It's one year! One year since this blog was born.

A year ago in early August as I tried to finish up my last stages of the "paperchase', I started a blog. I had seen a few as I was doing my online research and I found them fascinating. How cool- people going thru the same experiences were sharing with each other the ups and the downs, and the ins and the outs. Not to mention, what a love letter to my daughter this was going to be! Years from now she can look back and learn that her mom was a lunatic…just kidding, I think? I admired how I read how bloggers met and created friendships. I loved reading the stories, and especially looking at the pictures of their newly referred babies. So I started mine. I randomly picked a name-just a top of mind suggestion and typed away. I figured I would do it here and there, but I remember thinking to myself, 'knowing me, I won't keep up with it.' Wow! It's a whole year…A WHOLE FRIGGIN' 12 MONTHS OF WRITING. I started going back, and recalled my entire year. A lot has changed, but then again, not so much has. We have moved down the line in our wait; we have been thru the rollercoaster ride of rules changes in China and wait increase rumors (and truths); we have shared in lots of fun family times; mourned the passing of a relative; went thru a hip replacement with my husband; worried about other relatives; had the wonderful joy of almost two months with my step-daughter; worked hard; cried hard; and not to mention…I kept up with it all. I even met bloggers and emailed with others. Plans are being made for meet and greets all thru the coming months, including next weekend with the very wonderful Heather (the designer of this site, by the way). My friend Anne Marie got her referral, went to Russia, came home from Russia, went back to Russia and now Czar Alexander is with her. "My friend Susan" is on her way to Russia next week to see if this baby is the one. Blog friends such as Stephanie thru all of this decided to adopt from Ethiopia as well as China. She is going to have two babies!!! One of my travel group members received a referral for a Waiting Child, a gorgeous one year old boy. Lovely Joanne who reads my blog received her referral for her beautiful daughter. My girlfriend and fav reader of mine Alysa, well she is pregnant! A beautiful baby is her tummy. My lid mates Audrey and Daniella hang in there with me as every day we know we are in this together. This blog has been a gift for me, a refuge where I can laugh and cry my eyes out. It's my space. My thoughts, my journal to myself and to my baby. I hope this next year brings more blogging filled with joy, happy moms and dads and tons of referrals…thanks for hanging out with me!!!!