Back to the Tea Hive & Update

Saturday found me going back to the Tea Hive for a Tea Party with the ladies from Church.

Somewhat tired from the festivities on Friday night but a nice way to kick off the weekend.

When I returned Bruce gave me some wonderful news. Our niece Angie and husband Brian had their 1st child. Little Logan Ray and Mom Angie are both doing great. In January her oldest sister Jennifer, husband Jim and big brother Avery welcomed their son Brydon Emery and in May our middle Wisconsin Niece Mindy, hubby Peter and big brother Issac are expecting a little girl. Lots of little cousins for Tamara to grow up with. Pretty cool stuff huh? Hardest part is being a "GREAT" Aunt and Uncle. Eeek!!!

Congratulations Girls and Guys... but mostly girls... after all you're doing 99% of the work. ;o)

~~~

To bring you all up to speed... We finally heard from Immigration and have our appointment for our final finger printing. In the mean time things are cruising along in Georgia. Tonight we received our travel document with instructions for obtaining tickets, how to deal with the remaining funds, our schedule (although we do not know the court date yet). Helpful tips on tipping, gifting (which we will be doing a lot of), shopping in Tbilisi, how to deal with the rather large staff that will be there to help us. Some cultural tips. Some safety tips. We will not be staying in a hotel but rather a private residence which we will rent for the 2-3 weeks we're there for security reasons. We should have Internet access so we will be keeping you informed as promised via this Blog. House / pet sitters, a neighbor and immediate family will have a contact # who will relay the message to us in country should you need us in an emergency. Social interaction should be done via this blog while we're away. We do plan on checking in at least once a day or as time permits. Georgia does have power grid issues so don't freak out if we miss a day or two while there. Georgia is having elections in May. We expect there will be some tension in Tbilisi which is their capital. Not to worry.. just watch CNN and I'll wave

Seriously we should be fine.. just thought I'd mention it so no one has a melt down in case we do see some excitement.

Bruce will disperse the necessary contact information to his business associates once we have a real itinerary. We are planning on using Skype while in country so we should have contact with the outside world. Not to worry.

Actually I can't wait till he reads these documents... should make for some very interesting conversation during breakfast..lol

~~~

Malibu Girls Welcome Tamara...

Malibu Girls Welcome Tamara

There's something about the anticipation of a Junior Malibu Girl. ;o)

Tonight my Malibu girls surprised me with a Malibu style baby shower at the Boat House in Stillwater NJ. A wonderful restaurant for those who are local. Yes it's water front... yes the food is great and yes of course they do make Malibu Bay Breezes ;o).

After a wonderful meal, several toasts and much laughter I was presented with many wonderful gifts from Tamara's Malibu Aunties. And a wonderful cake welcoming Tamara. Michelle had her pastry chef make it and it was excellent. Bruce really enjoyed his piece when I got home.

After loading up the car with the help of the owners of the Boat House we returned to the restaurant / bar area where we were entertained by some very colorful characters. lol. Who is Curtis Hamilton was the big question of the evening. He's somebody ... I can feel it. lol

OK.. inside joke... but my girls are smiling ;o)

Thank You girls... I really appreciate your generosity towards our daughter, your welcoming her into the fold even before she arrives means more then words can express.

And YES I was surprised... not shocked as you're all special ladies... but surprised. ;o)

It was really great seeing Lou Lou (you out there yet Lou Lou?) and Joanne.

Over all a really fun night and just the kind of stress reliever I needed.

Thank You Janet, Michelle and Debbie for planning such a special night.

~~~

Paper trail update... another set of documents are on their way to Trenton.

Georgia wants us there quickly... just waiting for US immigration?

Breakfast with Tamara....

Breakfast With Tamara

(Video.. Hit > to play above)

This is for Sondra who scolded me today for not having something new and exciting on the blog this morning to go with her coffee. ;o)

As she put it "the last time I checked you still had rocks in your pocket."

LOL

Better in my pocket then in my head I suppose? LOL

Coffee anyone? I'm buying ;o)

OK.. we'll get serious here.

Every Wednesday between 1 and 4 pm adoptive parents are able to call US immigration to check on the status of their paper work. So I do, did and will continue to until we get what we need. Unfortunately I was told that last week our file was placed on some one's desk for processing that went on vacation during the Easter Holiday week break. Yes another Grrrr moment.

On the Georgian front... their government has had the completed paper work in country since yesterday morning and already today I was emailed a letter stating that our dossier has been approved and they are ready to proceed. So tomorrow I have yet another letter Notarized and then again off to Trenton we go for the official seal of approval. Two more letters to Georgia and we're set on their end.

Come on USA... our baby is counting on you.

Please

~~~

Oh yes.. check the Baby Tea Party posting... we've added a few pictures.

&

On the right hand side bar I've added some blogging ABC's to make your lives easier.

Enjoy!

Do you remember?

What do you remember? People are always amazed when I start to recall my earliest memories. Like this picture of me I was just a little bit older then Tamara is now. I can remember being on the balcony in Rijeka Croatia .. finding tiny little round pebbles in Mom's rose plant behind me and putting them in my pocket. In fact I was frustrated in this picture because I decided it wasn't the best place for them and I couldn't get them out again.

An email I received from our agency got me thinking today. What will Tamara remember? I was told the facilitator stopped by her foster home to see how she was doing and she found Tamara outside playing with her friends. Chatting away? That was great news as we arranged to have their best speech therapist work with her the last few months. It worked ;o) now if she could only speak English. lol. The weather in Georgia has been wonderful lately so I was happy to hear she was able to enjoy it. And thrilled that she was having a good time and I may regret saying this in 6 months or so but yes happy she is chatting away.

Will she remember playing with her friends? Will she remember pebbles in her pocket? Will she always wonder what happen to her friends? When I was her age I had a best friend Desi who lived across the street. Desi's dog had puppies. I can remember playing with them. I can remember Desi's Grandmother... she was nice to me. I can remember not wanting to go home when Mom called me cause we were having so much fun. I often wonder what happen to Desi? Mom thinks she moved to Switzerland? I wonder? I wonder if Desi remembers me?

OH Ducky...

Happy Easter Every One

This would have been our 15th Annual Easter Dinner..

which I decided not to host this year. As we really didn't know for sure if we would be traveling soon. Those of you who have attended our annual Easter dinner I'm sure can understand why I stepped down this year. Weeks of preparation usually go into it. From decorating the house both inside and out to preparing the perfect 8 course meal.

Hosting the annual Easter Egg hunt for the nieces and nephews and setting a unique table theme every year. Yes it is a sit down. From 13 to ... I believe the largest table was in 2000 when we had 26 people. That was the year I decided to take espresso and cappuccino off the menu. lol. Did you ever make 26 cups in a row? Eeek... not a good idea. Especially once our guests started asking for refills.

Fresh flowers every where. It takes time... a lot of it.

In some ways it was sad to break the tradition. When I think back over the years the good times we had. The friends and relatives that had attended. And when I think of the themes I picked. LOL... Anyone remember the LIVE Pom Pom ducks I bought? Yes... I had the brilliant idea that I would buy a small flock of Pom Pom ducklings as an Easter prop. So I called around and found out Jersey law I have to buy 6 ducklings and pick them up the day after they hatch. Why 6 you wonder? Well I was told that they're social birds and needed friends.

So anyway... My thinking was that I would display them in the house in a pearl encrusted bridal bird cage. After all they were so cute and tiny .. surely they would fit. So I brought them home stopped off at Walmart and purchased a small animal cage, heat lamp and some baby duck food. They were to live in our guest bath until the big day. Little did I know these little ones would grow rapidly in the two weeks before Easter. A daily swim in the bath tub, a quick blow dry and back in the cage under a heat lamp. Within a week they tripled in size. Under protest Bruce agreed to go with me and pick up a bigger cage as they were rapidly out growing the small animal cage. So we bought a bunny hutch. The hutch was placed in the basement by the door so they could enjoy the view. Still under a heat lamp. Bathing at this point was not possible in the tub but they had their own tub which needed fresh water after each of the six took a bath. Did I mention how messy ducks are? Anyway... my thinking and I use that term loosely when telling this story was that they would be a cute Easter decoration and that surely my little nieces and nephews would want one when they saw them. Well Easter came and the kids were thrilled with our Pom Poms for a whopping 5 minutes. Yes... they all remained with us.

So after Easter .. Bruce.. good sport that he is build them a duck coop out side. A 4 X 8 screened home with a sheltered area so they wouldn't get wet when it rained.

Yes I know they're ducks. ;o)

So anyway... now they had a house they needed a place to swim so we bought them a kiddie pool complete with ramp. It was late Spring Summer and I'd let the ducks out every morning and call them back at sun down. Yes they were trainable. But why weren't they flying? Surely they would fly south for the winter? So we had flying lessons.. to no avail. They couldn't stay up for more then 15-20 feet before a crash landing. A very humorous site especially watching Bruce flap his arms running full throttle down hill with all six chasing after him.

Like I said a very good sport. lol . I think he would have done anything to make these guys fly away.

It wasn't until late Fall that I ran into the young man who sold me the ducks and it was his Dad that told me that our ducks would never fly. Their wings were clipped at birth? Grrrr.

What happen to our flock of special needs ducks? I found a local farmer that wanted them for eggs and swore that they would never be eaten.

So that's just an example of what can happen when you think too far out of the box.

To this day I can't get myself to eat duck :o(

OK.. back to reality... Mom & Dad hosted Easter Dinner this year.

Thanks Mom for getting me off the hook. Dinner was of course wonderful and fun was had by all.

Hopefully Tamara will like socializing and once she's adjusted we can resume our entertaining schedule. I know many of you have expressed an interest in our Easter Dinner as well as our Holiday House Warming.

~~~

Paper work ... Still Waiting

A Baby Tea...

Special Thanks to Lorraine for the bound picture book I found in our mailbox Wednesday from Saturday's Baby Tea Party. Very nicely done and very much appreciated.

Here are a few pictures as promised.

Today we had an unexpected surprise.

The ladies in our neighborhood got together and threw me a

Surprise Baby Tea Shower at the Tea Hive in Newton.

It was the perfect setting for such an event. Ultra feminine and ever so yummy.

It was especially nice to see their daughters in attendance.

I must say we have some of the nicest young ladies on our block.

In fact if it wasn't for them turning out so well I might not have had the courage to get one of my own ;o).

So I Thank You ALL my fellow tea drinkers, friends and neighbors.

Your generous spirit and open arms are very much appreciated and will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Tamara .. my dear... you have a whole collection of tiaras waiting for you.

LOL

Did you know there's even a Rub a Dub Dub... Tiara in the Tub kit?

I didn't know that? I don't have a water proof tiara... but Tamara does. ;o)

So Kisses to Denise, Ali, Lorraine, Sarah, Jane, Jessie and Barbara

I had a wonderful time... you all have excellent taste..of course ;o)

I'm sure Tamara will enjoy your gifts for years to come.

And yes Lorraine when Tamara has a party at Build A Bear you'll be invited.

You're too funny!!!

Hopefully I'll have a picture or two from the event to share in a day or two?

HINT...HINT

~~~

Sometimes I'd like to...

OK.. I thought I was finished posting for today and then this came through via email.

Had to share.

"Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when he could do something about it but I am afraid he might ask me the same thing."

Kind of hits home doesn't it?

~~~

OH.. FYI.. We're in the WAIT phase again. Documents are on a plane.