A New Project...

We are onto a new project....

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 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.We would like to make a 100 Good Wishes Quilt for our child, so if you'd like to participate please provide a square and a wish. Here’s the scoop, please send us 2 things ~ a patch of cloth and a written wish. Most of the cloth will go towards making the quilt and teeny piece will go into a scrapbook with the wish.

If you would like to send more than 1 square and wish feel free! We need:FABRIC: One 10"x 10" square of 100% cotton, washable fabric. It can be new or "used and meaningful" fabric. Please pre-wash the fabric so it has done all the shrinking it is going to do before you cut it. (Shortcut-go to your local fabric store and look for "fat quarters". These are pre-cut squares of fabric specifically for quilts-no measuring and cutting required!)WISH: This is the fun part. Send us a 4"x6" card with a good wish for the baby and a scrap of your fabric (glued to the paper). Your wish can be simple or elaborate, handwritten or typed. It can be something you wrote or a favorite poem, lyric, quote, or anything else that strikes your fancy. You can even include a picture if you'd like. Please remember to sign your wish and include your city and province. These written wishes will be placed in an album for our family so that your wishes will always be remembered.
We plan to make a twin size quilt that our peanut will receive when old enough to appreciate it. Keep in mind that he or she won’t read your good wish until they are older. Let us know if you have any questions. Thanks!~ Love, Dan and Kelly

Being poked and prodded...

Today was my day for my physical with our family Doctor. All went well, except there were a few tests that she did not realize had to be done. TB testing was one of those tests. So, I got a needle in the arm twice today, and had a 1 hour and 45 minute wait at the lab. But, the hard part is over and Dan gets to have his done tomorrow! Lucky guy! (Atleast he does not have to go through all of the yearly female testing too!) The bloodwork should be back fairly quickly, with the exception of the AIDS testing. That usually takes about 10 days before Dr. Magee will get the results back.

Our meetings with Joan went very well. It is difficult to open up about yourself that much. Who sits and talks in chronological order for 2 hours about their life? Dan wasn't sure what to say as he usually does not open up to anyone.

I flew to Edmonton in mid February with a friend to visit my cousin Mandy, and to go to the largest Scrapbook warehouse in Canada! It was so much fun, and I got to see the Chinatown area of West Edmonton Mall. There is not all that much there, but we saw some really cute outfits and some beautiful jade jewellery in one store. I just took a fleeting look....

Our renovations are coming along very well, and only have 2 closets left to be put in, and some trim upstairs. After that all that is left is the siding of the house. We are thankful that it is almost over. I have to touch up a lot of areas after the walls have been banged into. But, it is nice to have blinds and no carpet left in the house. And, alteast things will be all set and we don't have to worry about fixing anything up. Just have to paint 2 more rooms....

We recieved our marriage certificate. Once we get back the blood results and the fingerprints, the homestudy will pretty much be completed. Then we will start the paperwork for the Ontario government.

We are hoping to meet some families in the area that have adopted. We have met a couple on line and hope to meet with them soon.

Hope all is well with our family and friends!