Friday, June 30, 2006
What A Temper
We got to leave work early today (at 4:00) because it’s a holiday weekend. Woohoo!
I told Eliana’s daycare provider that I would be leaving work early. She said that Eliana’s summer school class would be at the pool and I could pick her up there so that’s what I did. Unfortunately, the Empress was NONE too happy when I showed up. She didn’t like the fact that her friends were staying behind at the water and SHE had to leave. Man oh man…what a temper. Daddy was the bad guy.
On a side note, we tried out a brand new restaurant tonight in town. It’s called Showmars. Wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either. It’s definitely nice to have another option for eating out.
{extended}We Have Our LID!
Well glory!
Carmi and I just received an email from Traci with Christian World Adoption. She said the agency received our log-in confirmation today.
The China Center of Adoption Affairs received our dossier and our information was logged-in to their computer system on June 20, 2006. Current wait time to referral is 12-13 months but will most certainly change for better or for worse.
No matter. We’re IN, baby!
{extended}Wednesday, June 28, 2006
An Educational Moment
Today I enjoyed lunch with my mom who almost hurt herself laughing while recounting an educational moment from yesterday afternoon.
She and Eliana were watching TV and in response to something on the screen, Mom used the word
stupidin a sentence. Clutching her little hands to her chest as though experiencing a heart attack, Eliana wheeled around and looked at mom wide-eyed with amazement and gasped.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”, mom apologized. “That is NOT a nice word to say. I’ll do my best not to say that word again.”
After a short pause, Eliana leaned over towards mom and said in a very soft voice, ”
Durn itis a bad word too.”
“Yes it is.”, agreed granmommy. “Now who have you heard say that word?”
To which Eliana leaned over once again and replied in the same matter-of-fact tone, “My daddy.”
{extended}Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Marching Into Vacation Bible School
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Thursday, June 22, 2006
October 2005 out of the review room
The CCAA has finished reviewing adoption application documents registered with their office before October 31, 2005.
{extended}Visions of Caddyshack
Eliana’s summer class in preschool goes to a public pool on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays so this was swim day.
When I went after work to get Eliana from daycare, her provider said that the class had to leave the water much earlier than usual today because there was a huge turd in the pool. She was quite adamant that, based on it’s size, there’s no way the crap could have come from any of the little ones.
What kind of idiot dumps in a public pool? Oh well, we do live in the midst of Redneck, USA.
Visions of Caddyshack are bouncing around in my head.
{extended}Sunday, June 18, 2006
My Father’s Day Card 2006
Some time ago, Carmi taught Eliana that the Chinese word for ‘dad’ or ‘father’ is “ba ba”. Eliana just thought that was the coolest thing and she frequently refers to me as “ba ba” when in a silly mood.
So after our church service was over this morning, I went down to the preschool area to get Eliana and prepare to go home. When I walked into the room, she ran excitedly up to me and handed me her creation.
Yeah, the spelling is off but I thought it was neat that she wanted them to include “ba ba” in my Father’s Day card. Plus she signed it herself because I recognize her spelling. That’s good stuff right there…
{extended}Saturday, June 17, 2006
I Am Koala
Tomorrow is Mom’s birthday so one of my sisters was in town for the weekend. We met at Mom’s for lunch and then Eliana was quite anxious to go outside.
You’ve seen The Wiggles, right? They are a children’s group from Australia and sometimes they will show native Koala Bears sleeping up in a tree on their television program.
Eliana loves this show and, after climbing the tree, informed me that she was a Koala. Doesn’t look very comfortable but I suppose the intense gaming this morning just wore her out.
Some Heavy Concentration
Eliana hadn’t been up long this morning when she wanted to play on my laptop instead of watching cartoons.
Playhouse Disney was requiring some heavy concentration!
Friday, June 16, 2006
A page from mom’s parenting book
We were preparing to head out for dinner tonight when I thought to take Eliana to the potty before leaving the house.
As she’s sitting there, I noticed something white on her forehead just above her left eyebrow. I rubbed and whatever ‘it’ was didn’t come off so I borrowed a page from my mother’s parenting book. I licked my finger and rubbed the whiteness again.
Remember that?
As soon as my wet finger touched her face, she pulled back a bit and exclaimed, “Hey! Why are you puttin’ spit on my face?!?”
{extended}Thursday, June 15, 2006
I’ve Been Affirmed
When I picked Eliana up at Mom’s after work, we headed for the grocery store - per Carmi’s request - to get chicken breasts for supper.
We almost always put Eliana in a cart while shopping because ‘A’ her little legs slow us down considerably if she walks and ‘B’ she wants to stop and look at e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g along the way. Lately, though, she has become very resistant to riding in a cart. I suppose she equates riding in a cart with being a little kid.
As I’m carrying her across the parking lot and heading for the door, she pleads, “Daddy, can I walk when we get in the store?”
I knew I didn’t need a cart this trip so I replied, “Yes, sweetheart. You can walk.” and I kissed her forehead.
With that, she threw her arms around my neck, squeezed until my eyes almost popped and said, “You’re a GOOD daddy!”
{extended}The Crud in Hot Weather
Carmi has the crud.
The only thing worse than having the crud is having the crud in hot weather. My pitiful wife sounds like she’s been a chain smoker for the last 20 years. She just doesn’t sound her normal, sexy self right now.
It’s just a matter of time before she shares with me and Eliana. Grrr…
{extended}Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Pre-Paid Minutes
I was talking with a buddy of mine tonight when Eliana decided that she wanted in on the conversation.
I handed her my cellphone and she began to pace all over the house while talking to ‘Uncle Don’. Carmi and I were cracking up.
She walked around for a while with one hand in her pocket. She squeezed the phone between her ear and shoulder while occasionally fiddling with a toy. She sat down j-u-s-t long enough for me to snap this picture. All the while, she’s chattering a mile a minute.
The whole time I’m thinking, “When she’s old enough for a phone of her own, I better get one with pre-paid minutes!”
We’re DTC!
Carmi and I don’t drink but if we did, you better believe we’d be poppin’ the cork on a big ol’ bottle of ‘Dom Perignon’ about now.
We received an email this morning from Virginia, our case manager, who said that the Hendersons are DTC as of today!
DTC stands for Dossier To China which means that our paperwork is done (Great job, dear!) and will be placed in the capable hands of UPS for delivery to the China Center of Adoption Affairs. Unfortunately there is no next-day service to China (yes I DID ask) but the package should arrive in 3 days.
Many kudos to the great staff at CWA for getting our dossier out the door before their offices close for the remainder of the week.
I think I’ll do the ‘happy dance’ with Eliana tonight.
{extended}Monday, June 12, 2006
Live-Action Mulan
This is pretty cool. Seems that plans are in the works for a live-action Mulan
film starring Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi.
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