Kung Hei Fat Choy! - Happy New year!

FCC-South Florida celebrated Chinese New Year (The Year of the Dog)at Miss Yip's on South Beach. It was a night of great friends, awesome food, dragon dancers and fireworks. Here is a slideshow of some of the fun.

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Ok...let's try this again.

The link on the post below had not been updated until today so click on Mia P to see our good friends new baby daughter, Mia.

News Flash!! Our friends have a new baby girl and we are next!!!

Yesterday was so exciting; our wonderful friends Shannon and Alan along with their son Ryan received the referral for their new daughter Mia. Please click on the following link to see her absolutely beautiful face - Mia P

Shannon and Alan have been on a rollercoaster as they were told that they were next over a month ago only to be disappointed. Well, obviously Miss Mia was not ready for them yet and now they have all found each other. It is a rather fatalistic way of looking at things but once you enter into this leap of faith you will understand what I mean. Mia is as young as they get in Chinese adoption. She is only six (6) months old and she is described as a deep sleeper, active, likes music, a little obstinate among a host of other glowing superlatives. Her parents, brother and grandparents are so in love. I was with them for a part of the day yesterday and it felt truly special to experience such joy with them. Our Katie and their Mia will play side by side and will hopefully form the same kind of friendship that their mothers have. Marc and Alan are even buddies now and play golf quite a bit :)

To add even more excitement to the equation is the fact that we are next barring any unforeseen monkey wrenches...LOL. We are so excited!! In about one month from now our Katie Starr will be revealed to those that long for her so deeply.

Stay tuned......

I'm It!!

I got cyber tagged by my Mei Dreams sister Monica to do this...ok I will bite..LOL

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was married unhappily to my ex-husband and going into business for myself. I also began a quest to lose 75 lbs, which I did 14 months later and have kept it off (except for that nagging 10 – 15 ponds I struggle with constantly for the past 9 years.

What were you doing one year ago?
We started our paperchase at the end of January. It’s all a blur now…LOL

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Fritos and Onion Dip – avoid most of the time
2. Ice Cream - Ditto
3. Cookies (Ditto again)
4. Nuts
5. Fruit if I am watching my weight which is most of the time.

Five things I would do if I were a millionaire:
1. Be a stay at home Mom
2. Travel
3. Move to a bigger house
4. Secure my future
5. Whatever I want..LOL

Five bad habits:
1. Procrastination
2. Not putting things away as soon as I look at or read them.
3. Forgetting to call people back
4. Taking on too much in my life
5. People Pleasing

Five things I like doing:
1. Spending the day with Marc
2. Spending time with Justin, my son
3. Computer
4. Movies
5. Reading

Five things I would never wear, buy, or get new again:
1. Micro mini skirt
2. Super high heels
3. Colored panty hose
4. Carpet for the house
5. Leggings

Five favorite toys/games:
1. My computer
2. Catchphrase
3. Playing with Buddy and Gabby (our dogs)
4. Charades
5. Rummycube

Here's the deal; remove the blog in the TOP SPOT from the following list and then add YOUR BLOG to the bottom spot.

http://www.rileysgirl.blogspot.com/
http://www.journeytokatie.blogspot.com/

Then select FIVE PEOPLE to TAG!

Mary-Mia
Stacey
Lisa
Barbara
Toby

If you don't want to be tagged just let me know. But for now you're it!

What Was Your New Years Resolution?

Each year many of us, myself included make promises to ourselves about the
area(s) in our lives that we would like to improve upon. This year was no different. My new years resolution this year was to take one small part of my house each day and organize it. I feel the need to nest and purge our home of extraneous items (junk) that we no longer need. So far...so good. I have taken a small step each day; even if it is nothing more than a drawer or one shelve in a closet I am going to make slow but steady progress. Then I am going to have one heck of a garage sale where people can pay me money for my junk. I have a garage sale once a year anyway and have for the past 20 some odd years. I get the regulars that come every year to see what I have to offer as well as new faces looking to hondle with me. That is a Yiddish term for negotiate :)

So, tell me friends; yes you the friends that I know are reading my blog frequently as my counter is moving up in leaps and bounds; please comment and tell me about your New Years Resolution. For those of you who are not attempting to improve yourself in 2006; well I would like to hear from you as well.

Welcome 2006!! The Year that we receive Katie Starr

Just after I posted last time we received word that the next batch of referrals were mailed. Unfortunately, this group only included up until the 4/25 LID. This left our good friends Shannon, Alan and Ryan out as they have a 4/27 LID. Very upsetting for them to say the least. We were very sad as well, as the process seems to be going at a snails pace and all we can do is think of Katie Starr living in less than optimal conditions. For the first time the tears just flowed. Thankfully we have a good support system around us to bolster us back up during this wait. Let me tell you; adoption is not for the faint of heart. The wait is much more difficult that being pregnant. You have nothing tangible to hold on to and it truly feels like it will never happen.

The following is what it stated on the CCAA website.

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office in May 2005.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before April 25, 2005.

So that brings us to the fact that it is a new year and we are determined to remain optimistic and hope for a late February referral. That being said it really still is up in the air and I have learned that you cannot plan your life; it gets planned for you and you just have to go with the flow.