First day of School

Maddie starts preschool and Audrey starts high school. Maddie's first day was great she had a blast and could not wait to go back. Well the morning did not start off as good as the day finished. She was all prepared to go with her backpack and lunch box and out the door she went. When it was time for me to leave she wanted a kiss and a hug. After the 40th plus kiss and hug I had to cut her loose and you would have thought it was the END! It broke my heart I cried all the way back to the car and I called Steve just crying. Once I was out of sight it mommy who???
Audrey was so excited after coming home from her first day she was so proud of herself that she did not get lost:) She says the school is sooooo big. She is in a lot of honors classes so she will be pulling a tough load her freshman year. We are so proud of her! She is already looking forward to football season and going to the games with her friends.

Five Months

Another month has passed and referrals are still at a minimum. We have had a fantastic month. With the slow referrals the questions we have was do we have time for a adoption prior to our China adoption??? Well I called CCAI on Thursday and they said yes as long as we had the child home and papers filed 6 months prior to referral. YEAH :)) So let the praying begin within the next 30 days we should have so more information stay tuned.

I have not tuned in much to RQ lately due to very busy schedules but from what I have heard the next batch should not be a big referral batch probably not even out of the month of November :( Hold on tight if we ever get out of the month of November it should be a fun and wild ride.

End of Summer Splash

Yummy Popsicles!!!

To end the summer we decided to take Maddie, Abagail , Matthew and Audrey to the pool for one last day of fun in the sun before they all head off for a new year of school. The girls had a blast they started the weekend with Maddie's first sleepover away from home. She was so excited! Then it was fun in the sun. After the morning of swimming and sunbathing our teenager needed some school clothes so yes off to the mall. It was the last place I wanted to go the weekend before school started but we only get her once a month.

To end the perfect day Steve and I took Maddie and Audrey to serve dinner to the new students at FSU (Baptist Collegiate Ministry Program). We believe it is important for our girls to learn to serve in the Church and make a difference in peoples lives. Let be said that we choose to be a "blessing" for life.

What a great ending to a summer God, family,friends and fun!

Planning a Trip to Disney

We are planning on going to Disney during the Christmas celebration time. We are going with some friends and their 2 children it should be a blast Maddie and Abagail are all excited. I haven't been to Disney during Christmas time in many years. I remember the decorations and the parades were wonderful. I am just like a little kid when it comes to Disney. Our plan is to attend the Mickey Party one night. I am as excited as the girls Steve thinks I am crazy:)

I am not one for the heat so you would never catch me going to theme parks in the dead of summer so that leave out alot of months in Florida.

New Ventures

We have finally got the workings through to host/adopt/sponsor an international student through the Baptist Collegiate Ministry. This has been another one of my passions to do but have run into many obstacles. My goal was to host an International high school student this year but it was the school board and timing issues. My dearest girlfriend always reminds me that that is not what God's plan was for me this year (not last either:)). So finally we have what our plan is. We will get to meet our college student we hope next week when we finalize the plans.

Next, my girlfriend Angela and I are going to serve at church by teaching Sunday School 2 Sunday's a month, we are still not sure of the age group but I know it will be young children.

Also, this will be my first year working with the high school group at church and I am very excited to work on mission projects with older youth. I currently work with younger youth. This will also give me more time to spend with Audrey. We do love her so much and cherish all the time we get to spend with her.

This poses to be a very busy school year we are geared up for it.

Dentsit visit

Maddie had her first visit to the dentist today. I was kind of worried on how she would do. The morning started off great we had to be there at 8:15. She said mommy "I am a big girl I can go back by myself." OK! Well the time came and she told me I could go with her. Well long story short she jumped up in the chair put on the kids sunglasses and away they cleaned her teeth. She didn't move or make a sound. I was shocked. Tory the tech was great with her. She said she was Excellent. Don't you know she racked up in the prize department :) That's our girl.

Stone Mountain Meet and Greet

Off to Stone Mountain to meet our LID group Jan/Feb CCAI. We had a great time we spent 3 days up there and met up with our group on Saturday where we had an all day picnic in the park. Kelly was the coordinator and she did a fantastic job. The food was great and the location was beautiful. The kids had a good time playing and we had a time to get to know one another. The best part was putting a name with a face.

Kelly and Jen put together goody bags and Maddie's is in love with the chopsticks she eats everything with those sticks. We had such a great time we are planning another trip this Fall and hope to get together with Kelly, Mike and Jen's gang if they are available. Maddie loved Mike (he is going to be a great dad!). She still talks about her acorn nut. By the way we still have it she will not part with that nut or the rock she brought home. She collects everything :)

Referrals

Well the CCAA has sent another batch of referrals and it was what had been predicted 6 days. We are now through 11/21/2005. At this rate we will take 5-6 months to get through November. This is however a very large months in terms of LID's compared to other months per RQ.

We have been told by a CCAI that the wait should not go over 2 years, we are praying that is the case. If so and our referral will fit into my best guess estimate that I have projected. and we should travel in the same season as we did for Maddie Spring.

CCAA Reviews Another Month

Wow 21 days to complete the review for the month of June 2006. How exciting for all the June LIDer's knowing they are finally approved. At least it is another milestone in the process to celebrate. Both May and June have been through the review room very quickly. Could this be a good sign for the future or are these just smaller months? Only time will tell but a girl can dream and I am dreaming of a speed up in referrals next if we could just get through November 2005.

Now the big question is will referrals go through December as some of the rumors are pointing to or will they stay on the track of 7 days and go to 11/21. Stay tuned were praying for December but also being realistic.

Madeline's First Sleep Over

We debated what is the appropriate age for a sleep over. Maddie has been begging me for her friend Abagail to come spend the night (both 3) and I have been reluctant until Monday night. I decided I would tackle this like having my own two daughters. How much work could it really be (ha ha). First we went to Wal-Mart and bought all the good stuff to eat gummies, pretzels, popcorn, ice cream etc. When we were shopping I felt like I was buying for teenagers.
That afternoon the girls got together they were both so excited the could hardly stand it. Then let the fun begin. The girls were angels for 2 days they played and giggled they are like two peas in a pod.

The best part was night time when they would go to bed, they would lay in bed and talk and talk and talk (I could hear them on the monitor I just laughed). Finally, about 11:00 both nights I told them they must go to sleep or we could not get up for the next days play date at the park and library.

I called Steve and told him I am even more ready now for Kinsey.

Brown Evelope

YIPEE!!! I went to the mailbox today and to much surprise we had our brown envelope (US Consulate General Guangzhou). I am so thrilled I have been reading so many posts and blog where people have been getting there envelopes with LIDs after ours and I was beginning to think we were skipped. Well with everything else going on we needed some good news. Still no computer (Dell is dragging there feet) they claim I will be up and running this week. I hope I am so far behind on posts, reading

yahoo groups, blogs etc.....

July 4th

Happy Independence Day!!!!!

We had a nice family day together and an nontraditional 4th meal no cookouts for us this year. We were suppose to have a get together but well sometimes the best organized plans we find are very unorganized. Poor planing I guess. But both family's had a great day though. We went that evening to see the fireworks in our neighborhood over the lake and met some friends from our neighborhood down there and Maddie had a BLAST. She was all over the place with the kids. She is sooooo not shy. The best was the weather there was a slight breeze and no bugs.

The cute line for the night was she told someone next to us she was "American but also I am Chinese"

Madeline turns THREE!!!!!

Wow! Maddie went to bed on Thursday night and woke up the next morning and said I am a big girl now, "I am Three". She said to us "Look how much I have grown." I have never seen her so excited about anything as she was this year for her birthday. More than ever she wanted to get bigger. We had a birthday party for her a Chuck E Cheese it was only suppose to be for 1.5 hours but it lasted 4 plus hours. Yes, I had seen enough of the mouse. The kids had a great time. I came home and took a nap :) After the party was over she was already to plan her next party with all her friends and invite them into her castle. She does have the greatest imagination.

Audrey gets braces

We are all so excited Audrey received a scholarship for braces. She looks so cute, we joke with her that we can see her in the dark because she got neon green and pink bands. Maddie is envious and wants us to take her to get braces. We tell her she will have plenty of time to grow up. Audrey has grown up so much in the past past 2 years since we met her, she is no longer a little girl but now a beautiful young lady. She is such a blessing in our lives and Maddie just adores her (big sister).

3 Months

Another milestone has been reached. I cant believe it has been 3 months already. The time seems to be flying bye. I know I will not be saying this when we get close to referral but for now the time can keep chugging along. We are praying for a speed-up in the referral process the last few months has not set a good precedence for future referral predictions. I sure hope CCAA has something up their sleeve with the new policy coming out regarding more orphanages participating and guidelines for paper ready babies changing by province.

Father's Day

We had a nice relaxing day. We all went to church in the morning and came home and made a big brunch for Steve. The girls played video games most of the day while dad watched Nascar. Later that day Audrey decided she would take a dip in the pool fully clothed (she had a little help I pushed her.. hehe) Next Maddie went in fully clothed they had a blast swimming with their clothes on. Needless to say we did not want to take Audrey home. Maddie already missed her before we got out of the driveway.

Friends

Abagail and Maddie (my pirate smile)


I am the Queen

Dress up time! Maddie's friend Abagail spends as much time in dress-up clothes and tiaras as Maddie. Say Cheese :) It was not hard getting the two of them to pose together they love playing together. The hardest part is getting them out of the dresses to play outside and eat. We are trying to get Abagail and Maddie into the same ballet school.

Mesue and Papa

My parents came to visit for a few days and we a good time. Maddie clung to her Mesue they painted a craft together. Mom made her the most beautiful little desk. Swapped scrapping supplies and worked with the quilt. They gave Maddie and Kinsey 15 squishes she was very excited. Not much excitement, we took it easy, as I have been for the past several week. Lots of eating. Boy I need a diet. That little voice in my head from the latest doctor visits keeps saying you need to loose, you need to loose! Someone please shut that voice up.

The visit was cut shorter than we wanted it I had to fly to Miami Sunday, I was not up to it yet but off I went. Mom and dad dumped me at the airport and the fun (ha ha) was about to begin. As unprepared as I was I was off and I do mean unprepared I prepared for my presentation on the way and that night.

Meet a Ballerina

We went meet and great a ballerina that was part organized by local ballet schools and several moms with in our local TFWAC organization. All the girls had a blast. Yan Chen is from China and she came to the states (California)to study ballet when she was just a young teen. She loved it so much she knew she was going to come back she did not know how but she was. She has been here studying, dancing (world renown) and is now teaching in Orlando. She took questions from the girls and Maddie piped right up and asked her if she ever played "Cinderella" and she told her yes and Maddie just fell in love with her from that point on which lead into a discussion on her outfits she wore.

Besides signing autographs for each of the girls she also gave them a few pointers in dance. Everyone had a great time. Mom and dad were visiting and they could not believe her enthusiasm. Now they know why she runs around in ballet outfits all the time.

My first autograph I even got one for my baby sister!

These are a few pictures from our collection that shows how much Maddie has grown in the last two years since we received her referral picture which are the first 2. I love these photos most were taken by a close friend of the family, Cindy Strickland who is a professional photographer her in Tallahassee and she has taken fantastic pictures of Maddie. Actual we are due in a couple of weeks for our 3 year pictures. Where does the time go!

Memorial Day Weekend

Ben


Audrey, Maddie and myself went down to my parents in Sarasota for a 4 day weekend to see the latest addition to our family (baby Alyssa). We left on Thursday after Audrey's 8th grade graduation (we are so proud of her Maddie cheered for her big sis as she walked to get her certificate). Steve and I could not be more proud of her if she was our own daughter she is truly an exceptional child. Then the road trip began after we dropped off Steve it was a girls weekend.

We had family dinners, pool party and lots for good family time. I think all's we did was eat and chase kids. It is amazing just a few years ago there were no children and then KABOOM there are 6. Maddie is in love with her Uncle Rich (my younger brother) she can't stop talking about him. Everything is Uncle Rich and next is her baby lyssa. She asked me if we can get one of those babies. We laughed and said soon you will have a baby sister but not quite that small.

Alyssa is truly gorgeous thank the good Lord she looks like my sister.

New Job What a Blessing

A couple of weeks ago my boss came into my office and said they were giving me a raise. I thought GREAT! I could not wait to tell Steve. We have been working on total financial peace where we will be debt free prior to referral (except the house) and we are so on track and this was just one more blessing that God had bestowed upon us. Well it gets better. Then the big boss came to me about a job and and a few days later here I am with a new job and another raise. Unspoken prayer is answered. Everyday our financial goal becomes more and more obtainable. It gets better I do not have to change anything in my daily routine they will work around my schedule that I have currently and flexibility is what they are all about.

God does provide for all of our needs!

Forever Family Day 2008

Two years ago on this day Maddie was placed into our arms. This a memory that will never fade. I think of this day often. It is so hard to believe two years has gone by it just seems like yesterday. We celebrated the evening with Chinese food, games, a movies and our traditional bedtime story.

Over the past two years we have seen a unbelievable transformation of a baby to a beautiful little girl. She is full of energy and is always will to do what we have planned. She is really a true meaning of the red thread. She has thought both Steve and I so many things these two years. Of course we are bias but we believe she is the most beautiful daughter anyone could have both physically and emotionally. God has indeed blessed us.

Maddie has a new cousin

We are so excited and over joyed for my sister Denise and her family as they just had there 3rd child. Denise has always wanted to a mom since we were little girls. The Lord has blessed her with 3 beautiful children (Ben 4 1/2, Bradley 3). Alyssa's was born on 05/04/2007 @ 2:51 p.m.. She was a little thing she only weighted 6lbs 9oz and was 19 inches. She was born at Brandon Regional Hospital. We are all so glad she had a girl I was beginning to think Maddie was going to be the only girl. Madeline loves her :) She calls her lyssa. We can't wait to see her in person we are planning a trip very soon.

We are the proud big brothers

Ballerina

It's official!!! We now have a ballerina in the family. Maddie has wanted to be a ballerina since she turned "2" and her dream has come true. She dances all around the house on he toes it amazes me how the tops of her toes do not hurt. She will start classes in several weeks for the summer session and then full time in the fall. She is not as excited about the tap dancing because they wear pants (sometimes) and she has explained to me over and over again "mommy ballerina's DO NOT wear pants". This will be a challenge.

Since I have not been doing ANY shopping lately it has been lots of fun to look for shoes and ballerina clothes :)

May 1st

May 1st marks another day in history of IA for China. The big question is what is in store now for the waiting families as far as time lines. I have read and heard many different opinions regarding the staffing issues, shortage of babies, lack of orphanage participation and the list goes on. Only time will tell at this point. There are many advantages to a longer referral wait for us so Steve and I are quite content at this point with not receiving a referral until 2009 possibly 2010. Our hearts tell us we would love to see a referral of our daughter in 2008 but reality is what it is......

As far a future families the number of applications of IA's will drop drastically for 2 reasons the new rules implemented as of May 1st and the wait that families will face.

Secret Pal- April

What a great Secret Pal I have. We receive a big package of goodies in the mail. Maddie loves to open all the gifts and see what her baby sister is getting. These were all gifts we could use the stacking cups will come in very handy in China.

Celebrating a Month

We have been officially logged in 1 month today. WOW it seems like such a small milestone in the wait we have ahead of us. But one day at a time and one set of referrals at a time and we will be closer to our Kinsey. There are alot of people on our YAHOO groups that have the same log in date of 3/19. Hopefully we will be travelling with alot of them especially the CCAI group.

Kinsey you are in our thoughts and prayers daily !

Easter

What a beautiful Easter weekend. Audrey and Maddie had a great time together. It was all about Easter egg hunts and bunnies. First they went to an egg hunt on Saturday at our church and Maddie got to ride on the big slide, see a show and then off to the hunt. She thinks Easter is like Christmas and her birthday she had a list of things she wanted mainly Cinderella III and a pony. She was so excited for Sunday to hunt more eggs and see her little friend Abagail (she was adopted the same time as Maddie) at church. We had a street egg hunt that was a blast the kids hunted eggs for more than 30 minutes the moms all did a great job :) Maddie still asks where are are the eggs every time we go outside for playdates.

We are truly blessed !

Spring Time Tallahassee

Our good friends Michelle and John came into town from Jacksonville with there daughter Anna for the weekend 3/31/2007) and we had a great time. We went to the annual spring time parade and the girls had a blast. They were covered with beads they must have each got 100 strands. The ladies were in love with them. Anna would not let us take her beads off. Maddie on the other hand was much more interested in the candy that they were throwing her way. It was like Halloween all over again.

When we got back to the house Michelle and I started to work on decorating ideas. We moved into our house 3 1/2 years ago and are still decorating. This was sooooo much fun it has got me on a roll. Well since we have a 2 plus year wait I think I can fit it into the budget.

Maddie

Anna

China Adoptive Moms

I got this from a fellow adoptive mom in our JanFeb DTC group. I loved it and it is so true:

lilyspickle wrote:

No we don't have (our wives) belly's that get bigger by the minute.
No we don't have elbows, feet and little fists pounding our (wives) insides.
No we don't have ultrasound pictures showing us our child's development by the month.
But we are Moms (Dad's).
We are Moms (Dads) when we are getting to know our child in a country where no one speaks the same language as us.
We are Moms (Dads) the second they hand us our child in a hotel conference room.
We are Moms (Dads) when we are carefully packing medication, clothing and diapers for the child we haven't met yet.
We are Moms (Dads) when we receive the phone call that we have been matched with a baby and view the first picture of our little girl.
We are Moms (Dads) when we celebrate our LID.
We are Moms (Dads) when we are excited to FINALLY receive our I-171h or I-797c in the mail.
We are Moms (Dads) when we tirelessly collect, notarize, certify and authenticate every aspect of ourselves.
We are Moms (Dads) when a Social Worker inspects our home, and spends hours asking us about our personal lives.
We are Moms (Dads) when we make the decision to adopt.We are Moms (Dads) the first time we even have a thought about that child who will someday be ours.
We are Moms (Dads) even though most of our friends and family around us don't understand why a piece of paper or a Fed Ex package is as exciting to us as an ultrasound, or a positive pregnancy test.
We are Moms (Dads) who are madly in love with a baby we have not met.
We are Moms (Dads) who excitedly check email, Yahoo Groups and Blogs everyday to share this experience with other's around the country and world who are doing it too.
We are Moms (Dads) that cry in front of our computer screens when we hear that someone is DTC, LID, has gotten a referral, is leaving for China, or has experienced Gotcha Day!
We are Moms (Dads) to some baby out there who may be in a foster home, an orphanage, in her birth mother's belly growing, or that hasn't even been conceived yet.
WE ARE MOMS (Dads)!!!

Were are LID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At 10:48 this morning we received an email from Jack song:

To: Steven & Sheri McNally

Re: CCAI Log-In Date & Packet
Congratulations! Your dossier has been logged in by the China Center of Adoption Affairs.

Your official dossier log-in date (LID) is: 3/19/2007

I have been home all week because of Spring Break but I do not normally work Fridays anyway what a surprise to get this today. I had not check my email for probably an 1 1/2 hours because the lawn people were here discussion option with treatments so I was busy with them then off to the shower and the phone rings and it was Julie saying "how about 3/19/2007 for a log in date. I was thrilled. I went and checked and there was the confirmation.

Well we will be celebrating to night as a family at Macaroni Grill for dinner. Maddie is so excited she told the lady in the store I have a date for my sister now I just need to wait to go pick her up. I had to further explain because she gave Maddie a puzzling look.

HOORAY FOR LID!!!!! Now we just have the wait, review then match and finally GOTCHA!

We will be doing alot of waiting, hoping, praying and dreaming of baby Kinsey of the next 20 months (??).

Spring Break 2007

We took Maddie and Adurey to Walt Disney World and Sea World. They had a great time. Maddie loved Sea World, she got to meet "Shampoo" (Shamu). It was so cute we bought her a stuffed Shamu and she carried him around all day and still a few days after we got home she is still attached to "Shampoo".

The girls were troopers we were at Disney from 9:00am to 12:00am and Maddie never took a nap and she was GREAT :) She finally fell asleep 10 minutes before the park closed and I mean hard. We also went to see Mama (Steve's grandmother) she was diagnosed with cancer last year and we try to see her ever chance we get. Maddie loves her Mama.

For the rest of spring break Maddie and I will be hanging out at home doing cleaning and I will be working on scrapping and blogging. Audrey goes back home on the 21st till next month Maddie is going to miss her after having 5 days this month with her. It is always a treat to have an extended visit with her.

Referral Day 2005

Then
Now

On St Patricks day 2 years ago we received a phone call from our agency stating you have a daughter. I can remember the shriek I let out and then gasped for air as I was screaming into the phone tell us more. We celebrated her referral day by taking her to Disney. This has been set as a tradition Maddie has spent her first 2 referral dates (2006, 2007) with Mickey and Cinderella. As she would say it is awesome yipeeeee! It does not seem as if 2 years have gone by. She changes and grows so fast I cherish each moment with her and remember the first time I took her into my arms a feeling a mother can never forget.

Well now we are just as excited for Kinseys referral but this time we will not be waiting by the phone. During our first adoption our agency did not have a fully functional office in Florida. They were once in Tallahassee and have since moved to Orlando. We have decided as a family we will drive to the Florida office and pick up our referral and meet our daughter for the first time with the staff that has made this adoption possible. We will be there when referral deliveries begin.

100 Good Wishes Quilt

Many of you know by know Steve and I are adopting another baby girl from China. We have completed all of our paperwork and now we are in the waiting stage. To keep busy during this time I have decided to take on a project of making a quilt and I need your help. I would like to invite you to participate in creating a "100 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.

During the adoption for Maddie I did not make a quilt but I am now making a quilt for each of the girls. We are inviting all of our friends and family to take part in this project.

Here is what we would like you to do:

1) Choose any fabric 100% cotton that you like. Cut "2" 8 inch by 8 inch cotton fabric square.

2) Cut 1 to 2 inch fabric scrap piece of the same square material for the memory book. (this piece will go with the each wish

3) Write or type a wish/poem/ on acid free paper (preservation purposes) expressing your good wishes and heartfelt sentiments for the baby; The fabric will be used to make the quilt and the notes and the smaller pieces of fabric will be placed in a books for each of our daughters to be given when they are older.

Ideas for fabric: When selecting your fabric make sure it is 100% cotton and find something that is meaningful to you. If there are several members in your family, please fee free to send more than one good wish note and fabrics for each of the girls. In China, these quilts were originally made from the garments of family and friends surrounding the child with luck and good wishes.

Ideas for wishes: What would you wish for a little girl in her life? Happiness, faith, security, prosperity, fortune and courage. Make sure you sign your name on the wishes. The girls will not see there wish books containing the notes until they are older. It would be wonderful to receive all the fabric and wishes by June 30, 2007 so I can get busy making these quilts before we bring Kinsey home.


If you have more than one person in your family who would like to participate then please feel free to send more than one set of fabric square (one for each of the girls) and a wish (for each of the girls). Remember I need 100 blocks of fabric for each quilt. Children are welcome to contribute to this project:)

Thanks again for all the support. I know everyone has busy schedules, but I hope you will be able to take time to help me create this special keepsakes. This will hold allot of meaning to them when they get older especially since it incorporates part of her Chinese Heritage.

Once I get the fabric and wishes coming in I will start another blog showing all the fabrics and wishes.