My Hero!

Yesterday, after reading about my computer troubles,
Dolores called to see if Shawn could help out. I am sure that she could have heard my sigh of relief at her house!

THAT NIGHT - Dolores and Shawn came over and equipped with an old computer and a portable drive. After a quick gab, Shawn got to work. He plugged the 'thingy' in the 'whatchamacallit' and made the 'whatsit' work. In no time at all, my computer files were being downloaded to the portable drive - where they now sit.

Some of the information was lost (though I am not exactly sure what), but the majority of my pictures are intact!!

I actually slept better last night knowing that everything was going to be o.k!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH SHAWN for rescuing me and precious pictures!

NOW...

My task is to now go and find a new computer in which to transfer these files to.

I am so sad...

I am so sad...

On Christmas Eve I woke up and was heading to my computer and noticed that it had crashed in the night. It was 'looping'. Trying to reboot.

It is now 3 days later and it is STILL trying to reboot. I am not thinking that it ever will (if there is someone close who can help - please let me know)

I am sad...

I really did keep meaning to back up my pictures.

I really did mean to buy and external hard drive.

I really did mean to print my pictures.

I really did mean to save them on CD's.

Now they are gone - all of them.

I don't know what to do.

I am so sad...

Tazzy and First Full day in the Camper

Here is a slide show of our first day in the camper and touring around Tasmania.

Back to the trip

After leaving Melbourne, we were heading for Tasmania - another state. Tasmania is an island and we had just received our campervan so we booked passage on the ship THE SPIRIT OF TASMANIA for us and our campervan.

It was a great experience. It was like being on a mini cruise ship for the night and we both totally enjoyed it. Well mostly enjoyed it...the water was ROUGH while trying to sleep. I was not sure if my dinner was going to stay in my stomach.

Us and our campervan - home away from home for 5 nights

In line to get on the ship
Our cabin for the night
Melbourne from the sea

We made it over to Tasmania in the morning and had a great time driving around.

I have more pictures, but blogger is not letting me down load them...

Beach Day!

First off I would like to apologize for not getting more pictures posted. It is really difficult to find an internet place that will let you download. We have taken LOADS of photos, but apparently only we can look at them...

Yesterday we were sitting on the beach (sigh) enjoying the FANTASTIC weather when we were looking at the lady sitting beside us. Mark was whispering "I think that is ***". I said "Really?" I don't know that that is her.

Mark decided to go up to her and say "Are you J*ann Ard*en?" and she replied SOMETIMES, YES! He spoke to her for a few minutes and told her that he went to see her when she was in Hamilton last time.

About an hour later, she went into her bag and pulled out a Hamilton P*olice T-shirt and said - Look what I am wearing. We all had a good laugh.

That said, I don't know if the Non-Canadians would know who she is.

It was cool! She is down her doing some work and decided to take the afternoon off to sit on the beach!

Our day in Melbourne

I know I am getting behind on my pictures here. It is not always easy to find a place that you can download your photos.

Here are some pictures from our day in Melbourne. We spent a good part of the day at the Queen Victoria Markets. I LOVE markets!!

One Year LID!

We interrupt this vacation to bring you the celebration of our ONE YEAR LID!!

I didn't think we would have to wait this long...

I know it is only the 5th in North America, but it is the 6th here in Australia!

I hope that Dolores & Shawn - who also share our LID - have a wonderful 1 year celebration! We will have to make up for it when we return.

I will post more pictures when I can, but it is difficult to find somewhere that will let you download anything.

I hope all is well with everyone and now we will resume our vacation!!

November 28 & 29

On Wednesday November 28th, Mark and I, along with Carol, headed to the Geelong waterfront. This is the area that Carol lives. We took a nice walk along the boardwalk and had lunch at a waterfront cafe. I could really get used to this lifestyle!!



On November 29th, Carol took us for a drive along the Great Ocean Road. What BEAUTIFUL views we saw. It was incredible. It was also VERY windy and bendy and curvy and up and downy and...you get the picture. However, it was all worth it with these STUNNING photos...



Next up - our day in Melbourne!

Pictures

Here are some pictures that everyone has been requesting.

The first batch of picutres is from KATOOMBA - THE THREE SISTERS. It is a beautiful mountain area in NSW - about and hour west of Sydney. It is incredibly pretty there. Enjoy the photos:







The second batch is from a little seaside town outside of Melbourne called Barwon Heads in Victoria. You can see how pretty it is too!

G'Day Mates!!

G'Day from Down Under!!!

Mark and I have arrived safely in Australia!!

We left Toronto on Thursday November 22nd. We left our house and it took over an hour to get to the airport when it usually takes about 15 minutes. The weather was horrible! We made it in to the termial and they were checking us in (a mere 20 minutes before the flight closed) and asked Mark about his Australian visa. They said he didn't have one. I had one but he didn't. It was odd because Mark did both of them together! They said another one would be $25 - we said go ahead. The counter lady said that we couldn't just do that because if there were two visas with the same name it would freeze both of the visas. CRAP - time was creeping by. She tried to re-enter the visa - but Mark's middle name was causing a problem as in one place was the initial and other was the name.

A supervisor was called to investigate. We were getting many dirty looks from the people in the line because we were holding it up and occupying the time of the ONLY check in lady.

Finally the supervisor comes back and says that we are good to go - we had to RUSH through American customs and immigration and make it to the gate. They were boarding. We get on the plane and everything seems good. Then they announce that we have to go for de-icing...we sat in line to be de-iced for THREE HOURS!!!! I was thinking by this point that we should just turn around and go home! They turned on the entertainment system and I watched 1 1/2 movies before we took off!!

We made it to LAX and only had 3 hours, instead of 6 hours, to blow there and it went by fairly quickly. We went through Auckland to Sydney.

We were picked up by friends and are currently at their place. We have had a shower and are refreshed and getting ready to go out!

From leaving our house to arriving in Sydney was 31 hours!! Can you say TIRED!

Currenlty it is 11:32 am Saturday morning - that makes is 7:32pm Friday night in Toronto.

I am wearing shorts and although it is raining a bit - it is WARM!!

I am alive...

Hello Readers,
That is if there are any of you left out there...

I have not been in a blogging mood of late. Don't specifically know why - just spending my time doing other things during my computer time I guess. I still read your blogs but I just don't seem to have the...I don't even know what I would call it...to comment on most of them.

We are coming up to our 1 year LID Anniversary and I don't feel ANY closer to Pumpkin. She doesn't even seem real. The tunnel has disappeared again let alone the light at the end of it with our adoption.

I PROMISE that things will get MUCH more exciting on this blog SOON!! I PROMISE!!

As for now - today was a FANTASTIC day!! An EXCITING day!! A GREAT day!!

11 Month LID Anniversary!

Today marks our 11 month LID Anniversary!

In some ways the 11 months have passed INCREDIBLY quickly and in other ways it has just DRAGGED...

We have met many WONDERFUL people and we are very lucky to have formed some lifelong friendships.

Two of those people are Dolores & Shawn who are in our travel group! We wish them a happy 11 month LID anniversary also...in fact - we are going out for dinner with them tonight to celebrate!

Support A Friend!

I have a friend who has started her own business. She has taken the leap and become an entrepreneur.

I am impressed!

She has started a line of NATURAL bath and body products. She makes them all herself and I have tried the products and they are LOVELY!

She has lip balms, body scrubs, refresher spray, bath salts, bath fizzies, body oil, body salve, bubble bath, shower gel and soaps.

The prices are VERY reasonable!

Take a minute to drop by her site and check it out!

www.breathenatural.com

or click HERE

There is also a link on the side bar!

I know she'd appreciate it!

Time Change?

Someone forgot to tell my computer AND VCR that the 'fall back' hour change doesn't happen until NEXT weekend.

To top it off, we have 2 clocks that run on batteries and BOTH of them were losing their batteries and running slow...

I spent all of Sunday an hour behind the times - not realizing that the computer, VCR and the two battery clocks were wrong...

I have since fixed them, but now it is going to have to be ME who remembers to change them again all NEXT weekend!

On another note - I have been very lax in thanking I-Con for my duck!! I had seen these ducks popping up on other sites and then I got one!!

I will have to say though, the post mark on the envelope was September 21st and I didn't receive it until October 10th!! Quite the LONG journey to get here - 19 DAYS!!!

Thanks I-Con for thinking of me!

10 Months today...

Well today is our 10 month LID anniversary. It has been 22 months since we started on THIS path to create our family.

It is a long time.

I am fed up.

I know I should be happy that I am this far along, but I am not.

Are we EVER going to get there?

Sometimes it really doesn't feel like it. Actually, the adoption doesn't feel real.

We ran around and filled out all sorts of paperwork. We got poked and prodded. We got letters, interviewed and judged, we made our homes super clean and attained approvals and then nothing...

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Unfortunately for us, our LID always seem to fall around the time that another PITIFUL referral batch is released. It really doesn't bode well for our enthusiasm for this process.

I know that there are people in this program who are behind us and are thinking - What does SHE have to bitch about - I wish I was at 10 months...I know they think that because I used to think that too...not so much anymore.

There are parents who are out there who already have their children from China who try and tell us that THEY know what we are going through. They might have had to wait 10 months for their referral and/or they might have had to wait a few months for the SARS thing to blow over. There was ALWAYS a light at the end of the tunnel for them. At this point, I can't even see the tunnel, let alone the light that may or may not be at the end of it.

There is NO WAY that they can have ANY idea what it is like for someone with a December '06 LID. I can't even get a straight answer from our agency about when APPROXIMATELY our referral might come. What we have been told has been changed and lengthened more times then I care to repeat.

When we started, our agency told us if we started right then (January '06), we would have our baby by July '07 YUP - that is what they said. That is what pulled us in. That is what kept us in. Well July '07 has come and gone and we are not any closer to our baby - IF WE ARE LUCKY, WE MIGHT HAVE A BABY BY JULY '10.

I would also like to say Happy 10 months to our friends and travel mates Dolores & Shawn!!

There is an upside to the super long wait - and that is the people that we have connected with. That is the only thing that is keeping us going. This community is so great and so supportive and we are VERY happy that we have found ourselves here - otherwise I fear it might have been in a rubber room...

1 year ago today...

...I found out what a blog was and started one (thanks Jenn)!

This is also the day that I joined the most AMAZING group of online adoptive parents.

I have had the privilege of meeting MANY families and families in waiting. Just take a look at my side bar to see that people that I have met - and those are ONLY the one that have a blog - there are many that do not have a blog.

There are friends that I have met through this blog that will/have become lifelong friends and I am grateful everyday that they are in my life.

There are SO MANY ups and downs on this journey - Mark and I are SO lucky to have such amazing people here to support us - both online and off line - cyber friends and friends and family in real life.

Thank you for the wonderful support - it is INCREDIBLY appreciated by both Mark and I and one day we will bring home our daughter and it will all be worth it!

Rut...

...is what I am currently in...

I don't know what is wrong with me.

I haven't been reading many blogs. The odd one that I do read, I rarely comment on.

I have NO motivation to blog - it isn't even like I have nothing to blog about. My life is very full and busy - just don't feel like reporting it.

I have NO motivation to talk on the phone.

My e-mails to friends have been lackluster - I am DEFINITELY in a communication rut!

I don't like feeling like this - this is NOT me...

I am sure eventually I will 'snap out of it', but for now, I just thought I would let you know - again - that I am alive.

Johnny's Gargantuan, Rolling Meme of Doom!

Johnny's Gargantuan, Rolling Meme of Doom!
1) Read the meme that was dumped assigned to you. Answer the questions.
2) Add TWO new questions to the list. Answer those questions.
3) Forward Dump this onto the next blogger victim (and list their name and link to their blog).
4) This series will conclude when we get 50 questions - so yes, it's 25 bloggers in the chain.
5) Please make sure that the next victim in the "link" doesn't have a password protected blog.
[Optional 6] Update the links so people can follow along (this is similar to the method I used in the Why China series).
[Optional 7] When you see an update, down the chain, update your own page with the new questions and answers.
[Optional 8] Copy these micromanaging instructions into the top of your meme post.


1. What secret/surprising/personal goal (that is realistically achievable within the next 15 years) would you like to fulfill?

I would love to have 2 daughters. I am HOPING that this is realistically achievable in 15 years...sometimes I wonder...

On a totally different tangent, I would LOVE to be a surgeon. I am not a fan of school so that kinda knocks that one out of the ring for me...

As for something that I would realistically achieve...

2. Can you list an event in which you made a last minute decision or guess that significantly changed the path of your life?

I had a neighbour who was going on vacation. She had asked me to water her gardens and plants while she was away. I was in her backyard and realized that she didn't have a hose. There was a hook up but no hose attached. I had a couple of choices...

I could go home and unhook my hose and bring it over
I could go to the neighbour on the left and ask him - I knew him personally...
I could go to the neighbour on the right and ask him...I had never met him formally.

I chose the neighbour on the right - it was Mark. We were married 15 months later.

3. What is one unrealistic goal (but your total secret dream) that you would love to come true, but are pretty sure it won't ever happen?

Growing up I always wanted to be President of the United States – Being Canadian that is not going to happen.

Following that I would say that I always wanted to be the CEO of a large company. The older that I got, the more I realized that my HOME life was the important part and if I was to attain either one of these, the home life would suffer.

As a third option, I would have to say that being a famous movie star &/or Miss Canada…o.k. don’t laugh!!

4. Who has had the most influence on your life and what did they teach you?

My mother - DEFINITELY - she taught me EVERYTHING. She raised my sister and I mostly by herself and I think that she did a GREAT job! She taught me everything from how to cook, how to treat other people, how to be compassionate, how to drive, how to love myself, how to handle money. She introduced me to traveling, theatre, other cultural events, the importance of family and I could go on and on.

5. You are on a deserted island. You are stranded with someone from any point in time for 2 months (they are coming to rescue you but are busy right now). Other then family/friends/naval engineers, who is it?

I am thinking that I could stare are George Clooney for 2 months...

Then there is Sayed from Lost - he is pretty handy...

Or there is Yau-man from the last Survivor – he would be a good choice.

If we are going for realistic, I guess I would love to be on an island with someone who is funny, like to talk and who is good at trivia. As for the person that fits that category, I am going to go with David Letterman. I think he would be a good island mate.


6. Name and describe 3 things on your mind lately. Is there any particular reason why you're thinking about a particular thing?

1) My job - I love my job, but I have a hunch that the scope of the job is going to change in the next year or two. I am thinking I am going to have to take some courses (see answer to question 1

2) Finances – ‘nuff said

3) Pumpkin - she is always on my mind...I wonder if she will EVER come...


7. If you could go back to one moment in time and change it, what would the moment be and what would you change it from and to?

I think that I would go back to the moment in time when I started smoking. I was very young and very foolish for starting such a thing. I think about the damage that I have done to my body w2hile I was smoking. I wish I hadn’t given in to the peer pressure and even though I did, I wish I hadn’t continued until I was hooked…After about 20 years, I smartened up and quit. They say that the damage that was done can be SOMEWHAT reversed…I sure hope so.

8. What is your biggest pet peeve and is there anything that you can do or do do to stop other people from doing it?

I am going to have to say that I have MANY pet peeves, but currently I would have to say that bad drivers top the list. Everyone goes on about how speeders cause accidents and I am not denying that, but I think just as many accidents are cause by people who drive too slow - ESPECIALLY when they are in the fast lane.

As for doing something about it, I have thought about changing careers to become a driver test examiner...

O.k. here is the link chain as per Johnnys Command: Q 1&2 - So it's Come Down to This, Q 3&4 - Our Journey to China, Q 5&6 - 3 D's Adoption Journey, Q 7&8 - Waiting for Pumpkin, Q 9&10 - Two Kayaks

Waiting Mommies Dinner # 6

O.k. let me see if I can name (and connect) everyone. Starting in the back left is ME, Dolores, Kathy, Doris, Bev, Lisa, Leslie.

Front row from left to right:

Catherine, Liz & Ava, Julia, Suzanne, Deb with Mercy and Lori.

Wow - there have been 6 Waiting Mommies Dinners so far! I have not missed one of them! I am not sure if that says that I am dedicated or that I don't have another part of my life that would interfere with the dinners!!

There dinners are wonderful and Saturday's was no different! It was actually EXTRA special because Doris was in town and was able to attend this one and meet these great ladies!!



We had a couple of babies in tow at our dinner - Ava and Mercy. How wonderful to see them both. For us waiting mommies, I think it is great to see that there ACTUALLY IS a baby at the end of this (SLOW) roller coaster ride that we are all on!

This is how good Doris' dessert was!!



The weekend in general was FANTASTIC! Much time spent with AWESOME friends - more on that later.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA!!

Today is Rhonda's birthday...I DO have a picture of her and I have met her in person!

I will NOT be sharing a picture of her here, but for a small fee, I can e-mail one to you...Oh was that said in my outside voice??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RHONDA - head over to her blog and wish her a happy day!!

ENJOY YOUR DAY!

9 Months Today...

Today is our 9 month anniversary...yeah...

It seems these days that our LID anniversary comes very soon after a VERY crappy and small referral batch. It is hard to get excited about things these days.

The CC*AA is only up to November 25th - 2005!!!! They are still 376 LID days away from our referral - very discouraging.

Sigh...

On that happy note, I would also like to wish a happy 9 month LID anniversary to Dolores and Shawn. They are our friends and travel mates.

Thank You Secret Buddy!!

Have I mentioned that I have the BEST SECRET BUDDY EVER!!!!!

Last month I was in a slump and didn't post my WONDERFUL present. So today I am going to post my July AND my August gift from my Secret Buddy!

Here is my July gift! Are those shoes the cutest thing EVER and that beach coverup is going to look SOOOO good on Pumpkin! She is going to be one rockin' chick!



Thank you Secret Buddy!!

Here is my August Secret Buddy gift that arrive today! I tell you, my Secret Buddy is the BEST!!

Check out the PUMPKIN shirt!! I have been playing with the toys too and dreaming of a day that I will be with my little one playing!



Thank you once again Secret Buddy! You are just amazing and my sanity is once again saved...

Miscommunication

I have come out of my self imposed blog hibernation to share a cute story that happened today.

This morning, Mark and I were getting ready for work. I then see Mark rooting though the sewing kit.

Me: what are you doing H (my pet name for him) looking through the sewing kit?

H: I need a button sewn on my pants that I want to wear today.

Me: I sewed the other pair of your pants last night, why didn't you bring me these pants.

H: I don't know - I just decided that I want to wear them.

Me: O.k. - sew away.

H: I don't really have time to sew them…

Note: Mark and I both started work at 7:30 and right now it is 6:55…

Me: o.k. I will sew them, leave them on the bed.

H: Thanks SS (his pet name for me)

Mark then gets the thread and button and pants and puts them on the bed and then jumps in the shower.

I then go in the room and see this:



I think it odd that he want the 'pocket button' sewn on his pants and that it HAD to be done before he went to work. I guess he is more particular then I thought. So I get the button all sewed and started gathering my things for work.

Mark gets out of the shower and asks if I have sewn his button.

Me: yes I have left them on the bed.

H: I thought you said you sewed the button.

Me: I did sew the button right where you left it to be sewn.

H: I didn't want my pocket button sewn, I wanted my button button sewn. WHY would someone get all out of shape over a pocket button.

Me: I don’t know - I thought that was what you wanted as you left the button right there with the thread and the needle.

H: I guess I did leave it there, but I didn't mean that was where I wanted the button sewn.

Then we both started laughing at the absurdity of it all!

THEN - I had to get another button and QUICKLY sew it on as it was time for BOTH of us to leave or we would be late.

Happy Birthday Dolores!!

Today is Dolores' birthday!! Pop over to her blog and wish her a great one.

Mark and I are very lucky to have met and become friends with Dolores and Shawn. They are wonderful people and and we are so happy that we will share such a special part of our lives with them in China.

Enjoy your day - YOU DESERVE IT!!!

Look at my present!

Today is my birthday - as many of you know gaging by the wonderful wishes I have received today! Thank you so much!

I wanted to share this beautiful present that I received from Mark this morning. Probably in May, I saw this ring and casually mentioned that I thought it was really pretty and different and that was the last thought I gave to it. I never mentioned it again. Well Mark has a great memory and he remembered that I liked the ring and bought it for me for my birthday. Isn't it so pretty AND it fits PERFECTLY!!!

I am alive

Just to let you readers know that I am alive.

I have not been up to blogging lately - don't know why, just haven't.

Perhaps it is because there is no news in the adoption community.

The outlook is bleak with a LONG time between us and our baby...sigh...

I will get back to it - just not today!

Catching up...

I am going to try and catch up on the past week and a half. In that time, I had company for a couple of days and I was out of town. There were only 2 days at home - lots of laundry done on those days!

I spent the weekend two weekends ago with my friend Ronni and her family at their cottage. What a great place that is and wonderful and gracious hosts her family is. Mark and I have been there before and always enjoy it. Ronni has two GREAT kids - they are 9 & 8.

I remember the first time I had spent time with Ronni and her kids and the first thing I noticed was how great she was with them. She parented the way I did in my head - if that makes sense. All the things that I said I wanted to do - she was doing, the way I would react was the way that she reacted, the way I think I would discipline the kids is the way that she disciplined her kids. All round, I think she - and her hubby - are fantastic parents and wonderful friends.

Here is Mark enjoying is H*arry Potter book and his Caesar by the water - life doesn't get much better then this!



Here are a couple of pictures that me and the kids took over the weekend. They asked if they could take some pictures for themselves and here are some samples of them.

No weekend away is complete without good friends, good food and good times and this weekend accomplished all three, plus some good weather and good swimming!




Apparently the kids enjoy landscape pictures!! They did take a couple of pictures of each other, but I don't want to post them here.


Part II

Mark and I were home and working for 2 days and then Dianne and her daughter Jordyn came into town. Dianne was one of the first friend I had in university. I was living away from home and NOT on campus but in a basement room with an odd lady. I was the only person from my high school to go to this university and I was feeling lonely and sorry for myself. I decided that this was NOT the university life that I wanted or envisioned. So one day while I was in line at the cafeteria, with my back to the 'eating' area, I said to myself "after you pay you are going to turn around and find a seat beside someone and sit there and introduce yourself" and I did!! Dianne and I became fast friends and she was my roommate (along with 3 other girls) the next year. We lived together for a couple of years and during our last year in university, her parents moved to Calgary. When we finished school, her and I packed up her car and hit the road and drove out to her parents new place in Calgary. Dianne was convinced that she was only going to stay for 6 months until she got organized and came back to Ontario...MANY years later and she is still there!

Two years ago, Dianne adopted a wonderful little girl who is almost 6. She is lovely and Dianne is a GREAT mom. When I picked them up from the airport and we were driving and Jordyn said MOM and I MELTED! It was so great to hear Dianne referred to as mom!

Dianne too is a FANTASTIC mom! She is SO great with Jordyn and they just compliment each other so well! Dianne too is the kind of mother that I want to be with my kids!

Here we are - Jordyn took the picture of Dianne and I - she might have a future as a photographer!




It was GREAT to meet Jordyn and to see Di again.

More to come on catch up...