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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Adoption Bloggers Anonymous Survey

My dear friend Pam started this survey on her blog, so I must participate. Welcome to the Adoption Bloggers Anonymous Survey!!!!



1. How many blogs are listed under your favorites list that you check EVERY day? Way too many to count...probably between India Blogs and Vietnam Blogs....close to 50.

2. How many times a day do you "go to the bathroom" and end up checking blogs? Not many during the week....usually only after Ian goes to bed. But the weekend...that's a different story.

3. Do your kids recognize the other kids from the blogs that follow?? Ian recognizes Mia, Jadyn, Ryan and Ahlyana.

4. Do you keep track of how often people update their blogs and get upset when they don't keep to the schedule?? Duh....how am I going to get my fix if people don't update their blogs.

5. Favorite time of day to check blogs? Are you on a blog checking schedule?? Usually I check them after Ian is in bed. But...if I'm expecting something big to happen (like a Gotcha Day), I've been known to check them before I leave for work.

6. Who's blog is your favorite? Outside of the two blogs I have, Angie's (Mia's Blog) is probably my favorite.

7. How many of the blogs that you follow are people that you have never met in person? More than people I've actually met.

Ok...now some "getting to know your online friends whom you've never actually met questions"


8 How long have you been married? Keep in mind....we must have been pre-teens when we married....we've been married for 20 years.

9 Fav. food? Mexican.

10Fav. TV show? Outside of All My Children (thank Heavens for Soap Net), it's probably any reality show. I'm a reality show junkie.


11 Anything that you forbid your kids to watch on TV? Charlie probably has more shows in this category than I do. My big criteria at this point is language. Ian is repeating so much of what we say.

12. How long was your adoption journey from beginning to end? 21 months from application to Gotcha Day (then another 11 months until finalization). The journey to our second child, from Vietnam, has been 5 months so far.

13. How did you decide on the country you adopted from? We didn't decide on India....God did it for us. Vietnam is the same way. Doors were closed to India for us for a reason that only God knows. So we're just trusting Him.

14. What did you imagine your family to be like as a little girl? Oh my...."my" plan was to be married by 21 and have 2 kids by 25. Hmmmm....again God had a different plan since I didn't even get married until I was 25.

15. Favorite Momma down time activity? Getting a pedicure.

16. Do you have more online friends than "in person" friends? I think it depends on the day of the week you ask me. :)

17. Tell us the cartoon character that you are most like: I've always answered "Miss Piggy" to this question. I'm really sweet and lovable until I'm not happy then "BLAMMO".

18. What toothpaste do you use? Cinnamon Burst Crest

19. Stupidest adoption comment/question that you've received? My two favs so far are "Did he speak English when you got him"....duh...he was only 10 months old. And..."how much did he cost."

20. Fav. non-adoption website? My old hometown newspaper. I love reading the on line articles to see what's happening in Huntington, WV.



OK adoption blog buddies....it's time to complete the Adoption Bloggers Anonymous Survey. Copy the questions and paste into your blog and then answer the questions.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Pals



Ian, Cortez and Solomon at Day Schools. They made their own Tye Dyed shirts the day before this picture was taken.

Our Silly, Funny Helper

Another week down in the Conner house. Ian's daycare was closed today (Friday), so Charlie stayed home with Ian. They ran a couple of errands and stopped by my office to see me for a few minutes this morning.

Ian continues to amaze and amuse us daily. This morning we were sitting on the side of the bed and Ian decided he wanted to "zerbert" daddy's belly. So he did. Then he pulled up his own pajama shirt and tried to "zerbert" his OWN belly. We thought it was funny and laughed of course...which made him try to do it many, many times.

He's really into "helping". Everything is "Ian helping Momma". Or if he sees us doing something that looks interesting to him, he run across the room saying "helping, helping". He's really good at putting water in the fridge. He's much more independent these days.

He's fascinated by yellow cars. He point out every yellow car he sees...and even a few that he doesn't. Motorcycles are another thing that gets his attention.

We are so in love with this child!!!!

As soon as Charlie scans in a new picture for me, I'm going to post it. It's a picture of Ian with his friends from daycare, Cortez and Solomon. They look so cute together. We hear about "Tezzie" and "Sol-mon" daily. Tezzie and Sol-mon are getting ready to move to the next class and I know Ian will miss them.

It's outrageously hot in Tulsa. It's been near or over 100 degrees for a week now and we have at least another week of it. I'm so ready for Fall!!!!!

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Friends Forever

India Camp 2007

Dillon International hosted yet another successful India Heritage Camp this weekend. The camp started on Thursday, but work commitments kept us from attending until Friday night. On Friday evening we attended the Family Fun Night at Camp Loughride in Tulsa. That is a beautiful facility. Ian wasn't interested in getting in the water...or so he said. After the struggle to change into his swimming trunks, we headed into the pool. I think he's part fish. HE LOVES THE POOL. I think he'll be swimming in no time.

A little later in the evening, Mia arrived with her Mommy and Daddy (Angie & Dustin). Ian was surrounded by lots of little girls at that time, but he still smiled that big Ian smile when he saw Mia. They had a moment of hugs and played a little in the kiddie pool. Dustin jumped in from the high dive and then the daddy's played in the pool for a little while with the kiddos. Ian's swim trunks kept falling off. The evening ended about 8pm and we headed home anxious for the next days' activities.

Today, we got up, ate breakfast and got ready for camp. We arrived just in time for the adult adoptee panel. Ian stayed in the nursery with Mia, Jadyn and Avi Joy (from Vietnam). We finally connected with Natasha (Avi Joy's Mommy). They too are in the process to adopt baby number 2 from Vietnam and they live in Tulsa. The adult adoptee panel was great this year. Two young adults adopted from India openly shared their story. You can tell that they are loved greatly and have adjusted beautifully. I kept looking at the young man, Fritz, who spoke and kept imagining what Ian will look like when he's older. These kids made their parents proud today!!!!

Then it was lunch time. Ian was more interested in running around than he was eating. Then the "campers" did their presentations. I can't wait until Ian is old enough to actually be a "camper".

We got lots of pictures of Ian, Mia and Jadyn this weekend. These three kiddos are so, so cute. We love spending time with their parents. Grace, Shane, Angie & Dustin seem like part of our family!!! I can't get over how adoption bonds families together.

Beautiful kids all around this weekend. We are so thankful that we live in Tulsa near our agency and that we're able to take part in these important heritage events. Hopefully we'll see more families coming to India Camp as the years go by. It really is a great time to get these kids together and it's a great time for the parents too.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Anticipation

I'm getting so excited. It's time for India Camp. It begins tomorrow, but due to my work schedule, won't be attending until Friday night and then all day on Saturday. We're so looking forward to seeing everyone. Especially Mia, Jadyn and Chandrima. We haven't seen Chandrima since Christmas and I can't wait to see how much she's grown and changed. Ian is still to young to be a true "camper", but he'll still have fun playing with his friends...his "girlfriends".

Another family is getting ready to travel to India to pick up their little girl. Congratulations to Cliff and Tami!!! Can't wait to follow their journey to bring Raina home. It's always so exciting to see another family come together. Our God is GREAT!!

A couple of Ian's buddies at daycare are getting ready to move to the next class. Tezzy (a.k.a. Cortez), Solomon and Ian are quite the threesome. Ian will be moving soon, but it makes me a little sad that his buddies won't be there. Oh well...momma will get over it. Ian will be moving up soon and they'll all be together again. Plus...it's not like their moving very far...they'll be in the next room.

Hopefully I'll have some good pictures to post from camp this weekend. With the beautiful kiddos....I have no doubt that I'll have GREAT pics to post.