Referral day - it never gets old

It was bright and sunny today, just as it was 7 years ago on this day... much milder today as far as temperature goes. January 20 2003 was a wind-chill-minus 40-cold kind of day. 

It was a stressful-end-of-term-got-to-finish-marking kind of  day back in 2003, and I was certainly NOT expecting the call that day.  I remember being cranky that I was being interrupted with a rude all-call page through the school...because the call came at about 3:10 pm.

But every January 20th since then, I quietly enjoy the day - I don't get frustrated at school, I smile away to myself and think of what that day meant 7 years ago. All because that was the day the call came, and I saw Julia's face for the first time in three referral pictures.

Early this morning,  I read the journal I wrote that referral night (no blogging back then to be sure) - I read the scribbled words about how I was happy finally to share the news with family and friends. Today I smiled as I read what Julia's cousins said about seeing her picture for the first time - 

• "She looks sad because she missing me." (Sara, 4 years old then)
  
• "She's got Irish dancing legs." (Maggie, 7 years old then)
• "I'm glad she's related to us now." (Michael, 6 years old then)

And I cried a bit when I read what Papa said, as only Papa could, "She's a nice wee ba!"

I told Julia the story of her referral day - it doesn't get old for her either. 

I was thinking a lot about families in who are waiting to adopt children from Haiti, and how their hearts must be filled with ache and worry. I pray that they will soon be with their children, that the efforts at expediting their adoptions are successful. Anyone who has adopted know that there are lots of days of frustration, worry and disappointment on the way to celebrating great days like Referral Day.

We celebrated with dinner at the Mandarin. It's been Chinese food on this day ever since the original Referral day when my friend, Allison came with Chinese take-out and tiny baby hair clips and hair bands.

The referral information I got that day was that Julia was a good eater and liked cake. The cake part- well that (among other things) proved not to be true then and not true now. So there's no cake for this celebration, just a big plate filled with chocolate covered strawberries.

Two months from now we will coming to the end of our homeland trip. We will celebrate our  Family Day on March 10 with Lianne and her girls and extended family, just as we did 7 years ago. 

Another celebration that never gets old.

Simple pleasures

One of my New Year intentions is to follow my daughter's lead...

go to bed with a good book -- of my own chosing -- NOT school related -- and read myself to sleep. 

This moment made me grin from ear to ear. Love that she's reading, love that she's so big girl, propped up on her pillows, love that she's so cozy in her bed with the ladybug flannel sheets and her marshmallow duvet.

Julia has discovered the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and is loving them. I bought her this own (#2) at the school book fair. Her dear friend Cassidy gave her the first in the series at Christmas. She's now reading them both a second time. I love to her her giggle from her room.

There's a stack of books on my night stand, tempting me, and I keep telling myself, once the marking is done, once the exams are done because, lately, I'm falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow usually around 9 pm.

Here are three of the titles that await me...

Perhaps if I stopped blogging, I could be reading...hmmmm. Aye, there's the rub!

The year in review

I am so reminiscent at this time of year -- love looking back to see where we were and how far we've come.  Here's a look back at some of our highlights from the past 12 months. I wish that I could get the photos better aligned for more visual appeal -- ah, well maybe next year.

One of the bloggers I follow mentioned making new year's intentions rather than resolutions. I love the sound of that. 

So for now, I intend to do lots of what Julia and I did last year, as well as lots more this year.

I know your intentions will be good as well. 

Happy New Year to all!

The Red Thread Journey

A new year begins and so does a new blog -- this won't be a new years' tradition, but it is a big step for me as a blogging neophyte.

With the help of one my blogging mentors, I've set up a blog that will chronicle the tales of the homeland trip Julia and I will take in March.

There are many serendipitious twists that go along with this trip:

• we leave March 6 -- we will be on our way, the same day Noreen and I travelled the first time
• the trip is 7 years after I went to adopt Julia
• this homeland trip will be in the same time frame as well I travelled the first time - March 6-22
• we'll celebrate our Forever Family Day there on March 10
• wear some green for St. Patrick's Day on March 17

All these coincidences, yes, I know, are mostly because of March Break, but I also like to think of them as fitting in to the Chinese legend of the red thread -- one that (next to the affinity for lady bugs) is held dear to those in the adoptive community.

Julia and I are connected to many dear people because of our adoption journey, and that has been a great blessing. And it's wonderful to be blessed again as we make this second trip to China with some of them, in particiular the McCrimmons, the Thompsons and the Tuccis.

So under the picture of Julia and me on the right, there is a red link to our China blog under the title "The Red Thread Journey" that will keep you up to date on our preparations for the trip as well as our comings and goings while we are away.