peking/Beijing Duck, not really sure what the big deal is. It is sliced duck eaten in a fajita. I had heard that we see the duck head and stuff but nothing. I'm not sure I wanted to see that but at least I would have more to tell you!
So three more sleeps for me! So very very very excited. Mom, I think the vacuum is in the front closet by the front doors. If not, feel free to open and look everywhere. If any of my other houseguests have seen it please feel free to give mom a shout. Hoping you are able to use my computer at home.
So a couple things about our return.
Toronto - We arrive at 6:15pm on Thursday on Air Canada 0032 direct from Beijing. Those of you that can make it are more than encouraged to be there:) Can someone bring a video camera? Hoping that while you are waiting someone can tape welcome messages to Alex. We will not be staying too long so not to worry this won't take alot of your evening.
Sparta - Open House at 2pm on Saturday. I can't express how much Brian and I are not only looking forward to seeing everyone but also to eat some good ol western potluck food! It may be a very long time before we eat Chinese food again.
Alex and Guests - So I am going to try hard not to come across as a crazy Mom so please just hear me out. This comes from both Brian and I - it took him to be with Alex to really get it. It is important that for right now (I emphasize only for right now) that Brian and I be the only ones to hold Alex. You can play with her cute toes, curious fingers, pudgy nose, big cheeks - essentially anything that you and her would like - we just have to be holding her. We believe that this is the right thing to do for our daughter and we understand that some of you may not agree or even feel hurt by this decision. We are sorry and really don't want to offend anyone we just have to do what we believe is right for our daughter. We are not sure how Alex will react with moving again or being around all these white people:) she may be awesome and fine or she might be terrified - we'll wait and see!
So off to the hospital for the morning. I will post an update on her health later.

The Forbidden City

Today was just one of those days when everything seemed to go well with Alex. The last couple of days have been extremely trying. Yesterday and into last night all babies were struggling. We moved them. They have a new home again. It completely breaks your heart. I heard Brian telling Alex - next place is your real home. Alex has been fussy and I thought it was a rebelling against Mom thing - after last night it looks like it is both of us. After my struggles, Brian decided to take this one on. Of course it ended with Alex curled up beside him all night! This morning I woke up and climed into bed with her (two doubles this time around) and started snuggling. She woke up about an hour later giggling and playing with my hands and then my lips. We played for a bit and then I decided to get into the tub with her and have some more fun. It was a great morning.
Next we were off to the Forbidden City. Most of you know how much I hate crowds - welcome to China:) Everyone and their brother, sister, great aunt, long lost cousin twice removed, decided to come. Bumping into sweaty people is not fun. I have no clue what the temperature was but I do know that I have been back for 2 hours and my shirt, shorts and all undergarments are still soaked through! Too much info Mom? I carried Alex in the snuggly and low and behold - no rash at all this time. The ancient chinese secrets must be working:) I carried her for about 3.5 hours, I am very proud of this accomplishment - bring on the Great Wall!
The Forbidden City is amazing but I would really like to come back when the weather is much cooler and about a billion people just decide to stay home.
Tonight is our Beijing Duck dinner. I am actually going to try and do my hair! Alex is getting her Canadian Visa pic taken as we speak so she will also be ready for a night on the town. I will take some pics as I guess it is something to see.
I haven't spoken much about Alex's health as I want to see what the Doctor says tomorrow when we take all the babies for their medical exam. Alex should be doing alright. The other babies left in Guangzhou are not well and one stopped breathing last night and is on a respirator - please send all your prayers that way please as the twins and their Mom & Dad desperately need them.
I am trying to update more pics but new city new rules-hopefully you can see them www.dropshots.com/saritawv
5 More Sleeps!!:)!!

Finally in Beijing

Well we are here in our final leg. Thank goodness! I can't wait to get home. How many sleeps? Oh yeah 5 MORE SLEEPS:) Alex did great on the plane. I fed her on the way up and then she slept the 3 hour flight and woke up when we landed. I was a pool of sweat but she was an angel. I am exhausted and will update with some more pics tomorrow. We are off to the Forbidden City tomorrow and our Beijing (formerly known as Peking) Duck Dinner. Now that I am back in Beijing, I am reading about Chinese History and Culture in a book I received from a dear friend. It has been very helpful.
Thanks always for everyone's comments. Tara, I am jealous of the wine you and Michele were probably sharing. Aunt J and Mom your advice is very helpful. I hope I never lose the ability to share my emotions, it helps me so very much. I know my work pals have had to deal with it for years and have been so kind to just tease me about it! I have to say that I miss those morning chats and the time I could spend being so overly engrossed in myself. I think I get that back in another 20 years. let's see if I still need it then!
Hope everyone is doing well!

Alex's Old Home vs New Home

Well where do I begin? How about we start with Alex's old home and Brian's visit to the orphanage. He got on the bus at 8am and arrived back around 8:30pm - a very long day. It took fours hours to drive there but the nice thing was that he got to see the Chinese countryside. From the pics it looks beautiful. www.dropshots.com/saritawv
They arrived at the orphanage and were met by the Director. Brian does not doubt the genuine affection that both the Director and the Nannies have for these children - the only problem is that there is not enough of them for the quantity of children. The group was only allowed to go into one room - the room they say that our children stayed. The orphanage looks so big, you wonder what is going on in the other rooms. He was not allowed to videotape, only to take a couple pics. Some babies were lying on the floor as they did not have enough cribs. Makes you wonder what can be going on in the other rooms if they are showing us the best one. The pics Brian took speak for themselves. What you can't see is that the windows for this room do not have screens or glass, they are open. When it rains they push the cribs out of the way. I dunno. It broke Brian's heart and it certainly makes sense as to why these kids are so sick - can't really clean wood planks that well from one baby to the next and why they long to be held.
Afterwards they drove to the spot each child was left at. The pics also show the restaurant that Alex was found in front of. The restaurant is now closed and the building was falling apart. Brian said this was one of the hardest parts of the trip. Have I told you about these orphanage girls when they get older? They are rumoured to be the most stubborn head strong girls alive. I always thought that this was because most of them are only chidlren to parents who are well established and spoiling their kids. I just might be wrong. It turns out that something like 50 children were found in the 4 weeks span that Alex was found. Only 16 survived. The survivors are fighters and have an incredibly strong spirit.
So though I am glad that I got to stay home with my little love..........we got a screamer:) Alex screamed and screamed and screamed, pretty much from noon until 8:30pm when Dad got back. By about 6pm I lost my marbles and I am not sure who was crying louder - me or Alex. I had even broken down and borrowed someone's Baby Einstein DVD and tried that. I took her swimming - she stopped crying but it started to rain. I bathed her - she laughed but was very slippery for just me to have her in the sink. Believe me, if there was something I could try I did. I don't know what is going on. She is teething. She is her Daddy's girl. Could be either one. Very tough day for Mom. That is all I will write about that.
Off to Beijing tomorrow. I can't wait. I will post tomorrow when we get there. If anyone is wondering where I am getting the time to post......this is my only private time. My how my life has changed!

A day late

My apologies that I didn't post last night - ya know a daughter to raise and all:) Alex is doing great. I hate that she has this heat rash every time we step outside - everyone knows me and the heat, oh the irony! Yesterday she lasted 10 minutes before she broke out into huge red welts on her face. We were at a temple so I went back to the bus and hung out. Btw-the pics from yesterday will be loaded tomorrow, I only have the pics from today loaded. Next we went to a tea house. I bought lots and lots of tea, of course any time somone says drink this and you will be skinny, I am sold:) My intention is to buy 18 gifts for Alex. One for each Forever Family day for the next 18 years of her life - ending with a jade bracelet that I will buy in Beijing. So far I have bought one gift - a beautiful tea set. I have a ways to go. I am hoping that Alex and I can go shopping when Brian goes to the orphanage, I now have a stroller so it might be okay. I had to break down and sacrifice my bonding (carrying or carrier) and get the stroller as I was making her too hot.
Today we went swimming. Oh my, she loves, loves, loves the water. She was smiling and splashing. I am so very happy.
We also went to the police department to complete our final in province interview. Now all our official meetings and documentation are complete for GuangDong. We just have to wait for the passport which we will get on Friday and then we are so outta here on Sat morning. Can't put into words how much I want to come home:)
Tonight we went for Thai food again, I am enjoying the Thai food much more then the Chinese food. Less weird animal body parts to worry about.
Alex is waking up in the morning and as I am holding her she is touching my face and then reaching out to Brian's face and then she lets out this big sigh and smiles as if to say 'thank God they are still here' I love it! Yes I realize it could be gas or something else but this is how I choose to interpret it!
Four of the girls in our group have pneumonia, one more has a very bad bacterial infection and then all have multiple welts. I am blessed that Alex is not mroe sick then she has been. peaking of which - did I share that she is teething? Of course she is.....baptism by fire?
So that's all for my travels. Please keep the comments coming. Janette - Alex's middle name is Faith for that is what kept us going. Penny group 249 (sorry if I screwed up your name) - it is so worth it. I am in crazy love. Aunty Shelley - Congrats to you, your Mom and Dad and especially Tiffany. I hope the baby is well. As for everyone else, I really love the messages and you are all in my thoughts and prayers. If you are new here, please check out the pics at www.dropshots.com/saritawv

Zoo, Zoo, Zoo

Thanks for the words Allison! As always you come through nicely for me! Unfortunately I had already sung her the wrong words to this song and many more. All my friends especially my TD ones will appreciate that:)
It is so bizarre being so far away and then logging in and feeling so close to home. Sigh, it has been a long day. Have I told you I hate zoo's? Canadian, American and yes even Chinese. The animals being caged up breaks my heart. I remember a few years a go Brian and I got it into our heads to go to the Toronto zoo, we lasted half an hour and then left crying. Not going to get on a soap box here because I just paid yet again to go to another zoo. I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I thought that since I have to pass cages of turtles, cats and puppies in the shops outside of the hotel just to get to the bus to go to the zoo I would be okay. Not so much. Anyhow, I have included a few pics from the zoo and the nightlife outside our hotel.
Have I told you that I am in love? So wonderfully completely head over heels in love :) I was worried, you may not know that. What if after all this time, I didn't love her? It was up there with what if I forgot her some where or forgot to feed her - weird anxiety but anxiety nevertheless. From the moment I saw her picture, to the moment I held her in my arms - I stopped doubting. She is perfect. She is amazing. Most of all she is the most precious gift I have ever been blessed with. I can't wait to learn all the lessons that she will teach me. She is my angel.
Have a great day today! Off to bed - I have 12 hours alone with Alex tomorrow!

Temple & Pearls

Good Day! Today we visited a Buddhist Temple. It was very interesting and I was glad that we actually got to witness the Monks doing their chants and prayers. Only half our group participated in this outing as the children have not been up to it. Those that did attend had their children blessed by the high priest/monk. Brian and I chose to spend that time looking around, we will have Alex blessed within our beliefs when we return home. Alex did well with the heat today. I think Brian and I had a tougher time. I chose to climb the 17 floors of one of the pagodas. I was drenched but kept telling myself that I only have a few more days til I am climbing the Great Wall, I need to be ready.
Then off to the Pearl Market we went. I bought Alex a pair of pearl earings so now I have 3 gifts complete of the 18 I am intending on buying - oh boy!
We have 4 more days in Ghangzhou, then off to Beijing. Then 5 days in the big city and then we fly home - 9 more days. I can't wait.
So a couple people have asked how big Alex is. Well I still have no clue. If I go by my scale, which by the way states that I weigh 115lbs, then Alex weighs 5lbs. For my sake I think this is a great number for Alex - well perhaps not. I will continue to find someone else's scale to use as it is too hard to explain to a Cantonese person that the scale is not working.
K. Have a great day everyone! We are off to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow - isn't there a children's song that goes like that? I really gotta learn all those.

Good Morning. Good Night.

Just a quickie. I updated the pics from our temple visit. I haven't really shared with you my hair problems but from these pics you will start to see some of the issues with me and crazy humidity. Everyone is still saying that we are lucky because it is cool due to the typhoon. It rained last night so it should only be around 31 without adding in the 94% humidity:)
Mom, we are in Guangzhou. This is also the exit point for the Americans so there are many adoptive families walking around. Happy that Sky ate his food. I have been worried.
Lad & Mom. I will weigh Alex tonight. I ahve no clue how much she weighs. She fits into size 2 diapers and is one of the biggest babies.
It seems like there are many people reading this blog. I guess now everyone knows about me and my life:) Thanks for joining our journey.

A little about my Darling

Before I start going on and on about Alex, I want to thank our family, friends, old neighbours, teachers, TD peers - essentially everyone for your wonderful comments. I love logging in and checking to see what messages we have. I feel so far away from home that it is wonderful to know that so many people are thinking and praying about us.
Now on to Alex. As you know Alex was from an orphanage. She was in a metal crib with a wood plank for the last (almost) 9 months of her life. There were almost 50 other children in the room with 2 nannies to look after them all. She was hardly ever held and was kept on a strict schedule.
These girls don't cry, they have learnt from an early age that no one will come. Alex was very content when we would put her down on the bed or floor or anywhere. She didn't care. She is used to spending hours upon hours entertaining herself. Because of that Alex self stimulates - uses her hands, her mouth, her feet to entertain. The first day it was hard for her to even reach out and touch us with her hands or look us in the eyes. After stickers on my nose and constant touching she is starting to respond. Alex also no longer wants to be put down. She has realized that it is more fun to be held by us. She still will not reach out to be picked up but for the first time today when a complete stranger reached out and wanted to hold her (before I could yell 'step away from my baby'), she turned back into me and away from the stranger. I started to cry. This is great progress in only a couple days.
We have noticed that she is almost limp like and very quiet when we are out - originally this was all the time but has now decreased to only when we leave the hotel room. This is shock and way too much stimuli. I will be increasing the time we spend together in the room. As all of the girls are the same way, site seeing was cancelled for today and the orphanage visit has been postponed until Thursday. I will not be taking Alex back to the orphanage. I believe that this could be very traumatic for her, so crazy confusing. Brian is going to go and film everything for us including the restaurant where she was abandoned. I am writing a prayer for Brian to say at this spot for her birth mom - we are forever joined.
So that about covers it for Alex's emotional state. We knew that it would be hard for her coming from an orphanage but man is she beautiful and spunky and I know that with His healing she will be well.
Her physical state - oh boy! Her cough and congestion is getting better. She is quite the sweater but it is crazy hot. She has a rash all over her body especially her face so I took her to the hospital. Heat rash! You will see from the new pic that she is coated in lotion now. Of course there was an old Chinese remedy given as well and so now she has soaked in a fine blend of four teas as well! Her bum spots are getting better but not as quickly as I would like. Perhaps the tea bath might help? Her welt on her head (scabies) was shown to the doctor and I recieved ointment for that. The total visit including the costs of all the herbs and drugs? $11US:)
So I wanted to give everyone an update about Alex but I really don't want anyone to be worried as all these things - physical and emotional can be treated. So we will. Some quickly some slowly.
Before I log off. To all those attending the Watsa Family Cottage weekend - wish Alex could be there to meet everyone, learn a little tennis and play some ping pong. We will need to add a new competition - gymnastics. Alex is incredibly flexible:) Have fun, loving you all and wishing I could be there for the poker, laughs and multiple conversations at one moment!
Talk soon

Officially Ours!

So Alex is officially ours! No one can take her away from us, except of course a tall handsome man 20 years from now will try! I have updated the pics but viewer discretion is advised due to mature content:)
I have been able to read the comments both on the pics and on the blog. Mom, you are so sweet that you felt the need to comment on many picstures!
Alex is feeling better and we are loving her up completely:)

It's a Girl!

Alex is more beautiful in real life! Today has been a very emotional day. We flew in this morning and then scooted around unpacking, getting organized etc. and then the cribs arrived in our rooms! It was very surreal. Next thing we know we are ready to go to the Civil Affairs Office. There we had to wait behind a few other couples from another group that were adopting children that were around 2 or 3 years old. I don't think I will ever forget the terror in these children's eyes. And then our babies started coming out. Tears were non stop for everyone. As usual, I tend to only cry at the big things - broken nail, being mad at someone etc, so of course Brian shed the tears for me.
So let me tell you about my little love. She has the biggest, blackest eyes I have ever seen. She is very cuddly but also likes to push me away. Unfortunately she is quite sick. Her lungs are very congested and her breathing is laboured. She is just getting over scabies and has a couple scabs on her head. She has prickly heat on her back and neck. Alex has bed sores on her bum - her bum is very cute by the way. She also has some weird bruises in different spots. Needless to say she is running a fever. That being said, she is on drugs - both prescription and over the counter. She did eat (finally) and now she is lying sweetly in her crib while I finally leave the room and come down to post:)
Brian and I have not eaten. Probably will not sleep. But are definitely falling in love with Alex every breathing moment we have her.
So hopefully I can find a way to post some pics on the site. May be hard as I am at the public computer.
Congratulations Grandma, Grandpa, Mamagi (sp?), Papa, and all the Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. We have a beautiful addition to our family.

FYI..comments

As of today I am still struggling to read comments. Please don't stop posting comments though, my hope is to still be able to get them while in China. I will add all comments to her life book. If you have something urgent to share I think my Mom has my contact info, but certainly anyone who stays at our home does, Tara does and Simon & Tricia do.
Pics are now updated:)

One More Sleep!

Wow, we are almost there! I can't believe it. The bizarre mix of emotion has been replaced with complete excitement. I am thrilled that I will be holding my little love by this time tomorrow:) I have to pack the diaper bag tonight so that I am ready for anything tomorrow. We will be flying to Gangzhou in the morning and then will meet her at 2:30pm. Alex will have travelled on a bus for four hours before we meet her. That might be one tired and hungry chick!
So today Brian and I went on a boat cruise. Hopefully I will be able to update the pics as I have borrowed someone's computer and doing this in the hotel room with Brian reading over my shoulder.
http://www.dropshots.com/saritawv
The boat cruise was great and you will see from the pics that Brian loved both the hills and the water buffalo! We then came back to the hotel and I crashed. I am not sleeping well at night at all (you can tell from the bags under my eyes) and it is beginning to take a toll. I think the heat is making it worse - have I told you about the heat? It is like stepping into my car after it has baked in the sun all day when the humidity is in the high 30's and then closing the windows and turning the heater on. That is the best I can do to describe it. You stand outside and begin to sweat. I normally glisten :) but now I have huge drops coming off strange places on my body - too much info Mom?
So back to tomorrow.......wowowowowowowowow.
My next update will be as a Mom:)

Guilin or Bust

Today has been a very eventful day! Brian and I met our tour guide at 7:15am after a very restless sleep. Not sure if it was the time change or the anxiousness finally setting in! We had a great breakfast and then Jenny (pretty sure that is not the right spelling) took us to the ariport. We were at the airport by 8am for our 9:40 flight. Well the flight ended up being delayed and since we have no clue what anyone was saying we just waited - tried to ask no one spoke English. Finally at 12:30pm we boarded for Guilin. We arrived at 3:30pm and then promptly 15 minutes later, our driver blew the tire in his van. :):) LOL. The heat! Waiting outside in this temp and the driver's jack was not big enough so we had to call for another one, so reminded me of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. We checked in about 15 minutes ago and will be leaving in an hour for an acrobatic show. I am very excited about that. Tomorrow we are going on the cruise down the River Li for the day and then finally relaxing tomorrow night.
So today in the TD world, my project launches Nationally. Simon I will be thinking about you tonight as you step in for Tricia and myself. Have fun!!!
I believe Curt and Anna Marie are our current houseguests. I hope you guys are having fun.
I will continue to attempt to write every day. I am hoping to have time to add some pics tomorrow night.
Hope everyone is well:)

From the other side of the world.....

Arrived Safely

Hello,
We are on our dughter's soil! We are now going to grab something to eat and then crash. Tomorrow we leave for Guilin and will have more time to send a message and hopefully post some pics:) It has been a long journey but the reality and excitement is setting in. Mom please give Skylar a big hug for us.

Departure Day Has Arrived

The day is here to leave, but I am already getting ahead of myself. I first must thank everyone for their generousity this week:) Not only in gifts for Alex and myself but also in time, laughter, support, encouragement and for many of you - putting up with my endless tears. Saying good bye to my peers at work was tough. Crazy tough. I work with some of the best people ever. My friends and family who continued to check in on me throughout the week to make sure that my stress wasn't getting too out of control - thank you. To those that came this weekend to wish us well - thank you! To all the children in my life who have kept us afloat without one of our own - thank you. Done. I once again have tears streaming down my cheeks!
So I am a little scared. Okay alot. My turn to be a Mom after so much time and now I am scared - so crazy! We will leave our house at 9am, our friends Rick and Sue are taking us to T.O. to fly out. By the time you awake tomorrow morning we will be in Beijing:)
Hoping many Toronto folk can be at the airport when we arrive on the 23rd. Everyone is welcome for the open house on August 25th at 2pm. It is potluck and if you post a comment on this blog with what you are bringing, it will tell others what not to bring!
Please continue to check out pics at http://www.dropshots.com/saritawv . I have updated with pics of the house as my big sis has yet to see our home.
K. Signing off from Canada. Next post from China!
4 SLEEPS:):):)

Last Weekend

Well I always say you might as well go out with a bang! Well that is exactly what last weekend ended up being. Four, yes four life milestones occurred to wonderful people in my life.
Lori delivered a beautiful son named Hugh on Saturday afternoon. He is gorgeous! I recieved the best gift of my life be being invited to go up on Friday morning and stay til she delivered. Lori gave birth at home with Jake by her side. It was one the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Lori and I have shared many things over the last 28 years but this one takes the cake.
Denise got married! After years of encouraging John it finally happened. I scooted from the afternoon delivery in St. Catherines to near Goderich for a wondrful night of dancing and laughing. Cheers to you both!
Tara's son Luc graduated and we were able to celebrate with their family. Tara's family has opened their arms and hearts to us so we were so very happy to join this get together.
And last but not least, through all this running around my couz Shanthu could not catch up with me to share his great news that Theresa has said yes to his proposal! So another great bachelor taken by a wonderful woman!
Check out some of the weekend pics at http://www.dropshots.com/saritawv

I will write soon about my fear and excitement about next week! Oh my next week!

Two Weeks til Departure

Hi,
The last couple of weeks have been scooting by. We have moved into the house and are almost done all the reno work. Brian is finally beginning to enjoy his summer!
As most of you know, my life is seldom without craziness - most self inflicted! My huge a_ _ project began pilotting last week, another one of our call centres enters this coming week and then we get ready for National launch August 7th - oh yeah I won't be here for that one;) Lots of learning gained and for our working team it is so nice to see the fruits of our labour.
We held our work Crazy Olympics at our home this week. It was alot of fun.
Meanwhile, I have been helping Brian with the house, focusing on the tedious work of removing wall paper.
I will be packing for Alex this weekend and that really excites me!
So those are our updates. We are still looking for houseguests for the following dates: August 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th. Please let me know if you are interested in a small vacation!

Our Itinerary

Aug.06: Family Vandernaalt arrives in Beijing and stays at JianGuo Garden Hotel.
Aug.07: Family Vandernaalt fly from Beijing to Guilin on HU7125 (09:40-12:35). Stay at the Sheraton Hotel, Guilin.
Aug 08: Free
Aug.09: Family Vandernaalt fly from Guilin to Guangzhou on CZ3231 (08:05-09:00).

Guangzhou:
Aug 09: Transfer to Shi Fu Holiday Inn Hotel, Guangzhou. We meet ALEX at the Civil Affairs in the afternoon at 14:30 and sign the agreement.
Aug.10: 09:00am go to the Civil Affairs again for the adoption registration and notarization.
Aug.11: Go to the local department store to buy some daily necessities for Alex.
Aug.12: Visit the Six banyan Temple.
Aug.13: Pick up the adoption certificate and apply for Alex's passport.
Aug.14: Rest.
Aug.15: Visit Guangzhou Zoo.
Aug.16: Free.
Aug.17: Visit Temple of Chen Family. Pick up passport.
Aug.18: Guangzhou to Beijing on CZ345 (10:10-12:45)

Beijing:

Aug 18: Transfer to JianGuo Garden Hotel.
Aug.19: Sightseeing to the Great Wall with lunch
Aug.20: Medical for the child and go to the Canadian Embassy for visa appointment.
Aug..21: Visit Tian An Men Square and the Forbidden City. Beijing Duck Dinner
Aug.22: Pick up visa.
Aug.23: Leave Beijing for home on AC032/17:30, transfer to airport.
HOME!!!

Oh my madness!

As we all know I have the wonderful ability to jam too many things into my day and have this crazy ego that makes me think that I can do anything. Maybe that is not an ego thing, maybe just a Watsa thing! So for all of you that have left comments, emailed me, sent voicemails and yes actually sat down in person - I have heard you. The Welcome Home Alex party is being moved to Saturday, August 25th at 2pm. And how about (wow I am actually going to say this) we make it potluck. Yes I am not going to cook. Look at me go now! I am on a roll.
To continue with the theme of asking for help......we are looking for house guests. People who are willing to stay in our home for a night or two, look after the pool and take care of the cats. As Mom will be there with Skylar for the last few days, we are looking to fill our home from August 5th to the 18th. If you would like to come and spend some time in picturesque Sparta, we would love to have you. Please just let me know!
That's it, I have asked for enough!

Travel Times

We have decided to fly in and out of Toronto to save a few bucks. We will be leaving Toronto on flight AC0031 @ 2:30pm on Sunday, August 5th. We will arrive back in T.O. on August 23rd @ 6:15pm, flight AC0032.
We will be having an open house at 2pm on the 25th.

Airport on August 23rd

I don't think I did a very good job explaining what I am hoping for upon our return. I hope that as many people as possible with banners and such can be at the airport when we return. We will have someone film it. One of the gifts we can give Alex is to show her how much everyone wanted her to arrive. Many people have shared how this film is their daughters favorite thing to watch as they grow up. A great visual for how much they are desired by so many friends and family.

Photos

So in prep for my trip I am trying to figure our the best way to share my photos with all of you. So here are some recent pics of my team at Wonderland - great day!, my Watsa shower and the 70th birthday of my Godmother and Aunt. Hope you enjoy!


http://www.dropshots.com/saritawv

Travel Dates and Such

As you can imagine this week as has been crazy. We recieved Alex's translated file on Tuesday. Alex was found outside a restaurant on the day she was born. Hopefully we will be able to go to this place and take pictures. Her medical reports look great. Though her pictures show that she looks big and healthy, her weight is quite under for her age. No worries, we can pump her up quick!
We meet for the second time this week with our Adoption Practitioner to go over Alex's complete file. There was a concern regarding our move next week but all has been taken care of.
We continue to fill out forms - one of the only predictable things about adoption! I think we are almost done.
We will meet with our doctor tomorrow so that he can tell us if he has any concerns with Alex. Brian and I are not concerned, regardless of what he has to say - she is ours!
We got our travel date today. We will leave on August 5th and return on the 23rd. Those in London, please mark your calendars for the 23rd. As some of you know, one of the gifts we can give Alex is showing her later how excited everyone was to meet her. Someone just needs to film the moment at the airport when we get off the plane.
Stay tuned!

Welcome My Darling

Alex was born on November 15th 2006 and is currently inYangxi Social Welfare Institute, Guangdong Province. She is beautiful! They say she is a laugher and loves to socialize and smile. A girl after my own heart!

To God be all the Honour and Glory. I thank Him for my precious little girl.

Really?

Normally the last thing to happen is for the Chinese government to update their site. Well they did today and we are waiting for our adoption agency to 'place the call'.

China's update...
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before November 7, 2005

So this roller coaster is bumpy and curvy but so is life. So with my chin up and hope in my step, I look forward to the results of today.

Sad News

Our agency has not received our referrals. Here's hoping for tomorrow.

I am never going to sleep tonight.

Alex is coming!

Some agencies have recieved their referrals!!!!! Haven't heard from ours yet...maybe tomorrow???? Who knows but the stork is coming!!!!!! Fabulous.

Prob Not Today

So Referrals don't normally arrive on a Tuesday because if they left China on Friday, they should be here by Monday, if they left China Monday, they should be here by Wednesday. Hoping that is not true but assuming no information will come today.

Maybe one more day?

What is the referral?

I thought I would take a few minutes and talk about the referral and the next steps. I am writing this without my trusty guide so some small details may be incorrect but I think you'll get the general gist of it.

The Logged In Date (LID) is the date that the Chinese government logged us into their system. This came months after we started the process. Between choosing the country, meeting with our Adoption Practitioner, getting referral letters, fingerprinting, work info, exhaustive health check up, choosing an adoption agency, getting our file from the Adoption Practitioner translated etc - the time can really vary for most couples.

The next thing to happen is called waiting. No special new word here but definitely a new meaning to the word for Brian and me. Waiting in the adoption world means something different to every couple let alone each person. It is the time when you have absolutely no information to give to family and friends or for that matter to quiet your own heart. You can't plan events too far out in case it speeds up. Can you post for a promotion or take that course or spend that money - tough questions when you have no inclination when you might be a Mom.

So the referral - as that was the purpose of this post, right? The referral will contain Alex's picture, her health, her age, the province she is in, whether or not she is in an orphanage or foster care and the tentative travel date. A pretty big package! We also have lots of forms to fill out once we get the referral.

Next steps:

• File will leave China (CCAA) - about 6 to 8 weeks before we travel.
• My adoption agency (CB) receives the file and calls us. They give us any information that they can decipher.
• CB sends an email with her pics and the information they have already given.
• The file now goes for translation.
• CB sends an email with the purolator tracking number.
• I book appointment with the Adoption Pracitioner and Doctor - separately!
• We receive package and have five days to have the above meetings and fill out the docs.
• Send back acceptance to CB.
• CB sends acceptance to China.
• China send travel approval, firming up the dates about 2 weeks before we go.

I hope this info is of some help!

Maybe two days now???????

Rumour Sites

Hi Everyone,
So I often talk about the rumour mill with adoption. I have included the link below to one of the rumour sites that people can go to. Warning though...it is a rumour site so you have to take everything with a grain of salt. We are hoping to hear today that referrals have left China and that would mean we should hear something Monday or Tuesday. Otherwise it pushes into late next week.

http://chinaadopttalk.com/

Coming Soon

So maybe Monday, maybe Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.....all next week. We should all be seeing Alex's picture!!!!! Woohoo! Rejoice, as I already am!

Game on.

One week to go.

Most Important Event on the Weekend

In all my haste to post pictures last night I am embarrassed to admit that I forgot to share something very important. Our nephew Graham was baptized yesterday. Brian is his GodFather and is extremely honoured to have this reponsibility for both of Jason's boys. After all the planning for the 'Kite Weekend', the craziness that occurred trying to get, at a minimum, Brian off the island in time to attend and then the inability to get all my family present on the island, the reality came down to a booked boat and me missing the festivities. I did however get to see not only the V family but Julie's beautiful nieces.

This Weekend - Kite Festival

A kite festival on Pelee, what should one expect? Who knew that people will have travelled from miles around to fly their kites? The weather, though horrible didn't dissuade anyone - both participants and gawkers alike. Papa had ordered extra kites from India and was ready. Unfortunately his kites do not hold up well in the rain. So though we didn't see him doing any of his tricks, we sure saw how high he can fly. His string is about 1000 ft and in one case made the kite disappear above the clouds. The whole event was quite amazing and I am very glad that we were there to see it.

Papa with his serious expression. All the while making sure that Brian caught it on video.
Papa's kite so very high that you will need to click on this picture to actually see it.
Being used to having someone help, Papa enlisted Brian to reel in the string. As you can tell there is a specific way to do it just right - neither Brian nor I could master it!
Here is a view of some of the kites. Hopefully you can tell in comparision to the trees how large these kites are.

This Weekend - Part 2

Many people wonder what it is about Pelee that I love. I have tried to capture my love affair in the pictures below. The serenity that I find on Pelee is unbelievable. I ended up being on my own on Saturday night and though I desperately wanted to go out on the town with my friends, I instead chose to have dinner with my dear friend Grant and then a night alone with Skylar. I read and relaxed and woke up this morning with the joy of an expectant Mom. One week to go until I see my daughter's face. How amazing! The length and pain of the wait seems to be melting away and being replaced with utter joy that only the most desired gift can bring. Please enjoy what I can share of Pelee below.

This Weekend cont

Th invinsible Brian & Zachary

Mano

Anna - Cutie#3

Zachary - Cutie #2

Isaac-Cutie #1

The second part of the weekend - I really need to figure out how to post these better! - was Mom's birthday. It is her 65th! We all met at the club for lunch and surprised her. For those of you that don't know, surprises are a big thing in my family. I don't fully get it but everything has to be a surprise! I did take some pics of Mom but since they didn't due her beauty justice, I am not posting. Instead I will give you a look at how many darlings are just growing up so quickly! I've put a pic of Mano in so that you can understand where they get their hairdo's from.

Our Long Weekend

This weekend was a crazy one! I am trying to finish packing, complete all my little projects and make it for two special events.

The first was in Niagara, at the smallest chapel in the world. Our friends were getting married and so Brian and I got up Saturday morning and left for what we thought was either a 10am or 10:30am wedding. The fact that we weren't sure of the time should have been a sign. Who knew that all lanes on the QEW would be closed due to some reason we still haven't figured out. Who knew that the signage would be so bad that I would make Brian drive round and round a round-a-bout 3x's while I try and guess which exit we should take - I was wrong by the way! Who knew the wedding was at 11am and all our (Brian's) worrying was for nothing. It ended up being a beautiful day filled with laughter and we are just honoured that we could be a part of it!

More Pelee Pics

Alex's soon to be Pelee girlfriend. Miss Izzy is beautiful just like her mom Devon.

Shelley and Skylar freezing on the ferry on the way home. Shelley makes a fabulous Aunt!

Another Day on the Island...

This weekend Shelley and I headed over to the Island for a little relaxation. I say a little as the cold nights certainly took away some of our ability to relax. We had a great time and ate well! This is an annual trip for Shelley and I but I don't think we have every been so nuts as to go this early in the Spring. I will be returning in a couple weeks to watch my Pop fly a kite - yes I know that sounds odd! I will add some more pics as soon as I can but until then, please enjoy!

Skylar is growing but will never reach Simon's size! Simon is my girlfriend's 16 month old pup! They are great friends and try to tire each other out - doesn't work though!

My new Pelee Pup! This was my first trip with him and he loves the beach. As most of you know this is a true test of the character of my dog! Isn't he handsome?

My mornings always begin with a hike at Fish Point. This pic was taken at 7am shortly after sunrise while Shelley was finally getting some well deserved rest. The point wasn't as long as it normally is but hopefully this gives you an idea of the beauty of my Island.

Just for fun

This is very hard to see but if you click on it then you will be able to read! We are in group 248. This chart allows us to follow along with the most recent information on how long til travel and avg/min age at adoption. Thought this might be of interest.

Another great weekend, coupled with some good news!

Well the fun 'girls night in' has now come and gone! It was a blast. You know that laughter that can rock you to your soul, when your insides hurt and tears stream down your cheeks??? Well that was definitel happening. Thank you ladies for a great time and all the wonderful gifts!
So referrals are out and it is with mixed feelings that I share the update. To understand my excitement, you first need to know that throughout this month - after the disappointing two day batch last month, the rumour sites have predicted a one or two day batch this month. And if that had kept up then we would be looking at travelling in the Fall after Brian is back in school. They have done the referrals up to and including November 1st. So though we are not in this batch - a sad realization I came to a couple weeks ago, we are definitely in the next time. They average 32 days per between batches so sometime around May 31st we should see Alex's sweet face!!!! Woohoo!
Now I can plan. Now I can figure out approximately when we will travel. Now I am pumped!
Loving the world and all who are in today!

A Special Weekend

Well this weekend I had my first shower. Lori and Mom did a great job putting it together and it was wonderful seeing some faces that I have not seen for a very long time! Some since my wedding shower which was almost 10 years to the date! Thank you everyone that attended and especially to Mom and Lori for all their hardwork. My little princess will certainly be blessed!

So no news yet, as expected. We are hoping to hear something - either that we are included or not before May 1st or after May 3rd (how's that for concrete timing). The Chinese government has another holiday! I will certainly share the news here after my colleagues have heard the scream or sighs!

Take care.

Update

Hi,
Hot off the presses! Only two days of referrals this month! They have been sending about 2 weeks worth of referrals, but this month they just didn't. So this means that our logged in date is only 8 days away from what has been referred (November 3,2005). Below is the official wording from the Chinese website.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 26, 2005.

So now we need to wait about 28 days to see if we are in the next batch. Best case scenario is the next batch.
Have a great week!

No News Can be Good News

Happy Easter to All!
So we had hoped that we would have heard whether we are in this next batch of referrals or not and well, nothing. Our agency is closed now for the weekend, including Monday, so the earliest we may hear something is Tuesday. Not sure that we will then either.
So why is no news good news? Well if we look at timing....the best time to go and get Alex is in July.

• We will have already moved. Alex will not have to be going through yet another change.
• Brian will be on summer vacation - would not lose pay for his leave.
• My big a_ _ project begins pilot in July. Everything, everything needs to be done by then.
• There are some wonderful family birthdays (60 yrs & 70 yrs) and a wedding to be celebrated in June.

Even with all those reasons, we would jump on a plane tomorrow if they said that she was ready.

So travel normally occurs 8 weeks after referral so....

April referrals - travel around beginning of June

May referrals (28 to 38 days after April referrals) - travel in July

June referrals - travel in August

Disclaimer: All above information can change at any time without warning.

The rumour sites are now saying that we most likely will not be in April, probably in May and worst case June.

So rumour shmoomer. Here is what I do know. The timing of Alex will be perfect. I cannot go a day earlier or later then He has planned. Every little detail has been looked after for me and for that I give Him all the glory and honour.

A fitting start to one of the most important weekends in the Christian faith.

Sarita

In Lieu of nothing new

So we are anxiously waiting news but I got nothing! Hopefully this week we can either share pics or being confidant that we are in the next batch. Just going to have to wait and see. I have included a good read from our Adoption Agency. Hope you read further as it is interested.



Cross-Cultural Adoption: The Do's and Don'ts for Grown-Ups

By Amy Coughlin and Caryn Abramowitz authors of Cross-Cultural Adoption: How to Answer Questions from Family, Friends, and Community

Do's

1. Do treat her like any other kid. It may be difficult and take a while for adopted children to feel like they belong within their extended families. Treating these children like they're "nothing special" can go a long way toward making them feel at home and comfortable within the group.
2. Avoid the temptation to spoil her because she didn't have everything that the other kids had in the first few months or years of her life. The most valuable gifts you can offer these children are patience, routine, and consistency -- and most of all, unexaggerated expressions of love and devotion.
3. Do support her when curious strangers ask questions. When curious (and sometimes thoughtless) strangers ask questions or feel the need to comment on the circumstances of the adoption, do not let them lead you into uncomfortable territory. Instead, gently steer them back to more suitable small talk or respond in such a way that shifts the conversation to positive adoption language that in turn lets the child know that you are on her side.
4. Do respect her privacy. Adopted children have the same need for and the right to privacy as you do. They do not want their entire life story being told to strangers. If she hears you discussing the intimate details of her origins, she will likely feel embarrassed. Until the child is old enough to decide for herself how much information she would like to share regarding her background, please respect her privacy.
5. Do treat prospective adoptive parents the same as expectant parents. Adopting a child is just as exciting for soon-to-be parents as being pregnant. They feel the same way all expectant parents do -- overjoyed, overwhelmed, nervous, impatient, and most of all, excited. Don't be afraid to ask adopting parents about these feelings. After all, adoption is neither a secret nor a source of embarrassment or shame.
6. Do acknowledge and celebrate the differences. One of the best things you can do to show your support as well as your love for the adopted child in your life is to learn a bit about the culture and history of her birth country. Read a couple of books, especially travel books. Even if you have no plans to travel there, there is no better way to get the feeling of another country.

Don'ts

1. Don't introduce her as adopted. The pain this inflicts on the child is obvious. The child is made to feel inferior, like she will never be considered a real part of the family. The rule is simple: Don't ever, ever do this.
2. Don't say how "lucky" she is. After hearing this enough times, the child can be made to feel like a lifelong charity case, rather than the cherished child she is. Yes, she is lucky, but so is any child who has a supportive, loving family. And we parents are lucky, too, to have been able to create this loving, supportive family.
3. Don't assume adoption is a second choice. The reasons people choose to adopt are as varied and unique as the people themselves. While it is true that many choose adoption because of infertility, it is also true that many choose adoption for a myriad of other reasons as well. Many people choose to adopt not because they are out of other options, but rather because they believe that adoption is the best choice for them.
4. Don't jump to conclusions about the birth mother. Often thought of as weak, irresponsible, cheap, and worthless, birth mothers often suffer a lifetime of pain far greater than that of childbirth. Please don't jump to the wrong conclusion that these women are any different than you and me or that they love their children any less.Most cross-cultural adoptive families know little or nothing about the circumstances that led their child's birth mother to relinquish her child. What they do know is that they love their children's birth mothers because they are a part of their children and it is because of them that their beloved children are who they are.
5. Don't tell us we're sure to have "our own" now. She is our own. Those parents who choose adoption because of infertility do not secretly harbor lifelong yearnings for a biological child. Having "our own" is now irrelevant; the child we have is the one we want and it is inconceivable that we could love or want any child more. Like all parents, we have the best.

With God's Hands

Well my God is awesome! We have sold our house! Yes that fast! We got what we wanted $ wise, got the closing date we needed - June 29th and also the lady that bought our house does not have a home to sell. Never under estimate what He can do!

Now we have to see what the next two weeks will bring with Alex and then we will be all set. The next bunch of referrals should come this first week in April so I will have an update on that front.

To everyone who has passed on their best wishes and congrats on the new home, I thank you. I will never be able to fully express how much everyone's thoughts, input (yes TD folk your input) and encouragement mean. Mom, Papa, Mom V and Dad, thanks so much for the walk through yesterday and for loving our home like we do.

Take care,

MLS#390426

There you go!

More Changes

What a crazy life! Brian and I put an offer on a house last night and it was accepted! We have been in and then out and then in and out of the house/property market for years. So really it surprises us as much as maybe you that we would not only move but actually move while waiting for Alex. Couldn't we have done this a year ago when the wait felt so long? No we do everything in one moment!

So off to the quaint village of Sparta to actually be able to sneeze without my neighbours getting wet! Too graphic Mom? Here is MLS #390426 for you to get more info.

What do you do when you find something so right? Well when you are me....you jump right in!

Nothin New

Hi there,

For those of you that follow along very closely....you will know that I read the rumour boards. Yes there is a whole adoption world out there that is full of speculation over when the next set of referrals will come and what dates will be included. These 'rumours' are not always true but most of the time they are not that far off. Well on Friday, the most recent rumour is that the next set of referrals will only go until October 31st. I guess many people were logged in on that date and therefore everyone seems to think it will be tough for them to go any further. Disappointing? Yes. This would mean that we will most likely be included in the May referrals rather than April with a travel time of June/July. Again, these are just rumours and complete speculation. We will have to just wait and see.
July travel will be appreciated by my peers at work as my project begins pilotting in July. That was the joke on this past crazy, crazy Friday. I like this joke as it makes me feel very appreciated at work. I also know that I am surrounded by a very cool group of people that are some of the biggest cheerleaders for our adoption. Truthful - not kissing a_ _!
Friday I had a fabulous time with my girlfriends. So awesome to laugh!
Off to the Raptors game today, for a little bit of fun in the big city. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Patience is a virtue!

Well it appears from the rumour mill this morning that referrals will only go til October 24th 2005. So as our date is November 3rd, they were 10 days short. The probability of us being in the next batch is huge. Woohoo! When will the next set of referrals come? No one ever knows! They are normally 28 days apart which brings us to the first week in April. Rumours say that they may do a batch in between to start to catch up but I seriously doubt it. If we get our referral in the beginning of April then we will most likely travel in June.
I trust in my Lord and that He will bring us Alex at the exact right moment. Sometimes I just wish He would let me in on that secret!
I hope everyone has a fabulous week.

A couple more pics

Here are the sweetest guests at my family birthday party.

Murder in Sin City - 2

Murder in Sin City

So another birthday! Some people hate birthdays..me, well I tend to love them. I think it is a great time to reflect and be thankful for your life. Also a fabulous opportunity to remember what it is that you want to bring into others lives. For me, I hope that I bring you joy, laughter and love.

Thanks so much to everyone that came to our murder mystery night and for those that joined us in thought. We had a wonderful time - as can be seen by the pictures. Shelley was her normal sleuthful self and was the big winner by correctly guessing who dunnit. Mano of course (or surprisingly) was the drama queen, Rick(aka Elvis) was best dressed - I'm sure because of the pants! and Sami managed to make the most money. Hoping everyone had as much fun as I did.

More Pics - Just for Fun

Though I have figured out the high speed thing, I now just need to get better at putting pics up! I will just keep practicing until Alex comes.

Happy New Year

Yes it is the Chinese New Year. The year of the Pig. What does that mean exactly? I haven't the slightest clue! Another example of the importance of learning about my daughter's country! The Chinese government is shut down this week so we probably won't see the next set of referrals for about a week or so. Who ever knows for sure? The rumour sites have all slowed down, so I can't even speculate whether this next bunch of referrals will go til the end of October or perhaps (insert prayers) go to November 3rd.
Last weekend Brian and entertained our sweet nephew Marley. From the pics you can tell he is not from my side! We had a blast. Once again taking the trip out to our good friend's farm, where Marley and Skylar thoroughly enjoyed the animals.

High speed works wonders for the pics!

Another week

Hi everyone,

We are waiting to see if more referrals will come before the Chinese New Year. My gut tells me no my heart is still hoping. If so, then there may be an update for next week but it probably won't be our referrals we will just be closer.
Curling was fun. Brian and I were very sore, perhaps sweeping our house would have been a good practice activity!
We are meeting with our adoption group this weekend and I am excited. It will be nice to meet the people that we will experience Alex's 'birth' with.

Have a great weekend!

Not our turn yet...

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 13, 2005.

This is the official wording from the Chinese website. So what does that mean for us? Well our logged in date is November 3rd so essentially if they do the same number of calendar days next month then that would bring them to October 29th - just a couple days shy. So this leads me to believe that our referral will come either late March or April.

So on to brighter topics....Brian and I are in a curling bonspiel for work this Saturday. I participated last year and it was loads of fun.

Next weekend we are meeting with the other members of our 'group'. This group is comprised of other parents that are adopting from China that we will travel with. We all have the same LID and are using the same adoption agency - Children's Bridge. It will be awesome to meet everyone and discuss our plans for travel. Some of us are interested in going to China a couple days early so that we can recover from the flight and culture shock prior to becoming parents. If we can get enough of us then we will get a group discount.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I look forward to sharing more news with you soon.

Timing

So new news on Alex. Our logged in date (LID) in China is November 3rd 2005. China has completed all the referrals up to and including September 27th 2005. We are anxiously waiting to see how many referrals they complete this month as that will be a good indicator for when we will receive our referral.
We are still hoping for a March/April referral with a May/June travel date.

So I obviously need to master the whole picture thing. I guess this comes with practice? I have some challenges as I still live in a 'dial up' area!

Shaila & Skylar

Mom & Papa with Skylar, Rajah and Rani

Welcome

Well here we are, already into 2007! We pray that 2007 will bless us with our beautiful daughter. This blog is to provide a place for friends and family to come to in order to stay up to date with how the adoption is progressing. I will also use this site to post pics of our life before Alex and then while we are in China.
As I have never done this before, I ask for your patience!

Rita