Project #2

It's getting close to the end of the year....December - YAH~!  It's been a long year and a long 4 year wait for Aiden,  remember this little guy?

He's going on 11 months and changing so fast.  Each time I get a Well Baby Check he's doing great, and each time I get new pictures, it's like a world of difference! I forget how much babies change in the first year! I can. not. wait. to. get. him. home!!!!   Hopefully he'll be submitted in early January for his Emigration Permit.....like I said hopefully!  There's no sequence when it comes to this process - which is very frustrating.  There's no picking up the phone and calling direct to see when every little thing is done over there in Seoul.  I  just have to sit back and then freak out!!  

When I finished up work in mid November, I knew it was going to be a long couple of months to get to January 2011.   I'd read where adoptive mom's from the Korean Forum said to stay busy for the last few months, it helps.  Okay... I can try and find something to do.... but what?   Thank goodness I took that to heart and came up with a couple of ideas to keep me busy.  I had to or else I'd go nuts.....I'm already half way there, ya know?   (enter hysterical annoying laugh hehehehehe) Umm anyway,  I like crafts, so I looked into that.  I settled on 2 projects.  The first one is sitting there waiting to be put together.......I'm a little apprehensive about it, so I stuck to finishing project #2 first.   Wanna see?  

It's a Korean flag ornament.  I made it out of clay that bakes in the oven, painted it, then sprayed it with clear acrylic sealer.  I put the date on the back to remember when our journey to little Aiden  started!

Taylor wanted one to go on her little tree. 

I've made a few extras, so they're on my big tree.  Now every time I look at my Korean flag ornament, I'll remember Aiden, my little Korean baby till he comes home! :) So every year I put it on my tree, I'll remember what I did to pass the time waiting on him to come home to us!  Aiden, we're coming ... as soon as you're ready! :)

Just got 'em today!!!

I casually looked at email this morning and BAMB --there in the subject line was  "WBC for November and photos"!  New pictures of Aiden - YAH!  I clicked as fast as my clicker would click and there he was.  The first picture I saw was this one:

Bless his little heart, he'd been crying when they took this!  He has changed so much since I last saw a photo, I can't stand it!  I want to pick him up and hug him so much!  The clothes he's wearing are Korean.  Notice the cute little suspenders!  CUTE!! :)  First a blue jean jacket, and now suspenders!  My kid is cool! lol 

Next, was this darling photo.  The lady in the photo is his Foster Mother.  I had to blur out her face for privacy reasons, but he's so darn cute!!

These items were in his second care package I sent!  I am so very thankful to get this photo of him and his care package!  The little toy he's holding is a fabric photo album that has our pictures in it.  I'm coming Aiden, you hang on sweetie!! :)

When I looked at the email, there were only two pictures there, but the subject said WBC for November.  I emailed MC, our contact at Holt International and she emailed the WBC file to us with a little note that said: "Sorry, guess I forgot to attach the WBC, got carried away with the photos, he is so cute."  I opened the file and this is what I saw.  Aiden is around 22 lbs, 28 inches tall, and it looks like he's drinking 6 oz every 4 hours, not sure on the last one there.  Koreans measure in kilograms, centimeters, and cubic centimeters.  I had to convert to lbs, inches, and oz.  It says Aiden is also doing lots of things, lots of movement from this little one!  It says he's walking while holding on to furniture, so at least I know he's not running around everywhere!  

Another day.....

Yep, it's another day.  No, not like the last post, but better.  The last post was the vent.  If I've learned anything from other Adoptive Moms, it's  "vent when you need to!"   I've connected with lots of AP's on Facebook.  Here's a big shout out to the ladies - HEY LADIES! : 0  I feel connected. : )

So what's going on today you ask?  Been working on my Christmas projects.  Part 2 of  project #1 was ready, so picked that up on the way home from picking up Tay, my sidekick. ; )  Got home, started working on more of project #2.  I messed up a couple of things on those, still frustrated, because I made silly mistakes and had to go back and fix them - grrrrr!  But I've started more of those and they're looking good so far, but it's still early!  And I've got nothing but time!!

I've had some inquiries on what I'm working on, my Christmas projects.  Mom, I know you've really wanted to know what I'm working on, so see if this helps! :)   Well.....I guess I could give you hints.  So here they are:  on project #1,  hint #1 -- it's recycled.   Okay,  project #2,   hint #1 --  you can hang it.  I might drop another hint some other time.  Sorry to be so secretive, I've got to have some kind of fun with this!  I mean really,  I have nothing else to do till the first of next year!  Oh yeah, the picture.  This is a picture of project #1:

Oh darn, it's too dark!  Okay, I'll work on that.  Well,  I have another picture.  See if this helps,  it's of project #2:

Oops, too much light!  Dang it!! I'll try and work on that, really!  Till then this will just have to do!

One of 'those' days.........the vent

It seems like it has been raining non stop since yesterday.  So the weather is gloomy, wet, and dark.  (which would explain my mood at the moment!)  As today went on, the more frustrated I became.  So I had a thought,  oh yeah, this is going to be one of  those days.

I went to my parents house today and I'm sure my mom was wondering why I was so quiet.  If something is bothering me, I'm worried, or just don't feel good, I'm quiet.  Which, let's face it, would be a gift to some people these days! ; )   So what's up with me today?  To put it bluntly,  I'm sick and tired of waiting for Aiden to be able to come home!!  I've come full circle and stopped at the "frustrated" gate.  I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round that stops at certain points, only to continue again, and drag me along with it.  So how do I get off of this ride?  I can't just shut down completely, but I'm sick and tired of waiting in line.  So I've heard some say that when you get to your breaking point, it'll happen.  But what if you get to your breaking point, and nothing happens.  That is possible you know?  Then what?  I'm not completely there,  I was just wondering.....

What to do, what to do?  I've been working on my Christmas projects,  hubs said last night it's looking good, bless him! :)  So what do I do with this frustration?  Which, I know it's just a stage and will pass and then stop at the next gate - sadness,  happiness, excitement, depression, etc.  Wonder which one it'll be tomorrow.  Some of you are probably thinking,  this gal needs help, or maybe a stiff drink!  I'll keep going everyday, just like I always do.  Tick.....tock.......tick.........tock.............tick.........................tock...........................tick.....................tock - sick of reading tick tock yet?  Well,  I'm sick of hearing it!  Yes I'd like a little bit of cheese with my whine!  I'm venting today.  Usually I'm kind of quiet with the complaining.  But gosh darn it  I'm sick of this waiting.  I'm waiting every single day till we get another Well Baby Check, picture, whatever till whenever! 

And I always say me  - "I'm waiting". Truth is all our families are waiting.  Our daughter, Taylor, has also been waiting almost 4 years too.  She'll be 10 in exactly a month.   Do you know how long four years is to a child?  An eternity.  She actually asked me this summer were we still adopting?   She's past the point of being excited.  I think we all are, and by that  I mean, all our family.  And now with North Korea being the big bad bully,  we have no idea if we'll be able to travel to South Korea to pick Aiden up!  I was sooooo looking forward to going to Seoul!  I mean really!!  I'm not the adventurous type at all, I'm a home body, just ask the hubs.  He's the adventurous one,  so I was really liking the idea of visiting our son's birth place and experiencing ALL of that! WOW!!  So now that may not even happen.   And the hubs,  he's just here.  He says he really can't get attached to a child he's never met, doesn't know anything about, never held.  Who can blame him!?  It's only been four years of waiting?!  But he's been there every step of the way, which I truly appreciate!  Love ya dear! :)   

So..... what's next?  Christmas will be here sometime soon.  I'm really trying to look forward to it, but it's just not happening.  Then,  it's Taylor's birthday on December 30th. Really need to get myself together to come up with a great birthday idea, she'll be "10", double digits!!  Then  New Year's..... now we're talking!  Finally... it'll be  next year, but we've still got a month to go till then.  Yeah, I know......just a few more months!  I feel like I'd like to slap the next person that says that to me!   (ignore the last comment, I'm just venting!) 

Christmas.....hurry up!

Thanksgiving was great.  Good food, good time with family, it was great.  I'm so glad it's over now! :)  That's one major holiday down, one more to go till next year.  Yes, I'm wishing these holidays to pass, which makes no sense to most I'm sure.  I knew this would happen.  After the EP mishap (see earlier posts), I knew what I would do - wish my holidays to pass quickly so next year would get here and they'd (Korea) start processing again!   I hate that I'm doing that, really I do, but I can't help it!  It's just how my mind works - dang it!

So I'm not really looking forward to Christmas as much as I was this summer (thinking Aiden would be home for Christmas).  Tay wanted to put up the tree last night, I on the other hand was not too thrilled with the task.  But with Mike's help, thank goodness,  it's all up, out, and on!  Here's a sneak peak of the outside.

I'm sure most have heard about the attack on South Korea by North Korea.  For us AP's (Adopted Parents), we're all over it trying to hear the latest news.  We're all worried about our babies over there, we're all worried about how it's going to  affect our adoptions.  Our agency has assured us there's nothing to worry about, and that it's all regular life as usual  over there.  But we'd all feel so much better if there was peace, so North Korea, if you would please, stop being a BULLY!  Thank you, and have a nice day!  :)

So now that I'm not working till the beginning of next year, I've found a few "Christmas projects" to keep me busy.  I've started on one of them.  I've finished  step one and I'm having to wait on step two, hopefully it'll just take another week or so to get that finished, then I can work on the final step, putting them all together.  Since my one project is stalled a bit, I'd like to start on the other Christmas project.  I'm going to try and make it from a picture, so I have no clue as to how it's going to  turn out, but I'm trying it nonetheless!  Oh, these "projects" are my little secret for now.  I'll post pictures later when they're finished.  I love a big fat secret!! ;)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!  Hope all have a great holiday with friends and family!

I'll be thinking of Aiden today.  I hope he's well, growing, thriving, and happy!  I so wish he was here, but this will be the last Thanksgiving without him! :)

my brain is motivated....

Yah! My brain is finally motived.  I went to Hobby Lobby today!  Love me some Hobby Lobby!  Could have spent hours in there, but didn't.  On the way home, my brain was thinking of all kinds of stuff. Could I do this? Can I do that? Oh yes....I can! : )  Had a thought of a neat craft idea to start on, who knows where it'll go from there.   Can't wait to get started on that too!  I'd love to tell, but I'd like to keep it a secret too.  I was just bursting with "oh, I've gotta tell someone my new idea!" So I thought best to blog it, which in turn, tells everyone who reads this..... duh - oh yeah!  But, I've left out all the details.  Whew....at least I feel better! : )