Happy Birthday Nick!!

Our Supervisor

Our Protector


Our Destroyer...of paper
Our Athletic One


Our Buddy

Our Best Friend



Our "Nicky Nick"
7 Years Old Today.
We Love You!!
Kisses and Hugs,
Mommy and Loren

Second Thoughts.....again

Here I go again.
The wait has gotten sooooo very long and it doesn't look like it is going to speed up anytime soon.
I am starting to have second thoughts about proceeding with this adoption.
I started this process in June 04. Sent my application in and was put on the "singles waiting list" due to the "quota" China had on singles adopting.
I FINALLY got the call that I could proceed with the paperwork in July 05 so already it was a 13 month wait. At that time the wait was 6-8 months. So I figured I would probably be traveling the end of 06 sometime.
WRONG!!
Here I am in Oct. 07 and I am not even close to getting a referral yet.
My daughter was 3y. 9 months old when I started this process. She is now 6y.o.
I am older than I was in 04 (of course) and getting older by the month.
So what do I do??? What do I do??
Which direction should I go?
I wish the answer was right in front of me.
I just don't know anymore.

Pass the Story

Disturbing
A video found of an unidentified little girl approx. 4-5 years old and an adult male.
Nevada authorities are searching nationwide for any clues.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/09/25/vaifanua.girl.in.video.ktnv

OK!! WHOSE CUTTING THE LINE!!

There are rumors going around that "an agency" has been getting referrals ahead of other agencies and has told their clients to keep it " hush" " hush."
I don't know if this is true or not.... but....."Where there's smoke???"..........
I hate cheaters.
I hate sneaky secrets.
I hate that this is happening.

The Different Faces of Loren

Here are a couple of updated pictures of Loren.
Her first day of Kindergarten was also her Birthday. Her teacher gave her a "Birthday Crown" to wear in school.
This is what I saw when she got off the bus.
Let me tell you! Loren was very proud of her Crown!


My Girl Needs Glasses!!
We picked them up yesterday after school.
Here she is today before school. I was only allowed to take 1 picture of her with her glasses.
I didn't want to push it so this is the one and only picture I have......so far. :)
Her right eye looks a little funny in the pic but its the LEFT eye that needs the glasses! Her right eye has just plain glass. Maybe thats why it looks a little different.
You can't really see them to well, but her glasses are a pretty purple.
Loren wanted Orange Glasses (her favorite color) but they don't make Orange Glasses.....Thank Goodness!

A Forever Moment

Amy FINALLY has Maggie!!! Hooray!! Forever Day was Monday Sept. 17th.
I got this beautiful picture by email from China.
It has been a very long wait but so worth it!!
I CANNOT wait to meet her.
Congratulations C Family!
Welcome Home Sweet Maggie!


Forever Day

Amy is in China!!!

My friend and co-worker, Amy and her husband Joe are in China now!
Soon to see their daughter Maggie!!
Forever Day will be either Sunday evening (Sunday morning our time) or Monday morning (Sunday evening our time).
She is on my mind constantly. I hope everything goes well.
Sweet little Maggie will be in her parents arms soon!

Amy and I had the same LID (not planned) and are with the same agency.
So for awhile we thought we would be traveling together. However Amy also had her name on the Waiting Child/SN list and got her referral in June!!
Her daughter is beautiful.
I am hoping to get an email from her some time this week.
I know the minute I see a pic of Amy holding her daughter I will be a blubbering mess.
This makes me soooo very much want to see my daughter's face.
I know she is born. I know she is in China... somewhere.

Lord please keep Amy, Joe and Maggie safe. And please watch over Abigail.
Amen.

REMEMBER

First Day of School

Not only was it Loren's Birthday today, it was also her first day of Kindergarten!
I have been thinking about her all day.
I brought in a cake hoping to get a glimpse of her in class, but the para-professional (Ms. Lisa) in the class HAPPENED to be entering the school the same time I was.
Ms. Lisa: "Are you Loren's mom?"
Me: "Yes!"
Ms. Lisa: "I thought so when I saw the cake." "Loren has been waiting for the birthday cake."
Me: "Did she say that?" (hoping that Loren took the initiative to speak up)
Ms. Lisa: "No, (I didn't think so ) but Mrs. B. mentioned that it was Loren's Birthday today and that her mom was bringing in a cake!"
Ms. Lisa: "I can take that now." "We have a refrigerator in the room"

So I hand over the cake, punch and supplies and watch her walk away.
I turn around and head back out the door. Never getting a glimpse of her classroom.
Shucks.
They probably didn't want me there being the first day of school.

However when I got in the car I noticed children outside at recess.
So I sneakily drove closer. Yes!! There was Loren (so cute) waiting in line to go back into school.
I think she may have noticed my van because she kept looking in my direction.
I just don't think she was too sure if it was me or not.
I watched her walk into school with her class. Of course it brought tears to my eyes!!
Being a Mom is DEFINITELY not for whimps !!

Loren in her room before school. "Loren sit like a lady!"




Outside waiting for the bus. Notice Nick in the background?
He's the supervisor when school is in session.



Sweet and Innocent


Loren ready to leave. Since her kindergarten class (language lab) is held in another school in town, but out of our district, she travels by van.
Poor kid doesn't get to go on the big yellow bus.
However she does travel with some other children so she's not alone.

Happy 6th Birthday Loren!

I LOVE YOU! XOXO

An Evening at the Beach

Loren and I spent a little time at the beach one evening recently.
It was too cold to go swimming, but Loren had fun anyway and I had fun watching her and taking pics.

Loren's Birthday Party

Loren's Birthday is Monday so we celebrated it on Saturday.
We did some bowling and then went back to the house for the rest of the party.
Here are some shots of bowling (pretty much). Once we got back home I left the camera in the house so hopefully Auntie Mitch will send me some pics of the rest of the day to post later on.
Since I work nights staying up at 2-3am posting is not a problem for me. Loren went to bed late tonight so I am hoping she will sleep a bit later this morning allowing me to sleep a bit later too.....fingers crossed.

Here is a group shot


Libby Our Supervisor and Score Keeper



Aidan



Sarah


Auntie Mitch and Sarah...The Agony of Defeat



Auntie Mitch coaching Sarah. Way to go Auntie Mitch!!


Tori and Addyson


Tori




Addyson


Jordan


Kayla (love the pose)




Loren getting into her "throwing position"




A quick beverage for a "picker upper"
Loren and Jordan



Back at home (after a swim) opening her presents with the assistance of friends and family.


CARS slippers from Titia (auntie) Loren LOVES anything to do with the CARS Movie


Had to take this pic.
I took this minutes after Loren told me that she wasn't tired when I said "its late, time for bed"
I actually had to threaten that I was going to call the police so she would get to bed!!
She must have "passed out" as soon as she hit the pillow because when I went in the room to kiss her goodnight she was sleeping!!
Pleasant Dreams My 6 Year Old.
I Love You.

PostCard

Loren received this postcard from her new teacher earlier last week. Cute huh?
Loren starts Kindergarten on Monday. I know....its a late start.
I am not sure why Kindergarten started later than the other grades.
Anyway she got this postcard in the mail with a nice message on the back on how her teacher is looking forward to having her in her class.
What surprised me is that when I showed Loren the postcard Loren read it to ME!!
I did not know she could read THAT well!!
Loren continues to surprise me daily with her progress.
Thank You Lord.

Need I Say More??

And So The Wait Continues.......

Only 4 days of referrals for the month of September.

....."SIGH"....


Congratulations to all who received their referrals this month.
Wishing all safe travel.