handsful

We have no idea how long we’ll be waiting for our referral from China. We hope to meet Lainey in 2007, but it could even be 2008. So, to help us endure the looonng wait, we have Secret Pals. Let me explain…

I belong to two online Yahoo groups made up of other ladies also awaiting a referral from China. The groups are arranged by the date that your adoption paperwork went to China…so we’re essentially all in the “same slow boat to China” together! One of my groups is the July Fireflies. This group is made up of ladies across all adoption agencies, and there are members from all across the US and beyond (Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, etc.). The other group is called June-July CCAI. This group is for only those moms within our agency, Chinese Children Adoption International. As you can tell, both groups are for those whose paperwork arrived in China in July.

Each group has come up with activities to make our waits more enjoyable AND to help us to get to know each other. There is a good chance that some of us will be traveling together to China, because travel groups are made up of those with close LID dates. Both groups are doing a Secret Pal gift exchange each month. So, after all that explanation, here are pictures of the Secret Pal presents I received from both groups in October!

June/July CCAI group…books theme

July Fireflies group…bathtime theme

The boys are playing for the Red Sox again this year, with Dad assistant coaching. So, for a while, our Saturdays will be spent watching them hit, catch, and run! Thought I’d share a few pictures from last week’s game.

Baseball Brothers

EJ…Coach calls this “baseball ready” position

Pate…swinging for the cheap seats!

Janet (see the link to her site on the right!) invited me to join in the fun of revealing 5 weird things about me. Gee, like this is something I should make somewhat public?? Hee hee…

1. I label everything. I have one of those handy-dandy Dymo printers. I type in the info. and it spits out a perfect little label, all ready to peel and stick. I label anything and everything (so far, no people have been harmed…)

2. I don’t use condiments. Ketchup, mayonaise, mustard, nothing. Plain Jane, that’s me.

3. I LOVE to organize things (hence, the reasoning behind #1). Give me a junky drawer and some time and I’m in heaven.

4. I have a scar on my upper lip that I was born with. It’s basically an in-utero self-repaired cleft lip. I could have had plastic surgery as a child to smooth it, but I never bothered. Hardly anyone notices now, but it was darker as a child. My cranio-facial professor in grad school thought it was the coolest!

5. I’m a pillow snob. Gotta have MY pillow when I travel. Will they allow a pillow as a carry-on to China??

Feel free to consider yourself “tagged”! Either email your responses to me or let me know if you’re answering on your website or blog so I can see how weird YOU are!

Thought I’d share a few pics today. Most everyone else is bringing out the long sleeves and sweaters or even getting ready for snow (Hey, Janet!)…we’re enjoying the last few days of pool weather :)

Say cheese, guys!

The girls are always ready to pose!

Weeping willow branches become swords in the hands of my boys!