The Priceless Princess

Tomorrow Our Journey Begins!!!!

2009-12-10T21:05:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow morning we head to Toronto to begin the first leg of our trip to China and in the afternoon we will board the plane for the 13-hour flight to Trinity's homeland. Tonight we are staying in a hotel just outside of the airport and as I sit here typing I can hear the planes taking off every few minutes. It is really surreal to think that in about 7 short hours we will be on one of those planes!!! I am finding it very hard to express how I am feeling and I’m not sure that it has all really set in yet but I do know that we are ready and we are in for the trip of a lifetime!!

Below is a letter that I have seen on a few other blogs and it is great information for family & friends so I thought I would edit it to suit our circumstances and post it here for all of you to read.

Now I am going to try to catch a few zzzzz’s and I will send posts as soon as I can!!

Dear Family and Friends,

As we were preparing for the arrival of Trinity, we have learned that while decorating the nursery and stocking up on baby essentials is important, even more important is the emotional health of my baby. In her short life our daughter will have gone through more changes and life altering experiences than most adults could handle. Imagine how much harder the changes will be for her. While she may not consciously remember the events, she will still experience immense loss, including feelings of grief and trauma. Currently she is very attached to her foster mom and very soon Trinity will deeply feel the loss of her in her life. She's already experienced the loss of her birthmother and will soon experience the loss of familiar and comforting family as well as the sights, smells, and language of her birth country. Her world will turn upside down. She will struggle with feeling safe and secure and she may lack the ability to trust that we will meet her needs.

We are prepared to meet her emotional needs so that she learns that we will always take care of her and we will always keep her safe. I covet your prayers for Trinity, Larry & I as she learns to trust us and pray that her little heart opens up to love me as her Mom and Larry as her Dad.

We also need your support. In order to form a strong and healthy attachment we will allow her to regress so that she has the opportunity to go through all of the emotional stages with us despite her chronological age. Although it may appear that we are spoiling her, we have been advised that it is best that we meet every need quickly and consistently. Until she has learned that we are her parents, we will need to be her primary caretakers at all times. It is essential that Larry or I always hold Trinity, feed her, and do all of the nurturing. You may wonder how long this will take, but the timeline is different for every child. We will follow her lead and trust our instincts as her parents rather than worry about what society expects.

We know many of you are going to want to meet Trinity, especially with it being the Holiday season but we ask that before you come to visit, please call to see if we are accepting company yet. We are not doing this to push any of you away or to be rude. We have all been waiting anxiously for Trinity to arrive but she has not been waiting for us. She may show her grief and confusion in many ways and we are prepared to help her through it and prove that we are a forever family and this truly is her last stop. We trust that as our family and friends you will help us to do what is best for our daughter, and I thank you in advance for your support and understanding.

Thank you all for your corporation & patience…and remember it will not be forever.

Love, Nikki & Larry

Where Has The Time Gone?!?

2009-11-21T22:13:00.004-04:00

Well our travel date is drawing near now and we have been very busy preparing the house and Trinity’s room for her arrival. I can’t believe how fast time has flown by and it seems like we still have a lot of things to get finished up before we go.

Originally we had decided that we would do some fundraisers to help with the costs of traveling to China but it seems as though time has slipped away from us and in less than 3 short weeks we will be boarding a flight to pick up our little Trinity. With the economy issues lately and costs of everything rising, fundraising was going to help us meet the expense of this trip and lessen our financial strain upon return home. Due to Trinity’s cleft we will be looking at many trips to our local Children’s hospital once we are home and possibly some overnight stays in close proximity to the hospital.

I have seen the ChipIn button posted on may other blogs that were doing some type of fundraising and decided to give it a try. I figured it couldn’t hurt right??

AND just as a little incentive I will be putting all the names of the people who donate $10 in a draw for some great books. For each $10 increment you donate you will earn 1 ballot for the draw. (Books pictured below)

So if you feel so inclined to lend a helping hand we would be more than grateful for your support. I will post the ChipIn button below as well as on the sidebar of my blog. If you have any issues while donating please contact me and let me know. ChipIn allows you to pay securely with your Pay*pal account. Just click the button below and follow the simple steps to donate your desired amount.

If any of you great ladies in blogland could spread the word by doing a post to direct some traffic our way we would also appreciate it too! If you post about our fundraiser on your blog leave a comment and I will also give you a ballot to win the books. Every little bit helps!

Thank you in advance to those of you who decide to “ChipIn”.

THIS IS A TEST!!

2009-11-14T12:52:00.004-04:00

Today I have my “Assistant Blogger” here for her first posting lesson. I know that Blogger has been blocked in China and therefore I will not be able to post updates from China myself but my friend Lisa is going to help me out with that dilemma. I will email her my updates from China and she will be updating my blog for me.

Happy Birthday To My Hubby!!

2009-10-29T18:44:00.003-04:00

We are having a lot of renovations done before we head to China so I have not been able to spend much time on my blog but I had to come on today to wish my wonderful husband a very Happy Birthday!!

It is so great to know that next year he will get to hear “Happy Birthday Daddy” from our little princess! It just makes my heart so happy!

TRAVEL DATES RECEIVED!!!!

2009-10-20T21:09:00.002-04:00

Today Larry & I headed to Halifax to pick up our LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) and we finally know what our travel dates will be!

Here is Larry making it official with his signature.

Larry, my Mom & I will be boarding a plane on December 11 to head to China and pick up Trinity and we will be heading back home on December 23!!

WOW!!

Christmas this year is going to be so crazy AND we will finally have Miss Trinity home!!!!!!!!!!!

LSC IS FINALLY HERE!!!

2009-10-19T22:26:00.002-04:00

YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!!

I want to scream from the rooftops that we finally have our Letter Seeking Confirmation!!!! I am so relieved to finally know that we can get this show on the road!!

*This post and some others are going to be backdated posts as I have been a bit overwhelmed and got behind with my postings.

SURPRISE IT’S A BABY SHOWER…NOT an Estate Auction!!

2009-10-18T18:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was the guest of honour at a surprise baby shower!! I was told I was going to an "estate auction" but NOPE...it was a BABY SHOWER!! I was so shocked!!

I had a fantastic day and feel so bless to have such wonderful friends that share our excitement and joy of our little princess Trinity’s pending arrival!!

I have so many pictures to share from this special day but I want to organize them in a slideshow and with chaos at our house right now as we prepare for major renovations I am short on time, but I do want to give you a peek.

~ THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU ~ THANK YOU ~

What a wonderful group of ladies that took the time to contribute to a very special day in honour of Trinity

Larry & I will never forget your generosity!

MORE Updated Information & PICTURES!!!

2009-10-05T22:52:00.003-04:00

Well we didn't have to wait for Sunday, our report arrived from china-babies.com on SATURDAY!!!

Here are a few of the pictures we received.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Misty was so nice and the service was very fast. I would definitely recommend them to anyone!!

The information we received from them is absolutely priceless! I can never thank them enough for providing us with some of the missing pieces of Trinity’s life. Hearing how close she is with her foster mom and seeing her so healthy and well cared for puts our minds at ease as we wait for our travel approval.

Speaking of...

HURRY UP CONFIRMATION & TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!

(We have received word that our LSC (Letter Seeking Confirmation) is going to be sent from China on October 8th.)

UPDATE, UPDATE, UPDATE!!!!!!!!

2009-10-01T20:17:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we received an updated picture from Misty at china-babies.com!!!!!!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Don't you just love that little wave!!!

We have been working with Misty to get updated information and more pictures of Trinity while we wait. She emailed me yesterday to let me know that we can expect an update report from her on Sunday!!!!

Our Daughter!! (Pictures & Name!!) ... FINALLY!!

2009-09-13T23:55:00.006-04:00

After 3 years for thinking we had picked the perfect name of our daughter…we saw her referral picture…the “name game” had just begun…

Over the last 2 MONTHS Larry & I have been deliberating...NOW we finally have her name…

So I have kept you all in suspense long enough. I must say some of you are more patient than others, lol!

So without further ado…

Larry & I are over the moon with joy and very pleased to finally introduce you to our daughter…

Trinity Elise Feng Harnish

Below is a slideshow of her pictures. I hope you enjoy it!!!

A Giveaway!!

2009-07-06T22:31:00.004-04:00

Michelle at Searching for Sophie is having a giveaway in honour of her 5-year blogging anniversary…also known as a Blogversary.

Drop by her blog for your chance to win some great prizes!!

I am hoping to snag one of those adorable bracelets that she is giving away…would love to see one with “Maggie’s” REAL name on!!

____________________________________________________________________

I still can not post pictures of “Maggie” yet but very soon!!!! We just have to finish up some more paperwork and send it off to our agency and then you will all get to see her!!

Thanks so much for all your well wishes and congratulations!!! You are all a great support for us durring this amazing time.

A big welcome to all my new followers!!

I hope I don’t bore you to tears with my blabber…wait I know, your all just here to get a glimpse at our little cutie…well that’s ok, I can’t wait to show her off!!!

WE ARE PARENTS!!!!!!!

2009-06-22T21:55:00.005-04:00

Sorry for the delay in posting our exciting news but after the phone call of a lifetime on Friday, it has been a crazy whirlwind!!!

We have been referred a beautiful little girl!!

She is gorgeous! (But then maybe I am a little bias...)

Her name is: Feng NianQiu
Living in: Feng Cheng City, Jiangxi Province (foster care)
Her birthday is: April 25, 2008

She has a cleft lip & palate, loves to play with her toys, looking at books and listening to music. I can’t wait to learn more about her and hold her in my arms!!

I have not spoken directly to my agency since receiving her referral so I will be calling them tomorrow, until then I will not be posting pictures but I will give you a sneak peek…

I will post more details as soon as I can.

Happy Father’s Day to the best Daddy in the world!

Larry, the timing of this referral was so wonderful! What an amazing Father’s Day gift, for you to see your daughter’s face for the first time on Father’s Day weekend!! I know you are going to be the best Dad to our little princess and I can’t wait until the first moment I see the two of you together…and every moment after that!! I hope you enjoyed your day!! Next year will be even better!!!!

TOMORROW, TOMORROW, I Love Ya’, TOMORROW…

2009-06-18T22:57:00.005-04:00

You’re only a day away!!!

So…TOMORROW is the day!!!! The day we finally get to know who “Maggie” really is!

I am feeling less anxious tonight than I was yesterday. Just knowing that tomorrow is THE day has relieved some of my stress.

Today was tough until I finally got a hold of our Children’s Services office and got to speak to someone…at 3:45!!!!! ARRRHH

Why are they never at their desk or just never pick up the phone whenever I call??!!??!!

Apparently the lady that reviews the files was in meetings for 2 days and only got back to the office after lunch today…blah, blah, blah!! So she told me she would review our file and call me tomorrow.

“Maggie”,

Hold on tight little one, tomorrow Mommy & Daddy will finally get to know who & where you are. We are both over the moon with excitement and anticipation. Tomorrow is going to be the first step to “us”…the 3 of us…forever. My heart beats fast whenever I think about what tomorrow is going to be like. Your Daddy & I have waited so long for this life-changing day.
Love you forever and always,
Your Momma xoxoxo

NO CALL TODAY :(

2009-06-17T21:30:00.008-04:00

I sat on pins & needles all day at work trying to will the phone to ring but every time it rang it was not the call I was waiting for. I almost had a heart attack every time it did ring though, lol!

This is a picture of me yesterday:

This was me today:

I sent 2 emails to our local Children’s Services today and did not get a reply to either one! Tomorrow I will be phoning them and will keep doing so until I finally get to talk to someone that can give me some sort of information…even if it is to tell me they are still working on it. At least that would be something!

Here is a picture of the set up we have in our office to record the moment the call comes! I will have still pictures (taken by Donna, seen in picture) and video (compliments of Mary’s webcam).

We are so very blessed to have some of the most wonderful, caring friends. ♥ The comments are so amazing that everyone has been leaving on my blog & Face*book. ♥ Your support and encouragement during all of our stressful days has been nothing short of amazing!! ♥

Tonight I am starting to go over the immigration paperwork to keep my mind busy. And boy is it working!!! There is so much information and photocopies required it is crazy!!! Wow…I had no idea!

My Mom & Larry went for their first shot of Twin*rix today. There are pictures but they are on my Mom’s camera so I will post the pictures another time. I am waiting until we get the call and I have some information to tell our doctor about “Maggie” before I go…which will hopefully be this week!!!!!

My next question to all of you…how much do the Twin*rix shots hurt?????
I want to be prepared. My friend Mary is going with me to talk me through it so hopefully it won’t be too bad. Ugh, I hate needles!

Oh well, I will do it because I LOVE my “Maggie” and will do whatever it takes to bring her home!

Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers as we wait for the most amazing call of our lives! Every thought, prayer, good vibe or whatever is very much appreciated!!!!!!!

~ Don't forget to read the post below and submit your guess for "Maggie's" age, special need, and province. ~ If you haven't done it yet come on…make your guess now!!!

Emotional Overload!

2009-06-16T22:12:00.011-04:00

So as most of you know we were not in the last batch of referrals...

BUT…

Yesterday I received a message from Cathy at Children’s Bridge that she was looking for a copy of our provincial approval. (I was planning on sending this to her once we had a new one completed to amended the level/degree for cleft palate.) She insisted that she needed this right away for our file because she could not send out any referrals without a copy of this. She also said, “we have received more referrals” … So I called her back right away to let her know that I hadn’t sent the copy of our first provincial approval because we were in the process of completing an amended to it which I was planning on sending to them once it was finished. Of course she was not at her desk, so after calling MANY times in the end had to leave a message for her to call me back.

Today around 11:30am my phone rang and the call display said Children’s Bridge…this is when my day took the wildest turn ever!!!!!!!!!!

I told her why she didn’t already have a copy of the letter and she said it should be all right and for me to just fax her a copy of the first one we had done. She then said again, “as I’m sure you know, we have received more referrals”. She also told me that because we live out of the province of Ontario, our provincial Children’s Services would have to be the ones to call with our referral news. At the end of the call she said, “because of provincial rules I can not say much but I think by the end of the day you will have some GREAT news”. Cathy finished the call by saying she would make some phone calls to our social worker and our local Children’s Services and call me back this afternoon.

Insert here: shaking hands, the in-ability to speak, and TEARS…LOTS of tears!!!!!!

So after my mini meltdown I dug out the approval letter and faxed it her and then called Larry. He was excited but still a little in disbelief that it is really going to happen.

Not knowing what the next phone call later in the day would bring I gave my camera to my co-worker/friend, Donna, so she could take pictures of me getting the call. Another co-worker/friend, Mary, brought her personal laptop in to my office and set it up so I could record the phone call with her webcam. Everything was ready…

So I kind of fumbled through the next couple hours and at approx. 2:30 Cathy called to let me know she was in touch with our social worker and NS Children’s Services and the wheels are in motion!!!!!! So tomorrow we will set up the cameras and webcams again to try to capture a special moment...guess we will just have to wait and see!!!

I feel like I am caught in an emotional storm!!!

This journey has been LONG but during the next few days a miracle WILL happen!!!!!! ♥
_______________________________________________________________________

WHAT'S YOUR GUESS??

Lets have some fun while we wait…

Our age request was:
A girl under the age of 2 at referral

Our special needs we listed were:
Clubfoot
Cleft Palate/Cleft Lip
Missing/Additional Digits
Minor Correctable Heart Defect (VSD)

Here are your questions. Please leave your guesses in the comments below.

1. How old will she be?
2. What will her special need be?
3. What province is she living in?

Who will be closest in their guesses?

Here I sit…head spinning and time ticking!

2009-05-25T18:26:00.010-04:00

Last week I made a phone call to my agency, just for some random questions … low and behold, part way through our conversation she says, “ oh by the way we received our special needs files for this summer”

WHAT!!??

I had no idea; I thought they weren’t arriving until later in the summer.

There are 11 families waiting on the active SN list with our agency and we are #6 on the list.

Now for a little Q & A:

Q - Are we close?
A - YES

Q - Is our referral in this batch of files?
A - POSSIBLY

Q - When will we know?
A - YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE!

All I do know right now is that our little girl’s picture could be sitting on someone’s desk in Ontario as her crucial information is translated from Chinese to English.

Q - Are we “ready”?
A - UMMM…GOOD QUESTION!!

You would think after all these years I could confidently answer this question with a resounding “YES”, but for some reason now that we can see the light I am in a state of shock & panic! Every time I think about it I get butterflies in my stomach. I’m not sure if it is because it is getting close or because I am trying to guard my heart because of the unknown. As most of you know the adoption world is ever changing…you just never know when the rollercoaster could jump the tracks and get thrown off course!

But seriously…“Are we ready?”…Well, there is still a lot of preparation & paperwork to do, appointments and arrangements to be made, and a nursery to finish…but YES, YES, YES, in our heart of hearts we are more than ready for every single precious moment to come!!! Along with many friends & family!

_____________________________________________________________________

It seems I can go from a very boring, ho-hum life to a crazy hectic one with the snap of a finger. Along with all of the referral excitement I am also trying to complete the second part of the payroll course I was working on before. I am trying to get through chapter 4 and all of the assignments, essays and quizzes that go along with it before Wednesday because on the weekend I will be doing the mid-term exam. I also have 4 appointments this week after work and will be starting the immigration paperwork for “Maggie”. I would also like to fit in some time for exercise, eating and bathing sometime during this hectic week, lol!!!
How will I ever find enough hours in the day when Maggie gets here!?!?

Now back to studying...time is ticking away…

Mother's Day & Emotions

2009-05-10T17:31:00.010-04:00

Today is Mother’s Day, a time to celebrate all the wonderful Mom’s out there!!!

Today I celebrate my Mom,
she has always been,
my encourager,
my defender,
my teacher,
my supporter,
and above all…
my friend!

Happy Mother’s Day to you Mom, one of the strongest women I know!!
Love you! xoxo

Make a Smilebox greeting

This is the first year that I feel really emotional about this day. The last few years for me it all seemed surreal, that one day I would actually be a Mom. I was hoping for it to happen, and happen fast but so many obsticals have slowed our process that it just seemed like a dream.

Today I received my second “Mommy-to-be” Mother’s Day card for this year. The thought came to my head that this is probably the last Mother’s Day I will spend without my little Maggie here. Then the realization hit that she IS alive somewhere in China right now…and is probably no longer with her birth mom.

So, today my heart is a bit heavy with the thoughts of Maggie and her birthmom and the sacrifices that were made.

Maggie, my little princess, this is the last Mother’s Day you will spend without a Mommy. I am praying to see your precious face soon and long for the day I finally hold you in my arms, until then I will pray for peace and comfort for you and your birthmom.

(If you click on this graphic it will open up larger so you can read it. Then just click the back arrow to return to this page.)

Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.
- Lin Yutang

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
- Oprah Winfrey

Easter Greetings!!

2009-04-11T22:05:00.004-04:00

Happy Easter to all of you!

I hope the bunny finds you & you all enjoy a nice day with friends & family!

Time For Another HS Update

2009-04-05T21:44:00.003-04:00

Well the course I was taking has ended, YAY!!!!!!

After a lot of stressing & studying I passed my final exam with a 90%. I’m glad the course is over for now but we start the second part on April 20th, so we get a break but not for very long.

_________________________________________________________

Larry & I go to Halifax tomorrow to amend our homestudy and submit the list of special needs we feel comfortable, capable and have the resources to deal with. Then we wait for approval from the Nova Scotia Government.

It feels like it is taking forever to get to this point. Hopefully we will receive our referral in the next batch, possibly August or somewhere around there. I am excited and scared all at the same time.

Birthday Bowling Break!

2009-03-22T22:32:00.002-04:00

This weekend I took a little break on Saturday from the studying to go out for my birthday. My birthday is not until next weekend but I will need the whole weekend to study for my exam on Monday March 30. So we thought a break on Saturday for some fun would be a good idea. I had a wonderful evening with lots of fun, friends and laughter. We started the evening with some bowling and then headed home for a game of Cran*ium and a few snacks & beverages. Lisa & Jeff spent the night at our house so we finished off the evening with some games of w*ii … and finally caught some shuteye around 4pm!!

I had a wonderful evening and love all the thoughtful gifts from my friends. Thanks so much to all of you!! xoxox

PARENT - Job Description

2009-03-02T22:33:00.004-04:00

~ A friend sent this to me and I thought it was cute enough to share. ~

POSITION :

Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required,
including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends
and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina

of a pack mule and be able to go from zero

to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case,

this time, the screams from the backyard

are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,

such as small gadget repair, mysterious ugly sluggish toilets

and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance

and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually

exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment i s due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth,

unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life ...

if you play your cards right.

** AND A FOOTNOTE, THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! **

Larry & I sent our “resume's” in over 2 years ago … we can’t wait to get the call & be accepted for these positions!!!

Have You Flapped Your Jack* Today?

2009-02-24T22:07:00.005-04:00

· In Canada, the United States, and South Africa, flapjack is another term for a thin pancake that is not only crispy, but slightly chewy as well. A largely defining attribute of a flapjack is its large diameter, commonly measuring 12" (30 cm) or more.

Today is Shrove Tuesday* (pancake day), yum!! I will indulge any holiday that includes food … especially PANCAKES!

One of my co-workers, Danny (you may remember him from this post) brought all the ingredients to work for making pancakes from scratch … YES, I said SCRATCH! At lunchtime Danny went to work in the kitchen making tones of pancakes. Of course, once the aroma of pancakes wafted throughout the office the taste-testers began to arrive. We were treated to apple cinnamon pancakes and real maple syrup.

Thanks for the tasty treat for lunch today Dan!

After I left work I came home to make some more pancakes, lol!! Guess I just couldn’t get enough!

*Shrove Tuesday Traditions
Among Anglicans, Lutherans and other Protestant denominations, and among cultures in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, this day is also known as Pancake Tuesday, as it is customary to eat pancakes on this day.
Pancakes and doughnuts are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foodstuffs such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs.

Here is a good recipe for some Good Old Fashioned Pancakes.

INGREDIENTS
· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
· 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 tablespoon white sugar
· 1 1/4 cups milk (room temp.)
· 1 egg (room temp.)
· 3 tablespoons butter, melted (unsalted)
·
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Enjoy!

Snow & Ice Festival

2009-02-18T19:51:00.005-04:00

My Mom emailed me a link about this AMAZING winter festival in Harbin, in China's far northeast. These are some of the most beautiful and breathtaking ice sculptures I have ever seen.

The festival is over for this year but it would be wonderful to experience another time.

Below is the link I received and a short video of the event.

Click HERE for more about The Harbin, China - Annual Snow and Ice Festival

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Start A New Week With A Smile

2009-02-15T23:26:00.003-04:00

I found this video on You*Tube and had to share it. This little girl is absolutely ADORABLE!!

Have a great week everyone!

Love Is In The Air

2009-02-14T14:33:00.007-04:00

Happy Valentine’s Day friends!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day filled with lots of love.

______________________________________________________________________________

To my magnificent husband:

I'd like to take this time to say
just
how you make me feel.
Your smile brightens my darkest day
and makes our
friendship real.

Every time you hold my hand,
I feel butterflies
take flight,
and I find myself missing you
each time you're out of
sight.

Each morning when I awake,
you're the first thing on my mind,
and I'll protect the special bond we share
because true love is hard to
find.

You're someone very special
and this I know is true.
I'm
happier than I've ever been
and I owe that all to you.

I love you
Larry!
xoxo

Pucca Funny Love - CLICK to see how Pucca finally gets to kiss Garu

News, News and More Good News!!!

2009-02-10T23:36:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I took my payroll course mid-term exam. I was having a really hard time preparing myself for this exam. I have found this course very detailed, time consuming and lengthy. I know that it will be a benefit for me to have this certificate in the future but I sure will be glad when it is all over with! My mark for the mid-term was 88%, not the best but after all the stressing I did over it, I will gladly accept the 88% and move on.
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Now on to the BEST news …

I was very surprised to come home Friday night, after grocery shopping, to find a message left on our service from Children’s Bridge (CB). I sat down to listen to it and thank goodness I did!! Cathy called to let us know that we have finally been moved from the “Call Back List” to the “Official Waiting List”!!!!! I was so thrilled to receive this call and couldn’t wait to give Children’s Bridge a call back.

Yesterday I received the weekly newsletter from CB and noticed that there was a bit of a change with some of the estimates for referral wait times. Cathy does not work in the CB office on Monday’s so I had to wait until today to return the call. She went over the stuff in the message from Friday and I had a few questions to ask and she answered them. Then she proceeded to let me know that the next batch of files from the CCAA should arrive in April and that we could expect our referral sometime THIS SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so shocked & surprised when she said that!!! I was expecting to wait much longer! I nearly had a heart attack!

After waiting and wondering, living the last couple years with doubt and disappointment … this was AMAZING news for us!

I’m still not even sure how to express my happiness and yet I can barely contain my excitement! I want to cry, laugh, scream & dance all at once. So I found a song that suited my mood and I thought I would share it.

Take a listen, it is bound to at least get stuck in your head & make you chair dance for a bit. Enjoy the flashback!

Hold On To Your Dreams

2009-02-05T23:59:00.004-04:00

Even though we have been waiting (a very long time) ... we need to appreciate everything we already have around us.

Hold on to your dreams but don't forget to live for today.

Have a great weekend everyone!
xo

Damn ... Sam Saw His Shadow!

2009-02-02T23:34:00.006-04:00

Today was Groundhog day and it was beautiful and sunny so I guess since Shubenacadie Sam (our local rodent) saw his shadow we can count on another 6 weeks of winter.
~*Oh Yay*~ (spoken with sarcasm)
Like we didn't know that since we have a Winter Storm Warning for tomorrow.

I am so ready for winter to be over. I am tired of shovelling snow, and freezing all the time, having to wear mittens and boots and hats! UGH!!

Be gone Old Man Winter!!!

Yesterday was the South Shore gathering for Chinese New Year. It was so nice to see everyone and catch up on what has been going on. All the little ones looked so pretty all dressed up. There was a great turn out with lots of good food and it was nice to see a few new faces as well. Below are some pictures for our wonderful day.

~ Gong Xi Fa Cai ~ 恭喜发财!! ~

2009-01-26T20:59:00.007-04:00

Happy Chinese New Year Friends!!

It's the year 4707, and time to welcome the Year of the Ox!

As I was browsing the internet for information and images I came accross this story of how the years got their names. Since it is Chinese New Year I thought this was the perfect time to share it.

How the Years got their Names

The gods chose 12 animals to name the years after, but the animals argued about whose name should be give to the first year. Each animal thought he was the most important and should be given the honour. They had a terrible argument. The gods decided to settle things by having a swimming race across the river. Whoever got across first would give his name to the first year, second to the second year, and so on.
That’s not fair! said the smaller animals the rat, the hare, the snake and the rooster. Everyone knows the big animals like the horse and the ox will get there first.
Well, you never know! said the gods.
So the animals lined up along the bank. Ready, steady, go! called the Gods, and they were off. It was surprising to see how well they all swam. The ox was in the lead, for he was the biggest and strongest, but the hare and the snake weren’t far behind him. The worst swimmer was the boar, who was fat and out of condition. Grunt! Grunt! He panted breathlessly; I don't care if I never have a year named after me! And he gave up.
But the rat didn't give up! He cared very much indeed who won the race. He was so determined that he paddled and paddled until he caught up with the ox. He quickly jumped onto his back and held on tightly until the ox had very nearly reached the other side, ahead of all the other competitors. Then he jumped off onto the dry land he had won the race just ahead of the ox!Ha! Ha! he laughed, I'm the winner!
The ox had to settle for being second, followed by the tiger, the hare, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the ram, the monkey, the rooster, and the dog.
And finally, last by a long way, came the boar, panting for all he was worth!

This story came from: http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/

Some other good sites for info., crafts, cards, recipes, and other misc. stuff associated with Chinese New Year are: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year or http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/

Here’s hoping this year brings much happiness, love, fortune and joy to everyone!

Best wishes for a prosperous year of the Ox!

Here Comes The Ox

2009-01-25T18:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I spent most of the day studying but Larry & I did manage to get out for a little walk. It was cold but very nice to be out in the fresh air and getting some exercise. My weigh in on Thursday went well, I am down another 2.4 lbs. We are quickly approaching the last few meetings remaining in our 20 weeks program and I hope we can gather enough people to do it again. I am happy with my results but still have a long way to go. Having the support of co-workers and friends has really been a big benefit in the weight loss process.

I have finally finished Jocelyn’s blog header that I have been working on. Here is the link to her blog “Hanging By One Red Thread”. She is a fairly new blogger so stop by for a visit.

Last week our kitchen stove decided it was going to go to appliance heaven so Friday our new stove moved in. Today I am going to make corn chowder and bake peanut butter cookies to test it out.

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Tomorrow is the beginning of Chinese New Year. 2009 is the year of the Ox. I’m sure lots of you are out celebrating today so whatever events you are participating in I hope you have a wonderful day! Our local Chinese New Year celebration is being held next weekend. I can’t wait to see everyone and celebrate the year of the Ox…hopefully this will be the year we see “Maggie's” precious little face.

牛年吉祥！~ niú nián jí xiáng ~ Good Luck in the Year of the Ox!

Was It The Right Decision?

2009-01-21T22:34:00.005-04:00

Right after Christmas my co-workers & I started taking the C*P*A payroll course. The first part runs for 8 weeks and there are two more parts after this one. It is hard to concentrate on studying when you have worked all day doing the same thing that you go home to study. My brain is in overload, lol!!! We are in the middle of the first application and it is consuming all of my evenings and spare time when I usually read blogs and post. I am not getting to follow what everyone is up to and I really miss it. I have been trying to keep up with some of you on F*aceB*ook. If I have not already added you please feel free to contact me by email or just add me by clicking on the link on my sidebar.

I have been tweaking my blog a bit with a new header and some fresh colours…hope you like it! I still have some things to change...like the fall/autumn graphics on the sidebar but that will be a weekend project. I have a new header to work on for my friend Jocelyn. Once I get her header completed I will put a link here to her blog. She & her husband are waiting for their 2nd child from China. They should be getting the referral phone call very soon!!!!! WooHoo!!

We have some "stuff" going on right now with our adoption. Since we switched to the special needs (waiting children) program, as most of you know, we need to update our homestudy…again, to include this change. Our social worker moved quite a while ago and so we have had to find a new one to do this update. I am now waiting to hear from our new social worker with our first meeting date so we can get the ball rolling with our SN adoption.

While all this stuff is going on we were also trying to decide if it was in our best interest to switch agencies due to some recent changes they have made. After weeks of difficult consideration we started the process of switching agencies; but after some good conversations over the last 2 weeks with our current agency Larry & I have decided to remain with them. This was a very difficult decision for us and I really hope we have done the right thing...

How do you really know if what you have done is right??

Weigh In tomorrow…ugh! I really need to work hard at getting back on track with my eating since the Christmas holiday. I hope I didn’t do too badly!

So there you go that is a bit of an update of what has been happening with us over the last few weeks.

I probably won’t be posting all that much while I am taking the payroll course but I will post when I can and I will be thinking of all of you out there in blogland and missing you.

“Hello…My Name Is Nikki, And I Am A Neglectful Blogger…”

2009-01-08T22:05:00.017-04:00

Ok, I Suck At Posting But Let Me Explain…

I know you all have been busy as well and you don’t want to hear my excuses but here it goes…Christmas decorating, work,Christmas tree (*see note below), Christmas presents, visiting, Christmas baking, appointments, educational courses, Christmas Wrapping, company, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day…did I mention...

C – H – R – I – S – T – M – A – S!!!!!

~Here is a slideshow of our Christmas tree and Christmas Eve at my Mom's
house. As you will see my tree is "excessively" decorated and therefore
takes many hours.

* Approx. time for lights - 8~9hrs.
* Approx. time for decorations - 6~7hrs.

I believe I may be a little anal when it comes to the
Christmas tree, lol! But I learned from the best...my Mom's tree is on
page 5 of the slideshow...see what I mean!?!?

More Christmas pictures to come!

We had a wonderful Christmas, busy as usual and filled with lots of friends and family. We enjoyed lots of relaxing time together and had a lot of fun with our “wee” and new “wee fit”. These are amazing game systems, so fun & interactive.

Here is a picture of the fantastic gift we each received from my best friend Lisa. She makes these personalized licence plates and they are completely tailored to have what you want on them! These were such a surprise!! We LOVE them!

I plan on getting her to make more so I can give them to friends and family as gifts for upcoming occasions. Here is a close of each one...

I can’t wait to put this on my car!!!

While I was "otherwise occupied" we hit another LID milestone…2 YEARS!!! It’s hard to believe it has been that long since we were officially logged in.

Some days it feels soooo long ago and others it just feels like last week we were sending the documents off in the mail. Either way, we are and will hang in there until we are holding our precious little bambino!

Today was our first ~“Wait” Watchers~ meeting since the holidays and I was sure I had gained weight after stuffing my face all over the Christmas break but guess what!!!!!!! I LOST!!! Ok so it was VERY minimal but hey…I didn’t gain! I am now over the 25lb mark!!

SuperShopper Weekend

2008-12-10T21:52:00.001-04:00

Who said it could be Christmas time already!!!!!!!!! Since I’ve been sick time has flown by and I am way behind on all of our decorating, buying, wrapping and baking. This weekend that just passed was a very busy one but it was a great shopping weekend.

Friday evening I went with Donna for a “date night” & late night shopping…woohoo Wa1mart is open 24 hr!! Donna & I went for supper and then hit the mall for about 3 ½ hrs, then off to WallyWorld for some shopping & laughs…we finally left there at midnight. One of our co-workers is leaving for Australia on Sunday so in honour of his trip here are pics of 2 very jealous girls.

Usually when Donna & I go shopping there is more laughing than shopping and tonight was no exception!! Thanks for another fun night!!

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Saturday was another special shopping trip. Lisa & I have not had a good full day shoppy trip in approx. 9 years. So finally after being long overdue we made plans for a shopping extravaganza!!! We had a wonderful day together shopping, laughing, and reminiscing.

Lisa & I went to college together and then we lived beside each other for a few years. 8 ½ years ago Lisa & her husband Jeff moved approx. 1 hr. away. We still see each other occasionally but they are now proud parents to 2 beautiful & sweet girls and are a very busy family.

This was a very special day and I am hoping we can make it a bi-annual event…what do you think Lisa…a trip in the summer and a trip in the winter??

Here we are with some of our loot for the day!

Phew...I am still recovering after this busy, busy weekend but it sure was worth it!!

'Tis The Season...

2008-11-24T18:49:00.004-04:00

to be sick!

Yuck! Today is day #3 of achy ears, sore throat and a nasty cough.

I went to work today but boy am I regretting it now. I think I should have stayed home and rested because now I feel twice as bad as I did this morning.

Stay well everyone cuz this SUCKS!!

Weight Loss & Fun Friend Friday

2008-11-20T22:04:00.009-04:00

Today’s weigh in was a wonderful surprise!! I lost 2.2lbs and this means I finally reached…

I am so happy and surprised!! It has been quite an up hill climb but I have the feeling that now that hill will get even steeper!

I AM going to give it my all though!

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I am really excited for tomorrow!! After work a bunch of us girls are getting together for supper with 2 of our girls that were left go back a few weeks ago.

After supper we are going to draw names for “Secret Santa Sister”, then before Christmas we are going to get together at Donna’s new place and exchange gifts!! I can’t wait to know whose name I have so I can get shoppin’!!!

This is the first time for some of us being back together so I’m sure there will be a lot of chatting and plenty of laughs…but NO TEARS, we all have had enough of that, right girls???

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting...

2008-11-19T23:04:00.006-04:00

I have sent the email to my agency...

I haven't received a responce...

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Tomorrow is our weigh in at work for "Wait" Watchers...I don't think this is going to be a good one...

Getting Closer Causes Questions...

2008-11-17T23:13:00.003-04:00

I am contacting my agency tomorrow concerning our SN adoption. This is quite a few times we have been in touch lately because we are very close to actually being on the "Official Waiting List" and not just the "Call Back List".

It seems like the closer we are getting, the more questions I have...

Having all these questions & concerns swirling around in my head is making me crazy!! I guess this is one of the "symptoms" of being a waiting parent...

Pumpkin Path Pictures

2008-11-13T20:24:00.008-04:00

These pictures are from last month but I thought they were fun and I wanted to share them. Enjoy!

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I have notice that a few people have been signing my guestbook on the right side of my blog. I love that you are taking the time to do this but the last few people who have signed it have not signed their name so I don’t know who any of the well wishes are from. PLEASE, if you sign our guestbook put your name at the bottom so we know who you are and if you have a blog please share it so I can visit you as well.

Thank you to all the friends that have been following our journey and have taken the time to comment or send emails to encourage us during this long wait.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends & family! xoxo

A Day of Pride & Remembrance

2008-11-11T13:21:00.004-04:00

“On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918, the guns of World War I fell silent. Now, come and remember all those who have fallen in all wars and who still die for their countries...”

Remember the heroes…

For our tomorrow,
They gave their today…

I watched these two videos this morning and was very touched by them. I hope you enjoy them as well. Take the time...watch & remember...

This is the video I posted last year for Remembrance Day but because it is so special I thought it was well worth posting again. It is an amazing song!

It's Been A Rough Week But As Far As Weight Loss Goes...

2008-11-07T10:18:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was our weigh-in day and I finally made it over the 15 lb mark!!!! I can't believe we are already on week 9! Only 11 more weeks to go and then we are all on our own!!!

I was so happy to have had a loss today because after the week I had last week I was sure I was going to gain...

We have had some adjustments at work early last week and have recently lost some people due to restructuring. One of the girls we lost was my bestest girl LeeAnn.
(((HUGS))) Miss you girllie! xoxo

I/We have had some very tough days and we are all trying to get through this as best we can. I'm sure in time we will all get back in the swing of things. But at work there will always be one missing pea from the pod...

Helpful Dos & Don'ts...

2008-11-06T20:00:00.003-04:00

These tips were posted on Waiting For Baby Mia and I thought they were great so I borrowed them to share with you.

For those that don't know, there are some things that need to be done a bit differently when bringing home an adopted child.
There are attachment issues to consider. For example, we're told to not allow anyone else to hold the child for the first 4-6 weeks and to lay low, stay home, have very limited visitors. All of this is to help with the critical period of attachment.

All of us adoptive folks have had to read books on this topic, attend workshops, etc. So, we feel pretty comfortable with what needs to be done. However, it's another thing to sometimes try and explain it to friends and family. I have heard of other folks really struggling with it.
There are some great resources out there. But, for those folks that will be part of the community of people welcoming home an adopted child (friends and family), you may want to check out the list of helpful hints below.

It's a list of "Dos & Don'ts" for folks on adoption and attachment. It comes from a site that deals with attachment in adopted children, A4EverFamily .

Dos & Don’ts for Family & Friends of Adoptive Parents

Do
1. Offer household help (running errands, preparing meals that can go right from the freezer to the oven, etc.) so the mother can spend more time holding the child.

2. Trust the mother’s instincts. Even a first time mother may notice subtle symptoms that well-meaning family and friends attribute to “normal” behavior.

3. Accept that attachment issues are difficult for anyone outside of the mother to see and understand.

4. Be supportive even if you think everything looks fine to you.

5. Allow the parents to be the center of the baby’s world. One grandfather, when greeting his grandson, immediately turns him back to his mom and says positive statements about his good mommy.

6. Tell the baby every time you see her what a good/loving/safe mommy she has.

7. When the parents need someone to care for the baby for a night out, offer to babysit in the child’s home. (After the child has been home for a substantial period of time.)

8. As hard as it may be for you, abide by the requests of the parents. Even if the baby looks like she really wants to be with Grandma, for example, she needs to have a strong attachment to her parents first. Something as simple as passing the baby from one person to another or allowing others, even grandparents, to hold a baby who is not “attached” can make the attachment process that much longer and harder. Some parents have had to refrain from seeing certain family members or friends because they did not respect the parents’ requests.

9. Accept that parenting children who are at-risk for or who suffer from attachment issues goes against traditional parenting methods and beliefs. Parenting methods that work for many children can be detrimental to a child with attachment issues.

10. Remember that there is often a honeymoon period after the child arrives. Many babies do not show signs of grief, distress, or anxiety until months after they come home. If the parents are taking precautions, they are smart and should be commended and supported!

Don’t
1. Assume an infant is too young to suffer from emotional issues related to attachment. Babies are not immune.

2. Underestimate a new mother’s instincts that something isn’t right.

3. Judge the mother’s parenting abilities. What looks like spoiling or coddling may be exactly what the child needs to overcome a serious attachment disorder. Parenting methods that work for many children can be detrimental to a child with attachment issues.

4. Make excuses for the child’s behaviors or try to make the mother feel better by calling certain behaviors “normal”. For example, many children who suffer from attachment issues may be labeled strong-willed by well-meaning family members. While being strong-willed can be seen as a positive personality trait, this type of behavior in an attachment-impaired child may signify problems.

5. Accuse the mother of being overly sensitive or neurotic. She is in a position to see subtle symptoms as no one else can.

6. Take it personally if asked to step back so the parents can help their child heal and form a healthy and secure attachment. You may be asked not to hold the baby for more than a minute. This is not meant to hurt you. It is meant to help prove to the baby who his mommy and daddy are. Up until now the child’s experience has been that mommies are replaceable. Allowing people to hold the baby before he has accepted his forever mommy and daddy are can be detrimental to the attachment process.

7. Put your own time frames on how long attachment should take. One mother was hurt when she was chastised by a relative who couldn’t understand…after all, the baby had been home six months. It could take weeks, months, even years. Every child is different.

8. Offer traditional parenting advice. Some well-meaning family members will tell a new mother not to pick the baby up every time she cries because it will spoil her. A child who is at-risk or who suffers from attachment issues must be picked up every single time she cries. He needs consistent reinforcement that this mommy/daddy will always take care of her and always keep her safe.

9. Fall into the appearance trap. Some babies/toddlers with attachment issues can put on a great show to those outside of the mother/father. What you see is not always a true picture of the child. Even babies as young as 6-months-old are capable of “putting on a good face” in public.

10. Lose hope. With the right kind of parenting and therapy, a child with attachment issues can learn to trust and have healthy relationships. But it does take a lot of work and a good understanding of what these children need.

Thanks for reading!

2008-11-03T05:35:00.001-04:00

Have a Spooktacular Halloween!!

2008-10-30T22:35:00.005-04:00

"May Jack-o-lanterns burning bright
Of soft and golden hue
Pierce through the future’s veil and show
What fate now holds for you."
~Author Unknown

Here is our pumpkin...not very scary but I like it!

DON'T FORGET, TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO VOTE!!!

Please vote for me in The Halloween Blog Contest that is happening over at The Seventh Diamond. If you like what you see just send a quick email to timnkim@gmail.com and vote for THE PRICELESS PRINCESS!!

Thanks for the votes & I hope everyone has a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Another Month Gone By...

2008-10-29T22:42:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday to My HUBBY!!

2008-10-29T06:00:00.004-04:00

Today is my wonderful husband Larry's birthday.

I hope with all my heart that our daughter is here to celebrate with him on his next birthday.

I can hardly wait to hear her little voice say to him..."Happy Birthday DADDY!!"

Enjoy your day off birthday boy!!
xoxo

We Picked a Peck of Pumpkins!

2008-10-28T22:25:00.004-04:00

These are all the pumpkins that Donna & I picked at the pumpkin patch.

Pictures of the carved pumpkins comming soon!!

I'm Fessing Up

2008-10-26T18:09:00.007-04:00

Pro.cras.ti.nate
verb, -nat.ed, -nat.ing.
1. to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

So by now I’m sure you can all tell I am a bit of a procrastinator. Unfortunately Fliss knows this all too well. ;o)

My posts are always late and by the time I get some of your posts read my comments are the very last or I just don’t bother because you have many newer posts. I may not always comment but I am reading and thinking of all of you . Sorry to say I have always been like this and probably always will.

I will continue to post things that are current and from the past just so that it will be recorded here. That way when we look back after we receive a referral we will hopefully be able to see what we were doing on or around the day she was born or found.

So with that said here are a few pictures from a local farm where my friend Donna and I went a few weeks ago to pick out our pumpkins.

Please remember that I am also participating in The Halloween Blog Contest that is happening over at The Seventh Diamond. So if you like what you see just send a quick email to timnkim@gmail.com and vote for THE PRICELESS PRINCESS!!

2008-10-18T23:49:00.001-04:00

I Need You To...

2008-10-14T23:54:00.000-04:00

NO, not for the elections, for my blog in the Halloween Contest at The Seventh Diamond. If you like my Halloween makeover all I need you to do is send an email to timnkim@gmail.com and vote for THE PRICELESS PRINCESS!! I was a late entry so I need all of the votes I can get!!

Check back often because it is a work in progress and I will be adding new things as I can figure them out, lol.

Thank you to everyone who votes!

I would also like to say a big WELCOME to anyone who is visiting my blog for the first time because of the Halloween Contest. Please say "hi" in the comments so I know who you are and enjoy your stay!

2008-10-14T18:33:00.002-04:00

Happy Canadian ...

2008-10-13T18:48:00.004-04:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family & friends!

Be thankful for all that you have and count all your blessings every day!

Does This Remind You Of Anyone?

2008-10-07T21:27:00.003-04:00

A co-worker told me to check out this video because it reminded her of someone we work with.

This is friggin’ hilarious!!

Do any of you work with someone like "Cindy" from the video?

21

2008-10-06T21:51:00.006-04:00

Just for formality sake I thought I would post this…

Last Monday marked another month of waiting for our little “Maggie” from China. They say “absence makes the heart grow fonder”…I’m not sure I can grow any fonder before my heart bursts right out of my chest!

21…wow, I still can’t believe it!

Here is a poem I stumbled across a few months ago.
It just felt so fitting for this post.

You Are Mine
by Kelly Feichtinger

I love you
though I have yet to see your face.
You are mine.

I dream of holding you in my arms
my child from far away
You are mine.

I lie awake at night
Imagining who you will be.
You are mine.

I prepare our home and my heart
to receive such a precious child.
You are mine.

I pray for your happiness and safety
until I can be the one to provide it.
You are mine.

I hold my breath
as we wait for the call.
You are mine.

I will the time to fly by
as we wait for permission to travel
You are mine.

I feel as though my heart will burst
when you are placed in my arms.
You are mine.

You rest your soft cheek against mine
and sigh contentedly.
I am yours.

Scarecrow Weekend

2008-10-03T23:49:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow we will be having our 2nd annual Pumpkin Party. Everyone will bring a pumpkin and we will carve our designs together, then we head up to the festival. This is the weekend of The Scarecrow Festival in our town so one of the activities we will enjoy will be the “pumpkin walk”. This is an evening event where there are many, many pumpkins carved and lit up along a road. The road is closed to cars and people can walk along and enjoy cookies, apple cider and a talented local singer. Then there will be fireworks to end the festivities and we will all head back home for a few drinks around the campfire.

I can hardly wait to enjoy it again this year!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Depressing Results

2008-10-01T22:25:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday we had our 2nd weigh-in with our “Wait” Watchers group at work. Unfortunately I got bad news…I gained 0.2 lbs! :o(

I was sooooo disappointed, discouraged and baffled. I kinda’ felt, like this pug looks...

I have been sticking to the program since we started and I have been very strict with myself about drinking LOTS of water, getting exercise and eating right.

Our WW group leader thought that my gain might have been the effects of some “womanly bloating”, so I got back on track for this week and I am hoping for a great weigh in tomorrow!!

Gracias Mamá & Amigo!

2008-09-23T22:14:00.006-04:00

This is my Mom, last night she came over to help me hang “new” curtains in our living room. We have been a very long time without curtains on our windows in the living room because I was hoping to get blinds instead of curtains. For months I have been searching for the perfect set of blinds.

Have you ever known in your head exactly what you want but are unable to find it for real? Well that was my situation with the blinds for our living room windows. I guess my friend LeeAnn got tired of seeing my windows bare because she actually gave me these curtains.
Thanks so much LeeAnn, they really changed the look of my room and I love them!!

BIG hugs to my Mommy!!
Thanks for all your help last night! ~xoxo~

Weigh Day Results!

2008-09-18T18:07:00.010-04:00

Everyone in our group had weight loss this week!

Between all of us we lost over 60 lbs!

Congratulations to all my co-workers who are working so hard so that they can live happy & healthy lives!!

Weigh Day #1

2008-09-17T20:25:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is the big day…the weigh in at work for our “Wait” Watchers group. I am so excited for our first weigh day. I hope I lost some weight or I am going to be very discouraged because I have stuck to the program and counted every single point, every day since we started.

I will report back tomorrow and let you all know how it turned out!!

Catching Up With Bullets

2008-09-14T20:21:00.004-04:00

Some quick bullets to catch up, because the days keep slipping by and my posts are few and far between…

· So Larry is now back to work after a long time off due to shoulder surgery and extended physiotherapy. He is working some odd hours and I am missing him like crazy when he works in the evenings. After having him home all the time for the last few years, this is going to take a lot of getting used to. I hope it will get easier as time passes.

· Thursday was our first ~“Wait” Watchers~ meeting at work. For the next 20 weeks we will have meetings at work and encourage & support each other through this weight loss program. I have been excited to start so I hope I will do well.

· Thank goodness vacation season is soon over. I feel like I have been at the office more than I have been home.

· Last weekend Larry & I enjoyed an evening of N!ntendo “wee” with friends. We had a super fun night and can’t wait til’ Christmas because now the “wee” is at the top of our wish list. So Santa, if you read my blog add us to your list of “wee” requests this Christmas.

· Larry, Mom, Len & I went out for supper, at a local restaurant, a few weeks ago and I was so shocked when our meal arrived I just had to snap a picture. I ordered fish & chips, and check out the size of this!

(Some words in the above post are spelled wrong on purpose so that my blog does not show up on every search for this weight loss & game system)

I am very sad to see it go but I hope you all enjoy the last full week of summer!

Pictures...Finally!

2008-09-03T19:14:00.005-04:00

After a lot of time and work here are some of my favourite pictures from our vacation to PEI.

I loved making this so I hope you enjoy the show!

(If you click on the corner above, where it says scrapb1og, it should open another window so you can see the pictures larger)

Hopefully it was worth the wait!

The Big Two-Oh!!

2008-08-29T19:31:00.001-04:00

Work In Progress...

2008-08-12T22:32:00.004-04:00

I am still working at getting a post done from our vacation to PEI. We did so much while we were there that it is taking me a long time to get through all of the pictures.

I am such a picture freak that I have over 900 photo's from our vacation to go through and figure out which ones to share with all of you. I can't narrow it down enough so that you all won't fall asleep before the end of the slideshow, lol!

Hopefully by the end of this week I will have something put together.

Here is a little sneek peek...

We finally had a warm & sunny day today! (We have been having a lot of rain lately.) LeeAnn & I went to the beach today to soak up some rays and relax. We had a nice day and I hope we have a few more so we can do it again before the end of summer.

Enjoy your week everyone!

Today Is The Beginning...

2008-08-08T22:15:00.003-04:00

of the 2008 Beijing Olympics!!!

Amazing Talent

2008-08-07T21:27:00.000-04:00

I have been watching America’s G0t Ta1ent this year and some of the contestants win your heart & vote with their introduction stories they tell before they perform, and others just hit a more personal note. The video below is a little girl named Victoria Jacoby, she is a beautiful girl adopted from China when she was 6 months old. Victoria is a very naturally talented child that has stolen my heart. I was totally in awe as this little girl addressed the judges and performed her talent with ease. A few episodes back Victoria was evicted from the competition. Unfortunately this week one of the acts that were remaining in the final 40 spots on the show had a serious injury forcing them to withdraw. Therefore, there is now an open spot in the contest and they are letting America choose who they want to put back in the competition and Victoria is one of the possible eight acts to vote back in!!

Take a look at the video below and after you watch it if you feel that Victoria should be put back into the competition then click HERE and vote for her.

I'm Back ... Kind Of ...

2008-08-04T19:34:00.004-04:00

Late last night we arrived home and tomorrow I head back to work...

Vacation went WAY too fast, but we had a great time and can't wait to go again.
(I hope we will be going next year to meet Fliss ... hint, hint) ;o)

Deb - Not sure how I missed your comment a few posts back, but I did. Sorry we didn't get chance to meet up this time but we will be back soon and hopefully next time we will get to meet your little one as well!

I will do a proper vacation post sometime this week and post lots of pictures too.

(I tried to add a few pictures tonight to hold you over but Bl0gger is being a pain in the butt and won't let me, I guess you will just have to wait.)

FINALLY ON VACATION…

2008-07-31T23:22:00.001-04:00

Romance Is In The Eye Of The Beholder

2008-07-23T22:08:00.002-04:00

Larry & I spent a quiet anniversary together. My wonderful husband had a beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered to me at work. He also made me supper and I brought home carrot cake for dessert. Then we relaxed for the evening and watched a movie.

As you will see in the pictures my anniversary gift was a tent. Some people may not think a tent is a very romantic gift but those people have obviously never been camping alone in the woods with their hubby! LOL! You will also see from the pictures, my “romantic” gift for Larry was an electric flyswatter!

And just imagine these “romantic” gifts are after only 2 years of marriage, lol!

To My Soul Mate, Best Friend & Partner

2008-07-15T17:33:00.001-04:00

Two years ago on this day I married my best friend. That was one of the greatest days of my life.

Larry,
Everyday I cherish the relationship we share and look forward to many, many more years together.
Thank you for making the last two years so special!
Love Nikki
xoxo

Vacation Postponed

2008-07-13T20:52:00.001-04:00

Well I decided on Friday afternoon to change my vacation … it was supposed to start tomorrow but based on the weather forecast I decided to change it. So now I’m not sure now which week to change the start of my vacation to.

I can either take the week of the 21st or the week of the 27th. If I hold off and choose the week of the 27th then not only will we still be going to PEI on vacation BUT we would also be going with our friends Lisa & Jeff, Erin & Derek … PLUS all (5) of their kiddos. It would be so fun to go with all of them and it would be like pre-parenting boot camp for Larry & I, lol!

There are some factors that will make the date choice for me but I think it is obvious which week I would prefer … fingers crossed that everything falls into place!!!!

So for now it is back to work with vacation pending …

Enjoy your week everyone!

Soon Vacation Time!!!!!!

2008-07-10T20:09:00.003-04:00

So the weekend is on the way and tomorrow afternoon will mark the beginning of my vacation!!!!!!!

I am really looking forward to my summer vacation because Larry & I are heading to Prince Edward Island for a few days to relax and have a good time at some great theme parks and beaches. Tomorrow night we are going to plan our trip and decide what will be the main adventures for each day.

Saturday we are going to Lisa's house for a get together with a few friends. It should be a good time; we usually play lots of outdoor yard games and have a campfire and lots of laughs. I'm sure there will be pictures to post afterwards.

Enjoy Your Day!!

2008-07-07T21:51:00.001-04:00

For My Friends South Of The Border...

2008-07-04T19:45:00.001-04:00

Enjoy your long weekend with friends and family!

An Evening at the SPA!

2008-07-02T21:09:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago some girls and I got together at my friend LeeAnn's house for a "spa night". This was such a fun & relaxing evening with the girls. We did facials and pedicures, all the while enjoying some different drinks and girl time! Here are a few pictures from our evening.

Thanks for a great night ladies, it was just what I needed! I can't wait to do it again!!

Happy 141st Birthday Canada!!

2008-07-01T01:27:00.005-04:00

I hope all my fellow Canadian's enjoy the holiday and all the festivities that go along with it!

Be safe & have fun!!!

#18

2008-06-29T14:53:00.003-04:00

After Larry & I spent an evening at the beach this week reminiscing about our LONG wait for "Maggie" ... here is my post to mark our 18th month waiting.

We both are looking forward to the day we can bring our little one to the beach to make footprints in the sand.

Rearranged or Deranged?? UPDATED

2008-06-05T20:17:00.003-04:00

Look at my blog … notice anything wrong??

Ummmmm … my sidebar has taken a trip down south!! Look down, look WAAAAAY down!!

I’m not sure what happened but something went wrong after my last post. I hope I can figure it out. If any of you have any ideas of what I can do to fix it I sure would appreciate a comment or an email.

** I messed around for a while tonight and seemed to have the problem fixed. It did have something to do with my last post, not sure what but it doesn't matter because it is fixed now.

I am happy again! **

About a month or so ago I offered to make my friend, Natalie, a header for her blog. Around the same time she received her referral for her adorable daughter Anna. Here is her header and if you would like to check out her blog just click on her name above.

Now on to my new CAR!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Larry thinks I am crazy, but I have given her (my car) a name … her name is Paris. I guess this just goes to show how bad I want a child; I will even name my vehicle, lol!!!!!!

If any of you have named your vehicle (or any other “strange” object) please let me know in my comments below!!!

Have a good FRIDAY!!!

Lisa ... A Friend Like No Other

2008-06-02T20:36:00.006-04:00

"Many people will walk in,
And out of your life,
But only a true friend,
Will leave footprints in your heart." ~unknown

Happy Birthday to my closest, dearest, & best friend, Lisa.
I hope you have a great day and I can't wait to see you this weekend!!

Ooops ... I Missed It Again!!

2008-06-01T22:25:00.005-04:00

The months keep flying by but I'm not sure if we are actually getting any closer?!?!

Anyway for what it's worth ...

Oh, by the way WE GOT THE CAR!!!!!!
I will post more about that later with pictures!!

I Survived!!

2008-05-25T20:12:00.002-04:00

Everything went well and I made it through the week! It was actually quite quiet and I got some work done that has been lying around for a while.

Larry and I have been looking at cars the last few weeks trying to decide if we wanted to buy new or used. A while ago I posted that we had been looking at the Ponti@c V!be and fell in love with it; so we went to test drive one and kinda’ liked it but wanted to look at some other options as well. While at another dealership Larry saw a nice looking vehicle and wanted to test-drive it … so we did … and we LOVED IT!!!! The sales man (Steven) let us bring it home for the weekend to test it out.

Here is a peek at it:

OOHHHHHH! AAHHHHHH!!

(I will post more pictures if we seal the deal!)

We just got home from taking it back to the dealership and we have one more think to check before we make out final decision … INSURANCE, YUCK, but hopefully it won’t be too bad and we will have a nice “new” Chrysler PAC!F!CA in our driveway later this week!!!

I would love to have comments from anyone that owns one or knows someone that owns one, just to know their opinion of the vehicle after having it for a while.

Have a great week all!

Sad News

2008-05-22T20:21:00.004-04:00

Words cannot express how saddened I was today to hear the shocking news of the accidental death of Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest daughter, Maria. CLICK HEREto go to his website and HERE is the link for a special blog set up to share your condolences.

Below is a video of a song Steven had written it is called "Cinderella". This is a song that was written about his 2 youngest girls. After the song Steven Curtis Chapman shares the inspiration behind the lyrics of this song.

My heart has been so broken since hearing the news, Such a horible tragedy. I pray that God will comfort the Chapman family during this difficult time. Our greatest sympathy is extended to the Chapmans.

ARRRHHHHHH!!!!

2008-05-19T22:21:00.005-04:00

What happened to my long weekend???!!!

It can’t be over, what happened to Saturday & Sunday?!?!?!

I can't believe it is Monday already!!

I am really dreading this week, can ya’ tell?!?

I am behind at work and both of my co-workers are out for the week!

I am really gonna' need some help getting through this week alive!

PLEASE, JUST WAKE ME WHEN IT IS OVER!!!!!!!!!!

NKOTB!?!?

2008-05-15T20:14:00.003-04:00

How many of you were fans of New Kids On The Block?

Well guess who is BACK TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!

I was a HUGE fan ... back in the day.

Joey Mac was my fav, who was yours??

NKOTB WILL PERFORM LIVE FOR FIRST TIME IN 15 YEARS ON NBC’s ‘TODAY’ SHOW IN A SPECIAL SUMMER CONCERT ON MAY 16!! (My recorder is set to tape the show already!)

Check out this interview with them:

Here is their new single, "Summertime":

Mother's Day Wishes

2008-05-11T21:16:00.004-04:00

FOR MY MOMMY!

2008-05-09T07:41:00.000-04:00

Secret Revealed

2008-05-08T21:57:00.003-04:00

Last week we received our secret pal gift in the mail, it was so well worth the wait! What an amazing package of gifts we received! In the picture you can see the cutest pair of ladybug jammies and a stuffed ladybug too. I have decided that the stuffed ladybug deserves a spot on my desk at work so I can see it every day. Larry absolutely loved, loved, loved the Footprints plaque. The books are super and we were very happy to add them to our ever-growing collection.

Our secret pal revealed herself this time and I was so excited to see that Norma was my secret pal! Norma was the secret pal that we bought for in our very first exchange. Thank you so very much for all the thought and time you spent buying us just the perfect gift each and every exchange. I appreciated all the small details of personalized handmade cards and lovely wrapping paper. It was certainly a pleasure getting to know you during this exchange and I hope we will stay in contact.

Norma, I know you are dealing with some very difficult things right now. You are in my thoughts often and I pray that you can find peace as time passes. Take care and keep in touch.

Introducing Tempelton!

2008-05-05T18:16:00.004-04:00

Saturday Larry & I went to our full day of PRIDE training. This session was especially interesting and I felt like I am definitely on the right track with all of my reading and research about attachment and bonding. Right from the very start of this adoption process we were told to read and learn as much as we could get our hands on about this topic. We only have 4 more evening sessions left and then we will be all finished the PRIDE training.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day. Larry cleaned our cars while I did garden/yard work. I love getting all the summer furniture and decorations back out, it just seems to bring our yard back to life. We also refilled all of our hummingbird feeders but as of today I still haven’t caught sight of any. While I was working in the garden I had a visitor hop by so of course I had to get my camera and snap a picture of him.

Sweet(?) SIXTEEN!!!

2008-04-29T19:14:00.003-04:00

Dear Baby Maggie,

It has been 16 months since Daddy & I were logged in with the CC@@. In this amazing journey to you we are learning many things. One of the most important things we have learned is the ability to love someone unconditionally with all of our heart, being & soul even before knowing who they are, or what they sound like or look like.

These past few months have been long and trying at times but we do not regret any of it, not one second, for we know that one day our lives will be complete… and that will be the day we finally meet you…

and until then we are…

Still wishing...

Still hoping...

Still aching…

Still wanting...

Still dreaming...

Still longing…

Still yearning...

Still craving...

Still praying...

But above all, we are…

Still waiting... waiting... waiting...

And for you, we will wait as long as it takes… this I promise you, my princess.

Thinking of you always and loving you forever,
Mommy & Daddy
xoxo

Volunteering For A Fun Festival!

2008-04-25T23:16:00.001-04:00

Every year our little town has a festival for all ages, it is called The Great Scarecrow Festival & Antique Fair. Click HERE for more information.

I have posted about this festival before but this time I am not posting because it is time for the festival but because I have started working as a volunteer helping to fix up and create new scarecrows. There was and advertisement in our local paper looking for volunteers for different positions on committee for the festival. Without volunteers from the community the festival will not be able to keep going, so since I enjoy it so much each year I decided to join in the fun and help out. This will be a great way to pass some of the wait time for our adoption as well.

Donna, my Mom and I spent a full Saturday working on some of the scarecrows. We looked through all of the items that have been donated and then we had fun painting new faces and fixing up some scarecrows from previous years. I can’t wait to go back another day and work some more.

I would also like to send some get-well wishes to my Mom who recently had a nerve block. My Mom goes in for this procedure twice a year for her chronic back pain. She is spending the weekend resting and recovering.

Monday ... Again ...

2008-04-21T22:05:00.003-04:00

Well back to Monday already! YUCK! The weekends go by way too fast!

* I spent the weekend relaxing and trying to beat this cold. I am getting better now.

* Tonight I have been making a new blog header for a friend. I have also been thinking of someone that has had to make a very difficult decission ... (((HUGS))) my friend!

* Tomorrow night is our 2nd night of PRIDE training.

Not much exciting going on here so I will post some pictures.

Here is Larry & I holding Larry's cousin, Andrea’s new baby. His name is Colton and he is such a cutie!!!

And this is Paige, Colton’s big sister. Isn't she a doll??

Have a great week everyone!

We’ve Cleared The Last Hurdle!

2008-04-17T22:07:00.002-04:00

The end of February we were contacted by our agency to advise us that the CC@@ was requesting updated information from us.

I was flooded with mixed emotions. I was glad to hear that we finally made it to the review room but scared to death that this might be where our journey to our little one would end.

I gathered up the information they were looking for and faxed it off to our agency right away. After lots of emails and phone conversations with a very patient and helpful contact at our agency I finally sent the original documentation requested and waited to here some good news.

I have been on pins and needles for almost 2 LONG months but today, I finally received the long awaited for email:

“We confirmed with the CC@@ last night that they received the documentation and your file is proceeding at the CC@@.”

I have never been so happy to read an email in my life!

For those of you unsure of what all this means, a quick summary would be that China has review our file and they approved us to be parents to one of their beautiful, amazing, wonderful, breathtaking children!!

Of course just to let you know, this does not shorten our wait time. It certainly does ease our minds though, knowing that we are now just* waiting, and no longer waiting & wondering if we would be approved.

* this is not to imply that the wait has all of a sudden turned into a cake walk, lol

Fresh Hope ...

2008-04-15T20:25:00.008-04:00

Some of you will already know this but I want to give an update of where our adoption journey is leading now … As all of you know wait times for China have grown out of control and the uncertainty is very frustrating (to say the least).

Last night Larry & I attended the first night of PRIDE (Parenting Resources Information Development Education) training. We are participating in these sessions because we have made the decision to peruse domestic adoption while we wait for our little one from China. This was a tough decision but we feel that it is the right choice for us at this point in our lives. Regardless of the outcome, this training will be very valuable in the future for us as parents to our child or children … whatever the plan may be. We have many sessions of the PRIDE training to come over the next couple months and look forward to learning together.

DISCLAIMER:
THIS IN NO WAY MEANS WE ARE GIVING UP ON OUR ADOPTION FROM CHINA.

When Larry and I got home last night from the training session, I stepped out of the car guess what I heard ... SPRING PEEPERS!! What a wonderful sign of spring! We have been having some spring like weather finally and tomorrow is supposed to be another nice day.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat, achy ears, nagging cough and a headache. I hope I am feeling good enough to go for a nice long walk after work tomorrow that always makes me feel better.

I’M IT!

2008-04-10T21:03:00.005-04:00

I have been tagged by Darcie @ "DND’s Adventure’s in Asia". So here we go with my answers:

Four jobs I've had:
1. Payroll Administrator
2. Receptionist / Administrative Assistant
3. Printing Press Operator
4. Customer Service Representative

Four shows on my Tivo:
1. ER
2. Surivor & Big Brother
3. One Tree Hill
4. Two and a Half Men

Four Places I have been:
1. British Columbia
2. Quebec
3. New York
4. Prince Edward Island

Four favorite foods:
1. Potatoes - cooked, fried, baked … whatever
2. Seafood
3. Cereal – anytime of the day
4. BBQed anything

Four Cd's I've recently listened to:
1. Taylor Swift
2. Steve Miller Band
3. Colbie Caillat
4. Flo Rida

Four things you can do to make my day:
1. Warm my car up for me when it is cold out. (Thanks Larry, xoxo)
2. Make me laugh
3. Make memories with me
4. Be a true friend … I can’t stand fake people
** I also like Darcie’s answer … “Comment on my blog”

Now I have to tag 4 other lovely ladies.

Danni @ LayDFrog
Lea @ Lea’s Musings
Sherri @ Journey To Nikki
Kerri @ The Monkey King

I can’t wait to read your answers!

Happy Birthday to ...

2008-04-08T18:29:00.001-04:00

DORIS @ 3D's

I always enjoy reading your blog. You are an inspiration, a motivation and a friend to all of us waiting Mommies.

Enjoy your special day girl, you deserve it!!!

Drop by Doris's blog and leave her some birthday wishes.

Birthday Recap

2008-04-03T18:58:00.003-04:00

Thank you to everyone for the nice birthday wishes on my last post. I celebrated my birthday on the weekend with lots of friends, fun, and a few drinks!!

Here are a few pictures from the evening ... enjoy!

Busy Birthday Fun!!

2008-03-28T21:05:00.005-04:00

I had a very good birthday with lots of good wishes from friends and family. I came home tonight to K*F*C for supper and ice cream cake for dessert, yummy!!

A few weeks ago I broke my camera at my friends birthday party and I was devastated. Taking pictures for me is like breathing. The best gift I received today was a new camera!!! Woo Hoo!! I will be putting it to good use tomorrow night. A bunch of friends are getting together for some drinks and dancing to celebrate my birthday with me. I’m sure that outing will deserve a post all it’s own, lol!

Tomorrow we are also going to "late" Easter dinner at my Mom's house. As you know my Mom and I were away from home last weekend so we decided to have our usual Easter dinner this weekend instead.

Busy, busy day tomorrow and then recuperating on Sunday before heading back to work on Monday.

I hope you all ...

Welcome Spring!

2008-03-26T21:54:00.004-04:00

Some bullets to save time:

* I have started playing around with creating new headers for my blog and I love making them!! I still don't know how to change the background colour of my blog but someday I will get it, lol!

* I have some pictures to add from last weekend but they are on my old camera and I do not have them off yet.

* A few weeks ago I broke my good camera that I use all the time. Grrr....

* Plans are being made for me for the weekend and I am getting very nervous/excited. I think my friends and hubby are up to something ... hummmm ...

Hippity, Hoppity Easter Is TODAY!

2008-03-23T00:21:00.004-04:00

I hope you all have a wonderful day spent with lots of friends, family, food and of course ... CHOCOLATE!!

I was looking for a video to include in my post tonight and I found this. It is not really related to easter but there is a bunny in it and he is adorable! The song is really nice it you listen to the words. Enjoy!

I have enjoyed the last 2 days with my Mom. One day we relaxed and the other day we shopped our buts off! I'm sure I will probably post more about this in another post since my Mom got me something special for Easter while we were shopping.

See You Soon Mom!!

2008-03-19T21:31:00.003-04:00

I've been missing my Mom since she has been staying with my nephew, Colin, for 3 days now. It is really weird not getting her phone calls at work. I will be heading up on Friday to stay with them for the weekend.

Every year when Patricia (my stepsister) and her husband (Stephen), go on vacation my Mom goes up to stay with Colin. I am really looking forward to going up and doing some “city shopping” but I am sure the stores will be crazy on Saturday with people last minute Easter shopping.

It will be crazy, but I'm sure it will be a blast!!

See you on Friday Mom!!!
xoxo

Luck O' The Irish To Ya'

2008-03-16T21:02:00.006-04:00

for the comments!

First of all THANK YOU for all the encouraging comments on my previous post. I am still dealing with this issue and I am hoping that it will be resolved this week.

I am always amazed at the wonderful support that comes from all you bloggers that I have never actually met. Starting this blog was something I was hesitant on doing and now I can’t believe I even thought twice about it.

I feel very fortunate to have the support of all of you.

It Never Rains, But It Pours!

2008-02-26T22:21:00.006-04:00

Have you ever wondered what the definition of the word QUESTION is, well here you go:

ques·tion [ kwéschən ]

noun (plural ques·tions)

Definition:

1. written or spoken INQUIRY: a request for information or for a reply, which usually ends with a question mark if written or on a rising intonation if spoken
Does anyone have any questions?

2. DOUBT: a doubt or uncertainty about somebody or something

3. ISSUE: a matter that is the subject of discussion, debate, or negotiation

Encarta® World English Dictionary

So because of Inquiry, Doubt & Issues; I am so deep in paperwork right now!!

I am freaking out!

The paperwork is smothering me and I can’t breathe … thoughts are rushing around in my head … bad, awful and worse! I am in stress mode...

Something I was hoping would not happen ... has!

I will update as soon as I can.

Please keep us in your prayers for the next few days.

This too shall pass ... sooner than later I hope!