Fund Raising

Tim and I are working hard to save travel money for when we get the magical call and then get to go to Vietnam to pick up our little one.
If you can find it in your heart to purchase a magazine subscription (at a great price), renew a current subscription or give a subscription as a gift, it would be so appreciated and you will get some good karma in return.
Follow this link if you are interested in helping us out.
http://magfundraising.com/OperationOlive

Baby on the Brain

I had a little freak out yesterday about things I don't have yet for Olive when she gets here or for when we go to pick her up. I guess I don't really have to worry about that stuff until we get the referral which may not be until the fall but until then I am making a list of what I think I need and Angela is going to look over it and let me know if there is anything on there that is not really neccesary. I don't want to have to spend a lot of money to get what I need, you know? Thank God for Frankie growing out of things that can be handed down.

Anyway, thought I would share this great deal at Skip Hop with all of you; there are three styles of this diaper bag that are on sale for $39.99 regular price is $65.00!!!

Here are the three that are on sale, while supplies last of course.

A diaper bag is the one thing I think I am going to forgo since Tim is dead set on using a courier bag that we already have.

Update Anyone?

Does anyone have an update? Not us!
Our social worker is currently in Vietnam so I am sure we will hear something when she gets back. Our agency goes to Vietnam to perform humanitarian work a couple times a year which I think is awesome. That gives them a chance to really get involved in the communities where they have adoption licences and makes Tim and I feel really good. I have a past of doing humaniatarian work in Vietnam (see side photos) so this is near and dear to my heart and was an important factor to us when choosing an agency. I have not been to Vietnam for 2 years now and I can't wait to go back and visit some of my old friends with our new addition.
I think we will see some movement in our position in line between March and September. Our agency is not changing our number though. They are keeping us at 21 and will update us when they are nearing our number. It will be this year though, I am confident that I will be a Mom this year and I can't wait.
Has anyone out there in adoption blog land considered breast feeding? I have looked into it and it is completly possible and a great way to bond with your baby. Any thoughts from anyone? Here is a nice link if anyone is interested in reading about it for themselves: http://www.fourfriends.com/abrw/faqs.htm

Phil and Ted's

Just heard about these and think they are fabulous! They keep the water in the bottom seperate from the formula in the top and when you are ready to mix you twist the top and shake!

Traveled to Colorado this past weekend with Angela and 8 1/2 month old Frankie and these would have come in handy. I think I will get some for Little Miss Olive.

AlwaysClean

I love this pacifier!

The side wings close around the nipple with it falls out of baby's mouth! Right now they are only made for babies 0-6 months, but give it time, they are bound to make it for older babies soon!

Cute Wall Art

I am thinking about getting these three killer prints from SugarLoop for the wall in Olive's little area in our apartment! Just need to make sure Tim likes them.

Thought I was share this...

Christmas is over...

Christmas was a tough one this year. I was trying not to remember the time when we thought we would have Oliveia home by now. I am trying really hard to keep my head up, but Christmas brought me down. I didn't really get into it very much this year, I guess I was banking on having a baby in the house by now and starting some new family traditions. Together, Tim and I are still pretty mellow about the increased referral time, but, when I am alone is when I think about it way too much. Now, my new mission is, get in shape and get ready to keep up with Olive, and pray for a referral by my birthday in July! What a nice gift that would be, ahhhhh. I know 2008 is going to be a good year, I can feel it in my soul. We are so ready for our little one to be in our home. Financially, we are strapped down, tight budget, etc. but we will need to get used to that part of parenting anyway especially in San Francisco. We are always on the lookout for a larger place to live, but don't really want to do anything that will effect our paperwork that is already in process in Vietnam. Our agency said that we could move and we would have to take with us to Vietnam an amendment to our dossier, but we don't want to get all the way over there and have any problems. There is already enough going on over there, we don't want to throw anything off, you know?

Anyway, not really an update, just some thoughts I was having today I needed to get off my chest.

On a side note...check out how cute this dress is from Gymboree, from the "Holland Days" collection.

Grandma is hard at work

My Mom just sent me a photo of the quilt that she is making for Oliveia.

I love it so much! I know Olive is going to love it to.

My Mom is so sweet, she was telling me when she makes a quilt she imagines the baby that is going to have it, thinks about the family, etc. Sniff sniff....

New Referral Time

10-12 months...
That is our new wait time for our referral. Minus the time since we got our number, so one month, OK, so 9-11 months.
We found out last week. Nothing we can do except enjoy the time we have together before Olive is here! Some days are harder than others to be patient, but most of the time we are pretty content with the new timeline. We really have no control over any of this. We are happy that our paperwork is registered in Vietnam with the DIA and we started this process when we did. The future of adoption from Vietnam is unclear at the moment so we are just sitting tight and praying that we get the call soon and will be able to go and get our little one soon.
Stay tuned...