8 Months and Still Counting

Yesterday marked our 8 months since LID to China. We have accomplished a lot in the last 8 months, mainly the room addition which is 96% (give or take) complete. I am attempting to set even loftier goals of "going through" and weeding out some of our stuff (I deny that it is junk, but truthfully, well, you know what I mean!) and getting our life organized. Those of you that know us, realize what a huge goal this is! We tend to be clutter challenged at times and with my office being in our house, that just adds to the craziness. So, I will continue to cleanse and purge, going through each room and cabinet and drawer as we wait!

Pink Pooh and a Blankie

I've never been a Winnie the Pooh fan, but when we saw this SUPER SOFT Pooh at the Disney store, he just had to come home with us! Of course, most things pink catch my eye!

The blanket was Ally's first baby gift. It's from Joel and Randi - they were some of the first people we told about Ally! Both are in her new room just waiting for her arrival!
 

18 Days Closer

Here is this months update from CCAA. It is the bold date that we are counting down to -- our date is Jan 27, 2006.

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before December 31, 2005. The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before August 9, 2005.

So, in the last month, they processed 18 days of dossiers. That is the biggest number since I have been tracking it, so that is great progress. But from what I have heard on the rumor site, early Aug was very light. Therefore, it may be false hope in reality, but who knows? I do know the answer to that Q, but sometimes it doesn't make it easier.

Ally's Room

Here it is with carpet! 

From This ... to This

From April 2006 to Sept 2006 - the carpet went in today! We started moving Sara into her new room. Lauren and Sara are both sleeping up there tonight! 

December out of Review

The CCAA updated one of their dates today. They have finished reviewing/approving dossiers that were logged in by Dec 31, 2005. We will look for the other date (dossiers matched) later this month. The first date means that OUR DOSSIER is being reviewed for accuracy and completion right now! If we hear nothing, that means that everything is OK; if there is a problem, omission, or inconsistency, the CCAA will contact our agency and they will let us know. Once our dossier is out of the review room, we wait again for the final steps -- our match, our TA (Travel approval) and our consulate date. We are still several months away, but each little step gets us closer to Ally! I have not yet prayed for the people making the matches - I'll add them to my list!

Another Messy Day

inside our house! The carpet guy is supposedly coming tomorrow AM to install in the new attic room and S's old room (A's new room). It is supposed to rain, so I don't know how that will affect them. We emptied out Ally's room, thus all of S's stuff is all over the dining room and part of the family room. I was happy to find the original paint for touch-ups. The double closet door will be great - a much needed improvement. We still have a lot of work to do, but it is within sight. Being a home-owner, I wonder if I will EVER not have a list of things that need to be done. It is always something (or in our case, many things). Hopefully, I'll have new pics tomorrow!

In Case we get Twins

Just in case it should happen (which, by the way, would have to be God intervening since we did not request twins), I want to go on the record that I would be thrilled. We would name them Ally and Alana. Crazy, huh? Hey, I have to occupy my thoughts with something!

Ally's room - just getting started

I know, I know, we aren't even finished with Sara's new room. The catch is that the carpet guy is planning to come this next week. He said that he had enough carpet to not only do Sara's new room, but also her old room (which will be Ally's new room)! Well OK, then, here we go. The majority of the closet was unaccessable with the single door, so we had always planned to replace it whenever we replaced the carpet. So, no time like now! Here is the new door! It needs to be painted - the inside of the closet and the new double doors. Once we touch up the paint and get the new carpet, we can get a good idea of what we actually have for Miss Ally. I haven't bought much (I don't think!), but I have picked up a few things along the way! We are keeping her room the lavender color.  

Sock Hop!

Lauren and Amelia enjoyed the Sock Hop at their elementary school tonight. We are so glad that Amelia moved back to her old street! 

Soccer and Band

Audrey and Sara giving High School Band (they are both 7th graders) a try! They had a lot of fun!

Lauren playing Defense in Carrollton - they won their game!

I sure was sounding tragic last night!

Gee - I re-read my post from last night, and I really sounded tragic. Today was very busy and that tends to go hand-in-hand with how I handle things!

Lauren had a soccer game in Carrolton (about 2 hours -- almost in AL). Sara went with Doug to the GT band day. She and one of her best friends, Audrey, suited up with the high schoolers and marched on the field with the GT band and 17 other high schools!

I'll get some pics up in a little bit.

A Few More Songs...

that are making me cry again. It was about a year ago, that I could hardly keep it together when I heard these or looked at the China Journey sites...

both by Steven Curtis Chapman

"When Love Takes You In"

I know you've heard the stories
But they all seem too good to be true
You've heard about a place called home
But there doesn't seem to be one for you
So one more night you cry yourself to sleep
And drift off to a distant dream

Where LOVE takes you in
and EVERYTHING CHANGES
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The lonliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in

And somewhere while you're sleeping
Someone else is dreaming too
Counting down the days until
They hold you close and say 'I love you'
And like the rain that falls into the sea
In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

And this love will never let you go
There's nothing that could ever
Cause this love to loose it's hold
When love takes you in
It takes you in for good.


"What Now?"

I saw the face of Jesus
In a little orphan girl
She was standing in a corner
On the other side of the world.

I heard the voice of Jesus
Gently whisper to my heart
'Didn't you say you wanted to find me?'
Well, here I am
Here you are.

So, what now?
What will you do, now that you've found me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you'll remember
This is right where I said I would be
You found me
What now?



So, anyway, here we are a year after starting our paperchase. Officially, 8 months since our DTC and almost to our LID. I've had a little bit of an extra hard time in the last few days. There is a rumor that the next batch of referrals will cover more days than the last few months; but that remains to be seen. And, I've watched this long enough to know that we just have to wait for China to let us know how far THEY get! I did read one "possibility" that Jan LID's will probably get referrals next Aug or Sept -- yes, 2007... That is hard to take, so I'll just hope for it to happen sooner.

I bought a little church dress in a 2T last April. I remember emailing a friend about it, and saying something to the effect that "surely we'll have her by next Easter"... 'Surely, nothing' is more like it! Boy, do I ever seem synical? It's not my typical nature. It's overwhelming how long this is going. But, once we have her, all the frustration will vanish -- I'm COUNTING on that, and have it from good sources (those who have "BTDT" - been there, done that) that it will be that way!

Updates on the room...

It is really coming together... We are hoping that the room will be finished so that Sara can move in by her birthday at the end of this month. As you can see, she is getting excited. It looks better now with the switch plates on! Now the stairs are stained, but not finished. Once we finish Sara's room, we will begin working on Ally's room! I have a LOT of sewing to do. Our trash man will be so glad when this renovation is complete. 

Inching (or should I say "centimeter-ing") closer

Here is the recent update from CCAA site - only moving the date for the dossiers that have made it through the "review room" (whatever that is...)


The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before November 30, 2005.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before July 22, 2005.

We have gotten more done on S's room, but nothing that makes a difference in a picture - like painting base boards and putting in switch covers! Maybe we will get a lot done this weekend, since we don't have work/school on Monday!