I haven't been doing too much blogging lately...just haven't felt the desire. It's not due to any lack of eventful things to blog about, it's just...well, I haven't felt up to it...I'll just leave it at that.
Anyway, October has proven to be a busy month. One of the most exciting things for me personally (and my sugarplum) is that my sister Sarah and my Mom purchased a beautiful crib for the baby. That's right....I HAVE A CRIB IN MY HOUSE!!!
It's not just any crib either, it's a beautiful wrought iron crib...just like the one I've been dreaming about for the past two years. I go in and look at it constantly. It seems surreal to have it in her room. I haven't finished the room, by the way. I need to get cracking on her bedding. The bumper isn't finished yet (I just stuck it in there for looks) and I haven't even started the skirt or the comforter. I still have painting to do, the closet isn't done, the bookcase isn't built, there's no chair to sit in....the list goes on and on. Needless to say, it's hard for me to walk near her unfinished room without stopping in to run my hand over her super soft crib sheet (again, Sarah), pick up the precious little pink Hippo's that are taking up some of the empty space in the crib, glance over at the clothes in her closet and dream of the day she will be here and will be able to start wearing some of the beautiful dresses that are waiting for her. Thank you, thank you, thank you Sarah and Mom.
Let's see what else happened this month....Benjamin lost another tooth (thanks in part to the neighbor kid's elbow...no joke), Jacob got almost all A's on his report card (major, major
accomplishment for him), Chris announced he was moving to California (he loads the truck this weekend), we went to t
he Zoo (not that this is something of great importance, but the boys and I love the zoo), Axl turned 2, I started jogging the nearby canal 3 time a week (an attempt to start to loose the 18 pounds I've gained over the past year and a half...haven't lost a pound yet), the boys and I met up with my friend Terri for lunch at the Chinese Cultural Center (she is adopting as well), we spent an entire weekend cleaning up our backyard (by "we" I basically mean Doug...my hero)....
But, I'll have to say, the most unbelievable, monumental thing that happened this month occurred last Friday. We all (those of us that could make it that is) gathered at my sister Sarah's house to watch her get an ultrasound. The tech actually came to her house to perform it...it's was great. Sarah and Cody had thought they wanted to wait until the baby was born to find out what they were having, but apparently they changed their mind's the morning of the ultrasound (I'd like to think I had a little something to do with that decision). So, after checking to make sure the baby was healthy and developing on track (which it is....PERFECTLY), we discovered that Sarah is having........A GIRL!!!! There are 6 grandchildren in this family...ALL BOYS! Cody (the baby's father) comes from a family of all boys...a girl was certainly overdue, but not necessarily expected. It's still somewhat unbelievable but definitely exciting. She will be arriving at the end of February!!!
So, as November starts, we are anticipating a new batch of referrals to arrive any day. It is my sincere hope that the CCAA will be able to match all of the December 2005 families by the end of January (in other words, with the next three batches). The rumors, however, are starting to come in with reports of December 8th being the cut-off for this batch. That' s really no major change (or speed up) from any of the more recent batches (everyone was expecting some type of a speed up after finishing November). That last time they sent out a batch that covered days in the double digits (more than just 9 days) was in March 2007 (that batch covered 11 days). I was, and still am, really hoping to see a double digit batch! If not, I will still pray that at some point during the month they will catch up enough to still finish December by my own personal deadline.
And last but not least, my sister-in-law, Jacque is at the hospital (as I type) waiting to see if her baby is going to be delivered today. She has made it to 29 weeks and the baby is still breach. So, the options are...get an epidural, try to turn the baby and, if successful, induce her. Or, get an epidural, try to turn the baby and, if successful, take her off the epidural, send her home and wait for her to go into labor on her own. The last option is this, get an epidural, try to turn the baby and, if unsuccessful have a cesarean delivery today. Whichever way it goes, we will be hoping and praying for a safe and uncomplicated delivery of a very healthy baby boy!!
The four day, "Thanksgiving Day weekend" just ended. For weeks now, Doug and the boys have been planning 
how we were going to spend it. I thought, for sure, they were going to get up at 3 in the morning on "black Friday" to shop for electronic gadgets that we don't need. Doug had talked it up so much, the boys actually had a "black Friday" shopping list
going. But, in the end, their big plans to build a skateboard ramp in the backyard won out. So, on Wednesday night, Doug and Jacob headed to Home Depot and loaded up on all the needed supplies. With the help of their Uncle Tim, they started building their ramp first thing Thursday morning. I can't believe how hard Jacob and Benjamin worked. They never let up. Doug had them doing everything right along side of him. Jacob actually u
sed a skill saw and a power drill (I couldn't watch). They worked on the ramp for three solid days. Everyone took Sunday off. It ended up being a really fun weekend. Lots of friends and family stopped by to check on the progress and ride on the ramp. At night we had bon fires in the backyard, relaxed in the jacuzzi, ordered pizza and watched movies.
d took pictures...stuff like that. As is always the case, these days, I spent a lot of time imagining this very same weekend with our little sugarplum ru
nning around. I "missed" her a lot this weekend. I even felt a little guilt because I never got around to working on her crib bedding, which I said I would do. Anyway, despite the fun we had and the joy it brings me to see Doug, Jacob and Benjamin having so much fun together, I walked around with that small pain in my heart that seems to never go away. That constant reminder that something is missing...and, as I've done so many times before I prayed that by this time next year we would have her with us.
I told the boys that next year instead of building a skateboard ramp, they will be assembling their sister's swing set!!! I hope, I hope, I hope.....
