Stork Alert

The stork alert has been sounded by CCAI. They have confirmed that referrals have been mailed from China!

Little stocking

well, this picture doesnt do it justice. But........in a previous post I noted how striking it was to me to see the empty place between mine and Jimmy's stockings. (I decorated those stockings for our first married Christmas, by the way. see the little heart in the toe-sweet) anywy.......My secret pal sent the little stocking in the middle as a container for some scrap booking materials. Its so cute, I had to go ahead and hang it in the middle. Doesnt it look wonderful there? seems kind of symbolic ---a little stocking to stand in until I make her one next year.

Secret Pal Continued

This is a brag book in which my secret pal has already decorated most of the pages---which is great because she is obviously a champion scrap booker (which I am not) and all I have to do now is insert pictures. cool! She also sent a plethora of scrapbook supplies and left some pages blank for me to do. My friend is thinking of having a scrapbooking party/class in January, so I'm all set!

Secret Pal Continued Again

In this book, I can insert Amelia's picture and have a personalized Christmas book featuring my own little elf.

To the left is a littlie Carters Reindeer that plays Jingle Bells when you press her tummy. sweet.

My Secret Pals always make me cry. They will never know how much their packages mean to me. I get reminded twice per month that I have a daughter in this world...........I just dont *physically* have her yet.

Here's the letter that came in my package today:

In this box you will find a little heart and soul put into a gift for you. You will find a little light to see you through your journey. You will see some trinkets to keep your hands busy and a little lovie to hold while you wait. I hope that this Christmas you will find a renewed joy in knowing that it will be your last as a family of two and the next time you put up a tree or bake Christmas cookies, it will be with your daughter by your side. Merry Christmas, Your Secret Pal

Book Review--Transracial Adoption

Are Those Kids Yours? By: Cheri Register

This book was loaned to us by our Social Worker, Joan. Since we have had some people in our lives that have been less than supportive of our decision, we naturally had some concerns about how to best help our child navigate the questions and racial issues that she will encounter having parents who are obviously not biological.

I liked this book alot, even though none of the families featured in it adopted from China. It really doesnt matter, since the topic at hand applies to most any family that has adopted a child of an obviously different race. Most of the families in the book had adopted from Korea, India, or Latin America. It featured interviews with the parents and sometimes the kids, and featured families who had adopted both infants and older kids.

I expected a book on this topic to be dry reading, but because it had interviews, quotes, and vignettes from actual adoptive families, it was really quite interesting! I also enjoyed learning about the experiences of people who adopted from other countries and what that experience was like.

I should note though, that this book is quite a few years old, so info about the various adoption programs is not necessarily current. The racial/attachment/family issues are timeless though.

It was an interesting, informative, easy read. I liked it.

Little Baby on the Hay

Art by Mary Englebreit---A Christmas Treasury

Little baby on the hay

teach us how to live the way

that brings us

Peace and Light

----unknown

Ladybug trials

Hey! I forgot to tell you all what one of my little office ladybugs did the other day. 4 of them kind of do their own thing, but the fifth little lady is a real handful.

I had to make a presentation at a training thingy here at work. So I'm down in the Eventide room sitting at the presentation table, just starting my little hoodoo and a bug falls from my big ol mug onto my hand. Well, naturally I jumped a mile, but on closer inspection, it was my mischievious little lady. At first I was afraid that she had climbed out of the mug, and that I had poured my hot coffee right on top of her---but she wasnt wet and didnt seem too distressed. She was down right smug now that I think about it.

She must have stowed away on the handle of the mug. So anyway, as I began talk, I was afraid that she would crawl away and get seperated from her ladybug friends up in my office, ( not to mention that I've become very superstitious lately and I felt letting her get away was bad luck) so I spent the whole 30 minutes trying to make a presentation while simultaniously keeping the little lady from crawling away. Talk about distraction.....I doubt 2 sentences were strung together correctly. Finally, she warbled inside my portfolio and stayed there the rest of the time. I think she was sulking..................or was bored by my presentation, I dont know.

On a side note.........this is the same one that crawls back and forth on the ceiling over my desk much of the day. I think she's trying to read my e-mails.

But I'm not gonna make an issue of it. ;)

Yes, Virgina

A print by Mary Englebreit--one of my favorites. www.maryenglebreit.com

Love Came Down at Christmas

.

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely; Love devine.

Love came down at Christmas,

Stars and Angels showed the sign.

----Christina Rosetti

Jimmy and I have seen 3 movies in a week and a half. its a movie marathon! (Chronicals of Narnia, Pride and Prejudice, and King Kong) He went to see Pride and Prejudice with me, so I went to see Kong with him.

Kong was about 45 minutes tooooooooooo long. But...........I have to say, I learned a powerful life lesson from this movie. And here it is>>>>>>>>

4 inch heels are ALWAYS appropriate............even when climbing the Empire State building to cuddle with a big monkey. :)

Christmas Brunch at the Georgian Terrace

I had brunch on Sunday at the Georgian Terrace with waiting China moms, Sonia, Lisa, and Jill. Although the food was---well, well just say less than anticipated----I had a great time! as usual, the lunch ended up lasting a good 2 hours, and with 4 cups of coffee and a big piece of red velvet cake....I was a happy camper.

knocking the little children out of the way to get our picture with the tree..............just kidding...........they were done........really! :)

Lobby Christmas tree---Georgian Terrace This hotel is on Peachtree street in Atlanta and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Margaret Mitchell turned over the manuscript for Gone with the Wind in the restaurant, and the premier party for the movie was held here. Its also directly across from Atlanta's historic Fox Theatre and it was fun watching all the moms and little girls in their Christmas dresses going to the theatre to see the Nutcracker.

Amelia cleans up at the Christmas Brunch. Thanks everyone, what great gifts!

Sonia prepares us for the squatty potty experience----Charmin to go---who knew? 

Family Christmas in Alabama

4 Generations of Women. (with the exceptions of the little screeming elf in the middle) On saturday, I went home to Alabama to have Christmas lunch with the aunts, uncles, and cousins. The closer I get to becoming a mom, the more I realize the importance of family. I hate that I only see some of my cousins once per year. I would really love for Amelia to grow up playing with her cousins on holidays and summer days at the lake like I did.

Amelia's cousins at the kids table for our family Christmas lunch. 

Words To Live By

Seeing is not believing. Believing is seeing.

From---The Santa Clause

I didnt hang the stockings with the middle space open on purpose, but when I saw this picture, it struck me.........that next year Amelia's stocking will hang right in the middle. 

The Bennetts spend a lovely afternoon decorating the Christmas tree. 

Peanut enters a zen like state and begins planning her route of attack. 

Christmas tree----post Peanut attack---nuff said 

Peanut relaxes after a job well done 

Book Review--The Good Earth

. As I wait to bring home my Chinese daughter, I am reading everything I can get my hands on related to Chinese history and culture, both fiction and non fiction. I'm also reading my share of adoption related books, as well as general parenting/baby/toddler care books. So! I've decided to do a book review once a week until I travel. Please feel free to leave your comments/opinions about the featured books, and tell me what you are reading!


As you know, The Good Earth is a classic. I read this for a book club and really like it. Here is a summary from the book cover: "In the Good Earth, Pearl Buck presents a graphic view of a China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings for the ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that occured in the lives of the Chinese people during the twentieth century."

I like this book because it gives you a glimpse of what life was like for a very average Chinese family during the early part of the century. This family deals with poverty and plenty at different times in their lives. They survive feast and famine, relationship upheavals, love and hate, fear, jealousy and pride---much like all families, but they live it against the backdrop of the cultural and political world of China............... and what a differnt world it is.

The story also highlights the unique difficulties in life for Chinese women and daughters during this time in history--- a time when daughters were routinely sold as slaves or killed at birth during times of hardship.

The author, Pearl Buck, is a fascinating woman who lived half her life in China and had an obvious love and respect for the Chinese people. She is interesting to read about in her own right, and my copy of the book has pictures and a small biography of Ms. Buck. She actually started one of the very first Chinese adoption programs after returning to the United States late in life. You can read more about her at this web site: www.english.upenn.edu/Projects/Buck/biography.html

Life Lessons....Contributed by Tricia

Life Lessons

Sent in e-mail by my friend, Tricia

A man had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest to view a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in the summer, and the youngest in the fall.

When they had all gone on the quest and returned home, he called them to him to ask what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and covered in ice.

The second said no, it was covered with green buds and new promise.

The third son disagreed. He said it was laden with blossoms that were young and sweet and beautiful.

The last son disagreed with them all: He said it was heavy with fruit, and full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all judging the value of the pear tree after only seeing one season of its life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, a person, or an experience, from observation of only one season. The true essence can only be judged after the tree has experienced all its seasons.

"If you give up when it's still winter, you miss out on the promise of spring, the beauty of summer, and the fulfillment of autumn.

May we all be so wise in judging other people, and in holding to the promise of the spring, summer, and autumn in our adoption process.

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