3 months and counting...still

Yep, we have officially hit the 3 month mark. You know, where we originally thought it would be 1-3 months, so we'd be at the max now, but in reality its just the start of our wait, again.

Yep, 3-6 months, more. Do I sound a bit sad, blue or maybe disappointed? Well, I am. I know, I know...what is meant to be will be, things happen the way they do for a reason. Heard it, know it and get it. Still...

Anyway, to celebrate our big three months, or maybe to cheer me up, Adam suggested we start on the nursery. What a surprise for me, and a pleasant one at that.
We spent half the weekend moving the guest bedroom furniture out and then pulling out the changing table, dresser and bookshelves and figuring out where everything will go and what else we need.
I also painted, a very soothing pale green. Well actually, Simone and I painted-she was my big helper! She really did a great job and truly helped to move things along. And best of all she is thrilled to know she helped get the room ready for the baby and she is very impressed with her own hard work.
But... now she thinks her baby brother (or sister we keep reminding her...) will be coming home any day, or any moment. She wanted to get diapers and bottles at the store yesterday so we'd be ready for him! First thing she wanted to do this morning was to go in there and just look at the room.
So once all the paint is dry we'll start setting up the actual nursery and getting curtains and new crib sheets and any other baby stuff we find we need. Very exciting, and as my one friends said "if you paint it, he will come". So come on already!

I'm truly not holding any hope that we'll hear anything any time soon. (but some time in March would be quite nice) I know once the room is put together it will be hard to not have a snuggly little baby to put in there, but I think it will give us all hope that the day will come! .

And after finding a ladybug last week (considered good luck or a sign of good things to come) I had thought maybe we'd hear soon, and my very sweet friend helped put it into a great perspective by saying in an email "perhaps Friday was the day your beautiful baby's paperwork arrived at TWCA or his/her birthday?" Thanks Lisa, that was a great boost that was much needed!

So, 3 months and counting...
J

Another mystery solved

It all started maybe six or so years ago. . .
At first we thought that there were some other people that were living in our house. For real!

Then we realized this just can't be, I mean we never see anyone else or hear any unexplained noises when we are home. But still...something very odd was going on.

So we concluded that there must be some vagabonds that snuck in our house each day. Nothing was ever missing-no food was eaten, the TV set was still there, the dogs seemed OK.
But you see, everyday we come home and this is what we would find

Obviously someone was coming into our house and sleeping in our beds. And not just that, they never made them back up again, they left that for me! And it was both beds, ours and the guest room shown here in this "crime scene". There must have been more than one of em.

We figured when we moved from Florida to Tennessee that naturally this would stop. Certainly these "sleepers" wouldn't follow us.

Well we were wrong, and not only did they follow but it got worse... there were more of them! Now Simone's bed was being slept in also. Actually hers seemed to be used the most, every day! Almost every day when I got home from work I would have re-make the other two beds, but hers I always had to.

And then the other day I happened upon a scene that explained it all...
I was thinking that they had obviously been in our room and the guest, and I knew they were still there because I could hear them scampering!

I crept into Simone's room and heard a rustling and scratching and I thought "Aha, I've caught them"! I saw just a fluffy grey & black tail and furry rump sticking out from under the covers, up in the air. And then the culprit appeared!

"Busted" I yelled!

And can you believe who it was...

It was Oliver! And here he is trying so hard not to look as guilty as he really is! He wouldn't even make eye contact once I got the camera!

Silly boy!

So obviously my mood has swung back to goofy...and obviously this is all I have to write about. Nothing poetic or endearing or intelligent even, just a silly story about my pooch. BTW, I gave him a fantastic hair cut this weekend so he looks about 10 pounds lighter and very cute! Yes, he did hide under the chair and leaning against the wall in the office for the whole thing, so it's not as professional as one might like,
but he can pull it off!
And since I haven't had any pics of my darling, here's a silly one of her. Seriously, she makes these poses up herself!

Well that story lightened my day any way! Hope it did yours!

J

Let it snow!!

And then promptly melt...

Yep, it was gone by the time we got around to going out in it...I guess the ground is too warm. But it sure was a pretty sight to wake up to on Sunday morning.

The dogs thought they would be brave and venture out in it...

It looks like they are debating with each other on who will go first.

"No you go Ollie, I went first last time"

But it was a bit too cold and they came back in to snuggle on the couch.

And you may be saying "what's this, no pictures of the little one playing in it?"

Nope, too cold and snowy for our little princess. She was all cuddled on the couch too! I guess there wasn't enough snow to entice her to bundle up and head out.

I caught the picture below of a big ole mourning dove waiting for his/her turn at the feeder. Think my birds are well fed? And notice, no snow...this was just a few hours later too!

So still no new baby news... sad sad. Almost three months now. (And I know all the families that are on the girl list have been waiting A LOT longer - and trust me I totally feel for them, the wait must be so very hard, since no referral news has come out for a long long time. I am hoping referrals come for them as much as for us!) But we were quoted a 1-3 month wait (main reason we chose to go with either gender) and now there is an additional 1-3 added on top. It is just a bit disappointing I guess.

But hey I love this stress and anxiety, right? Grey hairs, weight gain and all... bring it on! Actually I've been a bit of a bear lately. Well to be completely honest, I switch from grumpy bear to weeping fool and then to anxious and cranky and all the while feeling silly for being so silly! I do not remember it being this emotional with Simone, but maybe it's like childbirth and you forget it all once you are finally holding your little bundle...

OK enough sad sads...My Tigger attitude will not be swayed to join Eeyore. The glass is half full and the day will come when it is time. Right?

J

Sunrise in the Smokies

Aah, a deep breath, listen to the birds sing and see a glorious sunrise.
I love to start the day that way. And this time of year is so pretty here in East Tenn for the sunrise, because it is always so full of pinks & oranges and so clear with it's reflection on the lake. Plus it rises around 6:45, so I'm actually awake to see it (oh yes, we are late sleepers in our house...)

Some people like sunsets and I totally get that, there can be some whopper good ones. When we lived in Florida we did indeed see many, and some of my most cherished memories center around those beautiful sunsets.
But seeing the sun rise is somehow different. Its a new start, a fresh day, a hello to all of the possibilities that await! It's that time before the rush of the day to take that deep cleansing breath, and to take a moment to be thankful for all that I have. It's those few peaceful moments when everyone, including the doggies, are still snoozing away and all is calm. I can see with a bit of clarity all of my hopes and dreams for the future too, well at least for the day coming.

Just thought I would share my wonderful morning ritual... my morning aah!
J

my daily horoscope

OK, so today my horoscope reads

"It's true that patience is a virtue, but it's also true that you can control things."

Really...??? Cause from where I'm sitting I see that I have NO control! I mean, it really is pretty funny. I am sitting at my desk actually laughing.

Now patience, well yes, I certainly have learned that virtue, starting with Simone's adoption (ok I actually started learning that when I married Adam...hee hee-just joking) And being a parent, sheesh, that sure has taught me patience, along with a few other virtues...
but control! Come on now, do the folks who write the daily horoscope expect me to believe this stuff?

Now put that in a fortune cookie and you may get me to fall for it!
J

The Daddy/Daughter dance

Simone and Adam attended a Daddy/Daughter dance on Saturday night with Simone's BFF and her Daddy. It was a very big night~ for me it was the first time I actually curled her hair and helped her get all dressed up~ and for Simone and Adam it was a very special evening they got to spend together.
I can't believe how big she is and how much she's growing up! It was amazing to see how lovely my baby girl looked all "gussied" up. And I got to have a wonderful evening with said BFF's Mom, we enjoyed some good wine, good food and great conversations- without little ears or big guys around. So all in all it was a great evening!

And since I finally got a new camera I was able to take some great pictures of my special girl and guy!

Simone getting her shoes on. Yep she HAD to have gold shoes for the dance!

Daddy got Simone a corsage for the dance.

She felt like such a princess! And looked like one too!

Ohh, aren't they too cute...See how they match!

BFF's!

Checking each other necklaces out.


Daddy & his girl!

The gang.

And off they went to dance the night away! The girls had a wonderful time and the guys looked a bit worn out when they all arrived back at our friends house. What great memories for Simone and Adam!


On a not so happy note, we got information in our agency's news letter that the wait for referral (what was estimated to be 1-3 months) is now 3-6 months. So, we won't be getting any referral news for at least another month, and maybe up to 4 months from now. There is no explanation, or anywhere to cast blame...in international adoption these things just happen, time lines can change-for good or bad- without warning. I'm a bit bummed out that the wait is going to be longer than we had originally anticipated, but I know everything happens for a reason and that red thread has already connected us, the line just got a bit tangled...
J