A few things that have happened

Here it is Monday, after the CNY weekend. So the CCAA is open again! Hopefull this means that we'll see referrals very soon. I'm still thinking it will be the end of next week, around March 8, but if it's sooner I'll be very happy. In the meantime, I'll write about the last few days.

Friday I went in for a mammogram. Not the yearly one, but almost. It was just a month earlier because I ahd told the lady at the hospital that I was having some pain. She got all excited and said I needed to come in sooner than I had planned. So okay, I wasn't really nervous because I've had this type of pain for years, but it has gotten more frequent and more intense. Turns out that there's nothing wrong with me related to that, but they did find some calcification. The tech said that randomly scattered calcification is normal, but they get concerned when it's clustered because it's an indication of precancer. So that scared me a little bit. The radiologist talked to me and told me that these were comma shaped, and because of that she was 99% sure that they weren't a problem, but just in case they want me to come back in 6 months. I can do that. I'm still not overly concerned, but will definitely go back in August like they want me to.

So over the weekend, we went shopping at TJ Max. I needed a new rolling computer bag because the wheel of my old one blewout. It would cost too much to get it fixed. Anyway, we found a nice Wenger bag for $70, AND what I really got excited about is a beautiful silk diaper bag for Grace. It is really nice, lined in plastic, many compartments and a pullout diaper pad. All for only $20! DH wasn't near as excited as I was, and he said "What if Grace doesn't wear diapers?". I told him I'm sure I could find someone to give it to, like one of my 5 nieces that are having babies over the course of the next several months. I love it! It can be carried as either a shoulder bag or a back pack. So that's my big purchase for Grace - we now have bought her two things. A size 2T winter coat and a diaper bag.

Speaking of buying things for Grace, we were contacted by AHH telling us that we had to agree to accept a child anywhere between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old. So it's really hard to buy anything yet. But most likely by April, we'll know how old she is and can start being better prepared.

Saturday night we went to church, and then had our usual monthly Eukre night with friends. This month was at our neighbor's house. Next month will be at our house. We had a really good time visiting and playing cards. Sunday DDs had two friends come over. They entertained each other most of the day with DDR, Nintendo and just hanging out. We made chocolate chip cookies and they gave each other facials. So they definitely had a good day. We watched the Oscars last night. Although I enjoyed watching, it got boring after awhile so we turned it off and went to bed.

Today was mostly good. We found out that my FIL went into the hospital on Friday because of pneumonia. He seemed to be doing ok, and thought he'd be coming home yesterday. DH talked to him and my MIL today, and neither were too worried. Then my SIL called and said that her mother called her to tell her her dad was causing problems at the hospital. He apparently is confused and walking into other patients' rooms bothering them. My MIL said she couldn't control him, and asked that DH came to the hospital to help. So DH is on his way there now. We're waiting to hear more from him later. My FIL is 83. DH thinks he won't be with us this coming Christmas. It sort of looks that way right now, but you just never know. I pray that God will take care of him and my MIL.

Photos of Nuremburg

I don't have many photos of my trip to Germany, but Detlef sent me some that he took the evening we were on the walking tour. Here they are.

Chinese New Year!!!

Yesteerday was the beginning of the Chinese New Year - Year of the Pig! Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Not much new news since my last post. We're still waiting and waiting to hear something about mei mei. There was hope out there in the adoption community that there would be a short batch of referrals before CNY from the CCAA. Sadly, that didn't happen. So now everyone is guessing that the next batch of referral will be out the first week of March or so. Depending on how far the CCAA gets this time around will tell us whether we will find out who Grace is the next time around or the time after. I'm hoping, of course, that we will be in the next batch after this one, but I'm willing to wait for the batch after. At least we know that we're close! For a very long time, it's felt like we may not ever get to feeling this excitement of being so close!

DH said something a couple of days ago that surprised me. He said that something told him that his father wouldn't be around this coming Christmas. His father is 83 years old, so I guess it's natural to start thinking these things and preparing for when that time does come. But I was surprised. I love my FIL, not the same way I love my father, but all the same he is a good man. He loves his children, even though he has trouble showing it, and I know he loves his grand daughters. I pray that he feels the same way about Grace. I just don't know though, and DH's comment got me to thinking that we may not know now, but have to wait until we see him heaven. Who knows? After all, I never thought that my mother wouldn't be around to meet Grace when we started this whole thing two years ago. Even though she was sick when I first told her, I didn't think it would take her life. Now here we are two years later, she has been gone for over a year, and we're still waiting for Grace. God works in ways I don't understand, but have to trust. Lord, give me the faith to trust you and your timing!

It's Super Bowl Sunday!!!

It's been quite awhile since I've written. There hasn't been too much to report. I think I missed posting when the referrals come in early January that put the CCAA at September 29, 2005. This past week on Feb 2 they finished referrals through October 13! With our LID being November 4, 2005, we are less than 1 months worth of LIDs before they get to us, and it's our turn to see our daughter's face! How exciting is that?!

Yesterday DD1 and I went shopping at Miejer for a birthday gift for her friend. While we were there, we saw little girl's winter coats marked down considerably for the end of the season. I wasn't going to buy one, but DD1 talked me in to it. So we now have bought our first piece of clothing for Grace - a baby blue winter jacket with a fake fur collar in size 24 months. I figure if Grace can't use it, then we'll give it away to someone that can. It was only $6.24 marked down from $25. So it was a good deal.

Let's see, to get you all caught up on what's been going on since December, I'll write a short entry. DD2 turned 10 in January, my father turned 67 in January, my great-niece Kaitlyn turned 1 in January, and I went to Nuremberg, Germany the last week of January. DD2s birthday party was a skating party and sleep over. Everyone had a good time, although my brother and my dad had to miss the party because of getting a call from my sister that her daughter had fallen and was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. It was kind of scary, but everything turned out okay. My niece only had a bruised head and two bruised knees. Earlier that afternoon we went to my great-niece's 1st birthday party at my niece's house. Kaitlyn is such a cutie. She loved all the attention, gifts and of course the cake! The next day we went to Old Country Buffet to celebrate my dad's birthday. It was fun, and everyone had a great weekend!

Last week, I went to Germany. It was a fun trip for work. I went with my boss and another colleague to attend a workshop. We left on Sunday afternoon, arrived in Nuremburg on Monday evening, went to the workshop on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then flow home on Friday. It was a tiring trip, but I got to go on a guided tour of Nuremburg, eat at a Franconian restaurant, a really upscale restaurant, and a trendy restaurant while we were there. I bought a few little souvenirs for the DDs and DH. All in all it was a good trip.

Now it is February. I have less than one month before turning the big 50! DH bought tickets to see Wicked in Chicago on March 4 to celebrate my birthday. It should be fun! And it will help pass the time as we wait to hear about the referral of Grace!!! I can't believe that it's finally getting to be our turn. It seems we have waited soooooo long, when actually it ends up being almost exactly a year later than we thought it would be.

Well, I've gotta get a nap in. I'm still trying to overcome my jetlag, and the big game starts in about 4 hours. The Colts are playing the Bears. It should be a great game! Go Colts!!!!

Tags: china adoption, adoption, china