"The world is round and the place which seems like the end may also be the beginning."

February 26, 2009

2010-02-26T20:14:00.004-05:00

Well spring had sprung for a very brief second and now it is cold again! Well ... cold for southern standards. My Canadian friends/family are not showing me any pity at the moment, I am sure!! My vacation is winding down, I have three days to go, but it has been wonderful. Paige and I have had lots of play time and poor Mickey has been working working working! He pulled out the last bit of carpet upstairs and is putting in laminate flooring and new moulding - hard work but looks fabulous!

March is just around the corner which means - visitors! My parents will be here next Sunday - I can't wait for them to see how much Paige has grown since they last saw her at Christmas. Yesterday she woke up and decided it is time to start "talking". She was never a babbler - her noises consisted of her fake cough and spit bubbles. But now she babbles nonstop. I think she is very close to saying mama - she says, "MMMMMMMM" a lot.

All is well for us on Batavia Court. Mickey is unemployed but we call it "FUNemployed"! It is great having him home with Paige everyday - he loves spending time with her. We are hoping his next job hours will be as flexible as the last. He had a good thing there. BUT life = change and change is good! So here's hoping he will find a job soon but in the meantime he is savouring his role as Mr. Mom!

February 10, 2010

2010-02-10T19:58:00.004-05:00

Okay so I am not doing so hot with the resolution thing so far ... but I am here now. And I am officially Tracked Out! I get to play stay-at-home mom for the next 3 1/2 weeks! That means: leisurely strolls through Target, coffee/play dates with Chelle and baby Livi,and staying on top of the laundry and housekeeping and I am going to try new recipies - one of which is bulgogi, a delicious Korean dish. Life is good!

All is well on the home front. Paige is 7 1/2 months old and growing like a weed. She is bright, inquisitive, expressive and has a definite stubborn streak - she must get that from the Holts - heehee. She will do the army crawl when absolutely necessary but prefers to walk everywhere, which is breaking our backs! Luckily, our friends gave us a walker - a Jeep Renegade no less! That eases our aching backs but poor Chewy, Paige can cruise rather quickly in the jeep and always makes a beeline for her dog!

I celebrated my 35th birthday last month. It was bittersweet, as my grandmother died that morning. She was 91 and died peacefully in her sleep, just the way we all want to go, but still it is sad. Mickey talked me into taking the day off. We had breakfast at Big Ed's (best hotcakes in Raleigh)and then took Paige to Marbles Kids Museum. It was just the thing I needed!

Of course, here are a snaps of baby Paige. Isn't she incredible?

January 2, 2010

2010-01-02T14:23:00.007-05:00

Happy happy New Year to all! and new decade ... my resolution: to update our blog on a weekly basis or monthly at the very least! but as you can see, I am already a tad late on starting the resolution! YIKES time has slipped away. Paige just turned seven months old on the 22nd! She is rolling, just starting to do the army crawl,but the girl loves WALKING (with assisstance of course) ... Paige is happiest when she has fingers to hang on to while she does laps around the house. Our backs are killing us!

We had wonderful Christmas visit to Riverview - it was everyone's first time meeting Paige (with the exception of Nannie, Poppie and cousin Alison!) She loved her cousins Justin and Jonah and I think they are rather fond of her too. Paige didn't care too much about her presents but had a blast trying to eat the gift wrap! Had we known, we would have forgone the gifts and bought her a roll of wrapping paper for Christmas!

I was just reading my dear friend Sarah's blog and she listed her highlights of the decade and that got me thinking about a fw of mine ...
2000 On a whim I decided to move to NC - actually the above mentioned Sarah was supposed to join me but at the last minute chose to go to Sweden instead ...lucky for me she did, otherwise I wouldn't have ended up in Rocky Mount ...
2001 I met Mickey: we were introduced through a mutual friend (yippee for Mormon ex-girlfriends!...another story for another time)
2002 We got married in Clayton, NC - I was so surprised and touched by the family and friends who travelled so far to share our wonderful day! Best wedding ever, I say!
2003 We bought our house! and adopted our sweet Chewy-Dog from the Wake County Animal Shelter.
2004
2005
2006 We started the process to adopt who we thought would be our first child
2007
2008 A bittersweet year: we heard the words we had never expected to hear, "You are pregnant!" It was a bittersweet moment as we had to let go of the baby we thought would be ours ... now we know our child was just not ready for us yet.
2009 A little piece of heaven landed in our lives - Paige Elizabeth was born June 22.
2101 Can't wait to see what is in store!

I best post some photos - I know that is what you are here for:

Tuesday, September 27, 2009

2009-09-27T07:29:00.006-04:00

Wow where are the days going??? I can't believe so much time has passed since I last posted! Sorry. The days are just slipping away! As of the 22 September, Paige is a 3 month old! She continues to be the light of our lives - it is incredible how she grows and changes daily. Her new party trick: she arches her back when in her swing or carseat, trying to wiggle out - thank goodness for straps and buckles!

My mum is coming for a two week visit next Wednesday. I can't wait for her to get here - when she left, Paige was only 5 weeks old!

We seem to have settled into our routine nicely. Mickey works from 2:30 pm to 11:00 pm so he is at home with Paige until 2:00. On M,W,F, he takes her to our neighbours house and on T, Th his mom comes here. I am usually home around 4:30 and thank goodness it is a three minute commute from Wilburn to our house because I am itching to get my hands on that monkey by 4:15!! I am much better than I thought I would be at leaving work on time and leaving my work at work. I don't feel caught up, though, and I am sure I will never feel caught up again but hey,it will be there waiting for me tomorrow!

I started this post Tuesday, it is now Sunday morning....I guess it is true what they say about babies and how they eat up your time! I will add some photos as I am sure that is what you really want to see!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

2009-08-25T07:02:00.004-04:00

Hello out there!Well our baby Paige had her 2 month well baby check up yesterday (can you believe she is already two months old!?) Paige weighs 9 lbs 12oz and is 22inches! I think Dr. Medero was more excited than we were as she was very very slow getting back to her original birthweight (8 lbs, 2 oz). Our little peanut is not so little anymore! When Paige first came home, I wanted her to stay little forever, but now that she is smiling and cooing and blowing spit bubbles (sounds gross, I know, but is adorable) it is just so exciting to watch every little change - I look forward to seeing her crawl and toddle around ... I am excited for next summer when she and her best friends (Livi and Miles) will be a year old, playing in the pool together - so many good times to look forward to! But we aren't wishing our time away, we are enjoying every second of life with Paige - even those explosive diapers!

Cousin Alison was here last week for a visit! It was wonderful that she got to meet Paige and even more wonderful that she made us dinner and gave me some breaks! The days flew by but we had a good time catching up on each other's lives: we puttered around, did a bit of shopping... you know, all of that fun stuff! I hear the little pumpkin stirring - so much for squeezing in a nap. oops. Enjoy the photos of our
9lber!

Monday, August 17, 2009

2009-08-17T21:42:00.002-04:00

Hi we are still alive and well ... baby Paige is so easy to please, knock on wood! She had a lovely visit with the some of the Holt clan yesterday, and they again verified that she has the Holt fingers and toes. (tree climbing toes, as we say,they are so looonnngggg!) Today we tidied up a bit, getting ready for cousin Alison's visit!! She is flying in tomorrow evening - especially to meet Paige the Wondergirl for the first time. It has been quite a while since we last saw each other so I am itching for her to get here! I will be sure to post photos of her visit.

We made a video montage of Paige's arrival and I am going to try to post it here, if I can remember how! Fingers crossed that it will work!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Friday, August 7, 2009

2009-08-07T06:43:00.003-04:00

I can't believe our little pumpkin will be 7 weeks old on Monday! How our lives have changed in 7 short weeks!! My mum is gone and now that we are left to our own devices, we find ourselves managing surprisingly well. It helps that Paige is such a content baby - so long as her tummy is full, she is happy girl. Speaking of Paige, she is smiling up a storm and kicking her little arms and legs around- she is growing so fast and becoming so strong!

Our ChewyDog is coping rather well with this new change, despite the huge shift of attention, poor dear! She ignored the baby for the first week or two but now that Paige is more alert and a bit vocal, Chewy seems to be warming up to her. I don't think Chewy trusts me with the baby as she follows us wherever we go: if Paige is in her swing, Chewy is lying beside it; if we go into Paige's room for a diaper change, Chewy is lying on Paige's rug; if it is bathtime, Chewy is waiting in the doorway (probably thinking, "glad it's you in that tub and not me, Paige!")

So all in all, we are surviving parenthood and I dare say we are loving our new roles! Mickey is now working 2nd shift (2:30-11:00)so it is nice having him here for most of the day. I have four weeks left of mat. leave and plan to savour every minute. Of course, when I do have to go back to work, I know the little stinker will be in good hands between Daddy, Grandma and Miss Michelle (our neighbour and mum of Paige's best friend, Livi). I am attaching a recent photo of Paige in her swing, a photo of Paige and Chewy snuggling and one of Paige and her best friend, Livi!!

Wednesday, July 13, 2009

2009-07-13T15:11:00.003-04:00

Wow...our Paige is already 3 weeks old! It is incredible how much she has changed over the last week or two. Paige smiled for the first time yesterday - a real smile, not a gas smile =) She is so alert and seems to be absorbing everything - such a little sponge! She is still a very happy baby and not at all demanding, all she asks from us is a clean diaper and a full tummy.

Mickey and I are doing well, although tired. Mickey is a diaper changing champion and I dare say I can sponge bath with the best of them! Did I mention we are tired? BUT I am trying to appreciate the quiet moments of the 1:00 am and 4:00 am feedings - it is nice, just the two of us ... this time won't last long before we know it, she'll be sleeping through the night! Right??? Of course it helps having Nannie here (my mum). I can nap during the day without worrying about Paige, our laundry is caught up and we are eating well. I never understood people who say, "I forgot to eat" ...now I get it. Caring for Paige is so time consuming - there are days where I would have forgotten to eat! So, in a nutshell, we are loving our new role as Mum and Dad- who knew such a tiny creature could change our lives so much!?

I am posting a few new photos of Paige: Enjoy!!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

2009-06-25T17:05:00.003-04:00

She is here,she is here! Introducing the lovely, adorale, precious Paige Elizabeth Holt!!! Paige made here way into the world on Monday, June 22 at 1:35 am, weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces and measuring 20 inches long!!! It was an incredible experience, so surreal to see our little girl for the first time! We brought her home yesterday and are enjoying life as a family of 3! When we look at her, it is so hard to believe that only three days ago we were still wondering and waiting to meet her. Enjoy the photos of our Little Piece of Heaven (AKA Paige)

Thusday, June 18, 2009

2009-06-18T06:20:00.005-04:00

Well, little Paige is still snug and warm in here - I went to the doctor yesterday and was pleased to hear her strong and healthy heart beat! That sound never gets old! Things are in motion - I am 80% effaced, the baby's head is down, I am one cm dilated - which I was last week .... so now we just wait for Paige to decide when she is ready to make her debut! Just in case she is too cozy in there, the doctor scheduled an induction for next Friday, the 26th. I hope she decides to come out on her own but it is good to know that we have only one more week to wait!

We originally bought this print (above) while waiting for our little monkey but it seems all the more appropriate now than ever so it is still hanging in Paige's room and will still be there for Baby Two when he makes his way home! The red thread connecting us to Paige and Baby Two has certainly stretched and tangled but we know it is keeping our little family connected.

Fingers crossed that the next time I am on here it is to post photos of our sweet girl!!!!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

2009-06-07T09:36:00.003-04:00

Well here it is already two days into week 38! I go to the doctor every Wednesday...last Wednesday she said, "nothing happening yet", which was a relief as I wasn't quite prepared for mat. leave to begin. This Wednesday, however, I am really hoping to hear that something is happening! (as you can guess, report cards are finished and printed, cumulative folders have been updated and subplans are ready to go!) Friday, June 12 is my last day of work and my mom arrives this Wednesday. Although this is my favourite time of year at work and it breaks my heart to miss Pirate Day- I can't think of a better reason to be out of school!

Mickey and I have made an interesting observation over the last five months: people are so much friendlier to women who are pregnant! Everyone smiles, strangers ask how I feel and when we are due, I've even had cashiers at the grocery store ask if I need help carrying my bags to the car! Usually, I am barely acknowledged by the cashier as he/she talks to the other cashier about what "went down at the club last weekend". This is certainly something I will miss!

We are ready and not so patiently waiting for Paige to arrive. Mickey has finished installing the flooring and our bedroom is back together - he has only more piece of moulding to install which should be done today. We have the carseat installed but not inspected yet - that is also on today's to-do list! But other than that: the diapers are stacked, the clothes have been washed and our hospital bag is packed! So here's hoping for some news at this Wednesday's appointment ....

Thursday, May 28, 2009

2009-05-28T13:49:00.003-04:00

Well here it is already week 37 - I can't believe that we will finally meet this Wondergirl in 3 weeks... or less ... or more ...

This has been such a great pregnancy - a piece of cake, really! I have plenty of energy, I have never felt better, I have nothing to complain about! Paige is growing so fast in here, her kicks are strong and she seems to love ice cream! It really is hard to believe that our 9 month wait is almost over - it seems like just yesterday when we heard the incredible news! I suppose, after 4 years of trying to conceive and then two years in the adoption process, a 9 month wait is a piece of cake!

We have certainly felt the love here on Batavia Court- after FIVE showers, this little girl will want for nothing! I am not quite ready for her arrival yet, as I have been enjoying keeping her to myself. But we are so anxious to meet her, to see what she will look like, what sort of personality she has .... but in the meantime, I'll post a more recent photo of "the belly"!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

2009-03-15T13:20:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was baby Paige's first party! Mick's mom threw us a wonderful shower and we certainly made out with some loot ... this child will want for nothing! My mom and dad are in town at the moment so it was extra special to have them there with us! My parents got us a glider rocking chair (so comfortable) and they planted a peach tree in our yard so that we can mark the trees growth with Paige's growth! I love it! We also got a bouncer seat, pack n play, exersaucer, tons of adorable clothes ... we will be doing costume changes 3-5 times daily! Take a look at some of our goods:

Sunday, March 8, 2009

2009-03-08T16:29:00.002-04:00

Thursday, January 22, 2009

2009-01-22T08:08:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you have all heard the news by now: It's a girl! We were thrilled last Friday when they told us we are having a daughter! Our little Wonder Girl!
I'm posting a photo of her cute little foot and one of her profile. The ultrasound tech said that she was stretching at the time, her arms up over her head! Now we are on the countdown to June - we can't wait to meet Wondergirl in person!

For some reason I can't seem to get photos on here ... I'll try again later!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

2009-01-07T08:46:00.002-05:00

Wow! It has been forever since I've been on here! We had a great Christmas in Riverview, as you can see from the photos! I am feeling fantastic now, thanks for asking! I've heard from so many people how exhausting the early months of pregnancy can be but I guess I never quite "got it". Now I get it!!!! Wow - Mickey understands now too, after he read a statistic in our "What To Expect When You're Expecting" book: Women exhert more energy lying on the couch building a baby then a man does working out at the gym". So there, take that! But now the morning(evening and afternoon) sickness has passed, my highly charged sense of smell has decreased, and I have so much energy ... I am thoroughly enjoying this unexpected adventure.

We have our level !! ultrasound next Friday and, if little one is cooperating, we will finally know if we have a son or a daughter! Everyone seems to think it is a girl so we'll see!

In other news, the journey to our Little Monkey, who is now lovingly referred to as Baby Two, will go back into motion when Baby One turns 9 months old. We will go back to the bottom of the waiting list but they are predicting wait times to be shorter at that point. So we will have two beautiful babies around 2 years apart. Isn't it exceptional how things just work out after all?!

oops, Mick was updating our computer and he hasn't put the pics back on so I will have to add them later! Cheers unti then!

Monday, November 24, 2008

2008-11-24T09:22:00.004-05:00

We had an ultra sound 3 weeks ago - our baby looks like a wee little field mouse. Isn't he/she cute? We have another ultrasound Dec. 5 and, if all looks well, one last one January 16. We are hoping that during the last ultrasound, the baby cooperates so that we can find out if we will have a son or daughter!! I'm feeling much better these days - haven't had any morning sickness in two weeks now and although I am still tired I feel "functional". Of course it helps being tracked out, I can nap when I need to!

It is so strange for us, we felt so prepared for our Little Monkey - we have almost everything a baby from 9 months up could possibly need. Now we are stumped, how much "stuff" does a newborn possibly need?! We were ready to face head-on any attachment disorders, rude comments, racial stereotypes and how to incorporate our child's Korean heritage into our family traditions! Gosh ... now we are trying to get into a whole new frame of mind - like how do you care for a teeny tiny baby?! We will have it all figured out, I know, but it is still so surreal!

I wasn't sure if I would continue with this blog but it is still our journey to becoming a family, it is just that there was an unexpected turn in the road and for that we couldn't be any more grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends and family! And we can't wait to see our Canadian friends and family at Christmas!!!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

2008-11-02T06:30:00.002-05:00

So much has changed in the last month it is hard to know where to begin! Mickey and I were shocked, stunned, wowed by some news we received on October 20. It turns out that, against all odds, we are pregnant! It is a thrill we thought we would never know ... our little miracle child, who is the size of a green olive, is due mid-June.

This news is tempered with sadness. We have to put our adoption on hold. Our agency wants at least one year between children in the family, which I completely understand. A newborn needs so much attention and an adopted child has needs which must be met immediately. The Little Monkey will come along later than we expected and he will have a sibling here waiting to love him. I know it is difficult to understand unless you have been through the adoption journey yourself but I will try to explain the grief we have felt, are feeling and will probably continue to feel. The only way I can try to explain it is like this: if you were carrying twins and a week before delivery, you lose one of them. You are thrilled beyond words for the miracle that you have but at the same time you are grieving for the child you have lost. We have carried our little monkey in our hearts for almost two years. It is a crazy mixed up feeling - I'm sure my hormones only compound the situation.

Now that the dust has settled and the shock is beginning to wear off, I have moved past the feeling of "what kind of cruel joke is this?" to the realization that Mickey and I are incredibly blessed! Pregnancy and child birth is an incredible experience. Adoption is a beautiful journey that makes you a stronger, better prepared parent. One is not better than the other, they are both miracles in their own right as the end result is a beautiful child! How lucky are we that we will have the opportunity to experience both!

I'm not really sure where our blog will go from here. This site was meant to track our adoption journey. We are taking a slight detour but isn't that the way life goes? We will continue to post the progress of this new surprise .... so continue to tune in.
xo Erin and Mickey

Thursday, October 2, 2008

2008-10-02T11:24:00.001-04:00

Yahoo! We have finally finished the baby's room! Here it is:

Friday, September 26, 2008

2008-09-26T06:05:00.002-04:00

It is time for us to have the "talk". We caught Chewy gnawing on the baby's bedding - I think she is feeling some jealousy! Her new favourite nap-zone has become the baby's room, smack dab in the middle of the floor. She is just as excited as we are!

I am getting anxious now! Although I am sure it is premature, I am itching for that referral call to come now! It will come when the time is right, I know, but ...ring phone, ring!

As the day draws nearer it also brings mixed feelings! We have been waiting and longing for this baby. But he has not been waiting for us. This "faceless" child has always been our son (or daughter). But to him, we are not mom and dad, we are strangers. The happiest moment of our lives will be the most frightening and traumatic moment of his. Our baby will have been taken from his foster family (to him, his family), away from everything familiar - faces, language, food, smells - all of those creature comforts - and passed over to strangers in a foreign place. Mickey and I will not say the right words to comfort, will not know how he likes to be held or what makes him happy. It is strongly suggested by adoption experts and other adoptive parents that we keep the little one's world very small for the first 6 weeks. Mickey and I must be the only ones to comfort him, feed him, rock him to sleep. He must be introduced to this new world very slowly. Ours must be the first face he sees when he wakes up and the last face he sees before he goes to sleep so that we can create a bond and he will learn to trust us and come to believe that yes, we are mommy and daddy and no, we will not go away! If you look at the links to the left of this page, there is one for adoptive families magazine. They have fantastic articles regarding attachment and bonding, if you are interested in learning more ... because we are going to need all of the help and support we can get! It sounds like we won't be getting much sleep for the first few weeks so, if anyone would like to organize coffee runs for us ... call, we'll work out a schedule!

Stay tuned, the nursery is finished! Tonight we will hang the photos and voila - the next video montage will be posted!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

2008-08-28T14:03:00.004-04:00

hmmmm ... Was it something we said?!? As you can see, our neighbours on either side are moving - it does make one wonder ...

Well, I returned yesterday from a fantastic visit home! It was a whirlwind trip and lots of fun but best of all I was welcomed home with amazing news! A message from the Korea program coordinator, telling us that she was in touch with our Home Study agency ... AND THEN we got an email from our Home Study agency telling us that we are a few months away from our referral! It feels so wonderful to be so close to referral, all we had wanted for Christmas was a photos of our Monkey and now it seems our Christmas wish will come true!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

2008-08-17T08:43:00.006-04:00

As I had mentioned earlier, it is a slow process but here is a preview of our new bathroom. The walls have been freshly painted, new light fixtures hung and now Mickey is leveling the floor. Next he will sand it down, install the backerboard and then start tiling. I don't dare ask him but, I'm wondering if he is trying to surprise me by having the floor completely finished by the time I return from my trip!? I won't get my hopes up though ... as I am sure he will be so terribly lonely without me that concentrating on any task will be next to impossible! hee hee

Yes, I am tracked out as of Friday at 3:45 pm!!! And Tuesday at 6:00 am I will be "leaving on a jet plane" ... can't wait to get there! It is going to be a busy trip but it sounds as though I will get to see so many people. Especially my two favourite boys - Justin and Jonah - whom I haven't seen in a year! I hope they remember who I am! I had better bring a small gift to win them over, can't take the risk of losing my status as the "Fun Aunt Erin"!

We haven't heard any news on the baby front but here it is nearing the end of August! That must mean we are closer to referral day! In the meantime, we have some more work to do to keep us occupied during this long wait! We just sent off our letter to the USCIS office requesting an appointment to be re-fingerprinted and will have to update our homestudy in a few more months. I have been working on a video montage of the Monkey's bedroom. Once the new bathroom floor has been completed, and the nursery floor is clear of tiles and tools (which you can see in the above photo) - we can hang the artwork, put up the finishing touches and take some photos! So stay tuned - you won't want to miss it!!! I am so glad that we started decorating the nursery as it has been a great project to distract us from the ache of waiting and just walking past it makes our hearts smile. (so long as I don't look down at the pile of tools, tiles and junk!)

I am off to the Maritimes on Tuesday and will return the 27th of August. Can't wait to bore you all with my holiday photos when I return! xo

Sunday, July 27, 2008

2008-07-27T08:54:00.009-04:00

Last Sunday was our anniversary - 6 years! and still it seems like yesterday! The photos I posted are from our wedding day ... for posterity's sake!One would think, since this (we are 99.9% sure) was our last child-free anniversary, that we would have celebrated with gusto. Nope! Not us! Being the classy fools that we are, we celebrated with a livingroom floor picnic of Bojangles take-away and a couple of movies from Blockbuster! Now if that's not "ready for parenthood" I don't know what is ....

I am in the swing of the things at work! We just finished our third week with our new class. The honeymoon period of last year is officially over and it is back to reality! We have a challenging group but, as I tell them, it is a good thing they are cute! I think it will get better ... they are still so young and a few months makes a huge difference in terms of maturity. I just have to hang on for three more weeks and then it is track out time! Off to the Maritimes for me... poor Mick will still be here, pluggin away! Hopefully next summer we will be able to make the trip as a family of 3! oops, family of 4, sorry Chewy - you count too!

On Friday, we heard that our agency had TWO referrals! Things seem to be moving along faster than we expected! Of course, I have to remind myself that although things are moving quickly now, it can still slow down for a long while. I have a gut feeling that we will have our referral in December - if so, than you already know what you are getting for Christmas: Pictures of our Little Monkey!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

2008-07-12T12:17:00.007-04:00

I know, I know ... I wasn't supposed to partake in anymore retail therapy! But how can one resist?? We ordered this from heartandseoul.com and thought it would be a perfect outfit for the adoption announcement photo or just any photo - it is size 18 months - hope it fits!!!

Sunday, July 6, 2008

2008-07-06T10:44:00.008-04:00

Fair warning: when we get our referral you will be bombarded with video montages of our little monkey -I have the songs lined up for the referral montage as well as the Airplane Day montage (although, I suppose, I should get Mickey's input). Anyway, I pittered away the entire Saturday morning on OneTrueMedia.com - my goal: to be a pro at this before baby comes home because we probably won't have as much time for the "learning process" at that point.

Here is our first video montage, featuring our 10ish year old Lab/Chesapeake Bay Retreiver mix.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And
here is another!!! I become a bit homesick this time of year and am really looking forward to my August trip - so this is my tribute to "home"! Looking forward to another summer of good times in the Maritimes!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Monday, June 30, 2008

2008-06-30T15:29:00.008-04:00

Aren't they precious?! For the last three weeks of the school year, my little first graders researched pirates and we celebrated the last day of school with Pirate Day! We all had a blast and so I wanted to post some pictures of our day (peg leg relay races, racing our pirate ships and digging for treasure, to name a few)! I think Faye and I had more fun than the kids ....

On Sunday, Mick and I took Chewy to the park. Mick played disc golf, Chewy was on a squirrel hunt and I was just along for the ride! I am trying very hard to convince Mick that he can continue to play disc golf every weekend once the little one arrives ... he just has to wear him on his back ... can you think of better bonding time? and once he becomes a walker - PERFECT height for crawling under the brush to retreive lost discs! Well, all children like to have a job, right?

Speaking of babies, no baby news for us ... there have been no referrals or travel calls for our agency over the last two weeks. We've also heard that the main office in Seoul will be moving to a new building in July, therefore, everything will be shut down for two weeks. It may be a slow couple of months but we have plenty to distract us - our bathroom reno is moving along and I am looking forward to going home for a visit in August! I am long overdue for a strong dose of the Merry-times!! (that is a play on Maritimes, for you non-Canadians) If the wait for baby news becomes too long, however, I may to return to my retail therapy ... which, you will be pleased to hear, I have been able to avoid for some time now ...

Sunday, June 15, 2008

2008-06-15T12:09:00.004-04:00

Yippeee for me!!! Yesterday, I (along with 25, 000 others) RAN the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - a 5K that raises money for breast cancer research and education! As you can see from the photo I posted, I raced in memory of Barbara Forsythe - my dear friend Michelle's mom, who fought the good fight for 18 long years. I also raced in celebration of my Aunt Freda, who is a breast cancer survivor!!!! Unfortunately, her tag fell off my back somewhere between the first and fifth kilometer! So, sorry Aunt Freda, but you are flitting about somewhere in the streets of Raleigh!! I suppose, if I was a good neice, I would have run the 5K again until I found it ... the goal was to raise 2 million dollars - let's hope they reached it!

More happy news: a WACAP family received a referral for a baby boy this week. Even happier news: we are another step closer! I believe I have been reading too many books on adoption parenting! I have been having the craziest dreams lately! They all seem to end with social services stepping in and taking our child away .... perhaps, I'll lay off them for a while! But from what I gather, so long as Mickey and I begin and encourage conversations with our child about his adoption story and birth family, he will be alright ... and if not, we have a good friend who is a child psychologist, phew! He will have a great story to tell though: how many people get to have the love of three moms before their 1st birthday?! (birthmom, foster mom, and ME, the mom-mom) Of course, we musn't forget the dads! Happy Father's Day and I feel very confident that next year, we will be celebrating Father's Day like nobody's business here on Batavia Court!!!!

Wednesday, May 23, 2008

2008-05-23T09:37:00.008-04:00

In my last post I mentioned that the babies relinquished for adoption are placed in foster care. This video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-BVYZzLeW8&feature=related shows a family who traveled to Korea to pick up their son. Their son was "officially" handed over to them and they are now saying their goodbyes to the social worker and foster mom. I LOVE this video because you see how much that woman adored the baby! I hope that our Monkey will be loved by this woman, whoever she is, while he is waiting for us!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

2008-05-20T12:03:00.004-04:00

Now tell me, is this not the most beautiful face you have ever seen??? This is our Chewy-Bear. The photo was taken the other day when we returned from a visit to the vet. Dr. Allen told Chewy that she must shed five pounds, to ease the pressure on her hips and joints now that she is a senior citizen. Chewy's feelings were hurt - gosh, can't the doctor see that she is only big boned! And it could be a thyroid problem, he didn't even think to rule that out! We had some Frosty Paw and that made her feel better!

Well, here is some wonderful news - I dared to ask the Korea adoption coordinator for WACAP where the Holts would be on the list if there was a "list", per say. Natalia told us that there are ten families ahead of us!!! I could not believe it!!! When we were first HSTK in July of 2007, we were number 33. Now we are 11 - fantastic news. Of course, your number on a list really means nothing. They make matches according to the best interest of child. That means whoever is number 1 on the list will not necessarily get the next baby. If the social workers in Korea feel that family # 7 would be the best match, then they will get the baby. SO, although it feels fantastic to be in the "top eleven", we do understand that numbers really don't mean a thing.

Here is a Korea Adoption Fun Fact:

When a child is placed for adoption, he or she is placed with a foster family. The Korean government recognizes that the first two years of a child's life are the most influential. They feel that being placed in a loving family where the child can bond and receive one on one attention is important! Other families who have traveled to Korea to pick up their children all rave about how well their babies were cared for and how much the foster parents loved them! In fact, many still keep in touch with the foster families via photos and letters. This is part of what drew us to Korea, knowing that our little monkey will be loved and well taken care of while we wait to bring him home!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

2008-05-11T19:43:00.006-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms and the moms to be! So you won't believe this but the photo you see is the one and only decent picture we have of the two of us. We have been searching high and low for a photo of us to put in the Monkey's Life Book since last December. Finally, at Mick's great grandmother's 91st birthday last week, a miracle happened!

This morning, my own wonderful mom called to wish me a happy Mother's Day. She brought to my attention today that our Little Monkey is alive and kicking (in his birth mother's tummy). When our homestudy was submitted to Korea, our agency projected an 18-22 month wait from HSTK to referral - incidently, this timeframe has been accurate for families just receiving their referrals. So far, we have waited ten months for a referral. A nine month pregnancy combined with the mandatory 5 month waiting period before the baby is eligible for international adoption equals 14 months so, bear with me as I finally come to the point: The ten months we have already waited combined with the 14 months of pregnancy and 5 month wait-time brings us to 24 months which means that somewhere in South Korea, our baby is alive and growing strong!

Of course, this wonderful revelation is tempered with sadness. Somewhere in South Korea, a brave young woman is making the most difficult, heart wrenching decision of her life. I pray that she will make peace with her decision and know that her child is already loved, cherished and adored by so many!! especially his mommy and daddy. What a strangely complicated journey adoption is ... I already know that not a day will pass that I will not think of this wonderful woman, whomever she may be!

All is well here on Batavia Court. I am tracked out now and am looking forward to three weeks of being a "Lady of Leisure". Mick began a new home-improvement project this week ... which means our bathroom is now out of order. The good news is that sometime between next week and next year we will have a gorgeous new bathroom! Until then, I vow never to take the double sink vanity for granted again!!

Our Friday update from WACAP had wonderful news: two referrals, a 5 month old baby boy and a 5 month old baby girl. On the down side, they also reported that Korea plans to phase out international adoption by 2012. They took the first steps last year when they mandated that a child must be 5 months old before it can be referred for intercountry adoption. It is their hope that there will be an increase in domestic adoption.

For those who are curious:

When we receive our referral the baby will be five months old. A referral means that we have been matched with a child. Our agency will send us photos and medical information to review. When we sign the paperwork that we officially accept the referral , the adoption agency can begin preparing our Little Monkey for travel. I'm still not clear on that entire process ... I know there is a medical evaluation and visa interview .. .it generally takes anywhere between 3-6 months. Once all of the documents are ready we will receive the Travel Call - usually, the babies are home within the week the travel call is received.

Well, I should go make me to-do list for tomorrow. I may fit in a tidy up of the house between reading and shopping ... maybe!

Until next time,

Erin and Mick

Sunday, April 20, 2008

2008-04-20T11:30:00.006-04:00

Hello all! Yesterday we participated in the K-9 3K benefiting the Wake County SPCA. Here are a few pictures of the event! Chewy was exhausted afterwards but she had a great time visiting with some old friends from her days in the Penn!! Thank you to those who gave money to this wonderful cause!

We received great news from WACAP on Friday, a family was matched with a 5 month old baby girl. They waited 21 months! True, it is not a referral for us, however, it means that we are one step closer to our own referral day! Wonderful, wonderful news! It is a beautiful day to sit outdoors and read a book, I think I will put that on my to-do list today!

Much love,

Erin & Mick

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

2008-04-09T06:49:00.008-04:00

It is a lovely April day and the flowers are blooming but my spirit is wilting! I was looking at the calendar last night and realized that we have been waiting for our referral exactly 9 months and 3 days. If this was a "traditional" pregnancy (as opposed to what we call a "paper pregnancy" in the adoption world) Mickey and I would have our baby now. I am feeling a little down and a little frustrated and very impatient because we still have such a long wait ahead of us. Although there is a guarantee that we will have a baby in our home, that blissful reunion day remains ever elusive - we can't circle a date on our calendar and know with certainty that he will be here. We can't say without a doubt that this will be our last summer without a child of our own, our last child-free anniversary dinner, our last Christmas without a visit from Santa .. but we hang on to the hope that maybe ... My mind tells me that, in time, the call will come and our perfect little boy will fly over the moon and into our arms. But until that day arrives, wow! We were warned by those who've been here, "the process is such a roller coaster ride!" "The highs are high and the lows are lower than you can imagine" .... it is so true! One day I will look at the calendar and think "Wow, look at the months that have passed, time is going by so quickly" and then other days (like today) I feel like we are in an April time warp! Will April come to an end?

Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer today, but hey! It's my blog and I can whine if I want too!!! However, I do feel a little better after my vent so, if you are still reading, thank you!

Someone posted this poem on the Korea adoption forum and it gives me comfort. I pull it out and reread it alot! Here it is:

"Wait", I see beyond the stretch of yesterday the reality of today and the corner of tomorrow.

"Wait", you will find joy and wisdom in this arduos journey.

"Wait", trust in my faithfulness and love, even when things don't make sense.

"Wait", the process is sometimes the only available venue for a miracle.

"Wait", I have a supreme surprise for you and want you to remain perfect for the moment.

"Wait", and know that along each path of life, I will walk with you.

"Wait" I know and hold your child.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

2008-03-30T17:38:00.004-04:00

There is a light dusting of yellow covering every outdoor surface ... a sure sign that spring is upon us! I can't believe we have reached the end of March! Where did the last 30 days go?? My mom and dad left this past Thursday after a lovely visit. They spoiled us rotten - taking care of the cooking, washing up, laundry, yard work, dog walking ... now our little holiday is over and it is a hard step back into reality! BUT they will be back again in October.

The love bug's room is close to completion! We repainted the baby's dresser (which was once my dresser) and updated the knobs. My parents bought us a crib when they were here and it is the loveliest thing I have ever seen. Mickey assembled the crib and we put on the bed skirt thingy ... perhaps next payday we will go get a mattress. Once we have the crib "dressed" and the pictures hung, we will post a video montage of the nursery! Gosh, I love that word ...Every time I pass his room, I have to go in for a look!

On the down side, there were two referrals for our agency two weeks ago - the first since December. Both families had been waiting about 22 months. If that proves to be true for us, we may not be matched with our baby until May of 2009 ... seems like a long time ... it really stinks ... but I keep telling myself that "Good things come to those who wait"! and wait, and wait .. let's hope that time continues to move quickly. We have lots to look forward to in April, a wedding, a visit from Mich, the Wilburn Spring Carnival ... I know what would help to take our minds off the wait - more visits!!! So c'mon down "y'all"!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

2008-03-09T17:13:00.020-04:00

Hi everyone!!!!

First of all take a look at Baby Holt's first piece of art!! Our friends, Barry and Tony, were on holiday in Amsterdam last week and found this treasure for our Little Pickle! They stumbled across an artist in a market and carefully, thoughtfully chose this painting for the wee one's nursery! It is perfect! And when the artist heard our story, she made sure they got print number 1 of the 100 that were made. AND she gift wrapped it herself! I cannot wait to tell this story to him/her!!! Thanks to Barry and Tony, the Little Nugget is already a step ahead of his peers in art appreciation! Oh we love our gifted little baby!

On an aside, we all went to Drag Bingo last night and had a blast! The profits of all go to the Raleigh Aids Alliance and last night they raised over $10, 000!!!! My dad had to wear the dunce hat for quite some time - it seems that if you make a wee little mistake, they will call you out in a heartbeat! We had a great time and are looking forward to the April event!!! I am going to try to post a video for your enjoyment!!!

We are thoroughly enjoying the mini vacation we get when my parents are in town! In fact, my mom is making dinner as I type... yum yum!

Enjoy the video!!

xo Erin and Mick

Tuesday, February 26, 2007

2008-02-26T09:01:00.017-05:00

Hello Hello!! Well, it seems that everything is at a standstill in the Korean adoption world! We received an update from WACAP's coordinator for the Korea program last Friday. She confirmed my suspicions -there have been no referrals in the last two months. That must mean that the flood gates will open very soon. We hope. Sometimes it is hard to stay positive and that is where retail therapy helps a bit. Yesterday I was at Target and I swear there is a magnetic force that pullllllllsssssss me to the baby section. So I bought a teether and some stacking blocks for the Love Bug. It is probably a really good thing that we don't know our baby's gender, otherwise, I would be doing a lot of damage to the 'ol checking account. Thank goodness for small miracles, right?

Alot of people have been asking what number we are on the list. I guess the good news is that we are at the point where they won't tell us our number. No one family is really #1 on the waiting list. The reason makes sense. The babies are matched with families using a screening process of some sort. I am not really sure what that is but from what I understand, when they have a baby, the committee goes through all of the Home Study reports with a fine tooth comb looking for the "perfect match". It really amazes me but others who have had their kids home for a while all say the same thing: That they could not have hand picked a better child to fit their family. So, we will just have to have faith in the system and patience while we wait. But I've promised myself, no baby purchases for the rest of the month! Luckily, there are only 4 days left of the month - hee hee! Maybe later today I will post some pictures of some cute little items we bought for the wee one!

Well, Happy Tuesday. I must go - I am hosting book club tomorrow and haven't finished the book yet! oops.

xo Erin and Mickey

I'm back and added some pics:

1. a sign to hang over the crib (how cute is that?)

2. a little asian boy doll (if our he is actually a she, we'll get the girl doll too!)

3. cute little ducky chair

4. a little book about Canada - he has to know all about his Canadian roots!

5. this is a bib - can you read it? It says, "Don't tell my parents, but they don't look a thing like me!" Isn't that a hoot? And cute little buggy shoes!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

2008-02-13T13:56:00.010-05:00

A happy early Valentine's Day everyone! My track out has begun a day early - I have pink eye! In both eyes! So here I am at home, missing my last day of school, and trying really hard to not touch my itchy eyes! There is nothing new to report on the adoption scene ... still waiting... in Korea, people are in the throws of the Lunar New Year holiday so businesses are closed and people are going home to see family members (like we would do at Christmas). As a result, referrals are slow to none at the moment. But here's hoping things will pick up very soon and we will continue our slow and not so steady climb to the top of the list!

I am very happy to be on holiday. I don't have much planned - just lots of reading, Rn'R and maybe some cleaning - maybe. Chewy is glad to have me home so that she can come in and out as she pleases. Mickey, of course, is not on holiday but he is well. There is some much needed rain falling at the moment, here's hoping it will help with our drought situation! My mom and dad will be here in a few weeks. That is like a mini-vacation for us! This year, we are all going to drag Bingo - can't wait to post those photos!! Mickey should be home from work soon so I should pretend that I've been productive all day long! Bye for now ... sending hugs and love to all of you on V-Day!
xo Erin& Mick

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

2008-01-30T16:42:00.003-05:00

Ta-dah!!!! Sally and Liz are pure genius - I am so pleased with way the baby's room turned out!! I highly recommend them for any projects you have on the go! The bedding is pale green with white elephants - now all we need is a crib and voila, the perfect little nest! I'm going to go have another peek!
Cheers,
Erin

Monday, January 28, 2008

2008-01-28T06:30:00.003-05:00

Well, Happy Birthday to me! I can't believe I am 33 today! I had a delicious birthday dinner on Saturday night with my in-laws and my very favourite, banana pudding, for dessert! They spoiled me with gift cards to Barnes and Noble and the Teach-Me store I feel very loved today! But the most exciting thing of all is that Sally and Liz from Wallworkspaint.com are coming today to put the finishing touches on Baby Holt's bedroom!!! They are painting a few elephants along the base boards and some monkeys hanging from the door and window. I can't wait to see it and will be sure to post photos asap! His room is really coming to life now and I love to peek in every now and then. According to the timeline from our agency, we should not be expecting a referral until sometime between January and April of 2009, however, I have a strange feeling that we just may have our little monkey home before that. Let's hope so ...
Until next time,
xo Erin & Mickey

Sunday, January 20, 2008

2008-01-20T11:14:00.003-05:00

He has yet to be born (maybe) and already he has been spoiled! Here is a sampling of the Christmas gifts left under the tree for Baby Holt! A product red onesie from Mommy and Daddy, a hockey stick from cousins Justin and Jonah, an Asian outfit from Aunt Freda and Uncle Peter, a counting frog from Grandma and Grandpa Gardner and a cute yellow blanket (on the bottom) from Nanny and Poppy Baker! And still there is more ... Mickey and I are very lucky to have such supportive families! Baby Holt, we haven't met you yet but your whole family is already in love with you!!

Saturday, January 19, 2007

2008-01-19T17:23:00.004-05:00

Welcome to our blog!! The reason for this blog is twofold: we want to keep our friends and family updated as we wait for Baby Holt. We also feel it is important to document our journey for our little one to read later on as this is a chapter in his life-story. We seem to use "he" and "him" more often but the truth is, we don't know if we will have a son or daughter! Just like the good 'ol fashioned days, it will be a surprise ... the Korean government places their babies by need and not gender ... but that is fine with us, so long as we will have a baby in our home! So come follow us on our adoption journey - the ups and downs, the highs and lows - are you up for the ride of a lifetime??? You may be wondering how we got here ...

After several years of trying and failing to begin our family we decided it was time to explore other options. Loads of discussion and tears and research and more tears brought us to the beautiful country of South Korea! Our journey officially began in December of 2006 when we applied and were accepted into WACAP's Korea program. After completing the "paper chase" we submitted ourhomestudy to Korea in July of 2007. We are now at the most lonely place, the "Waiting Place". We are not expecting a referral until the fall of 2008 - but who knows what may happen ...

In the meantime, we are preparing the baby's room, preparing our home for a baby and trying to prepare ourselves!!

Until next time,
Erin and Mick