No Ordinary Family

It is referral time again for China. It has only been a few weeks since the last batch which is tending to be a trend for December 2 referral batches. Although it does not make up for all the small batches this year or the fact that they have only sent out referrals 10 times in the last 12 months. Every year when we think it could not possibly get slower it does. So here are the facts: We have 387 days between our LID and the LID that just got referrals. China has averaged 3.4 LIDs per month in 2009, the total average per month since we have been waiting is 5.0 LIDs . What does that mean for our China referral, I have no idea. I could be several years before we get a referral or it could happen more quickly. We really have no idea. We are going to stick with the non-special-needs ( NSN ) program until we get home from Burundi and have adjusted to life with a toddler, then we will re-evaluate the situation and see where we are in the process. Until then we are holding steady

We had a very Merry Christmas weekend and it was too quickly over. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning at Emily and Ryan's with the rest of my family. The last kid free year with my family it will be interesting to see the dynamics in the family next year, I can't wait. The day after Christmas we celebrated with Jim's family, it was a lot of fun. Although the kids especially the 2 older ones were moving a little fast for our photography :0) Here are a few pictures of our Holidays. Hope everyone had a holiday! Stay tuned tomorrow for a numbers post, China sent out referrals again.

Hope everyone is having an amazing day with your families. Today marks 32 months in China, can't wait to see what 2010 brings us!

Yesterday I came home to 2 wonderful packages. I participated in a hat/ornament exchange that Jody hosted. Take a look at the great hats that will BB will be sporting hopefully soon. Jody sent 2 amazing hats! Sandra made this camo hat I can not wait to see it on BB's head! She also sent this cute picture frame ornament. Jody sent this perfect ornament I must say it brought me to tears just to see his name and a year I know it is real and I want him home so badly. Next year he will be watching me hang this one on the tree, it is glass do you think I am crazy enough to let a 2 year old handle it? Eventually several years from now he might be allowed to hang it there him self :0). Thank you Jody and Sandra the packages could not have come on a better day, I needed a pick me up.

A week has gone by since my last post, where does the time go when nothing is happening? Yesterday was the shortest day of the year, which means every day until next June is going to be a little brighter. I hope that these brighter days bring a brighter out look. We celebrated the first day of winter by baking cookies. We have more to make tonight and some candy. No real news on BB and I will post a little something on his blog later. I am hoping to get something by Christmas but his absence is really noticed this year. I hope that early next year we are on our way to get him and we don't have to spend another major holiday missing each other. I post pictures of all my cookies later, I hope that everyone enjoys them. Next year it will be decorating sugar cookies with a little one I can't wait! Hope you all are having a great week. Merry Christmas to all,

Toby got a little hyper last night. It might have something to do with the fact that it was snowing and Jim let him out the front to run a little. He decided to make the rounds around the alley before circling back to see if we were still here. I have a firm belief he feels it is his lone duty to turn all the snow in the neighborhood yellow. So when we got back in the house he decided to work off his energy by walking all over me trying to get me to throw his toy monkey. Here it is in pictures. And just to prove it was snowing.

Today is Elijah's birthday! what a special day to be 4. On Saturday he celebrated with Family and Friends. Here are a few pictures from the party. Of his many gifts I think he was most excited about the new booster seat, finally out of the car seat yea, and the "mote" control motor cycle from Grandma and Papa, I wish I had thought to get the excitement of that moment on film. I think he had a great Birthday party. The rest of the weekend was pretty boring that was good. We did finish decorating for Christmas and I think I am in a much better Christmas mood with more twinkle lights and red and gold ribbon. I even found a Christmas music station I like that does not play too many depressing Christmas songs.

We got the tree decorated. The other boxes of decorations are sitting and waiting for someone to get festive enough to put them up. I am thinking they might be waiting about a year before they see the light of the outside world. The tree is about all we could muster. Santa might make his way out just because I need something to wish to and he is my best bet right now. This weekend we are going to my first nephews birthday party. Eli is turning 4 and I am sure he is beyond excited. It will be a fun time with family, it is good to get out of the house for a while and celebrate. I think I will wrap gifts this weekend too and get some other stuff done. We only have a couple more gift to get this year, I must say I am proud of myself for getting most of the shopping done early a little at a time. I hate feeling overwhelmed with buying right before the holiday, it is not good on the nerves or the checkbook. Hope everyone is going to have a warm and happy weekend. It is too col

So tonight I tried out a new recipe. It was from Pampered Chefs 29 minute meal cook book (sort of) I tend to modify recipes to suite my taste and preferred cooking methods. So instead of pan grilling I baked and I did not use their seasoning rub, since I did not have it. That is one thing I don't like about their recipes, they often use their ingredients and I don't have them so I have to improvise. I made maple bourbon glazed salmon. I started by calling Mom and Dad my local fish suppliers. I thawed it and set about gathering ingredients. Maple Syrup (Jim insisted on the real stuff not Mrs. Butterworths) Cider Vinegar Dijon mustard, I used whole seed it was what we had, I think it is the same or close enough. Salt Garlic Pepper corns for me to crush later Bourbon AKA Giant bottle of Alcohol for 1 tablespoon (Jim promised me this would not go to waste and we ended up using extra, ;0) Then I combined them in a microwaveable bowl and whisked. Then I read that I was not suppo