It's almost March 31

I've been working on TWO pages of ONE newsletter since 7:00. It didn't help that I closed out once before saving.

Ah, well. Two down, 24 to go. I'll have the spring newsletter out around December... =)

You know what kind of day THIS is going to be

The think the thing I dislike the most about Evangelicals is the fact that they come across as though they are always right, that they have the scoop on EVERY issue, and that they can tell you exactly how to handle the issue. What they seem to miss is that behind every issue is a PERSON.

Now, I'm going into the rest of my day with a better attitude.

What a day!

What makes this day more weird is that I can't describe any of it, really. All I can say is that, if my sons ever treated ME like the neighbor's son and daughter-in-law does, I hope someone can still turn him across his knee! Good grief! Sixty-some years old and he is STILL a spoiled brat!

Other than that, I feel as though I'm making some headway, anyway. My newsletter template won't work, but other than that, I think I'm fine.

I think I am. I think I am.

Oh, yeah. Started a new blog so I don't have to obsess here.

Another reason I love authors

How cool is this? (I hope he doesn't mind.)

Dear Carolyn Reid,
In an attempt to maintain some control over my time (mostly futile, I admit), I do not use email. But I am borrowing this one to respond to you. It's an unmonitored address, for outgoing mail only, so please do not reply to this address.

If two of us think alike, there must be some truth there, right?! Thanks so much for writing such encouragement. I'm glad you haven't given up on the church. In many ways, I think it's more difficult to be a follower of Jesus in a place like the US than in China or Myanmar, where Christians never get confused with the prevailing culture. I share your concern, and am glad you have found a place of grace.

Philip Yancey

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

Did My Old Kentucky Dinner train at Bardstown today. Ting brought her friend, Dave, and the rest of us tagged along besides--all but Brett, that is. I don't think he was too enthused about getting off work to ditch his girlfriend for this. By the end of the day, he was sorry he didn't go.

The ride itself was a neat experience. The car reminded me of a plane (but the food sure didn't!). We traveled about 17 or 18 miles one way, if I heard them correctly. During most of the ride, I felt like I was being rocked. With my full tummy and the motion, I was pretty sleepy by the end of the trip.

I love going through that area. Today, even with its cloudy skies, was just as nice as if it were sunny. We saw a lot of big houses and what was left of the Woodford County castle. We also saw My Old Kentucky Home, too. That was worth the drive by itself.

Bardstown is a beautiful little place. It's like Falmouth should be--well-kept and clean, for the most part. The people were friendly, as well. Even when Brian forgot how to count and missed a ticket, the lady who distributed the tickets laughed about it instead of getting haughty. "Now you can apologize at any time," she said.

Next time we're off to Metamora with another young'n in tow. I hope she enjoys that trip as much as I think we will.

As for planes, we have an invite to lay over in San Francisco during our trip to China. Ting's friend told us we're welcome to stay at his place overnight to break up the trip. Part of me would love to because it will cut the trip into two relatively equal parts. Part of me doesn't want to because I'm afraid I'll never get Brian back on the plane.

Bad case of the pink frillies

Went to Wal-Mart for the first time in at least two months. (I avoid the place whenever possible.) Went to buy Easter candy. And shoes. And shirts. While I was there I bought pink socks, bottles, sippy cups, pink blankets, a teether, bottles, powdered formula...

Planning ahead.

Spending time

I told myself from the beginning that I would not obsess. I told myself that the right time would be here and I would just have to wait for it. I told myself that I would not even think about graduation because of the danger of depression like I suffered two years ago when my first baby crossed the stage, nor would I think about the addition of a daughter to the point of distraction.

I can tell myself all I want. The fact is that I'm not listening to myself anymore.

Stuff I needed to hear--or read, as it were

If the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church, the contemporary political scene hardly offers much threat.--Philip Yancey (I'd love to quote this whole chapter, actually.)

[Christ] does not confess his Messiahship until the moment when the danger of founding a religion is finally past.--Karl Barth

While I'm sleeping like a bear in January

All these waiting moms are talking about using Tylenol PM to sleep and driving their husbands crazy tossing and turning and all that. In the meantime, the only thing Brian is complaining about is my snoring. What the heck is wrong with me?

Meanwhile, MY mom is dreaming of going to China to get "an awfully pretty little girl."

I'm despairing the low number of dreams I have about our Chinese daughter. Seems now I know why: my mother is hogging them all! =)

The boys

Bart gets his Certificate of Christian Service come this May. It's LBC's associate's degree. I called Rich to ask how many wanted to go to graduation. A beat of confused silence ensued. I took it as a sign that he thought Bart was ending his college career with an associates, so I explained that he gets the certificate for completing his first two years. Rich kind of snickered. "Oh. All I could think was, 'For TRAFFIC SCHOOL?'"

Brett is finally happy he's graduating. At least that's what he says. The child has been the most independent, moody bear I've seen lately. He's about to get his head knocked off his shoulders if he doesn't get it set back on straight soon. He's gotten cockier with every month. Worries me a lot at times.

Brennan went to Rupp to see the PC Wildcats play this week. He even admitted he enjoyed the experience. Today he's making a CO2 car with chrome wheels. He's having a blast with the tech class. I told him he would!

Adoption update, part 2

The doom-and-gloom folks of October are dismayed because approximately half of September's referrals showed and not the entire lot. Now everyone's saying, "I'll be in May." Bah, humbug! Where's your spirit, I say?

Actually, someone from October 28 found out by a fluke that she is in the matching room. Her agency called to ask her to submit some sort of an amendment to correct a slight problem with her paperwork so they could complete the matching. That means she's there. If she's there with an LID of the 28th, then this intuition that I've had for a couple weeks that we DEFINITELY have a daughter is probably about right on the money.

Today we got the pre-assignment paperwork. I have to review 56 pages of dos and don'ts, plus I need to get making copies of passports and the like.

Finally, it's all starting to feel real.

We also got our monster piece of luggage today. We could probably ship half of Guangzhou back in it, the thing is so big. Watch, though. I'll be lamenting the lack of space come late May. So far I need Pepto, toilet paper, shorts, Pepto, toilet paper, shirts, Pepto, toilet paper...

Yup. I'm gonna need another bag.

Call me a hypocrite; I don't care

Made myself a member at Plum Creek this morning.

I'll admit it

I HATE BASKETBALL! But I'm thrilled for our PCHS Wildcats. After 34 years, they've brought home the regional title. Now it's on to Rupp!

And while I'm here, new babies are popping up everywhere! =D http://bengregory.blogspot.com/2005/03/baby-has-been-bornded.html#comments

Every emergency-type vehicle just passed behind our house going less than the speed limit, escorting two buses full of basketball players and such. =D

What the heck: GO WILDCATS!!!!!!

Crazy to cranky to (in)CREDIBLE!!!!

Crazy: Started the morning by fixing my hair and spraying it...with Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner.

Cranky: Then tried to convince John that something needs to be done about TH. According to him, he wishes ALL teachers were like TH. I need to pass THAT around school so that we can ALL write up folks on a whim...after provoking them. AND he wasn't happy that I told Brett that it wasn't very smart taking the phone out in front of him because "...you know he's been trying to get you all year." I'll support an authority, but I'm NOT going to support a despot!

(in)CREDIBLE!!!! AMY AND LENNY ARE--AFTER NEARLY 3 YEARS--GOING TO GET THEIR BABY!!! It isn't Honduran. It's local. But it's THEIR baby. (I suppose that's why Honduras hasn't come through yet.)

Better news!

Today was one of those days where I should have just phoned my part in, as Mom says, but I did get some good stuff. CAWLI says that months are rarely split over months. That means that, at worst, we will probably be in the April group like we'd planned; however, there is a flu bug going around Asia...

It is so funny to listen to Mom and Dad. They've gone from guarded-to-spastic over the adoption--and I mean good spastic. Dad can barely talk about her in spite of the fact that he always does and Mom just gushes. And here I was afraid we'd have to dump the whole idea for lack of support! LOL!

March Madness is upon us. Our boys are playing in about 45 minutes. I hope they do well. Their time is LONG overdue. I hate going to the games (I'm not a big b-ball fan, even if I live in Kentucky) but I pull for them all the same.

Snow days and miscellaneous--again

Didn't go to school today, even to put in an extended day. I chose to be lazy, if that's what you call doing laundry, fixing lunch and supper, and doing other various and sundry items around the house.

I've been checking the listserv a lot today to see what rumors are out there. We who are adopting from ANY country THRIVE on rumors--good or bad. Today we got a bad one: expect only the rest of August and the first half of September DTC folks to get referrals. No one knows if that is the case (hence the "rumor" denotation), but that's what is going around in the circles. I for one am waiting to hear that ALL of September is on the way out and it may include some OCTOBER folks as well...

I will dream. No one can stop me. But darn, I have to get her room ready. For the past several months I've seen us at Brett's graduation with our little one on our laps. If it doesn't happen that way, we won't die, but it sure would be nice.

Had a dream last week that I got the call from Lillian: "Carolyn, you have a son. What would you like to do?" I have since learned that at least one couple has gone back to the hotel with their "daughter" only to find "a little extra" when they changed "her" diaper. That couple accepted it well. I wonder what I would do. As I've said so many times, I love my boys, but oh, boy, do I want a girl!