Mafia connection

David and I helped some friends with their new business venture at the Palm Beach Boat Show this weekend. David was coming out of the sales center and another friend took a picture.

I think it looks just like he could be Tony "the Butcher" Larosso and the FBI took survallience of him after he just made someone "sleep with the fishes".

What a riot!

Meanwhile, I just ran downstairs to check out something that smelled like it was burning. I put a kettle on for some tea a half hour ago and forgot about it. I had the tea bag in there and because it burned through all the water, I got there just in time to see the tea bag go up in flames. Think I am a little sleep deprived? Ha!

Mean people suck-part 2

Ok, like wasn't bad enough that this dumb girl made the rude "Chinese kids aren't even cute" comments to me last week. I ran into her again when I had to go in my friends store to pick something up.

Setting: Friend's business

Cast: Me, husband, dumb girl (FoaF-friend of a friend-now to be called Idiot FoaF or IFoaF), and other Friend of same friend but she is smart and sweet (hmmm, I will give her the acronym SaSFoaF)

So.......

Me (entering business): Hey girls, is A in?

SaSFoaF: No, sorry. You guys look nice.

Husband: Thanks!

IFoaF: Hey, what do you guys do for work anyhow?

Me: We own our own mortage and financial services business

IFoaF: Oh, fun, I need to make some more money. Could I do that?

Husband: Sure, we could always use help, we could talk about it.

Me: (silently kick him)

IFoaF: So, are you planning on working next year when the baby comes home?

Me: Very part time, we'll see.

IFoaF: I was thinking of starting a tee-shirt business. I could make you one with a Chinese Takeout Box and a Chinese kid coming out of it-it can read Chinese Take Out.

SaSFoaF: (rolls her eyes) Um, I don't think that would be very PC

Me: (blood pressure going up) She is right, I don't think the other adoptive parents, nor do I, think that is funny. Besides missy (nervous laugh), you are already on thin ice with me after your comments last week.

David: Honey, we have to go, we are running late.

IFoaF: I just don't know why you guys don't get a white baby? Why get an Oriental? (I swear she really did go there, again)

David: I , um, have to make a call, um, outside. Bye ( SaSFoaF)

SaSFoaF: (Looked as though she wanted to crawl under the desk)

Me: Oriental is for rugs, not people. I just, wow, you are misinformed. Bye, (SaSFoaF). Let A know we stopped in.


WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?

And one more makes 11.....

Saturday will be 11 months of waiting since LID. Since I won't be home except for sleeping hours the next 4 days, I thought I would mark this in the blog now.

So-11 months now. In some ways it has passed extraordinarily fast, in other ways it seems like an eternity. I have been coping well the last few months, and you can probably tell by my posts. I wonder how we feel at the one year mark? Time will tell.

Everyone wants to know-- how much longer? When we were paperchasing we were told A would be home for Christmas 2006. After we were LID last April we were told it was probably going to be spring 2007 . In the summer of 2006 we were told around Christmas 2007. Now we are being told she will probably not be home before spring 2008. So, although I would like to believe we are half way through the wait, realistically no one really knows. I am now telling people July of 2008. It can't be longer than that, it just can't be!

Dunce Award

So, here's a good one to make you laugh. Today I went to go get spray tanned and as a part of the process, they make you wear a shower cap. The girl put the fan on me and left the room. I got dressed after a few minutes and went to the front desk to check out. The people behind the counter said good bye and have a nice day. A few minutes later I was driving down the road singing to Lucinda Williams with the car window down. I looked in the mirror to see my new tan and Voila----still had the stupid shower cap on. Nice.

Twins update

Just a quick update on the girls, they are doing dog-gone great! Ok, that was lame. Annie has gained 50% of her weight since we got her 6 weeks ago-from 22 pounds to 32 pounds. Fergie has stayed the same-also 32 pounds. Annie is the star or her obedience class. She was the only one out of 10 pups to repeatedly do the "come from 20 feet and sit" trick. I am so proud!

I love this picture-a bit blurry, but it shows their funny side!

Annie is still not quite over the carsickness, but we are working on it....

People are strange

and mean. Here is an exerpt from a conversation I had Friday night. I am still a little upset about it, even though D is telling me to get over it. I handled it quite well and just took the higher road and walked away, but still!

Setting: St Patties Gathering Friday evening

Friend of a Friend (FOAF): Oh my gosh, hi how are you?

Me: Great, how are you?

FOAF: Good, how is the adoption going?

Me: Ok, thanks for asking. It's taking a really long time, we probably have one more year.

FOAF: Why don't you adopt through the US? There are so many babies here.

Me: Actually, the children in China need homes just as bad, and their chances for a good productive adulthood are much slimmer than for orphans in the US because of the programs the US has. Also, the chances of the child from China being drug of alcohol addicted are much lower.

FOAF: Yeah, I don't get the whole China adoption craze, I mean, they aren't even cute.

Me: Um. (Backed away stunned and walked away).

Green Day(s)

Being of a wee bit of Irish Heritage I celebrated St Patties Day in a big big way. Friday we went to a little (and I mean tiny) Irish Pub right by our house. We had about twenty of our little ol' gang in the tiny tiny corner of this itty bitty bar. The band that plays is full of 60-80 year old men and they are a riot. We sang many a sing along songs such as the Unicorn song, Danny Boy and And She Was, and of course Alice.

The next day we crawled out of bed, drug ourselves to dog training class (I am commited) and then off to Atlantic Ave to see the parade and play all day. No pictures yet, my camera died mid Bahama trip, but someone will send me some.

I really hope Miss A is here with us for next St Patties day. I will put her in a 100% Irish shirt and shamrock antennas. Of course it will be a much shorter day on the Ave, but that's ok!

Brea's shower

Yesterday Ana and I went to one of our fellow waiting mom Kim's baby shower. Kimand Todd will be traveling in the next few weeks and we are so happy for them! Brea will be such a little princess with her gorgeous outfits. Hopefully those will all make it to Amelie's closet, us waiting folks have no problem with the hand-me-downs! Kim, I hope you feel better before your trip-you aren't suppossed to get sick until you get back! : )

Fellow April LID'ers

I decided to catch up on my fellow April LID'ers group and there is much talk about this long wait. There are many waiting parents out there who are just not coping well at all. A few are seriously considering pulling out. This saddens me so much. As much as I get all worked up about the wait, I know that we are halfway there. I can't imagine not going to China, even if it takes another 2 or 3 or more years. Most of us in this group have tried for years to start a family and to turn back now is just unimaginable to me. I think alot of the people who are on the fence already have a few children, but I really hope they all stick with it. Some greater force led them there and I hope they stick with it. If any of you guys are reading this-Keep the Faith and cyber hugs to you all. This will be the LAST year without our little ones-and this year is a quarter of the way done-you can do it!

Adoption Update

In the past month and a half, the CCAA has referred out 11 days of LIDs. 11 whole days. Wow, guess we are getting our referral in Two Thousand and Never. ChinaAdoptionForecast.com just estimated a Feb 2008 referral for us. It just keeeeeeps geeeeeting slooooooooweeeerrrrrr.

Aaaaand we are still not out of the review room, they got through another 9 days in the review room in the last 4 weeks. Big woop. I know it was just Chinese New Year over there, but can someone light a firecracker under their butts please? We are still 24 LID days away from review. That could take another 2 months. I feel like time is standing still. So glad I knew nothing of these latest figures while in the Bahamas, I would not have relaxed like I did!

The neighbors must think we are nuts...

So I have been doing alot of research this past week on a very specific issue that I have been encountering. And then my poor neighbor dealt with it this weekend as well. Annie, my onrey little goldendoodle gets carsick. EVERYTIME. While we were away, my neighbor took her to obedience class for me (how nice was that?), and Annie puked all over her front seat as soon as they rounded the corner. That's special, isn't it? At least she is housetrained finally.

After much research I found that dogs who get carsick are dealing with an emotional stressor. Poor things thinks everytime we get in the car she is going back to the pound. So, to remedy this we sit in the car each night in the driveway with Annie in the back and go nowhere. Next I have to back out of the driveway, then the next day go around the block until we make progress. Oh the things we do for love!

I can't believe it's been a month and a day since I brought them home. Fergie hasn't gained a pound, she has probably stopped growing now that she is 9 months. Annie gained 7 pounds this month, but she doesn't look too much bigger to me.

Here are pictures of them when I like them the most (nappy time)! I highly recommend a little puppy love in everyone's lives!

A few more pictures from Paradise

Gotta love the "Protect Ya Ting" Aids sign! And don't you love the lighthouse right next to our weekend house?

What Adoption Wait?

Nothing like a few sun and rum soaked days in the Bahamas to make one forget about the long wait. We had an amazing time over there, the house we stayed at was right across from Anna Nicole's, so that made things interesting. The weather could not have been better, we were right on the ocean, the weekend was just perfect! We went to Paradise Island, the Straw Market and had a lovely dinner at Luciano's. Thanks again and Happy Birthday Dan the Man!!!

Bahama Mama

Off to the Bahamas tomorrow! Yippee! Maybe we will get to go to Anna Nicole's funeral bash too. Yeah, ok. Well, off to pack, will post some pics when we get back!

Another thought

Well, one good thing about being just 10 months "paper" pregnant is that I won't look like this in the Bahamas next weekend........

Today's episode is brought to you by the number 10 and the letter F

Ten months today. Ten loooong months since our log in date. Whoever said time will go by fast is a big fat liar. Well, at least we finally hit the double digits. It's been painfully slow. Which brings us to the letter F. Use your imagination. I am blaming my crankiness on the cough medicine. That and I am going a little stir crazy having not left the house for the last 5 days.

Hoping to go see Kool in the Gang tonight with the rest of our little FCC group, going to take a nap and see how I feel when I wake up. We are both still fighting this "thing" in our system. It must be a mighty contagious thing, I bet 3 out of 4 people I know have it or had it within the last two weeks. And it knocks everyone off their A's for at least two weeks.

Night night.

Tis the Season

Happy Flu Season. It seems everyone was sick, is sick, or is feeling it coming on. I moved from the latter catagory to the middle one this morning. Poor hubbins has no voice and has been coughing for days on end. It was only a matter of time until mine came on full force, no matter how many vitamin C tabs I downed.

I used to get sick a few times a year when I worked in "The Office" environment. Luckily now that I work from home, it's down to just once a year. I think I will spend the day watching the Style Network and drinking hot tea. I am trying to study for an exam I have to take for our business, but my head is too full of cold medication to focus.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

How wonderful that we now have two New Years celebrations each year, plus a Harvest Moon festival! Tonight we celebrated with the other FCC families at our favoirte spot-Pei Wei. We may need to find a new place soon since we are getting a bit too big for our britches! I love that our group is getting so big, and we really are one big happy (but not disfunctional as most are) family. Hopefully we will all have our adorable babes home for next year's big day!

Here is a little history on the Chinese New Year:

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

For the Chinese this is the Year of the Pig. The Chinese zodiac follows a twelve year cycle following twelve animals - snake, rat, pig, dog, goat, bull, and another six animals. The zodiac is ranked in order of the animals, who came to pay their respects to Buddha when he was sitting under the tree.

Every twelve year, cycle also starts with the animal current in that year. This year is a new, 12 year cycle beginning with Porky. So this year is- called the Year of the Golden Pig. Which is supposed to bring lots of prosperity and money.

As in Britain, people in other parts of Europe create their own nativity scenes for Christmas. This also happens in the US where stores and hotels will have a small scene of Mary, baby Jesus, a couple of angels, a cow and lambs etc. Similarly the Chinese in Singapore make their own 'nativity' display to celebrate their festivities of the New Year, but with a difference! This year they have Walt Disney type plastic and rubber pig mannequins wearing proper clothes and shoes and standing on two feet offering prayers or welcoming guests. One wonders how they are going to handle the year of the snake or dog?

Despite these animal capers, the Chinese are very good at the almanac - their lunar and solar calendars are very accurate. The Chinese New Year started on Monday 30th. January 1995 because that is when the new moon was 'born'. In quite a ridicules contrast the Muslim scholars go out to sight the moon for Ramadan. If they don't 'see' the moon then the Ramadan is not cancelled but the moon is as assumed to be there anyway!

Whew!

Seems like Fergs is going to be just fine. The doc thinks she probably just ate some bad stuff over the weekend when she was running around our friend's backyard-licked a frog, ate some snails, sipped some chlorine water. Who knows. I am just grateful that she is better. Thanks for all of the doggie wishes!

Now if I could just get them to stop barking in their crates. I have read up on how to stop it, but nothing is working yet. I taught them quiet, and they will stay quiet for a few minutes at a time if I have a treat in my hand. But I need quiet for hours and hours. The funny thing is that Wheatens rarely bark, so Miss Annie is teaching Fergs how to carry on. It's hard to get angry at Fergs though, because unlike the high-pitch, nails on a chalkboard yelp that Annie owns, Fergie sounds like she is really just trying to carry on a conversation. Her little voice is very low and goes up and down in tone. As cute as it is, it has to stop, especially when they decide they want out at 6 am, and mom and dad aren't ready to start their day until 8. Any suggestions?

I need a 12 step program

Hi, my name is Kristen, and I am an RQ addict. HI KRISTEN!

The Rumor Queen is on hiatus right now, apparently she is on a business trip, but I have a sneaky suspicion that is in China getting dd #2. No one knows who she is and she wants to keep it that way. I have seen pictures of people in China with their babies wearing "My mom is not the Rumor Queen" shirts and bibs. For the next few weeks, she will have no posts. She is pretty much mine and every other waiting parent's source of information and rumors. Not only is she "out to lunch" for a while, but the CCAA will probably skip referrals this month because of Chinese New Year. We are also in the review month right now-meaning some worker over there is analyzing every inch of our lives, making sure we are fit to parent. When RQ is around, there are usually rumors around that speak of when and what month is getting out of the review toom.

No rumors, No referrals, No review room info.....how is an anxious waiting parent supossed to deal? Breathe, breathe!

I am feeling a little stressed, like the Yo Quiero dog in the picture.

Cuteness

Well, Fergs is still very much under the weather. We may have to run some blood tests today and hospitalize her overnight. Send a little doggie prayer her way!

Here are a few more pics of the girls for your viewing pleasure.

Bits and Pieces

Wow, well I hate to compare adopting dogs to adopting a baby, but I really think this week has taught me some valuable lessons in mommyhood. I have learned to be patient-Annie is a little devil dog. She is constantly biting her sister's ears and legs and barks ALL OF THE TIME! Having her has taught me that there are alot of areas of my house that need baby proofing. I have also learned to put my dependents before myself. Poor Fergie is so sick, and I get up 4 times a night to clean up throw up from her crate. I love my sleep more than most people. As a matter of fact, my favorite place in the world is my bed. But, I can no longer sleep till 8:59 to be in the office by 9. See, good prepration for the Empress. They are training me well!

This week was David's b-day. We celebrated at Moquila's and at our friends Danny and Heathers on Saturday. We brought the girls up with us (before they got sick) and celebrated with great food, wine and three cakes!

Last night we had a wonderful waiting family meeting, there were three new couples there, so we are no longer last in line. Ed and Wendy brought Sammi's "gotcha day" video-lots of kleenex was used to dry all of our eyes!

Just a quick huge thank you to Kellee, who played Santa and dropped off a big bag of adorable baby clothes for me this morning! It's like a shopping spress without the credit card guilt!!! I have no shame in asking for hand-me-downs. If you are reading this, I will take anything 6 months and up! : )

Noah's Ark

As you know, I have been longing for a dog to create some fun and chaios in our lives ever since Quincy passed. I have been wanting a goldendoodle and David wanted nothing but another Wheaten. Over the past few months I have been going online looking at shelters hoping to find a wheaten or goldendoodle with no luck. People just don't get rid of these dogs since they are so wonderful (and expensive).
On Monday I saw a picture of a wheaten at petfinder.com (at Peggy Adams). I called that day, and even though they were closed someone anwswered the phone. She told me the wheaten was just dropped of Sunday afternoon and another couple had her on hold. I went in yesterday before they opened at 10, not knowing someone had her already, and was told she was on hold till noon. There was also 50 pit bulls, a few lab-mixes, one ugly chihuahua mix and a goldendoodle puppy. Of course, the doodle was also on hold. She was also dropped off Sunday night and they were doing a background check on a lady who wanted her. I ran some errands with my friend Heather (I asked her to meet me because I was a nervous wreck, I needed the Wheaten) and they called me at noon and told me she was mine. I raced back over at 12:01. Well, the girl who had her on hold came in at ten after and was so so so mad. I felt bad, but I just knew she was meant to be mine. Then, on the way out, I saw the goldendoodle from earlier that was also on hold. I told the girl behind the desk good luck with her and her new home-she said that she was available again-the other family didn't work out, so Heather who was with me convinced me to take both. The volunteer that owns a wheaten and said she had a good feeling about me, there must have been 5 other people waiting to take her home. She also said they don't like to adopt out more than one dog per person, but they would make an exception for me. I am sure I pissed off so many people yesterday by taking both girls, but for once I didn;t feel too guilty!

By the way, David knew I was going to look at the Wheaten while he was at an appointment. I told him she was on hold and stuck with the story until I got home. I didn't call David about both because I knew he would say "are you crazy?"! So, my plan just to let him fall in love before he could say no worked. I am a mastermind!

I named the doodle Annie, because she looks like an orphan with her crazy hair. She is 3 months old and is very rambunctious. Fergie-the wheatie, is 6 months old and is very calm and sweet. It's beyond me why anyone would give these girls up. My theory is that they were Christmas gifts for their kids and didn't realize that they take work. Whoever had them (seperate families) did crate train them . They went right into their crates at 9 pm and slept through the night without a peep. Annie knows a few commands, but Fergie knows nothing. They are a workout to walk though, they just want to play, play, play! I love them so much-how could I not take both?

Super Samantha Sunday

We had a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday. We started off at Wendy and Ed's to see Samantha and say happy b-day to Ed. Kim and Todd and Ana and Ron were there as well, so we toasted to Kim and Todd's referral. The Ed put on a "how to change a diaper" presentation for David, Todd and Ron while the girls listened in through the baby monitor and snickered.

Later that day we went to Outdoor World (for 3 hours) and then to his cousin's superbow party and then to our friends Heather and Dannys. We even won the square game and I said I would put that eighty bucks towards the puppy fund. On to that later....

Lots of reasons to be happy today!

1. Of course, seeing Brea's face yesterday

2. CCAA has reveiwed files through February 2006. They have been stuck on them since November. Hopefully they will fly through March and April's so we can breath a sign of relief and know we are on our way.....

3. The 171H bill is under review again with Congress. If it passes, we may not have to redo all of our paperwork.

and 4. (whihc has nothing to do with adoption)...I am 1/3 of the way towards my weight loss goal. My super power abilites to deflect incoming girl scout cookies are working for me!

Living vicariously

I admit it, and don't tell David, but I got like ZERO work done today! Why, you may ask? Not only did referrals come out today, but our good friends Todd and Kim were due to get theirs today. I barely left the computer so that I could wait and wait and wait to see my new "neice's" face! Her name is Brea, and she is so cute and SO young! They are blessed! Here she is!

Evil girl scouts

So, here I am, counting every blessed calorie that goes into my mouth in dire hope of losing a few pounds (ok, more than a few) and becoming a hot mom by the time A gets here. Everytime I go to the store to stock up on fruits and veggies and fish, this is what I have to see! Mean, I tell you, just pure evil!

Love this picture, I swear it's me 25 years ago......

007 engagement party

Congrats to our good friends Traci and Ed who FINALLY (: ) ) got engaged. Saturday, us hostesses with the mostesses, threw them a 007 Casino Royale/Vegas themed engagement party complete with Elvis and shakin-not stirred- martinis. I arrived a few hours early to help make the tapas and left, apparently, too early and missed some of the fun. I notice from the pictures that were sent to me the next day that the decorative huge martini glass turned into a regular drinking glass. This would explain why Greg was caught in his kid's treehouse playing with a wooden chicken rather late in the evening. Next time I will sleep in late so I don't miss all of the excitement.

On a happy note, I did get to meet a couple at the party who are in the midst of paperchasing for their daughter in China. I hope they join our little FCC group.

Congrats to you crazy kids-the future Mr. and Mrs. Licht, can't wait for the big day!

9 months pregnant and not even showing!

Today marks our 9 month mark of being "paper" pregnant. Aren't we supposed to go into "paper" labor soon?

Year of the Golden Pig

How wonderful for Amelie!:

In the Chinese horoscope, some of the 12 zodiac animals are considered lucky, including the pig. And this year, which is the fifth Year of the Pig and falls every 60 years, is known as the Year of the Golden Pig.

What this means is that couples are rushing to get married so that they can have babies during the Year of the Golden Pig. Children born in this auspicious year are believed to be destined for great material wealth and happiness, since their guardian pig is said to be under the influence of gold and never worries about anything beyond food and sleep.

How cute is that?

I went to the grocery store tonight and saw a little old man bumbling towards me down the isle with nothing in his big ol shopping cart except a roll of paper towels and a baked potato. "Excuse me, miss, may I ask you a question" he asked. "Sure", I replied. "How do you make a baked potato". Anyone under the age of 140 I may have been inclined to give a snarky anwer to, but he reminded me of my dad, and how he would have been had he been on his own (I lost him at age 84 a few years ago). It was really cute, but I wonder if he really didn't know, or if he wanted to chat up a younger "broad", he looked kinda onrey like Archie Bunker or Benny Hill.

Yup, sadly this is the best post I can get out right now with NO adoption news. Sorry gang, at least I am not boring you with another Marvin cartoon....

Anxiously awaiting this months referrals

I am anxiously awaiting to hear what the cut-off is for this month's referrals more than usual. Our friends Kim and Todd should be getting a call within the next two weeks that their stork has landed. They have been "paper pregnant" for 15 months now and are very excited to meet their little girl Brea! They just created their own website, I have added it to the left side of this page...check it out : )

Dear Diary;

I have never been good at keeping diaries, although come to think of it this blog is sort of like one. I did try to start a food diary once to count calories, but that didn't last long. Shocker. I started a new type of diary a few weeks ago and I really hope I keep up with it. I am writing down on a weekly basis in a journal D and I's events and happenings. I am even adding what is going on in the world. Why am I doing this? Well, unlike a biological child, I have no idea when Amelie will be born, just that the likelihood of her birth is high for 2007. I figured if I write down what's going on in our lives this year, I can look back to my journal once we get our referral and her birthdate and I'll know what we were doing that day. Plus, I can store it away and show it to her years from now. Is this totally cheesy? Probably. If anything, it makes the time go by a little quicker!

Let them eat cake

Not much going on in the rumor world or much else for that matter now that the holidays are over and no trips are planned for awhile. Thought I'd share an old family favorite-it's an Italian cake that as one of my mom's friends once said "It's the only cake I've ever wanted to stick my face in". It takes 2-3 days to make, but it is worth it. I made it for Christmas and for New Years this year.

Cassata Alla Siciliana

Serving Size : 8
Prep.Time: About 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 fresh pound cake 9"long 3"wide (or you can make 3- 9 inch round chocolate cakes if you are a chocoholic)
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons Grand Manier or other orange-flavor liqueur
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped mixed candied fruit
2 ounces semisweet chocolate -- coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped pistacios

FROSTING:

12 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate -- cut in small pieces
3/4 cup strong black coffee
1/2 pound thoroughly chilled unsalted butter -- cut in 1/2" pieces

Directions

With a sharp knife, slice the end crusts off the pound cake and level the top if it is rounded. Cut cake horizontally into 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick slabs. With a wooden spoon or electric mmixer, beat the ricotta cheese until smooth. Beating constantly, add cream, sugar and Strega. With a spatula, fold in the chopped candied fruit, nuts and chocolate. Center the bottom slab of cake on a flat plate; spread it generously with the ricotta mixture. Carefully place another slab of cake on top, keeping sides and ends even; spread more ricotta mixture. Repeat the process until all the cake slabs and filling are used up, ending with a plain slab of cake on top. Gently press the loaf together to make it as compace as possible. Don't worry if it feels wobbly; chilling firms the loaf. Refrigerate the Cassata for about 2 hours, or until the filing is firm.

For the frosting: melt the 12 ounces of chocolate withe the coffee in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the chilled butter, 1 piece at a time. Continue beating until mixture is smooth. Chill frosting until it thickens to spsreading consistency. With a small metal spatula, spread frosting evenly over the top, sides and ends of the chilled Cassata, swirling it as decoratively as possible. Cover frosted Cassata loosely with foil and chill at least 24 hours before serving it (this "ripens" the dessert).

I am such a goober

Last weekend David and I went to Babies R Us to get a gift for a good friend who is due in February. We were standing in line for the registy and I looked arund and saw nothing but very pregnant bellies. I just got this overwhelming feeling of belly envy and started shaking. David must have seen me go pale, because he looked over at me and asked if I was ok. I said in a whisper "I can't do this". Thank goodness for giant Paris Hilton sunglasses. I didn't expect it, but the tears just started coming and we ran out of there before I made a total ass out of myself. Anyhow, thought I would share what a big bowl of emotional gooberness I am!

Disney Mania

Whew! What a week! We went to Orlando for the week to see my mom and stepdad. They were kind enough to get us our own timeshare "honeymoon" suite after I expressed my displeasure of having to sleep on a pullout for four nights. We had park hopper passes and hop the parks we did with all of our might. We hit Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and MGM all in one very fun and very exhausting day. The next day we had a much more leisurely day at Epcot. It was nice to have one final Disney trip sans diaper changes and temper tantrums. Ok, well, D had a small temper tantrum because we couldn't dine in Japan in Epcot. Apparently you can make reservations 6 months out to eat. Silly us, we thought we could just walk right in! It worked out though, China got us in and dinner wasn't half bad.

I only saw a handful of FCC parents, and I was a good girl and refrained from doing the stalking thing to them. My mom on the other hand, struck up a conversation with a lady and her 5 year old daughter adopted from China. I don't know how she started the conversation(we were in a different part of the park), but I am too shy to mention to FCC families that I don't know that we are in the process. I wish there was some sort of secret hand signal or something. I can't wait to bring Amelie to meet Disney and spend a mortgage payment on her Disney princess outfit and ears. I always said I would never spend frivolously on that type of thing, but I know I will-and it can't come soon enough!

The "experts" at CNN

If you can tonight watch CNN at 8 pm, they are having a segment on China Adoptions. Last week they did this show with Paula Zhan (sp?) and made us FCC (families with Chinese children) look like racist idiots. The show was actually about racism. It started out talking about China's new restrictions and the "expert" panalists ended up discussing how us FCC families adopted from there because we want smart, quiet children who will be little "China dolls". They talked about us and our future children like we are trying to obtain the newest Hermes bag. It made me sick to my stomach. These "experts" made statements like "why don't these people adopt from Iraq, are they afraid they will grow up to be terrorists" and "what is wrong with the black kids in this country? Are they afraid they will be lazy?" Wow. They said NOTHING about the fact that Chinese people rarely smoke or drink or do drugs, and therefore the children are very healthy, nor did they mention how difficult it is to adopt from the US and that you have to be chosen by the birthmom and she can come back a year later and take the kid back. Plus, you can't adopt from Iraq-there are very few countries that are even open to foreign adopters.Anyhow, the wonderful FCC community got so pissed (including myself) that over the weekend we bombarded the producers of CNN and all of the commercial sponsors. They are doing a rebuttal tonight and are having actual experts on the subject, including an adoption agency person, FCC members, ect. If you get a chance, please watch.....

If you read my blog back last spring, I also wrote about how Leslie Stahl and her crew at Dateline also made us look really bad, but at least we were never called racists....

Finally! The babies are here!

Each month, for one day, I like to live vicariously through the lives of others. If you click on RQ's webpage to the left, it will take you to see a whole lotta lucky family's webpages who just were referred their bambinas! They referred 18 days worth of LID's this month, but apparently those were smaller days, so the fact that it's more than the avg 15 days doesn't mean a whole lot. We are still on track for summer of 2008 I believe.

The stinker of it is that the CCAA homepage hasn't changed the review room update in 3 months. 3 months! I thought we'd at least be out of the RR by now, but they are still reviewing February. One of my many new years resolutions was not to buy the Empress anything until our file is finished being reviewed. It's so hard, now that I know we will meet her next year, I want to go buy more pink things! C'mon April!

2006 and why I am thankful for it

I keep saying that I am so damn happy it is a new year. In a way, 2006 was a tough one. We lost Quincy and we are still childless. However, I reflected on 2006 yesterday and realized that I do have alot to be thankful for. Here are 06 reasons why 06' was a good year for me:

1. We were DTC on 04/24/06.
2. We were able to travel and vacation more last year than any other time in our lives-Maryland, DC, Atlanta, a cruise, Key West, Naples, Sanibel Island and of course skiing in Utah!
3. God blessed us finanically last year. We are very very close to being debt free, and that is a great feeling.
4. We met several great couples through our FCC group, many of those have become good friends.
5. I reconnected with a few friends that I had lost touch with over the years.
6. We are one year closer to meeting our daughter!

What are you thankful for from 06'?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and Happy Chinese New Year! This year is the Year of the Pig! This time last year I assumed our daughter would be not only home with us, but also that she would be born last year, the Year of the Dog. Obviously we were worong on both counts. I am 99% sure she will be born under the sign of the pig. This is actually a good thing....Read on!

Contrary to its rather negative reputation in the West, the Pig of Chinese Astrology may be the most generous and honorable Sign of the Zodiac. Pigs are nice to a fault and possess impeccable manners and taste. They have so much of the perfectionist in them that others may be inclined to perceive them as snobs, but this is a misconception. Pigs are simply possessed of a truly luxurious nature, one that delights in finery and riches (in surroundings, food, lovemaking and otherwise). This Sign believes in the best qualities of mankind and certainly doesn't consider itself to be superior. Pigs also care a great deal about friends and family and work hard to keep everyone in their life happy. Helping others is a true pleasure for the Pig, who feels best when everyone else is smiling.
A Pig with no one around to appreciate its giving nature is a sad sight. Pigs are so magnanimous they can appear almost saintly; this can lead some less-than-well-intentioned souls to stomp all over this Sign, and the bad news is, the Pig will take the blows! Pigs make great companions in part because of their refusal to see the more negative or base qualities in a partner, but that rose-colored view can lead to this Sign's allowing itself to be taken advantage of. Contrary to their seemingly benign dispositions, however, Pigs can be quite venomous in response to being crossed by a lover, friend or business partner.
Pigs are highly intelligent creatures, forever studying, playing and probing in their quest for greater knowledge. They can be misinterpreted as being lazy, however, due to their love of reveling in the good stuff; this Sign could happily spend hours on end making love, napping, taking a long bubble bath or dallying over an incredible spread of rich foods. Pigs tend to make wonderful life partners due to their hearts of gold and their love of family. Even so, Pigs can be rather exclusive, choosing to spend time with those who will appreciate them most and ignore the rest of the populace. Pigs would do well to realize that there's more to life than being needed. When they open up their world to a diverse group of people, they will truly bloom.

ABC's

It's been a very quiet week, at work, at home, on the RQ board....So, instead of leaving you with nothing to read, I will leave you with this. Until the New Year. And Happy New Year at that!


Now You Know My ABCs

A is for age:
33 and not quite a half.
B is for Beer:
Ich. I'll take a glass of Reisling.
C is for Career:
Own a business with the hubs-mortgages and finaincial services.
D is for my Dog’s Name:
More like D is for don't make me cry. Our amazing Wheaten, Quincy, died 6 months ago. When we get another it'll be either Murphy(boy) or Fergie(girl)
E is for Essential Item I Use Everyday:
Toothpaste, floss, whitening rinse and mouthwash. I am a sucker for clean teeth because I hate having any work done to them.
F is for Favorite T.V. Show:
The Office hands down.
G is for Favorite Game:
Scene It-Music edition. I will challenge anyone. I will rule.
H is for Hometown:
Balmer, Merlin (that's Balmer-ese for Baltimore, Maryland)
I is for Instruments I Play:
I used to play the piano, but just play my I-pod now. I really hope that Amelie will want to play an instrument.
J is for Favorite Juice:
Lite Cranberry
K is for Whose Butt I’d Like To Kick:
G"W"B. Stupid war. His fault.
L is for the Last Place I Ate:
I just ate the head off of a chocolate reindeer and now I have bits of chocolate shavings on my keyboard. Can you guess what time of month it is?
M is for Marriage:
I've been married for 6 years.
N is for my Name:
Kristen
O is for Overnight Hospital Stays:
None, just lots of long hour day stays. And lots of those Broken bones, tonsils out, benign tumor removed, dehydration from the tonsils being taken out, and once I passed out in a college class from what were just really bad nasty cramps and was rushed to the ER.
P is for People I was With Today:
D, my hairdresser Rhonda. The people at the gym (negated all of the calories I burned by just finishing off said chocolate reindeer).
Q is for Quote:
Nothing intellectual. I quote movies way too much for my own (and everyone else's) good. Especially Tommy Boy, Old School and Office Space. BTW-I can't stand it when people put inspirational quotes at the end of their e-mails. Not sure why it bugs me so.
R is for Biggest Regret:
Wish I would have picked a different major. Not much you can do with Sociology and a minor in Criminal Justice and Women's Studies. I am happy doing what I am doing now, so I guess everything happens for a reason.
S is for Sport:
Yeah right. I did do a 150 mile bike ride a few years ago. And we are getting decent at ballroom dancing (shut up, it is a sport, isn't it a part of the Olympics?)
T is for Time I Woke Up Today:
9:00. But I laid in bed reading till 10:30 am. I am not lazy! Ok I am a little. I am off work this week and I figure I might as well sleep in now, because once the Empress arrives, sleep will become last priority.
U is for Current Underwear:
New skivies that D got me from Victories Secret. Oh, black.
V is for Vegetable You Love:
tomatoes, any and all actually. except califlower. ich.
W is for Worst Habit:
saying "like" all of the time "like" some stupid valley girl. I get my nerves frayed quite easily, and usually over "like" nothing. I feel like I trip on my words alot and come across less intellegent than I actually am. Not that I am a genius mind you.
X is for X-rays I Have Had:
Many. Broke bones in my arm, my leg. And all the dental ones.
Y is for Yummy Food You Ate Today:
I made snapper in a lemon buerre blanc sauce with capers and crisp proscuitto for dinner with a side of sauted fresh spinach and baby tomatoes topped with melted gorgonzola. Oh and I made eggnog pancakes for breakfast. Yum-O. Yes, I love Rachel Ray.
Z is for Zodiac:
Cancer/Year of the Ox (figures, moo)

Ad(o)ption

This is the sign outside of the new CCAA building. Double click to enlarge.....there is apparently only one "o" in adoption. You would think that someone would have double checked the spelling, there are people who speak English over there, especially those working with the CCAA. I thought it was kinda funny. Maybe it'll end up on David Lettermen's nightly segment of mispelled signs and ads.....

The mysterious Review Room at CCAA

Just found this on RQ's website. Doesn't seem like that much work now does it? What is taking them so loooong (whining voice)?

Mom, I'm hugry!

Last night, I had the strangest dream (now I am humming that song with the same verse) about Amelie. She was home with us for a few weeks, except it was in my childhood home in the Keys, and she kept biting my arm. I looked at the clock and it was 1 pm. I asked D if he fed her at all that day and he said no, hadn't changed her either. I replied "oh, that's why she is biting my arm, I haven't fed her either". Oh boy. The funny thing is, this happened yesterday in real life, except it was the cat who was biting my fingers. We put him on a diet and are trying now to feed him once a day. Weird how your subconscious works and mushes all of your thoughts and actions for the day together and really messes with your head!

Geez, I thought I cried enough during last night's viewing of It's a Wonderful Life!

This Christmas song breaks my heart. It's by Third Day. I can't read it without bawling like a baby. I am such a dork. Kleenex please....

Lyrics:

There’s a little girl trembling on a cold December morn,
and crying for her mama’s arms,
At an orphanage just outside a little China town,
where the forgotten are,
But half a world away I hang the stocking by the fire,
and dream about the day I can finally call you mine.
It's Christmas time again but you’re not home, your family’s here and yet you are somewhere else alone,
So tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms and tell you from my heart,
I wish you Merry Christmas.
As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights,
I’m warm by the fire’s glow,
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
make angels in the snow,
Half a world away you try your best to fight the tears,
and hope that heavens angels come to carry you here.
It’s Christmas time again but you’re not home,
your family’s here and yet you are somewhere else alone,
So tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms and tell you from my heart,
I wish you Merry Christmas.

And I leave you with this Christmas wish....

Ok, so I can't think of anything overly warm and fuzzy to say to you all this wonderful Christmas night. I am in a "food coma" state(see previous entry). I did have to share these pictures I found online of the world's "Most Wanted" mall Santa's. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas everyone!

Eight is (not) enough

Tomorrow, Christmas Eve will mark our 8 month wait. I wonder if we are a third of the way there, or just a quarter? I do know that when 12:01 am strikes on Jan 1st, I can say and be 99% damn sure we will be parents the next year. Well, have to keep this brief, preparing a monster brunch for D's family on Christmas day. D said "Scrambled eggs and bacon is fine", but when it comes to me and my kitchen, I like to go all out. Want to see the menu? I am getting hungry just writing it! C'mon over, there will be plenty!

Cesear Salad
Vanilla Bean Sour Cream Muffins
Begals with choice of Strawberry Bruscetta or Smoked Salmon w/ Wasabi Creme Fraise
Charred Asparagus and fresh herb Frittata
Hash Browns
Coconut Panettone French Toast with a topping of mixed winter berries in a maple syrup infused whipped cream
Bacon and Sausage
For the b-day cake: Cassada ala Siciliana (Italian Spongecake with ricotta pistacio filling and chocolate espresso ganache )
Mimosas
Bloody Mary Slushies

Oz

Lately I have been having dreams that the CCAA is actually The Great Wizard of Oz! This news doesn't help "Agencies have been telling their clients that CCAA would no longer take calls regarding when referrals were coming or give out new measurements of infants who had been referred". It also said that CCAA would “report” agencies who did not comply with this request to stop calling them and asking them questions like this." This just came from another wiating parent, but still, it's probably true.

I picture myself as Dorothy, Toto is being played by Higgins our cat with Casey our other cat as the understudy, and David as the Tinman or the Lion or the Scarecrow-you pick. We are standing in front of the giant Oz asking him nervously where our daughter is and when will I see her. Then the curtain gets pulled back on some 95 pound Chinese woman who is screaming "Pay no attention to the person behind the curtain, I am the great leader of the CCAA!" The wicked witch in this is, of course, the USCIS. Anyone who is going through this will appreciate that. The good witch is our FCC group, and the yellow brick road is the slow boat to China. I think SNL could do a skit on this, don't you think?

Article in the Wall Street Journal

No kiddin! I love that they are trying to increase the number of babies available instead of making them grow up in orphanages, but I think it's awful that single people can no longer adopt.


Agencies: China tightens adoption rules

(Beijing-AP, December 19, 2006) - China is tightening rules on foreign adoptions, barring parents who are unmarried, over 50 or obese, but says it will try to increase the number of children available to those who qualify, according to U.S. adoption agencies.
The move comes amid a surge in foreign applications to adopt Chinese children. The United States is the number one destination for children adopted abroad, but the number going to Europe and elsewhere is rising.
The restrictions are meant to limit adoptions to "only the most qualified families," said the Web site of one agency, Harrah's Adoption International Mission in Spring, Texas.
An employee of the government-run China Center of Adoption Affairs, the agency that oversees foreign adoptions, said it has issued new guidelines but refused to confirm the details released by the American agencies. He wouldn't give his name.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman in Beijing said it was looking into reports of the new regulations. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with embassy rules.
The Chinese agency also is trying to increase the number of children available by creating a new charity to improve conditions in orphanages and "keep infants and young children alive and well enough to be adopted," Harrah's said.
Americans adopted 7,906 children from China in 2005, raising the total since 1989 to 48,504, according to the Joint Council on International Children's Services in Alexandria, Va., an association of adoption agencies and parents' groups. The group's Web site lists 110 U.S. groups that arrange adoptions from China.
Under the new rules, only people who have been married for at least two years will be eligible to adopt, according to Harrah's, the New Beginnings Family and Children's Services Inc. of Mineola, N.Y., and Families Thru International Adoption Inc. of Evansville, Ind.
Beijing previously allowed adoptions by unmarried foreigners. The agencies said Chinese officials disclosed the rules at a Dec. 8 meeting in Beijing. They take effect May 1.
Among other restrictions, couples must have a Body Mass Index - a measure of obesity - of no more than 40 and be aged 30-50, with people up to age 55 considered for children with special needs, according to the agencies.
The rules bar parents who take medication for psychiatric conditions including depression and anxiety or have "severe facial deformity."
Many Chinese children adopted abroad are girls who are given up by couples who, bound by rules that limit most urban families to one child, want to try for a son. Others are left at orphanages or by the roadside by unmarried mothers or poor families.
A sharp increase in foreign applications for adoption has led to a backlog in approvals, with waiting times rising from six months in early 2005 to as much as 15 months now, according to adoption agencies.

A new look

I was getting a little tired of the bright pinks and yellows and blues of my blog, they were a little too "Miami Vice" for me. Not the Miami Vice with Jamie Foxx, the Miami Vice of Don Johnson Days. What do you think, a little classier now?

Always a bridesmaid and never a bride....

More like always an auntie and never a mom. Yesterday I became a proud aunt for the 7th and 8th time. Meet Allison and Gregory. How in the world my sister-in-law Shelley had twins sans drugs is beyond me. She is a super hero in my book, or just downright nuts. Allison was born at 4:05 weighing 5lb 6oz, then came Gregory into the world at 4:10 weighing 4lb 9oz!!

A picture is worth a thousand words

Here are a few pictures from our days in paradise....thank goodness David did catch any of me in my fallen poses.....

Falling forward

Just returned from an amazing trip to Park City, Utah. I have been lucky enough to have skied in several ski resorts all over the US and in Italy and this was by far the best ski trip thus far. Some of the trails are incredibly long, so you spend much more time on the trails and not waiting to get on a lift chair. Park City actually has three seperate ski areas all within ten minutes of each other and there is a great little downtown area full of cool shops, bars and cafes. We even went to the Olympic Park and got a chance to witness a live Bobsledding trial up close. They go so fast you jump if you are anywhere within ten feet of the track. On the last night we went tubing so we could revert to our 5 year old selves (like we didn't do that the rest of the trip).

As for the skiing, I somehow managed to stay in an upright position and did not fall once the first three days. Amazing for a soul as accident prone as I am. On the third day we rode up a lift with a ski instructor-a Cuban dude named Orlando originally from Miami. On the 15 minute ride up to the top he asked if I had taken a lesson and I told him it was my 7th time skiing. He told me everyone should take a lesson and gave me one, for FREE (hello, private lessons are over a hundred bucks an hour-cha ching) on the next trail down. He actually helped my technique quite a bit, even though I still, well-suck. Like I said, I did great until the very last hour of the very last day. Read on.

Here are a few lessons I learned this trip:

1. It is nearly impossible for a girl to do the hover and pee move while wearing ski boots. I can't quite explain it, except that it seriously cannot be done.

2. The "Please wait" sign posted on the padded gate as you wait for the next lift chair is there for good reason. On the last day I was so excited to get back on the mountain that the top half of my body was working much quicker than the bottom half-my skis were a few feet behind my head-not good. When my turn came to get on the ramp to wait for the chair, I had one of those "yellow light" moments-ya know, the kind when you are driving along in your car and you are 20 feet from the light and it turns yellow and for a second you are debating whether to stop or go? I totally should have stopped. All of me. I got my jacket caught in the damn gate since my feet were so far behind me. Down I went in front of a nice long line of laughing (ok, in their heads they must have been) spectators.


3. The "Please sit all the way on the back of the lift chair" sign while boarding the lift chair is also there for good reason. In one of my least proud moments, I somehow managed to not get my fat butt all the way on the seat before we were at least 6 feet up in the air. David was talking to me one second and the next he was looking down 90 degrees to see me laying on the ground like one of those CSI Miami victims that got pushed off of a roof. Fortunatly David Caruso was not present, but instead there were two cute ski lift operators there who picked me up under my arms and loaded me onto the next chair, but not before my graceful actions made all 100+ passengers swing in their stationary chairs while I was placed in the next chair.

4. The "Please keep your tips up" sign while unloading the lift chair is also there for good reason. You think I would have this embedded in my tiny brain by now, but you start chatting with the very interesting couple from Boston sitting next to you, you go to get off, and BAM-you find yourself french kissing the end of the snow covered ramp.

5. It happens to everyone, right? Well, 2, 3 and 4 would not have been quite so bad if it hadn't all happened in sequence. I kid you not. If I had a tail, it would have been between my legs. And that brings me to #6....

6. Just when things couldn't get more humiliating: I was just boasting before my Three Stooges impression that I hadn't fallen once-and then after making an arse out of myself on and off the lift I took a deep breathe and promised myself I would finish out the day without any further incedents-at least I hadn't actually fallen while actually skiing. Yeah-good job. I obviously couldn't find a wooden tree to knock on. That very next trail off of the cursed lift was actually a cursed trail. I fell not once, not twice, but three times. There are several types of falls people have while skiing. They range from "God, I am so STUPID" to "God, Please let me walk again". My three falls were something in between with the last one closer to the latter type. At the end of a very long, but beautiful run over covered bridges and under tunnels my left ski hit a few rocks and off went my ski-at least 20 feet below me. My pole was 20 feet above me. I usually love when I find a quiet trail with no one around for minutes at a time but not at this instant. David was already around the corner and didn't see my acrobatic display. I lay there in pain for a few minutes before crawling uphill to retrieve one pole before sliding ass first (how many time can I use the word ass in the post) to retrieve my ski. My binding had ice shoved in every crevice and my boot just would not go back on. Finally two snowboarders came by, I thought they would help me. Instead, being the nice teenage idiots they were, they sprayed me with snow from the edge of their boards and laughed as they sped away. Nothing like adding insult to injury. All I know is that David, who had stopped to wait for me when he noticed I wasn't behind him, didn't know I was laying helpless on the hill until he heard me screaming "#$&%*&@@@&*%^*^&%&*" at the punks. Hubby finally met me halfway as I walked down to meet him. Luckily I was close to the lift back to the lodge at that point. I was so done.

7. Not that this has anything to do with skiing, but I would move out west for the good hair days alone. No flat iron needed.

I can't wait to go back-next time I will just try to adhere to the signs.

20 hours and counting

We are off to Utah for 5 days of powder skiing in less than 24 hours. I am getting absolutly zero work done today. I am breaking the refresh button on the weather.com and skiutah.com pages. It was negative five again this morning, warmed up to 10 above, think I'll bring my bikini and flip flops! Will post some pics when we return! Have a great week!

The newest Palm Beach FCC referral

One of our group members, Belynda just got her referral yesterday. Her name will be Tatiana, she is only 9 months old! I love the baldness, her husband told her "look honey, she has your smile, and my hair", I love it. I am so happy to be living vicariously through other FCC families lives while we are waiting, it makes it all the more real! I can't wait to go to the airport with the other waiting families and welcome her home!