The Countdown to February

Well it's official that we're getting our referral in February instead of January. After being really cranky about it this weekend, I'm actually OK today. It feels good to finally know something.

I'm guessing we'll get the call sometime between January 28th and February 8th. Then we wait for our Travel Approval (TA) to know what our exact travel dates will be. Usually that comes 3-5 weeks after the referral, but it may be a bit delayed because of Chinese New Year. Then we travel 2-4 weeks after that, which means we'll probably be in China in late March or early April.

So the countdown begins...

Have a Happy New Year, and don't forget to vote in the name poll on the left :)

Christmas

Here are some pictures from Christmas, in a totally random order. We had Christmas Eve at my mom and dad's, Christmas morning and Danny and Tahra's and Christmas dinner at our house. Good times all around, but there wasn't nearly enough food. Ha!

A sleepy Hazel after all the festivities

Me and Blake on Christmas morning. Check out his sweet Christmas jammies. Try not to notice the weird look on both of our faces. Mine says, "Pretend like you don't wish your mom was holding you instead." His says, "I wish my mom was holding me instead."

Grammy and Nana doting on Marlow's new doll. Grammy is good and practiced now, so she'll be ready to play dolls with Lily next Christmas. And Nana's pensive look is because she isn't sure they can afford another grandchild, what with her addiction to over-indulging the little ones and all.

Christmas dinner at our house (the cool kid table). Note the gorgeous red toile tablecloth, my favorite Christmas gift to myself (that was half-off on the 26th. Yes I got a price adjustment-- another Christmas present!)

The big kids in front of the fireplace. Rhys has some toy or something in his mouth (he is officially that age). And Isabel looks like she might be recovering from a melvin from one of her annoying uncles.

The grandparents: left to right: Grammy, Poppy, Nana, Nanu, Grandy and Nanni. Or the Harrells, the Canadys and the Means (adopted grandparents).

The weird, albeit good-looking, Ferrantes from Seattle who FINALLY came to visit. (to be fair, Mackenzie has been here twice already, it's the slacker rest of her family that held out). We hope they realized that not all Texans are like Kyle so hopefully they'll come back.

Me and Kyle, and Hazel's butt in the background. We were trying to take some recent pictures of us that we can send to Lily's orphanage after we get her referral. Hopefully she'll still recognize us after the 25 lbs, additional wrinkles and even pastier skin we'll aquire between now and then.

In case you wanted another shot of the beautiful tablecloth. And I wish you could taste the salad I made. Delish butter lettuce with a walnut oil and vinegar dressing and big ole slice of creamy blue cheese on the side. And candied pecans and dried cranberries. So so good.

Doesn't look like we're getting our referral after all

I should have known better than to assume we were next. The rumors are suggesting that December 19th will be the cutoff. Yes, you guessed it, we're the 20th. I should have known. Thanfully I wrote in our Christmas letter that we'd be hearing something in either January or February, even though I was 99% sure it would be January.

I thought I was going to be OK with February (what's another month??), but it turns out I'm not. I have freaking had it. China is freaking ridiculous. To send this few referrals is unbelievable and inhumane. There are millions of babies waiting in orphanages and they let their evil communist bull crap keep them from their families. Yes I'm bitter and have officially turned off my pc filter (ha, like I ever had one).

On a lighter note, we had a really nice Christmas with all of our family here. Thankfully I didn't know this information so I didn't have to bite the heads off of people who asked about Lily (or whatever her name is). I'll think about the bright side in a minute but for now I just want to be mad. Ok, maybe I'm ready to think about the bright side:

* At least we'll know we're in for February
* I'll probably get to go to Barcelona for work
* I have more time to get her room ready
* I have more time to get organized at work for maternity leave
* More time to save money
* Maybe George will be done with chemo by the time we travel so Phyllis can go with us
* More options for dates for a baby shower
* It won't be so cold in China
* God's timing is perfect. Always.

I'll post some pictures from Christmas this weekend, so check back. Maybe I won't be so bitter in the next post.

Vote for Blake!

My brother Kevin is Blake Shelton's tour manager, and Blake is competing in "Clash of the Choirs" which starts tonight. You can vote 10 times, so vote for Blake! See below for more info:

Don’t miss Blake Shelton and his Oklahoma choir tonight on NBC’s “CLASH OF THE CHOIRS” as they challenge the hometown choirs of Michael Bolton, Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, and Kelly Rowland. Tonight’s two-hour series premiere episode airs live from New York at 8/7c, kicking off the exciting back to back four-night competition to name America’s “best” choir. The show will feature music genres ranging from current pop hits to holiday classics. Viewers will have the opportunity to vote 10 times per household for two hours following the show via phone or at www.nbc.com. The winning choir, along with their hometown celebrity, will be awarded $250,000 to donate to their community charity of choice.



VOTE FOR BLAKE!!!!



Shows air:



Monday, December 17 – 8/7c (2-hour series premiere)

Tuesday, December 18 - 8/7c (1-hour episode)

Wednesday, December 19 – 8/7c (2-hour episode)

Thursday, December 20 – 8/7c (1-hour final competition)





Be sure and check out Blake’s NBC video blog at www.nbc.com/clashofthechoirs and read his CMT text blog on http://blog.cmt.com.



www.blakeshelton.com

www.myspace.com/blakeshelton

One step closer

**Update 12/08-- thanks Steph, for helping me figure out how to get a picture on here! I'm so used to just right-clicking on PCs :)


Today referrals came out for LIDs up to December 14. Ours is December 20 in case you are one of the many, including my husband and my mom (love you both), who can't seem to remember it. That means China just has to keep up its trend of referring 6 days each month and we are IN for January. Oh. My. Goodness. It is finally really happening. I have so much to do. Including think of all the things I have to do, like:

- create an email group of people to send our referral announcement to
- register!
- plan the menu for the brunch we're throwing to await the FedEx guy's arrival with Baby Girl Harrell's picture in it (good idea Maegan!)
- decide whether her name is going to be Lily or Baby Girl Harrell or something else (Ruby Claire? Hazel Leon? No, that's our dog's name. Maybe Hazel Jane?)
- Get a bunch of really crisp bills. Apparently the cashish we give to China for the adoption fees has to be coin-machine crisp.
- paint the baby's room
- get new window coverings for her room
- find someone to dogsit her brother and sister while we're in China
- mentally prepare for having to fly coach or find some crack for Kyle to smoke to get him to agree to pay $8000 each for business class seats
- get my work stuff in gear so I am prepared to take maternity leave
- pray for this little girl who has no idea what wack-jobs are about to become responsible for her!


Ok, do you want a list of what you can do? Here you go:
- pray that BGH is safe, well-fed, held, and loved while she waits for us
- pray that she bonds to us immediately
- pray that she is the best sleeping baby that ever lived
- pray that she sleeps the whole flight home from China
- pray that she bonds to both of us quickly and equally (and if it's unequal, let her like me more!) ;)
- pray that she is healthy the whole time we are in China
- pray that we are healthy in China
- pray that we adjust well to the time difference when we return home
- pray for uneventful travel
- pray for a January referral, how about on the 2nd or 3rd
- pray for a quick TA and CA (travel approval and consulate appointment-- what we have to wait for after our referral to determine when we travel)
- pray for quick travel-- how about mid-February while we're asking
- pray that she is sweet and cute, smart and fun

Feel free to add in any other prayers that the Lord leads you to! We know she will be OURS regardless of whether she sleeps well, likes me better or has a cold when we meet her, and that's all that will matter.