Words to Live By...2008

Happy New Year Comments - DazzleJunction.com


If you follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.

- Joseph Campbell

Surprise! A Xmas Snowstorm...

We woke up this morning to fresh snow...and more snow falling...all day...and STILL! Needless to say, Luna and Killer are NOT happy about this turn of events and do not appreciate venturing out into the snow to "do their business"...I don't blame them...

We've had a quiet day around the house for the most part. Because of the weather, Steve's mom and brother decided not to drive across town to join us for dinner, so Steve and I headed over to a nearby hotel that was serving a traditional Christmas dinner. When we first got there, there were a few other folks in the restaurant ( 2 or 3 tables at least)...by the time we left, we were literally, the only ones there! Some pix from our exciting, snowy Christmas in Denver...

Getting ready to go out in the snow...

The tree in our front yard...

Luna - not enjoying the snow blowing in her face!

Now you see it...now you don't! (packed up for leftovers...yum..._)

Steve - all alone in the hotel restaurant...

Killer (clearly needing a haircut!) but so cute on Xmas morning...



MERRY CHRISTMAS
from Julie, Steve, Luna & Killer

Xmas Eve Eve...

Last night Steve and I went out for our pre-Xmas "date night". We went out for dinner at a nice restaurant downtown and took in some light displays like this one above at the train station.

We also have a tradition (actually more of a weird "habit") of taking photos of our food when it arrives presented in beautiful display. No, we don't get out much - lol. Actually, we do - we just rarely go out to restaurants where such work goes into the presentation! Luckily, we were sitting in a semi-private booth, so no one could really see us taking photos with Steve's phone:




This particular dessert was a handmade ice cream "bowl" molded from toasted almonds and then dipped in chocolate, with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, and fresh whipped cream on top. OMG! YUM. I think I ate like 8,000 calories last night...but it was SO worth it.

My 100th Post

You know how in cartoons, characters often slip and fall on a banana peel? Haha funny, right?

Actually, not-so-much! Especially when you are stepping out of your car at Target, juggling your purse, your car keys, and your cellphone - and you nearly break your neck...like I did yesterday!

No worries - I'm fine. I caught myself somehow...but imagine my surprise when I saw that I had actually slipped on a banana peel? WHO does that??? LOL. The utter randomness of this event just totally cracked me up. In fact, I am still laughing as I write this...

More Baby "Booty"

When I went to Seattle two weeks ago for my uncle's big bash, my mom told me ahead of time, "bring an extra suitcase, I've bought some things for you to take back - for Lia". So I took a small suitcase and a large suitcase figuring that would be enough space for everything, after all - I was bringing my uncle a present for his birthday, and a few other small items for my folks, and I wouldn't be taking those back to Colorado, so I would have some extra room...

Well...let's just say it was good that I only packed two outfits and was able to stuff all my personal belongings into the small suitcase - because the large suitcase was CLEARLY needed:

THANKS MOM
(and Jenn and Tracy who also contributed to this collection of baby "booty" - lol.)

In other news, today I attended my third (in a series of three) required classes at CCAI. The subject was Grief & Loss in Adoption. It is a tough and emotional topic to take on two weeks before Christmas. The teacher actually said "Wow - you people got up at 7 am on a Saturday, in the freezing cold to come to a class on Grief & Loss two weeks before Xmas - you MUST be committed!" It's true. The class was really good though. We got to hear lots of first-hand stories from adoptive parents who have BTDT - and I met some really great fellow adoptive parents-to-be. I also had my first "real life" encounter from one of my "virtual" friends from blogland (and member of my LID chat group) Maia and Mike from Flynn Story were at the class. It was so nice to finally meet them (in person) as well! Unfortunately, Steve wasn't able to attend the class with me - he has still been fighting off a terrible cold - so I let him sleep in.

Tomorrow I plan to lay low and catch up on some things around the house. Then I just need to endure one more week of work until I am OFF until Jan. 2 - whoo hoo! Can't wait for some downtime that does not involve packing or airports...

...since my LID for Lia!

Trip to Seattle - Dave's B-day Party

I know...I've been "MIA" from the blog world for a couple of weeks. People start to wonder what's happened to you. I don't have a good excuse, except that life has been VERY busy lately! As you know, Steve and I went to the Oregon Coast mid-November for an early Thanksgiving with my family. The following week was Thanksgiving and then last weekend we flew out to Seattle to celebrate my uncle's 50th birthday.

This was no ordinary birthday party. My uncle Dave (my mom's younger brother) has Down Syndrome and lives with my parents full-time in Seattle. Although he is much older than me, because of his disability, Dave seems more like a younger brother to me and my sister. He has lived with my parents since my mom's father passed away in the early 90s.

Lots of people know Dave. He attends church with my parents, my sister's friends all know him, he volunteers at the Museum of Flight - where my mom works - and he bowls every weekend with a group of folks who have various developmental disabilities...so he has a lot of friends.

Dave loves nothing more than a big party and lots of music, therefore, my family decided to throw a party at the high school gym, hired a band, and nearly 100 people were invited to attend. Relatives from California and Texas flew out for the occasion, some who I hadn't seen in 10-15 years! I also got to meet my cousin's kids (an 8 yr old and 4 yr old twins) for the first time, which was really fun.

Unfortunately, Seattle got a rare snowstorm on the afternoon of the party, so some people who live further out were unable to make it due to the slick roads. But Dave was thrilled with the turnout of nearly 60 people on his special night. He even picked the menu - fried chicken and chocolate cake! (you gotta love that!) :)

I also had a great time showing Steve around my hometown, introducing him to my relatives, visiting my favorite restaurants, etc. It was a whirlwind 48-hour trip, but a lot of fun. Of course we got back on Sunday night and proceeded to fight off colds all week, but are starting to feel better now. Yesterday we got several inches of snow, with more expected tonight. It's been nice to lay low this weekend after all the craziness of traveling the past few weeks! Here are some of the pix from our trip:

Deck the Halls (and living room and porch...)

Inspired by the long Thanksgiving weekend, Steve helped me decorate the house for Christmas on Sunday. Since we have a lot going on over the coming weekends in December, we figured we'd get it done early so we could really enjoy it for the next four weeks. The tree makes the house smell SO good! I love it...

It's looking quite festive if I do say so:

A day in the life...a meme

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments…what is it?

1. Produce: pistachios
2. Bakery: sourdough bread
3. Meat: chicken – it works with anything!
4. Frozen: blueberry Eggo waffles
5. Dry goods: honey nut cheerios

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?

1. my comfy black track pants
2. tennis shoes
3. a hoodie

If I was to listen in on one of your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?

1. “…you get it!”
2. "potty outside?”
3. "Seriously!”
4. "wait…I have an idea"
5. "I just want to check my email quick..." (yeah, right!)

So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you probably wouldn't be in the best mood?

1. cuddling with my puppies
2. zoning out in front of some kind of electric box
3. coffee in the morning

Sweet, you just scored a whole afternoon to yourself. We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?

1. watching a movie i've seen a million times before
2. getting a pedicure…
3. …and/or a massage
4. taking a nap
5. reading a trashy celeb magazine

We're going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?

1. penguins
2. giraffes
3. apes

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show that comes on t.v. of your choice. You can pick between 4, so what are you deciding between?

1. The Office
2. Chelsea Lately
3. Grey’s Anatomy
4. Little People, Big World (LOVE those Roloffs!)

You are hungry for ice cream. I'm making you a three scoop sundae, what flavors can I pile on for ya?

1. Kona Koka Rum (from The Husky Deli in West Seattle – aaaahhh!)
2 .Mint Chocolate Chip
3. Toffee Heath Bar crunch

Somebody stole your purse…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?

1. Driver's license
2. Cell phone
3. Lots of chapstick
4. Tums (in an Altoid tin…lol)
5. Advil

You are at a job fair, and asked what areas you are interested in pursuing a career in. Let's pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 4 careers would be fun for you?

1. owner of a doggie daycare
2. radio deejay
3. travel writer
4. kindergarten teacher

If you could go back and talk to the old you, when you were in elementary school, and inform yourself of 4 things, what would you say?

1. Don't be so sensitive. It's a waste of energy. Just smile and forget about it.
2. Don't compare your mind, body or life to others. It's our differences that make us interesting.
3. Your sister is your best friend! Be nicer to her.
4. Don't waste time on bad jobs or relationships...if you don’t like what you are doing, only YOU have the power to change things. The past is the past, take some risks and live for today!

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I am giving "Top 10" thanks for (in no particular order):

1. The fact that I was accepted into the singles adoption program last December.
2. That I was able to complete my dossier before the May 1 deadline.
3. For my family - with whom I spent a TERRIFIC long weekend at the beach!
4. My friends who continue to support me thru the ups and downs of the adoption process.
5. All my new "cyber friends" that I met through this blog this year!
6. Old friends I've reconnected with in 2007.
7. Steve and his dog Killer, for coming into mine and Luna's lives :)
8. My team of colleagues who together succeeded in opening a brand new hospital this year.
9. My continued health and financial stability.
10. My daughter Lia, who may now just be a tiny spirit, but who keeps me focused on being positive and keeping the dream alive - even through the long wait ahead!

Today we will host a small Thanksgiving dinner with Steve's mom and brother. I will leave you with a few more pics from the beach trip:

My sister, my dad and I...(love this pic! Steve is such a great photographer...)


The view from the deck at the beach house where we stayed (gorgeous!)


Me - ladybug crocs in hand - walking on the beach. Can I go back now?


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

We're Heeeeeere....

YAY! Loving the Oregon Coast....barefoot in the sand (in 50 degree weather!)

7 months!

Yep - it's true...

...and only four more days until our vacation on the Oregon Coast. YAY!

A Leap of Faith...

Today at church, the sermon was about taking "A Leap of Faith"...Needless to say, this hit home for me in so many ways...

One year ago this week, I started this blog - and I mailed off my application to CCAI to try and obtain one of the last single's adoption spots available. Amazing. I feel so different (better) than I did last year at this time. Last year I was nervous and worried about all of this working out. This year, I KNOW it will work out eventually (even if the long wait seems unbearable sometimes!)

Today I added some additional squishes to Lia's Quilt blog. All of the official "exchanges" are over now with my various adoption chat groups. I am still looking for some squishes from my friends and family (hint, hint) and am hoping to acquire most of those around the holidays, so that I can hand off all the sewing to my mom around the first of the year. Thanks again for offering to put together Lia's quilt mom!

I also found out this week who my "secret pal" has been for the past six months... MARCY has been such an amazing friend and supporter - thank you so much! In fact, I have received so many incredibly kind gifts from Marcy, my bib exchange friends, my sister and my mom in recent months...I can barely keep up with posting pics of all the cute things I've received, but here are a few more pix:

Happy Halloween!

We only had about 20 trick-or-treaters tonight...we saw LOTS of Spidermans!

The kids who came by had literally shopping bags FULL of candy! (Lucky kids!)

I wore my very special "bat wig" as you can see. The little girls especially seem to dig this look...

Can't wait until I get to take my Lia out trick-or-treating someday. It will be a lot of fun. I see a Ladybug costume in that girl's future!

Friday Night - It's Mexican Food Time!

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!Friday night is the night we ALWAYS go out for Mexican. Steve got a little creative today and made me this lovely video to display our excitement. It totally cracks me up.

Survivor - CHINA!

Last night on "Survivor - China" the survivors had to unscramble a word puzzle. They were given the hint that it was "saying made famous by Confuscious". Of course, I immediately guessed this one (because it is my favorite, and I think it sums up my journey to Lia in so many ways!) Lo and behold, they solved the puzzle and it WAS this saying! Steve had me pause the TiVo so we could take a picture of it on the TV screen. A sign? Maybe. A reminder that this may seem like a very LOOONG journey at times, but will definitely be worth it at the end? Priceless.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Pics from the cabin

To see our pics from the cabin trip, please click HERE

Snores & S'mores in Store...

Tomorrow we are headed back up to our little cabin in the mountains for a long weekend. Aaaahh - to disconnect from cell phones and email for a few days. Hooray!

We went to this cabin back in June and it was wonderful. It sits right on a little stream, tucked back in the woods, and it is only 45 minutes from Denver! The cabin owner told us they received some snow up there last weekend, and there may be some more coming this Sunday.

I am totally psyched to fire up the wood burning stove, snuggle up in my fleece with Steve and the dogs and do NOTHING! Last night I went to the library and checked out four "chick lit" books which I can't wait to crack open. We will hit the DVD store on the way out of town to catch up on any movies we haven't seen the past few months. Marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers packed and ready for s'more making!

Steve is bringing his camera, so hopefully we will get some great pictures up there as well (I'm kind of hoping it DOES snow a little - it would be so pretty!) I'll check in with ya'll on Monday.

Go Rockies!

A friend of mine recorded this at last night's Rockies game - make sure you watch it all the way thru to the end...I love the way people in Colorado let up a cheer when they sing "from the mountains" in God Bless America (like it was written specifically for Rockies fans - lol!)

Ooooooo...Spooky!

This weekend Steve helped me decorate the house for Halloween. We put up some orange, red, and purple lights, as well as some "bat" lights in the upstairs windows. We also have blinking "eyes" in the living room window. We even hung a little "Casper" type ghost from the front porch. It looks really good! Since the neighborhood has tons of little kids, we didn't want it to be too scary, just really fun and festive.

Today the weather turned much cooler, so it finally started to feel like fall. We even got a little rain tonight, which was nice for a change. Steve has some frozen clam chowder from one of his favorite seafood restaurants in California. We warmed it up, along with some calamari from Whole Foods. With the rain and all, it ALMOST felt like we were living on the coast! Yum.

IA Families UNITE!

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Rocktober in Colorado

I survived the move of our office last week, and the bigger move of the hospital this past weekend. Thankfully everything went smoothly and 111 kiddos made it safely into their new hospital beds by Saturday night. But what a long day! (...week...month...year...etc.)

To describe my current state of being as "exhausted" would be an understatement.

The low number of baby referrals from China this month is also discouraging (grrr!). But I'm too tired to get worked up about it. Congrats to the folks who got referrals and will see their babies soon!

In other news, President Bush vetoed the Children's Health Bill today. I won't get into a political discussion here, except to say I am disappointed (once again) - but not surprised. This funding is crucial to hospitals like the one where I work - and the children and families we serve. We worked hard the last few weeks toward getting bi-partisan support so the bill would pass through both the Senate and the House. It will be interesting to see what kind of compromise they can come up with now.

And a final note - apparently over the course of the last few weeks when I was working non-stop the Colorado Rockies somehow made it into the playoffs. I'm not a huge baseball fan, and I usually just follow the ups and downs of our teams via the evening news reports...but good for them. This is the first time I've seen the Rockies make it this far since I've lived in Colorado! Denver's Mayor declared today "Purple Wednesday" and is now calling it the month of "Rocktober" ...so Happy Rocktober everybody!

Ladybug shoes (and other musings)

This continues to be a busy time for me (good, because the wait is going by fast for me right now!) I can't believe I'm almost six months into this wait already...

Today after church, Steve and I went over to the mall to walk around and burn off the huge lunch we had just eaten. Because it was during a Broncos home game, there was no one out anywhere. Denver becomes like a ghost town on Sundays like this - LOL. So at the mall, we stepped into a little gift shop - where low and behold - I found some knockoff Crocs (made in China my friends!) which were cheaper and featured my favorite insect - The Ladybug! Okay - so they ARE a bit much, but I think they will look cute with jeans, and for walking the dogs - or just putzing around the house or yard. Do you love 'em? :)

Let's see...in other news...I met Bill Clinton this week! Now I'm sure not everyone would consider this a cool thing - but I did - and that's all that matters. He gave a speech at a local economic development luncheon and the hospital had a vendor booth which I volunteered to work, so I got to hear the keynote speech for free - and afterward had the chance to meet him, and have him sign a copy of his new book "Giving". He looks a lot older, skinnier, and grayer than he did during the presidential years, but he is still the same, charismatic, amazing speaker that he was then. Anyway - it was a cool moment for me.

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to hear another keynote speech - this time by Geoffrey Canada - the incredibly wise man who established the Harlem Children's Zone in NY, and specifically The Promise Academy. You may have seen him on Oprah. To see a great story about him and what he is doing in Harlem, click HERE. Needless to say, I left this week at work feeling incredibly inspired and motivated, which was NEEDED after the long hours we've all put in over the past several weeks.

Finally - one more pic - of the sweet little bamboo plant I purchased today to help decorate the incredibly small, dull cubicle I will be moving into on Thursday. I decided - if nothing else - I need to make it "my own" - hopefully the bamboo will help!


By the way - I took both photos on this entry with Steve's iPhone - pretty amazing quality, huh?

meme day...

Kris, you inspired me - so here's some more questions/answers...

1. What holiday is your birthday closest to?
Cinco de Mayo - pass the margaritas please!
2. Favorite fruit?
Raspberries
3. Are you allergic to anything?
Fresh ginger makes me barf - literally!
4. Is there someone/something you want?
Yes - a referral for my daughter, a beach house, and to not have to work for a few years!
5. When was the last time you went swimming?
Saturday at aqua class - YAY!
6. Have you ever lived outside the U.S?
Nope
7. What's your favorite kind of drink?
Sweet Tea baby - ROCKS!
8. Do you have any strange pets?
Both dogs (Luna Schnauzer and Killer Yorkie) are a bit wacky...in their own ways
9. What is your dream car?
Silver VW Beetle convertible (if I lived in a less extreme climate)
10. Have you ever bungee jumped?
No thank you!
11. Would you shave off your eyebrows if GoofyAuctions.com paid you $100?
It would need to be a LOT more than $100...($50,000 would probably be enough!)
12. What sound are you listening to right now?
A "Family Guy" rerun - (I love Stewie!)
13. What's your favorite song at the moment?
Colby Caillat "Bubbly"
14. What was the last movie you watched?
At the theater? Nanny Diaries
15. When was the last time you went on a trip?
Our Mountain Cabin trip in June. Ah....to be back there...seems so long ago...
16. What's the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Smile/laugh
17. Do you have a nickname?
Jules
18. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
Usually Marissa Tomei (for looks) or Janeane Garafolo (for attitude!) LOL.
19. Are you comfortable with your height?
Yep - completely average 5'5"
20. If you could get anything pierced what would that be?
Other than my ears? I avoid inflicting pain on myself, thanks.
21. Do you speak any other language other than English?
I know a little German and a little Japanese
22. Do you watch MTV?
Occasionally
23. What's something that really annoys you?
Drunks behaving badly
24. Do you drive when you go on long trips?
I'd rather not...I'm impatient about "getting there"
25. Do you have a celebrity crush?
...still George Clooney (since 1992 when he was on "Sisters" - loved that show!)

...and on that note, I'm going to bed...sweet dreams everybody... :)

Princess Lia!

NO...not that Leia...MY little Princess Lia...

I have received some fun bibs over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, my life has been so consumed with work lately, that I haven't had time to take pictures and post them yet...so here they are:


THANKS - Laurie for the Lia -Ladybug bib (what a great surprise!), Angela, my August bib exchange pal for the super cute "Princess" bib, and my dear Secret Pal for the adorable pink'n'green polka dot Lia bibs...so, so cute! Sorry it's taken this long to get my "official" thank you's out...you guys ROCK! :)

ODE TO THE iPHONE...
In other news, Steve got an iPhone this weekend and DANG - it is cool! I am not really a "gadget gal" but this is one gadget that I am super jealous of. Forget Blackberries and Treos - this sucker is awesome...and I guess the reason I like it is because it is SO easy to use. Up until now I've really thought that keeping it simple with my cellphone was the best policy. I didn't need a camera, or an MP3 player, or internet connection attached to my phone. The iPhone has quite possibly changed my mind...I have to wait until December when my current phone contract is up...but I may just take the leap on this one!

In the news...

Click HERE for an excellent article about the new hospital. It made me cry when I read it. I guess all the hard work of the past weeks (months, years...) has been worth it! The Governor and city Mayor gave very nice, heartfelt speeches at last night's VIP Grand Opening Party. We're all exhausted, but recovering today!

It's True...

It's true - today makes 5 months logged in for Lia!

Other random events of the weekend...after our Friday night tradition of Mexican food, Steve and I decided to head across the street to one of the larger Asian markets in the area. We were checking out the various items when I saw a woman with blond hair (believe me, she stood out in the crowd!) and we locked eyes. Omigod, it was my old hairdresser. Guys may not understand the weirdness that comes along with this story - but all you gals know - when you find a hairdresser you like, who can do your cut and color like no other - it is like finding a needle in a haystack. You hold onto that person, follow them if they change salons, gossip with them every couple of months during your appointment, etc.

So here's the backstory to my situation... I had been going to this same hairstylist for three years. I followed her to two different salons, drove all the way across town to have her do my highlights, etc. Last November, after I had applied to CCAI for a singles spot, (but was waiting to hear if I would be accepted), I mentioned to her that I had applied to adopt a baby from China - expecting her to be excited for me. Instead, she said "WHY? Why do you want an orphan baby? Have a baby of your own. Find a nice guy and get pregnant. You don't want no Chinese baby. You want your OWN baby!" (she is Eastern European and sometimes her English comes out broken...) I believe I mumbled something about "she WILL be my own baby" and picked up a magazine to read and blew her off. Needless to say, that was my last appointment with her. She's called my voicemail dozens of times, asking about why she hasn't seen me lately. I never took her calls. I moved on to a new hairstylist (one that actually IS excited for me). Plus, I live in Denver, it's a big city, so the chances of ever seeing her ever again were slim.

So imagine my surprise (and the irony) of running into her - at the Asian market of all places - on Friday night? We were literally the only two caucasion women there. We locked eyes for a few seconds - just long enough for me to register who she was and why she was staring at me. My heart started racing. She opened her mouth to speak to me...and I turned my head, and walked away talking to Steve as if I hadn't seen her. For a second, I had that 6th grade "Mean Girls" feeling. That I was giving her the cold shoulder and she seriously had no idea why. But then I remembered how adamant she was about trying to talk me out of adoption dream. Should I have engaged in fake "nice talk" with her - or was it appropriate to blow her off and go hide in the back corner of the store until she left? I probably should've been the bigger person and let go of my anger towards her and been polite. But to be honest, I just didn't feel like it.

In other news, I updated Lia's Squishes site with about 40 more entries - I'm past the 100th squish mark now, which means I will be able to have a secondary, smaller blanket or throw made as well. They are all so very cool. Thanks to everyone who has contributed! I've gotten some other really cute stuff the past couple of weeks and will update with more photos later in the week.

Random!

So I have chatted on here before about my car. My beloved, 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon (same car as in the photo, except mine is a different color).

So Tuesday evening, as I pulled up to my house after work, and opened the driver's door to get out, I heard something fall to the ground with a "clink" and roll under my car. My first thought is always that I dropped my cellphone, but this didn't sound like a phone. So I get out and look under the car and I see a large bolt.

Clearly, this bolt had previously led a life holding some piece of my car together, and had decided to make a run for it and a new life for itself...but not so fast mysterious bolt! I picked it up, and took it into the house. I had Steve look at it and he wasn't sure where it was supposed to go either. I tried the power windows and locks, everything seemed to work fine. I drove the car to work yesterday morning and it was running fine. At lunch, I took our department's summer intern to lunch. After lunch, I had had some leftovers which I was going to place in the backseat for the drive back to the office...went over to open the back door and son-of-a-gun...the back door fell off! So obviously, my little runaway bolt had been holding the back door on it's hinge! YIKES! Luckily I caught it before the entire door dropped on my sandal-clad foot...and I was able to shove the door into place for the drive home...eeek...that totally freaked me out! Needless to say, my intern got a good kick out of it!

All's well that ends well though...last night Steve was able to reattach the door and replace the bolt - so we (my Subaru and I) are back in business. But how weird is THAT? Just had to share.

Going with the Flow

At church on Sunday, the topic of this week's sermon was "Recovering from Struggle Addiction". The premise being that many, many (perhaps almost ALL?) of us, get into patterns of believing that we must struggle in order to "earn" anything good in our lives - or we falsely believe that God expects us to "suffer" in order to appreciate the gifts of his graciousness...

The theme of this week's talk was to re-evaluate those beliefs, and instead BELIEVE that all things are possible, and that we are deserving of all the wonderful things God gives us, and we can be grateful and lead a less stressful and drama-filled life by putting our trust in those beliefs and in fact, living our lives as if all of our dreams have already come true. The five steps of this process were outlined as:

1. Anchor in Spirit (know that God is the basis for all that exists)
2. Enter the "flow" of Life (instead if constantly battling "upstream")
3. Embrace a Blessing (express gratitude for every moment in life)
4. Nurture your Vision (anything you can envision is possible!)
5. Give "effortless effort" toward achieving your dreams (no need to "force" things)

Don't worry - I'm not going to "go all religious" on you guys...but I am going to try to embrace these ideas and use them as I can to help balance my life and focus my energy over the coming months (and years!) as I wait to be united with my sweet baby Lia. I think these basics translate across "religious" lines, to have meaning for people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Whether you believe in God, Allah, Buddha, Spirit, or any other higher being, I think these same principles apply. Just my opinion...and so it is!

Can You Help?

Today I am asking you to help out someone you don't know. In fact, I don't even know her personally, just "virtually" from email chat groups and following her blog. Teri is currently a single mom to a 4 yr old daughter from China. Many months ago she applied to bring home a 2nd baby girl -a waiting child with some special needs - to be "mei mei" (Chinese meaning "little sister").

The good news is, she has finally received her travel approval and expects to go to China in two weeks to pick up this special baby! Not so good news...a friend who had promised her $1,000 to help with her final travel costs, orphanage fees, etc. has had to back out last minute due to unforeseen circumstances. So now she is forced to look for donations from anyone who can help - with even as little as $10 or $20 - to help with her costs while in China. Even as little as $5 will buy a decent meal in China!

This is your chance to directly impact three people's lives - a desperate mom, an anxious big sister, and a baby in an orphanage in China. If you are able to help out financially, thank you. If not, maybe you could just say a prayer/light a candle/think good thoughts for her that somehow this will all come together in time for her to leave in two weeks! Goodness knows I am trying to fund my OWN adoption, so I don't have much to give her either - but tomorrow is my payday and I am going to chip in $20...

Her blog and directions on how you can "Chip In" are posted at this site: http://twolittleladybugs.blogspot.com

Congrats Becky!

Congrats to my Yahoo Group friend Becky & Family who finally met their sweet baby Laney today!

Check out this cute Ladybug piggy bank I found this weekend. Love it!

Be there...and BE Square...

Aaaaah - cubicles...there's just nothing like the pale brown or gray of a cubicle wall staring you in the face every morning when you get to work, is there? Or the ability to listen in on your cubicle neighbor's personal phones calls - or their hacking and sneezing when they come to work sick. I am talking about GOOD TIMES people!!!

As I've mentioned previously, the hospital where I work is moving to a new location Oct. 1. There is a lot of stress around the office regarding the move (how do you pick up and move 3,500+ employees, hundreds of patients & their families, and TONS of medical equipment seven miles east?) Lots of logistics to deal with surrounding all that.

A couple weekends ago we got to see the main hospital up close - all the wonderful natural light, beautiful artwork and amazing color schemes were just awesome to see! This week we finally got a glimpse of where our new digs will be in the office building across the parking lot. It looks somewhat like this:

You can imagine my absolute JOY upon witnessing this for the first time. I know, I know, the hospital is about providing the patients with a great, healing environment - not the office workers...but REALLY? Does it have to be like THIS? This takes me back to the fond memories of my days as an insurance claims adjuster (circa '97-'03). Not the best of times, really...

I do realize that many, many people all over the world go to work in this type of environment every day and survive it - and so will I. I suppose I've been spoiled the last few years, sharing a private office (yes, with a DOOR even!) with just one colleague. It's back to the cube farm for me. I guess I'd better enjoy the next five weeks of semi-privacy while I have it.

In other news…there is really no other news...what have I been up to? WORKING. Hopefully I will have a little bit of time this weekend to post some more pics of new "Lia stuff" I've received. This little girl is going to be one well-dressed cookie!