No Ordinary Family

Happy Birthday to Jim!  Yes he might be really old :0) but we all still love him!  Even Toby does not seem to mind his tortures.

Jim and I got pictures of Kwizera on Wednesday, at first we were of course elated but the email that followed brought up some troubling questions.  We want this boy to be our son more than anything but we have serious doubts that it will ever happen.  I wanted to share this with everyone so that you know we are having to make some very tough decisions.  We still plan on creating a family though adoption but we really are not sure how that is going to happen at this point. We appreciate all of your support as we go through the next few months trying to learn the path we are meant to take.

Well they are officially here the Animal edition of Color Me Home .  I think they turned out great, what do you think?

I got a small bonus at work and boy was it needed for some essentials.  I hate spending money these day... no that is a lie I love spending money but I don't do it becasue 1. we don't have any and 2. we supposedly have an adoption to be saving for.  But back to my bonus I was sorely in need of some new jeans and unmetionalbles so out on the town we went.  And when I say I was in need trust me a few more days and I think the denim in my jeans would have worn so thin my co-workers would have got a free show, too scary.  I found some jeans at Fred Meyer for a lot less than I thought I would have to pay, Score 1.  The other, well, unmentionable items, were bought on line and they came in today, YEA.    So since I saved some money on the pants I decided to treat myself to a new Wii game. Endless Ocean Blue World was on my Christmas list but it was not out yet.  I have the first Endless Ocean and I really enjoyed it, but this one is even better.  It is not the typical video game,

Not much has gone on this week.  I guess that is good I would like a little adoption news but I guess that is not to be.  I have had a hard time adjusting to the time change.  It is only an hour but it seems like we are getting up earlier and going to bed later since it is light longer.  So yesterday I came home and took a nap and today I think I am finally caught up.  Now if I could just be rid of my sinus headaches I would be golden, well almost.  Color Me Home has been doing spectacular!  Jim is selling them faster than we can bind them which is awesome.  We even have some That's My Pan orders coming in.  So if you want any thing from That's My Pan send me an email . Remember Mother's Day is coming up and what is better than personalized bake-ware, utensils or a coffee mug for your Mom!  They also have personalized frames, weddings and baby shower in the future.  I am going to try and get an order in next week if we have enough items. This weekend I think we might

We don't watch a lot of news, perhaps we should watch more but the more I watch the more I think it is just entertainment not really news and not even the kind of entertainment I like.  The biases are so obvious and it frustrates me to no end.  Also the topics that they choose are news worthy, are at best reaching.  Does anyone still care about Tiger Woods and that whole fiasco and if you do, great go pick up a magazine in the grocery store isle.  So I think to avoid hearing me yell at the TV newscasters, Jim often changes the channel.  Here is the latest stupid thing that I heard on the news that got me boiling.  This was about a 3 second segment on some program (can't remember for sure which one) and I went back to look for a clip to show you but could not find it.  It was about girls testing the same as boys in math on standardized tests.  Math and science are generally thought to be an area that men do better in and up until recently boys have always done better on test sc

I was going to post about trails and tribulations of getting our immigration paperwork out.  I was going to post about how I hate Fed Ex because they are stupid and don't know that over night means the next day.  However, I want to be past that, I need to be in a calm place for a while with no paper work hanging over my head, so I am taking a deep breathe and relaxing for a bit.  I want to clear up some confusion that I may have caused by posting that we were switching countries.  We are still adopting from Burundi.  As many of you know we started our adoption process in China.  We still plan on adopting from China someday, and all of our documents are still in China but the wait is so incredibly long.  We are still "in line" and "logged in". We are doing a concurrent adoption in Burundi.  All of our immigration paper work still said China so, since the Burundi adoption is going to happen first we needed to switch countries.  I know it is too complicated someti

I was looking at this blog today and look what I came across, Raven and Lily .  I love to hear how people are helping others all over the world but I must say that I have a soft spot for Africa.  I was browsing a bit and came found the shop by region option .  How excited was I to find out that Burundi Artisans were included?  Yep, you are right, VERY excited!! They make some beautiful items at reasonable prices and the women that are making them are earning a fair wage to take care of themselves and their families, plus it just sounds like Raven and Lily are doing wonderful work to help impoverished woman all over the world.  I can't wait to spend more time on this site and learn all about their work.  But I could not wait to post and share with all of you.   Remember, Cora has a birthday coming up in April, hint hint, Jim (or anyone else), I really love the bag and the coffee sleeves!

Last night, I was gathering up paperwork to filling out forms so we can change countries and renew our 171H which is a letter from the us government that allows you to adopt an orphan internationally and bring them home.  I remember a time while "paper-chasing" for our China adoption when I liked the paperwork.  I found it kind of fun.  I was doing something to bring home our baby that we would meet in 18-24 months.  It seemed straight forward methodical and I found a peace in gathering everything up.  42 months later I have lost the joy along with other things. I lost a home study. I could not find our home study from 4 years ago, we need to submit a copy of it with our update we are sending to immigration. I had kept meticulous records in the beginning but after almost 4 years they have started to fall apart.  Who does that?  Who loses one of the most important documents of the adoption process?  Yep that would be me.  I am a loser, literally.  I am so mad at my self for 

I have decided to change things up a bit for several reasons.  I started this blog to be all about our journey to China for our daughter but our journey has taken more twists and turns than I expected.  I want this blog to be about our family not just one adoption.  I want this blog to work for me and be a place where I can share about my family no matter what the size.  Lets face it we are never going to be the picture perfect family with 2.5 kids.  We are who we are, and right now that is 2 adults, 2 pooches, 1 puppy cat, and a few marine creatures.  There is also a little man that we are waiting to meet in Burundi and somewhere there is still the thought of that little girl in China.  And who knows what other directions our life might take or who may join this No Ordinary Family.  The name came from a picture frame that I found at Hallmark and I fell in love with it.  I thought how perfect for this crazy life that we are leading.  That picture frame has 3 openings and now holds tw

Trying out a few new things on the blog so bear with me.

It is that time again time for China referrals and to see precious babies and families united.  China referred 6 days this month so that take us to 379 LIDs to go.  6 days is a huge accomplishment it really gives me hope that they are going to start referring more days per batch. Our wait is still unrealistically long, but maybe there is just a small break in the clouds. The pig is getting ready for that big sunburst to blow the clouds away. This it the first month that a $5 bill is going into the bank!

I don’t even know how to process what I am feeling sometimes and writing on this blog is helpful so please bear with me.  I thought about posting it on the private Burundi adoption blog but it really fits here and I think there will be others that probably identify with what I am saying. I do ask that if you decided to leave a comment please be kind and respectful to everyone. I know that other people have their stories and I know they have the right to share those stories but sometimes when I read or hear about other people’s stories I really feel left out or lost. I thought I had processed my feelings about not giving birth to children and I thought I was OK with that but I have moments when I don’t feel OK. I have moments when I know I am not past it. I have moments when I angry and envious and sad. I don’t like those moments and I want to be bigger than that, I want to be past it and I work on that daily. I even have moments where I swear I will never read another mommy blog or p