what I've been up to this week...

Here's what I've been up to this week.

I've made all sorts of connections online lately. I've "met" three Indiana families that are or will be adopting from St. Lucy's Center in Taiwan. I'm thrilled to know that there will be other children relatively close by that will come from the same orphanage where our daughter will most likely start her life at. I think these connections will be important as our daughter grows up and develops her sense of identify.

I've been doing a lot reading about lifebooks. Lifebooks are scrapbooks that adoptive or foster parents create to sensitively and honestly help our children understand their beginnings. Lifebooks document what happened to a child and how they came into the family in story form, they make talking about adoption feel like everyday conversation, and help an adoptee make sense of their history. I've joined an online forum called China Digital Scrapbooks for adoptive parents, mostly with children from China, who are into digital scrapbooking and using this medium to create lifebooks for their children. The digiscrapping that these ladies share in the galleries are amazing and very touching. Does this sound like a forum for me, or what???

I had a hard weekend this past weekend thinking about wanting to be in Taiwan. It's hard to ignore the little voice inside that says, "Me too! Me too!" Luckily I have made friends with others that are going through similar feelings, and we can comfort each other.

And of course... to comfort myself I turn to retail therapy! Hannah Claire has way too many clothes, so it's about time for Mommy's turn. Come on, spring weather! I've found some things for myself to put some "spring" into my wardrobe and stocked up on replacing several pairs of work appropriate pants that really needed to retire from service. Today I went to the beauty salon and had a Nioxin microdermabrasion scalp treatment in addition to the usual services. I totally love scalp massages, but now my scalp feels so clear and my hair is squeaky clean and full of volume. Ahhh!

And if you're local, yes that was me in the newspaper today that called the police and had that woman arrested. I don't write about work on this blog to keep my identity a little hush hush and so my employer doesn't get grouchy with me... but oh man, I just hate it when unsavory characters think they can pull one over on me!

Credits: background paper by SMJ Bohemian Traveler, left paper, tag, and ribbon are Freebie 01 by Graziela Mendes Designs, messy stitch by Fernlili, "S" initial by SMJ signature alpha, and staple by Cottage Arts Growth Spurts.