We are in possession of the notorious clam chowder

Remember this ---> Tale of the Clam Chowder ?!? Well...my parents were visiting a few weeks ago and I knew it as only a matter of time before they transferred possession of the notorious clam chowder back to Jeff and I. After all, it has been a bit since we plotted and schemed a way to exchange ownership. Usually this happens by hiding said old, foil-reinforced can of clam chowder and rushing out the door only to call the victimized party a few minutes after leaving to tell them to make sure to look in the special hiding spot.

Well...this time I was headed to work as Mom and Dad were getting ready to head back to Virginia and, wouldn't you know, I get this picture text ---




See my sneaky Dad depositing that blasted can of clam chowder on top of the TV stand??? Of course, that night when I came home it was right there as they had left it. Boogers. So now Jeff and I have a challenge ahead of us...how to come up with a sneaky way to make sure that we can stick them with the can again ASAP. I definitely don't want to be in possession when it decides to explode.

Christmas 2010

Here are some scenes from our Christmas. We were so fortunate to have Brandee, Leslie, Jason and Archimedes over for the holiday. We made kraut runsis and just visited with each other. It was great.
Me forcing Archimedes to pose for a self picture. He would rather eat my face.

Jeff just fakes not liking dogs. Really.

Cheeeeeeeese.

Leslie and Brandee about to open stockings. Brandee was sporting her sparkly Santa hat....she always has to rock something style-ey.

My bro opts not to be featured in photography but he was there cracking us up the whole day. Jeff and I are so, so lucky to have such a great fam.

Next Year is Gonna ROCK

I spent today taking down Christmas decorations. Trust me, it was more fun putting them up. But anyway...one thing I have been doing over the past few days is writing down some of the things I want to do next year and taping them on the closet door (where I hung our stockings and cards). Today, I pulled them down and I'm going to tuck them in her stocking until next year. I am so, so excited that the next time I see these stockings, the Christmas lights and ornaments, candles and such will be when I am unpacking them with our little one.

As we close out this year, I am more excited for the future than ever before. This WILL be the year that Jeff and I have what we have dreamed about for our entire marriage....a family!

Imagining Next Christmas Eve...

I'm stealing this topic from one of my favorite adoption forums...I can't help it. As Jeff and I sit here watching the news on Christmas Eve and watch the weatherman track Santa on his NORAD, I really can't NOT think about what next year will be like...or how thankful I am for where we are right now.

Let me start by saying that this past couple of weeks has been a trial of patience and a huge reminder of how precious life, health and happiness are. Dad was in the hospital for the 2nd time in 2 weeks and, although there are still no concrete answers as to what is going on, he is feeling better and I am really hopeful that things will resolve in the best possible way. I know Dad reads this blog, probably more than anyone, and I just want to express how much this has reminded me of how much I cherish my parents. The thought of anything happening to them drives me to almost seizures of panic. I can't even imagine. I love them both so much and want desperately to share the excitement that Jeff and I are about to have with them and watch them become grandparents to our Lily. I just know that she will love them as much as I do.

Maybe it's the drama of these past few weeks that is bringing me to all the thoughts of Lily tonight. All the Christmases we will share. The excitement-filled and sleepless Chrismas Eve nights that are to come. Jeff and I up late putting together dollhouses and bicycles. Us helping her write her own letters to Santa every year. The Elf on a Shelf pranks. The story times and candy canes. Starting next year, Christmas will be different for us. We put up a tree this year because I swore we would, whether we were home with our girl or not. The lights are twinkling and they will again in 365 days from now as we prepare to tuck Lily in to bed for Christmas Eve night. I want her to have Christmases like me, Jason and Brandee had growing up. Special new pajamas to wear to bed on Christmas Eve, early morning wake ups, green Christmas tree cookies, those special ornaments on the tree that we made in school as gifts for our parents, giggles, playing all afternoon. I have such precious memories with my family and really, really can't wait to make new memories with my child.

On this Christmas Eve night, I ask Santa to fill my stocking with hope and faith and a promise for next year. All I really want is my family...all of us together, healthy, happy and looking forward. Next year, Christmas is at the Masseys. I can't wait!!

4 1/2 years = 54 months

Today marks 54 months of our "official" wait. Hopefully not much longer to go...

Thank You Vaseline

Days of coating my hands with vaseline to try to plump up my fingerprints and give those ridges some stick-to-it-tive-ness worked! We received our immigration approval with updated fingerprints today. I am thrilled!! I really was worried about having to be fingerprinted a couple times unsuccessfully and then having to travel to some far-away city again like the last time. I was also worried about some document being missing or some procedure change that would wreak havoc on this renewal also. It seems like a lot of people who are going through renewals lately have been having lots of problems so I have been prepared for a hullabaloo.

Now, with this hurdle toppled, all we can do is wait, read books, make sure the nursery is completely ready, make our packing lists, learn more about attachment, try to enjoy our last few childless months and just count the days until we see Lily's face. It's been hard these past couple of months because things are so very unpredictable with this process. In fact, referrals are later than normal this month and it is making me want to chew my fingers off. I keep reminding myself that there is nothing I can do about it...just hope that she is safe, healthy and happy while she waits for us.

Bullets

Lots of things going on here these days...and I am failing to blog successfully about them so here goes some bullets.

• Mom and Dad were here in the 'Ham for almost 2 weeks. Although I had some horrendous PMS for a few days, I still really enjoyed their visit. Thanksgiving was great with Brandee, Leslie and Jason here with their canine children. Having all of them around makes me realize how intensely I miss my family. I wish everyone lived closer.
• Weight W@tchers has changed the points program and I am reeling. I have been counting points now for almost 8 years and this change has thrown me for a super loop. It is a healthier program but really pushes protein and fruits/veggies. I guess it doesn't hurt to change it up especially when I have been struggling up and down with these same 30 lbs. In the last month I have lost 10.4 lbs so I can't complain. I just need to keep it up so I can be a slimmer momma when we travel to China.
• I have now been in my "new" job for a little over 6 months and I am getting used to it. We are so, so busy every day when I work and I really work with some fantastic people. I am sure that cardiac nursing is where I am supposed to be and am starting to think about what my future may hold in this area. I really do plan to go back to school but Jeff and I need to get Lily home and settled first.
• Dad was in the hospital on Friday after having some tummy/chest pains. He was admitted for observation and to say I was a little worried is a huge understatement. Thankfully he started feeling better and was discharged late Saturday after ruling out any acute cardiac event. Don't scare me like that again please.
• Jason continues to rock his new house. He is learning all kinds of home improvement things and I am counting on him to share all his knowledge as we look toward re-doing one of our bathrooms. I'm talking tile, new toilet, new tub fixtures, etc.
• Brandee is in the throes of retail holiday nightmare. She has been working tons and dealing with those nasty holiday shoppers. Poor thing.
• Jeff is on cloud nine these days with his fave team, Auburn, now going to the BCS National Championship. He cracks me up with his blue and orange theme every Saturday and I have to say that watching him and how much he enjoys his Auburn football has made me find secret pleasure in sitting and watching it with him. I just love when he talks to the TV.
• While last month's China referrals were less than stellar, we are still fairly close to seeing Lily's face. This month's referrals should be coming out any day and we will have a better idea of what we are facing then but my best guess would be that we have 2-3 more months left. Earliest referral...late January. Latest referral....June or July. I'll take it.
• Jeff and I went to be fingerprinted last Tuesday, November 30th in order to update our immigration paperwork. If you remember, I was un-fingerprint-able last time so this time I spent a couple days putting vaseline on my hands trying to plump up my prints. I did this because the only thing that works to get my fingerprints to take on the medication machine at work is for me to rub my finger on my forehead...just enough face grease to make the print visible for the machine. Pretty gross, huh?!? Hopefully my prints will take and we won't have paperwork renewal drama. Cross fingers and say prayers for us.
• Last week I turned the big 3-5. It was a big deal for me. I don't know why this one is hitting me harder than any other.

I'm guess that pretty much sums things up for now. We are looking forward to an exciting few months ahead and are really looking forward to closing out 2010 and charging straight ahead in to 2011...which promises to be the best year yet.