All About Emma

Hello!

2010-01-31T13:53:00.007-06:00

Hey everybody - it's me Emma! It's been a really long time since my momma posted anything and so I'm helping her out today. I really like computer time - and want to do it myself without mom's help - so here we go! We had a really fun Christmas - I got a new baby and a dressing table with all the fixings. I also got a new CD player complete with two microphones so my momma and I have been practicing my singing and I'm getting pretty good. My favorite song is Up On The Housetop. We sing it everyday and I like it alot.

I still go to my Grandma's house two days a week but now I go to my new school 3 days. I have made a lot of friends and I have fun at music time and making arts and crafts. I was a little scared at first, but now I just run in every morning ready to play. I think that makes it alot easier for my momma to leave me in the mornings. At the end of the day my daddy comes and gets me and I am super excited everyday when he gets there!

We had a really big snow storm this weekend, so I'm hoping my daddy will take me out later today to play in the snow. If he does, I will post those pictures so you can see my first snow day!

My New CD Player

Happy Girl!

Not so happy!

A Month of 1st

2009-11-29T22:07:00.013-06:00

Wow! November was a busy, busy month and now December is here. We made a road trip to visit our travel buddies a few weeks ago. We took the girls by our agency to say thanks for all their hardwork in getting these babies home to their forever families. They seemed happy to watch the girls interact and here about our trip and how things are going at home. It's been 5 months since our trip and the girls seem to be doing really well. Of course, we were a little sad to be missing half our group. I hope we will be able to have a true reunion with all 6 babies this summer!

The next morning Rusty and I took Emma in for her 1st haircut. She was a little unsure, but she did great and got a sucker for being such a big girl!

After getting home, we decided to start putting out some of our Christmas decorations and get our tree up. Emma oooohed and ahhhhed over all our goodies and was ALOT of help! LOL! Let's just say we definately have to be on our toes because she is into everything she can get her hands on. I ordered her 1st Christmas ornament from a woman who is headed to China for her dollbaby on the 13th. It is super cute and I was happy to give my dollars to someone who is using it to get her own China girl home!

We celebrated Russman's birthday on the 25th and then headed home on Thursday morning for Emma's 1st Thanksgiving. Emma made her presence known and was so cute! She even learned the proper way to eat black olives - one on each finger! After a good nights sleep, we got up Friday morning and got ready for Bake Day! Every year the women in my family try to have a bake day to make all the cakes, cookies and candies for the holiday season. I'm not sure about the other families - but our treats barely last the week, much less till Christmas. Emma helped make some sugar cookies and once again she was a really good helper! She's almost more help than we can handle. It was fun watching her as I remembered a holiday season not so long ago when I longed for this child with all my heart. Now she is here and I am just sitting back in awe of her and how she has turned our world upside-down! We wouldn't have it any other way!!

Our 1st Mini-Reunion with J & D:

My 1st haircut:

Putting up our tree:

My 1st Thanksgiving and Bake Day!!

New Pics of our Girl

2009-11-03T21:14:00.008-06:00

Our little girl is growing and changing so much these days. I'm amazed how each day brings something new - a new trick, a new word, a new animal noise. Our favorite is when she does the flamingo and stands on one leg! Too cute!

She also has become quite the girlie girl. She loves to put on new clothes and she will immediately go to the mirror to admire herself. She also got a new coat last week from her Grandma. It is plush white, extra soft, and Emma loves it. How I'll manage to keep it cleans remains to be seen - especially since she gets so mad when we make her take it off! She would stay in it all day if we let her!!

My first balloon!

I love my Daddy!!

Rain, rain go away!

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Trick or Treating will wear a girl out!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-26T21:41:00.007-05:00

Happy Halloween!!! This weekend we got our pumpkins carved and ready to go. Emma was a little unsure - but after checking things out, she dug right in and started pulling the pumpkin guts out. She really likes to light our jack-o-lantern with Daddy! We are going home for trick-or-treating on Friday. I'm sure Emma won't have a clue what we're doing - but mom and dad are extra excited. We've waited a long time for this and its lots of fun watching Emma experience it all for the 1st time! Enjoy the pics and have a safe and happy halloween!!

Oh my gosh....an update at last!

2009-10-06T22:31:00.008-05:00

I title it that because some of you will be pleasantly surprised to see an update! Life with Emma has made it a little more difficult to blog, which is sad because there is so much to tell. We went to the doctor a few weeks ago and dispite getting four more shots (this time she knew what was going on) - she got an A+ and all seems to be well. She is changing so much and we are just trying to keep up. This week alone, she is starting to try and say a few words. She wants to really bad - but it's just not quite there yet. And just today, she has decided to start climbing on anything and everything. Tonight she was standing on her push car and then we turned around and she was climbing over the baby gate. So it's pretty obvious those are becoming obsolete real soon!

Here's what we know for sure - she is alot of fun! Our girl is a little onry, but we love it. I think we may have our hands full in the coming months - but oh well, we will just power through!

Enjoy the pics - you've waited long enough!

Two Months Ago....

2009-08-19T14:32:00.007-05:00

So it's been two months now since we first met the new love of our lives. M has changed so much, but especially in the last few weeks. She has definately put on some pounds (thank goodness) and seems to learn something new everyday! This week she has started spinning on one foot - so I think we might have a dancer in our future. She loves the music and just dances and laughs - and that makes for a happy momma! I'm amazed at how this beautiful thing half a world away has managed to make her mark on our hearts so very quickly. I'm not saying she doesn't have a naughty streak - she's a determined little thing! But she is so funny, so ready with a smile and so very loving. Everyone we meet tells us how lucky she is - but we are quick to remind them that we are the lucky ones! We waited so long for this gift and she is everything we could of hoped or dreamed she would be!!

My 1st bites of El Ran - yummy!!

Loves from Grandma L - a girl can never have too many Grandmas!!

More loves from Grandma W!

Spaghetti is messy but oh so good!

My 1st trip to the zoo

Sweet Girl!

Finally.....an update!

2009-08-07T15:44:00.003-05:00

So it's been a while since I have posted. I wasn't very good at posting before and now it seems with the addition of Emma, it is pretty tough to find the time to sit at the computer and put my many, many thoughts together! Life has definately changed around here - but it has been a wonderful summer and we are just enjoying our days together and watching Emma as she tries to figure out the world around her! We just thought we had our hands full - but now it seems Emma has mastered walking this week, so we have gotten out our tennis shoes and are just trying to keep up!

Enjoy the pictures! After all, that's what you are really here to see!!

As you can see - I've found the toilet paper!

Spending some time in the pack-n-play so Momma can get something done!

These are from our 1st vacation - swimming at the Great Wolf Lodge

Adjusting to our "new normal"

2009-07-09T15:05:00.008-05:00

Our little firecracker!!

Well, it's been two weeks since we got home and we are slowly adjusting to our new way of life. We've had alot of stuff going on since we arrived home - lots of visitors and of course the 4th of July holiday weekend. All in all, we've had some adjusting to do, but we all seem to be getting along great and settling into a routine.

I have lots of pictures to post - and as soon as I get them gathered up, I'll get them on here. Until then, we've posted a few to get you by. I do want to send a special thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes over the past few weeks. We have had many family and friends checking in on us and making sure all is well. Miss Emma is very loved and I think everyone is just so grateful she is here with us and doing so well! We've had some bumps and bruises, but all in all, she is adjusting very well and seems to be a pretty happy little girl. Of course, if she could master walking on her own - she'd be alot happier, but something tells me it won't be much longer and we'll be chasing after her!!

My 1st meal in America - Chili's at the Detroit Airport!

I've been traveling for 22 hours so far - but I'm still pretty happy!!

One of my favorite pictures - pretty much sums it up, we're ready to be home!!

My 1st birthday present - a new swingset from Grandma and Grandad

Learning to like the lake!

New Site for our Trip

2009-06-04T13:04:00.002-05:00

We have recently learned that we may not be able to access our blogger site while in China. That does not bode well for our many friends and family hoping to follow us as we venture around China. Therefore, we have set up a new site @ youbelong.net. I have created a link from this site to our new one. Just click "All About Emma Too" (upper right hand corner) and it should take you to the new site.

Only 5 days till we leave on the trip of a lifetime. We have so much to do, but are ready to get on that plane and get to our baby!!

Also, a special shout out to my east coast girls. I'm thinking of you today and hope all is well!! Love ya!!

CA!

2009-06-01T09:38:00.002-05:00

Our appointment is confirmed - China here we come! We have been given the green light to purchase our tickets and I just took a call from our travel agent! AAAAAHHHHHHH! I can't believe this day has finally come. I should have Emma in my arms in roughly 15 days!!!

TA!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE CHINA BOUND!

2009-05-29T12:02:00.002-05:00

Today is a great day. Our agency called and said our TA is here! They still have to request our consulate appointment (June 22nd, 23rd, or 24th) and once that is confirmed we will have definate travel dates! Tentatively, they have us leaving June 11th - less than two weeks!! OMG - is this really happening?? We are in shock! But it sounds like Russman will have Emma in his arms this Father's Day and for that we are grateful and excited!! We will be posting updates as we have them! I guess the countdown has really begun!!

Happy Birthday Emma!!

2009-05-25T19:13:00.003-05:00

As I write this post, our baby girl is having her 1st birthday. We are very sad and disappointed that we are not there with her - but we will definately make up for lost time whenever we get clearance to go. Miss Emma has taken hold of our hearts and thoughts this week and we are growing more and more anxious by the day. We spent Memorial Day weekend asking the same question over and over - where is that dang TA?? The May batch of referrals finally made their appearance on Friday (congrats to all the new families) so I'm hoping maybe that's a sign that things are moving again and our TA is on the way. I think the swine flu has played havoc with our travel plans, but it would seem that is dying down now. We would like to see something this week as it has now been 6 weeks since our paperwork was sent back accepting our referral. Our schedule is pretty much wide open now - so there's not much left to do but get to China and get our baby!!!

In the meantime, we have decided to go ahead and start getting our stuff ready. In the words of our good friend "if we pack, she will come"! I hope she is right!!

Waiting......again??

2009-05-13T12:58:00.003-05:00

Uh...yea. Apparently there is more waiting to be done as our TA has yet to arrive. Today marks 4 weeks since our LOA (letter of acceptance)was sent back to the CCAA. Our agency has always said it takes 3 - 5 weeks for TA, but can be as long as 7 weeks. So, we are still in that window, but of course always hoping it will show up sooner.

On a side note - I received some sweet surprises as my 1st Mother's Day came and went. Imagine my surprise when a Mother's Day card from Emma was in my mailbox! I had a little moment for myself as already our girl has some angels watching out for her! I'm not sure who sent it - but a huge thank you to whoever you are! You made my day!

Have Visa....Will Travel

2009-05-05T20:57:00.001-05:00

We got our visas this week. They showed up on my desk on Thursday. So that's one more step done....but we're still waiting for TA (travel approval). Rumor has it that maybe some were mailed yesterday, so I guess we will see what the week brings!

Abigail's Arrival

2009-04-26T20:10:00.003-05:00

Today our Emma is 11 months old! We have been thinking about her alot today and hoping we will be there next month to celebrate her 1st birthday with her!

This week we welcomed Miss Abigail into our lives. She arrived Thursday morning weighing in at 7lbs, 12ozs and 20.5" long. She is very sweet and has already stolen our hearts! Big brother seems to be adjusting pretty well and when we left today he wanted her to watch movies with him! We think he will be a big help to his momma and daddy as they adjust to being a family of four!!

What a week!!

2009-04-21T20:28:00.000-05:00

We have had a wonderful week as new parents to our sweet Emma! Above is just a glimpse of the many activities we have had going on since receiving Emma's referral information on the 8th. Everyone is so excited to finally put a sweet face to the child we have all been axiously waiting for. We quickly went out and made many, many copies of the precious photos and handed them out to everyone. On Thursday, we were reminded that some babies are delivered by FedEx!

We also made a trip home to celebrate Easter Sunday. It was definately an appropriate holiday for us this week, as we are having a new beginning in our household. We also spent Saturday signing a stack of documents to send back to China. They were mailed on Wednesday the 15th - and so the wait for travel approval begins! We are told this can take anywhere from 2 to 7 weeks - so we are praying for 2 and hoping for the best.

On Monday evening, we arrived home to find two new glider rockers in our living room! Thanks Mom and Dad! They are perfect for rocking, napping, and reading to our sweet girl. We can't wait to get her home and put them to good use. We have also received some really cute outfits and cards from all our family and friends! Everyone is so excited and we can't wait to get Emma home and introduce her to our large, loving group of family and friends!

AT LAST - HERE SHE IS!!

2009-04-08T12:28:00.012-05:00

Introducing......

Emma MeiSi Wheeler

THE CALL

2009-04-04T11:10:00.007-05:00

Oh my, yesterday was exciting! We started out the day with our normal off to work routine. I told Russman maybe I would be calling him today and he replied with his standard "I hope so!" which has become routine over the last few weeks while we've been waiting. I made it to work and checked the rumor queen, but still nothing - no news on these precious referrals.

About 10:00am I took another look at Rumor Queen to learn that phone calls were being made in the US. Well, you can just imagine the excitement that finally this day had come! I immediately sent out the emails to everyone and called Russman to let him know that the calls were being made. I think he was in shock - much like myself! However, all this excitement turned course when the email from our agency arrived saying that they did confirm a package was on the way but would not arrive till Monday! With this news I again sent the emails and called Russman to let them know and we all settled into this news that Monday would be "the day"!

After getting back from lunch, I was paged for a phone call on line 1. I answered and the conversation went something like this:

"This is Angie"

"Angie, this is Allison (our case worker)"

"What are you doing calling me, you're not suppose to call till Monday!"

"Well, I'm calling you today and you need to get Rusty and call me back!"

The next part is a blur but I'm pretty sure I screamed, said we would call right back and hung up. Then began the phone calls to Grandma telling her to get here now, and of course, Rusty - who was not answering his phone! Are you kidding me!! Seriously, you are not answering - went through my mind! I then called his work number and waited for them to find him. Finally he answered and I said we got our call! I know he was shocked and said "Em, okay - I"ll get there as soon as I can!" Come to find out, his work was total chaos and to make a long story short, he finally came barging thru the doors at 4:30! In the meantime, I had made numerous phone calls while waiting with my parents for his arrival! Finally, the call was made! We've posted the video, but of course, our battery went dead during the call! I can tell right now that a couple of more batteries are on the top of our shopping list!

We are so thrilled with our news and relieved to know our baby girl seems to be healthy and in foster care getting some TLC. We are also excited to know she will hopefully spend her 1st birthday with us! It sounds like we may be planning a birthday party in China! All the more fun!

We will post more Monday - when hopefully the rest of the packet is translated and can be sent! Until then, enjoy!!

Introducing..........

2009-04-03T18:13:00.005-05:00

Cen Si Mei

Born May 26, 2008

Hengfeng County Social Welfare Institute

Jiangxi Province

At her 6 month check up she weighed 14.3 lbs and was 24.8" long. She is currently in foster care. We hope to receive her entire packet on Monday and will post more information then. We have a video of the call and will post it later this evening.

WE GOT THE CALL!!!!

2009-04-03T16:29:00.001-05:00

I'm just sitting here waiting for Rusty to get here so we can call our agency back and get all the details! We will post Miss Emma's info soon!!!!

Where are you stork??

2009-04-01T17:55:00.002-05:00

Where the heck are you stork? I'm in some serious labor pains today and really need you to make your appearance. We did receive good news when our agency emailed and said that referrals have been processed for our group and now it is just a matter of waiting for them to get here. I'm hoping and praying they were mailed yesterday and we will hear something on Friday (apparently it takes 3 days mail time). So, in the meantime we continue to try and get through the days without going completely nuts. I will say I had a Dr. appt yesterday and told them I was going crazy - but they assured me I was normal, not crazy! All in all, we have done a pretty good job of being patient but these last few days are killing me! I'm tired of waiting and I want my referral - so fly stork, fly!!!

Awaiting signature.....

2009-03-31T12:58:00.003-05:00

Today, rumor has it that an agency is saying that the referrals may be matched and awaiting signature. Yippee!! That could mean our file and Miss Emma's are finally together! It give me tears just thinking about it. It time for the stork to take flight!!

And now it's Monday....again

2009-03-30T09:50:00.002-05:00

Good Morning! Well it's Monday once again and you've probably assumed by now that we did not hear anything this past week. Rumor Queen hints at the possibility of something this week, but there are no guarantees in this waiting game, so we continue to wait and see.

Needless to say, this makes for a less than productive work environment for me. Luckily, I have some very nice sleeping pills, so as long as I take those, I am able to sleep at night. While the waiting is hard, it's a different kind of wait - no more wondering IF you will be in, just worrying about when the stork will take flight!

We will keep you updated this week - hopefully it won't be too much longer..............

Finally...it's time!

2009-03-21T10:14:00.004-05:00

It would appear our wait is coming to an end. We are expecting our referral any day now, probably this Friday or the following Monday. While many families have said how stressful this part can be - I must say I feel a real since of peace. For the 1st time in many years, I am not concerned with how far they will fill and how many days will be included. I'm most consumed with thoughts of our Emma - how old is she? where is she living? is she healthy and happy?

We have managed to pass the time with family - shopping, eating, and having fun. We spent this last week working on Auntie B's wedding and finding the perfect dress! It really is beautiful and she is stunning in it. Now it's on to me getting the flowers done, all while planning and getting ready for Emma!

Come back often - we're getting ready for some major news around here!!!

Let the ride begin......

2009-01-14T18:21:00.003-06:00

Okay folks.....rumor has it that the CCAA has begun matching babies to families. A few people are also saying this could be a larger batch. Dare we hope to believe that the 7th will be included?? It's just so hard to stay focused right now - I want so badly for it to be true, but I have also learned to protect my heart from any disappointment. Let's just say I would be super thrilled if they filled thru the 6th - and probably fall out of my chair and pass out if the 7th was included!! I guess we will see - in the meantime, I've got a knot in my stomach and suspect it won't be going away anytime soon!!

And then there were 7........

2009-01-03T18:16:00.002-06:00

We have waited and waited and now I am happy to say that there are only 7 days left to fill. Oh my, a week's worth of days to get to see the beautiful face of our girl! Up till now, it has seemed like a distance dream. But now, things are getting very real, very quickly. I now realize all the things I have been putting off because we have forever to wait - well folks, that is no longer the case!

We hope to see another batch of referrals before the CCAA breaks for Chinese New Year. If they do send another batch, I would hope to see them fill thru the 6th (who am I kidding - I would hope and pray to see the 7th!) However, our day is huge, so I would be thrilled for them to fill thru the 6th. Then and only then, would we be guaranteed to make the next batch which should arrive end of February! Can you believe it, in as little as 8 weeks we could be seeing Emma for the 1st time!!!!

So what to do in the meantime - don't worry, there is so much to do. We need to finish some parenting classes, go through the mountain of things in our basement that this much loved, much wanted little girl has already managed to receive. Oh and the huge China Travel Guide that we are reading - it's pretty daunting all the things to do between now and when we travel! But don't worry - we will get our ducks in a row! It won't be much longer..............thanks for hanging in with us! We should have the news you've waited to hear very, very soon!!

12 Days

2008-12-10T09:37:00.003-06:00

The CCAA has filled referrals thru 02/23/06 leaving 12 days to fill! 12 Days.......oh my, we are getting so very close. While we wish we were spending our 1st Christmas with Emma, that is not to be, so we will just have to find a way to enjoy the season and look forward to the coming months. I think we will see a referral in March (maybe the 7th, now that would be strange, wouldn't it??)!

We have been busily getting ready for the holidays and are really looking forward to spending time together. This year is a 1st, as it will just be our little family of 9 this year. No big family Christmas, but I'm hoping with our smaller gathering I will really get to spend some precious time with those I love. Sometimes in the chaos and madness of a big Christmas, we loose sight of what's really important - family and memories!!

With 16 days left to go - our cards are sent and we are slowly getting our gifts bought!! For those following our blog - Merry Christmas!! We are so looking forward to the excitement, nervousness, and overwhelming joy that 2009 will bring!

TWO PLEASE!!

2008-11-17T21:27:00.002-06:00

Well, we only got 2 days this month. Not exactly what we were hoping for, but we will take them none the less. So, now we are at 18 days. We hear that typically after a small batch like this, the next bacth is larger. Angie thinks they may fill to the end of February next month. We can only hope. We will keep our heads up and see what next month brings.
We have begun our marathon of weekend travels this month. We really enjoyed the musical "Grease" this last weekend!! Angie was very jealous, as it has been her lifelong dream to play "Sandy". But, alas, the honor went to Jaime, and she did a great job!! Not to leave out Jacob, who also did a great job!! This weekend we will be returning going home again for the craft show; yep, more "selling of the scarves" and baby hats!! We are trying something new with inter-changable "hat tops" as well as some "hat accessories"!! So, check us out this weekend!!
Then comes Thanksgiving!! We are looking forward to hanging out for a few days, visiting, eating, playing games, eating, napping, oh yea, and eating!!
On a sadder note, I am deeming Tuesday as "black Tuesday", as I will be turning 29(40!!) again. I am struggling quite alot with this, so I am warning you all now. Angie says it's just a number and to get over it, and I am trying, but I am just not there yet. So be nice!! What am I talking about, you people are ruthless!!
So, there you go!! Angie let me write this update while she is knitting away getting ready for this weekend!! Happy Reading!!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-02T16:50:00.004-06:00

Normally this time of the month I would be posting some info about the latest batch of referrals. Alas, there is no news from the CCAA just yet - so we wait, something we are pretty used to. Last word, they were still matching babies with families, so maybe that is a good sign of things to come.

In the meantime, we have had quite a week. Michael's mom and dad went on a trip to Seattle and we were lucky to have him come stay with Grandma and Grandad for the week. It was a special treat to spend so many days with him. We went to the zoo, got ready for Halloween, and spent alot of nights playing golf and FOOTBALL. He's a special little boy and so much fun!!

Rusty got a special treat when he learned that Becky and Brian had given him their tickets to the KU/KSU football game. He was thrilled! We headed out Friday night for an overnight stay and spent Saturday at the game. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, 72 and sunny. The campus was beautiful with all the trees turning. All in all, it was a perfect day!

Stay tuned......rumors should be flying this week - we hope!! In the meantime, enjoy!!

And then there were 20......

2008-10-05T20:10:00.002-05:00

20 days!!! Oh my, we can't believe it is down to 20 days. This month the CCAA sent an early batch and we learned this week that they have filled referrals thru Feb. 15th. That leaves only 20 days to fill. If they were to continue to fill 6 days a month, we would see a referral in February 2009. Of course, we always hope for more days and it is starting to sink in that this is really happening and we could see a referral within the next few months! We still are hoping for an early Christmas present, but as the year winds down, it is looking more and more like the 1st of the year. However, one thing we have learned is that anything can happen, so we are just holding on and preparing for the ride of our lives!

Gran's Marchers 2008

2008-09-28T17:30:00.011-05:00

Update: My friend's sister had her surgery this week and we were thrilled to learn that the pathology report came back negative - no cancer!! She is now recovering and doing well. What a wonderful way to start off Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

This weekend was the Race for the Cure and once again our family chose to participate. Our team name is "Gran's Marchers" after my grandmother who I am happy to say is a breast cancer survivor. This year she was given a clean bill of health and that is definately cause for celebration. We had 30+ walkers and raised over $1,000.00 for the Komen foundation. It was a beautiful day and quite inspiring to see all the survivors walk in! There are so many battling this disease and so we continue to walk and hope for a cure. My very good friend's sister is battling as I write, and will be having surgery in the morning. She is a young mother fighting a tough battle, and so we continue to pray for her and will say a special prayer this evening in hopes the surgery will go well!

After the walk, we all gathered at my mom and dad's for lunch, fun, and fellowship. We had so much to be thankful for. In addition to my Gran being cancer-free, my mother celebrated her 60th birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!!), my sister is engaged and a June wedding is being planned, we are only a few months from referral of our baby Emma, and we have recently learned a new baby is on the way. All in all, we are extremly blessed and wanted to take a moment from our busy lives and celebrate!! As I said, the weather could not have been better and we spent the day visiting, eating (alot, we had so much food) and just hanging out. It was a great way to spend the weekend, laughing and lovin' up on my family!!

26 Days Left!

2008-09-04T17:44:00.006-05:00

Can you imagine.....here we are, waiting and wondering when and if referrals will come this month. Following the Olympics, there has been much speculation as to whether the CCAA would even send our referrals for the month of September. Well, we were pleasantly surprised Monday night to arrive home and learn that they had filled referrals thru Feb. 9th, 2006! Oh my goodness......it has been quite a thrill to finally see February on all the websites and know that our turn is just around the corner. September 7th will mark 30 months since our LID of March 7th. That is a long time to wait and it seems the end (or shall I say the beginning) of our journey is in sight!!

We have spent the last couple of days so happy and excited to see how the next few months unfold. Several of the couples in our travel group decided to make an M&M chain as a way to count down the remaining 26 days. We wanted to join in on the fun - so we spent Tuesday night making our chain and getting it hung in the living room. Russman says it looks like we are getting ready for a party, and I guess he's right! We will definately be celebrating as we take these final steps towards the referral of our baby girl!

Here comes the sun..........

2008-08-12T12:25:00.005-05:00

Today is a great day! We have finally learned that the CCAA has filled referrals through January 31st, 2006 - a "6 day" batch. Some would say it's not much to get excited about. Here's the deal. I really do not like the month of January. It's long, cold, dark, and yucky! I have always dreaded January and count down the days till we get to February! Well, it seems that in the "adoption referral" world, January has also taken it's toll. All in all, it has taken 6 months to get thru the monster month of "January 06". So here we are - all that stands between us and our baby girl are 35 days (Feb. 1st - March 7th)! Luckily, February is the shortest month of the year. I know we are still months away from a referral, but January is done and that makes for a happy momma-to-be! Look out world - the sun's getting ready to shine!!

Our Projections............

2008-07-22T13:27:00.002-05:00

Okay.....so if you scroll down below the red Beijing clock you will find a new section title "Our Projections". I added this today because our families still seems to be somewhat confused as to how the referral process works. Once a month, the CCAA sends out referrals to waiting families. The referral contains the child's information and pictures. After receiving a referral, the family sends a letter of acceptance for this particular child. An appointment is then set with the US consulate, and travel arrangements can begin to be made.

So, we have projected how far we believe the CCAA will fill each month. This is strictly wishful thinking......but I hope it will prove to be fairly accurate. I guess time will tell. In the meantime, you can see that we were already off by several days for the month of July, as we projected they would fill to 2/5/06 and they only got to 1/25/06. As I said before, it is merely a guess on our part. No one but the CCAA knows for sure how it will all play out!

Each month, we will post how far they have filled. If we are lucky, they will hopefully catch up or better yet - speed ahead and a November/December referral is in our future!!

Our 1st China Camp

2008-07-20T12:41:00.001-05:00

Yes, I'm late posting this month! First and foremost, CCAA has filled thru Jan. 25th - 5 more days. We are kind of tired of the 5 day thing and to be perfectly honest, we really, really hoped they would start filling February. But alas, that did not happen, so we will take the 5 days and like always, hope for more next month. With the Olympics starting in a few weeks, August should prove to be an interesting month - we will see what happens.

Yes, I have totally redone our blog. I was really tired of the pink, and wanted a change. I'm pleased with the basic idea, but still have some work to do. I'm hoping since we are getting closer to a referral, more people will be visiting the site and enjoy seeing what we are up to!

So back to the title - we attended our 1st China Camp last weekend! We went to Tulsa on Thursday night and spent Friday and Saturday learning about the Chinese language, food, and basically got some info on the culture and what to expect when we travel. We were fortunate to meet three of the couples we will be traveling with. All of them were very nice and I know we will enjoy our 2 weeks in China with them. One of the couples has done this many times before, so we hope they will be able to guide us "newbies" as to the in's and out's of China and the adoption process.

When we arrived home, Russman was not feeling well and kept complaining of a side ache. We got thru Sunday okay, but by Monday morning he was doubled over and in alot of pain. We managed to get him into the doctor that morning and to make a long story short - we spent the next 4 days in the hopsital recovering from diverticulitis. Definately not in our plan, but we made it through the week, none the less.

And to end on a happy note: Congratulations to Auntie B on her engagement! We are super excited and planning a June wedding complete with a big party and lots of fun!!

Whew.............what a month it's been. Lots going on to keep us busy and make the days between us and Miss M fly by!!

Hip, Hip Hooray......we got 8 days!!

2008-06-09T21:14:00.004-05:00

Updated 06/11/08: Well it appears we may have jumped the gun a little. Reports now say that they have only filled thru 01/20/08. That is still 8 days of referrals, so it's still a nice size batch. However, we would now have 46 days left, not 44 :(

What a wonderful surprise.....it appears the CCAA has filled thru Jan. 22nd! That is 10 days of referrals for June. We were very excited to mark them off, leaving 44 LID's to go. So is this a sign that things are picking up? - I don't believe so. It seems to be about the same number of referrals. However, at this point, we are down to counting the days - so to mark off 10 is a very big deal!! As many of you probably know, the Olympics will be held in Beijing this August. Right now, everything I have read says the CCAA does not think the Olympics will affect the referral process. So, we look towards July and hopefully another big batch! Oh my goodness - is a 2008 referral possible??? I guess time will tell!

3 more days....we'll take 'em

2008-05-03T18:51:00.005-05:00

So it looks like this month the CCAA has filled thru January 12, 2006. A very small batch, but these three days were fairly large, so we weren't surprised. We continue to count down and now have 54 days left to fill.

We are still celebrating the national championship of our Kansas Jayhawks! It was a very fun and exciting game and we, of course, went out and immediately purchased up some T-shirts. We each got a couple and found one for Michael and Emma. I'm sure we will be taking it with us to China, as Daddy can't hardly wait to see her in it!

Still hoping for a fall referral - come on CCAA, we want to meet our baby girl!!

1 more month, 5 more days

2008-04-06T17:08:00.003-05:00

Referred thru: Jan. 9th, 2006

57 Days Left to Refer

Here we are, April 2008! This month it appears the CCAA has referred through Jan. 9th, 2006. This is only 5 days referred this month. Not very good....but we will take them none the less. It seems this is a rather small batch, but according to some, this batch tends to be smaller as it follows Chinese New Year, when many workers are on holiday. While we always wish for more days, we will take the five they have done and hope for more next month.

There seems to be more discussion lately regarding the upcoming Olympics and how it will impact the adoption process. Everything we have read is speculation and nothing seems to be for sure, but they are predicting a slow down in the coming months. We are still hoping for a referral this fall and continue to look towards October as the magic month. I guess only time will tell!

Until then, we ask that you please pray for the many families involved in this process and especially our agencies next group of families logged in on Jan. 23rd, 2006. This is the last group of families before us, so we are looking forward to their referral date and know that ours will not be far behind!

Is 2008 the year???

2008-03-04T19:38:00.004-06:00

CCAA Status - Placed through: January 4, 2006

62 DTF (days to fill)

This friday marks our 2 year anniversary since our log-in date of March 7th, 2006. We are excited to finally report that the CCAA has started filling referrals for 2006. We now have 62 days left to fill. While we know it may take several months to do this, we are thrilled to see our year being filled and are looking forward to a referral this fall. Of course, nothing is for certain but we are trying to be positive and see a glimmer of light at the end of this very, very, very long tunnel.

Our agency has a group of families logged-in on January 23rd, 2006 and then our group is next! You might say we are "on deck"! Again, very exciting!

As I've said before, I will be blogging more often, as we are getting closer. I know I haven't been very good at this thus far, but honestly, there hasn't been much to report. I have a feeling that is all getting ready to change!

Nov. 7th makes 20 months of waiting

2007-11-03T16:31:00.000-05:00

88 LID's to Fill.....

So here we are.....Nov. 3rd 2007.

It looks like November referrals are through Dec. 8th 2005. We were hoping they would get a little further, but that does not seem to be the case. November 05 was a huge month for dossiers and it took about 6 months to fill referrals for Nov. 05. That is a lot of babies meeting their forever families! We were hoping things might speed up after such a huge month, but alas they only filled 8 days and we were hoping for more.

So where does that leave us? STILL WAITING!!!! But we have much to be thankful for:

1) Our friends are in China as we speak meeting their little girl! We have been following along on their journey and that has given us renewed hope that it will be our turn, the question is when?

2) Rumor has it that the next huge month for dossiers is March 06 (yes, that's us 03/07/06). They are projecting that it will take many months to fill referrals for March and so for us to be at the beginning of the month is a blessing. I can't imagine finally making it to March and having to wait another 5 - 6 months for them to get to my date!

3) The holidays are fast approaching and while it is a difficult time for Rusty and I, we are so blessed to have wonderful family and friends to spend the holidays with. We truly could not go through this experience without their support!

So that's the in's and out's of what's happening with us. A few months ago, I bought a pair of silver earrings with the Chinese symbol for "believe" on them. Every morning I put them on and remind myself of the wonderful reward at the end of this very long journey. It is the love for a little girl that gives us hope and keeps us optimistic about our future!

18 months and counting....

2007-09-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

101 LID's TO FILL

Here we are....18 months! Currently, the wait time is 18-24 months. It seems we have finally reached a point where our referral is definately on the way. So far the CCAA has filled referrals through November 25th, 2005. Our LID is March 7, 2006, so....that leaves 101 LID's to fill. We were really hoping we would get a referral this year, but now realize that probably will not happen and so we are looking towards early spring. Of course, if we have learned anything during this journey it is that there are no guarantees. It is still very much "wait and see".

In the meantime, we are just waiting and working. We were gone to the lake for a few days during Labor Day weekend. It was great to get away and relax and the weather couldn't have been better! Miss Emma even got a present - a new ladybug blankie that is so cute her mommy wants one too.

My new job is going great and we are really enjoying have my parents around. We are busy checking things off our adoption list including shots, classes, and reading up on how to be excellent parents (is that something you learn from books??) Actually, I think you learn by example and we have some excellent role models including Rusty's grandparents who celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary this past week. Pretty Amazing!! We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends to support us through this journey. We could not do it without them!
I will try to update the blog each month and we move a little closer to our LID. Come on CCAA, we are ready to meet our Emma!!!!

Happy 4th!!!!

2007-07-04T12:47:00.000-05:00

So....it has been forever and a day since we updated. While it seems sad that we can't get things posted on a regular basis, in our defense, these past two months have been a little crazy around here. But, that seems to be life at our house, NEVER A DULL MOMENT!! I can not even begin to imagine life with Emma (how will we ever keep up???)

Let see if I can get you up to date. We went home a couple of times in May (Mother's Day and Memorial Day weekend). It always nice to go back home and hang out for a few days. We had little Michael's 1st B-day! He turned 1 year old on June 7th! I can't believe how fast this last year has flown by. It seems like yesterday when we welcomed him into our family and now he is on the move and so much fun! It is strange how fast time flies yet when the topic turns to Emma, we complain how long it seems to be taking. I know her and Michael will be fast friends and I am so excited to see the two of them together!

Okay - so Russman started complaining about his arm hurting again. As many of you reading this already know - he broke his collar bone almost 10 years ago, had surgery in 2003, and guess what - he goes to the doctor again in May and we find out the surgery did not work and his arm is still broken! I really think his dr. was shocked when he saw the x-ray. Rusty's body pretty much rejected everything they did and all the hardware had worked it way loose. So, on May 30th, he had surgery a 2nd time. This time around, they took a 5" piece of a fibula and attached what little bone he had left to it. Rusty is not the best patient, but I have been so impressed with him. He really has pulled through like a trooper and is now starting some phy. therapy to try and get it back to normal. He is working hard at getting well, we keep saying that he has a baby on the way and needs to get lots of "holding time" in and needs that arm to work!!

You might think that is plenty to fill up the month of June, but oh no, we are just getting started. My dad decided to take a new job and moved in with us the Sunday after Rusty's surgery. I know he has stewed about this change for many months, but in the end, I think it is a great opportunity for him. My parents are working on moving and should be here for good around the 10th. I am really excited about having them here with us. My mom will not be working, so she will be able to visit her other kiddos as often as she likes. I'm sure she will be wearing out the road traveling back and forth. I know she will be a huge blessing to us when we finally get Emma here. It will be so nice to have them here for a little extra support!!

Of course, our life wouldn't be complete without hosting a little bit of company in June as well. Besides having my Dad here 24/7, we also had Casey, Sarah, and Michael stay for a few days. Kate came through town on her way to Ulysses and we spent a couple of days with her. We are always excited to see our East Coast Cousins!! The Frazee's came to stay for a couple of days to take Jaime to the dr. and pickup Jacob from camp. Now some people would not be able to handle so much company and people coming and going. Some days it does seem that way, but really, my family is so big that when we are all together, it's hard to get any one on one time with people. When they come stay with me, I get a chance to really visit with them and I enjoy that time together! Sometimes it gets a little crowded, but with my mom moving here, it will be one more place for people to stay which will work out great!

I also have taken on a new opportunity and changed jobs this month. I am excited about this endeavor and really feel like I will learn so much in the coming months. I started on the 25th, so it's only been a week now. It's been a little rocky getting started, but I think once I get my bearings and into a new routine, it's going to be a good change for me. I will be going back to school (online classes) this fall and trying to get my act together before my next endeavor (a little girl I am more than anxious to meet)! Which brings me to the purpose of this blog - still waiting for a referral and still dreaming of the day we travel to China and meet our future! July 7th will be 16 months and the current wait time is 18-24 months. Is it taking forever? YES! Are we more then ready? YES! Will she be worth the wait? YES - most definately!!

So there you go - now you know what's going on! If you made it to the end you should definately get a snack - you deserve it!!

HAPPY MAY DAY!!!

2007-05-02T12:33:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I am a day late, but finally we have gotten to May! We are so ready for summer and spending time at the lake. We just had two gorgous days this weekend and that definately made us ready for our swimsuits, flip flops, and some summer fun.

So, what is going on with the adoption?? That's easy, not much. We did re-file some paperwork recently and went to be fingerprinted again. As of today, the CCAA has processed all dossiers through Nov. 1 2005. While we are excited to see them make it to November, it is being reported that November is a huge month so we suspect it will take a while to work through and make it to December. Meanwhile, we continue to wait! However, we are surely not alone as there are many, many families being affected by the lengthy wait times. On a bright note, there are definately more families behind us than in front of us. So, very slowly..........but surely we are moving up the list and one of these days, it will finally be our turn.

May is a really busy month, as always! We are headed home next weekend for Mother's Day. Then, the next weekend is my birthday. After that, we will be headed home again Memorial Day weekend for Rusty's 20 year (yes.....I said 20) high school reunion!! A very busy month, but lots of fun things to occupy our time. I think that's the key - stay busy till we get our Miss Emma home!!!

Waiting and waiting.......

2007-03-14T18:58:00.000-05:00

Yes....we are still waiting. You would think we are getting pretty good at this, but it is a struggle and we are just trying to get by the best we can. We were not expecting this when we decided to adopt, but we know that when the time is right, we will be meeting our Miss Emma. We did receive a letter from our agency last week, and they are expecting us to receive a referral early November or December. Right now, we are hoping that we can travel to get our little girl home before Christmas. We are beginning to refile some of our paperwork (as it will expire before we travel). Of course, we wish we didn't have to do this, but it is necessary and we know that it brings us a little closer to meeting our baby girl.

So...in the meantime, we have manage to keep pretty busy. We re-decorated one of our bedrooms and it turned out really great! We are very pleased with the results. Next week is Wild Woman's Weekend and that promises to be alot of fun. I am really looking forward to spending time with my family. Rusty will be heading to the lake for deck building, painting, and I'm guessing a
little golf as well.

I guess that's it for now. I will be trying to post each time a batch
of referrals are sent out. We will try to keep everybody up to date
on this wait for Emma Paige!

11 Months and Counting......

2007-02-07T20:36:00.000-06:00

Today marks 11 months of waiting. We actually started this whole process in April of 2005, but only 11 months since our log-in date. At this time, we hope to receive a referral later this year (we're hoping for sometime this fall) but as we all know, that is entirely out of our control. So....we continue to wait and wait and then wait some more. In the meantime, we are trying to keep busy. One thing's for sure, Rusty and I agree, Spring cannot get here soon enough!!!

One Room Down, One To Go!!!!

2007-02-03T11:15:00.000-06:00

February 1st was an exciting day for us (actually, we didn't find out until about 8:00 pm)! Our dossier for Emma Paige has been officially moved from the review room to the matching room. Basically, this means that all our paperwork has been reviewed and approved for us to adopt. That being said, now we are on to the 2nd stage of waiting for them to match us with our Emma! As you can see, they have filled referrals through October 13th, 2005. Our log-in date is March 7, 2006, so we still have several months to go, but this is a huge step forward and we are very, very excited!!

We hate January......

2006-11-05T12:04:00.000-06:00

We hate January!! We hate the cold!! We hate the snow!! Although you can't tell by this picture, I REALLY do hate the snow!! We didn't know for sure what new picture to post, so Angie said "get out in the snow and let me take your picture!!" So, here I am, standing by "Red Hot". Yes, the "blonde bombshell" is no longer with us!! She was sold, and I bought Ashley's Saturn, which Angie has named Red Hot!! "Blondie" was a good car, but it was time for a younger, hotter model. I really like driving it, it's a good car!! So, thanks to Ashley & Chris for selling Red Hot to me!!
We are starting to wind down from the holidays, and are looking forward to what Spring has to offer. We had a great Christmas, and it was fun to watch little Michael during his first Christmas. It made me very anxious to get Emma here so we can watch her experience her first Christmas. This year we decided to have Christmas just as if Emma was here. We bought her gifts, filled her stocking, which Angie cross stitched(along with one for Michael) just fer her. Santa even left her some great gifts. We decided that Ashley would make a great "stand in Emma". She was sooo excited to open her gifts!!!
Coming up in February, Gary, Casey, Brian & I are going to the KU vs Texas A&M game in Lawrence. It should be fun, since the Hawks will win!! GO HAWKS!! The women plan on hanging out in Wichita while we are at the game. Besides, they are having their annual "Wild Woman's Trip" in March over Spring Break. It's no men allowed, so us guys might be down at the lake in Canton, Oklahoma getting the trailer ready for summer. The trailer is getting a paint job and a deck put on, so she'll be good to go when we all start hanging out down there in a few months. We plan on having ALOT of fun this summer at the lake, especially with the addition of the jet ski!! We only got to use it over Labor Day weekend last year, so we are all looking forward to that!!

Lazy Days of Summer

2006-08-15T20:21:00.000-05:00

Now you tell me - is this the cutest baby you've seen or what. Mr. Michael is now 2 months old, and he is one happy baby. This month, he brought his mommy and daddy to Auntie A's and Uncle Russ's for a sleep over. We were getting a new roof the same day (no, we did not know until we got home from work) and so, needless to say, we had alot of excitement going on. It was fun to see him, and better yet, we got alot of holding time in because we didn't have to share with Grandma or Auntie B.

We have managed to make it through another month in our paper pregnancy waiting for Miss Emma. I am having a hard time understanding why the wait can seem so...long, but yet the summer flew by. It is hard to believe that school is starting, but it is time for some of my family members to get back to work (it's good to be a teacher). We have spent our days with family, enjoying each other and a lazy summer of hanging out.

We've been spending some time at Canton Lake in Oklahoma. Grandad Gary bought a place down by the lake, and after a little spit and polish, it has turned out to be a pretty nice weekend getaway. Our friends the Britton's also have a place, as well as, Uncle Roger and Aunt Connie, so it seems like a great place to hang out and rest up for the week ahead. We spend most of our time on the boat and laying out at the beach. Uncle Casey says he may buy a jet ski next summer, so that is definately something to look forward to for next year.

We also spent a Saturday at Derald and Tina's. They bought a new house this spring, complete with an inground pool. We had a great time hanging out for the day with Rusty's folks, Derald and Tina, their kids, and Tina's family. They have a really nice place, and they seem to have settled into their new surroundings.

We also had a visit from Shannie. We met up with her, as well as, Jenna and her boyfriend, at the Warren for drinks and took in a movie, You, Me, & DuPree. The movie was really funny (I highly recommend it) and the company was great! It's always special when my Shannie comes for a visit!!!

So, we are still waiting to hear about our grant from Shaohannah's Hope. We had to send more paperwork today and hope to hear something by mid-September. There are more grants to apply for, so we are going to spend the weekend trying to get MORE paperwork filled out and sent off.

We are 5 months into this waiting time, and are looking forward to September 7th, that marks 6 months, and hopefully that is the halfway point. It's all downhill from here! We think our little girl will be around 6 - 9 months when we hold her for the first time. That means she is probably being born just anytime, if she not here already. Who knows - maybe she and our baby Michael share the same birthday - now wouldn't that be something!!

Be sure to check out the photos. I posted alot of pictures this time (since I didn't quite get that done during the last post)!

We hope you have a great Labor Day Weekend! We'll be at the lake, hanging out with our family and friends!!

Happy 7th......

2006-07-09T20:19:00.000-05:00

Okay....I know what you're thinking - "Shouldn't that say Happy 4th?" Well, normally yes, but at the Wheeler house, the 7th is definately a day to celebrate. We now have 4 months behind us in our wait for Miss Emma. Currently, the wait time is at 12 months from LID, so I guess we have made it 1/3 of the way. Our 1st "Trimester" is behind us. Of course, we are always hopeful that the wait time will shorten up, so I guess once again, we will wait and see what happens.

Also, July 7th marked the 1 month birthday of Michael Alan (he's changing so much already) and Casey and Sarah's anniversary. They all seem to be getting along great and settling into this new world around them. Of course Casey is once again very busy with swim team, but I really think they are just enjoying this summer, being together, and getting to know this sweet baby boy.

So let's see, this last week also brought another milestone as Gran had her last chemo treatment. She has been quite the trooper through this major ordeal and while she has had some rough days, she seems to keep her chin up and keep plugging along. I am very proud of her and the way she has dealt with her illness. Even though she is struggling physically, she has an amazing inner strength and I am very proud of her.

Our family spent the holiday weekend here in Wichita. At Gran's request, we took in a ballgame on Saturday night and went to church Sunday morning. The ballgame did not quite meet our expectations, but we still managed to make our own fun. Church, however, was really great. They had a wonderful, patriotic service and we really enjoyed it.

We have started to purchase some things for Miss Emma. We were not sure what size clothing to buy, but you can only look so long, and then you just can't wait anymore. We have picked up a couple of outfits and yesterday, we bought a very tiny swimsuit (it is just too cute!) Seeing how our hotel in China has 4 swimming pools, we knew the suit was a must! She also received a very special cradle for her babies made by her Great Grandad Fred (Rusty's Grandad) and Grandma Cindy made her a new pink blankie (it might be the softest blanket ever)!

We've posted some pictures from the 4th. We also included some showing all the fun things we've been gathering up for Miss Emma!

That's about it for now. Hope you are all having a great summer! We'll post again soon!!

3 months down!!!

2006-06-20T19:46:00.000-05:00

Okay......so it has been forever since I last posted something. We have had a crazy couple of months. I know that is no excuse, but time has definately gotten away from me. I'll try to do better in the coming months. So, June 7th marked our 3rd month of waiting for the referral of our little girl. While the wait is hard, it seems that the days are flying by. We started a calendar and are marking off the days one at a time. We are preparing ourselves for a longer wait, but secretly praying that we will still be able to go to China the beginning of 2007. I guess time will tell.

Speaking of time......where has it gone? Last time I posted, we had just celebrated Easter Sunday, and now it is almost 4th of July weekend. I can't believe how fast May and June have flown by. Well, we have alot of news to share so I best get to it.

The last weekend of March, we had a shower for Casey and Sarah. It was really nice for them and they received alot of nice gifts. It was fun to see everyone and we spent a nice afternoon together. My family had a garage sale for the Angel Fund. We have found it to be a great way to make a little cash for the fund, and every year, we seem to still have some junk to sell. This year's sale did not fair so well, but the girls decided to try again the next weekend, and they had better luck. They ended up making about $500.00....a definate boost to the fund for sure.

The next weekend, Rusty and I celebrated Mother's Day on our own. I was very excited when Rusty gave me the Amy Coe diaper bag from Target. Sarah had received one at her shower, and I was definately jealous. Leave it to Rusty to come through and produce one for his wife as well. It is soooooo cute. White w/ black trim and pink and white poka-dot on the inside. I think it was more of a gift for me than Emma, but I know that we will definately be stylin' next spring!

Okay - so now we are up to May 19th, my big 34th birthday. My mom came to visit on Friday and she went with Rusty and I to eat at Abuelo's. We had some fun swirly drinks and good food. It was a quiet, but very relaxing birthday. On Saturday, the Reist family joined us. Rett's college graduation was also Friday the 19th, and they had come back to Wichita on Saturday. Ashley and Chris were also here, and we all went out on Saturday night to celebrate Rett's big day. Becky and Brian joined us late that evening and they stayed over till Monday.

This same weekend we had some really bad news. On Saturday morning, we learned that my cousin Kevin had passed away late Friday night. It was a total shock and the next week was a difficult time for my family. We traveled to Ulysses on Tuesday night and attended the funeral on Wednesday. It was a really nice service and was standing room only - a testament to how many lives Kevin touched and how much we will be missed.

Because we were home during the week - we spent Memorial Day weekend doing nothing. It was a really, really relaxing time for Rusty and I. We just spent our days together, laying around, watching movies, a little bit of shopping, but mostly just enjoying our time together.

So - for our really big news......June 7th marked the birthday of our new addition, Michael Alan Wise. He was 8lb 8oz, 21in long. While getting him here was not easy, he was definately worth the wait. He is wonderful and our family is so blessed. We have waited a long time for a little baby to call our own, and he is definately everything we dreamed of. Casey and Sarah seem to be getting along really well. Auntie A (that's me) and Uncle Russ were there to greet him and we stayed in Garden for several days after his arrival. It was a special time for our family and we were so glad to be there and share that moment together. Yes, we have already been back to see him this past weekend, and yes, we will be seeing him again this weekend as well. We ended up spending Father's Day weekend in Dodge City. I'm not sure how long we can keep this up, but we intend on being with him as much as possible.

Well, I am sure there is more to tell, but I think I've gone on long enough. This weekend, we are all headed to Canton Lake to clean up the house my parents bought down there. I'm sure I'll have a story to tell about that next week. Don't forget to check out the photo page and also check out the links to see Michael's Story (yes, his daddy made him a blog also). :)

Happy Easter

2006-04-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone! Well, April 7th marked one month down of our long waiting period to get a referral about our little Miss Emma. We are expecting about nine more months of waiting, but of course, we remain hopeful that the wait times will shorten, and that long awaited referral will come sooner than expected! Until then, we are trying to keep busy and occupy our time, and so far, April has proven to be another busy month.

We started this month of by moving Gran back into her refurbished apartment. For those who may not know the story, while we were on our Wild Woman's Weekend to Austin, TX, a pipe broke in Gran's apartment, causing the Great Flood of 2006. Basically, the water was running out of both doors and of course, made quite a disaster of her apartment. Since then, she has been living in another apartment in her complex, and finally, the time came to move her back home. I know she was so happy to be back in her space and we were happy to help get her there.

We were fortunate to have some of our family here with us for Easter Sunday. Grandma Cindy and Auntie B (that would be Becky Jo), as well as Aunt Teri, were all here for the weekend. Gran and Aunt Judy were also here and we all went to church together Sunday morning. The service was really nice and we had a good time together. Of course, our thoughts were with our little girl, and she did receive an Easter basket from Grandma and Grandad and a ladybug book from Aunt Teri. Our house is slowing filling up with all the things a little girl might need. She is so loved already, and we haven't even met her yet!

Up next is a shower for Sarah and Casey. Michael Alan Wise is schedule to make his appearance around June 1st. We are definately looking forward to his arrival!

That's it for now - don't forget the photo page!

Emma's Quilt

2006-04-03T20:13:00.000-05:00

We spent the weekend working on Emma's quilt. I think Rusty is in shock that I am actually using the sewing machine. I told him I would use it, but I think he had his doubts. Anyway, the quilt came together pretty easy. It is turning out to be really cute, and we are excited to finish it up. We are planning on taking it home this weekend for Gran to quilt the "E" in the center. Once she's done, then we should be able to finish the edges.

This weekend we'll be heading to Ulysses. Gran's apartment has finally been refurbished after the "Big Flood" of 2006. I know she is ready to be moved back in, and we are excited for her to be "home again"!!

That's all for now! Be sure to check out more pictures on the photos page.

All About Emma

2005-09-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

March 2006

We finally have our Log-In Date - March 7, 2006!!

March has definately been a busy month at the Wheeler Home. I think we took the phrase "March Madness" a little too much to heart!!

Grandma Cindy spent the first few days of her spring break with us. We started in on making the bedding for Emma's crib. We have been discussing it for months now. After looking at our options to buy, we just couldn't find exactly what we wanted. We decided to take on the challenge of making it ourselves. We were a little nervous of what the finished product would be, but we are very pleased with the results. After several trips to Wal-Mart, Hancock Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, and Jo-Ann's (another fabric store) we finally had what we needed. Grandma Cindy helped stitch everything up and she even let Angie help with some of the sewing (a little scary I know). We managed to get the crib skirt and bumper done. We have all the quilt blocks cut and ready to sew together. I'm going to be working on that the next few weeks. After we get Gran to quilt the "E" on the center block, we will be ready to put it all together. It is very cute, pink and black patchwork. All that is missing is Miss Emma!!

We had alot of company during spring break. Gran had her surgery on the 21st and she did remarkably well. We were all so impressed with her. We had Grandma Cindy, Aunt Teri, Aunt Kristy, Jaime and Jacob for several days. We were also very excited to have Linda come from Philadelphia to stay with us. It was great to see her. Somehow we managed to find a bed for everyone and it was fun to have all the company.

Spring Break was the time for company! We also got to see Kelly Rae, Jordan, and Justin. They stopped by on their way through Wichita and we were excited to see them. We had a quick supper date at Taco Bueno, and then they headed out in the rain to Iola to see Lana and her family.

We've spent the last week recovering from all our company. Mostly just resting and hanging out. On Thursday, the 23rd, we went to see the musical "Grease" at the Crown Uptown Theatre. We got these tickets from Casey and Sarah for Christmas. We had planned to go earlier, but sickness forced us to reschedule our date. It worked out for the best, as the Britton Clan decided to celebrate Reile's birthday there as well. We had a great time! The musical was really good and of course the company was great!! Shannie and I have long been fans of the movie "Grease". I believe it started many years ago at one of my birthday parties. It was fun to see the stage version sitting next to her.

You think that would about rap up the month, but alas, there is no rest for this busy house. Grandad Gary came by on the 28th to take us to supper and check out our handiwork on the bedding. He gave us his stamp of approval.

We are looking forward to the next few months. Little Baby Wise is on the way and should be making his appearance early June. Until then, we are anxiously awaiting his arrival!!

Check out our "March" photos on the Photo Page!!