My great friends!!

Four awesome friends of mine had a baby shower a couple weeks ago! I'm so behind, as you can tell that I haven't posted pictures of anything lately. I'm thinking this will be more of a site for when we travel to keep those informed. I'm keeping a personal journel for baby girl to put in her life book that's more private. The thought of those viewing this that don't have the best intentions in mind is not thrilling to me. I'm a bit of a private person.
Back to the shower, it was fun that my nieces were in town from LA (2 of them anyway) so they got to come and we had a great weekend with them and their 2 little ones. I received all kinds of great gifts from everyone and lots of donations for babies orphanage that I'm just thrilled about! They said they need over the counter meds, band-aides, sippy cups, diaper rash cream and $$. I'm planning on taking 2 suitcases full. My sister went above and beyond with her gifts! She gave my almost 5 year old and baby matching denium jean jackets from the gap with their names embroidered on the back in pink! So cute! AND a huge bag full of cute clothes, a soft purple blanket with her name on it AND her SVAN high chair in espresso color with pink cushion! The girl will be styling when she's eatting. I'm so excited to get it! They had the cutest cake done with her picture on it and in Vietnamese it said "congratulations!" It was the sweetest thing. Many great friends got to come, I love all my friends but don't always get to see them that much. I also had a few special family members come and it was just the best! Thanks so much girls! I'll have to post pictures later.

Another travel group is leaving this week. The other three should arrive home this weekend with their sweeties. We're not sure when the next group goes. It could be as soon as the end of May or it could be mid June. And of course we have no idea what group we'll be in. Sometimes you get 10 days notice! Well I'm not ready yet anyway! My sister is flying in from CA tomorrow and she said she'd help me get organized. I haven't even started! Just have bins of baby stuff in her room. Cribs not up yet, (hint, hint honey!), haven't shabby chic'd her dresser yet, haven't bought all the nessessity stuff I need yet, just getting our shots for travel tomorrow! Really looking forward to that! AND we're putting our house on the market! Yeah we like to keep the stress level at an all time high always!
promise I'll post pictures later-no time to proof my writing either!

So excited!

Some friends of mine from our agency are traveling this week! So excited for them to finally hold their babies! You can follow their travel at Susan's blog- http://fromgodsarms.blogspot.com and Sarah's blog -http://ledtovietnam.blogspot.com they leave this Friday and will arrive Saturday morning. Keep in mind there's a 12 hour time difference. Sarah's son and Joan's daughter are all in the same orphange as our baby so we may get pictures and video if they have time. We'll all pray they have smooth travel!

Spring is here!

Love this weather!! It was 75 and sunny in the great midwest today! Gotta love that after icky snow and ice storms all last month. It was great to get out and bike ride with the kids, play basketball, and play at the park! I want to get in better shape before our trip to Vietnam so I won't get worn down and can also keep up with 3-kids at my ripe old age!!
Some friends of mine are planning a celebration shower for me and I'm looking forward to it. Two of my nieces will be here from California and we'll be celebrating with pictures of other babies from her orphange, stories, drinks, food, and great friends and family! In the meantime we're all waiting for the next travel group to get TA! They've been waiting forever! Two of them have baby's in our little one's orphange so we are hoping they get pictures and maybe a video shot of our doll.
Next week Soccer season starts already. And our son has his 10th (I can not even believe it!) birthday! He wants an ipod because his mp3 player isn't as cool as his friends. He also wants more DS games. He loves figuring out cheats to get further in the game. We look them up online. Everything is so technical these days!
I feel like I have nothing to say! Same old, same old! My creative brain is just gone! My memory goes back about 30 seconds and that's it! I seriously have LOST my memory! I have to constantly make lists! Any suggestions?

Love the Media

I've had several make comments to me still about Angelina's adoption from Vietnam and don't we wish we were her so we could get our child within 3-weeks. Seriously, you can't always believe what you hear from the media! My response is just, "I'm thankful that little boy now has a home and parents." Here's what her agency said..

Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:20 pm (PST)Heidi Gonzalez, Vietnam Adoption Coordinator for Adoptions From The Heart, has issued the following response to inquiries regarding Angelina Jolie's adoption from Vietnam. "In applying to adopt 3-yr-old Pax Thien, Ms. Jolie followed the same course as all prospective adoptive parents who apply to our Vietnam program. Throughout her adoption process, which began in the summerof 2006, she has received no preferential treatment from the Vietnamese government or Adoptions From The Heart, and contrary to earlier reports, her application was not fast tracked. Despite rumors that she chose her child, Ms. Jolie received a referral, just like any other parent adopting from Vietnam. In late 2006, she was referred a child who had been legally determined to be available for adoption and who fit within the parameters for which she had been approved to adopt. She accepted the first and only referral given to her. In addition, we can confirm the statement given by Nguyen Van Trung,Director of Tam Binh Orphanage, that Ms. Jolie has neither made, nor promised to make, any financial contributions to his orphanage. Adoptions From The Heart celebrates the miracle of adoption with the Jolie-Pitt family, as we do with all of our clients, and wish them much joy."

How Could You Know?

As you lay sleeping far away as still as you could be...
How could you know the joy today this photo brings to me?
A few short Months and you'll be mine, and "I" will soon be "We".
How could you know the love I feel? It's something you can't see.
So have sweet dreams, my precious babe. Sleep well and tenderly.
Some say that you're the lucky one. How could you know it's me? !!

-Kris Laughlin