Saturday, January 01, 2011

Happy New Year and Welcome 2011

Of course 2010 did not bring Mia home but we didn't expect it to when the year began. Never the less, it has been a wonderful year. Zane has changed so much this year. The age going from 2 to 3 is amazing! He has gone from a toddler to a little boy - a very independent, spirited boy! He is friendly to everyone and has no problem going up to adults and starting a conversation with them. It cracks me up! He had his tonsils and adenoids out this year which he did so easily and it has made a big difference in his health, his eating and his growth. He has taken off like a weed this year, especially since the surgery. People constantly think he is 5, then I have to explain his 3 year old behavior.

Zane LOVES pirates and we converted his room from a nursery to a big boy's room this year complete with a pirate boat bed. Another big boy change was potty training...and I can thank his teacher for that. We had been working on it but his teacher said he was ready so we tossed the pull-ups for good and there was no looking back! How nice is that! He also started his first organized sports - a 10 week soccer program for 3-5 year olds! He loved it so I see more soccer in our future.

Personally I met a long term goal and was accepted into graduate school at University of Central Florida into the Nurse Educator program. It will take years because I'm doing it one class at a time so not to interfere too much with family and work, but I'm on the road. Like our China adoption, slow and steady!

So speaking of China, this year's progress was better than last year's. They completed nearly two months of LID applications taking them to May 29, 2006....we still have 106 LID days to go (I think that's right). So they have to complete 3 1/2 months this year for us to get a referral in 2011. With the drop in number of applicants for the months of June, July, & August, it is a possibility we will see Mia's face this year. In the very least, she will be born this year if she has not already been born.

I hope to post more this year, sharing progress on our China journey. About 6 months before we expect a referral we have to start renewing our paperwork - more fingerprints, more social worker visits (although I love our social worker!) and more paperwork, but as long as we are getting closer, I'm ready to do the paperchase again!

Happy New Year to you all and t0 my fellow Sept LIDers, I pray for this to be all "our year"!