Other people's happiness..

makes me happy!!! I am so lucky to be part of the coolest adoption board on the internet. I have been a member for almost a year and a half and have met some of the local members. These women are great-helpful, knowledgable, supportive, and caring. I don't know what I would have done without this group!!!

Today was a great day on the board! I woke up, logged on and found that a local member has a son! Her baby due in early July, arrived a few days ago. He came into the world very quickly and is doing great in the NICU! Rights have been terminated so he's theirs forever. Then another close friend and fellow New Yorker lets it be known that her daughter was born yesterday and released from the hospital today and is doing great. I even got to speak to the 2nd time Mom briefly today!! So exciting!! Then, I just read a post from a member who is planning on adopting from her local foster program. They received info on two sisters today during a meeting and long story, THEY HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS. The girls will start visits in a few weeks and transition to their new home! Wow-that's four new ducklings (as we call them) in the pond in just one day!!! That may be a record!

We also had a group of ladies from our board get together for a scrapbooking event. Many drove and flew hundreds of miles to get together and share their love of scrapbooking! It was nice to see pictures of the group!

I also feel good-happy to be helping others. My day started with a call from a friend I went to high school with and a chat about adoption that lasted an hour. I was giving her more info and hints as they are planning on private adoption. I also helped a local couple who are planning on a private, independent adoption by emailing them lots of helpful information, including a copy of our profile.

My calling must be for adoption. I truly get excited hearing good news regarding adoption. I also am very deeply saddenly when my friends have a setback.

I really need to get my act in order and start my adoption assistance business. I can make some money, help people create a family and really make myself happy all at the same time!!

For everyone reading this who thinks that to adopt a baby or child in the US is impossible, it's not. If you take time, do what your attorney tells you and don't give up, you will eventually be a parent. Trust me. Three couples today became parents to four children! Three couples that I personally know are on top of the world tonight!

My baby turns one today!!!

Happy birthday to my baby girl! I can't believe she's one! That was a fast year! It felt like just yesterday that we were racing up North to meet her. It was surreal and it still is. It has been an exciting, enjoyable year with out new addition. She has brought such joy to our lives, I can't even describe it. She has grown and changed so much!! Happy birthday my princess!

Here is the first picture I took of my daughter, just after meeting her, at about 3 hours old:

Here's a picture of her taken Saturday at a local park (first time on the swings)

Today was like a dream...

I took my almost one year old to the park today-spur of the moment. The weather was great, a nice Spring day with a light breeze. Nobody was at the park, we had it all to ourselves. I took some beautiful pictures of the stream by the park and then some pictures of my daughter in action. It was her first time on the swings and she loved it!!! She also loved when I held her and she went down the slide. Nothing scares this girl and I wouldn't be surprised if she grows up to be a stuntwoman. She is a daredevil to say the least!!!

Here are some pictures of my wonderful trip to the park with my baby! I never dreamed I would have days like this 7 or 10 years ago with children were so elusive to me! A simple trip to the park was such a powerful experience for me. I enjoyed every single second with her. I breathe in the air and took the whole experience in, the sounds, the sun, her expressions-everything. It was like the ultimate gift!! Every Mom should have days like this!!!

"Not his real daughter"

My sister often says my youngest daughter looks like Shiloh Jolie Pitt, youngest daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (at least until those twins come along). I was surfing the net and found pictures of Shiloh when she was turning one to compare to Jenna. There is quite a resemblance and she is almost exactly a year older than my daughter.

Anyway, I mention it to my mother in law and she says "You mean Brad Pitt's real daughter, not the adopted one". That really irked me. Hello! All Brad and Angelina's kids are real-you can see them, touch them and play with them. I guess she meant biological, but the way it came out gave me the impression that the children that were adopted aren't real. I know that's an underlying factor in her thinking. My husband has a cousin who was adopted and she told her sons "that's not REALLY your cousin". Well when they played together, spent holidays together and were raised as cousins-they were cousins-blood related or not. For years my husband and his brother never knew. What difference did it make?? It's the love, not the blood that bonds.

Do they offer adoption education classes for family members? I have a few I could sign up!!! Anyway, here's Shiloh (with her Mom and Z) just around the time she turned one:






















Here's a recent picture of Jenna:

I'm no fan of ebay right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I went to log onto my ebay account and found I am "no longer a registered user" HELLO???? It seems I listed an item that can be delivered electronically under the wrong format-as an auction vs. a classifed ad?? This is a new rule for electronically delivered goods. I think pulling the auction of that one item and giving me a warning would be the right approach. I had things for sale, with bids and everything was pulled down. I can't even log on to check the credit card number I used to pay the rediculous extortion like ebay fees they charge. I am ticked off beyong belief!!

We have people on ebay that bid on hundreds of items and never pay, people trying to sell babies and body parts and people that are committing fraud and they suspend my account for using the wrong format to sell an item??? Come on! I have been selling on ebay almost 11 years and had 2600 positive feedbacks. I'm one of the good guys.

Let's see how long it takes them to review the situation and get back to me. They may or may not decide to reactivate my account. I'm not stupid, I have two other ebay accounts, so I can still bid and sell, but they have nowhere need the positive feedback my main account had.

I am sooo pissed. You have no idea. I was going to ramp up my ebay sales and clean out my basement too! I'll keep you posted.

My new favorite song..Amazing

I first heard this song on onetruemedia.com and noticed people were picking it as music to their montages. My niece had made a montage to this song as well! The song is Amazing by Janelle (a Christian singer). Every time I hear it, I think of my youngest daughter. Even my older daughter says it reminds her of Jenna. Why didn't this great song get any airplay??? It pretty much brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. It's so touching and uplifting.

It's hard to find, but I did buy the mp3 from Walmart.com and I think you can find it on limewire. You can also find it on myspace if you look up Janelle and Christian music. Who would expect a girl from NYC to be singing Christian music??? It's a great song, I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing! Have a listen!

Here's her link on myspace:

Amazing by Janelle