Family Day

I have had a wonderful weekend. My entire family (well, by entire family I mean parents, sister and her family) came down to my house. It was my dad's B-day and we (I) decided that it would be a good yard work day. I've only lived in my house for two years and when I moved in the yard had not received any care for years decades. So, it's a work in progress.

It was just so awesome to spend time with family. My family talked of Haven a lot. My dad calls him Haven Duc, my mom just calls him Duc (we are pronouncing like Duke). She said "he's probably going to be a small guy so a name like Duc should help". My dad told me he is saving up his vacation time so when we go for Haven's sister in China, Haven can stay home with Opa. A couple of weeks of just "the boys". As they were preparing to leave I realized that next year we will likely have two birthday boys (Opa and Haven). Wow. And as they were pulling out of the drive my said "next year when you stand there waving to us, it won't be just you anymore". I love that he is as real to them as he is to me and that they are including him in their plans for the future.

My family is waiting as anxiously as I am for that first photo. It sounds silly on some level I realize. I know that my son is alive in the world now, so he is real to me. But there is something about having that tangible link. Most people say that the wait following the referral is the hardest and I believe them, but this is also difficult.

My weekend started so awesome. A friend that I met during my China (we share the same LID and are with the same agency) journey e-mailed a couple of months ago to say that she and her husband were in the process of adopting from another country. It was funny to learn that we were both doing the same thing--just in different countries. She e-mailed on Friday evening and she has a referral! I am so excited for her and her son is soooo beautiful. I would post a blog link, but she hasn't updated her blog with this information and without her permission I would feel strange about it, but I am so excited for you both!

Pics of my niece:

First Twinkie. She loves the toys in my daughter's room.

She loves watching the fish on my monitor. This will be Haven's room someday and I swear the mess will be cleaned up by then!

Addendum: I received the ok from Shasta and Chris to link to their blog. You can read all about the day they received the call. I'm so happy for both of you!!!