In Sickness and In Work...

Hey All,
Sorry not to post in two weeks, but work is starting to get really busy. That lovely honeymoon time of being "the new girl" is over and now I am expected to deliver. Life is busy. It's all good, and I've been to two meetings/events since my last post. Good times.

Kelsey's also been sick...she's had what the Dr. calls the Daycare "ick" - a runny nose and a cough. She doesn't seem particularly run down, and we did get to a new work colleague's baby shower last Satuday and Church last Sunday.

Unfortunately, I got the Mommy "ick" on Sunday and it's lasted a full stinking week! A full blown, miserable cold, complete with larengitis. I felt guilty going to work and exposing my new work-mates (sorry Jane!) but I can't call in sick so early in my new job. Plus, the work events could not wait.

The worst part of it, was that I felt so awful that I didn't want to expose Kelsey to my cold in addition to her "ick" so Kurt had to take care of most of the evening parenting duties. And I missed my baby so much...I could tell she was puzzled that I wasn't picking her up and hugging and kissing her, but I didn't want her to get sicker.

We took no chances this weekend, cancelled our dinner plans with the family and hunkered in trying to get better. I know I feel alot better. Kelsey doesn't seem as congested today as she has this week, but we'll see.

Tuesday is Halloween and I know I was sick a lot with colds as a kid and didn't get to trick or treat much...I will be damned if Kelsey has to go through that too! I was trying to teach her to trick or treat today...we were practicing sticking out her Elmo bucket to get candy. Not that she knows what candy is (and she won't be able to eat any of it...she's way too young to eat candy!)

Our plan for Tuesday is to pick her up from the babysitters early and take her to work to show off her outfit. Then meet up with Susan and Lily to do some light trick or treating. Kurt will be home by 6pm and we'll take her to a few neighbor's houses then. And of course, tons of photos for the big day. Can't wait!

We also practiced walking...she's so close. She's very comfortable now walking holding onto our fingers...something that she couldn't do a few weeks ago. We'll see when she feels comfortable doing this on her own...she's close. I really want her to reach this milestone, so we can see what happens next!

No photos today, I promise more on Tuesday!

Our Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Our adoption agency, WHFC, hosted
all their families at an event today. The day was sunny and crisp (bordering on cold) so we wrapped ourselves and Kelsey up well and headed off to Ort Farms in Chester NJ.

Kelsey loved the pumpkin patch! We rode a haybale filled tractor ride to the patch and once she was on the ground started crawling all over the place! She really enjoyed the hayride too, everytime we went over a bump, she's say "oooohhhh!"

We were able to catch-up with another family who adopted their daughter almost one year ago, the Rings. Jason, Colleen and Ashley are doing great and Ashley is the most extrodinarily little girl....I am in awe of her personality...she is pure sunshine and very mature for being barely 2 years old!

After we left Ort farms, our girl was really hungry, so we stopped at Perkins for a combination of lunch and dinner (for Mommy and Daddy). Kelsey had a great time making friends at Perkins and chowed down on a grilled cheese sandwich, fries, a taste of waffle and ice cream for desert! She had a great day and came home took a nap, had a light dinner and off to bed!

Kelsey's 100 Good Wishes Quilt

While we were waiting for China to process our paperwork and give us our referral (match us to a baby) I decided to do a traditional 100 Good Wishes Quilt.

A tradition in China, is that when a baby is born, friends and family give the baby's family a scrap of cloth and a wish. The scraps of fabric are then sewn into a quilt for the baby, who literally comes home wrapped in the good wishes of the family.

This is the front of the quilt and you can see the squares that everyone gave us. Included in the scrapbook are wishes and a piece of the fabric, so we can see which fabric corelated to which wish/person.

I spent about 4 months getting the fabrics/wishes from friends and family and also participated in a lot of swaps from different groups online. The outcome was well worth the effort and I got Kelsey's quilt about a month before we left for China.

I scrapbooked the wishes and completed that project right before my baby shower. People were very touched by the wishes, some were absolutely lovely!

This is a great gift that I am honored to give my daughter. I am incredibly proud of this quilt.

Autumn Moon Festival

On September 30, we went to LI to attend the FCC Autumn Moon Festival Picnic. We were invited by Kelsey's orphanage sister, Emily. We had a great time, although, at their very young ages, the girls don't really play together. But they had a great time on the swings and playing in Emily's wagon.

Emily's Mommy, Vicky is an amazing woman and has an incredibly generous spirit. Vicky invited us to visit and shared her yummy picnic lunch with us. Vicky's Mom, Marilyn was also there. It was a great treat to see her again, as she went to China with us and shared that very special time.

Emily and Vicky gifted Kelsey with a beautiful bracelet that has sisterhood and Chinese symbols on it. Emily wears a similar one as does another orphanage sister, Addie.

This is Kelsey and Daddy on the swings at the park in LI.

What an Angel Face!
Emily shared a wagon ride with Kelsey. I think Kelsey really liked that wagon!

Emily is such an adorable little girl, she is barely 3 months older than Kelsey, but she has a calmness and a maturity that is very impressive. She is also a fashionista! Check out that hairband!

That time in China was so special and important to us. Vicky and Marilyn were so wonderful and friendly on our trip. It was a journey of a lifetime! Many of our photos contain them and the other 17 families who made that trip with us. I will soon begin to post memories of that time with photos so you all can share the journey with us.

Take care!

The Good Stuff!

This is Kelsey on May, 27, 2006 She was 10.5 months old
Kelsey was an honorary flower girl at her Uncle Rich's and Aunt B's wedding. Uncle Rich is Daddy's younger brother, who has just graduated from medical school and has since begun his residency in rehabilitative medicine.

See why Kelsey's nickname is Angel Face?

Here are two more photos, one with Mommy and one with Daddy on the same day.

I Should Introduce Myself to Cyberworld

No one's reading this blog yet; it's a private secret that I've started one. I really only showed it to my husband, Kurt last night. He said he liked it and with that ringing endorsement, I've decided to test drive it to the rest of the world. Now to decide how to promote it....

Why read JoAnn's blog? Well, I will be talking about any and all of the following topics:

• Our daughter Kelsey, adopted from China 6 months ago. She is 15 months old now and a very happy baby. We are so blessed and lucky to have the opportunity to raise this child. She is smart, funny, fearless and amazing in every way. Plus, she's gorgeous! There will be lots of photos published of our Angel Face.
• Being a Mommy. The main reason I've created this blog is that I want to give Kelsey the opportunity to peek into my head now while I remember all the little things. I think it's the opportunity of a lifetime for her to really know what I think and how I feel.
• Adoption in general is a passion of mine...so I will talk about it very openly here.
• Work? I am a Development Manager for a non-profit organization that is well known. However, marketing is a passion of mine, so yes I will discuss it.
• Marriage and family...natch...but I promise only in a good way. No bitching about taking out the garbage on my website! Kurt and I have been married nine years and love each other very much. At first blush looking at us, we may not appear to have much in common, but our values and goals are completely aligned. That being said, adding a new baby into our mix has definately mixed things up a bit.
• Gardening, cooking, scrapbooking, home decor/improvements...all topics I love!
• Fashion...perhaps
• Books? Love them, wish I had a chance to read lately. Baby books are another story.
• Politics and religion? Probably not, my faith is personal. My political views are a mishmash at best, so not worth the effort to discuss in print.

So that's it...it may be interesting for some, others may just want to see that adorable baby girl. Please feel free to offer opinions/advice/comments on improving the blog. Once I take it out in public, I want it to be well received!

In Honor of Kelsey's 15 month...15 things I love about her!

1. The way she seems to delight in the world...She's such a happy baby!
2. When she crinkles her brow when she's contemplating something.
3. Her new habit of shaking her head "no" whenever you ask her a question...Even if she really means yes
4. Big sloppy drooly kisses!
5. She's a snuggler
6. Her love of Elmo
7. Her fascination with commercials...What's up with that?!?!
8. Her beautiful eyes
9. Her long piano fingers
10. Her new "word" ahhhhhh-tst! (sound like achoo!)
11. Her screams of happiness when she sees her "ga's" (the cats)
12. Her fearlessness
13. She loves puppy dogs
14. She loves my collection of Willow Tree Angels and says good morning to them every day
15. The way she's completed our lives in ways we always hoped, but never dreamed could happen!

My First Blog Post EVER

I've toyed with the idea of creating a blog for while. I'm addicted to reading other people's blogs and wanted to leave something of positive permanence for our daughter, Kelsey. Plus, it's a great way to keep up with family and friends if you can't be together in real life.

However, I knew I would never create a blog while I was employed at Profits Ho Inc. I knew that the negative feelings I had about that environment would seep into any writing I did and ruin a place that I wanted to dedicate to our family.

So I waited....

And I've been blessed...Incredibly blessed...No longer do I have to work for the "man." And yes, I know that because I worked at PHI, we were able to afford our adoption and remodel/decorate many rooms in our home.

Last Monday, I started a new chapter of my career. Or rather, I went backwards and re-started the career I should have kept 6 years ago. Doing something constructive and positive for humanity, not corporations. But, if it weren't for the skills and processes I've built by working for PHI, I would never have the opportunity I currently have.

And can I share that my commute is half a mile? That's TWO WHOLE MINUTES!!!!!!

I feel so much more relaxed than I have in over 2 years...I think it's already reflective in my face and I am feeling pretty good about our future.