Monday, December 28, 2009

This Year's Ornament.......


Every year we pick out a Hallmark Ornament to add to our tree. We rotate turns and this was Doug's year to pick out the ornament. He picked this airplane out.....how appropriate, don't ya' think?????

Pooh Outfit Picked Out By Daddy


This was one of my Christmas presents from Doug because he knows how much I love little clothes with Pooh on them. I didn't even point this one out to him......GREAT JOB Daddy-To-Be! He even remembered to get a 12 months size as we hope she will be younger than 12 months. He looked in her closet a few nights ago and pointed out to me that our baby needs more PANTS because I've bought so many little cute dresses.....This one that he bought me has PANTS with it! I love when Daddies pick out outfits for babies! Love you honey!

Hardworking Cats.........NOT! hahahahaha


I just walked into our livingroom and found 2 of our cats curled up together in the new little bed thinggie we got them for Christmas.........AWWWWWWWWWWW! Love those furrbabies even if they are lazy little pampered gremlins! Don't you wish you the life of a cat??????

New Luggage.........READY TO ROLL!


Well, I finally felt like searching for camera so I could take some pictures. I wanted to get a pic of the new luggage Doug got me for Christmas. He couldn't BELIEVE that I wanted THIS pattern! hahahahahahahaha I've never been one that liked "plain" stuff.......plus I told him that we SHOULD be able to find this on the luggage carousel at the airports, right? hahahahahaha I LOVE IT! Can't wait to get that referral and be able to pack these and GO GET THAT BABY!!!!!!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas!

Well, it has certainly been an INTERESTING Christmas! First of all it started off on our anniversary (December 23rd) when I had to spend half the day sitting in a doctor's office. The verdict? BRONCHITIS! Geez! 5 hours and 2 prescriptions later, I collapsed in bed EXHAUSTED! I didn't feel like doing the cleaning and cooking that I needed to start for the Christmas Eve festivities that was to be at OUR HOUSE the next day! I just couldn't do it. Then, the next day came and I was ready to just pull the covers over my head and sleep. But I KNEW my family would be coming later in the afternoon, so I dragged myself out of bed and started cleaning, cooking, wrapping the last few gifts, etc. My hubs got home from work early and joined in, then my sister, Stacey came! I LOVE when she visits! One of my presents came in the mail at hub's office so he gave me that: Guitar Hero for the Wii we bought together for our anniversary present! YIPPEE!!!!!
My mom was the next to arrive, and then my brother, his wife and three kids! We enjoyed a meal of chili, Zuppa Tuscana soup, yeast rolls, little smokies, and chocolate pie for dessert! We tore into presents and had a ball just chilling out and talking and laughing! We really had a ball!
Before anyone arrived though, we looked online and discovered that there were rumors that the CCAA had matched dossiers through April 3rd! OH MY GOSH! That would be TWO batches done in December and only TWO days to go with one of those days (April 5th being OUR DAY!!!!!) Talk about a good present!
Anyhow, the day ended and I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy to get in bed! We slept in til 9A.M. and then woke up to open presents! Hubs spoiled me rotten! He even got me the cute little luggage that I wanted for our trip to China. He calls it my "brady bunch luggage," because of the flowery pattern, but hey, it should be easy to locate on the luggage carousel at the airport, right???? hahahahaha I cried when he gave it to me because it just made it seem more real that we really be traveling soon to get baby! He also bought me this cute little Winnie The Pooh outfit that made me get all choked up! I got lots of other cool stuff and lots of goodies from Bath and Body Works! Hubs is so good to me!!!!! ANYHOW, it has been an interesting Christmas and I wish that I wasn't sick, but hey, I didn't like that spoil it and I hung in there as best I could. I'm excited that CCAA is closer to our date and I'm both nervous and excited that we will be parents SOON! Sometimes that nervousness is a little scary because I want to be the best mom ever! I worry that I won't be. I guess that is pretty normal for most moms, right? Especially NEW moms! hahahahahahaha
Well, Merry Christmas everyone! This will DEFINITELY be the last one without our baby (I HOPE! hahahahahaha)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Winter Wonderland! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!



Well, after many years of wanting SNOW here in Danville, we FINALLY got a nice little amount (7-10 inches)yesterday and last night. I just had to go out and take a few pics to mark the occasion since it doesn't happen often! hahahahahaha Of course it IS more exciting when we get the white stuff during a work week and have snowdays out of school, but hey, "beggars can't be choosers," right? It is just so PEACEFUL outside this morning as the whole city is blanketed in snow. Doug and I haven't done ANY Christmas shopping and were hoping to get it done today, but that will have to wait a day or two. The forecast is calling for more on Christmas Eve! WooHoo!!!!

Our Family Newsletter In Online

Every year I make an Appleton Family Newsletter to send out with our Christmas cards. It is so neat to look back and read the ones in the past and I keep them in a scrapbook for our family. This year, Doug has put the newsletter I made online. Here's the info:

Hello ..

Our family newsletter has been published and can be viewed from the following link http://www.vcan.us/Appleton

When prompted for a username enter, friends, and the password all in lowercase ( small letters ) is also friends .

Enjoy!!!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Another Christmas Tree Is Up!

Well, it's a little late getting put up, but alas we have put our Christmas tree up FINALLY! hahahahahahahaha We've just been swamped with work, and Doug's final Calculus class, graduation, my graduate course in Word Study from UVA, etc. etc......
The time between Thanksgiving and now has been just a BLUR.....where have the days gone????? Tonight we pulled out everything and got it all set up and as I am typing this entry, I have all of the lights turned out and am enjoying the glow of our beautiful tree. We started a new tradition tonight as we said a prayer before adding the first ornament. We couldn't help but be thankful for the blessings that we have and enjoy as we look forward to adding a dear sweet little blessing to our family SOON! Decorating the tree this year was NOT a sad event like it was last year.....last year I cried buckets of tears with every ornament we added, but this year there's a calmness in my heart that our time is near. I can't WAIT til we hold her next year at this time and every year after that. So.......Merry Christmas.....and I hope Santa brings us a referral! That's all I really want!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Daddy Get's His Degree!



Well, Doug graduated from Averett University this morning with a degree in Computer Information Systems! YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!! Years ago when he started this program we knew for sure that we would have baby BEFORE Daddy got his degree, but alas, here we are still waiting for Baby. Oh well, we hope that will come to pass shortly too! At least now Daddy will have more time to play with Baby and change her dirty diapers now that he has no more homework! hahahahahahahahahaha
I am sure am proud of my hubby! Love you sweetie and I'm awfully proud of you too! You worked hard and deserve to celebrate this great success!!!
(Oh and don't worry about the frown on his face in the pic of us together.....the sun was in his eyes and he was trying to tell this little old lady how to take the picture.....hahahahahahahahaha......believe me...he was HAPPY!)

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Sweet Sunday!

Today has just been a restful and peaceful day which is great considering the stress of work and some issues that arose there last week. I won't go into details because I'm trying to get past it all and think positive, uplifting thoughts!
Anyhow this morning hubby and I went to church and just really felt the spirit strong in the meeting. We drove around some after church listening to Christmas music and just thinking about the baby that soon will be placed in our arms and in our lives forever! It was a very touching experience and I feel very close to our baby today. Warm feelings in my heart! Feeling a little of those "mommy" feelings that I've been missing for a long time. Feeling very blessed and thankful for all that I have and for a dear, kind husband who is also my best friend and for this little angel that Heavenly Father is going to entrust us to take care of, teach, and raise!

Saturday, December 05, 2009

44 MONTHS and still counting! hahahahahaha

Hopefully not too much longer. These milestones used to be exciting, then they were heartbreaking, and now they don't mean a thing to us......we just look forward to the times when the referrals come out and pray that we are in the next batch or the batch after that.

Friday, December 04, 2009

Red Bags and Tissue Paper..........CHECK!

Well, we finally bought the 10 red gift bags and red tissue paper that we will use when we go to China. Apparently we have to give gifts to the China officials and nannies and orphanage directors, etc. It is a tradition to give gifts in red bags in China and we've put it all off for the almost 4 years that we have been waiting. With the fact that they are only "four" days away from our LID of April 5th, we decided to do some little preparations like this. We don't want to jinx ourselves, but since red bags and tissue paper are pretty abundant at Christmas time we thought it was a wise choice to get them. Now.......what do we put in them? I've heard all kinds of suggestions and have NO idea what to give these people. I have heard that many of the gifts just get shoved in closets because a lot of people tend to give perfumes, lotions, baseball caps, etc. and they don't really want that stuff anymore. Some agencies have told their clients that they prefer things like deodorants, toothpaste/toothbrushes, shampoos but that seems kind of "offensive" to me. I wouldn't like someone giving me stuff like that.......seems like it suggests, "you stink!" hahahahahahahahaha Some say give chocolates or candies....others say no. Some say give things from the area you are from, but what??? Whatever we give has to be pretty lightweight for traveling and not taking up too much space. I don't want to spend a lot if there's a chance it will just get tossed in a closet somewhere........I really don't know, but at least I have red bags and tissue paper!!!

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

GREAT NEWS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!


Just got an email from our agency and apparently CCAA has posted on their online system that they have finished matching families through March 31, 2009!!!!! WOO HOO and THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!! They can now move on to the April folks and our dossier was logged in on April 5th, 2006. I am sitting her bawling my eyes out and shaking like a leaf! Could we be next??????? I think it might be February for us, but hey, that's ok......I can live with that! WHEW!!!!!!!!!! What wonderful news!!!!!!!!!