10 more days...holding on...

We're counting down the days...so much still to do. Today, mom and I washed baby clothes, toys, and bottles, boiled nipples (never dreamed "I" would need to boil nipples!), cleaned out cabinets, put away books, bath items...and there's still more! Two more days of school, then I'll finish up and get packed this weekend...gotta work that luggage down to 44 pounds each - not so easy considering all the things we need to take! Here's a couple of pics from the shower...check out the ladybug cupcakes Sheila (a.k.a. Aunt Lala) made!!
































Jamie sent a poem that she came across...it's beautiful, thank you!

Until Forever

From Tom Fisher

This morning in China a mother cries
She’ll never forget her daughter’s eyes
Her heart is broken and filled with pain
The tears run down like the falling rain.

She has no choice but to leave her there
The cost of keeping is too much to bear
She hopes her daughter will one day know
True love can be found in letting her go.

This morning in China a baby cries
Hungry and scared as tears fill her eyes
Her mother has left her in this public place
Another lost daughter of the Chinese race.

Someone passing by has heard her soft moan
She’s soon quickly taken to a foster home
It’s here she’ll reside in the care of another
Until she’s adopted by a brand new mother.

That very same moment, in the U.S.A.
A woman cries as she starts to pray
Her heart is heavy but filled with much love
She prays for a daughter she thinks the world of.

“Dear Jesus I ask that your arms would be
Wrapped tightly around the one picked for me
Guard her in China ‘till I make my way
And then in my arms forever she’ll stay.”

Good night and Love to all...

Travel plans are set!!

It's all becoming so real. We had the most incredible baby shower this weekend! I'm overwhelmed by all the people that came and the generous gifts they gave, truly overwhelmed. Tracey hosted the party at her house and everything was just beautiful - and thanks, Kelley...owner of Kelley's Bloom Room...a little plug...Hopefully, I can get pictures posted soon.

And now...for the "DATES"

We leave Jax on Wednesday, 11/28, at 7:00 a.m. After a few stops and about 24 hours of flying we arrive in Beijing on Thursday, 11/29, at 9:15 p.m. Remember, they're 12 hours ahead of us, so it'll be 9:15 Thursday morning here. We'll do a few days of touring there...to see the Great Wall - did you know it can be seen from the moon!, Tianenman Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven...whatever we can fit in!

Sunday, 12/2, we'll fly south to Nanning and get our precious baby girl Monday morning, 12/3 - the day before her 1st birthday! How lucky can we get??!! Lots of paperwork to do there to process the Chinese portion of the adoption...so she can leave the country, but we should have plenty of time to explore that area as well.

Sunday, 12/9, we'll take a short flight to Guangzhou, to process the American portion of the adoption...so she can enter the USA!! Everything will be wrapped up there by the end of the day Wednesday, 12/12.

We'll leave Guangzhou on Thursday, 12/13, at 8:30 a.m. and are scheduled to arrive in Jax on Thursday, 12/13, at 5:23 p.m. on Northwest Airlines Flight 1582 from Detroit. Sophie becomes a United States citizen the second our plane touches American soil! Pray, Pray, Pray that our customs experience is speedy in Detroit. Our layover cuts things pretty close, so we have a backup flight from Detroit that gets us in at 10:00 p.m. same day, if we miss the earlier flight. We'll be sure to let Tracey or Mom know if anything changes...

Thanks for your continued prayers for a safe trip, that Sophie's well, and does well through this transition.

Love to all,
Deb and Barry

Sophie's Room

Here it is...I have one more thing to add...if I find what I'm looking for. I bought the furniture way back in 1997...it's really old, early 1900's, but beautiful. The matching twin bed will go where the crib is when she's ready. The crib is the one our (OK, not technically ours, but Kim's) first baby girl, Jessica, slept in. Sophie's the 5th or 6th baby girl to occupy that crib! My mom and dad rocked my sister and me in that rocking chair...And, check out that closet. Poor l'il thing, hardly has any clothes at all...Thank you, Tracey and Ava!!!

Love to all...

Adoptive moms get flowers, too!

Check out these beautiful flowers from Sandy!! The principal at my school drove to my room in a golf cart - they were too heavy to carry that far!! He walked in and placed them on the stool where they sat until a large football player could carry them for me. I couldn't lift 'em! Thanks, Sandy!

For those that don't already know...Sandy and I worked together at Prudential and became Best Buddies. We have some great, hilarious stories...How much further to Bridget's house??? There's a LION outside the women's restroom?? Here, the forms are right here in this drawer, wait that's not my drawer???

She is the mother of a gorgeous, almost 4 year old, named Jack and is pregnant with number two!!! Can't wait to find out what we're having! Love you!

Wonderful, Crazy, Beautiful Life

What an incredible two weeks...my feet are a little closer to the ground. We never seem to stop gazing at our beautiful daughter and I thank God every day for this precious gift he has given us, for the incredible people at Harrah's (our adoption agency), and for my supportive husband, family, and friends.

The day after Referral Day (10/03/07), I received the translation of Sophie's information at school. Her Chinese name is Li Die Hua - translation Beautiful Butterfly...hmmm, she already has beautiful butterfly's in her room. Could this be some of that mother's intuition??? All of the medical and developmental information indicates she is very healthy and on track!

As difficult as I know it must have been for her birth mother, Sophie was brought to the orphanage at 1 day old. She was 18.9 inches long and 6.2 lbs. A birth note was attached to her blanket, stating she had been born 12/04/06. I pray for her birth mother and thank her for bringing her to the orphanage so quickly, so that she could receive the proper nutrition and health care.

The translation also indicates she is a deep sleeper (whew!), when awake is very active (Great, she'll fit right in with this very active family!!), likes to play with toys and her little friends, and loves to be held! Good thing....I can't wait to hold her!

When I received the package at school, I sent two students to the front office to pick it up. I wondered what was taking so long, then they showed up with a large box and hole cut out. Harrah's DHL package was inside...the pics below are my 6th period Geometry class (dare I say, they are my favorites!) with THE package and me as I was checking out the contents. Notice I already had a picture of her on my desk - one Tracey framed and brought on Referral Day:) Not much work accomplished that day in 6th period....

Check out our baby girl ! !

Finally, on Tuesday, October 2, we (well, I got the call at school) got the call. During my planning period, Stephanie, the best dossier consultant in the world, called with congratulations. I lost it! I just blubbered so hard, off and on, that I thought for sure, Stephanie would get frustrated. She couldn't have been sweeter or more patient. She started by telling me how beautiful she was...more crying. Then that she had big round eyes - just like me, I said. Then that she had fine hair that was sticking straight out all over - just like her daddy, I said! Then told me about the next picture of her on her tummy with...more crying - can you repeat that??...and something about another picture...can you repeat that again?? She was born December 4, 2006...now I really lose it - she's not even a year old yet!

I barely held it together the rest of the school day. Barry and I opened the pictures together at home about 4:00 p.m....more crying. Jamie, Logan, and Cruz came right over - Thanks! Followed by Nana, Tracey, Eric, Jack and Ava....and tons of phone calls and e-mails. She is so loved already!

Time for bed...I don't want to go to sleep. Why, Barry asked. I'm afraid it's a dream...I can't stand the thought of waking up tomorrow only to discover I was dreaming. He just held me and said it's no dream, baby. The entire day was magical...except for my red, puffy eyes and nose.

More later, much more paperwork to get rolling on now, but we should be able to hug and kiss her by late November. Isn't she just beautiful!!

Love to all and please keep her in your prayers.

p.s. Happy Birthday, Rhonda!!

Braxton Hicks Contractions

OK, these things are killin me! What are they, you ask???

Braxton Hicks are sporadic contractions that actually start at about 6 weeks, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after mid way through, if you notice them at all (some women don't). They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872. As the "wait" progresses, Braxton Hicks contractions tend to come somewhat more often, but until you get to your last few weeks, they should remain infrequent, irregular, and essentially painless. Sometimes, though, Braxton Hicks are hard to distinguish from early signs of preterm "gotcha day". Play it safe and don't try to make the diagnosis yourself. If you haven't hit 22 months yet and you're having four or more contractions in an hour, or have any other signs of preterm "gotcha day", call your agency or social worker immediately! By the time you're within a couple of weeks of your "gotcha day", these contractions may get more intense and more frequent, and cause some discomfort.

Mine started, 8/31/07, the day RQ posted a "rumor" that China had worked their way into December, 2005. Whoooaaa!! Was it possible that we would see our baby girl's face this first week in September??? NOPE! CCAA had made it through 11/25/05.

Realistically, we are hoping, praying, and crossing everything we can cross, that we will see her face the first week in October. I've been so sad at times...this has been such a long wait, but all things in God's time, not mine. So I am at peace...what will be, will be.

In the meantime, please keep Sophie in your prayers...that she's healthy, loved, and held often...and check out our Agency's website - http://www.hfsadopt.org/china/ then click on the NEWSLETTER Volume 2. More great info AND a family from right here in Jacksonville is profiled - what a beautiful family!

Oh, one more thing - yes, I could go on and on. One of the people we'll be traveling with has a nice blog that included some adoption acronyms, so I included those below. We are blessed to be traveling with her. Hopefully, she will be bringing her two sisters and brother with her...get this - a doctor, social worker, and an Episcopal priest!!! She said "Lucky Me"...I say "Lucky ALL OF US!!!"

Harrah's AIM (Adoption International Mission) - this is our U.S. adoption agency

HFS - another reference to Harrah's (above) - stands for Harrah's Family Services

CCAA - China Center of Adoption Affairs

DTC - Dossier To China (our date the dossier/application was sent to China is 11/18/05)

LID - Log-In Date - official date of when your dossier was registered in China - our LID is 11/30/05

RQ - Rumor Queen - a site run by folks who post and research rumors, as much as they can

SWI - Social Welfare Institute - term China uses for orphanage

TA - Travel Approval (from China - must have before we can book flights)

CA - Consulate Appointment (China approves date for this appt. with the U.S. Consulate in China where our child is officially adopted and given her U.S. Visa - must have before we travel)

Thanks for checking in...Love to all,