My New Blog...

For those that followed along on our journey to Maelyn, we invite you to follow along on our adventures as a family of three! See you there!

http://family3g.blogspot.com/

1 Day...join us on our travel blog!

I cannot even believe that I am getting to write this post! We leave for China in the morning!!

Today was a very busy, crazy day -- but in the end, we got everything we wanted to accomplished.

Please join us on our travel blog -- let the adventure begin!!

http://ourjourneytomaelynwanhao.blogspot.com/

2 Days...

Today was a complete whirlwind of activity. It was busy, crazy and amazing from start to finish.

Today was my last day of school -- until March 21st, 2011!!! I still can't believe that I won't be getting up for work tomorrow....

I was pretty anxious last night about getting everything done at school today. The end of the year means a lot of extra stuff to wrap up and time just seemed to be escaping me -- and quickly!!

I will say that in the end, the work got done. School is wrapped up and I can start to let go of some of the anxiety.

So many people helped to make today very special for me. It started during first period when the teacher of a Grade 4 class I teach every day decided that my last day with her class needed to be special. They had written a lovely message on the board, clapped when I walked into the room and then presented me with coins they had collected as a class -- to donate to Maelyn's orphanage. Tearjerker day right from the beginning!

The teacher had also brought along snacks for breakfast. What a great idea!! It allowed me to socialize with the kids, but kept them occupied, too!

After recess I was back with my homeroom class. I can't even begin to express to you how generous they all were --- sooooo many gifts for Maelyn! It was the cards that got to me the most. They included sweet messages about the year we had spent together and their well-wishes for our family. We spent time together as a class talking about the year and opening gifts.

In between everything I completed paperwork and finished packing up the classroom.

At the end of the day it was many a tearful goodbye with my students. Then a parent of one of my students brought in a container of Thai spring rolls that was made in their restaurant. It was perfect timing as I hadn't eaten any lunch and had hit a wall by that point. My teaching partners and I sat around a table in the pod and ate all of the spring rolls and chatted. It was nice to take a breather and chat with my friends for a little while.

Once school was over, April and Chrissy came to pick me and we headed for the spa! I had a very, very relaxing massage and then had a pedicure. My toes are now purple, just like Maelyn's room!

I returned home and our neighbours came by for a visit. The perfect end to the perfect day...

3 Days...

Today was a BUSY, BUSY day! So much to get done at school....

After school we headed over to my wonderful friend Alana's house for some much needed help with installing Maelyn's car seat. Alana is the Britax car seat queen (she has two of them herself), so asking her for her expertise helped Paul and I to avoid hours of arguing....hehe!

We had taken the seat apart to clean it, but couldn't figure out how to put it back together -- oops!!! Alana and Paul worked at it and finally got it back together again...

And voila!! One car seat installed -- check that one off the list! 

Thanks, Alana -- you are and always have been an amazing friend...

4 Days...

Wow -- four days to go! We can hardly believe it!

I am happy to report that as of late this evening, I am finally -- knock on wood -- starting to feel better. The drugs are working! :)

This morning Paul went golfing with some friends and had a great time. I still wasn't feeling well, so I cancelled my plans with friends and stuck to what had to get done. I headed out to Mississauga to pick up our CARES restraint system for the plane. It is so cool! Instead of bringing a car seat for the plane, we can use the restraint for Maelyn's plane rides -- and it is small enough to fit in my purse! My good friend, Martine, came along for the ride -- loved catching up with her....the best kind of medicine! :)

I also cooked up a storm this afternoon. I made quite a few meals and froze them. This way, when we get back and we are total zombies, we won't have to worry about cooking as many meals.

While I was cleaning up the kitchen tonight, I went through my usual routine of thinking through my schedule for the week. That is when it hit me and hit me hard -- we are leaving for China THIS WEEK!!!

One week today we get to meet our little girl....

5 Days...

Okay - a little late with this post, but here it is!!

With five days left, we really worked as a team to try and get through our to-do list -- and it was a long one!

We started with our packing list. I still wasn't feeling well at all, so Paul would fetch the things we needed and I would sit on the floor, pack the items, and check it off our list. We actually got through our packing quite easily -- woohoo! The only thing left to do is pack our electronics and our own clothes.

We spent the rest of the day working through our list. We did take a break, however, for a nap!! We haven't napped in months, but we were really worn out and decided to enjoy our last weekend afternoon of freedom! Hehe...

With five days left, I found myself reflecting on friendship. Our friends have been so supportive throughout our entire journey. We have been especially fortunate to have other adoptive families as friends -- people we can turn to for advice!

Lianne and AM have been particularly helpful over the past few weeks. AM and Julia stopped by on Saturday and brought with them loads of goodies. Suitcases to borrow, red envelopes for tip money, a luggage scale, etc. The most valuable thing, however, was the advice we were given about traveling to China -- where to shop, what to see.....it helped us to feel better prepared for our journey.

Lianne has been my IT person -- what a blessing! She has helped me figure out our travel blog and will be updating it for us while we are away. :)

We couldn't have been as prepared and ready for this next step in our lives without the love and support of so many of our friends......thank you so much!

6 Days...

With six days left before we leave for China, I spent it in bed -- sick with bronchitis.

I guess it was inevitable. Stress, not resting enough, lots of germs going around the classroom -- ugggg.

I went right away to the doctor and he gave me a prescription. I am crossing my fingers that it kicks in quickly!

On the bright side, I was able to catch up on hours of Coronation Street that I had PVR'd. :)

Yesterday, while resting, I was able to think a lot about the journey we have taken. I can't think of anyone better to have taken this journey with, than Paul. If his ability to be an amazing husband is any indication -- then he is going to make a wonderful father! We have gotten closer over the past few years as we have worked together to make our dreams of having a family a reality. I am so happy for him that we are going to meet our daughter for the first time on Father's Day -- what a gift!

I cannot wait to see Paul holding his little girl -- what a special moment it will be!

7 Days....

This morning did not get off to the best of starts. I woke up with a cold -- and a bad one, at that.

What?! Sick?! So close to leaving for China?! Ahhhhhhh!!!!

I spent most of the day wallowing in self-pity. I have so many things to do -- I don't have the time to be sick! But then a funny thought popped into my head....

This is the last time I will be sick and not have to worry about anyone else but myself!

Lately, I have started to feel the shift -- beginning to work our schedules with Maelyn as a part of our lives. Doctors schedule appointments and I have to stop myself and think about what time of day might work best for her. Friends ask about making plans later this summer and I forget for an instant that we are going to be keeping her needs in mind as well.....how wonderfully strange!!

So - when I realized that being sick would never be the same again, I decided to embrace my lovely bout with illness. I am sitting on the couch, spending time on the computer, doing nothing at all. I am enjoying my moment of just thinking about and taking care of myself -- because I know that shortly, I won't ever have to think of only myself again! :)

8 Days

So many things have been running through our minds as the final days before we leave for China keep ticking away. Mostly we are thinking about our large list of things to do -- and the panic that sets in every once in awhile about the fact that we need to scale down our expectations of completing that list to perfection.

Another thought that has been pervasive has been about Maelyn and the way in which her life is going to change in about a week from now. She will be leaving everything that is familiar to her to come and join our family. We have been trying to imagine what it is going to be like for her -- difficult, to say the least. We have thinking about steeling ourselves for her reaction to this change and the ways in which we can help her through this transition.

Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers -- our little girl is going to need a lot of positive energy coming her way...

9 Days...

There is nothing better to note the 9 day countdown than receiving a new photo
of our beautiful little girl!!

We have been fortunate enough to be able to stay in contact with the family from Spain that
has been sponsoring Maelyn since she was a few months old. Their monthly donations have allowed
our little girl to be cared for in a foster home, rather than in the orphanage.

Tonight I received an email from Monica. She had received a new photo of Maelyn and emailed it to us right away. Can you believe how big our little girl is getting?!

Thank you, Monica -- without you we wouldn't have the month-by-month record of Maelyn's life. The gift you have given our family is absolutely priceless. We are so happy that you are a part of our lives.

10 Days....

I meant to post this yesterday, but the day simply went by too quickly....

Ten days until we leave for China. I know I have said this a million times by now -- but, wow!!

What am I looking forward to the most??

Quite simply, seeing my daughter in person for the first time. I have imagined that moment for awhile now and cannot believe that the time is drawing nearer. I imagine that we will be feeling excited, nervous, scared, happy -- I could keep going....

I hope to be able to pause, even for a split second, and take in that moment. I want to see her face and just feel the calm happiness in my heart that she is there -- she is ours, forever.

10 days....

6 & 21 months!!

Wow!! The last time that I will blog this milestone....

June 2nd marked six months since we have known about our little girl. We have been waiting and preparing for her arrival ever since!

June 5th marked Maelyn's 21 month milestone -- her last one without us!

June 5th was also important for Paul and I -- it marked six years of being together. :)

Next important day to mark -- Family Day!!

Maelyn's Room

The completion of Maelyn's room has been a total labour of love.

Funny enough, I totally recognize that the room being 'just right' is more about us than it is about Maelyn. She won't care that her room is the perfect colour of purple with a touch of grey, that her bedding set is the greatest combination of purple and ladybugs I could have hoped to find, or that each detail was thought through meticulously. Nope -- she won't really care. Paul and I, however, have seen this room like our little island of hope.

Let me backtrack a little. The adoption journey is an amazing one -- one we hope to experience again one day. We have, however, missed out on some of the milestones our friends have been able to experience. It can be hard to watch others go through something that you may never be able to experience. Don't get me wrong -- we don't see this process as a second choice. On the contrary, we feel very, very lucky. But you have to understand. We have waited almost four years to start our family.

Four years of wanting to decorate a nursery/room for our little one. Being able to decorate Maelyn's room was extremely cathartic. I literally and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of putting her room together. There has been many an evening spent sitting in the room, enjoying the view, talking together.

So -- I completely recognize that this room was for us, but we can't wait until the room is all about Maelyn. 

Love this painting -- Lianne & Kim brought it back from China for us...

The panda banner, from AM & Julia -- another special item from China...

With a butterfly kiss and a ladybug hug, sleep tight little one, like a bug in a rug...

Friends, A Long Weekend & A Playroom

Our long weekend was a busy, but good one. Our list was long -- but it was made easier with the help of some good friends!

Lianne, Bryanna and Cassidy came for a visit and to help set up the playroom. The girls toured the house, played with cats and then settled into playing the wii, while Lianne and I put together IKEA furniture.

We took a break for lunch and enjoyed visiting together...

We were so grateful for their help. I wouldn't have been able to get as far with the playroom without them! The playroom is still a work in progress, but it is getting there!

Lianne and I took a quick shopping trip to pick out stickers for the walls....love them!

The best part of the weekend was being able to spend time with friends that we love dearly...

Four Weeks & Travel Blog

Can you believe it?? Four weeks from now we will be boarding a plane headed to Beijing. We cannot wait for our travel adventure to begin!

We would love to bring everyone along -- but thought a travel blog would be the next best thing. We will be doing our best to post daily while we are in China, with the help of Lianne at home. You have all been such a big part of our adoption journey, it seems only fitting for you to be there for the next part of our journey.

Please feel free to leave comments or send emails while we are in China. I am sure that messages from home will be reassuring while we are away.

I will continue to post to this blog as well -- but anything directly related to our travel to China will be on the new blog. Hope to see there!


http://ourjourneytomaelynwanhao.blogspot.com/

Family

This post is long overdue -- but I am finally getting caught up on blogging news!

The first weekend of April, we headed to Ottawa with my Dad, sister, brother-in-law and his mom. We spent the weekend at my Aunt's house and we had a fabulous time! That was the first weekend of good weather this year -- and it was great to spend that time outside with everyone...

Coby -- possibly one of the cutest kids ever! :)

Paul and I brought Coby an early Easter treat -- looks yummy, doesn't it?

Love the mess!

My Aunt and sister hosted a shower for Paul and I and many of our Aunt, Uncles and cousins were there. It was really nice to be able to celebrate Maelyn with those we love so very much!

 

We are really looking forward to a time when we can visit all of our family in Ottawa with Maelyn. We are all anxious to meet her and welcome her into our crazy family!

Showered with love...

Our friends and family have been so supportive throughout the past two years. They have listened to us talk about the adoption process, helped us weigh various decisions, gotten excited with us when good news was received -- invaluable time and support.

One of the most exciting parts of preparing for Maelyn's arrival has been celebrating with our friends and family.

Our good friends, Jenn and Mike, hosted a shower in Maelyn's honour near the end of March. It was a co-ed shower, which was a lot of fun for Paul.

 

Heidi and Al surprised us with a beautiful cake! Love the ladybug theme -- and it was lactose-free! Yummy!

Paul, enjoying a piece of the cake on the way home...

At the beginning of this month, my sister hosted a shower in Maelyn's honour. This shower was also co-ed and it was packed! So many of our friends and family were there to celebrate -- it was wonderful! My sister, the expert wedding planner that she is, left no detail undone -- everything was beautiful!

Aren't the cupcakes cute?! They were yummy, too!

 

My sister hired a Mandarin teacher to come to the shower and teach us about the language and culture. It was a fabulous idea and we learned a lot!

We have the greatest friends -- and a wonderful family, too. The love and support we feel has helped to make this journey that much more special. We love you all!

Mother's Day

My sister came up with an amazing Mother's Day idea -- going on a boat tour around Toronto. Brilliant! At least, we thought it was brilliant -- until mother nature decided that we just hadn't had enough of winter!

Dressed in our winter gear, we headed to Toronto and lined up for the boat tour. As we were jumping from foot to foot, trying our best to keep warm, we gave thanks to the company for switching boats -- to one with indoor seating!

We sat down for brunch and had a yummy meal....

After brunch, we ventured on deck to see the sights. Although it was really cold, it was worth spending some time outside.

Mom & Brian

Kara & Cam enjoying the outdoors...

Happy Mother's Day to all of my wonderful friends and family!