Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Getting Ready To Ring In A New Year: The Year of Rebekah!


Well, I am still tickled "pink" at the news from CCAA and just thinking about them working their way through the stacks of dossiers until they get to ours makes me plum giddy with excitement! Our March Yahoo support group is buzzing with excitement too and we just can't wait to see the face of our child in 2009!!!!!! So, as we lift our glasses of sparkling grape juice tonight in the Appleton home, I hope you will join us in toasting in this great New Year. May we ALL be blessed with happiness, good health, safety, prosperity, and the joy of family. We're waiting for you Rebekah!!!!
Added Later:
Tonight I was listening to a speech by Alan Osmond about his life dealing with Multiple Scolrosis (I know I misspelled this). Anyway it was a very moving speech and one thing he said about dealing with the hardships in life went something like this, "We are not human beings who have spiritual experience, but are spiritual beings having human experiences." This really made me think. As children of a loving Heavenly Father, we are spiritual beings sent to this earth to learn and grow and yes, even to face hardships, but we have to meet this human experiences and come out on the other side of them a better and stronger person. I hope I can remember that when I want to look at hard times and wonder, "Why me?" Another Alan Osmond pointed out was that asking why me? only brings you down. We have to realize that any hardship is just OUR OWN personal chance to grow stronger as a person.He also quoted a doctor that pointed out a study about people who were diagnosed with serious illnesses. 75% had a better quality of life and responded better to treatments because of prayer in their lives. So.....with that said.....I am a little more focused on looking at how this long wait has made me a stronger, more patient person; ready to be a better mom to our daughter. It has made Doug and I more of a team and has made our marriage stronger. Oh, and after I left Alan Osmond's website, I looked at Jay Osmond's and he had a couple of quotes I'd like to share too:
"Trials in life should make us better--not bitter."
"Sometimes God lets us fall on our backs so we can look up." (Look towards a loving Heavenly Father and ask for his help.)
I hope I can be more spiritual this New Year as I prepare to be a mommy.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Look At Our Referral Calendar!!!!!


Well our agency emailed us and told us that it is official that CCAA finished the February 2006 LIDs and are now working on the March 2006. We took the red marker and marked off the days. Look at the April 5th date with the little heart on it.....THAT's OUR LID! Now if CCAA will just kick it into high gear and match all of March!!!! YAY!

OH MY GOSH!


Well, the adoption world is buzzing with the latest information: The CCAA has matched through February 28, 2006 which means they are now moving on to match the people logged in during March 2006. We belong to the yahoo group for the Marching Pandas even though our LID is 04/05/06. We are so excited to be at this point because now they only have to get through a month of dossiers before they dust the dust off of ours and match us to our baby girl! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!! We aren't quite sure how big the month of March is in terms of how many people are awaiting referrals but we are praying that it won't take them long to get through this month and on to us. Our friends in NC (Tonja and Robbie) should get their referral next since they are LID 03/03/06 and there are others that we have met online and are excited for too! We are also allowing ourselves to get a little excited about it all (although still cautiously, but excited just the same). I told Tonja this morning that I feel like some old bear coming out of a long Winter hibernation and finally getting to feel Spring again! I haven't allowed myself to get excited about a baby in quite a while in an effort to guard my heart and even though I might still need to be careful with my excitement, I can't help but celebrate this milestone! Oh please let them hurry through March!!!!!!!
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Saturday, December 27, 2008

Rebekah's Cat-sisters Love Their New Condo!






Well, as you can see from the pictures, our cats, Tabitha, Savannah, and Chelsea LOVE their new perch/condo we gave them for Christmas. Tabitha loves the big round one you get inside while Chelsey prefers to shoot up to the top of the thing and look down on her kingdom. Savannah will lay on the big round one that Tabitha gets inside. You know, there was a time when I would make fun of people who bought these things for their cats and would say, "How can people spend so much for plywood with carpet on it?" Oh my goodness.....what are people saying about us? hahahahahahahahaha Oh well....they are our babies and babies need toys, right???? At least that's what I'm telling myself! hahahahahahahahaha Oh, by the way...Tabitha is the calico, Chelsea is the black and white tuxedo cat, and Savannah is the southern belle of the family; the little gray sweet baby.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas From The Appletons

Well, here I am sitting beside the beautiful Christmas tree, thinking about all that I have to be thankful for and all the wonderful gifts that I have in this life. I am truly blessed to have a family and a home and a wonderful loving husband. I am thankful for my job, my talents, my health, my education, our sweet pets, the many many luxuries we have and often take for granted. Life is good! I can't help but also think about that little girl that will hopefully come into our lives this new year. Oh how I look forward to meeting this little sweetie who we are going to love so very very much! I cannot wait to look into her eyes and hold her close to my heart and KNOW that this is my daughter; my little girl.......well actually, to be more precise and correct: OUR DAUGHTER; OUR LITTLE GIRL (sometimes mommies just get overcome with so much love, we forget to include daddies in on our joy! hahahahaha). I am so looking forward to raising her in our loving home, teaching her to enjoy life, providing structure and guidance, and rejoicing in her many many accomplishments! I look forward to next year having baby toys beneath our tree, watching those Christmas cartoons with her, taking her to see Santa, dressing her in a new Christmas outfit, getting up with her on Christmas morning to open presents, taking her to Uncle Tony's and Aunt Missy's house for a yummy breakfast of oyster soup and fried oysters (ok, gerber baby food for her! hahahahahaha). Oh I just look forward to singing her Christmas carols and just being her Mommy! I also look forward to seeing my sweet hubby being a Daddy to her. He is going to be an awesome Daddy! So...........until then, my sweet child, I hope and pray with every ounce of my "mommy heart" that you are safe and warm and that your tears are dried and your fears calmed until we are there to do that for you! I pray that there are people in your life who are loving you until you are placed in our arms......you may not be here with us my darling child, but you are in your mommy's heart; kept safe and warm and loved. I can feel your sweet spirit and I know that I am your mother. You are my daughter, now, forever, and for eternity!!!! Hugs and kisses to you Rebekah and Merry Christmas to you my little peanut!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Celebrating 8 Years of Marriage!

Well, today Doug and I are celebrating our 8th Wedding Anniversary! WOW! It certainly is wonderful to be married to your best friend and even though some times were rough for us, we worked through a lot of obstacles and came out on the other side closer and as a team! We have also had to endure a lot together as we have faced this whole adoption journey. It has been one of the hardest things we have had to face but TOGETHER we will make it through all of this waiting and tears and frustration and one day we WILL stand together as they hand us our daughter! I'm looking forward to all of the future years with Doug as my husband.....I'm sure we will face hard times and things won't always be rosy and perfect, but I can't think of any one that I would rather go through life with than my Douggie. I love you honey! Happy Anniversary!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Memory Lane




After the last post, I was sitting here trying to think of my favorite childhood toys and possessions. My all time favorite thing was a wooden table and two chairs that my Daddy made for me one Christmas when money was tight and he had to be out of work for months with a back injury. I know I got a doll that year too (I ALWAYS got a new doll at Christmas)but the thing I remembered the most was that table and chairs. I had an old clubhouse out in the back yard and that set was PERFECT for my clubhouse. How in the world did Daddy make that? He was truly talented with stuff like that! I wish I had it now!
Anyhow, as far as store-bought stuff, my favorite toy was the yellow Fisher Price dollhouse! I also had a Chrissy doll that the hair could be grown long or shortened. She had a button on her belly that you pressed to do the hair length. I also remember my favorite lunchbox growing up was a Bionic Woman lunchbox. I loved that show (still do and am wishing it would be released on DVD soon) and I think I had the lunchbox when I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I wish I had saved that one too but I'm sure it would be rusted whole by this point. I'm hoping to one day run across one of those! I would really use to carry my lunch to school in! hahahahahaha Oh the kids would LOVE that! Anyhow, that was fun to think about my younger years and the toys that made me happy!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Our Hallmark Ornament This Year! MOO!


I don't know how many of you played with Fisher Price toys when you were younger, but they were my favorite and every year my brother, Tony, and I would get a set. My first was the Fisher Price dollhouse with the yellow roof. Oh how I LOVED that thing! In fact I have always hoped to find one somewhere that I could get just for myself! hahahahahaha Anyhow, I was so happy to find the Fisher Price Farm as a Hallmark Ornament this year! It even makes the mooing sound when you open the barn door! Ahhhhhhhh the memories of childhood! I just LOVE this thing....I swear I think I'm going to wear the door out before Christmas is over! hahahahahahaha You have to find joy in the simple pleasures of life, right? Anyhow, it was my year to pick out the Hallmark Ornament so I just had to get this one. Doug gets to pick next year (or maybe it will be Rebekah's turn! I HOPE!) Doug and I started this tradition the year we married and it is so much fun to take out the ornaments each year and remember the years we got the others! Yes, our family is big on tradition!

Monday, December 15, 2008

We Put Up Our Tree Tonight

Well, we put the tree up tonight. No baby to enjoy it with. How many more times will we have to do this?????????

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

4 STUPID DAYS!

Well it is official....China made it only through Feb. 23rd. Two of the days were weekend days so they don't count so that means China only did FOUR FREAKING DAYS of referrals for the whole month. My question is, why are they increasing fees but not increasing the number of referrals they do? I honestly think that they want to eventually shut the program down and not have international families adopt their children. I really do. I think this whole ordeal is China's way of phasing out adoptions. We have been waiting FOREVER! When we first started this ordeal, couples would get a referral 6 months after sending their paperwork to China. NOW, there's no end in sight to the waiting! We have been waiting 32 months (over 5 times the wait it used to be!) ARGH! Yes, I'm venting tonight. I'm so tired of WANTING to be a mom and having to wait on this crap! I've told myself over and over and over that "the wait will be worth it," until I am sick of telling myself that and I'm sick of hearing it from other people. The wait is sickening, disheartening, and just crap crap crap! I've tried to think that maybe I'm supposed to learn to be patient through all of this (seeking to find some profound life lesson amid all the crap).....but you know what? It's CRAP! Plain and simple.....you can put bows and lace on a pile of crap and it's still crap........
Ok, now I'm dying laughing reading this stupid post.......geez......I'm losing my freaking mind! hahahahahahahahahahahaha
What do I say now????? There's no words of encouragement that even sound plausible anymore......
The other day I told Doug that I was sick of thinking, dreaming, hoping, whatever, whatever, whatever about the adoption. It is what it is and no amount of worrying, fretting, etc. is going to make it happen until it happens.....IF it happens. So......we wait.......and know that.....oh good golly......we know nothing......crap!

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Not Doing It

I sat here today and thought about putting up Christmas decorations and a tree and all the fa la la la stuff.....I just can't do it.....I can't do another Christmas with no baby. I hope China is happy!

Friday, December 05, 2008

Today Is Our LID-iversary

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Need I say more? What's that old saying, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all?" I better just shut up then.