1-12-06 is the Cut-off this Month!

As expected, 1-12-06 is the cut-off this month as confirmed by a friend's agency that is always correct. We're hoping to start seeing referrals by this Friday as China has a national holiday on May 1st, so generally sends them out prior to the break. Keep check the blogs for my friends, Susan and Riz and Susan and Jonathan, as they are expecting their referrals this batch.

I believe I will be in the next batch of matches that should arrive in early June and my agency has said that they will push for quick travel in 4-6 weeks post referral. Keep your fingers crossed that China doesn't impose any ban on adoption travel due to the Olympics and that airfares are not exorbitantly expensive.

Some Fun Reading While We Wait...

If you have any interest in current events in China, pick up May's issue of National Geographic. It is actually the third issue of National Geographic dedicated entirely to China. The last two were in 1912 and 1920. The issue includes a very detailed map of China and a diagram of The Forbidden City.

I was also in Borders to buy a children's book for a friend and happened to look at the children's language section and found this little treasure:


What a fun little book that has a bunch of little facts of China, some simple language tips, everyday life hints...all geared to maybe a 9-10 year old and in the format of a Richard Scarry's Word Book (my all time favorite kids book!), but in Chinese. At the bottom of each page, they give different web addresses to learn more about the subject discussed on that page. It would be a great addition to your library all you waiting moms out there.

Latest Rumor Queen Projections

What would we do without the Rumor Queen? Don't get too excited by the "Bad" column. We've only hit the "Bad" column about twice in the past 18 months. Usually the "Horrid" or Worse the Horrid" is the reality.

OMG! This Has Nothing To Do With The Adoption!!

Made this Spinach Pie this afternoon from a recipe out of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook and it's FABULOUS!!! I've made about 8-9 recipes out of this book and have loved them all. It taste very similiar to Spanakopita...feta cheese, parmasean cheese, pine nuts, spinach, onion and butter! Yum!

I've decided to have a handyman take care of all those little projects that I don't seem to be getting to. I've also lined up a lawn service to mow twice a month starting in June and I've talked with an attorney to start getting the appropriate documents in order prior to travel. I don't know where the weekends go and I'm not getting done what I plan on getting done.

I had this thought this afternoon...what if the referrals next month actually made it through the 16th! Not that there's any chance of that happening, but what if they did!!! Holy Crapoly, I'd have to go change my shorts!! LOL!! I need to get on the ball! I have a list of about 40 things to do once I get the referral and then I've sub-categorized that list to Travel Items, Things to Buy, Calls to Make, Post-Travel Appointments, and Paperwork to Complete. What the heck have I've been doing the past two years!!

This Month's Referral Batch has Gone to the Cat Box!

This month's cake (aka also my brother's birthday cake!) is called a Kitty Litter Cake...yummy!! If anyone would like the recipe, leave a comment and I'll get it right to you!

The CCAA only made it through 1-9-06, so I'm back to thinking I'll be in the June batch and travel in July. We're hearing rumors that things will continue to be slow until after the Olympics. My US government approval to adopt a foreign infant expires in September, so I'm really hoping that I will travel prior to that time.

Here's a prettier picture of the orchids blooming on my patio...