Transition

Getting ready for Noah is much more then buying things and setting up his room.  For us, it also means preparing the Sophie and Avery. We started by talking about getting a new baby.  At first we thought we were getting a girl and they wanted no part of that. "No baby sister!".  Now that we've received a referral for aboy their tune has completely changed.  They are beyond excited.  Out of the blue one will light up and say, "I have a baby brother.  He's in China.".  Sophie has asked if she can feed the baby, while Avery has made plans to teach him how to go potty.  

Another piece of the transition has been moving Sophie and Avery into their new bedroom.  This did not initially go over too well.  They liked their room and were comfortable there.  Unfortunately the closet just wasn't big enough for 2 girls growing up. The guest room closet is much bigger.  Those of you that know the girls well and know of their passion for shoes will understand that the closet was the deal maker of moving to the new room.  I took them over to the guest room, openned hte closet, and simply said, "shoes".  They looked at each other and said, "Ok."  We had a woman come and paint a flower garden mural and moved in the following weekend.  Here are the pictures.  Enjoy!

More Pictures of Noah

100 Wishes Quilt

What is a 100 Good Wishes Quilt?

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.


Although we did not make a 100 Wishes Quilt for Sophie and Avery, I decided it was time to make a family quilt.  I have been collecting quilt squares from fellow adoptive parents who are also waiting to bring home their children.  I have received squares from all over the United States, Australia, and Canada. Getting these bits of mail each week has made the wait go by so much faster.  I have something to look forward to and there is always a little surprise inside.  

We have recently extended our circle to include family and friends.  This project means a lot and we are excited to create something that will tie everyone in our lives together.  Below are pictures of some of the squares and wishes that I have received from other adoptive parents.















"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,
regardless of time, place, or circumstance.
The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break."
--An ancient Chinese belief