SRING TIME IN VANCOUVER

When we arrived in Vancouver last evening it was raining and overcast...so no mountains to be seen! This morning the sun came out and we went out for a walk before leaving for the airport. All the spring flowers are in bloom...but still can't see any mountians...maybe from the plane!

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE!!

Well the journey begins!!! Here's a picture of myself, my friend Sherri and my Aunt Alanna waiting to board our flight.

Our plane as it comes into the boarding ramp.

QUILT SQARE # 56 AND QUILT SQARE # 57

t

This dog print fabric was donated by my friend Sherri's dog "Cola"!

This Hockey fabric was donated by Sherri's son Cory.

QUILT SQARE # 55

This Christmas print fabric was donated by my very good friend Sherri. Martha Stewart has nothing on Sherri when it comes to Christmas Decorating...she has a total of 10 Christmas trees...one for almost every room!!

Sherri is also joining me in my "Journey of a Lifetime" to bring home my daughter Ava!

QUILT SQARE # 54

This music note fabric was donated by Jamie, Sherri's son. He is an avid guitar player!

QUILT SQARE # 53

This pretty pink quilt sqare was donated by Sherri's (my travel partner) daughter Shauna...who is training to be Ava's "JIE JIE" and can't wait to teach her how to skate so she too can play hockey!

QUILT SQUARES AND LADYBUG BLANKET FOR AVA

This adorable ladybug blanket was sent to me for Ava from my friend Dina. It's just toooo cute!


These three fabric squares were donated by my friend Dina, her boyfriend, Dave and her daughter Danielle. She also sent some ladybug iron ons.
Thank you so much Dina, Dave and Danielle

SURPRISE GIFT AT MY FRONT DOOR!

When I opened my front door Thursday morning there was a package waiting for me. Look what I found when I opened the package.
This beautiful Willow Tree figurine called "Child of my Heart" was given to me my Joanne , a friend from work.
The card with it reads:
CHILD OF MY HEART

Child of the World
Into my Heart you came-
Bringing sun into my life,
Making family our name.

Thank you very much Joanne, that was so thoughtful of you.
I just love it!

MORE GIFTS FOR AVA

My friend Cindy and her daughter Meghan came over Tuesday night with gifts for Ava.

Cindy made Ava this beautiful butterfly quilt to match the theme in Ava's room and also brought this little butterfly lamp.

She spoiled Ava even more by making her this four piece matching ladybug outfit!

Cindy, you are too generous. I really enjoyed our visit .

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!!!!

One more sleep Ava and Mommies on her way!

It won't be long now before I will be able to hold you in my arms...I so can't wait for April 18th...Gotcha Day!!

Sweet Dreams Ava! Mommy loves you.

XOXOXOXO

GIFTS FOR AVA FROM NAPLES, FORIDA!

My very good friend Ann from Naples, Florida sent this package for Ava. Included are two fabric swatches for Ava's quilt, that brings it up to 49 squares!...almost half way!

She sent a soft yellow flannel fabric with ladybugs and a pretty pink cotton fabric also with ladybugs.

Included in the package were ladybug socks and barretts. Ava's room is done with a butterfly theme, so Ann sent this butterfly mobile.

The gifts are just beautiful...thank-you so much Ann, can't wait to see you in June.

GIFT FROM MYSTERY MOM TO BE!!

A group of single mommies to be met a couple of weeks back for dinner and to share our stories about re our adoption journeys.

One of the girls I met at that dinner; mystery mom to be "R" sent me this beautiful card and the chinese character for family to hang on the wall...isn't it just beautiful...and how thoughtful!

I just love it "R"

QUILT SQUARE # 47

This very colourful ladybug fabric was given to me my my friend Karen from work. She included a beautiful wish page for Ava...click on the photo to enlarge and read the wish!

Thank you so much Karen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAULINA!!!

It's Paulina's 9nth Birthday today...please join me in wishing her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

SARAH WITH HER FOREVER FAMILY!!

~the miracle of adoption~


~a precious child~



~Daddy's hand to always hold~


My blogger friend; Amy (Catching Butterflies) was united with her daugher Sarah today!
Miracles really do happen!! I'm so happy for you Amy...Sarah will be so loved!

HE IS RISEN

HAPPY EASTER FROM MY "FUR GIRLS"!!!

PACKING...UNPACKING...AND REPACKING!!

I think I finally got it to fit!!! I have packed, unpacked and repacked Ava's bags at least a dozen
times. I started out with two regular suitcases...going into Beijing we are each allowed two 50lb bags but have to condence this to one 44lb bag each for travel to Inner Mongolia. Well, just one of Ava's bags weighed 66lbs and there was still stuff I would need in the other bag! The suitcase empty weighed 15lbs!!....doesn't give you much left over to fill it with.
So I ditched the suitcases and have now decided to use two large duffle bags on wheels with handles to pull them...they each weigh 6lbs empty....that's more like it!
So between the two duffles and my back pack I think I have everything I could possibly need for our two weeks in China....half of one of the duffles makes up by portable pharmacy on wheels!! You name it I got it!! You can never be too prepared.
Now for my clothes and toiletries....oops...there's no room left! I hope my travel partners; Sherri and Alanna have a little room left over in their bags....cause I think I'll be using it. I'm only planning on about 4 outfits...will use the local laundry services at the hotels.
I am also bringing my own umbrella stroller...I know you can get them really cheap in China but I find most of them are way too short for someone who is 5feet9inches tall. I found this one that is quite tall...no bending over required...so in order to save my back I will be lugging another piece of luggage to China with me.


Gifts for the Foster Family and Nannies at the Orphanage.

I picked up this Canada photo album and filled it with Ava's referral pictures and the pics I was sent of her with her foster family as well as pictures of myself, my family, my dogs, my home, and my cottage to give to the foster family so they will know who loves her and where she will be living. I also include a couple pics of a world map highlighting the area in China that Ava was born and the area in Ontario that she is headed for.
Other gifts I am bringing include a picture book of Canada, Toronto, Ontario post cards, maple syrup candies, fancy writing paper for the nannies, note paper with the Canadian Maple Leaf and Canada written on it as well as silver maple leaf and Inukshuk pins.
I will put them in red gift bags with gold tissue paper once we get to China...these colours are a symbol of good luck in China.



Canadian Souvenirs for the children we meet in our travels.

SEVEN MORE SLEEPS....AND I LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!

TRAVEL ITINERARY

April 13-Fly to Vancouver and stay overnight

April 14-Fly to Beijing(will actually be April 15th when we arrive)

April 15-Transfer to Jianguo Garden Hotel

April 16-Visit Tiananmen Sqare and the Forbidden City

April 17- Visit The Great Wall of China

April 18- Fly from Beijing to Hohhot (Holiday Inn) and in afternoon go
to the Civil Affairs to get Ava and sign agreement (Gotcha Day!!)

April 19- Civil Affairs for adoption registration and Ava's passport

April 20- Continue process for Notarization...time for shopping for
necessities in the afternoon

April 21- Tour, to visit tradional Herdsman's Home(Yurt/Ger) and
the Grasslands

April 22- Visit Temple of Da Zhao Si and the Provincial Museum

April 23- City tour in morning and pick up passport in afternoon, fly to
Beijing in the evening

April 24- Immigration Medical and get Ava's photo taken, then go to the
Canadian Embassy for Ava's Visa

April 25- Hutong Tour (Tradional Chinese village)

April 26- Free shopping day

April 27- Pick up Visa in the morning, Peking Duck Dinner in the evening

April 28- Leave Beijing for Vancouver, stay overnight

April 29- Leave Vancouver for Toronto( arrive in Toronto 7pm)

MORE QUILT SQARES FOR AVA'S QUILT

QUILT SQUARE # 44, 45 and 46

These three squares of fabric were sent by my friend Jan, her husband Norm and their two kids
Shannon and Lachlan. The swatches include a soft flannel plaid fabric, a cheery flannel floral fabric and a colourful girly fabric with real cool sayings written all over it.

Their wish for Ava:

Let the music inside you sing out loud!

QUILT SQUARE # 43

This soft flannel ladybug and bumble bee faric was sent by Dolores and Shawn of

Mississauga, Ontario.

They are blogger friends who are also in the process of adopting from China

http://watchourfamilygrow.blogspot.com/

Their wish for Ava :

Life is not measured by the

Number of breaths we take,

But by the moments that take

Our breath away.

A POEM FOR AVA FROM DINA

what is a girl

she's a bundle of happiness wrapped up in pink
who'll take over your heart
just as quick as a wink
a lover of perfume and powder and love
with a scrape of her knee
and a smudge on her face
when to turn on the tears
an imp blessed with wisdom
beyond her short years
and an elf bubbling over
with laughter and fun
who'll "mother" most anything under the sun
she's a mixture of temper
who's born with a knowledge
of feminine wiles
the hope of tomorrow topped off with a curl
a dreamer, a darling
all this is a girl

This poem was sent for Ava from my friend Dina.

ANXIOUSLY AND NERVOUSLY ANTICIPATING MY MOMENT LIKE THIS!!!!

WHAT IS A GIRL?

My very good friend Ann in Florida sent me this poem as an email....thought I'd share!

what is a girl?

she's a bundle of sweetness and brightness and fun
the beauty of springtime, the warmth of the sun
she's innocence covered with mud, sand and soot
she's motherhood dragging a doll by the foot
she's a composite picture of giggles and tears
of tantrums, excitement, amusement and fears
a bundle of mischief and often a tease
a creature of moods not too easy to please
who can capture your heart with her pixie like grin
or chatter and beg till your patience wears thin
but obedient, naughty, mischievous or coy
she's mom's little darling full of pride and joy

DRINKING TO AVA!!!!

Well, Sherri and I have been waiting months for

this day to come.......we've had our prescriptions for "DUKORAL", the traveller's diarrhea vaccine

for months now and have been anticipating the day we would be able to "DRINK" to Ava....as it would mark the two week wait before we left for China to bring my Ava home!!

Cheers to Ava and China!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smelled alot better than it tasted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!