I'm sure some of you are wondering what a log in date (LID) is. Unless you are adopting, you really don't understand the significance of the LID. The LID is the date that allows you to know when your referral (stork) is on it's way. Our LID is 12/18/2005. This is the date that we were logged in in China. China goes by LID's to sift through the paperwork. They process the dossier's by LID's. Right now they are working on dossiers they received with a LID in June 2005. So when 12/18/2005 comes around that is when we will receive our referral. A referral is a picture of our daughter.

So.....WE ARE PAPERWORK PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!! Right now the wait is about 12 months. We have already been waiting 6 months so we have about 6-8 left. You just won't see my stomach growing, I won't have morning sickness, I won't be retaining water and getting big ankles before we go to China. You won't be able to feel the baby kick, we won't hear her heartbeat before we go to China (even though our hearts are already connected). We know for sure she will be a girl because that is what we asked for! We don't know when our due date is (we are leaving that up to destiny), but we do know: she will have hair as black as night and eyes the shape of almonds, and the most beautiful smile that will melt your heart with one little grin. She will be the miracle that we have been waiting years to see and we will fall deeply in love with her before we even meet.

Monday, May 15, 2006
Our Brown Envelope Came!!!

Our Brown Envelope is Here!This is just a bunch of forms that we need to take with us to our Consulate appointment in China for Madison's VISA and passport and medical exam, etc. Basically, all the paperwork we will need in China to be able to bring Madison home. It is our approval that we can adopt Madison! Now if the time would hurry up so we can do this.

A very special baby girl born in China
who was abandoned but not forgotten,
she was lost but now has been found
for God has a very special place
for this special baby girl to call home.
It was not in the country she was born in
or the orphanage where she was left,
but in the arms of a loving family many miles away.
For God had prepared the hearts of a couple
to accept one more to their number of precious children.
God knew before they knew that this little bundle of joy
would change their lives and hearts forever.


Written by Tammy Ambrosius

Mother's Day / Secret Pal

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day. Mine was pretty quiet. Mark had to work all day. We went to Olive Garden for dinner and that was about it. Next year we will celebrate more as we will have Madison. I want to thank my secret pal who dent me these wonderful ladybug cintronella candles. They are precious! Mark says we are getting invaded by ladybugs!! I told him the more ladybugs we have, the more luck it will bring Madison home to us! Wait till he sees all the ladybug clothes I have found for Madison!!

The Adoption Process

We first started the paperwork chase in June of 2005. We sent all our paperwork to our agency, AAC in Berthoud, in August. Our official log in date was November 28. The wait time from our LID to referral has slowed down. When we started the process the wait time was six to seven months. There are many rumors and speculation about what has caused the slowdown but the truth is that it doesn't seem like anyone really knows why. Our agency is still holding to the 10 month range which would mean that we would see our referral in October of 2006. This process could speed up or it could slow down even more with many agencies reporting a 12 month wait. All we can do is wait, work on our basement, wait some more, paint the nursery, wait some more, shop for Madison, wait some more, find a teaching job, wait some more,....well, you get the point. It's pretty much a waiting game. As you can see by the ticker, we are five months and maybe only five months to go!! In the mean time, we wait and wait and wait....

GRADUATION DAY!!!

Graduation Day....
Last night I received my Masters degree in Education!! It felt soooo good to finally be done. It was an exciting night because I never thought I would ever get my Masters. Thanks for the support from Mark and Brian. No big parties or anything because Mark had to leaeve for Atlanta at 1:00 am for a weekend conference with Primerica. I hope to now get a job at a school I can stay at for many years instead of these one year positions.

I went garage sale shopping today, I found Madison several fun toys for her room. I found a little vanity so when she plays dress up, a chalkboard/white board,a little kitchen, a swing for her dolls, and oh yea, more clothes!! She has lots of clothes in all different sizes!! I can't pass up a good garage sale bargain!!

DTC Group Dec 2005

Secret Pal Gift Exchange / Cyber Shower!!
I am a member of a Yahoo group called DTC 2005. Ours was December 18- our official countdown begins!! It is an online group for families whose Dossier to China was December 2005. There are people from all over the world including 8 families from Colorado. Mark and I actually got together with three couples for dinner in March at a couple's house in Erie. Two of the couples will be adopting their second daughters from China. It was great meeting the families and the little girls from China! We plan on getting together in May or June and go bowling.
The DTC group has done a postcard exchange, quilt exchange, secret pal, and cyber shower. It has been a great way to keep busy as we all wait for our referrals. This month's theme for the secret pal was lady bugs. I received from my secret pal the cutest lasybug teas set. I can't wait for Madison to have her first tea party! She has several ladybug dresses to wear at her tea party! Next month's theme is Mother's day. I better get shopping now so I can get it mailed on time!
I received from my cyber pal the book "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes" along with a Sweet Dreams lullabies cd. I can't wait to hold Madison in my arms and read her her book and listen to lullabies as we drift off to sleep.....
Here are a few of the outfits I have found for Madison. They are with ladybugs, of couse, because ladybugs are a sign of good luck for adopting parents. Her closet is getting full and I haven't even started on her nursery!!

Grad School is FINISHED!!

Yea!!!!! I am done with grad school and I will be getting my degree on Friday! I can't believe I am finally done!! It has been a long two years trying to go to school, teach school, work another job, and keep up on household chores. I know,I need some cheese to go with my whine! . I can at least cross one of those things off my list!! Graduation ceremonies are Friday night and I know they are not the most exciting thing to sit through but I figured I have spent enough money on my Master's, I should go through the ceremony. My graduation trip will be China. No Mexico this year but China will be well worth it when we get our daughter!! Only 17 days of school left so that will slow down soon. But then summer school starts four days later so not much of a summer break. Oh, well. I know when Madison comes I will only teach school and not work another job. She will be my priority! Hopefully she will come in the fall and we will not miss to much sohool. We are five months down and maybe only five to go!! Only CCAA knows!