Keeping Busy

Tammy and I are in the tufting groove!

This is one thing that has been keeping me busy....Tufting Miss Vivi's headboard.

Muc

A little story to tell about this headboard later...right now I must work!

*I am so ready for my girl I can't stand it! Okay, I, myself is ready, my heart is ready, my arms are ready, my sugars are ready. I'm ready to SHOWER her with love, hugs and kisses! The room....still NOT ready....YIKES!!!

Canton...here I come!!!

WOOHOO....Saturday, I am going to 1st Monday Trade Days in Canton TX and I can't wait! My friend Tammy is going with Paul, Max and I. Paul knows this place like the back of his hand, if he saw a booth 10 years ago he will remember where it was and he can take you right to it. Me, I get lost....it is so BIG that I get turned around. I'll be hunting down TREASURES in junk town (an area that is out away from the pavilions, that sales wonderful junk...in the pavilions it is more like little shops and boutiques) but you will also find me in the pavilions looking for Miss Vivi some precious little outfits!! I found out today that my friend Patti is going to Canton Saturday also. Patti be sure that you and your party give us a call and we can meet up and check out each others GOODIES :-)

Happy Hunting!

my little koala

Music Not Songs

Max LOVES classical music...I mean LOVES it!!!!! I turned it on the other morning and he sat on the sofa for over 45 minutes and I am NOT exaggerating, just listening and taking in every note...he was not tired, sleepy or sick...just chill'n and enjoying his tunes. Once he decided it was time to do something else he was off the sofa running around. I had to video him in the moment. He wants his music on most of the time these days. I get tickled because he calls it "music" and NOT songs, he knows the difference! Tammy and her granddaughter Allie came over today and Allie accidentally changed the channel to something that was not classical and Max let me know about it real quick!

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You would think if he was just sitting there he could have at least folded the laundry :-)

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In this video he is the most active he was the entire time.

~LOA~ Is On It's Way!

I waited and waited for the UPS truck....keeping a watch out the window and here comes Paul driving up with the UPS envelope in his hand....and smiling BIG! The UPS man was at the bank and knows Paul and gave it to him instead of bringing it to the house.

Mama signs

Baba signs

Mama and Baba so happy and ready to get our girl home!
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Today our LOA is on it's way back to China, signed with love. Now we start counting the days until we receive TA (Travel Approval). I think the average wait for that is 3 weeks. I'll keep you posted!

LOA!!!!!! Day 68

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L-O-A

YES, it is true...after waiting 68 days our LOA (Letter of Acceptance - it says that China has given us final approval to adopt and now we have to sign it saying that YES, we still want to adopt) is here! I am beside myself with excitement! I was looking for it but at the same time I thought it was really a little to early...our agency, CWA, recently started using a new electronic system that seems to speed things up a bit. This morning at 10:30 my cell phone rings and it was sweet Mei calling to give me the beloved news. Me being the dramatic that I am, before falling to my knees, I was jumping around and squealing like a little pig. Mei said in her precious Chinese accent, Kim, please tell me you are not driving...LOL...I just love her! I am so thankful to God!....our LOA is here! Wanna hear something cool....a year ago today we got this same call from our agency telling us that our LOA came in for Max :-D...how awesome is that!

What does this mean.....well it does not mean we will travel in September like we did with Max, Mei said that all the CA (Consulate Appointments) are taken for the month of September because of the Olympics. It is real iffy for October because of the Trade Fair in Guangzhou, the Fair is over November 6th. Most likely, we will leave early November and tour Beijing and get to Guangzhou on maybe November 7th, hopefully we will be able to get our precious Vivi soon after we arrive, we will be staying there for 2 weeks. Even if it is November that is okay....that will be here before you know it.....(I'm trying to stay positive because I want her NOW:-)

We are celebrating tonight!

Wordless Wednesday

Move over Wayne Newton...

there's a new kid in town!

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This boy loves mirrors.

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While I was putting my make-up on this morning, Max grabbed a candle and started singing and entertaining himself.

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He's a natural, don't you think!

If you have not visited Tammy's blog yesterday or today be sure and stop by and read her yesterdays post. It is about her husband and his near death experience, it shows how God's hand is at work in the smallest details. She always has a great way of throwing in a little "Tammy humor" to liven things up a bit.

Just like Dadda

I walked in the living room tonight and I found my 2 men relaxing and reading the newspaper. Max gets this serious look on his face and he says, hum...hum...hum...hum... I don't know where he got that from, Paul doesn't say hum when he reads but Max has definitely heard it before.

Still Waiting

Today is 2 months or 61 days that we have been waiting for the beloved LOA, since we were logged in to China. I know it is still a bit early but already when the phone rings, it takes my breath, thinking, could it be....the call.

Those Eyes

I can't wait to gaze into those beautiful almond eyes, in person!

Mr. Fashion

Future trendsetter!?!?

Max dressed his feet today, he wore this ensemble all morning.

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Man, have I chilled in my "older but BETTER" age! :-) I'll let you in on a little secret....(i use to be quite the anal-retentive....i use to hang dry and then iron Britney's socks when she was a little girl.) Please don't have me committed....I promise I have completely recovered. Now, I am pretty much the opposite.....life is much more fun!

~ Team USA ~

Was last night GREAT or what! I am all in to the Olympics and last night, Team USA did not disappoint me....the Men's freestyle relay was unbelievable....it doesn't get much better than that.

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I'll be cheering Michael Phelps on all the way to #8! He is so precious...he is such a MAMA'S BOY....he loves and adores his mama! He always looks for her after his race is over...and yes, that makes this mama tear up.

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Oh how I love Mama's boys! :-)

Sharing

Max loves ice...we made a Sonic run before nap time today and got a tea for me and Max got a cup of Sonic ice (the best ice ever). I walked in the kitchen and Max had Mimmie's head stuck in the cup...he said, Minnie eat ice.

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What a good sharer my sweet boy is!

Just for fun...

I saw Barbie at Leaving Footprints do this...so I had to give it a try for myself to see what celebrity it said I looked most like. I ONLY WISH!! And look she is ASIAN :-). I chose the one on one look-a-like instead of the collage of several look-a-likes. I chose the one with the highest percentage....a few others were blond and one was Ashton Kutcher....YIKES.....Don't worry it won't compare you to a male unless you click on the male section like I accidentally did :-P

Try it yourself...when you do leave me a comment so I can check your blog out to see what celeb it says you look most like.

Opening Ceremonies

Last night as Paul and I watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, we were both very emotional. Not only do we feel a connection to China, we are connected and are a part of China and China is a part of us. I love China...I love the people, I love the culture, I love the history. I watched the ceremonies in amazement...did they shine last night or what! It was unbelievable! While we were watching, Max was laying across our laps just looking around not paying attention to the television. When China's National Anthem started playing, he whipped his head around toward the TV, sat up with excitement and he started humming and finishing words here and there (just like he does to songs he has heard over and over but the songs go to fast to get all of the words out)once the song was finished he cheered (YAY!! YAY!!) just like everyone did. I sat in awe with tears streaming down my face. Max knew that song, it is a part of who he is.

This morning I got on You Tube with Max in my lap, I turned on China's National Anthem and he did the same thing he did last night. When the song was over he would say AGAIN...every time I played it he wanted to hear it another time.

We are home....

and Max is doing fantastic!

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We went to Dallas Thursday and spent the night because we had to be at Scottish Rite at 6:15 AM, to early to get up and drive Friday morning. We had so much fun! We ate China food, as Max calls it, and then went to the hotel. Max is such a home body, we didn't know if he would like staying in a hotel but he loved it....especially when we got to jump on the bed...that is a must when you stay at hotels!

We got there before the nurses and doctors, the day surgery room was dark, so we walked around and waited a few minutes. Max understood a lot what was going on, I had been explaining to him in detail what was going to happen at the hospital, as much as I knew, so he wouldn't be taken by surprise. Another thing that helped is, we have a Curious George episode recorded where George brakes his leg and has to get a cast. We watched it together and I would pause it and show him Georges cast and told him that the doctor was going to take of his little digit and then he was going to have a cast on his arm like George had on his leg. Max talked about it for days and he would pinch his digit and say, docer (doctor) take it off, then he would run his left hand up his right arm and say, I get cass (cast) like George.
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We read while we waited.
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Max did NOT like the hospital gown!

The nurse wrote YES on his hand before he went in for surgery.
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Giving HUGS to Dadda.
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They gave Max some medicine to relax him before they took him back for surgery. They called it "goofy juice".
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Relaxed he was...not so goofy but REALLY relaxed!!

So relaxed that the anesthesiologist just took him out of my arms without a peep. If you know Max, then you know how SHOCKING that is! He loves people but will let very few hold him.

He was so relaxed and out of it that she had to help him wave bye to us.
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While he was in surgery, they gave us a pager...we went down stairs and ate breakfast and then went to the gift shop to find Max something special....and guess what we found??? A stuffed Curious George....the perfect surprise for our little guy!

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The nurse bringing him back from recovery.

Relaxed NO MORE....He wanted Mama and Dadda and did NOT want the IV in his hand.

He drank a cup of apple juice soon after they brought him back and then they took the IV out.

He settled down once the IV was out and the hospital gown was off.

As soon as we put him in the car seat he started saying his tummy hurt and started throwing up. Not sure of it was because of the anesthesia or Tylenol with codeine. I get sick with both...we didn't take a chance, we didn't give him any Tylenol with codeine once we got home we just gave him regular Tylenol and alternated it with ibuprofen.

He then slept most of the way home.

The first thing when we got home was watch the Curious George breaks his leg episode, while eating a bowl full of grapes. His little cheeks were packed full.

It didn't take long and Max was back to his smiley self. He and Dadda went to get pizza....it is Friday and we all know what that means Pizza and Movie night...although tonight is Pizza and Olympics night...YAY!

He is playing around as usual....he has not complained once about pain or the cast. He is such a trooper!

Here is the Curious George that be bought at the gift shop. The nurse put a cast on George's arm. The nurses and doctors at Scottish Rite Hospital were AMAZING!!

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Max is so proud of his cast...he says, cass like George.

I thank God for giving us the Curious George episode right before his surgery. What a gift! It amazes me how He takes care of us in ways we can't imagine!

We put the sponge block over his cast to sleep, it cushions his arm and protects anyone that is close....and since he is sleeping with us again...YES he is sleeping with Mama and Dadda again...which is totally fine with us...what ever he needs to feel safe and secure. So the pink thing stays on at night until the cast comes off...for his and our protection!

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It is unbelievable how well he has done...I contribute it totally and completely to prayer. I want to thank all of you that prayed for Max and for Paul and I.

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I love you all so much!
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We have an appointment on September 3rd to have his cast taken off.