Number 84 and Our Paper Chain!

Yay! This is our new number! I really can't believe we moved up 9 spots! I'm not counting on every month to be like that but it sure would be nice! This weekend Isabel and I made a paper chain while Brian was at work to help us count down our numbers until we get to number 1. Waiting for a sister has been very difficult for Isabel. Lots of her friends have siblings and she just can't understand why her sister can't come home now. She asks if she's safe and taken care of because she worries about her. We remind her that God is already taking care of her and loving her all the way in Africa. So, we thought that a visual paperchain could really help her during this process. So, she started at one end and I started at the other and we made 93 little links with really pretty scrapbooking paper. A year or two ago, my biggest adoption cheerleader and wonderful friend let me pick out a bunch of extra paper (knowing that I would NEVER use it in a scrapbook). :) I've kept it and used some occasionally but it turned out to be the perfect paper for our countdown chain! I love it! What do you think?

It's actually shorter now! Isabel and I made 93 and then I had her take off the 9 after the photo.

Also, speaking of being on the waitlist, I'd like to just make a quick suggestion to everyone that asks families that are adopting about when they will meet their child.

Try to remember that it is very difficult for us to wait and wait with no idea really of when we will be able to see our child's face. When you ask us how long it could take and we tell you hopefully next year sometime, please don't respond with: "Good grief." or "Oh gosh, that's FOREVER!" Please don't roll your eyes and say something about how we could have our own child sooner. Please don't sound exasperated and not talk to us about our adoption anymore just because you don't know when our child will be here. You can still ask what the newest update is or how things are going. And please, don't respond with "That's a LONG time." in front of our biological kids that are learning to wait patiently even though it's very difficult for them too. Alright, I'm sorry to hurt anybody's feelings on this but I think people should know how words affect waiting families' feelings. We need all of the encouragement that we can get.

P.S. I WON a giveaway!! Seriously, I won! I am super excited. Remember how I told you that Ordinary Hero is giving us $10 for every t-shirt that you guys order and put our name in the special instructions memo for the month of November?? Well, when they got to 300 followers, they chose a winner to win a free t-shirt and sure enough, they announced my name? Wanna see? http://ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/we-have-winner.html While you're there check out their shirts! I'm pretty sure I'm gonna ask for this one.

pink 84 by Leo Reynolds (flickr)