Winter Blues

It seems like everyone I know has the winter blues. I'm pretty sick of the weather as well, especially the gray skies.

This morning I was woken up a few minutes early my buzzing blackberry. The message was from someone in our May DTC group: " it seems that April 5 is the cut-off this time." Then her e-mail got progressively gloomier. Rumor Queen confirmed at noon today that the CCAA referred just 2 days this month. We will probably hear this news from our agency this coming Friday.

After we worked out this morning, John and I went to Koka, our neighborhood coffee shop. I ran into our neighbor Karen who asked about our adoption. This annoying wait makes answering this question difficult without sounding like a complete idiot. Briefly explaining where referrals relative to our date sounds close but really it isn't based on how slow referrals are coming. And each month we always think the speed up is bound to start.

Tomorrow we are leaving for Virginia because John's Uncle Estil died on Sunday. Estil had been sick for a long time and there is some consolation in the fact he died at home. Estil was married to possibly the nicest person I've ever met, John's Aunt Pauline.

So tonight I worked late as we won't get back home until late Thursday night. Because I had my camera and because the conservatory looks so cool at night I took the following pictures. The Bonsai room with the shades drawn. The Fern Room without the misters on. In the next picture you can barely see Tammy (night staff) taking a picture of the Tropical Room. She got her camera when she saw me taking pictures.

So when I got home my sweet husband had made broccoli stuffed chicken breasts and mashed potatoes for dinner.

Today we also received a package from Nancy with a very nice condolence card for Lucy. My favorite part of her letter was "I know how much you both loved Lucy. She definitely had quite the personality. She reminded me of the Bette Davis of the cat world - she instantly became the "star" of any room she entered - and she never failed to delight her audience!"

Nancy also sent this candle and picture. It is a Jewish tradition to honor the remembrance of a loved one who passed by burning a candle on the 1st anniversary of the loved one's passing. The name on the candle literally means "year's time". It is kinda funny because John and I privately joked that Lucy was Jewish.

Nancy also sent this Rudyard Kipling print she had framed because it reminded her of Lucy. We think we will put it in the baby's room. The Jungle Book was one of John's favorites as a child.