Searching

I met a co-worker of mine today who is adopting from Guatemala and we of course started telling eachother about our stories. She has gone to see her son and is waiting to go back and pick him up. She showed me his picture that was attached to her badge and then started to tell me her latest news from her adoption agency. Gosh, knowing how hard it's been on us adopting from China, you won't believe this!

She was just told this week that her sons bio-mom does not have a birth certificate and for some reason they HAVE to have this. So, they are trying to locate the midwife who delivered the birth mom 42 years ago! If they cannot locate this midwife, then the adoption is off and they will have to start completly over!

I cannot imagine being in her shoes! Once I have held Lauren, there is no way I could ever let her go!

I pray they find the midwife soon.

Rock On Team Hoyt!

For all of us fighting for our daughters through the muddle of papers, fees, and waiting ...I encourage you to read and watch the video of this incredible story.

http://cjcphoto.com/can/

Josh Groban!

Last night a friend of mine called and offered me free Josh Groban tickets!! Dan and I were just coming back from hiking, so we showered quickly and we were off! It was awesome! I've always wanted to see him in concert. I was really surprised at all the young girls going nuts! It reminded me of the video's I see when the Beatles were big! :) The opening act was a lady singer from Africa and she had us dancing and singing to African songs. Lots of fun and tons of energy! We were a little tired come this morning, but is was so worth it!

Happy To Be Back!

Sorry it's been so long since my last post! I've been sitting through many hours of lecture, orientation, and signing up for benefits and the whole shibang! :) I tell you though, I love my previous co-workers and patients, but it is good to be back at Mayo. It's awesome to be a part of such an amazing health care orginization. I'm pretty excited!

Just thought I would drop a note and let you know I'm still here!

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Today is my mom's birthday! We celebrated as a family yesterday by going to the Renaissance Festival. We saw jousting matches, heard a harpist play and even threw axes and used a crossbow! I forgot my camera unfortunately, so I can't post any pictures of our fun...HOT (99degree) day. :)

Now, about my mom...she is the most selfless,loving,thoughtful, and strong person I have ever met. I am so thankful that God chose her to be my mom. I am so grateful I have had her to model after.

Mom was born in a little town called Cass City. She had me at 21 and my earliest memory of her is her laying me down for naps and playing "Marcy" songs softly on the record player while she cleaned the house quietly. Mom married her high school sweetheart, who broke her heart five children later. So...after many tears...she packed us all up, rented a U Haul and drove from Michigan to Arizona...with $500 to her name. Her perseverance is incomparable.

When Dan proposed to me, mom wanted me to have the wedding I dreamed of and wanted to pay for it the way she thought was "proper". Mom worked weekends at a miserable job for a year, without complaining once, so she could pay for my beautiful wedding.

In life, you can always count on my mom to be there and to make the right decision. She has taught me to be strong and to never waiver from my beliefs and values. She has taught me to trust Jesus. She has modeled for me what a beautiful women is.. one that is modest in dress and follows God.

My mom is truly my hero. I love her beyond words can say and am so Happy to Celebrate HER today. Mom...life has not given to you nearly what you have given to it. You leave an imprint everywhere you go. Thanks for making this world a better place. Thanks for being my mom and friend.

My Virtual DNA

I saw this on other fellow bloggy friends sites and thought it was pretty cool! It's pretty accurate as well!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Our 1 Year LID Anniversary!

It's been quite the year. We've painted Lauren's room, picked out her crib, followed others "Gotcha" days and cried, met awesome bloggy friends from all other the world, felt numb from emotion, felt overwhelmed with love for our daugher who we've never layed eyes on, went on many "last trips before children", and learned so much about the Chinese culture,etc.

This is such a special time in our life. The waiting period. We celebrate 1 year today since we were officially logged in at the CCAA!

Happy Birthday Steph!!!

It's one of my favorite bloggy friends birthday today!! I think many would agree that Steph has made our waiting period much more bearable. She is the one who started the secret pal exchange for March L.I.Ders. Also, you can always count on her blog to be filled with the most up to date info. on our adoption process.

I had the honor of meeting her and her D.H. over Thanksgiving and she is such a special person. Beautiful inside and out.

Steph you are going to make a great mommy and I am so glad you can spend your birthday with the peace of knowing your dossier is in the "matching room".

Happy Birthday Steph!!

Stork Alert!

More families today saw their daughters face for the first time! The following is a note from our CHI coordinator:

The CCAA updated the CCAA/Agency Communications Tool overnight with the following news for Department 1:

" The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents
registered with our office before March 31, 2006.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 24, 2005."

I will have our Beijing staff verify with the CCAA that all
our March 23 through March 31 dossiers have been approved. April 2006
dossier families, you are now being reviewed by Department 1.

Ann Tollefson
China Program Director

What this means is that all my March bloggy friends are in the matching room with me now! Welcome Everyone! :)

This also means the CCAA has completed up to L.I.D.'s of 10/24/05. Remember, when they get to March 7th --that's us! The wait continues to lengthen, it is now up to 16.5 months. That's o.k., we are getting closer everyday!

A special congratulations goes out to Steph and Kayce! You are FINALLY out of the review room!

Changes

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and
stupid.
--Philosopher Epictetus

I've had this quote on my fridge the last few months and will be reminded of it often these next few months. I've made some changes in the last month and am excited and nervous at the same time. The first change is that I've applied to ASU's Nurse Practitioner program and am taking the GRE test on March 10th. I hope to be admitted and start in August. ASU's program is primarily online, I will only need to attend class downtown once a month. I am going to go part-time this first year since we should be getting Lauren soon.

This change led me to wanting to change jobs to get my tuition payed. So, last Friday I had an interview at Mayo Clinic Hospital. I worked at Mayo prior to my job now. I start there March 19th. Not only do they completely pay for my schooling, but they have better health benefits and a $10,000 adoption reimbursement. Yesss! :)

We are also, like many of my fellow March LIDers, starting the paperwork process again. Fingerprints, home study visit, money, more money, and then re-sending our I-171 H form.

In middle of these busy changing times, we've decided our old 2000 Neon is no longer suitable as our second car. So, we are going this week to buy a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Beautiful Morning Walk

Bailey, Danny, and I enjoyed one of our favorite Saturday morning traditions today. We went for a walk at Bailey's favorite "Sierra Verde" neighborhood near us. Then we sat outside at A.J.'s and had breakfast together. Ahhh. life is good.

Matching Room

Pictured above is the Matching Room, where our dossier is currently. I have linked a site below that tells what happens in the mathing roomm

http://www.chinaadopttalk.com/2006/12/07/how-the-matching-room-works/

Review Room Celebrations

The girls from work surprised me this week with this beautiful bouquet of pink and white flowers. The card read, "Congratulations! You're at your last stage!" I have been so amazed at the support I have gotten from my co-workers all through this process. I am so blessed.


Also,while Dan & I were at the FBR last week, my mom and sister came to our house and laid these adorable gifts on our table with little notes attached. I especially love the little hat and matching shirt that says, "I love my dog". :) Soo cute! Thank you Mom & Kristy! You never cease to amaze me with your thoughtfulness!

FBR OPEN

We're off to the FBR Open tomorrow. I don't watch golf on t.v. and I don't play golf yet, but I love to go the the FBR. It's so relaxing to walk the beautiful greens and hear the soft wave of the "golf clap" all around.

Jeff Quinney pictured in the bottom picture is from ASU and he has made it to the 4th Round. I'll be cheering for him!!

Left Behind

I feel like I've been freed from prison only to look back and realize my friends were left behind. My excitement will be truly fulfilled when all my March bloggy friends join me in the Matching Room. Hang in there guys! I'm pulling for you!

Out Of The Review Room

Oh my gosh!!! WE have news!! Our Dossier is through the review room! It has been so long since we have had any information to be excited about! Our Dossier has met it's final approval! Our next step will be to go to the matching room!

The following is the CCAA update:

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before March 22, 2006.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 13, 2005

The picture to the left is of dossiers in China waiting in line. Our's could very well be one of these!

Secret Pal Revealed

Well, I found out today that Stephanie from California has been my Secret Pal! I could not have asked for a better Secret Pal! I mean, who makes homemade teddy bears for their secret pals! :) She is such an amazing person as well. I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie and her husband, Drew, over Thanksgiving weekend. They are both very special people and I feel so fortunate to have made such a great new friend.

Thank You Stephanie!!

Back Burner

Well, I have to admit...I've been feeling a little rebellious lately. Our fingerprints expire this month and I haven't done a thing about it. This wait,
lack of information, and hanging by a red thread..it's definetly not for the faint hearted.

However, I have felt a sense of relief by putting my thoughts and plans of adoption on the back burner temporarily this month. During this time I have decided to start working toward my Nurse Practitioner degree. I'm pretty excited about this! It's been a 5 year goal of mine, so I figure why not now! Dan is excited as well. He is finishing his last year at Glendale High and will teach summer school this summer and then private tutoring until Lauren arrives. Change is good. God only knows why it has taken us this long to start a family, but I know looking back it will all be perfect timing..His timing.

Sweet Secret Pal

Well, it's the last month for our Secret Pal Exchange, and look at the sweet gifts I received! The little China girl is musical and soo adorable! I love the Chinese Mother Goose Book. It's really colorful and I know Lauren will love both of these precious gifts. Thank You Secret Pal!! I can't wait to find out who you are next month! :)

Friend From Michigan

I know it's been awhile since I last posted. I have been having fun with my best friend from Michigan! Jen and I met in 5th grade and have been friends ever since. Jen's expecting and her husband sent her out to Arizona to relax before baby #2 arrives. We saw a movie, went to a dinner play, ate Tepanaki, and treated ourselves to a spa day at the Golden Door Spa....aghhh...it was wonderful! It's been a long time since we have been able to sit and talk one-on-one. Jen is really like a sister to me and we are only 3 days apart, so we are almost twins! :) Anyway,it was really nice to have Jen visit and Dan and I are hoping to get back to visit her and her family in July.

13.1 Miles

We ran the P.F. Chang's Half Marathon today and I've never had so much fun while experiencing pain. :) There was so much to see while running that it went surprisingly fast. We saw a couple running in full "Superman" outfits... boots, capes, and all! I also saw a man running in his bath robe. Very interesting. :)

It was a long, slow walk back to the car afterwards, but we met many awesome people and really had a good time. We plan to make a tradition of running it each year. We noticed they have a kids 1-mile run as well...I think I know a little girl who may run in this someday! :)

Well, we have the day off tomorrow. Yeah! Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Rested & Renewed

We're back from our "Winter Wonderland"!







The Red Setter Inn was beautiful as usual. Each time we would come in from the cold,the fireplaces would be roaring and hot cocoa and treats would be waiting.

We met a really nice couple from England that was staying also. They told us they were going to "try out" skiing with us the next day. When we got there and saw them with their 190 ski's and decked out to look like Swiss Alp models, we had a feeling they were a little better skiers than us. :) We didn't see them the rest of the day. We have a feeling they may have been on different slopes than us. :)

We had an absolute blast. We usually ski one day and rest the others, but we were having so much fun, we skied 2 days this time. We also did some hiking and enjoyed the Jacuzzi tub in our room. For dinner one night, we ordered pizza and sat in front of the fire.

Each morning Jim would make one of his famous gourmet breakfasts. We were so sad to hear that Jim and Ken, the owners and builders, have sold recently. It will never be the same again without them.

Well, I see while we were gone our dossier moved up in line! Congratulations to those who received their referrals this month! 2007 is off to a good start!

Winter Wonderland

Dan and I have the next 10 days off together and we are heading off to our favorite winter getaway. Each year we go to this cozy bed and breakfast that is just absolutely perfect. Ken and Jim built this B&B and run it like I've never seen. Each time we walk in the door there is a roaring fire and hot cocoa waiting. These trips are so relaxing. We bought our books to bring on the trip today. Snow has fallen recently, so we are bringing our sleds and going skiing as well. We aren't black diamond skiers, but we have fun on the green slopes. I usually try out the bunny hill first to warm up. :)

Dan and I were laughing because for 3 years now, we have written in the room journal, "well, we probably won't be back next year because we are planning to start our family". and... "well, we wont' be back next year because we are starting our adoption process." and last year, "well, we definitely won't be back next year because we are going to China this year and we will have our daughter at this time next year." ... I'm not writing anything this year! :)

Happy New Year Everyone! 2007 here we come!!! :)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

A Song From My Heart

A co-worker emailed me about a new song from Third Day regarding an adoption from China. I listened to it on Napster today and could not believe my ears. I could have written this song. I'm not sure what inspired Third Day to write this, but it speaks what us waiting parents are feeling this Christmas. The song is titled "Merry Christmas". I dedicate this song to Lauren this Christmas as my heart and mind is very much with her wherever she is today.

Lauren, mommy and daddy love you sweetheart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZahNQuAs5Cg

Mark Schultz

I thought I would share with you what I have just learned! Mark Schultz, a christian music artist, has put out a new CD called "Broken & Beautiful" and on this CD is a song called "Everything To Me". Mark was adopted at 2 weeks old and this song is to his birth mom. It's an awesome song. I'm not typically a crier and I teared up while hearing it for the first time. Mark has gotten involved in helping orphans lately and he is donating one of these bears shown above for every CD sold before Christmas. The bears will be given to orphans around the world.

Mark is also doing a "bike across the nation" to raise money for ophans. He will have a GPS on his bike and you can track his journey at markschultzmusic.com

Mark has also started the James Fund that you may want to check out.

Have a great weekend everyone! Christmas is just 9 days away! wow!

Handmade Gifts!!

I am amazed again at my Secret Pal! She is unbelievable!!

My neighbor brought over a package tonight that had been wrongly delivered to her house. I was so excited it was from my Secret Pal! I opened it and thought awww what an adorable Teddy! He is sooo soft!!... Then! I read his tag..."Handmade for Lauren by Mommy's Secret Pal." It took a second for it to register..she made this! I looked up and said to Dan, "She is going to be an amazing mom!"

I seriously can't quit holding this Bear! He is so cuddly. It came at just the right night. I have been missing Lauren tonight.

Along with Teddy came a little bear photo tag. My thoughful pal also placed a picture of a cute little chinese girl in braids into the photo slot. I am going to put this next to my computer at work to help remind me of why I am now starting the updates of our paperwork. Our fingerprints are about the expire and we have been told we will have to update our home study which will involve another home visit. Oh my gosh. I was so glad to have all that paperwork behind me and here we go again!

Thank You SOOO much Secret Pal!! Words really cannot say enough. You have way out done yourself. :)

9 Month LID Anniversary!

Well, we have hit our 9 months! However, we adoptive moms are special. We do not have the gestation period of 9 months, instead we are hearing our gestation is anywhere between 12-24 months! That links us between the Blue Whale with a gestation of 12 months and the Elephant which has a gestation of 22 months!

I will say however, by seeing other blogs, that our nesting periods are of greater proportion as well! Houses are being revamped, dresses and quilts are being made, and small business' are being started! I personally, intend to start my nesting by painting the inside of my home the start of 2007.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

I had a few people ask what Mexican Hot Chocolate is, so I thought I would post a recipe! It's a new found love of mine this year. A co-worker of mine who is from Mexico let me in on this wonderful concoction. Abuelita means "grandmother" in spanish. You will find Abuelita in the Latino food section at the grocery store.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Heat 4 cups milk
Place 2 tablets Abuelita and milk in blender
Blend for 1 minute and pour into mug
Enjoy!!!

It tastes like hot chocolate with a cinnamon flare! :) I like to add peppermint mocha creamer to it as well.

I know some may not have a Latino food section at the grocery store. You may be able to buy it online at nestle.com

Christmas Time

I am finally feeling the "Christmas Spirit" in the air. Time has been speeding by and it just didn't seem like Christmas to me, until last night. We got out of our jeans, dressed up for eachother, and hit the town! We went to the Symphony Hall and heard "An Arizona Christmas". It included the Phoenix Symphony, Choir, and Girls Choir. It was absolutely beautiful. Downtown was lit up for Christmas and the air was crisp and cold. Life is just too good. I feel so, so blessed.

I am putting up the Christmas decorations in the house today. And, for year #3, I will put up Lauren's stocking. She may not be here this year, but she is definetly in our hearts.

I am off to make Mexican Hot Cocoa..mmmmmm. I wish you all could join me!

Zoolights!

We bundled up and went to Zoolights with my family last night. We had so much fun! Dan and I have been doing this every year since we were dating. We get kettle corn and hot cocoa and walk through the light display arm in arm. It is one of my favorite traditions. This year we went with my family and my nephew, Gavin, saw Zoolights for the first time! It was so awesome to see him get excited and point at all the lights. Anytime Gavin is around, life is that much better. I kept thinking last night of how fantastic it is going to be to see Zoolights with our Lauren.

And of course, we had to get a picture with the ladybug for good luck! We added Gavin for a little more luck to rub off on us! :) Anything to see this wait speed up! :)

Well, I'm off to go shopping. I'm just starting today!