Traditions::Some things you just need to carry on

Yup. Holidays bring with it the traditions that lead up to the "big" day. And today was one of those traditions. Cookie day with Mom. Every year before xmas we set a day to get together and make shortbread cookies. We laugh, we talk, we make a mess and then of course end the day with a massive sugar high. (thank god I run)

It makes me smile. The same recipe that my Grandmother used. The same cookie cutters that I have seen in my Mother's baking drawer all my life. Some things never change. There are some things that I hope never change. This is a tradition that I hope to carry on. Maybe one xmas we'll be really fortunate and have all the little grand-girls together and bake shortbread cookies. I say "grand-girls" because it looks like the grandkids will be all girls. That is if K & C don't have any more kids. (Don't worry Dad. The Family name will be carried on one way or another)

Ok guys. This post is not about baking cookies. I'm sure that there are traditions that mean a lot to you that you want to carry on. Right, Unka Dougie? All I have to say is "gravy". Boy, oh boy. Don't mess with the gravy!

Some things just aren't the same when there is....change. Like not having turkey at thanksgiving. That really threw me off this year. No leftovers. Damn. Like not having your xmas eve tradition at work with your buddy-coworker. That is defitnitely being threatened this year. Hmmm. Must work on that. It would be a shame for the drunk husbands that show up before closing looking to start their xmas shopping if we weren't open on xmas eve.

I love the xmas tradition that Darren and I have. Movies on xmas eve. Sleep in on xmas morning, followed by a peaceful run up at Nymph Falls, followed by lazing around while inhaling the wonderful smell of turkey cooking all afternoon. Easy, breezy, beautiful....turkey coma!

What are some of your favorite traditions?

Xmas...friend or foe

Is it just me or is the xmas silliness starting earlier and earlier every year? The pressure is on to buy just the right gift, and make sure that there is money left over so that you can eat. Don't get me wrong, I love to give gifts. But it's easy to get caught up in the shopping frenzy and get a little crazy.

Perhaps it comes with the territory of working in the retail industry. I'm frazzled at the thought of xmas by the time September rolls around. I need to try harder to let it roll along and get into the spirit of the season...but not yet. IT"S TOO EARLY!! I swear that if they start playing xmas music before December, I will definitely lose it.

I must admit though, that I had a blast shopping for the little people in our life. I'll miss not seeing the excitement on their faces on xmas morning. And to the parents of the little people: don't worry...we didn't get any toys that will be incessant noise makers! hahahhahha.

What would be my ideal way to spend xmas? On the beach, in Tofino. Going for a run on xmas morning with Darren along the beach, and coming back to the cabin with a roaring fire in the fireplace and the smell of turkey in the oven. That would be perfection!

What is your ideal way to spend xmas?

A day for us to remember...

Every year at this time I take a moment to reflect. I am thankful to those that have put country ahead of everything else. And I look at my husband, Captain in the Air Force Reserves, and I am proud.

Today, I was looking around at all those dressed in uniform at the Remembrance Day gathering and felt a sense of gratitude to them and to their families. I thought about my Uncle Tom who has recenlty passed away, and the stories that he has shared about his war years. I never did say "thank you" to him. I wish I had.

As my friend D and I were walking away after the gathering, she was wiping a tear from her eye. Yup, we take for granted what we have here. Freedom. We take for granted the sacrifices that were made for us. We take for granted the sacrifices that are being made for us now. We may not agree with the circumstances that have sent our military into the current "peace keeping" situations. But we need to be supportive of the military personnel that are there now. We need to be supportive of the families that are left behind.

I am fortunate that Darren will not be deployed, unless our military is in dire straights. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to send him off. I hope it never happens.

Trying to stay positive...

Just when I was feeling so positive about things, we get a note in the mail from our agency telling us to expect the wait time for our adoption to be between 18 to 24 months. Frick! From what point does that start?? Does that mean from the time we had started our homestudy? I am feeling so down about it now.

I suppose that the best thing to do is to keep busy and try not to dwell on the wait. Easier said than done. My goal to do the Half Ironman in June will keep me busy. But what comes after that? Running, running and more running.

I was going to start working on the nursery this winter, but now I am rethinking that. It might be difficult having to walk by the empty nursery day after day. But on the other hand it might just keep us looking forward to the say that our daughter comes home.

I know, I know. We knew going into this that it would be a roller coaster ride. I guess that I thought the ride up would last a little longer before we hit our first downward trip. Positive thoughts, anyone?

And as soon as I asked, my very dear friend G calls and gives me some very wise words of encouragement. No matter how long it takes, it means that our little one is the one that was meant for us to have. What is meant to be, is meant to be. I'm just such a control freak, that letting go to the universe is difficult.

Did we make the right decision? Of course we did!

It's getting late and I realized that I missed posting yesterday. Bad. Must be better :)

Did we make the right decision? That is a question that keeps coming up. I ask myself this from time to time, and lately I have had that question posed to me. And the answer is consistently the same....of course we did! No regrets.

Yesterday we were at an education seminar for prospective adoptive parents. It was a very ineresting morning, and we met a lot of great people who are moving along on journies that are not unlike our own. And we met a panel of adptive parents who have adopted from the US as well as from China. There are so many roads to take along the path to adoption, you always question whether you took the right fork in the road.

People always ask why we didn't choose to adopt domestically. There are so many reasons, and very personal ones. And I have been asked on a few occasions lately if, when I see how quickly our friends' domestic adoption went, do I question or regret our path to China. The answer is "no". Absolutely not.

I am confident that we are on the right path. The process to adoption in China is a perfect fit for us. It is a well oiled machine with few bumps along the way. It's predictable (to a point) and dependable. And, we feel such a connection to it. Out there somewhere, our little baby girl will be born. A little baby girl that needs us, and that we will love deeply. And one day soon we will bring her home. I get butterflies every time I think about it!

I don't think people realize the amount of soul searching goes into the decision to adopt a child. For us, it isn't about how quickly we can have a child in our life. We have struggled this long, why rush perfection! The most important thing is that we are good parents. That we can show our little baby girl all the love that we have in our hearts. That we are good to her and to each other. And it is sooooo important that she know that her extended family love her too. That she is truely a part of our family.


I can honestly say that life is good. Very good. And it will only get better.

Babies, babies, babies!

This has been an exciting and nail biting past few weeks. Very close friends of ours (two couples to be exact) have been expecting their first wee ones.

We welcomed little baby Petra to the world on October 22nd. Right on schedule! She is soooo beautiful, with a full head of hair too! It has been a long journey for parents K & N to have their little one. But a long journey well worth it. We admire your strength and courage...and the ease at which you take on parenthood.

And today, our new little god daughter Lauren arrived! She came to proud parents G & G via a wonderful birth mom. OMG! Another beauty with a full head of hair. This has been a true roller coaster ride for these guys, but one that has brought a lot of love and a lot of smiles to many faces.

You know what else is funny...it seems that all the little ones who are dear to us are all girls! Briana, Brooke, Kayla, Emma, Petra and Lauren. You gals just wait until our little girl comes home. Can you imagine the pyjama parties? Oh boy.

It certainly has been a fantastic day!

Second post!

Ok...so maybe I'm turning over a new leaf. This is the second post. Could this become a new and therapeutic routine? At any rate, I hope it to be a way to keep family and friends up to date with the status quo.

I'm sitting here with our two very fluffy cats just thinking about life. You can go from years of frustration and just about hitting rock bottom to realizing that a different path can be THE way to go. Funny.

And new beginnings for some of our friends. A new little baby born n Occtober 22nd, and friends waiting patiently for their little one to arrive! Biology is soooooooo amazing, isn't it?

I love my life, I love my hubby. Who could ask for anything more?

Let the wait officially begin...

First, let me welcome you to our new blog! This will hopefully continue on and not become outdated. I'm not the best at keeping journals. Darren is better at that than I am.

We had some great news yesterday! We received news that ur dossier is on its way to China! I'm not too sure what the next step is, other than waiting patiently. Yup, the long wait begins now. I'm trying not to read the "rumour" boards, as they can really play with your emotions. We have accepted the fact that we are in for a long wait for our daughter to finally come home.

Who is up for joining us along this journey? Anyone?