Small Miracles and Bizarre Changes

Small Miracles - last night I had 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That hasn't happened since last spring. Wow. Although, I did say to Husband, 6:30 on a Saturday morning is really an ungodly hour to have to get up. He responded with, She was raised Buddhist.

Bizarre Changes - Before we went to China, I couldn't eat breakfast. All I could handle was my 3 cups of coffee. Lunch was usually a bowl of cereal around 11:00 am, and then supper. While in China, I had breakfast everyday because one never knew what lunch would be. Especially on the days it was MacDonald's - I don't like MacD's here in the Great White North, so I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it in China. Now after coming home? I'm starving when I first get up, lunch is usually around 2:00 in the afternoon, and I'm not hungry for supper. So I haven't been eating supper. My stomach is still on China time.

Thumbelina has been practicing her crawling skills. She has quite the technique as she pulls with one elbow and pushes with one knee, but it gets here where she wants to be:

Please ignore the shnozzy nose and carrots all over her sleeve. I'm blaming that on Husband.

One Week Home

Our first week home together with Thumbelina has flown by. I guess when you're in a constant state of exhaustion, it's easy to forget what day it really is.

On Monday I had to work; and I was resentful for it. And as a result, Thumbelina slept way too long and was up all night. When you have a family business, you don't have a choice but to work and things needed to be done.

On Tuesday, I had personal space issues. I decided not to work and to spend my day with Thumbelina, playing with her and doing all the stuff I've been dreaming about for the last two years. Except my assistant had other ideas and followed me from room to room asking me questions. Our office is attached to our house which really sucks sometimes. I think she got the hint when she said to me, "You don't mind me following you around, bugging you, do you?" and I didn't answer; I just smiled. I need my personal space, people. Don't enter my personal space.

Or maybe that happened on Wednesday. I really don't know. But yesterday she was mad at me and wouldn't look me in the eye or talk to me. Whatever.

Oh, I remember Wednesday. Wednesday my brother's house caught fire and I looked after my 2 nieces and 2 nephews for the day. Their neighbour saw smoke coming from their garage and banged on the windows, waking them up. Their garage, mudroom and back bedroom were destroyed and they won't be able to go back into the house until the water and smoke damage is cleaned from everything. I'm really thankful nobody was injured.

So today is Friday. I've been having a hard time staying awake past 6:00 pm, but last night I was able to stay up until 8:30 pm. Party on! Thumbelina slept okay in Beijing, but has since regressed. I knew it would happen, but I secretly hoped that we would be part of the chosen few who would come home with a baby that would continue to sleep. Last night she slept in my arms - she had to have her cheek touching my bare arm continuously, and she awoke a few times screaming. The screaming is new.

She adores her brothers and now hollers at them. It is the funniest thing. She just looks at one of them a yells at the top of her lungs. Not because she's angry, just to get their attention. Tigger is feeling a little left out, so I'm trying to give him extra hugs.

Sorry, no pictures this post, the Little Miss is starting to crab and needs some lunch.

We're Still Alive!

We're home! Had a great trip! Are experiencing jet-lag! Thumbelina is awesome! Will write more once I'm coherent!

I just love this picture - it was taken about 30 minutes after Thumbelina met her brothers:


I wasn't going to buy an excersaucer, seeing as how she'll probably be walking soon, but Husband talked me into it. It was only 60 bucks. At least half the cost of when Zoomer was a baby. Who knew. Anyhoo, as you can tell, she loves it:

This Is It!

This is it! It's really happening! This will be my last post until we're home with Thumbelina - March 24th. You can follow along on our journey at The Story of You with our personal page being Kallie. Wish me luck that I don't mess anything up in sending e-mails and pictures to Tina...

So. I'm trying not to be sad about something because I've got better things to do with my time than worry about someone who obviously doesn't like me, but when everybody and their uncle says, Have a great trip! even people I've never met but whom I talk with on the phone because of the business - one girl I've that I've talked to a total of 3 times in my life, including yesterday, is super-excited for us - yet still one of the boys' teachers hasn't even acknowledged our referral or trip. She walked right on by me yesterday as we're both calling our kids at the school snow-hill. Just very hurtful. But that's her problem 'cuz I'M GETTIN MY BABY!!!

Our itinerary, in case some of yous are wondering, we leave the city tomorrow at 7:00 am and arrive in Vancouver at 12:15 pm (9:15 local time). Then we read some books, snack on some snacks and leave Vancouver at 12:35 local time (3:35 home time), arriving in Beijing on March 10 at 4:00 pm local time, which I think is 3:00 am home time.

Sunday, March 11: Fly to Hunan (1:45 - 4:10 pm)

Monday, March 12: Thumbelina Day (Yippeeee!!!)

Saturday, March 17: Fly to Beijing (1:50 - 4:05 pm)

Saturday, March 24: Fly Home, leaving Beijing at 2:40 pm and arriving back to the city at 4:10 the same day. I can handle a 1 1/2 hour flight. Bwahahahahaha.

And now I'm off to pack. Really.

Husband is Funny

He keeps me sane. His saneness cancels out my craziness. We are a good combination.

This morning Zoomer was quite upset with me because I didn't do laundry last night. I told him he didn't ask me to do laundry. Apparently all of his clothes, and I checked each and every drawer in his room, are in the washing machine washed, and he just presumed I was going to put them in the dryer for him last night. I would have if he had asked, but since I didn't know this was his plan, I didn't. He can be frustrating at times, that one. He's stuck wearing church pants to school today.

So Husband informed me this morning that he wants to leave the house tomorrow morning by 9:30 (TO CHINA - OH YAH!) And that's after dropping the dogs off at the vets.

And I told him that I needed to do all the paycheques tomorrow before we go.

And he said I could stay up all night tonight and do them.

Me: But what are we going to do all day if we're only spending the night in the city? (Our flight is Friday morning)

Husband: Shop.

Me: And where are we going to put all our purchases?

Husband: In the Tran.

Me: And where are we going to put all of our luggage and souveniers that we bring home from China?

Husband: Oh, we won't have Zoomer with us. He'll be staying at the orphanage.

Me Laughing: Good one!

We tease Zoomer that we're making an even trade - he's staying at the orphanage and Thumbelina is coming home with us. We're so bad. And this morning was one of those mornings when we're tempted to go through with our idle threat.

Busted!

Can you guess what this is:

1 Browser pay per use @ $30.72/MB x 3.4804 MB, totalling $106.92
161 Text Messages Sent
60 Text Messages Received
1 Download of a Screen Saver

Anybody? Anybody?

Give up?

This is what happens when your 12-year-old sneaks an extra company phone and uses for 2 weeks before getting caught. 2 WEEKS. 2. Totalling $202.96. TWO HUNDRED BUCKS. Yah, he'll be paying that from his own money. It was kind of funny though, as Husband and I were going over the details of the bill with him, I could see Zoomer gulping every now and then. Kids.

Oh, and I'm still at a big fat zippo for R-R-Roll Up The Rim.

Spring is in the Air

Not everywhere I look around, just at Tim Horton's. It is officially R-R-Roll up the Rim time again! I must admit, since having the flu a few weeks ago, my coffee consumption has gone down, but I still do average 1 a day from Tim's (instead of 3), and that's not including my morning coffee. So Husband has already won a free coffee - with his first rim even. AND he was the first customer to get a R-R-Roll up the Rim cup because he stopped in just after midnight on the day it started. Me? Zippity-doo. This is giving me a feeling of de-ja-vu. Last year I think I won a donut. For the entire contest.

So yesterday was a snow day and the boys enjoyed being lazy. Tigger wanted me to draw him a spider-man, and while I'm no artist, anything I draw is wonderful in the eyes of my 7-year-old. He drew Doc Oc, I drew a web, he drew a spider and he cut everything out. I cut the spider out for him because it was tricky around all those legs. He spent hours playing with his paper super-hero and villian. Hours. It was way cute.

I did some more painting in Thumbelina's room. I love the colour I chose, but I just wasn't happy with how it looked. It was boring. And I needed more paint anyway for touch-ups, so I bought some a shade darker, and some glaze. My idea was to just kind of rub the paint on the wall for interest. But I didn't like it. So before I finished, I decided to sponge over top of it. When I did the last wall of the rubbing, I used a lot more water than I had been using, and when it dried I loved it. Except I had already started the sponging...which was looking hideous. So I re-did the rubbing over top of the sponging, using extra water. I think I like it. I haven't actually looked at it today but my arm feels like it is literally going to fall off so I'm leaving it. I'm also going to paint a vine with leaves and small pink daisies around the edges where the paint technique meets up with the flat paint on the ceiling. I hope it turns out.

But today I need to shop and clean but I think Muther and Sylvie (my SIL) are coming on Monday to help me paint.

Teetering on the Edge

I'm teetering on the edge of meltdowns. Not quite insanity. Maybe, though. You know it's bad when you have to fight back tears in the bank. The Bank, people.

One of the requirements for our adoption is to give the orphanage a donation. We are glad to do this. They've taken great care of Thumbelina for all these months, it's the least we can do. The donation has to be in brand new US 100 dollar bills. Brand-spanking new. A year and a half ago, I asked our bank for the required monies. The girl at the bank, when she gave me the money, gave it to me in 50's and 20's - some of it was new, most of it was not. Her statement when she gave me the money was We do this for a lot of people, it doesn't have to be in 100's. Um, excuse me, but yes it does. So we just held onto it and decided we would exchange it for the new 100's when it got closer for us to go to China.

Which brings us to yesterday. We are now with a new bank, I have very bad feelings towards our old bank, very bad, our new bank treats us wonderfully. Except for yesterday. Our account manager is awesome and gets things done for us. We requested the brand new 100's and he said Mr. Branch Manager will have them tomorrow. Husband talked to the Mr. Branch Manager the next day and Mr. Branch Manager said Why don't I hold on to this for you and you can come in to get it when it gets closer to your trip. Awesome.

So yesterday I walked in to the bank and said Is Mr. Bank Manager here? He has some money for me.

Crabby Bank Lady: No, he doesn't. Mr. Bank Manager doesn't have any money.

Me: Yes, he does. He had brand new US 100's for me. I was told to come in and see him about it.

Crabby Bank Lady: Well he doesn't. I'll have to order it in for you. You can pick it up tomorrow.

Me (Trying not to cry): But what if it's a snow day?

Perky Lady at the Help Desk sitting beside Crabby Lady: Oh, well we'll still be open!

Me (Thinking to myself): You don't have kids, do you.

Perky Lady: Where are you going?

Me: China

Perky Lady: Oh how exciting! You know, my husband goes to China every so often, and he's taken US money, but it's never had to be brand new before.

Me: This is for an adoption.

Perky Lady: Congratulations! That's wonderful! Girl or boy?

Me: Girl.

Crabby Lady (getting a little less crabby): My cousin adopted two girls from China. They're sweet.

So the bank people said they could hold my money for two days, since I wasn't sure I could make it in today to pick it up. And today is a snow day. We had freezing rain last night.

When I got home, I told Husband my tail of woe. He said The money is at the bank. They just don't know what they're talking about. So he talked to Mr. Bank Manager this morning, who is cancelling my second order for brand new US 100's because he already has my money. Which he's not really supposed to do (hold money like that), but for us, he did it.

So a warning to you - don't push me because I will break.

I e-mailed my agency yesterday because I just need clarification and reassurance on some paperwork, and I have yet to hear back from them. Which is not helping my state of mind. I think I've figured out the answer to my questions on my own, but still. And honestly, if we do another adoption (which Husband said isn't going to happen), I will pick a different agency. Because there have been a few things now that haven't sat well with me.

In other news, Lola, our friend Trix, and I went to Buffalo and picked up Fil from the airport. And we had such a normal trip. Completely normal. Boring, almost. So different from our last trip to Buffalo.

I picked up some more clothes for Thumbelina, a princess chair, and doll-shaped bookshelf. I'm so so so excited. Lola and Trix both think I'm spoiling her. I just stuck my tongue out at them and said I've waited a long time for this.

Don't push me. I will break.