Wedding in Missouri

Maggie was a flower girl in my neices wedding last week. We had a great time and are doing well now after a case of strep (me) and a case of strep in Maggie's foot. Yes in her foot. So weird I know! Here are a few pictures.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Maggie goes to school

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Sarah's Party Pictures!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Sanibel

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Shewwww!

It's been an incredibly busy month. First of all, Sarah has really turned a corner - it seems almost overnight. We had a tough first couple of months but now she is such a happy baby. She still isn't napping very much, but she sleeps 12-13 hours a night without waking up...I know it is fabulous...please don't send me hate mail.

Maggie graduated from kindergarten on May 30th - they sang songs and were as adorable as could be. It's off to first grade for our little girl next year. She loves her school!

We also went to Sanibel Island in Florida for vacation - we were there for 10 days with Matt's family. We go almost every year and the cousins have such a good time - Maggie was in HEAVEN. She had so much fun. My sister-in-law Beth held Sarah a lot which was so nice - I think Beth is in competition for the best aunt award..:) Sarah loved the pool and Maggie is doing a great job with her swimming. Matt had to go to Europe for work (poor baby) so I had to travel back home alone. It was actually just fine -- although handling all the luggage was a little stressful.

This week my best friend and Maggie's fairy godmother came to town. It was girl talk the entire time. So much fun and great to see her. Another treat...my friend Angela was in town so I got to see her and pictures of her new ADORABLE baby. Father's Day was fun with a cookout with neighbors. Sheww. I think that's about it.

Next week my parents and aunt are coming for Sarah first birthday! Its been a really busy summer!

Sarah's Baptism

Happy Easter!

We have been home for 2 1/2 weeks - it so hard to believe. Sarah is doing well. She is a great sleeper - thank goodness but I may lose my hearing from all of the crying. She pretty much cries unless she is being played with or on a walk or at the mall. Her sleeping schedule is a little whacky - but I am going to give her more time to adjust before I change her schedule. Right now she is sleeping 7-7 then goes down for a long morning nap. No afternoon nap though. She pretty much eats everything...no issues there!

Here are a few pictures...

Pictures!

We are finally home!

After years of waiting, one homestudy, one homestudy update, one addendum to the homestudy, 6 doctor letters, taxes since the day Matt and I were born, letters of reference, fingerprints, re-fingerprinting, applications, forms, authentication, certification, notarization, cashiers checks, police clearances, birth certificates, soul searching, message board chatting, adoption books, employment letters, tears and frustration, blogging, praying, excitement, disappointment...Sarah is finally home and boy are we tired! She is on Taiwan time so I am making breakfast at 12:00 am and watching a lot of late night TV. I have bought 3 sets of knives and dryer balls. Who knew?

Our trip was fabulous. My parents went with us which made it even better and easier on us. We met friends i have met on line who are also adopting - it was great to get to meet everyone. Katie and Alex even waited for us when we got off the plane. So nice! Their little Leo is so absolutely adorable. We went to some great places and saw some really beautiful sites. Its a beautiful place with truly the nicest people! The teenagers LOVED Maggie and she was often asked to pose for pictures with groups of high-school kids. Maggie has always wanted to be a rock star, so it was and early lesson in dealing with the paparazzi. :)

We were able to meet Sarah's foster mom but unfortunately we did not get to meet her birth mom. Meeting Sarah was completely surreal. They just handed her over to us - she was so brave. The foster mom obviously cared a great deal for Sarah. While we are so exhausted, its hard to imagine what little Sarah has had to endure.

OK - sorry to anyone that flew from San Franciso to Chicago Saturday morning. It was pretty ugly.

I will definately post more pictures later but wanted to share a few now...before I fall asleep on the keyboard (yes, its only 5:30 pm)

I left what ... where?

Clearly my brain has left the building. I consider myself a fairly smart person but ever since we got THE CALL, I have drain bamage. For instance, tonight I had dinner with friends, picked out the restaurant myself, then showed up at the wrong restaurant. I lost my sunglasses. Having to return a pair of shoes to Target has really gotten me perplexed. I restate the obvious on any conference call I have. I left my credit card at the restaurant. I see people's eyes glaze over when I speak. I think maybe I am not making and sense at all anymore. I am so preoccupied its not even funny. Honestly, its just like the days leading up to giving birth to Maggie - no brain, lots of shopping.

Not that I am counting but we are leaving in 52 hours (which is about as long as it will take us to get there..)

We are official!

We are meeting Sarah on March 3rd! It's so great to say and such a huge weight off of our shoulders - I can't even describe. We will be leaving for Taipei on February 28th. We leave at 6:00 am, fly to Dulles, then to San Francisco and get on a flight for Taiwan at 4pm! We get there on Friday night - late. Then we have two days to get ready, see some sights, and anticipate the arrival of our little girl. Two days we have AIT appointments to make it all official. What an overwhelming time. We are just so blessed.

We are leaving Taipei on Friday March 7th at midnight and getting into San Franciso on March 7th at 6pm. Crazy - we lose a day going but gain a day coming back.

We are all booked and ready! I wonder if the next 1 1/2 weeks will be slow or fast?! Its hard keeping focused on other things I need to do... Here we come Sarah!

THE CALL!!!

Yes, we finally received THE CALL. What a great Valentine's Day present! We are very happy and now are starting all the paperwork we need to get done. Of course, there is a small hitch. The agency is having a difficult time getting our AIT appointments. Tentatively, the appointments are for March 4th and March 5th - we would meet Sarah on the 3rd. But, we don't know for sure, so we can't start making travel arrangements or anything like that. Maybe we will hear today when our appointment will be, and then we can really start making plans. It doesn't seem real - she is ours now and any fear of her not being able to join our family is gone! She is officially a Damski-Dorfer! I wish there was great news for everyone waiting. It’s hard to celebrate when you know there are others waiting by the phone for their good news.

My sista- it's coming my friend! I will see you in Taiwan!

Christmas Pageant Picture of Maggie

Maggie read a part for the Christmas Pageant at her school this year. She had memorized the entire part so was a little upset that her teacher had the words in front of her. It was so fun to be there. I have to say one of the most fun parts was watching all the parents as they video taped, photographed and hung on every word of these adorable 6 year-olds!

She did great and was such a cute angel...but we have always known that!

Is this GREAT or what?!

Well we have had a blog over by Blogovers with Love. Isn't it terrific? I love it - thank you Sarah (love that name by the way). I think that is just what we needed - a fresh look! We are really hoping that we hear somthing this week about Sarah. It has been such a difficult wait. I know, one of my friends, Katie, is in the same boat waiting for her little Leo. Its hard to wait. I suppose there are a great many things to be learned in having to wait. I am trying to be open to that but mostly I am just shopping. :)

I read a study that stated that people who are sad and feeling self-absorbed spend 4 times more money when they are shopping. I can attest to that.

Hopefully the next post will be announcing our travel! Or else watch out Williams Sonoma!

Updates are here!

It was a complete and wonderful surprise to see updates waiting in my In-Box today. I really wasn't expecting them until next week. Sarah has changed so much it is unbelievable! She is so adorable...I just can't wait to finally meet her....

Here is the latest

The latest is not good news or bad news really. We received word that the final ruling will not be made on our case until after Chinese New Year. CNY is on February 7th and is a huge celebration in Taiwan. People take a few days off - I think the official off days are the 6th through the 10th. So what does that mean for Sarah? We most likely will not be able to travel until the end of February or early March. I am sending another care package this week - at 21 pds and 6 months old she is definitely in need of some new clothes! I had just hoped we would be getting her sooner. Next step? Hopefully updates next week. We did hear from the Taiwan agency that she "is a good eater and a good sleeper" - already taking after Matt and I! :)

Bang Head Here.....

This has got to be one of the toughest few weeks of this adoption. I keep thinking we will be getting the call any day...waiting by the phone...calling my messages constantly (yes, much like a crazy person)...checking my e-mail...trying to figure out what in the heck is going on. The truth is that we are on week 6 since the last hearing and I think we will be waiting until mid-February to hear anything now because of Chinese New Year and just the way the court process is looking (its either 3 weeks or 2 months - we are in the 2 month wait obviously). This would mean travel at the end of February or early March. I would have never thought it would take so long. There really is no reason for the delay - its paperwork on someones desk that is just not getting done. Its so frustrating. But as a child welfare attorney, I know that sometimes these things don't make the most sense and the system can be impossibly slow.

I know that as soon as we get THE CALL, all of this frustration and pain will seem like nothing to us.

Yesterday, Maggie had a ceremony for her Daisy group - she is so grown up! It does go so fast. I am sure some day I will be telling Sarah how we waited and waited for her until it was the perfect time to bring her home. Right now though, I feel like sticking my head in a blender. I guess the next updates we will get will be her 7 month video and picture sometime in the first 2 weeks of February. I am hoping we will get them the first week - before Chinese New Year when everything sort of shuts down over there.

Now back to reality - I have to "help Maggie" make a hat that reflects light. Yes seriously.

Retail Therapy

I am going out of my mind waiting for THE CALL. It could come any day now. Yes ANY DAY. So, instead of working -like I should have been -- I did some serious retail therapy today. Any good therapy session begins with a little refreshment - say... Starbucks (what else?). Then I spent a good long time at Gymboree. Sarah will not be wearing the same outfit twice ..oops. Matt gets in on the retail therapy but he does it with a little more splash than I do - he went a little crazy at Hartstrings. It is a lot of fun to shop for Sarah but it would be more fun if we could actually put the clothes on her cute little self.

I bought diapers. Seriously - like there will be a run on diapers and I won't be able to get them when we get the call.

I have been circling the Babies-R-Us parking lot quite a bit :)

What else am I doing to fend off the crazies? Chatting with friends (I am quite certain my non-adopting friends have heard enough already), working (thank goodness I have that to keep me busy), organizing closets (the craziness must have slipped through). This weekend is my birthday, so we have some fun stuff planned. Best of all I will be sleeping in...

What else? Maggie is starting soccer this weekend with her dad as the assistant coach. She is very pleased with her soccer gear - pink pink pink.

That's all for now - I hope the next post is of our itinerary while in Taiwan! Thanks everyone for all of your support over the last few months. Taiwan or Bust!

January Updates are here...