Faye and Alex went to visit friends in Springfield, Ohio

You know when there is no good news, there is no good news

Here I am sitting here at 4 in the morning (can't sleep) catching up on some blog reading over @ Rumor Queen (RQ)(see link on side bar). There just isn't any good news over there, I mean congratulations to all those who have recently received referrals. But for those of us just recently logging in, it's pretty bleak. I (the positive one) who always hopes to see a speed up in referrals was just ran over by all the negative folk, people doing their math and letting us know that at current rates it will take us about 4 years from now to receive our referrals. I guess I didn't realize the amount of people that put their dossiers in April 2007 (something like 7000 referrals per RQ). Just so you know that since April 2007 there are about 500 new referrals a month, just to give you the average. So April 2007 was a huge month, due to all the new restrictions put on International adoption.
Well now that just really jams up everyone logging in behind them now doesn't it and it now has me feeling the LOGIN BLUES (I wish I had a song to que right now) I've done a pretty good job up til now staying positive, but I always have a wife that lets me know what is going on over at RQ and I have tried to avoid the rumors up till now.
I have Alex to think about and with the holidays right around the corner I wish she had a sister to share the holidays with. You know I thought I was going to be happy with just one daughter, but at the growing rate of appreciation I have for Alex, I could have 5 just like her. I just sometimes stop and wonder if she is lonely? I mean there is only so much playing we can provide her, so the rest of the time she has to occupy herself. This is when I regret that she is missing the sister that her mom and dad hope for some day soon. I just hope that we can get a child that Alex will be able to grow up with.
You know you hear about siblings with 6 years between them and they say they really weren't that close with their brother or sister because of the age difference. I just hope that isn't Alex.

Well now that I have depressed the rest of you I am going to end my little whine fest. I truly do believe there will be a speed up, I just need people to quit whining and be happy your getting a child. I waited a long time for #1, I guess I will wait a long time for #2.

Pictures are coming soon. Promise.

photo shoot

Well, in an effort to try to be frugal this holiday season, I was going to try to do my own pictures at home. So I put my adorable daughter in her cute Christmas dress (one of them) and put a sheet up and tried to take some pictures. As you can see and true to form for her, she wouldn't look at the camera, crack a smile. or do anything remotely photogenic. Oh well, so here is the first attempt (maybe I will try one more time). She is cute as a button though even when she is grumpy.

Happy Halloween

Mommy, MiMi, and NaNa (both grandmas) took Alex trick or treating last night. We had a ball with her. She was very timid and shy at first but once she realized what she got when she said "Twi Twee" her little legs couldn't run fast enough up those driveways to get that treat in her pumpkin. Of course , everyone thought she was so cute. Some lady even gave her a kitty purse filled with goodies for being such a cutie.

Alex with MiMi pulling her in her wagon. Her costume was a butterfly but she wouldn't hold her arms out to get a picture of the wings but you get the gist of it.

Up Up and Away

A girl my dad worked with let Alex let all the balloons fly away. Alex loved it. She was laughing and squealing with delight.

Alex and Mariah-- The Mischief Twins

Grandpa Jim's Retirement Party

My dad had his retirement party last week. It sure looks like Alex had fun. This is her cousin Mariah with her. They had so much fun playing with those balloons. They were cracking me up.

Daddy, Alex and Mariah

Grandpa Jim, Wendy, Mariah and Alex

Dad's 5 girls (daughters Kate and Hannah and me and granddaughters Mariah and Alex)
Todd and Kate's fiancee Chris.

I love this darling picture of Alex. Her expression shows how full of mischief she is.

Birthday Party

Alex's friend Audrey had her 3rd Birthday Party. Here are some cute pictures of the girls in action. They always start out shy with each other and then they have so much fun together.