I'd Rather Be in Bangkok

That's what the shirt I'm wearing right now says :) Pretty cool, huh? I was super excited when I found it online, Sam got one too. We also bought a tiny shirt for our future son's teddy bear saying "Someone in Thailand Love Me" because someone always will. I hope it's something he'll treasure always.

I'm so excited that October is finally here. So much happens this month and I hope we'll get our referral on top of it all. My sister will celebrate her 40th birthday (only fair to balance out my having my 30th earlier this year), Sam and I will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary, I'm planning a fundraising event for RESOLVE, and the coolest holiday ever - Halloween. Hopefully enough to keep me busy throughout the month and until I have referral in my hands :)

Military Coup

Well it's been all over the news and a ton of messages have been posted to the list serv I read - and it all seems to be so peaceful you'd hardly know it was happening. I've talked to the agency and there is no indication that will affect the adoption process in any way. The political world seems completely seperated from the social services world and the orphanages and child services seem to be fine.

The King is supporting the coup, which basically means everyone in the country will respect it and go along with it without a fight. Apparently people don't question the royal family. Can you even imagine what would happen in the US. Everything would fall apart and every aspect of life would be different. I've heard that if you don't go near those certain buildings in Bangkok - you'd never even know anything was happening except in the papers and on tv.

I'm really glad about that. Ian overheard us talking about the issues in Thailand and got very upset about wanting his brother to come home soon. We are still hoping for our referral in October but at the lastest it looks like the middle of November, since our agency will be making another visit.

Cool shirt

I found a really cool website that prints super cute adoption themed shirts. I ordered a custom shirt that will proudly display "Expecting from Thailand"!!!! I'm very excited. There are cute kids shirts but they are smaller sizes and won't fit our little guy (I assume). I've decided that from now on when people ask how many kids I have I'll answer: one boy, and one on the way. I know I'll have to explain a lot but I want to own this news - spread the word and allow myself to be happy and joyful, like most expectant mothers.

Today Ian was playing with a little boy at the mall. I asked the mother what nationality they were and found out Fillapeno. I know it's not the same, but a lot closer than Chinese or Korean, so I explained to Ian that this little boy might look a lot like how is brother will look. It was quite a sight seeing that image - picturing my future. Ian didn't care what the boy looked like - he was just having fun jumping around. I just don't want to pretend it doesn't matter and not talk about it - I don't want Ian to be surprised when we get home and disappointed because his brother didn't look like he thought. It'll matter for the rest of his life, and people will always see how they are different first - I want Ian to know and not care, and know that it doesn't mean they are not brothers.

Keeping busy

I've been keeping busy and it sure is helping the time fly by. It's hard to believe it's the middle of September already. I'm in the middle of planning a fundraising event for RESOLVE, which will be a large vendor fair open house. It's going to be a lot of time coordinating and confirming, then designing the flyers, advertising, getting the work out there to people, and hoping people show up. But the event is at the end of October, so hopefully it'll keep me busy and take my mind off things through the month because I'm really starting to get antsy about our referral.

Sam and I have started talking about coming home and airport stuff, imagining Ian meeting his brother for the first time, and what it'll be like to have two boys running around this house!!!!! I get scared, I get nervous, but it always makes me smile. We went to a presentation by a couple who had adopted from China and it was so real. They showed a video of their travels and when they met their daughter for the first time.....I was crying! I could really picture what it might be like for us and it was so real - so close!

Cross stitch is coming along, I'm nearly done with square number 7!!!! Only 13.5 to go. I've started writing the verses for the ABC scrapbook and collecting pictures. And now the RESOLVE event. I think I'm good to go for a while :)

A new project

I'm starting a new project. I will not be giving up on my cross-stitch, I'll probably be doingt hat for another year or so :) But this new project is much smaller and will travel with us to Thailand when we pick up our son. The plan is to scrapbook an alphabet book that will include pictures of family and friends for us to read and look at together. Not only will he get to see pictures of those who will be in his life but we'll work on the alphabet as well - not too shabby, huh? How will I do this book - scrapbooking. I know I know! Shocking to most of you since my total lack of interest in the scrapbooking/stamping arenas but I saw a completed book and thought it was super cute. I figure with my layout and design background I could make a great keepsake for our son - something he'll have forever (although I'm sure boys would outgrow something like that much faster than girls, it'll still be his - like Ian's babybook). I'm in the process of collecting pictures and actually printing out ones I already have. There is no doubt in my mind that this will NOT become a hobby - I'm too involved with other activities to add something else to the mix, but it'll be fun as a one time deal.

My boss at the YMCA is going to help me and let me use her stuff - so no major investment, which is nice. I'm fighting a cold and wish the weather would decide what season to be but for the most part things are going well. Ian started school and tomorrow has his first soccer session and it's September (getting closer to October). Things are good.