Our Journey to Parenthood

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Cookbooks Are In!!!!!!!

I came home to find a box full of our cookbooks yesterday and if I may say so myself, i think they look great. It' is so exciting to see all our hardwork completed into a finished product.

We will be selling them for $15 per book or $20 with shipping. Please do let me know if you are interested in receiving any. Simply leave me a comment with your email address or email me directly at jmzfournier@yahoo.ca and i'll give you more details.

I would like to thank everyone that has contributed to the cookbook with fun family recipes.

I would also like to thank you all for your continued love and support.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Immigration

We received the approved immigration paperwork today. So excited. What this means is that we are now approved to bring our son home when it's time. We have a second portion to fill out once we get the wee ones information such as DOB etc. and then off we go to go pick him up. I was worried something may happen before we had the paperwork but now we have one less thing to worry about. Come on phone ring.....

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Before and sort of After -- Kitchen

Since i've moved in i've hated all the white and my kitchen was the next project in line. Although I would have loved to go to a kitchen cabinet store and picked out a brand new set of cupboards it wasn't in our budget at all....so I figure, why not try painting them. So after much hole filling, sanding, priming and painting I am so excited with the results. Now we will be painting the white walls to add a little more color and we should be done for awhile....yeah, like I won't find another project to take my mind off the adoption in no time...lol So here is the before and after shot. What do you think?

I do realize there is one door missing in this picture but once i'm done with the wall painting i'll add the finished pictures. For now, I couldn't wait to share. All I need now are beautiful new stainless steel appliance (not going to happen) !!

Congratualations on your baby girl.

Sending a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Tammy and Sid and little Josina who is soon to be a Big Sister. You are both such wonderful people and both deserve the very best from this point on. You are in our thoughts and prayers everyday for a safe and fast process. Sending you love.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Skiing at Sun Peaks BC

My sister and I drove up to Sun Peaks today to try our luck at skiing. I used to live on the hill when I was young but I haven't skied in over 10 yrs and Renee skied once last year but it had been awhile before that for her as well. We had such a great day. Alot of laughs and only got lost on the mountain once. We made it up to approx. 6000 feet and the scenery up there was amazing. The trees were covered in snow in a way that you could only see at such high elevation. The weather was great, the pizza was yummy and the adventure was one will do over again and again. The village is beautiful and something I used to dream about seeing and now it's only a hop skip and a jump away.
After my legs were close to falling off we decide it was time to call it a day. We bring all our gear back, grab a coffee and chocolate and walk over to the truck...only to not have a truck there to get into. Yep the truck was gone. I start to hyperventilate and panic all the while Ren is saying "don't worry we'll find it!!" I was like "how can we find it, it doesn't just walk away" She was laughing out of nervousness and I was trying to breath. We walk over to the Service counter and I have a seat as i'm thinking, how the heck do I tell Chris our truck is stolen and how far we are from home. I hear my sister in the background "we think my sister's car got stolen" and then "what kind of vehicle" "Ford Edge" "oh, that truck was moved to the compound as it was in the way" how it was in the way we are still not sure as there was another vehicle parked in our spot, but yep, they towed my truck to a compound and scared the crap out of us. So I catch my breath, learn to breath again and then laugh with my sister about it all the way to the truck. What a way to end such a great day. I can't wait to do it again.

The view was breath taking

Ren posing by the snow covered trees

A close up pose from Ren

Me posing up the mountain

Had so much fun with you today. I love you and our time we spend together, it's never a dull moment but always a great time. Looking forward to more days together. xo

Gift from Matante Ren and family

I have been looking the "perfect" lamp for Q's room for over 2 yrs and could never find one that was within budget so I figured I wouldn't have one. Well to my surprise my sister was in Vancouver last week and found the "perfect" one at Pottery Barns for Kids and purchased it for me. I was so surprise and happy when I saw it. It's exactly what I was looking for and the room is officially complete.
Thanks again Matante Ren, we all love it and can't wait to use it.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Goodbye 2010

I'm sitting here in my livingroom reflecting on 2010 and wondering what I should write. Quite alot has happened in our lives in 2010. To think this time last year we are about to put our house for sale to move across the country and start a new life and now here we are nicely settled in our new home, town, province. It has been a hard year to be away from part of my family, however having my sister and her family near by has been a blessing.
2010 was also the year we stopped our Ethiopian journey to begin a new adoption journey, which we are as well settled into and waiting for news in 2011.
Chris and I both started new careers and are both happy with our choices. We are both very happy for the choices we made for our family in 2010 and so far all is falling into place as it should. I would like to say 2010 was a horrible year, as we are begining another year without a child in our lives but I can't say it was horrible. It was a year filled with new adventures and happiness. We really are in a good place in our hearts and our minds to begin 2011.
There were definitely moments of pain, sadness and fear in 2010 but it all worked itself out for the best and we all came out ahead in the end. So cheers to 2010 and blessings to 2011.
May 2011 be as filled with new adventures and happiness as 2010.
I would also love to post that 2011 will be THE YEAR for us but I can't. My attitude going into 2011 is hopefully it's the year for us but if it's not meant to be the year that's ok, we will deal with things as they come and be all the stronger for it.

Blessings to you all in 2011.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Skating and Sliding with Friends and Family

We got together with friends and family yesterday to do some skating and sliding and had a wonderful fun day. It's so nice to enjoy the outdoors and have some good laughs.

Ziggy even got to enjoy the sliding.

2 Months

Yesterday marked 2 months of our wait for Quinten. The exciting thing of the 2nd month is that we were told our dossier would probably not be shown for the first 2 months, unless special circumstances came up. Now are dossier will be placed in priority to be shown. We are so excited and can't wait for the call.

I had a dream last night that we received our baby, this was the first time in our whole journey that I saw my son's face in a dream and he was so precious, and I still remember how it felt to hold him, someday that feeling will be real and I won't have to dream it anymore. We are ready Quinten, please come home soon. xox

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all. This was the first Christmas in my whole life without my mom and dad or seeing my brother, and although it wasn't the same without them, Christmas was still a good Christmas. We got to see them on skype and I had the privilege of spending Christmas with my sister and her family. Chris was working so I went and stayed at Ren's house. I started off the day with them opening their gifts, then we all headed over to my cousin's place to have breakfast. After a great breakfast and few hours at home, Chris and I returned to my sister's house for dinner. I also received a beautiful gift from my brother in law, he sang me the song Hallelujah. It was amazing.

I miss my family back in ON more than I can describe but I realize it's the way it has to be for now. I can't wait to see and hug them all again soon. We were blessed for so many years with having our family close that being apart makes it a very hard adjustment, but one we will all get through together. I love you all very much and can only wish that we have a good old fashion Beaudry family Christmas again soon. xoxox

Sunday, December 19, 2010

My encounter with....

A moose...

Led to little damage to my new truck :(

I know....I was so lucky. I turned on my high beams and there he was, I was almost stopped when I hit his back legs and his large butt ended up sitting on my hood for a little ride. The only damage to the truck is a large butt print on the hood. No scratchs or any other damage anywhere. I was completely freaked out, and I don't know if the moose is okay as I didn't go back to see but I'm happy to be alive and well enough to post it on my blog. Something I hope to never experience again!! Made me realize just how fast it could be over.

We Won!!!!!!

When we first moved to our small town we saw that they have Christmas lighting contest for best lit house/street/cul de sac...ect. and I said to Chris when we moved here that I wanted us to win....Well we did. We won Best Lit Street 2010. And yes...there is more than one street in our little town...lol. I only wish I could say "I want to win the lottory" and actually have it happen as well...no such luck so far.

Monday, November 29, 2010

One Month

We have officially completed one month waiting in our new adoption. It's great to finally have one month down, the next month will be fast as it's December and then on to month number 3.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Last piece of the puzzle.

Yesterday, I got an amazing deal on a crib, I saved $200 off the price and got a great transition crib for $159 in the color I wanted as well. Chris and I had the pleasure of putting it together and we are now officially only missing the last piece of the puzzle....Quinten. We are ready, and the room needs to be used.
Here are some pics...we can't wait to share with you all the completed package with Quinten in the crib sleeping peacefully.

First step.

Daddy-to-be enjoying himself

Finished product

With bedding

the complete package

(just in case you are all wondering....the bumper is for decor only and will be removed once Q arrives and the mobile strings will be shortened as not to be a chocking hazard)

We were going to spend another few hundred on a matching dresser but decided to save the money instead. I don't think it looks bad at all...what do you think?

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Happy Holiday

I created this elf video and cannot stop laughing. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.
Click link below.

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/kksX5IS8tnkdbMlq

Christmas 2010

This is something I created for my parents and brother's family that won't get to see our tree this year.

This photo album generated with Smilebox

Sunday, November 14, 2010

It's that time again...

The time that I slowly start to sneak some Christmas items out of storage and place them around the house to add some festive spirit, and by slowly I mean 6 bins and 4 boxes. Come on...all who know me, know I can't just do it slowly it's all or nothing. This is actually the first year in many that I won't do all my decorating at once. Tonight I had to create a garland (small craft project) so I only had time for a few items to come out and i've chosen to wait a week or two for the tree to go up (another 3 bins full). Seeing as Chris is on graveyard I hope to be able to have most of the decorating done by tomorrow night and then that feeling will start to take over.
You all know that feeling...that feeling of joy, love, family and happiness.

Decorating my home is a long process every year but is always worth every minute and it brings life to my home. I hope you all take the time to enjoy decorating as it's not a chore, it's done for the love of the season and for that FEELING!!

Pics of the inside to follow.

Last weekend, we installed our outdoor lights and really enjoyed our time together. It was the first time since Chris and I have been together that we installed the lights together. He usually installs them for me and I take care of the inside, but we enjoyed our time together so much that I think from this year on we will always install them together. We enjoyed it so much we did it twice! Well we didn't do it twice because of the joy but we did do it twice because we found larger lights in our storage and had to make it right. Being the corner lot we had to decorate the front and the side of the house and with extra lights left over....Chris decided...why not do the truck.
Here are pics for you to enjoy.

Front of the house (we can't reach the top so I did the windows instead)

Side fo the house

Have have 3 of these little guys going up the driveway...a gift from my husband.

Back of the house deck and the fence

and here is the truck...We may be hicks but we are proud ones!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Owen's Halloween

Here are pics of my nephew Owen dressed up for Halloween... so cute.
I miss them all so much. I so wish I could go visit them soon.

Happy Halloween

Another Halloween another Birthday another great day.

Chris and I had a wonderful birthday evening last night. I woke to a great breakfast, carved some pumpkins and am now relaxing before the kids come out.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Here are my carving skills for this year.

Friday, October 29, 2010

OFFICIAL OFFICIAL

Although I posted a few posts back that we were officially waiting again....I was wrong. We were waiting as our dossier had left Canada on it's way to our US agency. But today we go the OFFICIAL word that we are now on the list and that our dossier can be shown any day. It mentioned in our email that "although it could take from 9-18mths please be aware it could happen much faster and that we should be ready to get the call any day" YAHOOO.....how exciting and scary all at the same time.

So my counter has been updated to reflect the new date and here we go...our new roller coaster ride has begun and we are climbing the hill....hopefully this roller coaster only goes up...!!!

I've had a really rough, stressful month worrying about a bunch of thing a but after a few weeks to a month funk, i have kicked myself in the butt again and took one step forward and we are now back on track.

Please join and ride the ride with us again, I promise this ride will end differently then the last.

Isabella's Age