Stupid Blogger...

I have always done my photo posts for Blogger using our Picasa photo editor thing-y. Until a week ago... I have tried to post four times in the last week to no avail! And then I get frustrated and mad and then quit.

So here's a few pics to tide you over.

Amy turns three next Thursday, March 1. It is her very first Happy Birthday and she is excited! I am, too!

Enjoy!

No DTC yet...

*sigh*
I am reminded YET AGAIN that I am not in control. Not that I really want to be in control (too much responsibility), but I sort of had a timeline in my head of how things would "happen" with this adoption. And yet again, things aren't "jiving" into my plan.
I could share all the details, but what it basically comes down to is that we are still not DTC (Dossier to China) for Anna and we aren't sure when it will happen.
Chinese New Year is on Sunday the 18th, and because of the holiday, China's government offices will be closed for the entire week next week. Our dossier is still in the States (on it's way back to our agency - we hope). Our agency isn't sure they want to send it at this point, just to have it sit in Customs in China for over a week. They are leaning toward sending it later, so it can go straight to CCAA when they open back up on the 26th. Yes - that is two weeks from yesterday.
Soooo not what I hoped for.
My heart aches.
I tear up at the thought of nearly a month longer to DTC than should have happened. I can get angry that the few days that some people took carrying out their responsibility have now caused us another MONTH of waiting; another month of Anna waiting.
But I can't.
God isn't surprised.
He knew this would happen.
He already knows the day He has chosen to place Anna in her family.
So I beg Him to help me trust Him. I can't do it on my own. My humanity stirs the anger and frustration; not faith and belief. I detest that my first response is selfish. It is DAILY - this dying to self. Even after I found out all the details last night I gave it to God. Yet - this morning as I journal - I find myself anrgy again. Frustrated again. Heartbroken again.
I just want Anna home.

"Why we cared about Anna"

(first - I should preface this by saying that I am NOT talking about my Anna; I am referencing a tag line to an article on Yahoo news about the death of the infamous Anna Nicole Smith)

Huh?!

I think we have officially hit a new low in America.

I used to be a HUGE fan of pop culture. Loved the People Magazine; little dirt on Inside Edition, etc. I am still intrigued by some of it - but COME ON!!! Why on EARTH are we discussing why we "cared" about a woman that so few obviously REALLY cared about? From what I know and see, if people really cared about her, she would be alive and caring for her newborn - not dead. If people really cared about her - she wouldn't have started down the long and twisted road that led her to make such horrible choices.

I am sorry that she has left behind a daughter that will never have the opportunity to see her mother as a good role model for her.

So I am choosing to foucs on someone who really deserves 15 minutes...

Her name is Amanda.

She is a foster mother to 15 (currently) special needs orphans in China. She isn't famous. She just felt a call to move from South Africa to China and love on some babies and pour herself out to others. Chinese Starfish is her blog. This woman is making a difference...

Not much new to report...

I guess that isn't a bad thing.
Unless - of course - you consider that I was holding out on blogging because I wanted to share news that we were DTC (Dossier to China). We are not. But I still expect that will happen this week.

I think that Amy is coming down with something. She has been coughing the last few days and in the delerium in the middle of the night last night, I think Chris said she was running a fever. They are all still sleeping, so I am still not sure. It is probably a good thing that I was planning a day at home today anyway.

Next week we are starting a little remodel project for the master bedroom and Anna's bedroom. We don't have an "old" house (i.e. 100 years old) but it isn't a new house either. It was built in 1975 and we are at a natural point to do some repairs and cosmetic remodeling. There aren't serious issues (we hope) but the outside walls in our bedroom have some termite damage (previous to our ownership) and instead of patching and painting over the walls, we have again decided it best to look for structural issues. We came across an outside wall during our kitchen/family room remodel that required some repair. Beyond that, it is mostly trim and paint for both rooms; stuff we could do, but just can't find the time to do.

Why is it that the master is generally the last room to be done? We have lived here for over 4 years and still have the same decor that we moved in to (that isn't our style). The more children we add, the more I see the value of creating a "retreat" of a master bedroom. Surely there will always be hot wheels and Barbie shoes on the floor, but AHHHH the thought of a space of our own...

My hubby is taking me out tomorrow night for a fun night of dinner (thanks to our brother and sis-in-law from the South) at Carabba's and then on to see "Mama Mia" - a musical based on the music of Abba!!! I have been singing "Dancing Queen" and "The Winner Takes It All" all week! :)

A few random pics of Amy (and again - yes - most of my pics are of Amy - because they are RANDOM and during the day while her Bigs are at school)...

Amy needed some serious "snuggle time" so she helped break in Anna's new carrier for China. It's a Mei Tai carrier - similar to the Ergo (which I LOVED in China with Amy, but the Mei Tai is a bit more fashionable...). Here she is after she fell asleep on my back!

Amy's idea of getting ready to go to Grandma R's house - stylin' from head to toe! She put her hat and mittens on ALL BY HERSELF! And don't forget her sparkly Princess Snow White shoes!