Friday, February 29, 2008

So, here it is, 4:00am.... I have to stay awake.
I have a medical test tomorrow at 1pm, and I need to be sleep deprived for 24 hours! Ouch!
I'm not allowed coffee, chocolate etc.. to help me.

So what in the world have I been doing to keep myself awake you ask?? (Cause I know you want to know)
Well, I tried to figure out how to change a windows movie maker file to an AVI file till 1am, couldn't figure it out so:
I baked, I baked 3 loaves of Oatmeal Molasses Bread and 1 batch of Ooey-Gooey cinnamon rolls
(actually 2 batches, but I let my kitchen aid beat the snot out of the dough, while I did laundry, and I had to throw it out and do the 2nd batch by hand!)
oh what else did I do??? I did the dishes, and the 3 loads of laundry, and cleaned cat puke!! (the cat came to my feet and proceeded to puke!) WTF? ewwwww
I'm not tired, and I'm actually a bit panicked that I might not get everything off my "stay awake to do list" before 6am.
I still have to:
Wash the floors,
clean the playroom
wrap a present
move photos from computer to CD
cut Abigail's floor music for gym
make the girls lunches
and I have a "bonus" one...
bathe the dog!! I might let that one slide. LOL

****update***
5:20am Abigail woke up, had a dream that we were in China adopting Hanlin and they had cake for us, she ate a piece, and then woke up because she was biting her finger! She said she could smell the cooking in her dream.
We had a slice of hot Oatmeal Molasses bread together and she went back to bed!

****update***
6:21am Lily woke up, I can hear her asking for me in my room, she's not impressed I'm not in bed!
6:28am things seemed to have quieted down upstairs.
Cinnamon rolls are due out of the oven in 15mins, just in time for breakfast!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

SURPRISE!!!!



It would be an understatement if we said we are excited..
This was meant to be, in so many ways..

We only started the process 4 months ago!!
We requested a boy, between the ages of 3 and 4, on the special needs list, with a limb difference.
We also knew that if nothing happened before July 08, we were removing our name from the list. (timing with Lily's age was very important to us)
So we told no one, not family, no one.

We had actually started with an agency different than the one we used last time.
(Wait times were different), but on a gut feeling...I called our old agency,
they had a file, and they had just (that day) called all of their families on the WC list to see if any of them wanted to change their dossier to look at the file. No one wanted to. Most wanted to wait for the "little girl, under the age of 2, cleft lip, cleft palate) A boy turning 4 in April isn't as "attractive" LOL
BUT, it is to us!!
He has a birth mark, called a Nevus Spilus on his forehead, and just under his nose. You can't actually see them too much any longer, as they've faded with age.
So many things happened that truly makes this meant to be, usually just to meet with a provincial social worker, takes weeks, to get the file here and ok'ed by the province takes weeks again. This ALL took 1 DAY!!!

We didn't list his "special need" on our dossier, but due to a grammatical error, his fits ours perfectly!
"a boy, with a limb difference, and a minor or correctable need."
instead of saying "that is minor or correctable"
(Thank you Marg, you probably did that on purpose!)
so none of the paperwork had to be changed and we were able to ask for his file.
That was February 5th 2008
We had to wait for the medical to be finished: checked out by CHEO in Ottawa
by a pediatric dermatologists, pediatric endocrinologist, and geneticists (probably to rule out if this was a genetic syndrome)
We found out February 19th, that he was healthy, and developmentally on target!
We signed the paperwork to make him "our son" on February 21st!

Whew...what a whirwind!!!!

So let me tell you a bit about our handsome boy!!
His name is Zhang, Han Lin
we'll call him Hanlin ??? Dolan, we haven't decided!
DOB April 30th 2004
From: Tianjin, (2.5 hours outside of Beijing by train)

He is cuddly and compliant, he is happy with other children and often shows his care and consideration. He is especially good at mimicking and memory.
His weakness is he timid and not sociable. (that will change with 3 girls around him!!)
His special need is a nevus spilus (birth mark) on his forehead. The color faded as he grew. Now it only gets darker when he is impatient or upset. (Frank said he is like a mood ring) Afterwards it will go to light pink which is unnoticeable.
He likes to watch TV!! and likes singing and dancing!! (just like Lily, they'll be fighting for the remote).
He is 4 cm taller than Lily, but 2 lbs lighter and is 6 months older than her.
They'll be in the same grade in school.

Due to the Olympics in Beijing, China is not allowing any adoption travel the month before and the month after the Olympics and the Para Olympics.
It is looking like we'll travel in early October, unless China finishes the paperwork quickly,
then we'd travel in July.
We are lucky to be able to bring all 3 girls to China with us to meet their brother. We think it will help with the transition from foster family to forever family to have other children around. Also, my sister and her husband, Cheryl and Tom, have decided to come with us!
An extra pair of hands to hold the camera!!
So many coincidences: We were provincially approved December 12th 07, on Abigail's B-day
He was born on April 30th 2004 (my brother in laws b-day).
He is standing in front of a Hibiscus plant, one of mom's favorite!

I know my mom had a hand in this!! She guided us to him and him to us.
We knew a long time ago that we would be returning to China...
it is where our hearts are and it is where our son is, waiting for us.




Tuesday, February 26, 2008



AREN'T THESE THE MOST GORGEOUS LIPS YOU'VE EVER SEEN???



AREN'T THESE THE MOST DEEP AND INTENSE EYES YOU'VE EVER SEEN??



AREN'T THESE THE CHUBBIEST, SOFTEST, LOVING HANDS YOU'VE EVER SEEN.


We've fallen in love!!! AGAIN!!!!!

Monday, February 25, 2008

BUSY BUSY BUSY!!!
But thankfully no more snow days!! LOL

We've been keeping busy with gymnastics, school projects and colds!
Lily has had a miserable cough and cold for 3 weeks now, it has made her into a little whiny tyrant!
She seems to be on the mend, but now we have to "curb" that whining!!

I have book group tonight, and I'm looking forward to some time out, without kiddies, enjoying a cup of coffee, and browsing some books at Chapters. Oh, that reminds me, I should really finish the book for group, maybe if I read the last 5 pages I can "fake it"! LOL

oh, by the way......I have a HUGE post coming up next.... so stay tuned...

Meanwhile...enjoy some pics of Isabelle at her last gymnastics meet. She did really well. So did Abigail, first overall!!

Monday, February 18, 2008

IT'S RAINING OUT!!

.....and they canceled school!!!!!! Come on people!! THEY CANCELED SCHOOL!!

I seem to recall that a few months ago, I went on line, for HOURS, looking for the perfect winter coat for the girls, one that was warm when its -40 out, that was comfortable, and hip and one that was WATERPROOF!!!

I seem to recall that a few months ago, I went on line, for HOURS, looking for the perfect pair of winter boots for the girls, they had to be warm in -40 weather, comfortable and hip and a pair that were WATERPROOF!!

My kids are not made of sugar!! They will not melt!!! They are waterproof!!
(I've spent enough money making sure they are)!

I love my kids and all, but 3 days of storm days!!!
How do mothers that home school their kids do it?? Everyday?
I look forward to the odd storm day, honest I do! Sleeping in, staying in PJ's, catching up on cuddle time, and even getting some extra home work done. But there is only so much "catching up" I can do! LOL

Rain Rain Go Away
I don't want my kids to stay
Home from school another day



Tuesday, February 12, 2008



A HUGE Thank You to my sister Barb!!
She sewed Lily's and Abigail's tops for Chinese New Year. The outfits I had ordered from Chinasprout were way too big! (Actually, I'm wearing the jacket that I ordered for Abigail!)
She magically sewed the tops, along with a couple pairs of pants for Lily in about 2 days! Not 2 days of sewing, but in 2 days, she found the material, patterns, guessed at sizes, sewed the outfits and had them sent to me!!!
Freaking Amazing!!!

**I would of sewed them, but she says mine looks like I'm sewing drunk!**
**which usually is the case!** LOL
I have NO sewing talent what so ever, my mom passed that wonderful ability on to both of my sisters. I however did get the looks!
**and the sense of humor**

Sunday, February 3, 2008



Tonight we celebrated Chinese New Year!! We went to a wonderful show, put on by the Chinese Association and then we were treated to a yummy supper!
Here is a quick page I did on Fotofusion tonight. I'll post some nicer colorful photos tomorrow!

Friday, February 1, 2008

Well, at least she's clean, inside AND out!

I guess I should be expecting some colorful poops in the near future!