The whirlwind of Christmas is now dying down. It felt kind of crazy - between working on Christmas Eve, getting my turkey cooked and ready for transport and then heading to Mike's Granny's house. the weather was great on the way there. We had a really nice time with Mike's brother and his family, cousin Ryan and Andrea, Uncle Frankie and Granny. It was nice to catch up with everyone and just spend a nice evening together. The drive home was not so great - major white outs - but we were happy to be home by the time we got here.
Christmas Day we headed to my parents home. Luckily, the flu bug that had been going around a few days ago had made its rounds and was gone. We had a good time playing Wii, opening presents and eating way tooo much!!! Val and I battled it out in fishing and shooting ducks, pop cans and whatever else we could - when the kids were distracted from 'Rock Band'. Baby Mosey (as our baby is know in my family - the kids are responsible for that one) even got spoiled with his/her first Christmas gifts - some new books, a teddy bear and a Christmas bib for next year.
Boxing day was pretty quiet. We spent the day lounging and reading the new books we got. In the afternoon we headed to my Aunt's house for a little party for Aunt Dorthy. Had a great time there!! Then it was off to 'Cober' Christmas to see my Dad's side of the family. Good to catch up with everyone again!
Phew - not sure why we feel the need to pack so much into such a short time frame. But i guess that is what Christmas is all about - celebrating with family. Mike has declared that next year Christmas is at our house!!! Yippee - see you all then :)
Now to enjoy the rest of our time 'off''. We are both back to our regular work schedules - with the exception of New Years day and the 2nd for me. We are celebrating New Years Eve with some friends by going out for dinner - i look forward to it every year!!!
Hope you all had a nice holiday and have a happy New Year!!!
Oh ya -there were also a few referrals announced over Christmas - congrats!!!! We are slowly moving up the list.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
From our house to yours...
We will soon be starting our Christmas 'running around' - visiting family here and there. Hopefully the weather will co-operate. We are definitely looking forward to celebrating the holidays and hopefully (?) a little R&R before its back to work again.
Congrats to those with recent referrals and to those travelling to Ethiopia right now!
Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!! I hope you enjoy good times with family and friends, good treats and good eats. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle don't forget to take a minute and reflect!! For us this past year has been crazy - beginning this adoption process and learning ALOT!!!!! It is so amazing to be that much closer to starting our family! It would be easy to dwell on the wait and how hard it is, but this Christmas I am trying really hard to remember how far we have come and the amazing gift we will eventually receive :) Don't worry - in a few weeks i will be moaning again about the wait times and how it seems like forever -but for today and hopefully this Christmas season - i choose hope.
Ho ho ho!!
Congrats to those with recent referrals and to those travelling to Ethiopia right now!
Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!! I hope you enjoy good times with family and friends, good treats and good eats. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle don't forget to take a minute and reflect!! For us this past year has been crazy - beginning this adoption process and learning ALOT!!!!! It is so amazing to be that much closer to starting our family! It would be easy to dwell on the wait and how hard it is, but this Christmas I am trying really hard to remember how far we have come and the amazing gift we will eventually receive :) Don't worry - in a few weeks i will be moaning again about the wait times and how it seems like forever -but for today and hopefully this Christmas season - i choose hope.
Ho ho ho!!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas at our house
So this is what 'Christmas' looks like at our house this year.
I think my shopping is done. There is just one more thing I would like to pick up. However, with me there is always 'just one more thing'. I actually think i am starting to get better. I did a bit of shopping tonight and i am still doing OK. I should probably soon head for the couch though. There is a new Muppet Christmas special on tonight and I love the Muppets!!!
I am looking forward to the weekend. There is supposed to be a big snow storm - which i love as long as I am at home and don't need to go anywhere - which is exactly what will happen this weekend. My niece Dayna is coming for a few days. She lives about 1 1/2 hours away so we don't always get to spend as much time together as we would like. I am going to get her to help me with some gift wrapping (she is an expert!!) and some baking! Looking forward to it!! It will be so much fun. She is here for a few days and then off to my brothers to do the same thing with Auntie Val. Then we will take her home on Christmas Eve on our way to Mike's Granny's house.
I am looking forward to the weekend. There is supposed to be a big snow storm - which i love as long as I am at home and don't need to go anywhere - which is exactly what will happen this weekend. My niece Dayna is coming for a few days. She lives about 1 1/2 hours away so we don't always get to spend as much time together as we would like. I am going to get her to help me with some gift wrapping (she is an expert!!) and some baking! Looking forward to it!! It will be so much fun. She is here for a few days and then off to my brothers to do the same thing with Auntie Val. Then we will take her home on Christmas Eve on our way to Mike's Granny's house.
Of course never far from my mind is what it will be like to have a baby in the house for Christmas. Last year at this time we were still trying fertility treatments with no real hope that they would work. Although the wait for our baby may be long, we know for certain that at the end of all this waiting there will be a baby coming to this house and thats what counts.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
2 down
Well - the ticker says its been 2 months since we started waiting for our referral. Hmmm - i won't go into how it feels like forever. But i will say i am glad that first 2 months is over with. Some of it i spent on the couch with some good drugs and my heating pad...i think that helped to get my mind of the waiting (mostly cause my brain was so foggy I didn't know anything!!).
If the wait times weren't always changing i could calculate how many months are left but we just don't know. I was shopping with my mom the other night and we saw the beautiful little baby Christmas party dresses and she told me that next year we will be buying one - so I am going to go with that!!
So, here's to 2 months down!!!
If the wait times weren't always changing i could calculate how many months are left but we just don't know. I was shopping with my mom the other night and we saw the beautiful little baby Christmas party dresses and she told me that next year we will be buying one - so I am going to go with that!!
So, here's to 2 months down!!!
Monday, December 8, 2008
out and about
well - this weekend i managed to get out of the house a few times!!! it was so worth the pain and minor set back. Yes i did over do it - but you gotta live a little! Friday, Mike and i had a mini date. we went to this Christmas market i had heard about. it was fun - lots of people and good smelling food. i realised the other day when i was decorating that we didn't have a Santa anywhere - must have at least one Santa on hand- so that way my purchase. i picked out one i thought was cute. then the cashier showed me how to press a hidden button - and Santa breaks out into song a dance. hmmm - not exactly what i had in mind- but it was cute so what they hey. We also managed to have a late lunch and do just a wee bit of shopping. I slept good that night
Saturday i woke up feeling energetic and got to some work around the house that i had been dreaming of doing for so long (like ironing is a momentous occasion!). So, i puttered to my hearts content - but when i finally stopped and sat down - i realized i had way over extended myself. So we took it easy Saturday night and i think i was in bed before 9.
It was soooo nice to get to church on Sunday!!! It was great to see my friends, sing some carols. But i think i knew by the time i got there that it might have been a mistake. Sitting still isn't so great so between the car ride and the hard seat...well you can guess that i was looking forward to my couch again.
Sunday evening Mike's brother and family came over to watch our local Santa Claus parade. They all bundled up and headed down town and AJ and I watched from inside. AJ is our new little nephew. I think he liked the lights anyway.
Needless to say, i didn't manage a full day of work today. And i felt guilty but a girl's gotta get out of the house some time!!! I am really hoping that tomorrow will be my first full day. I have been a good girl this afternoon, resting and relaxing so I am thinking it will be all good tomorrow! I am also looking forward to a hair cut - its 4 weeks over due so i am feeling a bit shaggy.
Congrats to Karen and the rest of the families who will soon be travelling to pick up thier Christmas presents (aka babies!!) VERY excitiing for things to be moving along!! Can't wait to hear of your travel plans!!!!!
Saturday i woke up feeling energetic and got to some work around the house that i had been dreaming of doing for so long (like ironing is a momentous occasion!). So, i puttered to my hearts content - but when i finally stopped and sat down - i realized i had way over extended myself. So we took it easy Saturday night and i think i was in bed before 9.
It was soooo nice to get to church on Sunday!!! It was great to see my friends, sing some carols. But i think i knew by the time i got there that it might have been a mistake. Sitting still isn't so great so between the car ride and the hard seat...well you can guess that i was looking forward to my couch again.
Sunday evening Mike's brother and family came over to watch our local Santa Claus parade. They all bundled up and headed down town and AJ and I watched from inside. AJ is our new little nephew. I think he liked the lights anyway.
Needless to say, i didn't manage a full day of work today. And i felt guilty but a girl's gotta get out of the house some time!!! I am really hoping that tomorrow will be my first full day. I have been a good girl this afternoon, resting and relaxing so I am thinking it will be all good tomorrow! I am also looking forward to a hair cut - its 4 weeks over due so i am feeling a bit shaggy.
Congrats to Karen and the rest of the families who will soon be travelling to pick up thier Christmas presents (aka babies!!) VERY excitiing for things to be moving along!! Can't wait to hear of your travel plans!!!!!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
congrats
Congrats to 2 families who received referrals this week! One set of twins and a single boy!!! The referral for the single boy only took 7 months - so here's to nice time lines! What a great Christmas present for these families!!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Updates
Hey! Its me again! Thought it was about time I let you all know I am still alive (but not exactly kicking yet).
I am feeling much better these days! A run in with my sciatic and a pulled hamstring landed me in bed for a while but i am feeling much better. i am still taking it easy though and working 1/2 days this week till i feel like i can sit again for a period of time. I am also working from home and managing to get caught up from the 2 1/2 weeks that i missed. Mike has been amazing. Its pretty humbling to be completely flat on your back and helpless. He gets an A+ for looking after me so well.
Hard to believe its December -November seemed to fly by (could have been those muscle relaxers!!!). Over the past week i have managed to decorate for Christmas. Mike got all the stuff down for me and the tree set up and the outdoor lights set up. Little by little i got the tree decorated and found homes for all the rest of the stuff. I have decided to make Christmas a bit easier - won't be baking the 6 or more kinds of cookies - maybe one or two will have to do this year. After being cooped up in this house for close to 3 weeks, I am hoping to be able to do something 'Christmasy' this weekend. There is a Christmas market in down town Kitchener and I am hoping we will be able to go and check it out this weekend. Also, we have our small town's Santa Claus parade on Sunday night. The parade happens to go down our street, so we will have the opportunity to watch from our house. Mike's brother and his family are going to come and watch with us.
Reno updates - well, things have kind of slowed down in that department. I think after Christmas we will get at it again. The rooms have really come a long way - but its nice that we can close the doors and not think about them till we have the time to work on it again.
Baby updates - well, nothing is really happening for us right now. We are waiting of coarse for our referral. Seems like time lines are getting longer every day. When we started this process we were told to expect 12-18 months from start to finish. I had heard stores of the process taking as little as 9 months!!! Now, I think that could be expanded to 24 months. It all hinges on when we get our referral. Right now its taking 8+months. That will bring us to June or longer. This also brings us dangerously close to court closures (courts close for 2 months every fall). Folks who got stuck in court closures this year will probably be traveling in Jan/Feb/March to pick up their babies. Now i know this is alot of speculation and chances are pretty good that we might miss the closures. BUT if we get stuck in closures the reality is that we wont be bringing our baby home till 2010. Now you might call be pessimistic - but i call it realistic. I am starting to try to accept that there is a good possibility we won't have a baby home for next Christmas. If we do i will be the happiest mommy on the block!! BUT I guess i am trying to guard myself from more disappointment. So, I am trying to get myself used to the idea of 2010. Trying to think of the positives - more time to get that baby room done, more time to pay off adoption loans before mat leave starts, more time to learn to be patient?! :)
Didn't really want to leave this on a depressing note. I am extrememly thankful to be feeing better, for my wonderful hubby who takes such good care of me and I am getting very excited about Christmas! Although i hate it, I think the snow helps me to get in the mood. Thanks to all of you for your kind wishes while i was sick. I think Mike had fun posting and hope he does it more often.
brenda
I am feeling much better these days! A run in with my sciatic and a pulled hamstring landed me in bed for a while but i am feeling much better. i am still taking it easy though and working 1/2 days this week till i feel like i can sit again for a period of time. I am also working from home and managing to get caught up from the 2 1/2 weeks that i missed. Mike has been amazing. Its pretty humbling to be completely flat on your back and helpless. He gets an A+ for looking after me so well.
Hard to believe its December -November seemed to fly by (could have been those muscle relaxers!!!). Over the past week i have managed to decorate for Christmas. Mike got all the stuff down for me and the tree set up and the outdoor lights set up. Little by little i got the tree decorated and found homes for all the rest of the stuff. I have decided to make Christmas a bit easier - won't be baking the 6 or more kinds of cookies - maybe one or two will have to do this year. After being cooped up in this house for close to 3 weeks, I am hoping to be able to do something 'Christmasy' this weekend. There is a Christmas market in down town Kitchener and I am hoping we will be able to go and check it out this weekend. Also, we have our small town's Santa Claus parade on Sunday night. The parade happens to go down our street, so we will have the opportunity to watch from our house. Mike's brother and his family are going to come and watch with us.
Reno updates - well, things have kind of slowed down in that department. I think after Christmas we will get at it again. The rooms have really come a long way - but its nice that we can close the doors and not think about them till we have the time to work on it again.
Baby updates - well, nothing is really happening for us right now. We are waiting of coarse for our referral. Seems like time lines are getting longer every day. When we started this process we were told to expect 12-18 months from start to finish. I had heard stores of the process taking as little as 9 months!!! Now, I think that could be expanded to 24 months. It all hinges on when we get our referral. Right now its taking 8+months. That will bring us to June or longer. This also brings us dangerously close to court closures (courts close for 2 months every fall). Folks who got stuck in court closures this year will probably be traveling in Jan/Feb/March to pick up their babies. Now i know this is alot of speculation and chances are pretty good that we might miss the closures. BUT if we get stuck in closures the reality is that we wont be bringing our baby home till 2010. Now you might call be pessimistic - but i call it realistic. I am starting to try to accept that there is a good possibility we won't have a baby home for next Christmas. If we do i will be the happiest mommy on the block!! BUT I guess i am trying to guard myself from more disappointment. So, I am trying to get myself used to the idea of 2010. Trying to think of the positives - more time to get that baby room done, more time to pay off adoption loans before mat leave starts, more time to learn to be patient?! :)
Didn't really want to leave this on a depressing note. I am extrememly thankful to be feeing better, for my wonderful hubby who takes such good care of me and I am getting very excited about Christmas! Although i hate it, I think the snow helps me to get in the mood. Thanks to all of you for your kind wishes while i was sick. I think Mike had fun posting and hope he does it more often.
brenda
This is our house decorated for Christmas last year - just a little more snow than we have right now!
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