Ta-Da!

The quilt is finished!!!  I sent it to a lady in Missouri who did the quilting and edging for me and got it back in the mail today!  I waited for Chris to come home before opening it up and it looks great!  I'm so glad I asked her to just go ahead and do the edging as well, so that now it is finished and ready to go.  It's amazing!!  I went with the black border for better contrast and because I couldn't find an orange shade that matched with what I had on there already (most of them were too much of a reddish-orange).  But here is the final product...

I am sooo excited that this is finally complete!  I wanted to have it done before Baby J came home and now it is, so hopefully things will start moving and we can get our son home before long.  It's already been washed and is now waiting for the special child it was made for.

Black or Orange?

The quilt top is finished!!!!!!

I'm so excited to finally see this all put together.  It turned out even better than I thought it would!

This is the fabric I'm going to use for the backing.

Here is a close-up to see the colors better...

Now, I have to decide what color border to use.  Black or orange?  (It's going to be satin.)  Tell me what you think.  Thanks!!

More projects

Here's what we did last Sunday:

the fan Chris put up in Baby J's room; he's a pretty handy guy!!

And a teaser for the quilt...here is one row that I have sewn together so far.  I will be working on the others today and tomorrow.  One down, seven to go...

I can't wait to have it all completed!!!

Project updates

Chris and I both had Sunday and Monday off of work and we got a lot of projects completed.  I left him a "honey-do" list on Saturday when I went to work and we got most everything crossed off by last evening.  Let's see, we lowered the springs on Baby J's crib, got the shower doors taken out (we're switching to a shower curtain while J's young, so we don't have only half the tub to work with when bathing him) and a new shower rod up.  I bought the new shower curtains on-line and they should be here by the time of my baby shower at the end of the month when we're going to have family staying at the house.  At least, I hope it gets here in time!!  I finished up the other half of the closet organizer and cleaned out the spare bedroom closet to put the organizer in there.  We bought a ceiling fan/light for J's room, which Chris is going to put up (he's a pro at this; I do love my ceiling fans!).  We finally decided on a car seat...yeah!!!  Can't believe what a decision that was to make, but you know, it's our baby's safety.  We did find out that there is no one car seat that everyone likes; that would make things too easy.  Chris got his work bench in the garage cleaned up and put up a bigger shelf in his "man cave."  And I finally started on the quilt!!!!!!  I got all the squares cut (only slightly messing up once) as well as the sashing that will go between each one and am ready to start sewing.  I can't believe it!  I'm hoping to have a good start on the top of the quilt by the shower so I can show it off.  I will definitely be posting pictures of that.  We also have the letter to our foster family translated; I just need to print it off on some nice paper.  Chris has a Korean friend from college and he was able to translate our letter almost over night...thanks so much, Sang!  I still have a few areas of the house that I need to clean out and get organized; start getting gifts for the trip to give the foster family and any other people who help us out; check to see if I can upload video from a video camera Chris' aunt/uncle are loaning us for the trip; and maybe start getting lists together for what to pack for our trip!  Unbelievable that I am actually, finally writing that!!  We have NOT heard anything, but I want to be prepared in case things start going quickly (which I am hoping and praying for with all my heart).  Oh, I'd also like to get our bedroom painted before we bring him home, but that's at the bottom of my list right now.  That's all for now.

It's the small things...

Most of the time when I go to a store or online to look at baby items, it is just assumed by the people/website that you are pregnant.  This really bothers me, especially when adoption is becoming more prevalent.  But I was soooo excited when I registered online at "Baby's R Us" that the second question asked was whether I was adopting!!!!!!  I was just so pleased to see that places are starting to realize that not all families are built the same way... it's the small things.  :)  [Although "Target" still gives newborn diapers out in all of their Baby Kit bags, without asking...:(  ].  Now I just need to find that perfect list of what exactly I need to buy to get ready for a 10-month old, rather than a newborn!!  I will take any and all suggestions!

Another not-so-small, actually a rather big, thing is that we are sending a care package over to Korea for J!!!!!! Another waiting family who will hopefully be traveling next week to pick up their son is graciously taking this gift over with them and will drop it off with the Korean social worker for it to get to J!!!  Thanks Shona and family!!  Safe travels.  Here are a couple of pictures that I took of what we sent to them:

 I can't believe that in the next few weeks, he will be seeing pictures of me and Chris for the first time!  My heart wants to be there with him so badly, I want to be the one to hold him when he sees those pictures, I want him to see our faces in person NOW!  We thought the wait to referral was hard, but I agree with others who have been in this situation, this is a thousand times harder!  Especially because we are going to miss his first Thanksgiving and Christmas; we want to spend his first holidays with him, not halfway around the world from him.  We are missing so much of his life already.  These holidays are going to be very difficult for us, since our family is not complete; one part of it is not home yet.  This care package will give me joy, though, knowing that J will be getting something soon that we picked out just for him.  He will be snuggling with the security blanket that I washed for him, along with a load of his clothes(...let me tell you, that was the best load of laundry I've ever done!  I've been looking forward to that one for years!!).  I'm hoping that this is something he latches on to and that it is sent with him when he comes home with us.  We are also hoping that his foster mother will take lots of pictures of him with the two disposable cameras we sent, in the hopes that we might get some of them when we go pick him up.  We would love to have pictures to show him of this time in his life.  The other green outfit are pajamas a friend of mine sent to us.  Only thing is, it would have been way too small for him by the time he got home, but I just loved the snuggly fabric, so instead of taking it back for a bigger size, I decided to send it over to him now.  It will definitely keep him warm and cozy!  (We don't even know what size he will be wearing when he comes home, so I didn't want to return it and have it possibly still not be the right size.)
We also sent a small gift for the foster mother, a scarf and some stationery that we hope she'll like.  She's doing a job I could not do, caring for a child who she knows is going to be adopted by another family, and she will have to let him go.  She has an older son and daughter of her own, but it still has to be hard on their family.  I give thanks that she/they are loving him and caring for him until it is time for me and Chris to take over.

Next week, while my DH is gone for work, my mom is going to come help me paint J's room so that we can start getting things arranged...and rearranged...and probably rearranged again!  I am really looking forward to finally seeing that room turned into a nursery.  It's so exciting!!

My mom is also dying to get her hands on the quilt!  I know she would much rather be working on that next week instead of painting, but she said she will do whatever needs to be done (and probably secretly hoping that we will get the painting done so we can get on to the quilt!).  I am still waiting on a few squares from people who have said they are doing one, but I am also eager to start on it, so if I don't have yours (or haven't received a verbal promise of one), please please let me know very quickly so I can leave a spot for you!  Here is a view of all the squares I have in the tentative order on the quilt.  It will not be this big when it's finished.

I have two more squares that are not shown here from a good friend (thanks, Dodger!) that I am going to be making into a long pillow or two throw pillows; I haven't made up my mind yet.  These squares have the words "family" and "love" written on them in Korean.  I cannot cut them to the size I am cutting the others for the quilt, so I'm using the same backing for them that I'm using for the quilt in order for them all to coordinate.  I cannot wait to get started on this project!!

So those are the small and not-so-small things that are happening now.  Stay tuned...

First Baby Quilt

Just a quick note for the week: my mom and I started and completed the world quilt project that I wrote about recently and it turned out so neat!! These pictures don't really do it justice, but I had to try to give you an idea of what we did. A lot of credit goes to mom; she sewed around each state so they would stand out. (I put her to work on that while I went to work!) The reverse side, we tied, and then put the two sides together...sounds much easier than it actually was!! I'm so glad it's done; it makes the whole adoption seem more real somehow.


Here's mom working on outlining the states. She did most of this while I was at work...thanks, Mom!!


I'm starting to tie the world side of the quilt...so much quicker and easier than sewing it!!


Sewing the satin border to both sides of the quilt; it's all one piece after this.

FINISHED...

...state-side...


...and the world.

I can't wait to be able to use this when our baby arrives!!

Here are a few more quilt squares that we got from my younger sister, Becky, and her family.  They are soooo cute; I've especially had quite a few comments on the one from my nephew to his new cousin!

It's hard to believe that some day, Chris and I will be wrapping our child in a quilt made from these squares.  The wait is going to be so hard, so we're hoping to keep busy with work, doing projects around the house, going camping, and getting ready to bring a child into our lives.  Hopefully, you will all join us on our journey.

I surprised Chris yesterday with a massage at a local spa while I got a pedicure.  He said he really enjoyed it and actually looked like he was going to fall asleep afterwards while he was waiting for me!  :)  And I am now officially ready for spring to get here since my nails are done in "Conga-line Coral"!  No more snow...I need to show these babies off!!!

We'll keep updating this blog so you can all follow along with our adoption story.  Today will be our home visit with the Social Worker and then we should be "paper-ready" once she gets her report completed.  That means that they can call us with a referral at any time! (although it will likely be months before we hear anything :( )  Praying that this time goes quickly. :)

100 Good Wishes Quilt

For those who do not know yet, Chris and I are in the process of adopting a baby from South Korea.  We have just begun our journey, but are already anxious and ready to have him or her in our arms!  We hope you all continue to check back here, as I will try to keep this blog updated.  Keep reading for a project I hope you will all help us out with!!

Here is the first square we have received for our baby's quilt!!  Our friends, Sue and Blake, who are adopting a little boy, Cohen, from South Korea gave us this square.  It is the same fabric that they chose for Cohen's quilt.  Here are the details if you would like to participate and share in this wonderful gift we will make for our child:

100 Good Wishes Quilt

A 100 good wishes quilt, or Bai Jia Bei, is a tradition that comes from the northern part of China.  The quilts are made to welcome and celebrate a new life.  We have decided to make one for our baby.  I am really excited about this project and seeing the completed quilt with all the good wishes!  I will continue to update on this project as it progresses.  I know it will be a lot of hard work, but I know it will be worth it.  The fun part is that our friends and family get to participate!!

If you would like to participate (and we hope you do), here is what you need to do:

1. Choose any 100% cotton fabric that you like and that has meaning to you.  (100% cotton is best as it washes and wears well),

2. Cut a 10" x 10" square of fabric that will be made into the quilt

3. On card stock card (up to 8 1/2 x 11"), glue (archival safe please) a small swatch of the fabric and include your "good wish note."  If you don't have archival glue, send your card and wish unassembled and I'll put it together for you.  Your good wish can be a poem, a favorite quote or saying, bible verse, advice, etc.  Please also include your name, city, and state.  

The first piece of fabric will be used to make the quilt and the swatch and good wish will be incorporated into a special memory book for our child.

If you have any questions, please email me or leave a comment.  Thank you for taking part in this fun and special project for our baby!!!