10 Days To Go!

Today, I am so tired I could curl up on the couch and sleep away the day.  Hard to do with a two year old jumping on my head.

My Mom stopped over today (still can't believe she's back in the land of the living...) and brought me some salads and sandwiches. Something I wasn't expecting, but she wanted to pay me back for the homemade tapioca and egg salad  I brought to her in the hospital during her comeback.  It's become a hospital tradition with my Mother and I. Almost an inside joke now, really.  It was a nice lunch and visit.

So on my To-Do list today?  Pretty easy actually-- I'm wrapping and labelling some gifts for the kids tonight.  I bought a little present to open for just about every day we are away. Yesterday, I wrapped all the gifts bound for China.  It is a custom in China to exchange small gifts, so I decided to wrap some of my CD's I cut in 2003 (wow that seems like ages ago now...) in red tissue paper and gold ribbon-- two of the most desired colours in China.  I will give these to the Nannies, guides, etc.  It looked like Christmas on my kitchen table.  The kids were curious and wanted to help, but were really in the way.  So I took a long piece of red tissue for each of them, cut a small strip of ribbon, taped it on, got a bingo dabber from the craft bin and made a big "H" and a big "D" on the tissue paper. Voila!  Two Super Heroes with red capes!  They ran around the house looking for helpless parents and house pets to rescue from fires, stranded in trees, and other creative mayhem!  It bought me lots of time to finish wrapping and do a little packing. 

The Super Heroes made an encore appearance this morning at breakfast. Blessed be the inventors of tissue paper and bingo dabbers. 

Maybe tonight I'll be so tired, I might actually fall asleep without thinking too much.  One can only hope.

The Friends We Make Along The Way

Sleep is becoming scarce these last few evenings for David and I.  With minds racing, imaginations running wild, and ticking off to-do lists in my head, we are finding ourselves waking frequently and restless.  Eleven more days...so much to do!

And we aren't the only ones--last evening I made contact with a family from Renfrew, Ontario who are adopting through our agency, and we are travelling together!  In fact, we are thrilled that we are flying on the same flight to China and back. They are flying down from Ottawa and we'll hook up at the airport for lunch.  They are adopting a little boy from a different province than Nevin.  So we'll fly into Beijing together, part ways to our sons' provinces, and meet back in Beijing the week after.  And there are three other families in our travel group as well. They arrive the day before so I imagine they maybe waiting to greet us at the hotel when we arrive. 

I look forward to meeting these families and their children.  I think its so important to help nurture the roots of our kids. 

Hohhot is where we will be travelling to receive Nevin.  I had wondered why not go right to Baotou, but I realized last night Hohhot is the capital of Inner Mongolia, and is where all the official documents, passport etc will be completed for Nevin before we can leave for Beijing.  As it turns out, a couple I met on a yahoo group adopting specifically from Inner Mongolia will be in Hohhot the very same time as us.  In fact,  her son is only a few days older than Nevin and from the very same orphanage.  Its most likely our boys are playmates, so I really want to maintain contact with that family.

In eleven days, there is a little guy in Baotou who has no idea a family from another country will be coming for him, and taking him away from everything he has known, and bringing him home to a new life.  My heart bleeds for him, bursting with love yet aches for his loss.  I hope I will be a good Mummy.

Why No Post?

You'd think that with just a little over two weeks until travel date I might have been posting a bit more lately. 

Near tragedy hit our family hard last week.  We nearly lost my Mother on Thursday. Thankfully, my brother found her in what appeared to be a stroke.  The next day the internist was talking permanent brain stem damage. I cannot explain the terror my family went through.

However!

Three days after the incident, she began to rally somewhat. From being in a state where she didn't know her children, to acknowledging us, and showing some emotion. To today-- the doctor releasing her from ICU into a regular ward...and her watching Paranormal Activity on a portable DVD player.  She is nearly fully recovered and no permanent brain damage, confirmed by MRI.

It wasn't a stroke, but poor perfusion due to renal failure and low blood pressure = poor blood supply and oxygen to the brain.  She's been through several major medical catastrophes this past year, and I am amazed by her strength.  I thank the stars and the higher power, the doctors and nurses for this one for sure!  It just wouldn't have been right if she didn't meet Nevin.

Now we can focus on our trip, and finish the small details before we go. 

Two weeks and two days!

Three Pancake Sundays To Go!

The days are starting to pick up speed in their passing to our travel day.  Yesterday was my Mom's birthday so we planned a lovely dinner at one of our favourite local restaurants- The Olympia Gardens in Penetanguishene-- Mediterranean and Greek Food DELISH!  My brother and sister in law and one of my Mom's best friends joined us for dinner and we all had tickets to see Tap Dogs at The King's Wharf Theatre.  What a great show! Having some elements reminiscent of Stomp, but all Tap. It was a perfect evening.

I had spent the day at an estate auction just in town-- one of my favourite hobbies.  I came away with some antique books (no surprise there...) for my husband's collection. There were a couple of nice treasures in the pile and I'm sure we'll have fun researching them.  Didn't find any antique children's books this time (my niche).  I love everything about an auction including the people that attend them.  That's half the fun!  And of course, the auctioneer provides most of the entertainment with his quirks and anecdotes.  Always good candor. I had bumped into some old family friends and proudly showed off pictures of Nevin I had stored on my iPhone.  Sheer excitement ran through me with the reality of just how soon we are going to China.

Saturday, my four year old son had the notion to go camping in the yard.  So my husband set up the tent near the fire pit, and we set up all the sleeping bags. I brought an armful of my daughters stuffed animals and dollies, and a bag of marshmallows to the "camp site".  It went quite well for an impromptu camp out, really. My daughter ended up coming in the house to sleep in her own bed around 9:30pm, but Daddy and Dylan slept out in the tent all night.  I heard them come in the house just before 7am.  Daddy thoroughly enjoyed the "guy" time spent with his son....a proud Daddy moment.

This morning was pancake Sunday-- a weekly tradition here at the Campbell house.  I have made pancakes from scratch with real maple syrup every single Sunday (with the exception we are away) since I can remember. It made me think-- after today, only three more pancake Sundays until we go to China.  Just can't wait! I wonder if they make pancakes in China? Nevin, sure hope you'll like Mummy's pancakes!

Soups, Sauces and Casseroles! Oh My!

Today being a rather blah day, I jumped deep into the kitchen to cook up some delish home dishes-- comfort food that we can "git stuck inta" (as my husband says with his Glaswegian accent) when we come home from China.  I can just imagine craving the good cooking of home while we are away...although I will enjoy the exotic (not too exotic) cuisine while we are gone. 

My Mom sent home some ham and the bone from dinner the other night, so in the pot went the bone.  My homemade split pea and ham soup is chocked full with potato, carrots, celery, onion, spices and ham.  With the other hundred pounds of ham I had, I made a yummy ham casserole made in layers with sliced carrots, corn, egg noodles, and yes-- you guessed it-- ham, a package of Italian grated cheeses, a can of ready made Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (anything that has the name Campbell attached to it has got to be great!), parsley, tad of nutmeg and bread crumb topping.

And the spaghetti sauce is done.  I put one aside to use for the lasagna I'll make tomorrow.

I've included a few pics of the gifts nature has provided to us on our property.  We live on 260 acres, lots of maple trees for maple syrup, crop growing fields, but on the five or so acres just around our house grows hundreds of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes.  They are everywhere!  I am willing to offer some of my blackberries to anyone who will share with me your morels.  Still haven't found them yet here on our property, as they are quite elusive.  Thousands of wild leeks, mind you.

So while all that is simmering and cooking, I had David haul up all of Dylan's 12month - 18month clothing.  I want to wash them all before I hang them in Nevin's closet and tuck them away in drawers.  They were previously in the old basement of the old farm house and they have just a faint whiff of the old place, despite being in the new house for a year and a half. In the wash they went.  It was a fond walk down memory lane to see Dylan's baby outfits-- all of which look hardly worn.  He had so many clothes that some were never even on him. I can't wait to see them on Nevin. 

And to report on the Aligote wine from the other night, I didn't enjoy it as much as the Chateau Des Charmes Aligote. It may have something to do with the minerals right on the Niagara Escarpment. 

Yummy Wild Raspberries and Blackberries on Our Farm!

 Way To Be Organic!

September It Is!

After a few days of nail biting and restless sleeps, our Letter Seeking Confirmation and other important documents from the Ministry were delivered via Purolator just after lunch, and not a second too soon!  Talk about cutting it close!

It was sent off today via rush courier to Beijing-- phew!

Our flights are officially booked- departing September 10 and returning September 23.  David pointed out that this will be the second time since 9/11 that we will have flown on 9/11.  We came back from St. John, New Brunswick on 9/11 in 2006 when I sang at the Canadian Country Music Awards, Song Writer's Circle. Dylan was just crawling then and only 10 months old.  So much has changed in 4 years.  Dylan starting Senior Kindergarten and Heather starting Nursery School. And in six weeks we will be holding our third child.

So I went out and bought a fine bottle of wine to celebrate tonight.  I visited Chateau des Charmes in Niagara on the Lake on my birthday and tried an Aligote. Although it always makes me think of Cirque de Soleil, it was a beautiful wine I had never heard of.  I had initially went to the wine store looking for one of my favourites--Mission Hill Winery but sadly, they did not stock it.  But I did see a French Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligote.  None of the staff had tried it, but I thought since there is only one particular vineyard in Ontario that can grow Aligote, this has to be good.  I'll let you know how I enjoyed it.

So, this evening, I will raise a glass of Aligote, and David will raise a glass of Malbec and toast to Nevin and our departure to China in six weeks!

tick tick tick

I spoke with our travel person at the agency today, and the plan is we are going to wait one more day to see if our letter comes from the Ministry of Ontario tomorrow.  With that information, we should know if we are China bound in September or October (we are praying for September).

Good news is that Air Canada dropped its airfare today for September and October travel!  More money to shop, I say!

Today the heat has been suffocating here.  I filled up the little pool for the kids, turned on the sprinkler before 9am.  I left mid-morning to get Uncle Brian his birthday gift, and stopped at the dollar store to get the kids some loot and travel stuff.  I am planning to put together a big loot bag for both of the kids filled with crayola, colouring books, toys, chocolate, and many of their favourite things while we are away.  I was going to give it to them the night before we leave, but I thought it might be fun to send them on a scavenger hunt with the grandparents...leave little notes with hints and pictures. They love those kinds of things...especially if there is chocolate at the end of it!

Now, I'll try to get some sleep tonight and see what tomorrow brings. Breathe.

Tender Moments

It was a busy few days, hectic actually.  After being notified of our first tentative travel date to China, it turns out it was miscalculated and we were left feeling a little disappointed finding out we may not travel until October.  Sigh.

As it turns out, there are three other families from our agency traveling Sept. 10, and our travel assistant made a call to China. They can accommodate us in that group, or wait until Oct 7.  Our agency is going to see where our paperwork stands with the Ministry of Ontario on Tuesday, and then we find out if we will indeed travel Sept 10.  Our Travel Notice is given to plan for travel 8-10wks following our Letter Seeking Confirmation.  In the US, they wait until they get that letter and book travel two weeks later, sometimes one week later.   Here in Canada, travel booking is done within that 8-10 week window, as they know the letter will arrive shortly before the 8 week time frame.  Now if  you're confused, you'll know how we've been feeling for the past few days with the following information.

They are allowing us travel, however, it is most likely we will be passing by our Travel Notice as it is arriving here in Canada and we are flying to China.  What that means is that once the letter arrives here in Canada, it will be processed and couriered back to us in China at our hotel.  The only risk by doing this is there is a slight possibility we may end up staying 1-2 days extra in China.  David and I discussed this and we both are willing to have our son a month earlier and stay an extra few days, than having to have him stay in the orphanage another month.

This isn't final yet, as we will find out on Tuesday at the end of the day.  Which means-- we could be leaving for China in six weeks! AAHHHH!

So you can imagine with all the extra talk we've been doing about Nevin, the children are well aware that Nevin is coming home soon.  And as I was trying to have a quiet moment to think about everything today with a cup of tea, my two year old daughter came up on my knee for a cuddle.  One look at her, and there's no way anyone could say no.  She kissed me and snuggled in, and my heart sank.  I said to her, "You know Mummy is going to miss you so much when we go to China."  She played with my hair and answered, "I'm going to miss you too, Mummy." Then she added (word for word, no joke--), "I'll be so worried about you Mummy."  What a sweet little girl. I'll be an utter and complete mess when I say goodbye to them.

The weekend was filled with little moments like these.  David's Dad and Step Mother came up for a "sleep over" last night.  We don't often see them, as they live in Orangeville, and Nana Evelyn is 88 years old with some health problems and ambulatory issues.  It was nice to chat with her about the adoption, as she adopted her two children 55 years ago.  Adoption back then consisted of parking your car two blocks away, out of sight, walking to the door, taking the child, some paper work and that was it!  Can you imagine?!  So she was very keen to learn about the process, especially all the details in China.

Dylan's Grandad was very proud to be here today, as Dylan mastered riding his bike without training wheels!  It couldn't have been more perfect, as I know there is a strong pang in his heart when he can't be here for all the special moments.  Dylan and Heather both being winter babies, Grandad and Nana Evelyn have missed many birthdays because we live in a fairly active snow belt. So I think Grandad was rather chuffed that he was part of this feat accomplished by his first grandson. He gets the same tear in his eye when he looks at his grandchildren as David does when he looks at his children.  Lets face it-- none of us ever dreamed we'd have three children.

So after they headed back to Orangeville, Dylan headed to his Grannie's for a sleepover, Heather went for a nap, and I started organizing Nevin's clothing and baby stuff for the trip.  Its a little early to pack, but I have the same overwhelming and compelling feeling of NESTING.  Its exactly the same as when I was in my last trimester with the kids, only I'm not as big as a tractor, and I don't pee a little when I laugh or sneeze!

Dylan Masters Riding A Bike Without Training Wheels!!!!!