12 months = 1 year

I'm blessed with wonderful bloggy friends. If I don't post for a couple of days I start getting e-mails asking if I'm okay... and did we get a referral and we're just not sharing with the world yet. :) I'm still here.

Today marks one year that we've been on our agency's waiting list to adopt an infant from Taiwan and become parents of a little girl we'll name Hannah Claire... but who's counting, right? (Oh... Uhhh, I am.) To celebrate we're going out to Ziffel's for ribs with another couple what we met during our adoption journey. Mmmm.

Today also is the Lantern Festival (15th day of the Chinese New Year) where children go out at night carrying bright lanterns. In ancient times this day was also kind of Chinese Valentine's Day where unmarried young people can go out chaperoned into the streets with hope that matchmakers would make them a match (cue music from "Fiddler on the Roof") but that doesn't happen in these modern times. People will also gather together to launch sky lanterns like I've blogged about previously. You write wishes on the lanterns and release them into the sky. It's a lot like a balloon launch. This newsarticle details how environmentalists in Taiwan have concerns over sky lantern launches. Uh... balloon launches aren't exactly environmentally friendly, either. The lanterns that I puchased say that they are biodegradable, but I'm sure that it takes a little while for the frame retardant paper lanterns to break down... kinda like the special little brown biodegradable frozen packages that Sedona has left in our backyard this winter.

Sorry. Visions of Sedona's special frozen packages are not the way I want to leave you with this post. Let's talk about something happy. How about some retail therapy? Yay, right? That's much better, isn't it? This little happy hearts dress is on the way to my house in celebration of one year waiting. Could any little dress say LOVE any more than this one? No, this is it. Once again, the people at Gymboree know my mind and make such beautiful little things that tug at my heart.

Dear Hannah Claire,
Your daddy and I love you so much, little one. We can't wait so see your picture, bring you home, read books (Grandma's got a little library started for you), go to the zoo and feed the goats (Daddy likes the goats at the zoo too!), make glorified messes in the high chair trying out new foods, and chase Sedona the babydog in circles around the living room until we're all dizzy.
Love,
Mommy