THANKS!

I totally forgot this in my ramblings, but thank you so much for all the sweet things you said about my make over and new hair. You guys really picked me up!  It is a shame that single men don’t go to showers, isn’t it? Ha ha ha ha 

 

 

Random Stuff

I have many things going on right now, but none of them by themselves is enough for a whole post. So I thought I would just ramble around a bit.

I need to get my eyes checked out. I’ve always worn glasses, and I have a lazy eye that was corrected by surgery when I was about 4. Now that I’m old though, whenever I’m tired or stressed out, my lazy eye wanders around on its own. My beloved sister says that one eye looks surprised and one eye looks droopy. Feel the love. So, not that this is wonderful to hear, but mostly I can FEEL it not working and its making me dizzy a bit., I have to find a ophthalmologist and have them take a look. JOY.

I can NOT decide how to decorate Emily’s nursery. I realize I have some time, but when people ask I feel like a moron that I haven’t picked out anything. The problem is that I see something I like and then I’ll go a few weeks and see something ELSE I like. Too many choices. Plus, do I really want to have to paint the room AGAIN? I just painted it pale yellow about a year or so ago. And it took FOREVER. I’m a horrible painter as well. My instinct is to find something that matches with yellow. How hard can that be, right?

I really like all the bloggy people that I’ve met in real life. They are good friends now. And it seems like that wouldn’t have happened, but it totally did. I know my mom thinks I’m nuts meeting people in real life that I met on the internet (What if they are murderers Shannon?) But I figure if homeland security clears you, than it’s probably ok to meet you for lunch. I mean, we’ve all been fingerprinted, right? LOL

I still don’t know my actual LID and it totally is pissing me off. I can’t understand how my agency is the ONLY agency in the US that CCAA has asked not to call and get a LID. How is that possible?? Grrrrrrrrrr!

I have a Single Parents dinner with my FCC group this Friday at Chuck E Cheese. I set it all up. Let me tell you, it shouldn’t be this hard to get 8 women to agree on a place to eat. The problem is that the city I live in is very spread out, and has horrible traffic. No one wants to go more than 20 mins for anything. Not that I blame anyone, I’m totally the same way. But when I suggested breaking the group in two (a north group and a south group) everyone went ballistic. So, I guess its good they all came around. In a weird way, I’m not looking forward to this dinner. I’m the youngest in the group by about 8 or 9 years, and there seems to be a BIG difference in our mentalities. As in I think they all seem rich and old, and I’m not. I also think they think that I’m stupid and naïve, which is an unpleasant feeling. I’m sure they don’t really think that, but it is the vibe I get. Maybe its because most of them already have their kids, and I don’t, so we don’t really have much in common?? *sigh* I’m sure it will be fine. I just needed to vent.

I have my first Life Book meeting this Saturday. THAT I am looking forward to! I have to get a new snazzy notebook so I can take notes and brainstorm and junk. OOOH AHHH. I love new notebooks. They are fun and I like the way new paper smells. (I know I’m a weirdo).

The only reason I watch the Super Bowl is for the commercials. I think football is stupid. Its grown men paid millions of dollars to chase after a little ball that they hardly ever use their FOOT on. If you love football, well good for you. I don’t. Nothing you say will ever change my mind, so don’t leave me nasty comments about it. OCCASIONALLY I will watch part of a game, but mostly it is just to see if any cute guys pop up on the graphics. Other than that, I really could care less.

See how rambly I am today? And maybe a little cranky? Its my eye. I have a headache on that side of my head. It must be drooping again. It could be worse right? I could have one droopy boob. That would suck. Ha ha ha

Can we say MAN BOOBIES??? hee hee hee!!!  

Weekend Recap

My weekend was fantastic. My friend Jody and her boyfriend Scott came and spent the weekend with me while they looked for an apartment. I’m even more psyched about her moving here than I was before! YAY!!   I also managed to get in a Mary Kay make over (see pic below) and go to Susan's baby shower. The shower was so much fun! She got some very practical stuff, and some really cute stuff too. Baby showers are just fun in general, but I think this one was even more fun because we know in just 2 weeks and 2 days, Susan & Will are on their way to China to bring home their little one. So exciting. J 

 

I also got to watch Madagascar for the first time this weekend, and it is very funny. So if you are looking for a movie to rent, then I recommend that one.

 

I wish I had more to report but I really don’t. I have decided that the month of February is CLEAN OUT THE CRAP month. I’m not allowing myself to buy anything new, just get rid of the old for the whole month of February. Doesn’t sound like fun does it? But I’m going to see if I can sell some stuff on Ebay, make a little bit toward the adoption costs. If not, its going to Goodwill, or to the trash can. I have entirely too much stuff. Wish me luck!

 

 

 

 

The Super Hot Mammas of NC, 

Me and Karen being silly at Susan's shower! 

This is me, after my highlights and with a truckload of Mary Kay make up on. Except for my goofy grin, I look pretty good, if I do say so myself! :-) 

YAY For Fridays!

I love Fridays! This weekend in particular should be a lot of fun.  Firstly, my good friend Jody from high school is in process of moving to Charlotte. YAY! So she and her boyfriend are coming to stay with me this weekend with her doggie Sophie while they look for a place to live. I’m so excited about this because I’ll have one more person to play with in Charlotte! Yippee!! Jody is a great friend and I’ll be glad to have her closer to me. Plus, she loves Indian food as much as I do, so it will be nice to have someone to go eat with, most of my other friends aren’t into Indian food. (weirdos)

 

Also on the agenda for the weekend is a Mary Kay make-over and a baby shower. Oooh ahhh. The make over thing is a help a friend of a friend, she has to do some sort of before and after portfolio thingy. So I offered my face. I like Mary Kay makeup, so it should be ok. If the pictures are funny I’ll post up here.

 

Not much else to report. I hear there were a bunch of referrals made this week. Its always happy news to get and fun to look at the pictures of the beautiful babies. I can’t wait for it to be my turn!!!

 

Hope everyone else is having a fabulous Friday like me. J

 

BIRD FLU

OK. Who watched Oprah yesterday? Did you see the infection specialist guy on there going on & on about bird flu and how it was going to shut down global economy as we know it and that none of us are prepared? It scared the bejeezus out of me. It is scary enough to think of crazy terrorists, and whackado people who could break into your house and rape or kill you, now I have to worry about viruses bringing down civilization as we know it?  Good grief. Its enough to turn us all into the Unabomber!  I definitely want to go to BJ’s or Sam’s club and stock up on clean drinking water and frozen beef.

 

I hope this guy is wrong. Beside the fact that I don’t want to die of lung failure, I REALLY don’t want a pandemic to keep me from getting to Emily.  Sheesh.

 

 

 

Mister Fabulous. :-) 

OH NO! I'm one of them!

Hi. I’m Shannon and I’ve become an adoption website stalker.  It is horrible. I must go to like a bazillion websites a day, checking for news, seeing if anyone got their referrals, checking what the rumors are. I can’t believe I’ve turned to this!! I promised myself over and over that I would never look for rumors, but gosh, I have SO FREAKING LONG TO WAIT!! There is nothing else to DO during the day when I’m supposed to be working. I’ve totally stolen Mary Mia's idea, and made my own spreadsheet of referral times, based on stuff MY agency is saying.  It is making me crazy. I have very limited info because, as I may have mentioned, my agency stinks, so I can’t even fill in all the blanks. I’m so FRUSTRATED.  And I’m sad a bit.  It can’t be good for me to spend this much time, effort, energy, thought into just getting a picture. I can’t help but feel that after I get it, I’ll be disappointed. Is that horrible? Don’t get me wrong, I very much want Emily to come home, but can it possibly be as good as I have it my head? Am I setting myself up for a huge disappointment? God, I hope not.  I used to do stuff! I used to look forward to other things! Now it’s like, well this is the last time I do that before Em comes home, or…only 8 more (or 9 more?) months until I see her picture. Only a YEAR until I go to China. CRIKEY! I hate this! And I’m only one month into the wait!  What am I going to be like by June or July???  I’ll have countdown calendars all over the place by then! They will have to put me in a cuckoo home! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now I’m majorly bummed. All this introspection is not good for me.  I’m going to do work now. Keep me busy. Ugh.

 

 

Rascal pie. Bless his doggie heart, he is afraid of the digital camera!!  

Rascaly Rascal!

My doggie is the best. He is a black lab mix that I rescued from the humane society about 6 years ago. He is very laid back, likes to snuggle and will lick you to death. His name is Rascal, but like all good pets, he has pet names like Rascal-pie, Noodle, and Rascaly Rascal.  I have to close my bedroom door when I go to work in the morning, because if I don’t, he sneaks in there and jumps on the bed and sleeps there all day, leaving a Rascal size dent covered in dog hair and drool. (ick) 

Anyways, Rascal woke me up this morning at 4:57 by HOWLING, approximately 2 feet from my head. Why was he howling? I have no freaking idea! He’s never howled before. It scared the bejeezus out of me I tell you that! I got up and looked all around the house to make sure there were no crooks, (there weren’t) and hopped back into bed. Rascal took that as a sign that he could get in bed with me too, so he hopped on up and laid down to guard my feet.  I think he’s smarter than he looks!!

 

 

 

My Day as a Rock Star!

I had a very good day yesterday. First off, my nephew is sleeping through the night, so I slept pretty well at my Mom’s. And I even got to sleep in a bit later than I normally do, so that was nice. Then my sister and I went and got our facials and that was fabulous. They put all this goop on, rub it in, wipe it off, and then start all over with new goop. Very relaxing. Well, except the part where they wrapped a hot towel over my face and only my little nose was sticking out. That kind of freaked me out a bit, but it was only for a minute. (I’m claustrophobic) Other than that, it was awesome.  Then my mom, sister, nephew and I went to eat, and then we went to visit a friend, and then we went to the mall to go baby clothes shopping.  Emily has 2 new outfits now, one from her aunt, and one from her grandma! Apparently my shopping addiction is contagious. LOL

 

Then I came home to Charlotte, with NO TRAFFIC, (which is unheard of) and went over to watch Lost with Shannon.  And really, I’m with her. I don’t see half the stuff they say is going on in the show. I’m too busy drooling over Sawyer, Jack and assorted other hotties. Is EVERYONE on the island a hunk? I think so. Except maybe that creepy island dude last night….

 

Anyway, now I’m back to being a normal person. Working today, going to the gym tonight. It was fun while it lasted.

 

My nephew is LAUGHING now!! Such a cutie pie. I can't get enough!  

The Princess Is In

I’m going to a spa tomorrow to get a facial. NA NA NA BOO BOO!!!  I’m going to be living like a rock star, while the rest of you are WORKING. HA HA HA HA

 

Seriously. I’m taking a day off and going with my sister to a spa and we are both getting these Europure Facials. I’m soooo looking forward to it. Especially having it in the middle of the week like this, I feel very Hollywood!! Plus, as an added bonus I will get to play with my nephew tonight and tomorrow. I love the little guy, so that will be great fun too. Hopefully this time he won’t give me the crud like he did at Christmas. Although, who am I kidding, he could give me ebola and I still would want to hug him!!

 

Hope everyone else has fun in the trenches tomorrow while I’m off being a Princess. J

 

(admit it, you are all hating me right now!)

 

 

 

 

It's NOT the Scale's Fault

I bought a new scale this weekend. I had decided the scale I had at home couldn’t possibly be correct anymore, after all I’ve had it 7 years and its pretty beat up. And besides I couldn’t have gained THAT MUCH weight, could I?  Alas, it is not the scale’s fault. I bought a new shiny, super fabulous scale. It records your height and gives you your BMI as well as your weight. It even remembers what you weighed the last time you got on the scale, so it shows and pluses or minuses.  (whoa, Nickelodion flash back!)  But you know what it also says? It says in large digital print OVER WEIGHT!! How insulting. I know I’m fat; I don’t need the scale to remind me of that. Sheesh. I think I liked the old one better.   Not a great way to start a week, right?  However, it is motivation. Back to the gym tonight for me.

 

Stupid Scale!!!

 

 

Weird Wonderful Me

So I’ve been tagged by Melissa  List 5 weird things about yourself. So here goes. You’ve been warned!!

 

1)     I don’t like potatoes. That’s right, I said it. Not mashed, or scalloped or baked or au grautin or whatever. The reason why? I think they feel weird in my mouth. I don’t even really like potato chips.  I will eat SKINNY French fries, because basically it is all just fried fat that is crispy, and all you taste is Salt.  Those steak fries they serve at restaurants completely gross me out. ICKY!!

2)     Every time there is a bad thunderstorm with lightening, I can’t sleep in my bed. I keep looking out the windows and wonder if one of the trees out back is going to get struck by lightening and crash through my window and kill me in my sleep.  Yes, I am a freak.  So I will lay awake in bed and debate with myself weather or not it is better to die in bed or should I go downstairs and try and sleep on the couch and wait for the tree to crash through upstairs and thus wait for the entire second floor to crash down on me.  So, basically, I don’t sleep during thunderstorms. I get up and go downstairs with my cell phone, a blanket, the doggie and I watch tv until the storm passes.

3)     I don’t like birds. They make too much noise. I tried to stomp on all the pigeons in Madrid when I lived there. I think those things are flying rats with cooties. They should be poisoned, collected, and burned in a big pile.

4)     I think stupid people should be turned into fertilizer. At least that way they would be contributing to society by helping our food crops grow. (solient green is people!)

5)     I have had the lyrics to Deck the Halls stuck in my head for the last 6 years. I only sing the FA LA LA LA part out loud, but I do it almost every day.

 

 

Now you will all probably run away and hide from me, because I am officially a WEIRDO. Even I think I’m weird, so I won’t blame you.

 

I’m not tagging anybody, but if you want to share, I’ll definitely tune in!!

 

 

We want YOU!

So I’ve been a busy little bee the last few days. I’ve signed myself up left & right for THINGS TO DO WHILE I WAIT. I’m very proud of myself. Not sure how many of these I will stick with, but hey, at least the next 2 months will be busy while I give everything a try.

 

Friends Helping Friends – a group at my church. I talked to the dude yesterday, they have one dinner a month, and one activity a month (a help someone out activity) And its 18 to 40 yr old group, so that is me. I’m not sure it will be fun, but I’ll give it a try.

 

Lifebook activity group with my local FCC.  A LifeBook, for those who don’t know, is like a baby book, but it’s geared toward your specific adopted child. Obviously, I can’t put down like a family tree, and pictures of the birth and what time she was born and junk like you would in a regular baby book, because unfortunately for me (and even more so for Emily) we won’t know any of that stuff.  But I can make a scrapbook of stuff that I’ve done to get ready to meet her, and then do pages about her finding ad (if I can get one) and her orphanage or foster parents and my trip to China and the day we met, etc.  Something that will hopefully one day be meaningful for her and for me.  This group is a small group from my local FCC that is going to get together once a month or so and work on pages together. Kind of keep each other motivated.  I like to scrapbook, so I’m pretty excited about this one.

 

NOV DTC Gift Swap.  Maybe it sounds lame, but I’m really looking forward to this. Other folks who are adopting from China and had their Dossiers arrive in Nov (like me)  and I will do like a secret Santa thing. I think it will be nice to get something in the mail that isn’t a bill!!  And it will be fun for me to pick out a gift for someone else.

 

 

So that is it for now. I’ll let you know how everything goes!

 

 

 

My New Favorite Quote

It is too overwhelming to think of all the months of waiting that are ahead of me. So meanwhile, I will think of this.

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy." -Proverbs 13:12

One more day closer to Emily.

How are YOU doing on your Resolutions???

OK…it’s been a week since the New Year started.  How are YOU doing on your resolutions?  I’m doing pretty good. I did make it to the gym 3 times last week (YAY ME!) and I’ve been drinking a lot more water. Consistently downing 3 bottles a day and then a couple glasses of sugar free flavored water.  Some days I’m even drinking more than that, so that’s very good. One week down, 51 weeks left. LOL

 

But seriously, confession time: who out there has already bailed on their resolutions just 10 days into the New Year? I realize mine were pretty easy to attain resolutions, so I’m not going to bash anyone, I just wondered who would be brave enough to admit it? J

 

 

In other, completely unrelated thoughts, I’m thinking of getting a part time job. Anyone have any good suggestions for night/weekend work? I have a regular 8-5 job, so it would definitely have to be something I could do at night or on the weekends. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

 

Somebody Stop Me!

I like to shop. A LOT.  In the absence of actually HAVING my daughter, I have been satisfying myself by buying her a “little something” almost every time I go shopping. Sometimes it is just barrettes. Sometimes, it’s a .74 t shirt at Target. Sometimes its fuzzy yellow duckie slippers she won’t be able to wear until she is at least THREE!! But I can’t seem to help myself. True, I’m buying everything on sale, after season, discounted WAY down. AND, I haven’t bought anything smaller than 12 months. In fact, most things are 18 months or bigger. But still. I need to stop. It’s just… I don’t have any other way to do something for her, ya know?   I was looking at her closet this weekend, ok okay I was putting away her newest acquisition (kohls’ 70% off people!!) and I realized she almost has a whole closet rack full already and IT’S ONLY JANUARY!!!  I need a patch or a pill or a support group or something!!!

 

 

 

 

Emily's closet.  

Who do you love?

I’m totally taking a page out of Amy's blog and I’m going to share my favorite stuffed animals with you.  Amy (and others) swear they still sleep with their stuffed loved ones, but I have to say that I don’t. I currently sleep with one of those SKOOSH pillows. Its fabulous. I have to have something to hold when I go to sleep though, or I can’t seem to get comfortable enough to sleep.  ANYWAYS, I’ve kept all my beloved buddies, so here they are below.

 

1) Timmy the Teddy Bear.    I got him when I was 2 and I slept with him until I was about 15 or 16. I loved this bear!! He is wearing one of my old t-shirts, he had to have surgery when I was 5, (he ripped in between the legs) and Mom put a “hospital gown” on him to cover the boo boo. And that is how he has stayed every since.

 

2) TJ Bear.  I got him from my friend (TJ) as a birthday/Christmas present when I was 18. TJ Bear went with me to college.  You can’t see it but he has a jingle bell in his butt. My freshman roomie did NOT like TJ Bear, because every time I would roll over, he would JINGLE.  I roll over about 15 times a night, so you can see how she would grow to hate him. I did learn to sleep with my hand over the bell, so he wouldn’t ring!!

 

3) TIGGER!  I got him from my college boyfriend. The Tigger lasted longer than he did. I slept with Tigger from sophomore year until I was about 24. Tigger came to Spain with me even.  (el Tigre!) 

 

 

Timmy the Teddy Bear. My favorite bear as a child.  

TJ Bear 

TIGGER!!! 

MEMOIRS OF AN EXERCISER

So I made it to the gym AGAIN last night. (thank you, thank you, no autographs, please!)  I was only there for 30 mins but still, it counts. So that is 2 nights in a row. YAY for me! I’m going to try and go again tonight, and then I can take the weekend off, because after all, my resolution is only to go 3 times in a week. I don’t want to rub off the newness yet. LOL  And I AM a little sore this morning, in my arms, which I guess is from Tuesday’s workout, because last night I just did leg stuff. So a two day delay on soreness. I don’t know if that is good or bad. I guess it’s good. I mean, I can still lift and use my arms and junk, they just ache a bit. No worries.

 

I decided to aim for 4 bottles of water a day. Someone commented on Crystal Light, and I am a big fan of that too, I have it in the morning with breakfast and with dinner. Only sometimes I get the Wyler’s sugar free lemonade. I think it tastes better than the Crystal Light.  But I think if I aim for 4 bottles a day, and keep up with my sugar free flavored water as well, I would hit 64oz no problem. Some days I’ll drink more, and some days less, but it’s a good goal.

 

After my workout last night, I went to see Memoirs of a Geisha with Shannon. It was really good, very beautifully filmed, and stuck pretty well to the book storyline. Obviously they couldn’t fit in everything, but I think they did a pretty good job. If you read the book, you should see this picture. I definitely recommend it. It was surprising to me was how crowded the movie theater was. It was a Wed night, I wouldn’t have thought that many people would be out and about, but there was quite a crowd.  But it was fun and I’m glad I went.  

 

 

EXERCISE, CHECK!

So I did make it to the gym last night. YAY for me!  You know I used to be a regular at my gym. I know folks there. The guys that were there last night were like DUDE, where have you BEEN???  I guess it has been awhile!!  But it was nice to be missed at the gym. I worked out for about 45 mins, first on the bike and then weights (I did upper body stuff). I feel pretty good today. I was worried that I was going to be very sore today, since its been so long. But so far, I feel pretty good. I’m going to try and go back tonight.

 

I have a general question/complaint.  How much freaking water are you supposed to drink a day. I’ve heard 64 oz a day. Let me tell you how freaking helpful that is!! The stupid food pyramid doesn’t even MENTION water intake. The most helpful thing I saw said drink 8, 8oz glasses a day. It would be great if my drinking glasses actually CAME pre-printed with 8 oz measurements, but they don’t. I don’t understand how anybody is supposed to figure out how much 8 oz is!! NOTHING comes prepackaged in 8 oz!  I’m drinking from a water bottle today, and this is what it says .5L (1pt, .9 FL oz)  What the hell does that MEAN? How big is a Liter? How many ounces is that? What is in a Pint? How many of these damn bottles am I supposed to drink a day?  WHY can’t we all pick one measurement and go with it? Why are there THREE different measurements on this ONE bottle? AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!  Its too complicated! No wonder Americans are fat!

 

 

HAPPY 2006

HAPPY 2006!!

 

This will be the year that Emily & I become family. I’m very excited about that. It will make this year different from every other year the whole rest of my life. WOO HOO!!  To celebrate my last new year as a singleton with no responsibilities, I went to a party on New Year’s Eve at a friends house. I got all dolled up and curled my hair and everything, but you are just going to have to take my word on it, because it hasn’t sunk in yet that I own a digital camera, and so I forgot to take pictures. I’m a dope, I know. In any case, I had a very good time and enjoyed myself thoroghly. But I imagine next year will be better!

 

I’m not very good at keeping resolutions, but I thought I would try making one this year anyway. I need to start exercising more. I’ve definitely gotten out of the habit, so I need to get my big butt in gear and get it to the gym. I definitely have the time to kill, so there is no reason why I can’t make it to the gym 3 days a week. So I’m starting tonight. It would be nice if the result of working out 3 times a week led to a 15lb weight loss, but no need to stress about that right now!  LOL  I’m just going to go for the benefits of exercising. That will be a good start. Besides, I want to be able to keep with a baby, who in all likelihood will be mobile when I get her, or shortly thereafter. So working out now is like homework for me!

 

Anyways, its back to work for me today (yippee). Hope everyone has a wonderful 2006!