Greetings, loyal fans!

Have you been keeping your eyes on the bestseller list lately?? In case you haven't, I'd like to introduce you to my new bestselling book - Keeping Your Sanity While Adopting From China. :)

It's a groundbreaking book that takes a look at the nervous, parnaoid, highly analytical, extremely concerned, and very unusual behavior that those adopting from a Communist country exhibit during the extremely stressful process. If you're thinking of adopting from China, you might want to pick up a copy of this new book at your local bookstore. No, wait - I forgot. It's only available at my website: http://www.ithinkimlosingmymind.com/ Or call I-800-LOSINGIT.
:)

One of the most valuable sections of this new book is the chapter entitled: What Not To Do If You Want To Retain Your Sanity.

Of course, I have never done any of the things on this list. I have been perfectly calm, reasonable, and patient during the past year.

I've never stayed up until midnight to wait for an email from the consulate.

I've never dashed into the computer room every 5 minutes to hit the refresh button on the email inbox.

I certainly wouldn't consume large amounts of chocolate as a means of consoling myself during the process.

I've never inflicted bruises on myself or crashed into various household furniture while trying to grab for the ringing phone.

I certainly would never call various government offices on a daily basis to inquire about the status of our paperwork.

I positively wouldn't hit refresh on Rumor Queen every 15 minutes while waiting for LOA.

I would never post constantly on my blog about adoption related topics.

Is this list getting too long for you??????????????

But, seriously though - if I was really to write a book, I'd write about how many orphans are still in China. Yes, we'll be helping one of them. But when we get on the plane to come home with our little guy, it will be hard not to think of all the ones still left behind. The ones who aren't getting mommies and daddies of their own. Who will stay in the orphanages until they're 14 and are too old to be adopted. And who will then be left to live what life they can while always living under the stigma of being an orphan.


Disclaimer: I have, in reality, written no such book as the aforementioned and all reference to websites, phone numbers, or publishing names is purely fictional and for entertainment purposes only. And I'm sure you already knew that. :)

We're still waiting for our Article 5.......could you lift up a prayer if you have a chance?

....and intense discussion during Thanksgiving dinner! Sorry for the glare behind Jonathan's head.....no matter which way I point the camera, there's a window!

David practicing being a big brother.

Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs, since the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont

Profile.........

A happy group right after changing shocks on the truck. :)

That's all for now! I hope you're having a wonderful, warm week! And, if you think of it, could you please pray that our Article 5 would be signed quickly?

When are we going to China? When will we get Travel Approval?

Well, good question.

I wish I knew.

We have only two steps left: Article 5 and Travel Approval.

TA could take 1-4 weeks.

So we could be really close! Or we could be not so close.

We want to go in January. That might work out.

It's hard not to get impatient.

And, one day soon, the perfect time will come for us to go. We'll travel the long miles to the other side of the world. And the moment we've been waiting for will come. We'll see Isaac walking across the room towards us.

And it will be perfect.

God knew it all along.

And it will have been worth the wait.

David is excited about this fact.

WARNING: Do NOT watch the video below if any of the following statements apply to you:

1. You are completely satisfied with the current Presidential administration.

2. You love to pay income taxes and believe that they should be increased.

3. You think that Nancy Pelosi is the greatest speaker of the house in American history.

4. Karl Marx is your personal hero.

5. You think that the Constitution is flawed and should be dispensed with.

6. You think that the current administration has not spent enough money to help us out of this terrible recession and that they should increase the federal spending budget.

7. You have read The Communist Manifesto and try to live by its precepts.

8. You have also read Rules for Radicals and keep it on your bedside table.

9. You are a member of Acorn, the Communist Party, the Nazi Party, or any other such organization.

10. If you are on welfare or other government assistance programs because you don't want to have to go to work.

11. You worked on Hillary Clinton's campaign last year.

12. You send regular correspondence to Harry Reid to thank him for his wonderful contributions to this country.

If these statements do NOT apply to you, then you are probably a conservative patriot and will really enjoy this video.

If these statements DO apply to you, then you should probably watch this video anyway and perhaps you will gain a new perspective.

Enjoy this humorous video (watch it several times - it gets funnier each time you watch it!)

Some people may wonder 'why adopt'? With millions of orphans in the world, how can you hope to make a difference? There's so many. This is the answer. . .

"An old man was walking down the beach just before dawn. In the distance he saw a young man picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea. As the old man approached the young man, he asked, "Why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?"
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The young man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.
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"But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish," exclaimed the old man. "How can your efforts make any difference?"
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The young man looked down at the small starfish in his hand and as he threw it to safety in the sea, he said,
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"It made all the difference to that one."