Moving is not fun!

The above print is of Vietnam. My MIL bought this for Rich and I and gave it to us last week while she was here for her visit. Isn't it beautiful? I especially like it because it is a black and white print. Now, we just have to find a room to hang it.

Urgh. Work this week has not been fun. Our office is moving so it has been very hectic. Most of my files were packed away by a temp last week, so it has been so hard to find what I need. My office is a disaster and nothing is in order. I am a very organized person and can be a little anal when it comes to cleanliness and organization. I can't keep my head straight while working in such a mess. It's distracting. Oh well, It will all be over Monday. I will have to finish packing tomorrow and then I am working all day Saturday to make sure files are put away in their proper place. I am not looking forward to it. I cherish my Saturdays because that is usually the one day that Richard and I can spend together. Oh well, it's really no big deal. It's just one Saturday so I need to just get over it, right? I know. I am being a baby :-)

On a much brighter note, Richard and I are leaving Tuesday afternoon to meet my whole family at the beach! We all (about 17 of us!) rent a big beach house in Gulf Shores. We have been doing this since I was about 2. It's so much fun and really the highlight of my summer.

I am keeping my fingers crossed and saying a prayer that our agency gives us a big referral update tomorrow!! Now that would make for the start of a great weekend!!

Welcom, Friday Morning!

South VietNam in Mytho. I love how big their smiles are! They must really be having a great time!

I am always glad to wake up to a Friday morning!! My mother and Robert came into town on Wednesday and left this morning to go back to Memphis. I have seen her almost every week since summer began and I love it. The time we spend together is so special to me and I want to take advantage of our time together because in the next year who knows where Rich will take a job and how far away we will have to move. Right now it is just a three hour drive. Next year we could very well be a plane ride away.

The visitor's keep coming!! This afternoon Richard's mother is supposed to come into town to stay with us thru Sunday. His cousin is having a baby shower on Saturday and I can't wait. It is her first baby and really the first baby for Richard's side of the family. Everyone is so excited!!

We got an update yesterday from our agency. 2 new referrals. Yea! 1 for a healthy toddler boy who is 3 1/2 and the second was a 7 month old girl from the waiting child list. Also, 8 families got travel approval. Congratulations to all the families!!

They hope (We hope!) to have more referrals next week. Let's keep our fingers crossed!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!!

Glad it's Friday!

These are Bang Lang Flowers. When they are in blossom, it announces the coming of summer. Summer is definitely here in Tennessee.

I am so happy to finally be at Friday!! This weekend should be really nice. Other than dinner reservations we have nothing major going on. This is good.

Tonight we are having dinner with friends. Really casual. Tomorrow I plan on cleaning, laying out by the pool and then Richard and I are going to celebrate our anniversary that was on Monday. It's just no fun to celebrate on a Monday.

I am hoping for an update from our agency today. Gosh, I would love to see some news about referrals!!

Oh! I have found a song that I am in love with. It is Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks. It's so sweet! If you haven't heard it, you really must listen. This link will give you the lyrics. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dixiechicks/lullaby.html

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UPDATE: Well, we got a program update from CHI. New travel dates were given, but no new referrals. It is disappointing that there are no new referrals, but great news for the families who are traveling to get their little ones. It seems like it has been a really long time since any referrals have been received. Maybe it just seems that way to me because now I am actually on the list and these new referrals will affect our placing. Oh well. Maybe next week?? Congratulations to the families who have received travel dates!! I am excited for you all!!!

2 Years ago today...

I just wanted to write a quick entry today because it is our 2nd year wedding anniversary. It has gone by so fast! I feel so blessed to be married to Richard. He is such a caring person. I realize not every man would agree to adopt when he has no reason to believe we could not have a biological child. It means so much that he is willing to open his heart to a child in need. My life so far with him has been filled with so much joy and happiness. I love him to no end. I am so excited about our future and I am in love with the idea that our family is growing! It has been a wonderful 2 years and I know our lives will continue to be blessed. So...Happy Anniversary, Richard! I love you!!!

When I was walking in Memphis...

We went back to Memphis this past weekend. Richard's 10 year high school reunion was Friday and Saturday and we planned on going. After some thought Friday on the way back to Memphis, he decided not to go and that we would visit with his friends with out attending the reunion.

I really wanted to get in touch with my friends but decided this weekend would be dedicated to Richard and his friends. It was originally going to be all about him anyway and I thought I should keep it that way. He is so busy with school it is a really big task for him to even take a weekend off and travel to Memphis to visit friends. I am able to get away from Nashville much more often so I really was happy to help him take advantage of this rare free time.


Friday we just spent time with his mom and had a nice quiet evening. Saturday he attended the Fed Ex Golf Tournament with his friend Matt. I was able to see my mom and visit with my aunt who is visiting from California. Later that night we met up with some of Rich's friends and my cousin downtown. We all met at some one's beautiful apartment 11 stories up with a roof top view of down town Memphis. The view was beautiful.

Everyone is really excited that we are now a 'waiting family'. It sounds so official! =) We received our I-171 H on June 5th ( a day after my Daddy's Birthday) and we were put on the list Thursday, June 7th. I found out Friday we are number 176 on the list. That number sounds really, really big. BUT, I am praying for a flurry of referrals to our agency so that number will quickly shrink! I have faith. Everything will happen in it's perfect and right time. But I have to be honest,the waiting will be hard and we have only just started.

Rich's mom has already bought Sam several really neat books. She is an elementary school teacher, so she will make sure Sam never runs out of books to read! I can't wait until I can read them all to him!!

Wait one, over!!!

This is what we have so anxiously been waiting for....

Our I-171H arrived! It came in the mail yesterday and when I saw it in the mail box I could not believe it!! I was so thrilled. I called Rich who was still at school and told him to come home. We had something to celebrate!! We had some champagne in the fridge for this very occasion and we went to dinner at a local Mexican Restaurant. It was a good day.

Today I had a community service project I was working on (NOT court ordered, by the way!) so I wasn't near a fax machine and I didn't have time to run by CHI. I am faxing it to Sara first thing in the morning and we will be on the list! Yay!! Another thing to celebrate and one step closer to our little one. This makes me smile =)

Weekend Therapy

Well, we are at week seven with no approval from CIS =( I am practicing patience. Let me just say it is hard. I know it will come....but when??


I was able to go home (Mississippi) this past weekend for my dear friend Amanda's birthday. The best therapy is time spent with best friends.

I swear, I have the greatest group of friends. I feel so much support from them. I don't know what I would do without them!! They are so excited for Richard and I and are just as ready for us to bring Sam home as we are. And they never get tiered of hearing me talk about the adoption. I love them and I always have the best time with them. We started the night off with dinner at the Happy Mexican ( I LOVE Mexican food) and then ended the night with some music and dancing. There were lots and lots of laughs all thru the night. It was just what I needed.

Oh! My bff from high school, Samantha, bought Samuel his first pair of swimming trunks!

Too cute, right? We went swimming Saturday with our other friends and everyone had their little one. They were all so cute. Samantha has a 13 month old girl, Emerson. The cutest little thing. And she LOVES the water! Adorable!

Hopefully I will update tomorrow saying that we finally got our I-171H. My fingers are crossed!!