Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Hannah's Chariot has Arrived!

2 weeks before heading to Disney I purchased a new stroller for Hannah on eBay. It hadn't arrived by the time I left so my friend Carol offered to keep an eye on the house and check for the delivery. When I called her to chat on Tuesday she told me it had arrived and that she would be picking up the box the next day. I was excited to learn that they didn't charge me duty at the border. Yeah! A nice treat! Thanks so much Carol! It felt good knowing that someone was coming and going from the house each day.

Rebecca was excited to see the large box waiting for us and she and Piglet were only too happy to help me open it up.

When she was getting ready for bed that night she asked if she could sleep in the box. Hey...why not? I remember doing the exact same thing with a fridge box when I was a kid. (Man did I learn how similar we are on this trip! She's a chip off the old block and it's fun (and scary! :o) to see the many similarities between us.) She gathered up some of her favourite toys and put them in another box at her head; we added a sheet, blanket and pillow and she was all set. After prayers for 'box girl' and taping up the top flaps she was all set! (I was only too happy to sleep in my own bed after being away for more than a week but it this was a fun treat for her!) Sweet dreams Boo!

This my friends, is Miss Hannah's new chariot! I love it!! It's a Peg Perego Venezia stroller which is brand new and was never out of the box but was purchased for less than 1/2 price because it's 'last year's colours.' Ummm...no problem! It's black and tan.

The option that I was most looking for in a stroller is shown here - the ability for the handle to flip from front to back. This was an easy option to find in the past but quite difficult to find these days. For a baby, if you take something away and put it behind your back it's not behind your back, it's just gone. The same can be with them in a stroller. When they can't see Mommy it's not that she's behind them pushing the stroller, it's that she's not there. Having the ability to change the handle so that she can see me when I'm pushing her was a very important feature as it adds greatly to the bonding and attachment that is so very, very important. Also, who wouldn't want the ability to look into her sweet little face when she's falling asleep? :o)

Oh, I dream of the day when Hannah will be riding in this stroller! Until then, I'll box it back up and store it in the basement for safe keeping until the day when that happens...which sadly seems to be getting further away rather than closer. After the announcements made by the China Center of Adoption Affairs last week I am now preparing my heart for a spring/summer 2008...UGH! referral and travel to China. Once again, relying on the fact that God's timing is always perfect and in some ways it's a little easier now that CCAA has said not to expect a speed up in the referrals any time soon and that they anticipate it continuing to take at least 2 months to get through each month of Log In Dates (LID's). They are currently placing babies with families that were logged in in September 2005. Since my log in date is March 23, 2006 that's 7 months worth of files ahead of mine. Allowing 2 months to place each of these 7 months I come up with a ball-park figure of spring 2008 for referral and travel late spring/early summer of 2008. Throw into that mix the Beijing Olympics in August of 2008 and not knowing how that might affect adoptions I once again have zero idea of when Miss Hannah will finally be in my arms. All I do know is that it will happen and it will happen when God says it is time! Until then praying....and pacing...and praying!

PS...Mission accomplished! She's just too cute!!! She went home 2 days ago and I miss her so much! Love ya Boo!!! Sweet dreams!

16 comments:

  1. Great deal on the stroller. Gonna have to check it out!

    She is adorable wanting to sleep in the box! Kids are the funniest.

    Keep smilin!

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  2. Love the stroller...we had a Peg Perego and used it for several years.

    PS I hope you're wrong about your timetable...maybe with less dossiers coming in next year, things will speed up!

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  3. Love the stroller and, unfortunately, that's the wiat I come up with too!

    The box....amazing how easy it can be to entertain a child ;0) She's adorable.

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  4. The stroller looks great - very wise choice to have one where Hannah can see you!
    Boy, I'll be praying for you even more, knowing how long your projected wait is! God is good and faithul - and His timing is perfect - but I do know how hard it can be to wait!

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  5. I don't like your timeline eaither but unfortunately it's most likely true!

    Boo is too cute!! I was picturing her sleeping in the box after you emailed me the other night but seeing it here she's even cuter!!!

    I love the stroller!!!! Maybe I'll have to look into a new one sometime next year for Annaliese as well!!

    Love ya!

    Dawn

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  6. Love the stroller...I do pray your wait for Hannah will be sooner rather than later...love the pic at Disney...it is my fav. place. At Disneyland in California, the sign says, "the happiest place on earth"! I like to think so!! God BLess, Karyne

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  7. She's too cute sleeping in that box! :) And that stroller is awesome! I never thought about the handles switching from front to back...great idea!

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  8. Nice stroller. I'd never heard of that kind before. Will have to check that out.

    Love the niece pics! She's a doll.

    And like I told Connie about her wait predictions... I refuse to believe it until it happens. I'm delusional I guess. :)

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  9. GREAT choice, I got the Quinny because it had the same options of being able to face our munchkin or being behind.

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  10. Those are one sweet set of wheels!

    Your neice is too cute!

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  11. Great choice for your stroller Cathy!! I have ALWAYS used Peg Perego for my kids and have never been unhappy with them...but I am sure you knew that since I am an admitted stroller junky ;)

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  12. Now that is ONE beautiful chariot! And I love that you let your niece sleep in the box! I would totally do that too! Sometimes I set up a tent in our basement for the kids to sleep in.....

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  13. I love the stroller!! I'll have to check it out.

    You are such a cool aunt to let her sleep in the box. Hannah will be so blessed to have such a fun and creative Mom like you.

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  14. Nice stroller! I did the same thing! Bought one, but I haven't even taken it outta the box... will wait under the guest bed, til I get Bella's referral!

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  15. So cute, I just got my carseat in the mail the other day and I keep thinking - I'm gonna have a baby here soon!!!

    You need to check out the Salsa twins in their box too - on the Salsa in China website.

    Merry Christmas!

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  16. Love the stroller, Catherine! I'd love to get one similar for my Jordyn -- where did you get it? The wait is brutal isn't it?? Let's hope for good things in the new year!!

    Cari

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