Happy Purim!

The weekend was a busy one with all of Sienna's activities including Tot Shabbat on Friday night. We really enjoyed the Huntington Gardens especially the Children's Garden. It is a wonderfully thought out and imaginative place for children. The Chinese Garden looks like it is coming along but is a little raw with baby plants and no buildings as of yet. I was mistaken when I said $10MM to construct, it is $18MM for Phase I, and Phase II starts in March with all the pavillions being constructed. Fifty craftsmen from China are being brought over and will assure the authenticity of the garden. It was quite crowed on Saturday with all the parking lots and side streets jammed. We got there early and were able to have a beautiful lunch outdoors (it was an amazingly beautiful clear 70 degree day).

On Sunday we took Sienna to the TRZ purim carnival and she was elated when she got to wear her Halloween costume again, she was a giraffe. She rode on the ponies and the train, went in the bouncy house and giant slide, played games and ate junk food. After that we all hunkered down to watch the academy awards. It was good that we relaxed because I took a header from the top step of the Jacuzzi tub and fell face down on the tile floor. John was certain we would be visiting the hospital but I was able to get up because I broke the fall with my arms. Whew...that was a close one.

Quiet week

It has been a relatively uneventful week, which is just what the Dr. ordered.

It looks like we are still on track for a May/June referral after speaking with our agency today.

This weekend starts Purim festivities and CNY festivities start to wind down. Friday night we are planning on the popular (at least with Sienna) Tot Shabbat, on Saturday we are planning to go to the Huntington Museum and Library to see the new $10MM chinese garden, the largest and most authentic outside of China. They are going to have a CNY childrens program on Saturday and then in March the garden closes for Phase II. On Sunday we are having a Purim Carnival at TRZ (temple ramat zion).

Hebrew class is coming to a close with only one session left. I think our next classes will be with the Cantor as we begin to read the service texts.

Happy CNY!

We had a hectic and wonderful 3 day weekend.

On Friday we had a dinner at our temple followed by a class in Israeli dancing. Sienna loved it!

On Saturday we had a 90 degree day and took the opportunity to go to the Grove from shopping and lounging. Apparently most of LA had the same idea.

On Sunday we went to a birthday party for Zachary and then met our Havarah at the Zimmer Children's Museum in LA for a CNY workshop that was done in conjunction with Families with children for china. So this was a double header for us. After the musuem several families continued the festivities at Golden Hunan restaurant.

Today was president's day and we basically vegged. We took dinner over to my mom's house to celebrate her 75th, which was yesterday.

It was a great weekend and I am ready to go back to work!

Getting up for the long weekend.

Tommorrow I leave for a short trip with my boss to Sacramento and return on Friday. Now that's the way to start a long weekend, going in the opposite direction. We have a nice weekend planned with a birthday on Sunday and a trip to the zimmer childrens musuem ending in a dinner at Golden Hunan to celebrate the CNY-year of the Boar. I found out this is the year of the Golden Boar and it only comes once every 60 years. This is a special year for Children to be born....you know what I am thinking?

This last weekend

This weekend was a fun filled one.

On Friday we went to the Shabbat of Love at our TRZ (Temple). The music was amazing with two Argentine Cantors visiting. At one point Sienna shocked us and felt the need to run to the beema and dance her butt off in front of the whole congregation. She was waving her arms and tush and in general having the time of her life while the congregation was laughing their butts off too. I don't think she will be affected by the family Shyness, not!

On Saturday we enjoyed Tot Shabbatt and then I went to a very lovely tea hosted by my neighbor at her church where I enjoyed seeing Angie's relatives and friends I had missed at Christmas time. Later that afternoon we drove to Ryland's 2nd birthday party at the kid space museum in Pasadena. On the way home we picked up a cake, had dinner and invited the neighbors over to sing happy birthday to John.

Yesterday we went to brunch at the Queen Mary to celebrate John's birthday. It turned out to be a beautiful sunny day despite rumors of rain. Sienna's friend from preschool, Quinn was there with her family so the girls got to run all over the ship together after brunch. We got home around 3pm and passed out. Whew.....

It's been a few days...

It was a busy weekend followed by a busy week.

On Saturday I went down to San Diego for a business meeting and reception at PETCO park where the San Diego Padres play. What an impressive field. We enjoyed being out on the mound and were able to throw some fast pitches (well not so fast in my case).

Tuesday the drive home was unbelievable, and it took hours! Yesterday was catch up day which brings us to Thursday.

Our agency CCAI received 81 referrals this month which included 6 boys! We are getting so close! I have started to look at bedding and decorating ideas for the nursery. I held off on buying some really cute stuff on line because I want Sienna to be part of the preparation for her new sister (or brother's , you never know) arrival.

This weekend will be another busy one with a temple dinner tomorrow, tot shabbat on Sat, a Tea on Sat. for Karen, and a birthday party for Sienna to attend. With all this going on we decided to postpone John's birthday celebration till Sunday. We plan on having brunch just the three of us at the Queen Mary. Hopefully it wont be raining!

Tonight

So we are eating dinner at the FCC chinese new years banquet and in walks Meg Ryan with her adopted daughter and son. A few minutes later Laura Dern and her family also walk in and join them at a table right next to ours. Only in LA...

On to the next month...

Today we are so excited because we are going to our very first Chinese New Years Banquet. Yesterday I stopped in Chinatown to buy Sienna some cute shoes to match her new Chinese outfit from American Girl Place. I also bought her itty bitty twins a matching outfit and a 2nd outfit (she will get the doll clothes on her birthday). Now all the girls will be dressed so cute. Dad and I plan to wear whatever.

By the way, Grandma is accompanying us tonight to the Empress Pavillon. We are expecting lots of entertainers including the famous Lion Dancers, a ten course meal which I am sure will include traditional items like "Long Life noodles" etc, and a lot of screaming happy kids. Probably there will be 400 ppl.

A great day

We have been looking at all the referral pictures and the children are so beautiful and young...We are seeing babies as young as 6-7 months. I am also seeing a couple of young healthy boys that were referred. Very exciting stuff. I dropped off the homestudy package to INS today and in about 6 weeks we should have our updated I-171H-advance approval to adopt a foreign born orphan. You need this at match date and must have it at the time of travel to China.

MATCH DAY

"The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before October 13, 2005."

This was on the website today. We are closing in on the December 6th date and getting more excited by the minute. If we continue this pace we look good for May.

Yet another milestone today was receiving our updated homestudy. Tommorow I will bring it to US Immigration office and start the clock on the renewal of our I-171H (US advance approval to adopt a foreign born Ophan). The immigrations office is taking approximately 6 weeks to turn these around. Ours should be completed just prior to or on our expiration date of 3/22. You need this to be current when you recieve your match and travel to China. It was the culmination of two months worth of work including updated Physicals, finger prints, employment verifications, and reports from our pediatrician. Also, we had to have a home visit by the social worker. Whew... Not to mention the additional grand it cost.