families are stitched together by God in many patterns

I've been thinking and praying a lot about the different ways families are formed. Our family's future is being stitched together by God through birth family, social workers, loving nannies, governments, judges, and notaries. Thank you to every one who is helping us and praying for us down the road to grow a family.

AGENCY UPDATE: 2-4 more months

Today I received the e-mail from our agency that I've been waiting for. The conservative estimate is that it will be two to four more months for our referral of a healthy infant girl. The storks have been delivering a lot of baby boys lately, so the "blue list" has been moving much more quickly than the "pink list." This news is pretty much exactly what I expected to hear.

Adoptive families often say that you get news about your adoption when you're traveling. Kevin left yesterday on a two week trip. I can't reach his cell phone, so he doesn't even know of the update yet. Figures, right? We'll be taking a trip to Texas to visit family in September. Maybe our referral will come while we're in Texas!?!? We'll have to make sure Kevin's cell phone is charged and ready for "the call" at all times.

Lonely Planet Video on Taipei, Taiwan

Click here to watch a video on Taipei, Taiwan, that's pretty good! I wasn't sure about stinky tofu... but I'll try it if this guy says it's really good, even if it smells like boiled sweat socks.

Bubble Tea

I first heard of Bubble Tea (also called Boba tea) while reading a Taiwan adoption blog. (Obviously, I do a lot of that nowadays.) Anyway, I've always wanted to try it, and decided to order an at home kit that we'll make when we celebrate our referral. Never heard of bubble tea or boba tea before?

According to Wikipedia: Bubble tea is a tea beverage that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. The term "bubble" refers to the tapioca balls in the drink. These chewy tapioca balls, or "pearls," are consumed along with the beverage through a wide straw. Bubble tea is extremely popular in Asia, California, and Canada.

I've purchased two bubble tea kits, one for our family, and one for the gift basket for the winner in our "guess our referral date" game. That way, you can celebrate along with us from wherever you are. You'll have everything you need for a little bubble tea party: flavored mixes, two kids of tapioca balls, special cups, and wide straws.

Speaking of "wherever you are," I've been using Google Analytics on our blog for the last two weeks. It's fascinating to see that hits come from around the world. I've had hits from every continent except Antarctica. Cousin Jackie in the Peace Corps in Botswana helped take care of a hit from Africa. In the last two weeks I've had hits from 40 of 50 states. Even the the District of Colombia contributed hits. Yes, it's a small small world.

my dreams have wings - Gymboree indulgences

Sigh. These are beautiful, especially the yellow outfit with water lillies and lilly pads. Whoever does the marketing at Gymboree is a genius. Now I have Gymbucks to buy the Hannah banana onesie. Just waiting for the sale.

I called our agency this week. All families are supposed to be getting updates soon. I've read on message boards that there's been a lot of infant boy referrals lately. That could push our time line back a little bit. We'll see. The waiting stage now is fine. I'm sure it's much worse for families after referral when you have those baby pictures and just want to hop on an airplane now to go see her/him and kiss those sweet baby cheeks.

I read an adoption blog today for a family that is just starting with our agency. The family reports that the wait for an infant girl has grown to 18 months. Wow. I know that there were a lot of families choosing our agency right after us, but I had no idea that there were that many. This news makes me even more eager for our update. Makes me glad that we jumped in line when we did.

4 month mark

Woah. Yesterday I didn't even realize that it was the four month mark of waiting for a referral. I think that's a good sign! Here's my four month mark scrapbook page with Sedona's thoughts of waiting for a referral. She'd really like this process to hurry up so we can focus lots more on Hannah Claire and less on the constant "no licks" reminders. We went out do dinner with friends tonight and had the couple over for Wii bowling in our living room. I feel much better about waiting right now then I did last month. I think I'm getting used to saying... no news... but when there is news... EVERYONE will know! And, the Monkey Island line is still full price at Gymboree... but I may have cheated with the Tiny Pond line. I couldn't resist dragonflies and water lilies cuteness any longer at 40% off.

still time left in the "guess our referral date" game

The polls will close at midnight this Monday, June 25th in the "guess our referral date" game. I've made a calendar that you can click on to see where everyone's guesses fall. Just click on the image to see a larger size. I'll post a picture of the prize after the polls close... but let's just say it contains a bottle of wine and other food goodies from Indiana, and a children's book with a Taiwan theme. Something for adults and little ones! If you can't figure out how to post a message in the comments section (That's you, Dana! *haha*), then send me an e-mail at journeytohannahclaire@gmail.com and I'll add your date to the calendar. Locals can just tell me at work too. You know where to find me at work this weekend!

no licks!

"No licks!" is a phrase that you'll hear around our house a lot these days. We're trying to break Sedona of her licking obsession. She doesn't lick herself, just people. She'll lick your toes, your face, your ankle, your hand, and even the pillow that you sleep on because it smells like you. If you lay down on the floor, she thinks it's time for a "lick fest" and that you laid down just so that she could lick you all over. I really don't want our baby learning to crawl, walk, etc. to be subjected to these "lick fests." Sedona is really a good little dog, minus the never ending supply of kisses. We're just too well loved by our dog. Suggestions welcome.

the wiener dogs next door and fun with little girls

Our next door neighbors have four wiener dogs. Well, they did have four daschunds until yesterday when Moo their long-haired had four puppies, three girls and a boy... now totaling eight wiener dogs under one roof. Moo's a first time mother and freaked out a little bit when she went into labor, but those mothering instincts kicked in full gear between delivering puppy 1 and puppy 2. She cleaned them all up and is very protective, growling when the other adult dogs come near their pen. Moo hates going outside to do her business, wanting back into the house and back to her babies right now! What's really interesting is that Annabelle, one of the other dogs, is pregnant too. Annabelle has a huge belly, and should be due in a few weeks. Annabelle wants Moo's babies. Annabelle would steal them if she could... wanting to run off with Moo's babies and mother them. What do breeding wiener dogs have to do with adoptions from Taiwan? I'm not sure... but I found their behavior pretty interesting! I haven't started barking at other people's children wanting to carry them off in my mouth... yet. And if you know anyone that wants a daschund puppy, let me know!

We went out to dinner last week with a family with two cuties from China, ages 4 and 5. The little girls wanted to go to the local Chinese buffet. We discovered that both of our families are very fortunate to developed great friendships with the owner, Susan. My favorite parts of the evening involved talking with their youngest. She told me, "I like Tigers! Roarrrrrr!" and showed me her tiger claws. I asked the girls if they helped their mommy out at home. Here's the reply: "Yes." What do you do? "We polish the floors." Oh, really? Do you do them by hand or help mommy with a machine? She gives me a funny look and replies, "We don't use our hands, we use a cloth!"

Father's Day... continued

Happy Father's Day, especially for the new dad's out there that are waiting to travel to their children. Kevin and I spent tonight with my family to celebrate my dad. I'm still thinking about what a great dad Kevin is going to be. Here's some pictures of Kevin with his niece Isobella from 2003. My travel goal for this summer is to arrange for some time off work to fly to Texas to see this cutie. She's growing up so fast into a little lady that starts Kindergarten this fall. I don't have any new pictures to share, so I'm scrapbooking old favorites for now.

100th post: for Kevin, daddy to be

I would like to dedicate the 100th post of our adoption blog to my husband and best friend, Kevin. You're going to be such a great dad to our child. Sedona and I love you!

Game: Guess our referral date!

Just for fun, let's play a guessing game. Let's have a contest where we guess what date Kevin and I will get our referral call. Just to clarify, this phone call/e-mail will be the first contact where we hear that we've been matched. If pictures and additional information come on a later date, the date that counts is when we first hear that we're matched.
In order to play, just post a date as a comment to this post with the date that you've selected as the big day. If you don't have a blogger account, be sure you leave your name and e-mail address. I will send a special care package prize to the person who selects the closest date. Entries must be submitted in the next two weeks, by June 25th. No cash value, and need not be present to win. (joke) I'll e-mail you to let you know that you've won, and to get your snail mail (real) address to send you your prize.

We spent the afternoon cleaning out the garage. Kevin and I are trying to purge... getting rid of things we don't need to make room for fun things like stroller and tricycles. Both of our allergies are acting up and we're sneezy, itchy, watery-eyed messes. Pass the Benadryl, please.

Gymboree is like crack for mommies

I read this statement on someone's mommy blog this week: "Gymboree is like crack for mommies." At that time, I thought that was really funny! It's not so funny anymore. I think the people at Gymboree can read my mind. Those evil people must have scanned my brain searching for my innermost baby clothes desires, and they masterminded something just for me in PINK, BANANA, and MONKEY. Arg!!!!! Why do they taunt me with such cuteness? Do they know that I'm being a good girl, attending Baby Clothes Anonymous meetings three times a week, and have been successful in keeping my credit card in check this past month? This is so unfair. See for yourselves...

This is it, the Hannah Banana onesie. Well, Gymboree calls it Monkey Island - Tropical Monkey bodysuit, but I know it's really the Hannah Banana onesie that they made just for me. It's inevitable that anyone named Hannah will be called "Hannah Banana", right? How many words can you think of that rhyme with Hannah? I've been wanting some clothing with bananas on it too. Even better... my dad used to turn my plain white 70s disposable diapers into my "monkey pants" with little Sharpie marker and a whole lot of humor. I have a feeling that Grandpa Roy still has talent to make more pairs of monkey pants for Hannah Claire.

For the record, I'm still clean and have resisted the temptations that Gymboree has offered me this morning. The Hannah Banana onesie is still full price. But, when the Monkey Island line starts hitting the sale prices, I'm not sure how long I can hold out.

a prayer for our daughter

May you be safe and sleep soundly through the night.

May you be safe as you wake to the morning's light.

May you feel our love from so far away,

May it comfort and protect you throughout each day.

We will pray for you my little one,

Until our time of waiting is done.

We will pray that the Lord keep you safe from harm,

Until the child of our hearts becomes the child in our arms.

--Anonymous

I've been thinking a lot about our daughter... at the stop light, as I lie in bed trying to go to sleep at night, and as I pull grassy weeds that creep into the mulch. Has she been born into this world? It's likely... but maybe not quite yet. I look at cans of formula at the grocery store and wonder what kind she's eating... milk based, soy? Does she have reflux and spit up a lot? What does her birth name mean? What things do her nannies whisper into her ear and sing to her as they comfort her cries?

baby carrier research

I've been reading about baby carriers this week, and all sorts of good things about "baby wearing" to help in the attachment when baby comes home. I have two styles picked out, a sling and a mei tai. For those of you with baby carrier experience, let me know what kind of carriers you like, don't like, and why.

These slings are at Monkeybuckets. I've been looking for a good site that makes slings for awhile. Thanks to Andrea for the link. My favorite fabric sample is this pink and brown mod flowered pattern.

I'm really excited about the mei tais at BabyHawk. I've read from lots of parents that they like them because they distribute the baby's weight over a larger area and that they're easy to unwrap when putting down a sleeping baby. This site has oodles of fabric choices. My first fabric choice is this red Asian flowered print. Without telling Kevin what I liked, I had him take a look, and he chose the same red flowered print! How cool is that? Even better, BabyHawk mei tais also can be made reversible so you can have two fabric choices. Now, how cool is that??? I think I'll pick out a mod geometric print for the other side. They also can add pockets to stuff a few diapers in, and loops for baby toys. Obviously I'm pretty excited about these.