Care Package

I will be sending a Care Package, when the time comes.

I'll be sending:

* Sassy "Who loves baby" album (with pics of us inside - and chinese labels)

*a "lovie" - a soft chenille/satin blankie with a little teddy on it

*a disposable camera - with instructions in Chinese

*a question letter, asking about our childs first days (they can answer in Chinese, hopefully our Guide will translate for us?!)

*some sweets for the nannies

Here is the Camera Instructions (although after reading it, it is more of a letter, asking them to take pictures and thank the orphanage for their care... I'm sure i had one somewhere that actually gave instruction?)

Right click on image, "save picture as" to save to your computer, then you can print.

Here is a wonderful site, offering to send Care Packages on your behalf, or they have a list of the Orphanages, so you can send you own!

Here is another awesome site, showing Orphanage Location, in different Provinces.

STOP THE PRESS!

(Copied from my aust2china.blog 16/08/08)

Is it true? Can it be?

C.C.@.@ is reported to have allocated through til the 31ST JANUARY 2006.

OMG! They are about to start allocating into February?!!! OUR MONTH?!!!

Be still my heart. They are now only 22 days from our Logged In Date.

Oooohhhhh I SO HOPE we are in China at Christmas time.

I'm all sweaty! I have goosebumps!

I know it's a few more months yet... but gee whiz! We could see our daughter (EDIT: or son!) by the end of the year?!!!

2006 files!

Yay! CC.AA have FINALLY started to allocate 2006 files!! WOOHOO!!!

They are currently allocated up til 4 January 2006. That's a mere 49 LID til our LID 22 February 2006!!! CC.AA allocated 8 calendar days this month, which is a huge feat, considering they Chinese New Year was in February.

Woo Hoo! I hope they continue on this trend, and keep allocated a min. of 8 days per month.

Will It Be Blue?

*I copied this post from Aust2China blog*

Our initial application we applied for either male or female. After our Social Worker visit, she has recommended us for a female child. Maybe because we discussed our preferences, and we stated we were prepared for a female child, being that alot more females are up for adoption than males.
Anyhoo... I've spent the day with Mr Ts family, and my MIL asks me, what if we're allocated a boy! I told her about the Victorian batch, and she wets herself laughing! Plus to top it off, Mr T (reckons) he's always said it'll be a boy?!! I dunno what drugs that bloke is on, but he hasn't always said that (outloud, anyway!)
So my 13 year old nephew and I sat down with their 50,000 names, baby name book - and here is the list we concocted:
Alex (greek) means defender of men
Thomas (hebrew) means Twin
Kalen (arabic) means friend or (irish) means mighty warrior
Jed (hebrew) friend of God
Aaron (hebrew) mountain
Ben (hebrew) son of my right hand
Wil (English) means determined guardian
Asher (hebrew) happy
Mason (english) works with stone
Evan (hebrew) God is gracious
Quinn (irish) means strong
Archer (english) means defender
Micah (Hewbrew) means Who is like God?
Max (latin) The greatest!
Zen (Chinese) - linked with Buddhism, meaning calm, experiental wisdom
Jett (hebrew) means abundant or (english) means hard black mineral?!!
Kai (Haiwaiin) means ocean or (welsh) means keeper of the keys - pronounced Kye
Jai (Thai) means heart - pronounced Jye
Aden, Aiden or Arden (latin) means firey or (Hebrew) means handsome
Jay (english) means Jaybird
Samuel (hebrew) God has heard
Jared (hebrew) means decendent


So give it to me. The best and the worst. I know which one is my fav.... but I'm not spilling the beans... yet! Remember... this was my list + my nephews list, I'm not sold on a few of them, although thought they were list worthy, as unusual considerations. MIL's pick was Jay, and SIL's pick was Kalen. Give me a name combo too... first and middle name!

Thinking about names...again!

I must have a bit of time on my hands at the moment, coz I've been thinking about "Mini" lots. Thinking about names again, so thought I'd run a little "popularity" poll... Leave your Best and Least Liked choices in comments, from my list below:

Layna (French) - means little rock
Samsara (Balinese) - can't find a meaning, but Sam means From God and Sara means princess
Scarlet (English) - means Red
Hope (English) - means Hope!
Bella (Italian) - means beautiful
Cleo (Greek) - means To Praise
Lila (Persian) - means Lilac Tree
Camille (French) - means perfect
Ruby (English) - means Precious Red Gem
Brielle (Hebrew) - means God is my strength
Abbie (Hebrew) - means Fathers Joy
Charlotte (English) - means free
Callie (Greek) - means beautiful
Sophia (Greek) - means wisdom
Annabelle (Hebrew) - Gracious and Beautiful
Tia (spanish) - means Aunt (but if spelt Thea (Greek) means Gift from God)
Aislin (Celtic) - means Dream
Seana (Celtic) - means God is gracious
Jayda (American) - means precious green gem


Chinese Names: (as middle names?)
Mei (Chinese) - means Beautiful, pretty, pleasing
Li (Chinese) - means Power, capability, influence
Kai (Chinese) - (pronounced Ky) means triumphant, triumph, victory
Qin (Chinese) - means Industrious, diligent, intelligent
Fei (Chinese) - means gracefuly, elegant, beautiful
Zhen (Chinese) - (pronounced Jen) means precious, valuable, rare
Jia (Chinese) - means Good, auspicious, beautiful, delightful
Cai (Chinese) - means talent, ability, just


I'm only thinking about "English" kind of names, we will be incorporating Mini's Chinese name either as her first name, if it's easy to pronounce etc, but definitely as her middle name. We have pretty much decided on her name, but I'm not prepared to set it in concrete til she's here!!! It's turned out to be a very popular name, which is swaying me to look at another name, more unique! They are not in any particular order.

Is anyone else out there, a "non-stop" name thinker, as well?!!! There are just too many to choose from, and such important decisions, as naming your child, can keep one awake at night, for a really long time!

It's Finished!

Pic 1: The whole completed quilt
Pic 2: Close up of Dragonfly top stitiching detail
Pic 3: Close up of Dragonfly top stitching detail
Pic 4: Top half of quilt
Pic 5: Bottom half of quilt

Top sheet was pieced and sewn together by me, Mini's Mummy and by her Auntie Nat. I sent the top sheet along with the "marble" purple backing off to my newly acquired, quilting expert, friend, Suzanne. She did an awesome job of top stitching the dragonfly pattern all of the quilt. I finished hand stitching on the binding on Thursday, 7 Dec 2006.

I hope you like it Baby girl.

Forecast...

I wrote down a prediction for "Forever Mini Day", in Oct 2006...

Forecast

Lets see how close I was?!!!

LAST TWO!

I have my final two squares for Mini's quilt! Can't believe there's 100 pieces!

First pic: is from my sister-in-law Natalie. Nat has been instrumental in the making of Minis quilt. Thank you so much, Nat, couldn't have done it without you.

Second pic: is the last piece added to Mini's quilt. It's from Ford & Alyson, USA. Thank you so much.

To Mini, with love from your MaMa

(I didn't realise I'd bought so much!) As I bought fabric, to swap with others, I cut a square for Mini too. And some of the fabrics were bought to go into H or M's quilt - so Mini got one too! I'll list per photo, from left top - to right

1. Lollies on black, marble blue with butterfly, koala's on cream, bright ladybugs, Lizzy Maguire, fairy on lilac.
2. Puppies on bone (2006-Year of the dog), ladybugs with script on yellow, jungle animals, butterflies & flowers on pink, icecreams, girl on carousel on pink.
3. SpongeBob & rainbow on blue, ladybugs & daisies on pink, chinese new year kids on bright blue, butterflies on white, chinese lanterns on black, oriental scene on cream.
4. patchwork ladybugs on green, oriental flowers & butterflies on black, chinese fans on cream, script with stars & hearts on navy, pussywillows & butterfly on green, sewing patchwork.
5. Lucky Cats on navy, autumn leaves, ladybugs on bright green, ladybugs on yellow, butterflies & crysanthymum's on burgandy, garden bugs on blue.

I only have about 2 more pieces to collect (which I know are coming from Family - then I can start to sew it together!

Pieces put together with love, just like our family.

Thinking of you, always, baby girl.

from my best friend LISA

It's all Lisa's fault that I even began this quilt!!! Lisa made a quilt for her son, and it looked so good - I thought I'd give it a go, too!

Lisa loves cats - so it was fitting that her fabric was adorned with cats! And the gorgeous country hearts will look great in Bella's quilt too!

Thanks Lisa! You're a gem!
Lisa is from Willunga, South Australia

from The Peeples Family MS

Bright and beautiful butterflies! (try sayin that with a mouthful of marbles!) From the Peeples Family Carrolton, MS USA.

Thank You!

From the Blossom & Pape Families

Thank you so much to the Blossom Family, for this beautiful sparkly star fabric!
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And to the Pape Family (waiting for Gracelyn) for this equallyserene! piece of sky!!!Thought it was funny that I got two "sky" fabrics on the same day!!!THANK YOU!
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