Thank you to our March DTC Secret Pal

Thank you so much for your generous gifts this month. I know that you wanted to know more about Shawn but he was so excited to receive the Mandarin Phrase Book and Dictionary. That is right up his alley. He also loved the little flower cap as he wears baseball caps that he irons his favorite badges onto. Isabel will have a hat like Daddy's!!!
We both adore "Guess How Much I Love You" and "Goodnight Moon". We have read both of these books numerous times to the children in our lives. My Grandma used to read "Goodnight Moon" to me and my siblings. We did what your children do - recite it and do the "hush" actions. We also loved that they are in the cardboard book style - they will be coming to China with us!!
I also have to tell you that this is the one Anchee Min book that I haven't read!! I have it on "hold" at the library right now but haven't picked it up yet!! Amazing.
The "Butterfly Garden" is so sweet and the kitty looks just like Camie - it is a lovely story I can't wait to share with Isabel.
Last but certainly not least is the scarf that you knit!! They are my colours!! I have long (halfway down my back) darker blonde curly hair (I mean ringlets, drives me crazy!! and I refuse to dye it a lighter colour until I absolutely have to!!), peaches and cream complexion and blue eyes. Perfect as is the sentiment on the card - I am really trying not to shop anymore!!
Again, thank you so much for your gifts this month. It has been a really difficult time at work and your gifts remind us of what we are working towards - our beautiful daughter coming home!!

Yesterday...

I was at my monthly reflexology session. I LOVE this and it is the one thing that I do for myself. In my job, I am on my feet alot and whether or not reflexology works, I love the hour foot massage. So, to get back to the point, yesterday after my session, I always choose an "Angel Card". These cards have little sayings and advice for the question that you ask when you pull the card. Yesterday, I pulled "birth" for the first time ever, my vague question was about Isabel. The card was all about "new beginnings, new ideas, a new lifestyle". Very nice thoughts but I can't help wondering if our daughter was born this week. Who really knows.
Another interesting "sign" happened on Tuesday. We went to assist Colleen with her home inspection as Bob is still up north on the ferries and she didn't really want to do it alone. The home inspection went really well and the house is great for their family. When we were in the backyard (so big that Shawn wanted to start playing football with the kids immediately!!), a ladybug landed on me and wouldn't leave. Shawn kept trying to pick it off, but it wouldn't go. So, two "signs" this week that things might be happening in the universe. Who knows but I hope that the wheels are turning!!

Well, I am sitting in the living room beside the stove and fridge because, the new kitchen floor is being installed!!!!!! So excited and it looks great so far. There have been a few hiccups but all in all, not bad. We are such do-it-yourselfers that sitting here and watching someone else do the work is tough. I just couldn't face doing a vinyl floor - let alone moving the toilet in the bathroom. So, now we have to wait for the new countertops and the renovations are complete. We can start to put the artwork back up.
Speaking of Artwork, my sister and I did a really neat print ten years ago when we took a visual arts course together to finish our degrees. I am FINALLY getting one of the copies framed and I am so excited. It is called "Sisters" and is an ink print of the sun and moon. That was a great summer and we had so much fun together. I adore my little sister.
It is a beautiful day and we are going to head downtown to nose around Chinatown for items to celebrate the Moon Festival. We love the moon and spent the last few nights at the beach watching the full moon rise. The festival itself is Oct. 6th and I am hoping to find a moon cake mold so that I can make our own. Shawn loves any kind of bean cake so I thought that we should perfect our recipe this year so that I know how to make them when we (hopefully) celebrate this festival with our daughter next year. Wish us luck because I have heard that the molds are difficult to find as they are passed down from generation to generation!!!

Three more movies...

I have to add to that list are:
A Little Princess
The Secret Garden
and Spirited Away
Love these films.

I've been tagged!!

Heather has tagged me. I have to think of SEVEN things for each of these categories? Too much thinking for sleep deprived girl...Yikes...
Here goes...

7 things I want to do without dying of embarrassment
1. Sing Kareoke without having a drink first!!
2. Dance in the street to a great busker downtown on a busy night, again without having a drink first!!
3. Tell someone off who really deserves it!!
4. Explain a scientific fact to someone.
5. Speak some Mandarin in China (had a bad experience as a kid trying to speak French in Quebec while on exchange!!)

I can't think of anything else and I have really tried!!!!

7 things I cannot do in the Summer
1. Run around in shorts - really, I love skirts!!!
2. Wear my cute pink coat - it's too hot but I LOVE that coat!!
3. Take time off from work.
4. Visit my family in the East - it is waaayyyy too hot and humid there!!
5. Swim in the Ocean (although I am dying to but it is just too cold!!)
6. Cuddle up in front of my fireplace and read - you have to get out and enjoy the sunshine!!
7. Find parking anywhere downtown!!!!!!!!


7 things I can do that are meaningless unless you are in JR High
1. Say "like" twenty times in a one minute of conversation.
2. Talk on two phones at once - I hear that they have "conference calling these days!!!
3. Ride my bike hands free for miles.
4. Swear like a sailor.
5. Write silly notes and pass them to co-workers at Management meetings.
6. Stay on the phone with my friends for HOURS.
7. Colour co-ordinate my shoes, purse, clothing, nail colour and hair accessories. Yes, I am a girl.

7 things that attracted me to my house.
1. The community spirit of our strata.
2. The window over the sink in the kitchen.
3. The ensuit only has a neat shower stall and not a tub.
4. The huge windows in our living room, bedrooms and kitchen.
5. Our eat-in kitchen.
6. The fireplace in the living room.
7. The ceramic tile entryway.

7 things I most say when I am crying
1. Stop looking at me!! Camiecat, I need a huggle!!
2. Yes, I am crying again but you have to read this story, it is so sad!!
3. Yes, I am crying again but you have to look at these pictures of this new family; aren't they adorable!!
4. Yes, I am crying again but I am watching "The Notebook" again!!
5. Yes, I am crying again but look at this beautiful baby girl, isn't she just lovely!!!
6. I can't take this job anymore!!
6. Can I have a tissue please!!

7 children's books I am adding to my collection (I already have a really big collection of books, my own and gifts!!!)
1. Goodnight Moon
2. Mommy Far, Mommy Near
3. Moonbeams, Dumplings and Dragon Boats
4. I Love you Like Crazy Cakes
5. The Chronicles of Narnia
6. Any Dr. Suess books
7. You Don't have my Eyes

7 children's movies that I can watch for the bazillionth time without wanting to rip my eyes out of their sockets!!(I may cry though!!)
1. The Secret of Roan Innish
2. The Neverending Story
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
4. Anne of Green Gables
5. Shrek
6. The Rescuers
7. Charlotte's Web

That WAS a challenge. Hmmnn, who do I want to tag...thinking, thinking...how about Kayce

What a crazy weekend!!

And that is Not in a fun and crazy way!!! I was on-call and we had everything happen; fire alarms going off at 1am, burst pipes, a death, an almost drowning and flooding of two suites, a severe staff shortage and intruders last night at midnight. I am exhausted. Yesterday was my girlfriend's birthday and we went for brunch but I had to go in and work all afternoon. I feel like I need a holiday from my "Long Weekend"!!
I am feeling very sleep deprived - dealing with issues until 2am and then they call with more at 6am. All my girlfriends are telling me that this is just preparing me to be a parent. Yikes!!!! I couldn't really work yesterday because I couldn't focus - I was more or less a body at the reception desk to answer phones and deal with questions. It feels like I have had a few drinks, not a bad feeling but the headaches have started today and Advil is now my best friend!!! The worst is, I have to go back to work tomorrow and try and get things done. At least they pay me for that. This whole "On-Call" thing is really a volunteer job as it wasn't part of my initial job and due to the fact that I am on salary, they haven't factored it in at all. Brutal.
So, there you have it. I think that I am ready for parenthood after this past weekend! Just kidding. Congrats to Colleen, Bob and family on purchasing your new home (almost!!!). Love you guys!!

Our SIX yes SIX month LID anniversary!!!!!!

Yes, it is true. Our dossier has been in China for 6 months now. I have been waiting all week to write this post!!! I can't believe that this used to be the wait time. Wow. When we started this process, we actually thought that we would be getting our referral or that we would be in China by now having a LID in February. However, a person at our local agency dropped the ball and sent our dossier a few weeks after the people in our groups' dossiers went (something about not following up on an issue with us and then going on holiday!!!). With the referral times as they are now, this probably means that we won't be going with the people that we have gotten to know through email. Oh well, we have gotten over that one - just another test in patience.

So, tonight we are going to order in Chinese food, we were going to go out but after putting in a 12 hour day yesterday, I was up until 3 am dealing with a fire alarm malfunction at work and then they woke me up at 6am because they couldn't cover an essential shift. I am REALLY tired after putting in a full day again today!! I HATE being on call and I think that I need to start looking at something different. Oh well, not going to let that dampen my spirits today - just another test in patience!!!

Cheers to all!! We are having a glass of our new favorite wine!!