Yeah, I love it.

You know when you buy a new pair of shoes and you just can't wait to show them off? Well I love my new header - and I hope everyone else does, too.

The title is so fitting ... for me atleast. Growing up I really didn't have much "exposure" to kids. I never really babysat, and even now as an adult, none of my close friends have children. Actually, all my friends are single (they'll make great babysitters - wink, wink!), so my inexperience with kids continues for me now. I have three nieces, but my sister lives in California (actually moving to Virginia next month - can't wait!) - which pretty much so limits my interaction with them (but don't get me wrong - when I do see them - I think I do pretty well with the girls).

Yup, no neighborhood kids either. So see, I really am - givin' the mom-thing a whirl, because I never have had the opportunity to be a Mom-like figure to anyone (well, unless you count Logan - the dog).

-Blog under construction-

I'm feeling a new look coming on pretty soon - I've been "Blog bored" lately. The ladybugs are nice, but I want something a bit more, um, retro? Quirky? Fun? Not sure exactly of the right word.

I've been doing WAY too much thinking over a different blog name. I'll keep the same website address, but I've got some thoughts floating around that I think you just might like. Of course, if you have any suggestions - feel free to leave a comment with your ideas ... Believe me - I could use 'em!

A step in the right direction

Yesterday China sent over the latest batch of referrals. They included log-in-dates up to June 28, 2005. For those keeping track, that would be almost exactly a 12-month wait from log-in-date to referral time. It was definitely uplifting to hear and a step in the right direction...

Kids say the darndest things

Yesterday I had my parents, Chris' parents, our brother-in-law, Mike, and his daughter, Kate over for dinner for Father's Day. I have to chuckle as Kate seems to have taken a shine to my Mom (probably because my Mom gets very animated in response to Kate's stories). Kate gets done with her dessert, crawls over to my Mom (who's sitting on the couch) and says "My dan-ma Linne washed my blankie" (translation = My grandma Linda washed my blanket).

So my Mom replies "That's very nice, sweetheart - your blanket smells so nice (lifts it to her nose and takes a smell)". Kate then giggles and says "yup, 'cuz it had boogies in it..."

Sometimes, kids are the only people who say the darndest things ... Chris and I were recently with our group of friends. As they all frequently ask about the adoption process and how things are progressing, the one guy asked a few questions (one of which was wondering if we know what our baby looks like now). My response was "oh no - she's most likely not even born yet." He acted slightly surprised and said "yes, but a few months ago you seemed to know what she was going to look like - you said she's going to have dark hair..."

I held back a chuckle, and said "Yes - the chances of her having dark hair are pretty good - I doubt we'll be getting a red-head from China..."

Favorite Photo Friday!

This favorite photo Friday was easy – Happy Father’s Day, Dad!

My Dad surely is a special guy. He has been very influential in my life and continues to be. I look to him for direction and guidance – and so have many other people…

My Dad taught science to 5th and 6th graders for 35 years and touched the lives of so many young people – and as adults, today, most of them still think of my father as a super star. Because Chris and I now live in the same community in which I grew up and where my Dad taught, it’s not unusual for me to run into a “former student”. All I have to do is say “I’m Mr. Arnold’s daughter”…and the face lights up and a story is told of “oh I remember the time when…” and they reminisce of their favorite 6th grade science lab lesson.

Although Dad retired from elementary school teaching in 2000, he continues to influence the lives of college students. We knew he couldn’t sit home and enjoy retirement too long before going to work again at Edinboro University!

He enriches our lives everyday – just by being “Dad”, and I look forward to our daughter having the best grandfather ever someday, too!

Wanted: A Day Off

I think I need a day off. Oh sure, I have Saturday and Sunday off - and yes, I just had Memorial Day off - but I mean the kind of vacation day (or days) where you know you're off work while everyone else isn't! The kind of day off where you can roll over and look at the clock and it shows 5:55 a.m. - and you know you have atleast 3 more hours in bed if you want. The kind of day off where the hardest decision you make is - should I watch Maury or Montel?

The problem? Yes, I have plenty of vacation time - actually, the most I've ever accumulated at one time in my 13 years of working at my company. Unfortunately next year, I won't get a "paid" maternity leave. I can take 12 weeks of Family Leave, but it's all unpaid - but I can supplement it with vacation. So needless to say, I'm saving all my time for next year when we travel to China. I know it will all be worth it come next year, but for this summer - its hard (especially when my favorite past time is floating in the pool!).

I think this summer will be the first time (ever) that I'll be helping my Dad wish for rain on a regular basis ... particularly during the work week.

The (not so) eensy-weensy spider

Friday evening we’re on our way to a picnic at Karynn’s house. We had to make a quick stop at the grocery store. I ran in and came back out to see Chris knelt-down with the back door of the car open. Here’s how it went:

Chrissie: What are you doing?

Chris: Aw nothin’ – just trying to find a spider that fell down in between the seat of the car.

Chrissie: A spider?...is in the car?
(NOTE: at this point, the luxurious new car just became my worst enemy…)

Chris: Um, yeah – I tried to shooo it out, but instead it fell down between the seat, and I’m not too keen on having it crawl around in the car – ya know?

Chrissie: So let me get this straight – there’s a spider … in the car? Well how big was it?
(NOTE: Men – at this point you need to lie and say “not too big”)

Chris: Well, it was pretty ugly - black and hairy – with white spots.

Chrissie (still standing outside the car in the parking lot): So like show me how big it was?
(Another NOTE: Still advocating lying at this point – and decrease the actual size by at least half…)

Chris: About the size of my thumb nail I’d say. Big enough I don’t want it in the car. Not like a tarantula or anything...
(Again - still not making me feel better about getting in the car…but I did as we were already late for the picnic)

The next day, Chris went on a crusade to find the spider. Lucky for me he found it, and the Volkswagon is once again my friend.