Pink. Very Pink

I've been busy, busy, busy still completing forms, reading up on all things China and travel related and starting to fill my suitcase with things I will need to bring for her and myself and getting Grace's room ready.  The room is pink.  Very pink.  I had chosen a paint chip that I thought was a purpley pink, very cute and went so well with the bedding I will be using.  Now that I have it on the walls, it is definitely pink.  Very pink.  Not sure where I will go with that, it has to stay since I procrastinated and waited until late July to decorate her room.  I don't really have time to change it now, so pink it is.  I will post pictures when I get over the pink thing.


On Friday, a friend hosted a baby shower for me, just a small gathering of friends.  It was beautiful.  She had an "East Meets West" theme with chopsticks and fortune cookies and a jade centrepiece.  We had a great time and I received some beautiful gifts.  I can't believe the generosity of my friends during these past few months.  Grace has enough clothing to outfit her twice a day from now till she's two, she has toys and books and blankets to keep her warm and busy and most of it are things people have simply given me, handed down from their own kids.  I feel very lucky.

Updated Pictures!

I received an update on Grace this week.  I have new pictures (which I love!!) and updated information regarding her eating and sleeping routines.  Grace has 6 teeth now according to the report and she is able to sit up and crawl and babble.  She looks up when her name is called and still enjoys her bottle.  Apparently she loves being outdoors and playing with musical toys.  Sound familiar?????  I think we must be a match made in heaven!
I've put these pictures on here just for Shirley!  She's asked a few times for them already!! LOL
I know I'm biased, but really, isn't she just too cute!!!!??

A Little Summer Fun

This is how good Ribfest was this past weekend!  No words necessary.

Under the Same Moon

Hi Christena Grace Huimu.  This is mommy and today is Monday, July 23.  I am excited and getting ready to come to China to meet you.  I haven't even met you yet but I already know I love you.   Soon we'll be able to read this book together.  It's called Under the Same Moon.
I see the moon and the moon sees me, and the moon sees somebody I'd like to see.  Please let the light that shines on me shine on the ones I love.
I see the stars twinkle soft and bright, winking a promise to me tonight: They'll keep watch while you sleep tight and smile on you with love.
I see the clouds drifting softly by as they carry these wishes across the sky.  I hope they bring sweet drams tonight to the precious ones I love.
I hear the wind as it moves through the trees, crossing the distance between you and me.  It slips in your window, soft as can be, and tucks you in with love.
I hear crickets and the frog-song rise as their sleepy serenade fills the moonlit skies.  It drifts all around as you close your eyes and sings to you with love.
I hear the owl hoot "who, who, who?" asking who I love and who loves me too.  I smile as I answer,  " Its you, you, you," you are the one I love.
Over the mountains and over the sea, together with you I wish I could be.  Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love.

Another Step Closer

Spent the day with my travel buddy Rhonda yesterday.  Rhonda and her husband will be travelling to China to meet their child at the same time as me.  We are with the same agency and so will be staying in the same hotels, etc.  We gathered up all our documents and headed downtown to drop off our travel Visa applications.  There were a few questions by the officials but overall it went pretty smoothly.  We had a nice lunch out at Jack Astors and chatted our heads off about everything travel related!
There is so much to do and so much to know and the scary part is, most of it I won't know until I get there and actually meet my daughter.  Will she still wear 12 month clothing?  How many outfits should I bring for her?  What does she eat?  How much does she eat?  How much should she eat?  How many diapers do I bring?  How do I brush her teeth?  Clip her nails?  What soap to bring for her?  Shampoo?  How do you make formula?  How hot does it need to be?  How big does the opening for the bottle need to be?  OMG!!!!  WHAT HAVE I DONE??????  I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!!!!!!!!  LOL!!

I'm Still Here and Waiting

Just wanted to let everyone know... I'm still here and waiting!  This waiting is hard because of course I now have a picture to dream about and can't wait to hold her, but I've been SO busy that it's kind of flying by too.    I need to thank my many friends who have been so great about letting me go on and on about my referral and Grace and all the paperwork and doctor appointments and shopping for baby things and everything else I've been going on and on about these past few weeks (months?).  You've put your own news and the daily life conversations that we would normally have on the back burner and allowed me to be in the spotlight for days now and I so appreciate it!  I've felt like a queen these past few weeks and I know it won't last, but I'm lovin' it while it's happening!!! LOL  Thanks to everyone for their patience too.  I know I've had to shorten phone conversations to zip out to appointments and I haven't returned people's calls when I said I would, so thanks for understanding.  Just for a laugh, I've included the picture of me receiving my referral from the Courier guy.  Funny, he wasn't nearly as understanding as the rest of you have been when it came to making a big fuss about my referral.  I thought I would be witty and so I asked him, "Bet you've never delivered a baby before have you???"  He just half smiled and said, "You can sign here lady."   He wasn't nearly as excited as I was!!!!  What's up with that??? Doesn't he know it was little Grace in there????!!!

Flights Booked!!

What a busy week it's been!!  I'm so thankful to have the time off work right now because it's been a week of constant paperwork and appointments and phone calls getting everything in order to complete the adoption and prepare to travel.  Sometimes it feels like just a job I'm trying to get done by a deadline, sort of like your taxes, and other times it overwhelms me that this is not "just a job" this is preparation for a life change that I can't even comprehend yet. 
Yesterday I booked our flights to China and even though I knew what I was doing all along, suddenly it felt real.  It hit me the most when I looked at our tickets online and there it was.  Her name on a return ticket.  So it's starting to feel real and the magnitude of the upcoming changes in my life is finally starting to sink in.  Man, I hope I'm ready for this!

A Few More Details...

After my impromptu lunch celebration with family last Friday, I had to head back to work.  As the afternoon went on,  I shared the news with all my friends and colleagues and I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness from everyone.  So many of my co-workers kept coming by the library "just to look at her again."  My friend Deb couldn't stop crying which of course made me cry every time!!!  At school with the students, I had started to tell them about my plan in these last few days by reading them the picture book, Love You Like Crazy Cakes.  The grade 5 and 6 students however took a special interest in my referral.  They have been asking all week, "Have you got the Call yet???"  sometimes even shouting it from the open bus windows as their bus was pulling into the school driveway!  I was so happy to finally share the details with them I had to hike outside and find them in the middle of their Phys. Ed class!!!! LOL
After school, my two friends, who will now be coming to work at my school next also came by to move some of their work belongings.  We had a good chat about the whole day and it was great to be able to share it with them as they have been some of my biggest support over the years of waiting.
The next couple of days were spent talking with people on the phone, re-telling the story over and over about me "getting the call" and thanking people for their good wishes.  I then started all the paperwork required to accept my referral and that's where I've been these past few days.  That's now done, at least for the time being, and I have had a chance to catch up on yard work with a bit of relaxation time in there too!  Yeah for summer!

Help!! I'm Under the Paper and I Can't Get Out!!!

It's been a busy two days of paperwork, meetings and appointments.  
That's me under there somewhere.

BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!

Yesterday was, by no comparison, absolutely, definitely, positively the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!!!!!!  I thought last year took the cake when I had taken my niece and nephew to Wild Water Kingdom and had a fantastic day, but yesterday?  That was the best!
After spending the day at doctor appointments and running around I met with my social worker late in the afternoon and signed the paperwork to accept my referral for Grace.  It's official, I am going to be Grace's mom!
I went out to my parents' place afterwards for cake and a swim.  It was such a scorching hot day I could hardly wait to get into the pool.  We had a great time celebrating the document signing and of course me turning a year older LOL!! 
My sister L and her family gave me a beautiful necklace called a Wish Pearl necklace.  It is a silver sea turtle that opens up to hold a pearl inside.  Apparently sea turtles hover protectively over the freshwater pearl beds in the ocean.  The necklace came with its own oyster shell in water.  I had to crack open the shell to reveal the pearl inside.  Each colour of pearl symbolizes something different.  Mine was peach, which represents health.  Quite significant for me since that was my biggest worry yesterday with my referral for little Grace.  The pearl fits inside the turtle like this 




The box has the saying A Wish-Waiting-To-Come-True on the front.  How appropriate and poignant for this year's birthday.  It was a beautiful gift and I couldn't thank her enough. 


To find out more about the Wish Turtle's story go to www.WishTurtle.com
When I  got home, it was such a warm evening, I sat outside on the back deck for a few moments.  There are no street lights where I live and I like to sit out there at night sometimes in the complete darkness.  It's so quiet and peaceful and I just needed a few moments to digest the day and all that had happened.  It was a spectacular full moon and its light shone on everything in the yard.  I looked up at the moon and prayed that sweet Grace is ok, healthy and happy while she waits these last few weeks.  The moment reminded of the storybook I bought for her on the weekend, something I will be putting into a care package to send to China before I get there.  It's called Under The Same Moon and it starts like this:  
(have you got tissue ready?)
I see the moon and the moon sees me,
And the moon sees somebody I'd like to see.
Please let the light that shines on me
shine on the ones I love.
And it ends with:
Over the mountains and over the sea,
together with you, I wish I could be.
Please let the light that shines on me
shine on the ones I love.

A Few Details..

I wanted to leave my referral post up for a few days mostly because she is so darn cute :) but also because it has been a long weekend here in Canada and many people have been away from internet and maybe didn't get a chance to see the photos yet.  However, I wanted to share a few details about the big day Friday.
So, I got the call Friday morning.  It was a bit of a scramble because I had just arrived at work and was not set up with my question sheet and pen and camera ready.  I did have a friend record it but I will choose to keep that just to myself for now.  After I got off the phone (and composed myself!) I called my parents to let them know the good news and that I would have time to come home for lunch and show them the pictures (they were going away overnight and I didn't want to wait till Saturday!!).  When I arrived at my parents' house, my mom, niece and nephews had decorated the door with red balloons and a home-made Congratulations banner.  They had horns they were blowing and everyone was on the front porch to greet me.  What an amazing welcome!  And so of course I started crying all over again!  We had a great lunch and I talked on and on about all the things I now knew about my little Grace.  I had picked up a small cake to celebrate as well, although D. had a muffin for me with a candle in it ready to go.  They made up a rendition of Happy Birthday,  Happy Referral Day, and we all enjoyed the moment.  I so appreciated their good wishes and I will cherish that memory forever.

I will post more details tomorrow but here are a few pictures of our little party!