Happy Chinese New Year!

Mike, Susan, Blake and Kye took me out on an adventure today. Somewhere I have never been, and to witness something I had never seen. A new experience, and one that made me smile form ear to ear! Plus, it was good getting out into the beautiful downtown Colorado Springs area and walk around in the fresh air! We went to a local Chinese New Year Celebration. And it was FANTABULOUS!

I would like to post a video, but I haven't quite figured that out yet through blogger. Gimme some time, I am sure I will figure it all out! HEre are a few more pics of what we saw today. It was so much fun and a new experience that I think will be in our future when we have Kaylah home!
These Lion dancers were amazing to watch. They brought these lions to life and were so talented! So much fun to watch!!
We watched several dancers and tasted some Chinese food. There were also some really neat vendors there and we enjoyed walking around and spending a little cashola here and there on a few goodies for Kye and for Kaylah. It was fun to see so many families there with little ones running around. And I was so impressed to see how many adoptive families were there. Somehow, I felt connected to them, and I didn't even know them.

Yes, that would be MIke (I need to work on his smiles a bit more) and lil Mr. Kye. Isn't he a sweetie? We love spending time with Susan and Blake too. They are amazing parents and have become good friends!

Help from Mom and the Girls...

Ok, I am posting this picture, as embarrassing as it is. HOW our hallway closet got this bad? I have no idea. But I can tell you all this, it took almost 7 years. I had the help from my Mom while she was in town helping me recover from surgery AND I had to call on the special powers of these ladies, who are on my favorite t-shirt -->> The closet wasn't always this bad, it did start out organized, but somehow, it's manifested into something that is was totally and completely embarrassing.

Ok, here it is. (Covers her ears...) YES. I KNOW. (Shakes her head.) But to my defense... this stuff IS behind two sliding doors, so it's not in my face. And to all of my friends and co-workers who think that my house is "perfectly" tidy... see? I was not so perfect... YET. And YES, that's a Delaware license plate and I HAVEN'T lived there since 2001! Not even going to think how in the heck that got in there!

Can you see these bunnies? OMG? They were on my front porch? And now you ask... "What does your hallway closet look like now?"

TA-DAAAAAaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! WHOOP WHOOOP! How COOL is THIS?????? Many thanks to my Mom for helping get some major storage containers and she was great enough to help us stock up on paper products and cleaning supplies for the next several months. Aren't Mommies GREAT?! What a blessing!

Now... I have more towels in the washer... gonna fold them and PUT them away! The two bottom shelves are going to be reserved for Kaylah's things: sheets, towels, blankets.
Who said "Mother Nesting" wasn't fun? I LOVE getting organized!

We did it! We are LID baby!!!! WOOHOO!

This week, we were faced with me having an emergency surgery Tuesday morning. I am healing now and on the road to recovery, something came out from left field and WHAM... life seemed to be spinning. We thank God for a new OBGYN who was on top of her game and who saved my life, literally. We lost little baby Murphy and their spirit is up above with Grandma Shyler watching over our little Kaylah until we can bring her home.

This morning, I reached over for my ice water and saw that I had 9 emails on my phone and clicked "open" and the last one read... Congratulations Mike and Krystal.... and I smiled. Thwacked Mike on his arm several times to wake him up and said, " LOOK, LOOK LOOK!" WE are LID!!! I couldn't woohoo loud---cuz my gut is so sore right now it isn't even funny. Even hard to cry--- no gut wiggling is permitted. Official LID: January 5, 2012~!

Kaylah's tree is on hold, but I will post pics as the project resumes.

What a great fortune!

I made Julia and Mike a really good Chinese dinner this evening. I made it for myself too!
But here's my fortune...

It's a ROTTEN image. But it reads: " Happy news its on its way to you."
Can I hear a LID? Please?? Match? I'll take what I can get!
Happy New Year everyone! May the year of the dragon bring lots of joy and love to you all!

Painting Day!

Well, we started the "project"! The tree is coming along... taking it slow and will post pics as it comes together. Having a WONDERFUL time with Julia and she seems to be enjoying time with Aunt Krissie and Uncle Mike.

Keep watching for updates!

Dossier in possession at CCCWA office!

We got notice that the CCCWA office has our Dossier! Now, we anxiously await to hear that we are "LID" baby! (Dossier is logged in with CCCWA) What a great New Year's blessing! Then our match should HOPEFULLY be soon to follow!
2012 is the year of the Dragon, and I believe it's going to be a VERY special year filled with lots of joy for Mike and me as well as for the other families who will be traveling to bring their little ones home!
Our niece, Julia, is coming over tomorrow to help us with a little project in Kaylah's room. So, we will be posting pics as out project comes together! I know it sounds silly, but sometimes... I just sit there in her room, in the middle of the floor... trying to imagine her giggles. Soon, right?

It's OFFICIAL! OUR DOSSIER IS ON IT'S WAY TO CHINA!!!!

There are the THREE little letters that we've ALL been waiting to see!
Now I gota tell ya that i have NO earthly idea what the rest of the little characters says... but I found this on another blog and thought it was WAAAYYYY too cool not to use it! Maybe it says something like:

WHOOOP, WHOOOP
YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY!!!!

(Does her happy Christmas dance again!) Ohhh.... if ONLY you could all see!!

IN translation ;)

We received word today that our Dossier is in the translation department at CCAI. SOOO excited! It should be leaving this week for China! Then I can post our official DTC date! And hope that our Logged in Date (LID) will soon be to follow!
(Does a lil Christmas silly dance.)

Dossier COMPLETE!

YEAY! Dossier paperwork and photos ALL complete! We will be heading up to Denver in the morning to turn everything in to CCAI, our wonderful adoption agency!

Our good friends, Susan, Blake and little Kye came over one evening for some FUN coloring! And it was also a great photo op! Thanks Blake for taking this great photo!!

And then we went to visit more good friends, Lara and Bryan VanBeek, and had a HOOT decorating some gingerbread men sugar cookies with Alyssa and Emme. It's always fun to see people you love and to make some great memories together!
So, the next step?? Wait for our official DTC (Dossier to China) date and then our LID (Logged in Date). Our match is soon to follow! What a blessing it's going to be to finally see little Kaylah's face! I dream about her every night and and daydream about her every day!

This Ladybug is HAPPY!

Well, I shared a FANTABULOUS happy moment with Mike this evening. I checked the mailbox and there it was. An envelope from the Department of Homeland Security with our I-797!!!! YEAYYYY!!!!!! So, I am RUNNING to the bank tomorrow to get our official copy made, notarized...then sending it off to the Colorado Secretary of State! And as soon as it gets back from THERE.... then it's off to Chicago to the Chinese Consulate's. OMG... THEN--- our DOSSIER is DONE!!!!

My Mom, Christine, came for a visit in November. We had a BALL! Got all sorts of great fabrics and made OWL pillows!

Every year, I get to have fun with with Dee, Mike's mom, at Doherty High School's annual Craft Show where we've shared spaces to sell our goodies. This year, these owl pillows were a HUGE hit! I made over $500 on pillows and handcrafted/ sculpted clay ornaments!

Here are some more owls.... they all turned out so adorable!

Not a bad deal for $15 each! I made 30 and have 5 left. I will take some close ups of the ornaments, have a few of them left to sell as well! The panda bears, holding lady bug buttons, were a huge success. I have a feeling that I'll have to make more of those!!
HUGE hugs going out to Sara and Bill, who are bonding in China with their new daughter RUBY! What a CUTIE PATOOOTIE!!!! Check out their blog over at Football & Fried Rice.

Mike's Dad, Paul (ON LEFT) had a birthday in November. We all had a fun dinner at little Italian Restaurant, Luigi's. Here he is with Sweet Swinging Al Elliott. Family nights are FUN with the Murphy's. And we were lucky to have my Mom along to enjoy the ride!

Mike and Hannah at Dinner. Hmmm both look like TROUBLE!

Soon, we will be able to have little Kaylah stand with all of the Murphy Girls! Won't THAT be FUN!?!?!?!?!?

Whew! AND good news!!!!

Done. All painted, cleaned up (for the most part) and showered. Many thanks to my good friend, Alicia for coming down today and helping me this afternoon painting Kaylah's room. Even her son, Colton got to help us out a little bit!

Alicia

Me

Extreme close up of me. (Mike's idea)

 Me again. Hair, OMG.... bad I know. 

But it's painted. Two coats. And I guess after it's all dry, we will be able to see if we missed any spots!
Next.... painting the tree on the wall with fun leaves and owls! I have a few ideas, just need to tweak it a little bit.
On Saturday, we received our invitations to get our fingerprints done for our I-797! YEAY!!!!! Immigration paperwork is almost done! Then we can be done with our dossier! My goodness... how time flies.

Garage Sale

Last weekend, Mike and I decided to have a HUGE 3-day garage sale. We were SHOCKED at how much stuff we had to get rid of. And honestly, there's more hiding in the upper cabinets and closets and my oh MY.... the basement! There are some WONDERFUL people in this world and we were surprised that by 2pm Sunday, we had made over $671.85!! It went directly into our adoption savings account and will help us with the ongoing expenses of bringing little Kaylah home. We even had a wonderful neighbor that we never met before make an appearance and donated $50 cash towards our adoption! Needless to say, I couldn't stop the tears. Mike even went over to her and gave her a nice "side hug" and thanked her. She and her hubby are working on bringing home a little one from Congo. She also told me to make up a few adoption fundraiser signs... which I immediately did. What a great person... thank you.

Let the FUN begin!

Okie Dokie! We got all of the supplies needed to begin the FUN painting project for Kaylah's room!
I felt the need to do this now. Painting is always such a HUGE task. And it can be one more thing that can get done and marked off the MASSIVE "To Do List".
More pics to come tomorrow!

Sunday Snapshot

OK- I was told I need to post MORE pics of things going on. And I promise to.
Here's a snapshot of Mike and me when we recently went on our date weekend getaway. We were celebrating how far we have come along in our adoption journey and needed to get away to renew our spirits and to just relax!

Chinese Consulate Docs!

Well, we have received SEALED Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificate, Physical Forms, Financial Statement,  Adoption Petition and Employment Verification letters!!!
The ONLY thing we need is our I797 immigration paperwork, then we have to send it off to Chicago to get sealed and THEN, we can submit our DOSSIER! YEAYYYY!!!!!! Then we submit it to get logged into the People's Republic of China!
It's hard to believe all of this paper chasing is almost done! Then, we just have to patiently wait for our match. Which REALLY could happen ANY day. It's exciting to think of the day when we get an email or phone call from CCAI re: a potential match for our family. I try not to check my email at work, but can't seem to hope that one day soon, there's going to be an email saying that the stork has LANDED!
Smiles... Life is GOOD!

WE have paint ;)

Went of Lowe's this evening to  pick up a few gallons of paint for Kaylah's room this evening. I wanted to get her room painted in september... overtime might start up at work in the warehouse in mid-late september and my weekends are going to be busy with parenting classes and OT.  They offered extra shifts at work and I ran to sign up! Any extra money is going to go straight into the adoption savings account! I'm also working on some craft projects to sell at a craft show over the first weekend in December with my mother-in-law, Dee ;) We do this craft show every year and we always have a BALL!
Dossier items are almost complete! Some of our documents are in Washington DC, on their way to being processed at the Chinese Embassy, and some other documents ate in Chicago at THAT Chinese Embassy.
Our I800a should be going out any day, we are just waiting on confirmation from Hillary at CCAI that she mailed it out. ;)
Life is GOOD.

My husband is the BEST!

He traded in his 2010 Mustang for a new Ford Escape. What a GUY!
We need room for our family ;)

I-800a on it's way!

Can we get a WHOOOT WHOOOT?
I-800a application and backup documents on their way!

FREE and Clear!

Got an email fro Hillary at CCAI--- all of our background checks have come in and now we can submit our I-800a form! YEAYYYYY!!!!!!
We know, we get OOOBERLY- excited over the littlest things.  But quite frankly... that is what keeps us going! We HAVE to celebrate every little thing. Can you imagine what we are going to be like on our "gotcha day"? *BEAMS*

The Good Stuff...

Mike checked the mailbox today! We have our PASSPORTS! YEAY!
And we had our physicals this morning too! Everything went well, we should be able to pick up our signed forms in a few days from the Doctor's office. They have to wait for blood work results to come back.
We also had a visit from Mr. Roto-Rooter. Sump pump stopped working. Hasn't worked in a while and we knew that it needed fixing. Works great now-- thank you Mr. Rooter!
It's amazing all the "little things" that keep popping up... but we know that with each little challenge... we are a few steps closer.... we can hardly wait!