Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Christmas Eve Celebration

What a great Christmas Eve we had! 18 people, tons a great food and even better conversation! To get to that point Troy and I ran around like mad getting ready! We had to put all the leafs in our table and bring another table upstairs, borrow 5 more chairs and cook a turkey. Whew!! It was worth it!!
Troy and I also used the occassion to take family photos for our book to leave with our child in Russia! It was perfect! So, in honor of our wonderful family and one day soon (hopefully) Daniel's family, we'd like you to meet everyone!





The Future Parents - Troy and Rachel (Check out Troy's facial hair - never seen him with that much before!!)






Grandma (Rachel's mom) and Aunt Cassandra (Rachel's baby sister)







Granny and PaPa (Troy's parents)






Uncle Joe, Aunt Cathy, Caroline, Lori, and Karmen (Rachel's sister, our brother in law and nieces and grandniece)






Uncle Richard, Aunt Sandy & Ian (Troy's sister, our brother in law and nephew)



Aunt Amber, Uncle Stephen and Parker (Troy's sister, our brother-in-law and nephew)



As you can see - Daniel will have an amazing family!! Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry, Merry Christmas to all!

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Exciting Changes!!!

WOOOOO HOOOOO!! CHI HAS RECEIVED IT'S ACCREDITATION AND WILL RECEIVE THEIR CERTIFICATE FRIDAY!!!

AS IF THAT ISN'T ENOUGH....

Many of you may have popped over to Becky’s blog and read her exciting news. Well, we have the same news to share. We were also contacted about switching regions and we said YES!! While we will miss knowing all we know about Vlad, we feel that this opportunity was afforded to us at a great time.

The most amazing thing was that in my last post I said I was throwing in the towel and just as my mom predicted, things started happening. I also had specifically prayed that very morning that our agency would call us out of the blue with information about anything at all. What were the chances of that?? When the receptionist told me my coordinator was on the phone my heart jumped around like crazy. She made sure to tell me it wasn’t a referral right away but that she had an opportunity for us. Now I know the Lord answers prayers, but I also know that they are answered in His time and not always so obviously. It truly was amazing to receive that call.

We have switched to a region called Izhevsk. We did have to up our age range to 18 months to 3 years with referrals generally around 2ish. The great news?? We may be able to travel quickly AND the time in between trips is only about 1 month!! Not 5, like Vlad, which was something I had been extremely worried about. Troy and I had also been discussing increasing our age range for quite a while.

This new region sounds right up Troy’s alley also!! Hunting and fishing is widespread there. Troy is already trying to figure out if we can book a fishing trip somewhere while we are there!!

Other good news – the plane ride from Moscow to Izhevsk is way shorter and the time difference is 9 hours from here instead of 15. This really is a huge blessing!!

Before making the final decision, I called my mom and Troy’s mom to hear their feelings on the subject. I knew they wouldn’t persuade me either way, but I knew they would throw some good things to think about during the conversations. My mom was reserved until she heard I had prayed specifically for a phone call and then she just said, “Well, it doesn’t get more obvious than that and if anyone can handle the adventure, it’s the two of you!!” (Did I ever mention Troy and I sent an application and video to The Amazing Race – I think we didn’t get chosen because all we could do was laugh during the video!!) Troy’s mom said a few things and when she was done, I said “we’re going” and she started saying “Go, Go, GO, GO, GO!!!!”

So....we’re going and I can’t wait for what is next!!!

Friday, December 14, 2007

Tree or No Tree – The Great Debate

And the answer is....No Tree. I know, I know, you’re probably thinking why in the world wouldn’t we put up a Christmas tree this year? So let me give you the run down on our decision.

First: We put out the outside decorations and we decorated the sideboard in our dining room all Christmassy – isn’t that enough?? If you think not, then read on!!!

Second: Animals – Jack (cat) licked up so much sap off the real tree we put up one year that we ended up at the emergency vet with a blocked kitty and a BIG bill. Elka (dog) bit all the glass balls off of our tree one year and we rose to colored piles of glass all over the living room. (Switched to wooden ornaments) Thank goodness she had been spitting them out along the way and her mouth was alright. Jerry (newest member and so timid) I really don’t want to terrify him by putting up a big, green thing in the living room or tempt him to eat the rest of the ornaments we own or have him accidentally pee on the tree thinking he’s outside. (We think his eyesight is not the greatest from past abuse.) If you still have questions see Becky and Keith’s blog about Callie, their adorable kitten jumping headfirst into the tree undecorating it as she goes!!

Third: I just don’t have time. We have our BIG adoptathon event at the SPCA this weekend where we have special prices and we schedule Santa and an Elf to deliver new pets Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and of course I’m working. There just isn’t time. If we are going to try to finish Christmas shopping, mail gifts to family and then be ready for a dinner party of 17 at our house Christmas Eve, then the tree has to go.


As for the adoption: So far I really have thrown in the towel for now. Will I make until after Christmas like I planned?? Probably not, although I am trying!!

Don’t forget to check out Michael and Carrie’s blog and say a Big congratulations to them on their Christmas miracle!

Next Christmas we’ll have a tree, a child and lots of new memories to make!! To those with new little ones celebrating your first Christmas together – ENJOY!!
Happy Holidays!!

Friday, December 7, 2007

Dreams & Happy Birthday!

First off I need to say - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my husband Troy!!! Another good year!!

As we approach 7 months of waiting I can’t help but feel a little down. I know every day is one day closer to bringing Daniel home, but each day feels like a year has gone by. Also it seems I am slowing moving families from Waiting to Referral or Completed on the sidebar, yet we are going nowhere right now.

I’ve also been having strange dreams lately about the adoption. Just last night I dreamed I was handed a blond headed (full head of hair), green eyed little guy and he immediately arched his back and cried. Of course I just looked over to a lady and she smiled and I set him on the floor and we began playing a game of him looking through his legs on all fours upside down and me with my head on the floor looking back at him smiling and laughing. It was funny because he was young enough to crawl on all fours, but old enough to have this amazingly full head of hair. The other funny thing is that when Troy and I talk about what our son may look like we have never even considered green eyes. We always laugh and say between us, any child would fit in – I have black hair, brown eyes, he has sandy brown hair and blue eyes. How many mixtures can we get with that!!?? Not that we would mind green eyes at all – we just never thought about it!

That is one of the better dreams I’ve had. I know I am probably just facing all my worries in my sleep like with the back arching scene. I need to remember that they are just dreams and I need to worry less!!

My mom said to me a couple of nights ago to just go ahead and throw in the towel. Let myself be free of thoughts of the adoption during the holidays and focus on the last (hopefully!) Christmas, Troy and I will have alone for a long time. She said if I threw in the towel, things would start happening.

So that’s what I’m doing. I’m throwing in the towel and I am not going to expect or think about a referral until after Christmas. We have planned a big Christmas Eve dinner at my house with my family and Troy’s family. (Don’t worry Troy’s cooking – it’ll be okay!) We should have 17 family members eating Christmas Eve dinner at our house. Whew! I think I’ll be concentrating on that for now. Plus we need to get out the decorations and start, well...decorating!!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend!!