The Hangover....

Well it is not really a hangover b/c I did not drink (due to being on antibiotics) but it feels like a hangover due to lots of physical preparation for the Fundraiser, staying up very late and an overwhelming feeling in my heart that won't go away.

The event was so much fun and I promise to post pictures later when people send me some (I forgot to bring my camera). First and foremost the decorations that were installed by my C.I. friends Liza, Tanya and Greg were just stunningly beautiful. They installed Chinese paper lanterns and parasols in soft pink and white. Thank you guys!! Many complements to you from the guests.

The event committee we had really pulled it together in the final hour and worked so hard during the event. We had a huge silent auction with amazing items for people to bid on and as well, "Vietnamese Draw" auction (well that is what we are calling it) and for this you purchase a book of tickets and drop a ticket or a few into the box of the item you hope to win.

Then we had a great bar set up serving up a few libations to wet every one's whistle because it is a lot of work bidding on items and bidding over other people's bid. It was highly competitive.

The food of course was nothing short of spectacular. Spring rolls, cheese balls, the best sausage rolls from "All the Best Fine Foods" which were donated, veggie and fruit trays, snacks in Asian take-out containers and an array of umbrella cupcakes.

We raised funds for my upcoming trip to Vietnam to bring Lily home. We also raised enough money to purchase medical supplies, diapers, formula and toys for Lily's orphanage. And through the Dragonfly Campaign we raised $250.00 that will go directly to TDH Ontario for children's projects in severe poverty stricken regions in Vietnam.

So a big THANK YOU to the committee (Monique, Jackie, Shari, Rachel), extra help in the kitchen thanks to Juni, a smooth running bar thanks to Jane, shout out to Arletta who did the gorgeous ticket design, all the people (and the list is way too many to list here) who donated an item or service to the silent auction. Without your generous donation our party would not have been nearly as fun. Lastly, I want to thank Erik for allowing us to utilize and make-over the roof-top party room in his loft building. It was a beautiful spot for our gathering.

So as it is Sunday and I have been going like a European Train these days, I am planning on doing nothing. Well almost nothing as I need to clean and organize my house as it looked like a European train when straight through it.

Stay tuned for some pictures.

Auction Items up for Grab

I know many of you cannot make it to the event tomorrow evening....so if you see anything at all you would like to bid on please reach out to the following people:

We would be happy to put your max bid on an item during the auction hours before 10:00pm.

• 2 Bl & Wh Fine Art Photographs of Children - both 5x 7
• Original Watercolour - Michael Zarowsky - Northern Ontario Approx. 18 x 12
• Framed Bl & Wh Fine Art Photograph of Paris Ferris Wheel
• Framed Bl & Wh Fine Art Photograph -Children with ice cream in Brugge
• Framed Original Painting by Penny Maguire
• Framed Photograph of the Rockies - Kananaskis
• Matted photograph of the Rockies - Kananaskis
• Mexican gift basket--Tequilla. corona, kahlua, mexican old elpaso stuff mexican dips.. plus $50 travel voucher.
• Gift Basket of Aveda Products with tote bag
• Gift basket (clinique, estee lauder.. givenchy etc)
• Arbonne Basket - Seasource Spa Products
• Arbonne Basket - NutirMinC RE9 Anti Aging Skincare products
• Arbonne Basket - Aromatherapy Assorted Products
• Basket of Assorted Coffee, Cookies, Biscuits and Chocolate
• Basket of Italian Food Products
• 1 x gift certificate to ONE Restaurant, Yorkville ($100.00)
• 2 Prepaid No Reservation Passes To Craigleith Ski Club
• 2 x Shaw tickets to performances at the Festival Theatre
• 1 night hotel in Niagrara Falls Best Western
• Retreat on Rice Lake at Harmony Dawn (for 1 person - Meditation and Qigong Weekend Workshop
• 1 Deep Tissue Massage - Andrea Bartliff
• 1 hour Lymphedema Massage - Toronto Lymphocare Clinic
• A day with the Nail Bagger (handy man services) - 4 hours
• 90 minutes of personal communications training from JA&A Inc.- value - $750
• 2 x Nutritional Assessment sessions. An initial consultation and allergy treatment (1.5 Hrs). Follow up session (1 hr) The allergy treatment is a form of electro-acupuncture to rid the body's symptoms of allergy
• Turqoise Plate and Cufflinks
• Oakley Sunglasses and Touque
• Ecojot - natural paper products and books
• 3 bottles Autographed Dan Ackroyd wine
• 12 Alliance Films DVD's
• Antica Murrina Venezia Murano Glass Jewellery - Necklace, Earrings and Ring
• Yeti Golf Club
• Audrey Hepburn handbag
• Hockey hall of Fame merchandise
• Eagle Professional Swag Merchandise
• 1 x Gift Certificate - 6 pack of beer from Steam Whistle brewery in Toronto
• 1 x Gift Certificate - Casey’s Grill Bar
• 4 x $25 Gift Certificates to Mercato
• Restaurant Books with Coupons x 5
• and a handful more

No News, No Updates

Not much else to report. Don't get frustrated...the time will come when all this waiting will be but a distant memory.

Hump Day

I have no news to report on this day in the middle of the week. Our adoption community did get information stating that people are slowly getting back to work in the government offices in Vietnam so we should, sometime soon get an update on our status. For those who have been waiting so much longer than I have been ....I so hope they get a travel date this week or early next.

I am a bit under the weather today and under the covers for most of the day. I am of one mind thinking that it is good to be sick now so I won't be sick when I travel but I am not so sure it works that way. On the other hand I am so busy at work and as well prepping for the big fundraising party on Saturday that I don't have time to do nothing.

What I have learned, and sometimes it takes a few coconuts to the head to realize.... nothing matters but one's health. I cannot work efficiently when sick, I cannot socialize, I make Charlotte go to the back yard rather than give her a long walk.

For those wonderful friends of mine reading this blog this would be a time, once I have Lily, that I might have to pick up the phone, reach out and say HELP.

A Blustery Day

Thank goodness for a bit of winter to come our way. I just love snow and therefore, I am quite happy to see the chunky flakes coming down. And, it is Monday and I am not grumpy. Do you want to know my secret? Well, I had a half day vacation. Wow there is life outside of work!

Also, I am feeling really positive that I will hear something this week that will progress me to a travel date. I know I may not get the travel date today but I will get a little snippet of something.

Please focus on a positive update with me. Altogether we can perhaps make a shift.

First comes shower and then comes baby ?

An Update on my Updates

Well another week has come and gone and no news yet as to when I will be travelling. Some days it seems such a far away dream and then other days I feel as though I am about to travel.

Vietnam just celebrated the festival of TET:

Tet - Vietnamese and Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important Festival of Vietnamese people. This scared Festival sometime between late January or early February (depend on Lunar Calendar ) and Tet has become so familiar to the Vietnamese that when Spring arrives, the Vietnamese, wherever they may be, are all thrilled and excited with the advent of Tet, and they feel an immense nostalgia, wishing to come back to their homeland for a family reunion and a taste of the particular flavours of the Vietnamese festivities.. Although officially a three-day affair, festivities may continue for a week or more with every effort made to indulge in eating, drinking, and enjoyable social activities. It is also a time for family reunions, and for paying respect to ancestors and the elders. Gifts of food are made to friends, neighbours and relatives in the days before Tet.

What this means is that no one is getting any information as all the government buildings are closed and many take extended holidays. I was concerned from the onset and knowing the timing when I received my referral of Lily that I would run into TET and there would be a delay.

So I just wanted everyone to know, because I know you are wondering, that I have not received an invitation from Vietnam to travel. I contacted my agency by email last week and by phone this week but I am not hearing back which tells me they have no additional news.

Well, I will focus on the upcoming fundraiser party which will be so much fun!!

Hopefully, fingers crossed and knock on wood that I will hear something next week to share at the party.

Waiting

What a odd thing "waiting" is. We all do it. I find myself waiting for a lot of things these days:

• waiting for more information
• waiting for more photos of Lily
• waiting for an invitation to travel
• waiting on a list for daycare
• waiting in line at the grocery store (when they should have had more cashiers)
• waiting to get an appointment for any type of primping/beautifying and removing type of work to be done
• waiting for mortgage rates to drop even more
• and just looking around my house it is obvious I am waiting to start editing all my stuff to make way for baby items.
• oh and my biggest wait is for the @*%$! Dupont #26 bus

What are you waiting for??

Almost Ready

I was showered with thoughtful and sweet gifts for Lily this past weekend. It was so much fun and it certainly helped to lift my spirits during this waiting game that I am not alone in.

A fashionable baby sling carrier for evenings out on the town and a bumbo seat.

Pretty in Pink!

Pretty mobiles that are visually appealing.

Dino Rocks!

Many of the books that we will be reading while hanging at the cottage.

The Bunny-kins Bank is a tradition from my friend B.

A great travel backpack in the background that I will take to Vietnam with me along with the cuddly bunny.

My sister had this terrycloth outfit made by a someone in Aurora. It will be perfect for when we are on the beach and when the wee is done splashing around in G. Bay or right out of the tub. It is so sweet!

Yes I am going to use cloth diapers especially when I am at the cottage (I am on an island). That is Charlotte's nose in there already smelling the rain boots and they haven't even been outside.

This is the seasonal themed bathtub my two friends put together giving Lily four seasons of beautiful things to wear and play with. I wish the boots came in my size.

Some really cool items for when Lily is into food but note the duck for the bathtub. It also functions as a temperature gage for the tub water. Who would have thought that using your elbow was out.


I love the 'Small Paul" socks. The flowers in the background are actual clothing hooks that I might just hang in the bathroom.


The blanket on the left was made by a friend and it is fleece and really big to wrap both mommy and Lily in. The blanket on the right is one my friend from work knitted from a pattern that was passed down from her grandmother. And the soft bunny with the cutest ears needs to be kept away from Charlotte.


I am hoping Lily doesn't grow as fast as the grow bag would need her to. The good thing is she will have it for a few years.

Delicious Food for a Special Shower

My cousin R, and her daughter J did all the food preparation for the baby shower. It looked and tasted so amazing! From the invitation to the very last moment, the day was so very special to me. I do feel as though I have such a strong and loving community to bring Lily into.

I always like to start with dessert first.

...and then the healthy stuff

Party sandwiches are my favorite.

I was very busy opening gifts so I did miss out on some of these gourmet selections.

Homemade pizza right from "Mamma R's" kitchen

Lots of Proseco flowing for the afternoon with a splash of Cassis.

Food ....how I love food! As the guests searched for "their" black coat upon departure I couldn't help think how fast the afternoon went and how I wanted to stretch it out even longer. I loved seeing all my friends gather together in conversation, laughs and big smiles.

Left with just few family members we decided that hunger was creeping up so we stayed just a bit longer to have R's amazing garlic, cheddar mashed potatoes with ham and salad...and yes I had just one more glass of Proseco and did a silent cheer in hopes that my travel date will come soon.

An Afternoon Shower

I had such a beautiful afternoon with lots of close friends and family to celebrate Lily's anticipated arrival. An afternoon shower hosted by my cousin R and my two friends G & A.

The food was just amazing. The menu consisted of pizza bites, sausage rolls (the best I have ever had), mini quiche, party sandwiches, mini scones with cream and jam, veggies and cupcakes for dessert. Lots of Proseco & Cassis !!

I was truly overwhelmed with all the beautiful gifts I opened for Miss Lily. Photos will follow tomorrow after I have had a good night sleep but I received some wonderful story books, sweet outfits, stuffed animals that were as soft and lambs wool, diaper bag and backpack, toys and mobiles, and a themed gift of all our seasons for Lily (which was very clever) i.e. coats for winter, outfit for the fall, bathing suit for summer....you get the idea. A Bunnykins bank which is a tradition of my dear friend B ....she has given one to all our circle of girlfriends who have had a baby. There was more, such as a hand knitted baby blanket from a grandmothers pattern, another homemade fleece blanket that was big enough to wrap myself up with and then all the other wonderful gifts that Lily will use either now or as she grows. I even received a wipes warmer for Lily but I am certain I will personally use from time to time. Nothing is better than a warm wipes!

I am slowly falling a sleep after a day that would resemble Christmas morning. I am still in the clouds as today has just made the wait a little bit more tolerable and I know that very soon I will round the corner and will step onto the plane for Vietnam.

February Blues

Yup that about sums it up.

I have been feeling very overwhelmed lately and I think that the waiting is really starting to get to me. I come across like all is "OK" or "I anticipated the wait" or "all good things come to those who wait"...but really, it is killing me, at least these past few days. I just feel really sad that I cannot be there with her.

I did have a busy weekend and finally got the stairs carpeted and they look amazing. The cool thing is that they do not creak when climbing up or down. So the only other big job is to re-surface the kitchen floor. How I would love that job to be done when I am away, but I am such a good demolition girl that my skills are much needed for this job.

There is a (non) surprise shower for me this coming weekend. It will be great to have friends around and I think it will also get me pumped up and give me a second wind to keep going. And who doesn't like opening presents, drinking champagne and eating cake (I am only assuming there is cake). How great is it that for my baby shower I can consume lots of champagne.

Cheers Everyone!

February Finally

Yeah! I am so excited to be in the month of Feb. This is the month where things are going to start to happen. I just sit here, type and wish. Wish big that I will get the call mid month and that it is true, I am going to be a mamma and I have been invited to finally ....come and bring Lily home.

I can't even anticipate how that will feel but I long for it to be now, or tomorrow at the least. I have been so patient with my wait and I can say that I am really ready to travel to Vietnam.

So watch this spot. I am hoping for many updates and then the big news of a date to travel.

Hang in there.....you are not alone.