Back from vacation

Scott and I enjoyed 5 lovely days camping at Alpine Lake!!! The weather was perfect and I was able to keep my mind off the dreaded LOA. Being able to do the things I love to do most, spending time with my husband, reading and kayaking, made me almost forget about everything else!!! Of course now I'm back and I want my LOA!!!!! but it will come all when its supposed to. We are gearing up to go back to school. David is entering 11th grade and I'm going back to elementary school. (only for a short time until we go to China!!!!!) I hope it will make the time go faster but originally I didn't think I'd be going back at all!!! Oh well things change. Here are some pictures of our trip.

That's me on the right and my friend Theresa on the left! The picture on the right is what I saw every morning when I walked out the camper door!!!! It was awesome!

Earthquake

Another earthquake hit China today although not as strong as the one in May. It's still worrisome for parents with children there who are waiting for us. And it must be scary for the people who live there. I know there were some deaths reported already.

Tomorrow Scott and I are going away camping at Alpine Lake near Saratoga Springs!! I can't wait!!! Maybe our LOA will come while we are gone!!! Wouldn't that be nice!!!I'm posting another picture of Sierra. It was taken in June.

Maybe......

I just have a feeling about today. I don't know why, I just do. It would be so great to receive LOA. Then I can relax and just wait for TA and travel dates. And then we can go to China and get our little sweetie!!!
Scott and I are going camping on Saturday. Its just for a few days but the weather looks perfect. In the low 70s, my kind of weather. We will be by the lake so it should be perfect!!!! I can't wait. Watch, my LOA will come while we are gone!!!

Tough day

Today was a tough day and for once it didn't have anything to do with the adoption. Actually I received some good news today. My I171H which we need to travel to China has been sent out to me. Much earlier than expected!!!
No. my tough day had to do with raising teenagers. It's the time when they start feeling more independent and start making choices on their own. Unfortunatley they don't always make good choices. Even though I've been through it before it still is upsetting to me. There is so much hurtful things out in this world you just want to lock them in their room and keep them safe. I know this will turn out fine and I know he will make more mistakes but its so much easier when they are little. I hope that God will continue to grant me the wisdom and patience that I will need in the coming years!

Trying times

This wait is a difficult process. If you just knew when your travel dates would be it wouldn't be so bad. My biggest fears are that 1. They gave Sierra to someone else. 2. They lost my paperwork. 3. They lost her paperwork. 4. She's sick and no one wants to tell me. (although I don't really believe she is) 5. They have decided that we would be terrible parents and are not going through with the adoption. All these thoughts swirl around my head daily. That is why I am so desperate to receive our LOA. That is the letter where China says yes, you may have her, do you still want her? Can you believe that we have to sign a paper saying we still want her!! Like we would ever change our mind!!!! So let's keep our fingers crossed that we hear something soon!!!
I did send Sierra a care package yesterday and that was a good feeling. She should receive it in about a week. I love the idea that she will be receiving some things from us.

Where did summer go?

I can't believe there is only two more weeks until school starts. I work as an assistant in an elementary school. I wasn't going to go back this year because we were going (I thought) to be traveling to China around the beginning of Sept. NOT!!! So I will start back and put in for my leave when I hear something more. Hopefully it will be soon.
David starts football practice today so he says his summer is over. They do work them hard but I am a huge football fan so I love it. He is going to China with us so he may have to miss a game or two, but maybe not.
My husband and I just made reservations to go camping again this Saturday for 5 days. We originally thought we wouldn't because we thought it would be close to the time we were leaving. Again, NOT!!! So we are going to get away for a few days I can't wait although I did check and the campground does have Wi Fi so I can still check my emails!!!!
So maybe this will be the week and I will post if I hear anything.

Another year older!

What a wonderful birthday. The only thing that could have made it better would have been to receive my LOA. But that's OK it will come soon. It is all part of a bigger plan that I have no control over. I am trying so hard to accept that. Another family that I have become friendly with online DID receive their LOA today and for that I am grateful. I am honored that it happened on my birthday and I am thrilled for them. And as disappointed as I am it feels good to be happy for someone else. This is what this adoption community does, it brings out the best in everyone. Our time will come.
I had a great day at camp. We have a cookout on the last Thursday of camp which was today. It was a beautiful summer day. All the kids sang Happy Birthday and the staff had made cupcakes. Also they gave me a gift bag with all little things for Sierra in it.(including 2 Mets onesies) I was so touched. I have really enjoyed doing camp this summer. Summer camp always reaffirms to me why I love working with kids. It is so different than working in a school. I also love working with my highschool counselors. They are awesome young adults and I know they will all be successful. And Linda my Assistant is a great friend. We have done it together for about 5 years. This summer she brought her 5 month old daughter Jamie to camp. What a cutie. I am in love. She is the best baby. She just smiled and cooed to us all summer long. I loved watching her older brother Nick with her. You can tell how much he loves and will protect his little sister. Thank you Linda for sharing her with all of us.
My husband always makes this a special day for me. He gave me a beautiful card and in it included the words "We will soon have our little girl" I cried when I read it. He is so excited I can hardly stand the wait for him either. Sierra will be his first child and he will be an awesome father!!
As you can see it wasn't a bad day at all!! Thanks to everyone!!

Just thinking

Today I am just thinkinking what it will be like when we finally board that plane to China. I am imagining what it will be like when we are sitting in the room and they bring Sierra to us. Will she be frightened? Will she like us? Will I finally get to see her smile? It's hard now to imagine what these moments will be like. I want to be able to remember every detail so I can play it over and over in my mind. It's hard to imagine now what it will be like then, over 7000 miles away in a small room in China. But boy am I ready to find out!! Sierra, we will be ther as soon as we can!!!!

Time is marching on!

What a nice week. Not great because we didn't receive our LOA but nice just the same. I just finished our 5th week of summer camp. Only one more togo. The time has flown!!! I was hoping not to have to go back to work in Sept. because I thought we'd be traveling. Wrong!!! I will probably go back for just 6 weeks or so until about 2 weeks before we travel. My youngest son turned 17 on Thursday. He is such a great kid and is turning into a wonderful young adult. He is coming with us to China and I am thrilled to be able to share that with him. He will adore his little sister and she him. Happy Birthday, David!!!

The summer speeds on!!

I can't believe we have started our last session of camp. This summer has flown by!!!I thought it would move slowly but it hasn't. Hopefully all the time until we go to China will move this fast. No, we haven't heard anything yet but I still have my fingers crossed!!!

Hopeful

I'm trying to be extremely hopeful that we receive our LOA this week. If not, there is little chance that we would be able to travel to get Sierra in Sept. Adoption travel is all but closed in Oct. so we would have to wait until Nov. That is something I don't even want to think about. Everyone please keep your fingers crossed!!!