DOR + 1YR

For 6 years I dreamed of using the acronym DOR.

DOR means date of referral in the adoption world. Anyone signing a post on a blog or a thread with a DOR below their name means they were one of the lucky ones who made it through the big bad wait.

They had their picture.

1 year ago today was a Thursday. A bright beautiful day here in New England. The day before we officially learned China's cutoff date for that month's referrals was 7/6/06. Our Login Date was 7/6/06. Our agency said they would be calling us on Friday.

At 3:30 pm we were driving home from a day in Boston and we got the call. IN THE CAR!

I begged them to call us back when we got home so I could record it. {and if I were more with it these days I'd have that video ready to post here for you but that ain't happening}

But we got a little bit of information before we hung up. She was 9 months old and in Guangdong.

Just those two pieces of information were huge. They resonated over the next 20 minutes as we pushed our car as fast as we could up the coastal roads toward home.

We raced into the house. Turned on the video. Brushed our hair. And called CCAI.

The call gave us lots of detailed information about our new daughter but it was this we were waiting for....

our first glimpse of Cici.

We think she has a very MAO look to her here and wondered just how serious of a baby they thought we needed. 

Well you be the judge....

one year later almost to the day....

She is an amazing little girl who is the light of our lives. Her big brother and sister are totally wrapped around her little fingers. 

Looking forward to year two with you babe!

Family Trip to Palm Springs

It is already warm in a steamy kind of way at 815 am this morning. It is our last day and the rental car is packed as we set off to return a lone bike helmet that didn't make it's way back to the bike shop the night before with the rest of our rentals. A quick drop and we continue down Palm Canyon road as a last farewell to this desert city we have grown enormously fond of.  We decide to take a wide loop to the airport so we can take in one last look at this gorgeous scenery and oh yeah, hit the cheapest gas station to fill up before we rent the car. With the cheap option at  $4.11 a gallon, California gas prices are nothing to fool around with.  Driving down this canyon road we are still in awe, even after 7 days, of the dramatic jagged mountains that rise all around us. Combined with the varied palms and the modern ranch homes with their clean lines and big picture widows, it is really easy to feel a sense of place. The signs all around include words like rancho, palms, desert, canyon, and mirage. This was our first time to the desert for our family of 5 and we didn't know what to expect. It was a bit of a whim and our gamble totally paid off. We are leaving relaxed and happy and each of us has most definitely filed away some cherished family memories. I hope my kids will always feel as fondly about our excursions as I will.

Cici barges into first class, steals a woman's Gucci loafers and commandeers her iPad. Watch out world.

PS won a coveted MM statue - here she is being dressed for that evening's ceremonies where she will be then undressed. Fitting don't you think?

The only soda I like. Only to be found in the west.

Nice way to wake up. Coffee, Spa, View.

At the Living Desert. Wicked cool.

Our first In n Out experience. Thank you Chase for the heads up on how to order. "Animal Style". And I thought he was messing with me.

The view from down the street.

on our way to Joshua Tree.

Joshua Tree. And it was COLD!

So we took a few quick pics and went antiquing.

Bike ride took a detour and we got lost.

The girl loves to swim!

Best dinner ever!

Afternoon smoothies for the kids. Skinny Girl for mom.

Proof I can be fun mom. Colored cereal is allowed on vaca!

Who doesn't want one of these!

On the right is a parking lot. Have you ever seen a prettier lot???

The place we rented. Would totally go back!

 

We rented a place out in Palm Springs, California and had a ball relaxing in the private pool, exploring the desert, visiting Joshua Tree, antiquing, and gawking at a new statue of Marilyn Monroe in downtown Palm Springs. None of us had ever been to PS so we didn't know what to expect. And frankly it was more than a good surprise. I think we may even go back next year. The desert heat is great. The palm trees against the dramatic rising mountains is gorgeous. The flora and fauna was way more than I expected for a place with so little water. We had such a good time, my husband even got me on a bike! I hate bicycles.

Our highlight dinner was at Roys in Rancho Mirage where the food was out of this world and they treated our children like kings and queens. We couldn't have had a better time!