10 YEARS!!! & 21 Weeks DTV

Today is a very special day! Charley & I are celebrating our 10th year anniversary! We are going to dinner tonight at our favorite restaurant, Texas De Brazil. If you have never been to a Brazilian Steakhouse, you are missing out! THEN....Charley has agreed to go baby shopping this weekend. We will be shopping for a stroller/infant seat, bottles & a baby sling/carrier. I have already picked out the stroller/infant seat, but I would love to hear feedback on baby slings/carriers as I have no idea which one to buy. We are thinking about the Ergo or a Baby Bjorn. I'd love your thoughts and opinions!

I just had a knock on my door. A special delivery for me!!! What beautiful flowers from my amazing husband! I can't wait to see what the next ten years bring! I love you Bubbie! (That's his pet name, I never call him Charley!)

20 Weeks DTV

Today marks 20 weeks since our dossier went to Vietnam. Today I received an email from a friend with the picture of this stone. The email said "Hope - Trust, Believe." After speaking with our agecny, it sounds as though our referral could happen at any time. I'd like to think that means it will be very soon, but the reality is that it could still take another month or two. At this point, I choose to hope, trust & believe that this is all in God's hands and all in His perfect timing.

4 Things....

4 Jobs I've Had:
1. Commercial Sales at Builder's Square
2. Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Rep.
3. DirecTV (Complaint Department)
4. In Home Childcare Provider

4 Movies I Watch Over & Over:
1. Santa Claus (1, 2 & 3)
2. A Guy Thing
3. Any Disney Movie
4. My Best Friend's Wedding

4 Places I Have Lived:
1. New York (Long Island)
2. Oklahoma
3. Arizona
4. Texas

4 Shows I Watch:
1. Adoption Stories
2. Most Food Network Shows
3. College Football (Does that count?)
4. American Idol

4 Places I've Been:
1. England (Many times)
2. Mexico
3. All of the East Coast States
4. Soon I'll be able to say "VIETNAM"

4 People Who Email Me Regularly:
1. Lindsey
2. Jenna
3. Julie
4. Dana

4 Things I Love To Eat:
1. Mexican Food
2. Asian Food (Chinese, Japanese & some Vietnamese)
3. Salad
4. Cheesecake

4 Places I'd Rather Be:
1. In Vietnam bringing home Samantha!
2. On a hot, white, sandy beach
3. On vacation anywhere with Charley
4. SHOPPING!!! (for Samantha, ofcourse!)

4 Things I Look Foward To This Year:
1. Getting "THE CALL" from our agecny to tell us about Samantha
2. Traveling to Vietnam to meet Samantha
3. Bringing Samantha home to family
4. Being a complete family (or starting the adoption process for #6!!!)

4 People I'm Tagging:
1. Dana (www.thegiftofmaiafaith.blogspot.com)
2. Cheryl (www.oursophiarose.blogspot.com)
3. Kathy (www.kathyirwin.blogspot.com)
4. Megan (www.littlemissmya.blogspot.com)

All Good Things Must Come To An End.

Notice how skinny this pitiful little piggy bank looks? Well, that's about what our piggy bank is looking like, and this time Charley is putting his foot down. It's time to fatten up the piggy bank, which means NO MORE SHOPPING! So sad. But, on the brighter side, this is all for a good cause....getting Samantha home. We are hopeful that our referral is coming soon and things will start happening. I have to believe we are getting close!

19 Weeks DTV

Today it has been 19 weeks since our dossier left for Vietnam. Although I really have no idea when we will get "THE CALL" to tell us about Samantha, just lately I have felt that it won't be much longer. (I really hope I'm right!)

It looks like we will be traveling in the warmer weather, so I couldn't resist this swimsuit and matching sun hat.

100th Post & New Look!

Well, this is my 100th post on this blog! After seeing the crafty work of other people's blogs, I decided I would commemorate my 100th post with a new look! My great blog buddy, Jenna, did the make-over, THANKS JENNA, you're the best!

18 Weeks DTV & Spring Shopping Already!

Here we are....18 weeks DTV! Yesterday was an exciting day in "adoption land" a few families received referrals and I600 approvals. A BIG CONGRATS to all of those happy families! I hope things keep moving along and we see more referrals and approvals soon!

Well, although it is just the beginning of January, the stores are filled with adorable spring clothes already, even swimsuits! Now that I am pretty sure we will be traveling to Vietnam is the warm weather, I have started picking up a few spring outfits. I couldn't resist the funky flowers!

4 Months Today (17 1/2 Weeks) - Counting It All!!!

So, now I'm counting weeks AND months! Sometimes it seems as though time is flying by. Other days (like today) it seems we have been in this adoption process forever. Today marks exactly 4 months since our dossier went to Vietnam on September 7th. I really thought we would have our referral by now and be planning our trip to bring Samantha home. When we switched agencies, most families were getting their referrals around the 3 month mark. But in the world of international adoption, there are always bumps and curves in the road. We are hopeful that we will hear news soon, but it does seem that "soon" in my book and "soon" in the world of adoption hold two totally different meanings! We're hanging in there (retail therapy works wonders, but you'll have to wait til the 18 week post for the latest outfit as I don't think Charley would appreciate me commemorating any more milestones in that way!)

17 Weeks DTV & New PJ's!

OK...did you ever see a cuter cow or piggy than the one on these jammies??? Yes, Baby Gap sucked me in again!

So, here we are, another week down for the count! The latest update I got from our agency said she hopes it will be VERY soon! That's encouraging. It has always been soon, but never before has she said VERY soon!

Happy 2008!

Happy New Year to all!!! Well, 2007 was a good year. It is the year we began the journey to our daughter in Vietnam. I am a little sad that we didn't get to see her little face in 2007, but we know 2008 will be the year we will learn who she is, see her picture, travel to her country and finally hold her in our arms and be her forever family! So, CHEERS to 2008, it's going to be a great year!