And...the sweet Manley girl more interested in the great conversation then in the game! We gotta love the beautiful girl! Though we can always pose with a football! Hee!

Super Bowl 2008 and the New York Gaints WIN!

Good Friends and god eats what more can one ask for! Thanks Amber, Tom and Aydan for hosting a super fun Superbowl party!!!!!!!!!

The Wagner Gals!

My Little Bro and his chick!

The Princess

Thinking of you!

Comment Graphics at pYzam.com

My furry baby and her cuz's!!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Boy, are we not ever ready for 2008! We have had our highs and lows of 2008. I finally got the job of my dreams as a school counselor through hard work and dtermination. We are still waiting for the arrival of our little one. This has been a long road. After much soul searching we are hoping that Richard has found a job that he will like and will continue to challenge him and he can grow with this company. Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy 2008! Here's to bringing home our babies!

What will we be doing for Chinese New Years! Mom and Dad want to celebrate Chinese New Years by going out this weekend instead of next by saying that trying to get Dim Sum will be to chaotic. I tend to agree, however we have committed to going to a Super Bowl party. I feel as though I have to go because Richard has always wanted to have a Superbowl party ever since before we got married (hmmm.... 7 years ago) and we have totally held off. So... I have been reading some of the Greater Washington Blogs and their seems to be alot in Northern Virginia so if Richard isn't busy paying "Uncle Sam" then mayube we will venture out and do one of those activites.

still waiting....

It has been over a year since I have posted. During that time I have recieved my GUCO degree and have even started a new job within the same school system. I do love my new job. It is many hours though the waiting for Haley to come home has taken its toll. We have renewed our finger prints and refiled for the I600A. Our friends J and L have had their little boy F home for several months now. They are so lucky and deserving to have such a wonderful little boy to call their own. He is the light of their life. He is SHEAR JOY! Several women are pregnant at work. It is very frustrating. It is also frustrating that several of them have had a baby and have now had a second baby in the time that we have been waiting. I know that God has a pupose and a plan and that we may not always know what the plan or purpose is. Many people continue to ask or are even afraid to ask about the adoption process. Many people say, "Oh.... you are still doing that?" Yes, I am still doing THAT! My brother brought a friend to the house the other night and wanted to show the room that he helped to add crown molding too, paint and decorate. He was so proud of the Lily Pultizer room that he had created. Frankly, I felt alittle silly, showing the room. Still has an empty crib, sheets that have not been changed in two years ever since the first social worker wanted the room decorated to take pictures. If a baby ever did sleep in the crib I would have to apologize for the two and some years worth of dust that is compiled on the bed. Now, that work has calmed down and school is over with I plan on working on this site so eventually I can use it... if and when we make it to China for friends and family to view. I also want to add pictures and a nice heading to make it more reader friendly. We will need to start looking in how to update and do some reading on blogging with blogger. I have read some great adotpion stories. Many I feel, at this point, are to good to be true. I had to contact my adoption agency (homestudy agency) and ask why it has been a month and we are still waiting on our I 171C. It is like that little saying goes "It's not the breaths that we take, it is the moments that takes our breath away." I am anxiously waiting for that day to see you, hold you and smell you. You will be the love of my life like my parents, your daddy and you.

More Baby Moon Pics!

See Haley your Mom and Dad did have a life before you! Though very little because we were waiting for your arrival!

Two fantastic Baby Moons this summer!

Richard and I had the opportunity to take two very special baby moons this summer. The first one was cheesy, but some thing I always wanted to do...the Poconos in PA! The other was a sophisticated historic inn in Ash ville, North Carolina that I have been reading about in the Southern Living magazine. The spa was amazing! Several grottoes with hot and cold pools, fresh mint water, relaxing spa music playing under the water. I can not say enough about the Grove Park Inn and Spa in Ashe ville, North Carolina. We were greeted by a top hat concierge that got our luggage out of the car, followed by champagne and roses in our mountain view room. It was the perfect setting and for those history buffs I would truly recommend seeing the arts and crafts decorations of this Inn. Not to mention the Biltmore... what a fantastic mansion for that time.

And that my friends was 8 months ago...

We are still waiting... 18 months and counting... not including the six months of paperchasing and the waiting on the domestic side of the adoption process. Not bitter just waiting....longing....with much anticipation...

My cousin's Steven WONDERFUL CHINESE WEDDING with American touches and many Chinese touches. What a great way for our family to reconnect with each other! A wedding of a life time!!!!

One of our favorite places in October...the beach!

Exactly one year since we thought we would be a family of four, but currently still a family of three! Chessie is waiting for you too, Haley!

chessie getting use to a baby... Jen K. baby

A belated post from the Garambone's +1 in belly from last year!

Pandas

On our 5th anniversary we went to the National Zoo and saw the baby panda. It was so fitting because the name of our DTC group is the Marching Pandas. Then today Richard called me and what was in the mail but our DTC pins with the logo which is... You guessed it ... PANDAS. It was nice, we spent the day at the Zoo taking pictures of all the different animals and then researching the amount of time that each of the animals take to have a child. We would laugh and guessimate how long and what our paper pregnancy would be more like. It was a little secret that Richard and I had. People walking around the zoo with there children were probably amazed and wondering why we were there with no children of our own. I felt like saying that hopefully that will be us soon. Then we went to Chinatown and did Mongolian BBQ. It was yummy and fun and something though Richard and I have done it apart we have never done as a couple. I think that Richard had a bit of a time walking around for so long since he just had surgery about two weeks ago. He wound up burning his bald head. Sometimes it is hard to know whether men are just being babies and then when I say to "Man Up", it actually is something that I should be sympathic for. I will learn soon enough.

I found out today that some of my Chinese side of my family found out that we are adopting from China. I had chosen not to tell them. I did however get to tell my Chinese grandmother before she passed away. I asked her for a good Chinese name but she said that Haley was fine. I told my father this and he said that she has not anymore grandchildren or great grandchildren after her mother passed away in the late 80's. Now i am stuck with do I keep her Chinese name as the middle name even though nannies and the orphanage people have named her or do we choose a middle name that is significant to our family. Lucky or Unlucky we do have time. That is for sure. I am not sure if the Chinese side of the family approves of our adopting or... it seemed like they were interested but truly interested or just being noisy. Hopefully they really appreciated and more importantly RESPECT our decision.