Happy New Year!

Tiny hearts--that’s what we made to celebrate the end of a decade. Chinese dim sum, small appetizer "hearts", a practice run for a future tradition, the very act nodded to our unspoken chatter... Yet, for an afternoon of preparation and an evening of indulgence, we didn’t think about the challenges of 2009; we didn’t send hopeful wishes to the universe for 2010. For one day, we simply cooked together, created together, enjoyed together. We tasted the tiny hearts and savored the champagne moment. Wishing you all a very happy new year!

Referrals arriving--March '06 finished!

March is finished--finally! We just learned that CCAA has matched children with families through LID 3-31-06. What a long wait, but we finally made it to April! Yeehaw! What does this mean? Well, only 9 LIDs are before ours! (Remember that CCAA doesn't log in families on weekends; the next log in is April 3, 2006. Our LID is 4-14-06.) We still don't know what this means for our wait, but, remember, March's numbers were huge--much bigger than April's. We obviously will not receive a referral for Christmas as we'd hoped, but at least we can celebrate the holidays knowing that CCAA has started matching again and that we continue to move closer to Baby Rock. Thank you, all, for your support and for keeping Baby Rock in your thoughts this holiday season. Wait, Hope, Dream, Repeat.

No news...

We have no news, no sign of more referrals in the near future...no explanation of this new delay. Some speculate that CCAA is waiting to sign referrals until after the H1N1 runs its course. We don't care to share the other rumors as they are quite negative--too devastating to consider, actually. Therefore, we are assuming that the delay is purposeful, designed to protect the children waiting in the orphanages. As sad as we are, we hold on to the hope and the belief that our little angel is being kept safe, protected from exposure to the virus harming so many. As Thanksgiving approaches, we are reminded of our many gifts. We are grateful for those who care for the waiting children, and we are humbled by the love in our lives. Wishing you all good health, time with people who make you smile, and a close connection to the joy of the season...

Update

We promised to share news as soon as we had any... Families finally received referrals yesterday after a 2 week delay (Chinese holiday). Unfortunately, March 29th was not included in the group as we had hoped and been led to believe (only LIDs of 3-27 and 3-28-06). We also do not know if we'll see another round of referrals this month or if CCAA, in effect, skipped a month. (This recent group should have received referrals in September.) I am reminded of a quotation shared by a wonderful friend--"To find joy in another's joy is the secret of happiness." Today, we offer our sincerest congratulations to families who are finally united, and, until it is our turn, we wait, hope, dream, repeat.

Tara's "Good and Good for You" Pick for September

ZUCCHINI BREAD is a fall favorite. This recipe is not all that clever, really, but it always receives great reviews. I simply start with Betty Crocker's recipe and add a few twists. Here it is...3 c. shredded zucchini, 1 2/3 c. sugar, 2/3 c. veg. oil, 2 t. vanilla (I use more), 4 eggs, 3c. flour, 2t. baking soda, 1 t. salt, 1 t. cinnamon (I use more.), 1/2 t. ground cloves and 1/2 t. baking powder. Now, for the GOOD FOR YOU part... I use whole wheat flour instead of white; try at least half and half if all ww makes you nervous. Instead of eggs, I use egg beaters or a combo of 2 to 1 egg whites to whole eggs. I set the oil aside for applesauce. (Using all applesauce does result in a heavier bread, but going 50/50 works really well.) Oh, I've also used honey and brown sugar in place of or in combination with white. Combine all wet ingredients; then, stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into 2 loaf pans (bottoms sprayed). Sprinkle the top of each with cinnamon/sugar mix and bake at 350 for 50-60 minuts. I hope you give it a try; I'd love to hear if anyone finds new ways to improve this fall favorite! Be sure to make an extra loaf for the freezer; I have a yummy "day after Thanksgiving" sandwich that will make hiding a stash of turkey and cranberries part of your holiday tradition. Mom and RJ, this is for you!

Rumors starting...

We're hearing rumors of referrals including March 29, 2006. This is good news because the numbers for LID 3-27 to 3-29 are huge, and, if you've been following the last few months, you know that we've seen one and two day batches for a while. We'll take a three day group! Now, we, of course, were hoping that this would be the last of the March referrals because we believe getting to our LID will only take two months once we get through March 06. (Yea...so we already started thinking we could receive a referral by Thanksgiving.) A five day group (3-27 through 3-31) is probably too much to hope for at this point, unfortunately. Oh well, this three day group still keeps us in line with the predicted December 2009 referral for us. We can see the light!

We're on the prediction chart!

Rumor Queen's most recent information predicts April 14, 2006 (OUR LID!) referrals for December 2009! We know we've been hopeful...then disappointed before but this woman is accurate. We really believe we could at least have a picture of Baby Rock for Christmas! Can you imagine...after all this time? Oh my...four years of Christmas gifts waiting in a box...could this be the year?

Tara's "good and good for you" pick for August

Okay, this is a simple, yummy, quick breakfast, snack or lunch. Thanks to my dear friend, Jennifer, for sharing this one; I'll call it a WHOLE WHEAT PB&B WRAP. Spread 1-2 T. natural peanut butter along the center of a whole wheat wrap/tortilla; then, drizzle with 1/2 t. honey and 2T. vanilla yogurt. Top with sliced banana and 1-2 T. granola. The amount of each ingredient is obviously up to personal taste. I hope you try this one; you'll be pleasantly surprised by the little party these five common ingredients will throw in your mouth!

Two days closer...

Yes, just two days (through LID 3-24-06) in the latest referral group...not the four days or more we were hoping to see but at least referrals are still happening. We don't plan on giving up our spot in line! Congratulations to those preparing to meet their newest family member!

Congrats to families!

We are so happy for those receiving news of their child today! Families with LID of 3-21-06 and 3-22-06 are officially matched. We always feel elated to learn of referrals being sent, to share the joy of those patient parents and to know we are moving closer to our day. We had hoped for more LIDs to be included...just two days is disappointing...but we also know that the March log in numbers are huge. We truly believe that we'll see a fairly drastic speed up after March is matched. Some families are sharing their info/baby pics through the China Adopt Talk site. (See our links section if you'd like to visit the site to check out the babies!)

Gruzin's new style

He's just special; we've always known it. He knows when we need a walk or when we need a "lean." He knows when a young one is a little nervous and needs a little space; he knows when a young one is fearless and ready to play. He even waits out the storm with patience when a little, furry ball of energy is hanging off his tail! Todd decided Gruzin was just too wonderful to keep to ourselves and spent spring in various training and testing sessions with him. Those of you who know Gruzin will not be surprised to learn that he passed immediately and has been sharing his wisdom, energy and that Golden Retriever "lean" with others ever since. His hospital "'jacket" arrived last week, making it official. He's too modest to show off to all of you, so we're doing it for him!

Tara's "Good and Good for You" Pick for July

I have to give credit to my amazing cousin Jenny for this fantastic recipe! ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS: To make the filling...Saute 1# ground turkey, chicken or pork in 1-2 T. oil until nearly browned. Add 2 cloves freshly minced garlic, 2 T. freshly grated ginger, 1 c. finely grated cabbage, 1 can water chestnuts-diced, 5 scallions-sliced; saute. Add 3-4 T. Hoisin sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Serve on lettuce, add sauce (following) and wrap. To make the sauce...Combine 2 T. Hoisin sauce, 2 T. seasoned rice vinegar, 1 T. soy sauce and a splash of sesame oil. I think this recipe will soon be a favorite in your house (if it isn't already)! The filling and sauce also work well on top of a bed of lettuce if your lettuce isn't up to the task. Enjoy!

Tara's "Good and Good for You" Pick for June

NOODLES WITH LIME PEANUT SAUCE: 1. Prepare peanut sauce by pureeing 1/2 c. natural peanut butter, 1/4 c. low salt soy sauce, 1/4 c. water, 2 T. rice vinegar, 2 T. fresh lime juice, 1 scallion, 2/4 inch fresh ginger, 2 T. brown sugar, 1/4 t. red pepper flakes. 2. Toast 1/2 c. unsalted peanuts in a dry pan (3 minutes) and set aside. 3. Prepare 3/4# whole wheat spaghetti. 3. Steam 2 c. broccoli florets for 3 mins.; add 2 c. trimmed snow peas and 2 c. sugar snap peas and steam for an additional 2 mins. 4. Right before serving, toss the pasta in peanut sauce and top with steamed veggies. Drizzle with a bit more sauce and top with chopped peanuts. This is another Allie Krieger recipe from the Food Network. I love it because it offers so many variations--from hot to cold to changing the veggies and adding meat. For those who know the great chef Amy B. ; )...this sauce reminds me a lot of her venison kabob dipping sauce. If you like that, you'll like this!

Four Days Closer...

Congratulations to all families with a new member! Referrals arrived/are arriving for LID through March 20, 2006--at least. We are so happy for the many waiting families who now have a face to accompany the dream! We are 19 LIDs away from Baby Rock!

The Latest...

Our adoption news source is giving "a high rumor rating" to the claim that matching is finished through 3-20-06 LID, perhaps even 3-21-06. Congratulations to those families who will be receiving a phone call and a visit from UPS any day now! This is great news for us as well as it puts us that much closer to meeting BabyRock, of course. We are eager for good news...any good news...this will do for now.

Happy Birthday, Mom/Carol/"Honey"!

Everything worked--family and friends arrived early enough to "stage" the surprise; Mom arrived late enough to be surprised, and the sun made one of its first true declarations of summer. Thank you to all who helped celebrate this amazing lady!

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

and 19 more after that...just 22 LIDs before us! Doesn't it sound close?! You can imagine how many times, how many ways we've calculated. If 3 LIDs receive referrals every month, then we'll receive word in 7 months (December); if 4 LIDs receive referrals every month, then we'll hear in 5.5 months (October); if 5 LIDs are matched every month, then we'll see Baby Rock in 4.5 months (September). Dare I think it? Seven LIDs matched per month introduces us to Baby Rock in 3 months (August)! What a difference a day makes!

Referrals through March 14, 2006

What a relief! Families with a LID of 3-14-06 are receiving referrals! Hopefully, this is a sign that the process is back on track--if we can call a 3+ year wait "back on track". We're still unsure what to expect next, but, because this referral group is 3+ weeks later than expected, we're thinking we might see another round of referrals in the next couple of weeks. That would be huge! Congratulations to all of the forever families created today!

Sickened by the flu

We've said this process couldn't get any slower. Well, we didn't anticipate a bug, named after a pig, named after a something no one recognizes because the pig felt wrongly accused. Hmpf. I can relate to the piggy! CCAA has suspended referrals and has limited travel for waiting families. While the organization has not admitted to flu paranoia, it seems to be the logical explanation. We are still hopeful that matching is happening although we don't have any confirmation of that since CCAA is not releasing any referrals. What does all of this mean? We could see even more delays or we could simply hear nothing for a long time, then see large numbers of referrals all at once. Either way, we probably won't know anything for a while. More importantly, our hearts go out to those families that received their referral and are now told they have to wait to bring their baby home. Please keep the waiting families and the waiting children in your thoughts! Peace.

Tara's "good and good for you" pick for May

I love this recipe for GRANOLA BARS--easy, yummy and healthy. Those who know us well will appreciate Todd' stamp of approval on this recipe as opposed to what he calls Tara's "forced flaxseed and fiber filled phoney food". By the way, I did sneak 1-2 teaspoons of flaxseed into the last batch. Shhh...don't tell Todd! Combine in a medium bowl: 1 cup quick cooking oats, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ, 1 t. cinnamon (I use more), and 1/4 t. salt. Combine in a medium bowl: 1 egg, beaten, 1 egg white, 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 cup honey, and 1/4 cup canola oil. Combine wet and dry ingredients; then add 3/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped, and 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts. Spread in a 9x9 coated pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Boil 1/4 cup apricot preserves (or flavor of choice) and spread on top of bars immediately after removing from the oven. Makes 12 bars (9 g fat/4 g protein/2 g fiber/34 g carbs) (Special thanks to my wonderful friend, Jennifer, who tried the recipe and confirmed my "good and good for you" assessment!) Source: Food Network's Ellie Krieger

Attachment Information

While we wait for encouraging news of more referrals in spite of the swine flu slow-down... We've been learning about the importance of healthy attachment and the reality that this is something we'll need to consciously nurture in Baby Rock. We've also discovered that our family and friends will play a significant role in helping us develop Baby Rock's deep understanding that we are her forever mommy and daddy. (The title of this posting is a link to an attachment site.) This site is amazing, offering scientific reasoning and pragmatic suggestions. We would be grateful if our family and friends explored the site (especially attachment 101 and the suggestions for family and friends) as we will need to call on your patience and support even after this long wait for Baby Rock!

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

We hope this posting finds you planning a wonderful Easter celebration or fondly remembering the day if you're reading this after Sunday. Whether you view the day as a religious celebration of a promise or a chance to relish spring's renewal and life, may you find time to reflect and to cherish the day with loved ones. For those with little ones waking to a basket of goodies and the excitement of an egg hunt, have a blast! By the way, how do you know when the kiddies have located all of the eggs? Does E.B. always hide the same number, and, if so, how do you know? Does the Easter Bunny have a blog with a link for new parents? We need to know...we'd hate to find a rogue egg rotting under the couch next July! (Yes, we are certain that we'll be hunting eggs by next Easter!) Quick update on that topic: We don't anticipate hearing word of a new referral batch until the end of April/beginning of May. For those sending out positive thoughts, however, hope for April 20th or so and for a group of at least five days (through 3-15-06)--that would be very good news for us!

News of LID 3-9 Referrals!

At least two countries are reporting referrals for families with a March 9th (2006) LID. We are encouraged by this, of course, but also realize that the news is confusing and inconsistent with common practice. CCAA (China Center for Adoption Affairs) doesn't typically divide a day, so many are wondering why only a handful of 3-9 LIDs were matched. Our source site suggests that either these families were actually 3-8 LIDs or more 3-9 LID referrals are on the way. Hope for the latter!

As of April 4th, LIDs of March 7th and 8th (2006) received their referrals--very exciting! Baby Rock seems so close when we think of the calendar...just five weeks away... No, it's not quite that simple or hopeful, but five to eight months? Perhaps!