INCREDIBLE SURPRISE!!!

Today, we got a wonderful surprise, updated photos of our sweet Maggie Moo. These had to have been taken a few days ago. Either she is just standing and walking or she has been for a little while. I smile every time I see her little face and am so in love with her already. The next 6 weeks will be pure torture until I can get my hands on this sweet baby. She obviously looks so healthy and wide eyed. We are thinking about you every second, Maggie. Hang on!!!!

BIG SISTER BLUES

Little Miss Molly is quite traumatized by her new little sister, Maggie. First, you have to know Molly who is the girlie girls of all girlie girls. The first thing she says in the morning when her eyes open is how she wants me to do her hair. She is quite fashion conscious and would endure painful feet all day as long as she looked good in her heels. Well, in comes Maggie and although she admits she is cute, she is very concerned that we are not being honest with her and that she really is a boy. She asked me yesterday, "Mom are you sure Maggie is not Max?" I keep reassuring her that Maggie is a girl and that at orphanages, they do not have fancy dresses to put on the babies, they have a limited amount of clothes and the babies wear what the orphanage has. Also, I tried to explain that they shave their heads - that put her over the edge. Last night, she was very serious and said "Mama, I think Maggie looks terrible in this condition". We started cracking up which she did not think was very funny at the time. She said she was going to be in charge of her clothes and hair and is so hoping she has more hair by the time we get to China. Although, this is weighing heavy on big sisters mind, I know she is so proud because we printed off her pictures and she gave one to most of the teachers at her school and explained how she was her sister and we were going to get her in 6 weeks. Molly, you are going to be the sweetest big sissy to Maggie and I cannot wait for you to do her hair...

HERE SHE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh, we are thrilled beyond belief to finally introduce our sweet Maggie to everyone. She is obviously extremely healthy and so precious. Thank you to everyone who has supported us through these four years. Here is her info:

Birth date 7/7/08 (she will be around 15-16 months when we get her).
Guandong province (not sure if I spelled it correctly, have not had a chance to get the exact spelling yet of all of this info.
We will travel in 6-8 weeks and will be in Guanghzhou the entire time.

MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, CCAI posted that the referrals for their 3/24/06 families arrived in their office today and they were excited to call their families on Monday - how the heck am I going to wait for Monday. I normally absolutely love the weekends with Paul and Molly and cannot remember the last time I wished the weekend to be over but I am finding myself wishing so hard for Monday to get here. The good thing is we know we will see Maggie on Monday so that helps that the wondering of WHEN is over. This four years of waiting have been the most challenging "character building" four years but at the same time, they have been wonderful with Molly. Once we see little Maggie Moo, we will realize that it is real and is finally going to happen. Thanks to all of our family and friends who have ridden along on this bumpy journey with us - yes we really were adopting a baby from China even though at times it was probably very hard to believe that we were. I will post her picture on Monday after I race down to the hospital to share the moment with Maggie's sweet daddy....

So Close yet so far away

We are anxiously, painstakingly waiting to hear if we will be matched next week. This is pure torture and makes the last four years seem like nothing. The last week seems like it has been four years. The good news is if we don't make the cut next week, we will definitely make it in September - 100% guaranteed. However, waiting another four weeks might put us over the edge. We are exhausted and stressed and so over the wait, paperwork, anxiety of the swine flu, etc. We just want to get to China, get Maggie and get home and we are done. It is a very strange feeling this time around. I am trying so hard to get excited but also trying to realize that it may not be next week and keep my excitement at bay - it is hard and it feels wrong. At this stage with Molly, I was on cloud nine and this time around, it is very different. We know we already love Maggie, it has just been so damn difficult this time and we are very tired. Hang on Maggie, it won't be to long until we are there to get you.