Isn't She Precious?

Last week I mentioned meeting a wonderful couple, Tracie and Rick while on vacation in northern Ontario. They were just moments away from receiving their referral.

I arrived home yesterday to see their precious family's baby girl for the very first time! They received their referral Friday afternoon so were very blessed not to have to wait through the weekend without their referral!

Maia Ruby was born on December 18/05 and is currently residing in Guangdong province. Isn't she adorable and oh so tiny!

Congratulations Tracie, Rick and girls! Praying for you as you prepare to travel. May you TA arrive quickly! Looking forward to following your journey to meet Maia Ruby!

Fun with Family!

Had a great time in Winsor this weekend as we visited with family! I was born in Windsor and as all of Mom and Dad's brothers and sisters still live there, there are always lots of people to see. Saturday afternoon my Aunt Marg (Mom’s youngest sister) and her husband Greg, hosted a great family reunion at their place! (It was also her birthday so we surprised her and celebrated that too.) The weather was perfect! It was hot and sunny so the pool was well used by young and not-so-young alike! I’m sure the kids slept well that night as they played in the pool for hours!

There were probably 50+ people there. It was hard to tell as people came and went. We were mainly outside enjoying the heat but made sure to visit the buffet of food set-up in the kitchen! Summertime, family, BBQ, pot-luck, sunshine and a pool….ah yes…it doesn’t get much better than this!

As the temperatures hovered into the low 40’s C with the humidex (low 100’s F), the older gang set up shop in the coolness of the house. The poor AC had a time keeping the temp down as the doors were opened and closed all day as people wandered between the chairs outside and the buffet inside. My Grandma (on the right) and her sister, Aunt Jean, found a perfect location in the house to sit comfortably and visit with all who came by.

Sunday morning my cousin Bridget and I took a quick trip across the border to do some ‘retail therapy.’ With the strong CDN dollar our money just seems to go a little further over there when it comes to purchasing some things. Most food items end up being more expensive and since our selection on this side of the border has grown by leaps and bounds in the past few years, it’s really not worth it to buy much food.

Where we do well is in clothing and baby items. Our US friends know how to have a sale! I was able to purchase the next 2 months worth of gifts for my secret pal and also picked up a few items for Hannah: receiving blankets and a cute little Disney beach cover-up for when she’s a toddler.

It was a fairly quick visit but she and I found the few items we were looking for. We wore poor Bailey out and he dropped off almost immediately when we got in the car to head home. We were so thankful not to have to pay anything at the border as he was having such a good sleep and we would have had to wake him to go in and pay. Saved by the sleeping baby…and self-control when shopping!

What Would You Like to Know?

This weekend was spent with family and it was fabulous! Mom, Dad and I travelled to Windsor and enjoyed a hot, humid, wonderful weekend surrounded by family!

I had the priviledge of sharing for the first time, my adoption journey with many of my Mom's extended family. Throughout the course of the weekend so many people expressed excitement about Hannah and at the same time had many questions. When I think of all that I've learned (which I'm sure is but a drop in the bucket!) about adopting from China, I've learned a lot. People have questions and I love to share from what I know.

The other thing I've learned is how many people have considered or are considering adopting. The number that have shared this with me (4 in the past week alone) has been a huge surprise!!!

So the floor is yours my friends. You know how I love to talk so feel free to ask what you want. If I can answer it, I will. It can be about the adoption or anything else you might like to ask.

To ask a question(s) you can click on the 'comments' field below this post or send me an email. If you're not a member of blogger, no problem. Just click the word comment below, type in your question in the box that appears, (please remember to sign your name at the bottom of your question), copy down the encripted word and hit 'post.' It's that easy. (Comments are always welcome on any post so feel free to write often!)

Ok friends...the floor is open to you. What do your enquiring minds want to know?

Happy 3rd Birthday Noah!

Happy Birthday Noah!!!

My brother's adorable little guy turns 3 today! Wow! How did that happen?

Noah is just too cute for words!! He's fun, polite and it's like watching a miniature version of my brother all over again. Deja Vu in our home for sure!

Happy Birthday Noah!!! Auntie Cathy loves you tons and tons!!!

July's Secret Pal Gift!

Wow!!! My secret pal did it again! This months theme was 'Meal Time Fun' and my Secret Pal went over the top!!! (I sometimes wish she could actually see and hear my reaction as I oooo and ahhhh over each gift that she has so carefully chosen! A simple 'Thank you' here never seems like enough.) Each piece was individually wrapped so each was a surpirse!

In this month's package were Hannah's first placemats. A fun, bright Sesame Street counting mat with games on the back and another one that featured the map of the world.

Next I opened this really neat feeding bowl. It's microwave safe, divided and has a neat little hole where my thumb can go as I hold it. (From babysitting experience, the good grip will also allow me to move it quickly as tiny fingers try to find carrots to fingerpaint with! :o) There are 3 plates with lids which will be wonderful for using at home and when out. You know Miss Hannah will quickly be learning how to shop to meals on the go will be happening!

The next gift was so very thoughtful! It's a recipe book that my Secret Pal carefully made with love. The care she took brought tears to my eyes! So much thought for someone she's never even met. There are a number of baby friendly recipes such as Sweet Potato Cubes, Tiny Tot Turkey, Toddler Slushies and Rice Puree Pudding. Each recipe is written out with ingredients, how to make directions, how to serve and also what age is appropriate to introduce this food. What care! As I'll be a first-time mom I'm also thankful for the section of Do's and Don'ts about feeding baby. Eg. Do introduce new foods at the rate of one per week, so you can pinpoint any allergies. Don't feed nuts, raisins, raw vegetables, unpeeled fruits or peanut butter to children under the age of 2. I can see there is much to be learned! I'm used to a parent leaving me this neat little list of Do's and Don'ts for their child and their meals carefully chosen in advance for me to heat up at the appropriate time. Guess China won't be sending me home with a 1 month meal plan will they? Uh oh....I see a big learning curve in front of us!

The next item in the package will hopefully make it to China but I'm not making any promises! It's a can of Gerber Fruit Puffs - Banana flavour! I've heard that babies love these and they're a must (along with 2 boxes of Cheerios!) in China. I'm a fan of Gerber bananas so mommy may just have to test these out for Hannah to make sure they're edible!

The last gifts I opened were just too cute! A wonderful ladybug plate, bowl, glass, fork and spoon! What a perfect gift! When I first started the adoption process I didn't think I'd do too much of the ladybug stuff but I am finding some things and look for ladybug items all the time!

THANK YOU Secret Pal!!!! Once again I am overwhelmed by your generosity! You're the best!!