Friday, February 25, 2005
More fun with names
I found another way to pass the time (which is going SO SLOW right now--is it March YET?). Here is another cool website that will translate your name into Chinese characters. Check out Hallie, then look for your name.
Meanwhile, maybe we'll get some news today, like something very important is in the mail???
Meanwhile, maybe we'll get some news today, like something very important is in the mail???
# posted by JDonnals : 7:27 AM
Thursday, February 24, 2005
No news is BAD news!
I can't take it. I am constantly checking my email throughout the day looking for the "Stork Alert" from Great Wall. That's the email message they send to waiting families when the next batch of referrals has been sent from Beijing. Ours should be in that batch. I'm not sure how it is sent, by mail, FedEx, carrier pigeon?? I also don't care, as long as it gets here--soon! I need some news!
The last few weeks have literally crawled for me. The shortest month of the year seems like the longest. Will March ever get here?!
I have been killing time by putting together a care package to send to Hallie and the orphanage. I'm putting a blanket, a soft little doll, and some small toys in it for Hallie. Also, we bought a photo album, made especially for babies, to put in it. We'll fill the pages with pictures of us, Orion and Chloe, and our house, so she can get used to her new family and home. I bought some chocolate, jelly beans, lotions and lip balm for the nannies. Finally, I am including a disposable camera, in hopes that the nannies will take pictures of her for us. Our agency translated a letter for us to include in the care package as well. There is no guarantee that she will see any of these things, but I have friends who have gotten everything back and who have said their babies recognized them from the pictures!
The last few weeks have literally crawled for me. The shortest month of the year seems like the longest. Will March ever get here?!
I have been killing time by putting together a care package to send to Hallie and the orphanage. I'm putting a blanket, a soft little doll, and some small toys in it for Hallie. Also, we bought a photo album, made especially for babies, to put in it. We'll fill the pages with pictures of us, Orion and Chloe, and our house, so she can get used to her new family and home. I bought some chocolate, jelly beans, lotions and lip balm for the nannies. Finally, I am including a disposable camera, in hopes that the nannies will take pictures of her for us. Our agency translated a letter for us to include in the care package as well. There is no guarantee that she will see any of these things, but I have friends who have gotten everything back and who have said their babies recognized them from the pictures!
# posted by JDonnals : 8:26 AM
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Carry on only?
Yesterday, we went to the FCC Memphis Chinese New Year party (more on that in a minute).
At the party, I talked to an adoptive mother who said she and her husband went "carry on only" last year when they traveled to China. Carry on only is exactly what it sounds like--you only pack what you can carry on the plane. For those of you who know me, that may sound impossible. But, the more we think about it, the more we are liking the idea. I would carry on a small suitcase on wheels and my diaper bag/purse. Brett would carry the rolling computer case that will also hold the video and digital cameras and a backpack.
We would have to be minimalists, for sure, but you can just about buy anything you need in China. There are now 40 Wal-Marts there, including ones in Beijing (our first stop) and Guangdong Province (our last stop). I would take pairs of pants and two shirts, in addition to the ones I am wearing on the plane. Brett would do the same. Laundry service is fast and cheap in China, I am told!
We plan on buying a cheap suitcase in Guangzhou which we will check on the way back to Memphis. We plan to fill it with souvenirs and dirty clothes! Over the next few weeks I am going to practice to see if I can do this. It could make a very stressful trip much easier (I think).
Now, back to the party! There were so many cute kids there--some babies who have only been in the US for a few months. One has only been back a week! Many of the children and babies wore traditional Chinese silk dresses and outfits. They all looked so cute! Several of the children dressed up in rooster costumes for a traditional Chinese New Year dance. We had a great time. Next year, we will bring Hallie!
At the party, I talked to an adoptive mother who said she and her husband went "carry on only" last year when they traveled to China. Carry on only is exactly what it sounds like--you only pack what you can carry on the plane. For those of you who know me, that may sound impossible. But, the more we think about it, the more we are liking the idea. I would carry on a small suitcase on wheels and my diaper bag/purse. Brett would carry the rolling computer case that will also hold the video and digital cameras and a backpack.
We would have to be minimalists, for sure, but you can just about buy anything you need in China. There are now 40 Wal-Marts there, including ones in Beijing (our first stop) and Guangdong Province (our last stop). I would take pairs of pants and two shirts, in addition to the ones I am wearing on the plane. Brett would do the same. Laundry service is fast and cheap in China, I am told!
We plan on buying a cheap suitcase in Guangzhou which we will check on the way back to Memphis. We plan to fill it with souvenirs and dirty clothes! Over the next few weeks I am going to practice to see if I can do this. It could make a very stressful trip much easier (I think).
Now, back to the party! There were so many cute kids there--some babies who have only been in the US for a few months. One has only been back a week! Many of the children and babies wore traditional Chinese silk dresses and outfits. They all looked so cute! Several of the children dressed up in rooster costumes for a traditional Chinese New Year dance. We had a great time. Next year, we will bring Hallie!
# posted by JDonnals : 4:42 PM
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Only in my (friend's) dreams
I think our referral is really getting close! My friend Tammy called the other day to tell me she had a dream about us and our adoption. In her dream, I showed her a large yellow envelope. Inside the envelope was our referral, a lot of papers held together with a paperclip. Attached to the papers was a small picture of Hallie! Tammy said in her dream, there was a word on the papers, something like "shaquoing"?
I wonder if this dream is a sign?? There is a province in China called Chongqing. Our friend Maggi just returned from there with her baby daughter, who was cared for in a nice orphanage. Maybe Tammy's dream was telling us that is where Hallie is! That would be wonderful.
I wonder if this dream is a sign?? There is a province in China called Chongqing. Our friend Maggi just returned from there with her baby daughter, who was cared for in a nice orphanage. Maybe Tammy's dream was telling us that is where Hallie is! That would be wonderful.
# posted by JDonnals : 10:00 AM
The name game
The name Hallie is making a comeback--but it's not too popular (like Jennifer was in the 1970's!). Hallie was Brett's grandmother's name. As you'll see from this cool website, the name peaked in the in the early 1900's, then faded out for a while. I think Hallie is a beautiful name. If you've got some time on your hands (like we do waiting for our referral) go to the site linked above, type in Hallie's name and then type in your own. Have fun!
# posted by JDonnals : 9:38 AM
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Time flies...
...when you are having fun... or working hard! Not when you are waiting for a referral.
Much of last week was spent on the road with my boss. We hit five cities in three days! We started in Memphis, then went on to Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Kingsport. It was a whirlwind trip of Tennessee. I will spare you the boring details, but it was our annual trip to push our legislative agenda--to try to get bills passed into law that will help cut crime and make prosecuting criminals easier. I took my laptop in an effort to post from the road, but due to early morning meetings and late night dinners, I ended up lugging it around the state without even using it!
The trip and the work did help pass the time, but it did not get my mind off Hallie or the task at hand. There is still much left to do. We have to "baby-proof" our house. We have to choose and meet with a pediatrician (still haven't done that yet). We have to stay on top of the day care situation and lobby for a spot for Hallie (yes, sometimes it is WHO you know!). We have to finish up our shots. We have to save more money. We have to read every book available on raising a child. OK, so I'm obsessing a little. But all of this has kept me awake at night. Is there enough time to get it all done?
Time does fly. In some cases too fast, and other times, not fast enough.
Much of last week was spent on the road with my boss. We hit five cities in three days! We started in Memphis, then went on to Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Kingsport. It was a whirlwind trip of Tennessee. I will spare you the boring details, but it was our annual trip to push our legislative agenda--to try to get bills passed into law that will help cut crime and make prosecuting criminals easier. I took my laptop in an effort to post from the road, but due to early morning meetings and late night dinners, I ended up lugging it around the state without even using it!
The trip and the work did help pass the time, but it did not get my mind off Hallie or the task at hand. There is still much left to do. We have to "baby-proof" our house. We have to choose and meet with a pediatrician (still haven't done that yet). We have to stay on top of the day care situation and lobby for a spot for Hallie (yes, sometimes it is WHO you know!). We have to finish up our shots. We have to save more money. We have to read every book available on raising a child. OK, so I'm obsessing a little. But all of this has kept me awake at night. Is there enough time to get it all done?
Time does fly. In some cases too fast, and other times, not fast enough.
# posted by JDonnals : 8:22 PM
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Celebrate the Year of the Rooster!
It time to celebrate! Wednesday is Chinese New Year's Day and 2005 is the Year of the Rooster. Tonight, Brett and I celebrated Chinese New Year's Eve with other families waiting to adopt children from China. An unexpected holiday gift came in the form of an email. The "Places Everyone" message from Great Wall is a much anticipated monthly email that tells you exactly where your dossier is at the CCAA. I am happy to report that we are officially in the matching room! Yes, this will be a very good Year of the Rooster.
# posted by JDonnals : 10:06 PM
Monday, February 07, 2005
A perfect match
Everything is now in the hands of a stranger. All of this work, waiting, costs, anticipation, anxiety, and it all comes down to a total stranger on the other side of the world choosing the right child for us. Someone who works for the CCAA will soon (or, perhaps, has done so already) match us with our baby. But just how does the CCAA try to match children with families? I found the following story on a website today and thought I would share:
In an FCC meeting this past month the former director of the CCAA spoke through a translator. She said that they do indeed use family pictures to match referrals with families. They also pay
attention to birthdays, etc. and sometimes match those things. She said they also sometimes just get a gut feeling, paying attention to those little hunches. She said "you can sometimes tell something by looking in the eye, even when people are of different ethnicity." She also said that they do try to pay attention to people's requests for a certain sex, age, and even province of birth. She said that if you put a preference for personality type down, and they get that personality type info from the orphanage on the children, then they pay attention to that, too.
We didn't request a specific personality, but maybe the person making the match will read our homestudy and learn that Brett likes to camp, take pictures and brew beer! And that I like to spend time reading and cooking! Maybe that person will look at the pictures we sent (six total) of the two of us on vacation, at home, on Christmas, and by looking into our eyes, choose the perfect match for us!!!
In an FCC meeting this past month the former director of the CCAA spoke through a translator. She said that they do indeed use family pictures to match referrals with families. They also pay
attention to birthdays, etc. and sometimes match those things. She said they also sometimes just get a gut feeling, paying attention to those little hunches. She said "you can sometimes tell something by looking in the eye, even when people are of different ethnicity." She also said that they do try to pay attention to people's requests for a certain sex, age, and even province of birth. She said that if you put a preference for personality type down, and they get that personality type info from the orphanage on the children, then they pay attention to that, too.
We didn't request a specific personality, but maybe the person making the match will read our homestudy and learn that Brett likes to camp, take pictures and brew beer! And that I like to spend time reading and cooking! Maybe that person will look at the pictures we sent (six total) of the two of us on vacation, at home, on Christmas, and by looking into our eyes, choose the perfect match for us!!!
# posted by JDonnals : 8:15 PM
Thursday, February 03, 2005
