One Year Ago

One year ago we officially started our adoption and applied online with our agency. Getting our paperwork completed took a really long time. Those were some of the most stressful months of my life! We have officially been waiting since April 16, 2007. That is when China logged our paperwork in. I created a video for our family to document the "paperchase" phase of our Journey To Eden.

The Balloon Story

Early in our adoption I had sent away for information from a variety of adoption agencies. Ron and I were in the early stages of talking about adopting and at the time I just wasn't sure if it were actually going to happen. I felt so drawn to adopting, like I was being pulled in a direction which I had no control. I can't really explain it. I just knew it was somthing I was supposed to do.. and desperatly wanted. Like many families we had concerns about finances and adopting in general. I have heard from countless adoptive famlies that there were "signs" along the way that let them know that they were on the right path. I have had many signs but the first one came the day I finally recieved my first agency informatin pack in the mail. I went out to the mailbox and my heart leapt when I saw the large envelope waiting for me. As I was walking back to my front door I noticed somthing blowing around near my garage. Thinking it was garbage I stopped to pick it up. You can imagine my surprise when I saw that the "garbage" was a deflated helium balloon with the words "It's A Girl" printed on it. I think that is about as close to God actually speaking to someone as you can get. Amazing, just amazing.

My Sweet Boys

Had to share...

Luca now refers to Eden as "Mister Eden". Its a shortened version of "my sister Eden". Every time he says it I just want to eat him up! Luca is very interested in what this whole China, sister, adoption thing is all about. It's a lot for his three year old mind to wrap around. He knows he has a sister in China and that we are going there. Out of the blue he will ask, "Are we going to China today?" or "Where is China?". He loves to watch our recorded episode of Arthur where Binky Barns travels to China to adopt his sister. He watched it four times this weekend. A few weeks ago I had bought Eden a pink shirt at the store and left the bag on the floor. Without me telling him he pulled the shirt out of the bag and said, "Ooooh it's so cute. It is for Eden. It's so adorable." It is just so sweet to hear him talk about her.

I had to share this picture of Luca eating some ice cream last night.



Ron surprised Adrian with tickets to a Red Wing pre-game. The game was being played with his favorite player (Sidney Crawsby) from Pittsburgh. Ron hid the tickets in a pair of hockey skates and gave Adrian the new skates at dinner. Adrian found the tickets inside the skate, saw who the Wings were playing, and read that the game was for that very night. He actually made me cry he was so excited. He jumped up and screamed and hugged Ron so tight saying, "Thank You!". Adrian is such an amazing wonderful son. I just love doing things like that for him. Ron believes he just made Dad of the Year.



One more thing and I know I am bragging a bit but it's my blog and my kids so I'm allowed :)
Adrian was voted class student council representative for the second year in a row. He had to write a speech and read it to the class. The class then voted and he won! He was very excited and told me that he can't wait for next year when he is in fourth grade because then he can run for school president. President DiBrango... has a nice ring to it! :)

Smile, It's Monday

Inside An Orphanage

2007 Crush

Last weekend we attended the yearly grape "Crush" at a friend's vineyard. As always, we had a great time!








First, we picked the grapes.




Then we did the "crushin'"!



Not sure what this machine is called but we had fun turning the big handle and seeing the juice come out.



Next, Uncle D took us on a tractor ride. Luca entertained everyone with his singing of Old McDonald.

We had a scavenger hunt too! The day ended with a huge bonfire.
Both my boys literally cried when we had to leave and were sound asleep before we made it home.

Smile, It's Monday

Ever have one of those days where things are just not going to plan? Take a listen to my beautiful nephew Carson and your day will surely turn around.




By The Book
Lyrics: Bob Boyle / Music: b. Mossman

It's good to do things the proper way
But if it goes wrong that's okay
If it's not right, don't be uptight
It doesn't have to be by the book

By the book...By the book
It doesn't have to be by the book

If you're out to have some fun but you find there is no sun
It's okay, enjoy the day
Even if it's not by the book

If you want to play a game but the pieces aren't the same
There's a way for you to play
Even if it's not be by the book

By the book...By the book
It doesn't have to be by the book

If the recipe calls for Doodleberry Jam...Doodleberry Jam!
But all you have is Polka-Dot Ham...Polka-Dot Ham!
It's not a waste
Enjoy the taste
Cuz it doesn't have to be by the book

When you're building something cool but you don't have the right tool
It is fine to re-design
It doesn't have to be by the book

If you have a fancy hat but you find it's rather flat
Don't be blue, try something new
It doesn't have to be by the book

5 Months

Today marks five months sinced our dossier was logged in at China Center of Adoption Affairs. That's 216,000 minutes of waiting. Sound like a lot? By the time we have her in our arms we will have waited well over a million.

Somethin' To Celebrate

Last week we celebrated the arrival of a new batch of referrals with our traditional Chinese food dinner. Check out the cool chop sticks we found at the Toledo Zoo gift shop! We were also celebrating another bit of good news.... Ron is working DAYS! THIS. IS. BIG. Ron and I have worked the same shift for only two of the nine years we have been married. He has been trying for a day shift job for years and FINALLY it has happened. I am just so excited that our family will have a "normal" schedule! Thanks Ron for working your terrible schedule for so long in the interest of our family. I know it has not been easy.

Smile, It's Monday

Still coming to terms with the fact that summer is over and I am back to work. It is nice though to see all of my friends from work again and hear about their summer adventures. Here is how our friends at Dunder Mifflin spent their summer.

So Much To Post, So Little Time

We have had so many family events lately that I have wanted to post about but with going back to work, I have not had time! Here are the highlights of the past few weeks....

We had a wonderful time at my beautiful nephew Griffin's baptism. He is such a little angel.









We finally had our yearly "Adult Day Out". It is something we all look forward to all summer. Just a time to RELAX and visit with some of my favorite people.









We had our yearly family picnic. This year we had games and prizes. Egg toss, water balloons, face painting, pie eating contest, and my personal favorite... The Brittany Spears Relay. We had such a great time!








School started last week. My boys love their teachers and have lots of friends in their classes. We are off to a great start!

Little Wonders

There are songs that make me think of my boys like... Yellow by Coldpay for Adrian or Songbird by Eva Cassidy for Luca. There are also songs that make me think about Eden. I posted one a few weeks back by Nickelback. I have a new favorite. I smile every time the song Little Wonders is on the radio. Listening to the words, I imagine feeling this way when I finally receive Eden's referral. After all of the waiting to finally have her picture in my hand and know that "the hardest part is over" is something I dream of each day. I look forward to when "time falls away", the counting of months/weeks/days and the pain and longing each one has brought will be a distant memory. What will remain will be the "small hours" until she is in my arms. Those will be hours filed with so much happiness. Planning, packing, SHOPPING, I can feel the excitement just thinking about it! This song gives me hope. It's like Rob is singin' it just for me.

ROB THOMAS LYRICS

"Little Wonders"

Let it go,
Let it roll right off your shoulder
Don't you know
The hardest part is over
Let it in,
Let your clarity define you
In the end
We will only just remember how it feels

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain

Let it slide,
Let your troubles fall behind you
Let it shine
Until you feel it all around you
And i don't mind
If it's me you need to turn to
We'll get by,
It's the heart that really matters in the end

Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain

All of my regret
Will wash away some how
But i can not forget
The way i feel right now

In these small hours
These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away but these small hours
These small hours, still remain,
Still remain
These little wonders
These twists & turns of fate
Time falls away
But these small hours
These little wonders still remain

Adrian

Adrian is my eight year old wonderful son. He is talented, very bright, funny, BEAUTIFUL, kind, loving, and has the biggest heart. I love just being with him. He is sitting on my lap right now reading this as I type. I love feeling his soft curly hair on my cheek as I am typing. Upon reading that last line he turned and smiled at me then rubbed his cheek on my face. "Ok, don't get too fancy mommy!" Now he is mad. Back to compliments... Words can't express how much I love him and the amount of joy he has brought to my life. Here are some of the things I love about him...

I just deleted what I wrote. I am afraid some weirdo may have too much personal information on my kid along with pictures and I don't feel safe posting it. I feel bad because there are so many wonderful things I wanted to tell about him. I had a big long post about Luca and I really wanted to have one for Adrian too. He will be disappointed. I will have to think of something else.

At least you can enjoy the pictures and I will say that... Adrian is more amazing than I could have ever imagined. He fills my heart with such awe and love. How did I ever get so lucky?

September Referrals

China Center of Adoption Affairs has completed referrals for this month. They completed 4 days. Looking at numbers from polls there is a good chance that CCAA will get through a larger number of referral dates than we have seen lately... but you never know. I don't have the energy to even comment on the small number of days for this month. Just don't have it in me tonight. Goin' to bed.

Smile, It's Monday

Now that I am back to work this week, I thought this was the perfect Monday video to share. Here is just one example of what I have to look forward to. Have a great Monday!