DTC Anniversary!

This is a room at the China Center of Adoption Affairs where the dossiers are stored. Do you see ours???

One year ago today our dossier was sent to China. A dossier is a collection of all the certified, notarized and authenticated documents that we had to prepare so that Ruthie's adoption could be processed. I had forgotten all about this date as it is really your LID that is important as far as the "count down" goes. But, as I was writing the date on a check earlier today I smiled remembering that 1 year ago all of our hard work was headed to China in preparation for our little girl!! Now, if I just knew why it took them so long to log us in.....our LID is not until November 8, 2006???! I'm sure that we will realize the reason when we meet Ruthie at God's perfect moment. So, for now, we wait for that moment.

Cousins.......

On my daddy's side of the family, there are 16 grandchildren, 10 girls and 6 boys. We are all scattered around the globe. Most of us are in the southeast but there is one in California and one in Beijing. The cousin that lives in CA is getting married in October and my aunts decided to have her a shower at a place that is only about 15 minutes from my house...how convenient for me! Anyway, I don't get to see my aunts, cousins and their children very often so I had them all back to my home after the shower. We visited for the afternoon and then all went out to eat with the men and children that night. I couldn't help but think about my sweet grandparents and how much they would've loved to have been there to see their grandbabies and great- grandbabies. Nothing was more important to them than their family and having them all together.
All of my girl cousins were here and in the picture below except one who is pregnant and couldn't come and her sister who had left by the time we took the picture. As far as the great- grandchildren go, all were here and accounted for except five of them who couldn't make it. We had a great time visiting and catching up with everyone! We already have a family campout weekend planned for November down at my grandparents farm. I can't wait!!!





*I don't have a picture of all the great-grandbabies. There were 11 of them total at my home but they were playing inside and out so I never got a picture of all of them. I will try and do better at the campout!

My Handsome Boys

The boys brought home their new school pictures this week and I was very impressed with how they turned out. Aren't they handsome??!


Jon Milledge



Anderson

May We Never Forget....

I remember when I was a little girl my mother told me about where she was and what she was doing when President Kennedy was shot. I remember her saying that it was like time stood still for a few days and that she felt like life would never quite be the same. I listened but didn't really understand.
After September 11, 2001....I now understand. I will never forget where I was, what I was doing and where my family was when I first heard the horrific news. I, too, felt like time stood still and I was quite sure that life would never be the same. My brother and his family were living in Fairlawn, NJ at the time...a mere 20 minutes from Manhattan. I couldn't dial their number fast enough because even though they didn't work in the city, you just never know. Thankfully I heard from them and had the reassurance that they were all fine, which of course was not the case for many families.
May we always remember that September day, take time to honor those that lost their lives and to pray for the families that have had to face life without their precious loved ones.
God Bless America!

UGA game

Well...the Dawgs lost BUT we had a blast!!! Anderson decided he didn't want to sit out in the heat so he stayed with his friend, Ethan. Jon Milledge invited his buddy, J.L., to go with us and a good time was had by all!
The day started with a trip to the campus bookstore for lots of goodies(check out the fan hair and beads below). Then we got up close and personal with the team at the DawgWalk. Jon Milledge and J.L. shook hands with almost every player...they were beyond excited! During the game, we tried our hardest to cheer the Bulldogs to a victory but it just wasn't happening Saturday. :( The best part of the day came after the game as we were walking out of the stadium....we got to see Uga VI, the mascot! Usually there are so many people around him that you can't even begin to get close but we had stayed in the stadium for a few minutes after the game trying to let the crowd die down...So, when we exited there was just a very small crowd around him and the boys got to have their picture taken with him!!! Isn't he the cutest thing? I think I was more excited about seeing Uga than anything else!!
Here's hoping for a better game this weekend!!! GO DAWGS!


We're in the running for "Fan of the Year"...can't you tell?


Shaking hands with Matthew Stafford, the quarterback


In the stadium, after the game


Jon Milledge, Uga VI, and J.L.

We're in Double Digits!

Happy 10 Month LIDiversary to us and everyone else who has a LID of 11.08.06! We are celebrating by heading to Athens to cheer on the Bulldogs as they play The University of South Carolina. GO DAWGS!

An Award for Me???

I was nominated for this award by Dusty. Thank you so much! I feel honored. I could certainly say the same for you.

Here is a description of the award:

"This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you've been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award."

I nominate:

Gail at Aging with Grace Too

Terri at Ballard Forever Family

Brandi at The Silvers' Scoop

Leslie at My Girls

Pam at Askews 7

Donna at Handsful

Lisa at Journey to Diana

Tagged by Brandi

Brandi, a fellow November LIDer tagged me with the following questions.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes...my middle name, Suzanne, is after both of my mother's sisters

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Sunday

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes...Jon Milledge and Anderson

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Way too much, I'm sure!

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? NO!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I don't really like cereal

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not usually

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically or emotionally? Physically – sometimes. Emotionally – yes

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Stawberry

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? This is bad...their teeth. I work in a dentist office :)

15. RED OR PINK? red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? my lack of patience

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? All of my grandparents...I wish they could know my boys

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue scrub pants and white crocs...at work at the dentist office

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Chicken biscuit from Chick-fil-A

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The local Christian radio station

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? I asked my co-workers and they said red....they said something about a fireball??? Who knew?! ;)

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Clean babies...right out of the bath and ready for bed...so sweet!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Milledge

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I have never met Brandi in person but would love to...especially after we both get home from China with our girls.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football

27. HAIR COLOR? dark brown

28. EYE COLOR? blue/green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no

30. FAVORITE FOOD? my mother's spaghetti

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? definitely happy endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? What else but High School Musical 2!

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue...it matches the scrub pants

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter....I HATE to be hot!

35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs

36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Last Sin Eater

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? A picture of Times Square

40. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Nothing...we were at the ball field until way past my bedtime

41. FAVORITE SOUND? my boys giggling

42. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones...they sing "Angie"!

43. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Hawaii

44. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can play the flute...does that count?

45. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Tifton, GA

46. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE? The power to snap my fingers and bring my baby home...today.

47. FAVORITE HOBBY? reading

48. A FRIEND THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD HANG OUT MORE WITH? my mother and sister

49. IF YOU COULD BE ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE? Home from China...stole that one from Brandi...but it is so true!!

This was fun! Thanks for including me, Brandi! If anyone else would like to play along, please do and I will be looking for your answers on your blogs.