Shopping in Chinatown

I just couldn't help myself when I was in Chinatown last weekend. When Teresa and I were in one of larger emporiums we saw many of these beautiful pajama sets and I wanted a couple for Jillian. While I don't think they will make good pajamas because they're polyester, they will be nice for pictures and special occasions.

I also found these slippers for Jilian in another store.


I got my mom and myself a pair in different designs, too. They are really comfortable and I think I will make a tradition out of purchasing a new pair each time I return to Chinatown.

Mom's slippers:


My slippers:

August Referrals

Here's the latest from my agency:

America World is pleased to announce the receipt of 13 healthy female
referrals today! Families receiving referrals were logged into the
China Center of Adoption Affairs on July 15th and 20th of 2005 (groups
222 and 223). The little girls are currently located in the Guangdong
and Jiangxi provinces. We are also excited to announce that one of
the families received a set of twins, which is very rare! America
World has not received a set of healthy twins in over a year so we
felt very blessed to discover twins in this batch of referrals! The
children range from about 6 months to 17 months old. Please join us in
congratulating these families, and in praying for them as they prepare
to travel.

I am so happy that these babies will be united with their families this fall!

Now, I'm getting ready to head up to San Francisco for a few days of shopping, dining, and visiting with my dear friend, Teresa, and her beau, Toby. I'm relieved, in a way, to be getting away from my computer and the online world of China adoption. But, I'll be back soon! And when I am, I will be in search of referral pictures. ;-)

Have a blessed weekend!

Pins & Needles

After a week of very little information coming through RQ's site, now it's been announced that some referrals are coming in! Information is still sketchy though.

I'm on pins and needles and sending out good thoughts for Christi, Tamara, and Mary-Mia. Let us know when you hear something girls, so that we can celebrate with you (and live vicariously...).

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On the flip side, because it looks as though this batch of referrals may only cover July 14 - 22, 2005, I am feeling discouraged. If it continues to take three months to refer one month of LIDs, then I won't receive a referral until 2009. I don't think I can wait that long and maintain my sanity. What is going on over there?

All About Books

My favorite tagger is at it again! This time the topic is books. I usually spend a lot of my time during the summer reading. I love to go to the library and bring home a stack of books. This summer I wasn't able to do that with the school work I've had, and I missed it. Next summer will be different!

A book that changed my life - The Other End of the Leash, Patricia McConnell
The dog trainer I hired to work with Buffy and me a couple summers ago recommended this one. I understand my dogs much better because of it and know how to communicate with them more effectively.

A book I have read more than once - The Best School Year Ever, Barbara Robinson
I read this book to my students at the beginning of every school year. I never tire of the Herdmans' shenanigans.

A book to take with me on a deserted island - The Bible
What other book could you read over and over and still learn something new each time? It's a timeless classic! ;-)

A book that made me laugh - Marley & Me, John Grogan
I laughed so hard that I could hardly breathe!

A book that made me cry - The Time Travelers Wife, Audrey Niffenegger
This is a beautiful and amazing story.

A book I wish had been written - How to Lose Weight While Still Enjoying Wine & Cheese
Need I say more?

A book I wish had never been written - Mein Kampf, Evil Nazi Guy
I never read it, but I tried to think of something that led to much pain and destruction; something the world would have been better off if it and its author had never existed.

A book I am currently reading - Sadly, nothing...
I don't have a lot of time right now. :-(

A book I am planning on reading - ???
Do you have any recommendations? I should have some free time for reading in March 2007 - that's when my master's will be completed.

***** Bonus *****

A book series I highly recommend - The Outlander Series, Diana Gabaldon
It's got a little bit of everything. Warning: these books are highly addictive!

People who are now tagged - all book lovers!

Trashy Pictures

By popular demand, I bring you pictures of the crap that was taken from my room to the dumpster.


Notice how it says "Level Full Only"?

Yeah, right!

Fortunately, I did not have to haul any of that from my room to the dumpster. The custodians did that for me. I simply put it outside my classroom door and they moved it. Phew!

This is a picture of what the room looked like first thing this morning before my mom and I got back in there to put more things away, move furniture, and do some cleaning:



That stuff you see is NOT crap - it's my stuff! I just need to find new homes for everything. It's coming along, but it's going to take a lot more time and effort. I'm taking the rest of this week off - it is still summer vacation. I'll return next Wednesday and Thursday with reinforcements - my mom, my sister, and my niece!

Big Sale!

Baby Lulu Jamie collection is on sale at Forget Me Not Kids - we're talking rock bottom prices ($15-$20). No sniping required!

Ah, that feels better!

I have sipped a glass of wine.

I have washed the remains of the day (see below) off my skin.

I am sipping a cup of Raspberry Cream dessert tea.

Sigh...

I Forgot to Take a Picture...

...of all the crap I cleared out of my new classroom today! But it looked a little like this:

Actually, it looked worse! If you'll recall, I've moved into the classroom that belonged to a teacher who retired at the end of the school year, and he never threw anything away. The dumpster at my school is overflowing with junk I cleared out today, and there's still more sitting outside my classroom door. But I can happily report that I have removed all traces of clutter and obsolete materials from the room itself.

My mom came by and helped me with cleaning as the dust and grime is very thick, and we took a nice lunch break together. Thanks, Mom!

Tomorrow I will return to organize my belongings and arrange the furniture. Then next week I will decorate the walls and prepare the students' materials. That classroom is going to shine!

Slightly Stressed

Word is the CCAA will be issuing new restrictions this fall for prospective adoptive parents, and possibly further restrict or exclude single applicants. It seems likely that this will not apply to me and other single applicants already logged in, as historically, new restrictions have applied to new applicants. But nothing is certain right now. This isn't the first time I've heard this rumor, but it is the first time that several agencies have formally put it out there. They must know something.

I am not going to let this get to me unless I hear definitively that it affects me. I do feel for those in the midst of the paperchase, and those who are waiting for a singles' spot. Do what you can to get it done!

I guess what really bothers me is that worldwide there are so many children in need of a family, and yet politics keep them in orphanages, foster care, on the street, or working at a tender age for those wanting to exploit them and/or use them for cheap labor. And yet here we are, with big hearts, a desire to parent, and the resources needed to raise a child, but it's so difficult to navigate the ever changing currents of adoption.

And as if it's not difficult enough to prove yourself to the governments involved in the process, there are those within the adoption community itself passing judgement on other prospective adoptive parents. They assert that some people in the process shouldn't be allowed to adopt because they are too old, or they already have children, or are single, etc. And while those things might make sense on paper, when you know the people who would be impacted by those restrictions it doesn't make sense at all. Some fifty year olds are in great health and they have the life experience and patience to raise a child. Families with children already can offer an adopted child siblings and all the more love because of it. And single women, who haven't found a worthy husband yet (that's a whole other post!), but have much to offer a child and the natural desire to be a mother will make wonderful parents (if I do say so myself...).

So, as things get more stressful due to the possibility of greater restrictions, let's not turn on each other and make it worse. If this is meant to be for each of us, then it will surely happen.

Shining STAR

I just checked out my school's STAR (Standardized Testing And Reporting) scores for this past school year, and I am so pleased with the results. Once again, my grade level has surpassed our previous year's gains (and those were impressive). Seventy-five percent of the fourth grade students scored Advanced in English-Language Arts (ELA), and seventy-four percent were Advanced in Mathematics. This shows an eight-point gain for ELA and an eleven-point gain in Mathematics. The majority of those not scoring in the Advanced range are still Proficient, and a very small percentage of students (9-10%) are categorized at Basic, Below Basic, or Far Below Basic - most of those kids are also Special Education students though.

We have the highest scores at our school and within our district!

I have to say that I really think the gains we've made at the fourth grade level in the last couple of years don't have anything to do with teaching to the test. I spend about four days the week before the actual exam giving a few practice tests to get my students warmed up and that's it, but during the year my grade-level team of teachers and I teach to the state standards - which are ridiculously high. We have had to add several language arts units to hit all the standards, but it's working. Kids are learning and demonstrating what they know - not just on the STAR exams either.

I take a lot of pride in what I do and I try to make learning fun for my students. I honestly didn't believe we'd be able to do any better than we did the year before, and I told last year's students that. But I also gave them a challenge that if they did as well or better than the previous class, I'd throw them a pizza party. Who has the number for Pizza Hut?

Hey, Shoppers!

Okay, I know I shouldn't entice you with shopping tips more than once a week, but I just love this website! I found Liberty Worth through Jenny a few months ago, and I purchased the Name Charm necklace (one for me and one for my niece), and I've just ordered one of her reversible skirts. She also designs baby slings. I love her designs. Check it out!

Grammy Strikes Again

I spent a really nice day with my mom yesterday at the Orange Circle. We like to get over there a few times a year for a girls' day. We had lunch at the Citrus City Grille and visited many of the shops in the area. There was a new children's store that we spent a bit of time in and my mom found these finger puppets and this sweet little bear for Jillian.

Thanks, Mom!

PiYo

So, last night's class was PiYo, a hybrid of pilates and yoga. I really liked it. The instructor also added some Tai Chi moves.

In the past, I have been intimidated when I've tried to take classes at the gym. I am not athletic, at all. I have very limited flexibility and I'm not that coordinated. I once took a Jazzercize class with a friend and it was a riot - I can't tell my left from my right when things are moving along that quickly!

But, these classes are different. They are very mellow. The lights are down low. No one is showing off, and if they are we can't see them. I feel like I'm getting a good workout, but I'm not working myself into a lather. That's nice.

I think I may have found my thing.

Moonbeams in My Mailbox

What a wonderful surprise to find this book in my mailbox today, compliments of my cousin Mary. I had this on my Amazon wishlist and so I'm very excited to have it now for Jillian's growing library. I wanted this book for her because it's a collection of Chinese holiday tales, activities, and recipes. I may even try some of these with my students - just for practice!

The best thing about teaching first grade for one year (many years ago) is that I also have several dozen other picture books for young children that I can add to Jillian's collection. Eventually, I'm going to have to find a cute little bookshelf for the nursery for this new addition and all the other books I've been saving.

By the way, Mary was a long, lost cousin that my sister found via the internet several years ago. Isn't that amazing? Our side of the family had not been in contact with her side of the family for decades after the death of my father's father in the 1940s. I think I have that story right...

I've met Mary just a couple of times that I can remember, but have been corresponding with her via email a lot since I began my blog. She reads my blog regularly and seems to be very excited for me as I continue my adoption journey.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Mary!

Pageant of the Masters

Last night my parents treated the whole family to a night at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. This is an amazing, annual summertime event in which famous pieces of art are recreated with live people! It really is a pageant in that the show moves along fairly quickly from one piece to the next. A full orchestra provides the soundtrack for the pageant and an MC narrates each piece. We saw recreations of Norman Rockwell, Vincent Van Gogh, Sargeant, and the Last Supper just to name a few. The pictures below are from previous pageants, but I wanted to give you an idea as to how this is done. Before you enter the amphitheater, there are many booths with local artists showing their works, live music, and food vendors. The location of the pageant is less than a mile inland from the beach. On the hillside above the stage, there are multi-million dollar homes. The sky was clear last night and we could see the constellations. It was a wonderful evening!

BABY LULU

I've just recently discovered BABY LULU and I'm lovin' it! Another blogger had written about her successful purchases on eBay of BABY LULU items and I was curious, so I checked it out. They are some of the cutest little clothes you've ever seen. The retail prices, however, are ridiculous. I would like to try some eBay shopping for BABY LULU and Gymboree, but I had a bad experience on eBay last summer and I haven't done any shopping there since then. If you have any tips on how to shop eBay, let me know.

But I did find Forget Me Not Kids, and they have discount prices on most of the BABY LULU lines. So, I purchased these sweet little things for Jillian. To be on the safe side, I purchased 18 months and 2T sizes. Jillian's going to have a great wardrobe!

Jillian's Dresser

On Tuesday, I met my friend and co-worker Joyce for lunch at Walt's Wharf in Seal Beach. I love Walt's Wharf and so do Jesse James and Sandra Bullock - Long Beach's most famous residents! They weren't there that day, but I've heard they dine there frequently.

Anyway, after lunch Joyce and I decided to do a little shopping and I came across this dresser. It was such a reasonable price and it was just what I'd been picturing in my mind for Jillian's room. However, I hadn't planned on accumulating furniture or starting the nursery until next spring, so I left without buying it.

I couldn't quit thinking about it, though. So, the next day I called and asked them to hold it for me. Today I picked it up and it's now full of Jillian's things. I want to get a couple of appliques for the drawers, just to make it a little more girly, but other than that, I think it's perfect for her.

Croque Monsieur

So, after working out I decided to fix a lowfat dinner - not! I think I mentioned that I love Ina Garten. I love her show, Barefoot Contessa, and I have all of her cookbooks. Every recipe I've ever made of hers turns out delicously, and I think they are easy to follow. If you're not familiar with a Croque Monsieur, it's the French version of a grilled cheese and ham sandwich. Instead of American cheese (yuck - that's just kid food) a Croque Monsieur has Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. To compliment my Croque Monsieur, I prepared a salad of baby greens, heirloom tomato, and a balsamic vinegrette. Even better was the glass of chilled Pinot Noir. Tres bien!

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I did not take that picture, but it does look a lot like my dinner did!

Pilates

So, yesterday I tried the Just Pilates class at the gym and I really liked it. It was a good workout - I'm feeling it in my glutes today. Yeowsa! I'm definitely going back next week, though. I felt so good after that class.

When school starts, I'm going to try to attend two classes a week, be they yoga or Pilates. My gym membership allows me to use several gyms in the surrounding area, so there should always be something that fits my schedule. I will also be walking with my students for the last twenty minutes of the day as many times a week as we can. My last class loved getting out for a walk or run at the end of the day, and many parents said their kids left school more energized and ready for their after school activities than before we started walking together.

Maybe, if I keep it simple, I can exercise on a regular basis?

Meeting More Blogger Friends

Tonight I met up with Michelle and Shelley for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. Michelle and Shelley are so down-to-earth and easy to talk to. We had such a good time discussing our adoption journeys. Once again, I'm just amazed at some of the connections that have been made as a result of the internet. Our paths might never have crossed if we hadn't been blogging about our adoptions.

Michelle is a crafty girl and she brought me this beautiful basket she made. The card was handmade, too. She included some lovely "China Rose" handsoap and hand lotion in the basket and her good wish for Jillian. See the Good Wishes for Jillian page for a close up of that little piece of art.


Michelle, thank you for your thoughtfulness!

Namaste

Last night I took a yoga class at the gym. I am probably the least flexible person on the planet - I couldn't touch my toes even when I was a kid. That's what I get for being an ectomorph. However, it wasn't an advanced class, so I was able to do many of the postures. I did that one in the picture above!

After the class, I felt really good. I hadn't been to the gym in a long time and I was excited to see they have a Nautilus Tread Climber, so maybe I'll go back and give that a try, too. I've already decided to try the pilates class tomorrow.

Have you ever taken yoga or pilates?

Fours

Last week it was sevens, this week it's fours. Jenny, so long as these things stay in the single digits, I'll play along!

Four jobs I’ve had:
Disneyland ride operator – all in Tomorrowland (Space Mountain, Star Tours, Rocket Jets, America Sings, Magic Journeys, and Captain EO). I wore a lot of polyester back then!
Bank Teller (always balanced to the penny)
Marketing Coordinator (yawn)
Teacher (best job ever!)

Four movies I could watch over and over:
O, Brother Where Art Thou? (I love George Clooney in this movie!)
Groundhog Day (this one will make you snort!)
Anne of Green Gables (so sweet)
Pride & Prejudice (the BBC version with Colin Firth)

Four places I have lived:
Fountain Valley, California (3 different houses)
Long Beach, California

Four television shows I love to watch:
ER (Dr. Kovach is dreamy)
Lost (I don’t understand what the heck is going on, but I can’t stop watching it!)
Barefoot Contessa (okay, Ina rocks…I just sit and drool while I watch her cook all that amazing food)
Anthony Bourdain – No Reservations (he’s hilarious – for a chain smoker)

Four places I’ve been on vacation:
France (it is zay best!)
Maui (paradise)
Las Vegas (keep the Seabreezes coming to my chaise lounge at the pool, please…)
Disneyworld (hey, I got a discount package when I worked at Dland)

Four websites I visit daily:
http://www.chinaadopttalk.com
http://www.chinaadopttalk.com
http://www.chinaadopttalk.com
http://www.chinaadopttalk.com

What other site is there?

Four favorite foods:
Sushi (tuna sashimi, salmon skin hand roll, spider roll, 49er roll, I’m on a roll...)
Dark chocolate (mmm…)
Crepes (oui, oui!)
Pork (it’s the other white meat!)

Four places I’d like to be right now:
China (just for Jillian)
France (because it’s zay best!)
Hawaii (because I could use a little paradise right now)
Italy (because I haven’t been there yet)

Okay, now I'm tagging Paulette, Michelle, Krista, and April. Get writing, girls!

Quilt Squares...

...are on the way to Nicole, Paulette, Krista, and Leslie. If you are still collecting quilt squares and you'd like one from me, email me and I'll get one out to you in my next batch. I only ask that you consider sending me an 8.5" x 8.5" scrapbooky wish in return for Jillian's Good Wishes.

More Than an Internet Connection

Since I've been reading blogs over the last ten months or so, I've come to "know" some bloggers well through their posts. Words are powerful and over time the blogger's personality is revealed. Some personalities I'm drawn to, and so I keep reading and commenting. I appreciate their honesty, enthusiasm, perspective, and values. Other personalities make me a bit uncomfortable and so I quit stopping by. I'm turned off by their negativity or the chaos that seems to be their life. It's not that I'm judging anyone for writing what is true for them, but I find that I'm affected by what I read, and I want to make it through this wait with my optimism and confidence in the future intact.

Over the last two days, I've been truly affected by one family's loss and another family's wonderful news. I really am aching for a blogger whose dream of adopting a baby from China will not come true, and I'm celebrating (in spirit) another blogger's decision to adopt again. Both of those posts went straight to my heart. And, as sentimental as it sounds, I now realize that this is a little more than just blogging.

Do you know what I mean?

One little ladybug...

...because today is my one month anniversary since LID! I hardly noticed the time passing because I've been so busy. I hope all the months pass by so painlessly, but I doubt it.

Today, I'm going to celebrate this milestone and the completion of Block 3 in the master's program by having a relaxing massage. My friend, Hannah, is an aesthetician and massage therapist extraordinaire. She's my go-to-gal whenever I'm stressed out or when I want to reward myself with a little pampering. I can hardly wait!

Meeting Up with Jenny

Last night I drove up to the South Bay to meet Jenny and her beautiful family. Jenny and her husband Michael adopted Katie Mei last year through the same agency I'm using. When I posted to my agency's group several months ago, Jenny responded to my post and offered to answer any questions I might have. She has been a huge source of encouragement and a wealth of information. We dined at King's Hawaiian - yum - and I had the chance to ask lots of questions about traveling to China and attachment. I'm sure I will be tapping into Jenny's experience more as I get closer to being united with Jillian. And I really look forward to introducing Jillian and Katie Mei, who, by the way, is so dang cute! She warmed right up to me and I got a hug and a handshake from her. I may have to borrow her now and then to get my baby girl fix!

Jenny showered me with these great gifts, too. I now have a set of sippy cups, a photo album, and check out that very stylish outfit. I wish I had some cute pants like that! Thank you so much, Jenny!

An Open Invitation

This is for all you Southern California bloggers. Michelle and I are going to get together next Wednesday night - August 9th - for dinner. We thought it would be fun to extend the invitation to other bloggers/adoptive parents who live in the area. We will be meeting in Orange County - Surf City, USA to be exact. If you'd like to join us, please email Michelle or me and we'll give you all the pertinent information.

Making New Friends

Hey, are you ready for a light and happy post from me? I know the last couple days were pretty somber. I'm ready to move on.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Paulette! She's down in Southern California for some personal business and to celebrate her sister's engagement. We got together for lunch yesterday and a little visit to Carter's. I love that store...

Paulette had fun with the finger puppets.

She also brought this dress for Jillian. It's so cute! Thank you, Paulette. And she hand delivered her good wish to me. See the Good Wishes for Jillian page.

Paulette is an amazing person with a real joie de vivre. She has overcome so much in the last year and retained her enthusiasm and perspective. We're already making plans for times in the future when we can get Jillian and Annalise together.

A Little Rant...

...about bad manners.

I participated in the June 2006 DTC Group's first cybershower last month. The theme was Red, White, and Blue. As soon as I had the name of the person I was supposed to shower, I went to Target and purchased several baby items that fit the theme. Then I wrapped them and mailed them. I emailed the person I was sending the gifts to, just to let her know they were on the way.

No response.

Several weeks pass.

I email her again to ask if she'd received them, or not.

No response.

So, this is really bugging me, because I want to know that she received the package. I don't expect her to fawn all over me with gratitude, but I'd like a simple acknowledgement. Just now I checked the database for the June DTC group, and I see that she has a blog. I wander on over to her blog to see what's going on in her life. She's been blogging away, but makes no mention of her cybershower gifts.

Am I wrong to expect her to acknowledge receipt of the gifts I sent? Is it worth commenting on her blog about it?

I guess you don't have to have good manners to adopt a baby from China...

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Update: I posted a little reminder on the June DTC group last night. Only two people have responded. The first was sweet, but offered possible excuses for the situation. The next person who responded admitted that she had not thanked the person who sent her a gift, but that she'd moved in that time and been without a computer, etc. She was not my cybershower match.

Then Johnny's post today reminds me that just because we're all sharing the experience of adopting from China, doesn't mean that we would all be friends in the real world - that there's a diversity of opinions and behaviors in this community.

And, with that, I'm letting it go!

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Update #2: I guess I'm not letting it go. The recipient of my gift responded this morning by posting to the group. She didn't acknowledge that she had recieved my gift and was now saying thank you. She was just angry with me for posting about it at all - mind you, I never referred to her by name, I just pointed out that we should be saying thank you and that I hadn't heard from my pal, yet.

This is something that I really don't like about these Yahoo groups. It seems like people are very quick to get angry with one another. Another thing that baffles me is why people want to make excuses for themselves or others for not saying thank you. It's such a simple thing to do. Yes, life is busy. I know that firsthand, but unless you or a loved one is in a coma you should say thank you.

So, I guess I look like the bad guy now for bringing it up. Whatever...

Fun Find

I found this cute fabric dolly and her outfits at Home Goods today.


This first half week of no work or school has been really good. I've spent lots of time with my family. I've also visited with a couple of friends who are in from out of town, and last night I celebrated my dear friend Nancy's fortieth birthday with her and her other friends and family.

The rest of today, however, will be spent cleaning the patio room in preparation for the painters' arrival. That room is my project. It's almost as important as getting Jillian's room done before she comes home next year. I want that room to serve less as a kennel and more as a family room. I've already had a new A/C unit installed and a window pane replaced this summer. After the paint job, I'll be shopping for an area rug and window coverings. Before and after pictures to come!