The ties that bind...

So I stumbled upon this awesome print on Etsy a few months ago that I fell in love with...it's about how regardless of DNA, love is what holds a family together.

I contacted the artist and asked her is she would be able to do a custom print to represent my (soon-to-be) family and she said yes. I've been waiting and yesterday she got back to me with my custom print, which is now available to the public in her Etsy shop. Not only is she an amazing artist, but all of the profits from her artwork go towards her sisters adoption from Ethiopia.

Me, Poppy and Marc. I literally started crying when I saw it. She is mailing it out to me today and I can't wait to get it!

The ties that bind...

So I stumbled upon this awesome print on Etsy a few months ago that I fell in love with...it's about how regardless of DNA, love is what holds a family together.

I contacted the artist and asked her is she would be able to do a custom print to represent my (soon-to-be) family and she said yes. I've been waiting and yesterday she got back to me with my custom print, which is now available to the public in her Etsy shop. Not only is she an amazing artist, but all of the profits from her artwork go towards her sisters adoption from Ethiopia.

Me, Poppy and Marc. I literally started crying when I saw it. She is mailing it out to me today and I can't wait to get it!

2007 in review

Best fiction book: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
This book was so good that it's even a contender for my top 10 all time faves. And if I remember correctly, this was one of the only books that everyone in book club enjoyed.

Best non-fiction book: Insight Guides Vietnam
If you want to get a feel for the culture of VN, then you need to pick this book up. It covers the history, food, religion, and people of Vietnam and most of its provinces. And the beautiful pictures are a bonus.

Best movie: Miss Potter
I don't think this movie received very good reviews when it was in the theater, but we were very pleasantly surprised when we rented it.

Best album: Into the Wild soundtrack (Eddie Vedder rocks)
If you stop by my house at any given time, chances are I'll be singing along to Eddie. I just can't get enough of this album. And the book and movie of "Into the Wild" were close contenders for making the "best of 07" list.

Best beauty product: Rosebud Salve
You gotta love this little pot of balm- I never leave home without it! You can use it as lip gloss on chapped or sun-burned lips, you can use it to tame frizzy or flyaway hair, and what I'm using it for lately - to soothe the skin around my nose.

Best restaurant: Sample
This tiny little restaurant on Allen St. serves everything in bite sized "samples". Doll-sized chicken pot pies, steak and frites, cheese fondue and even a tiny bread bowl of french onion soup. And this is where we discovered the Golden Monkey reisling.

Best moment: beginning the adoption progress on our 3rd wedding anniversary. Need I say more?

Those are a few of my "bests" of 07, and I'm looking forward to having some of the "bests" of my life in 08! What are some of yours?

2007 in review

Best fiction book: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
This book was so good that it's even a contender for my top 10 all time faves. And if I remember correctly, this was one of the only books that everyone in book club enjoyed.

Best non-fiction book: Insight Guides Vietnam
If you want to get a feel for the culture of VN, then you need to pick this book up. It covers the history, food, religion, and people of Vietnam and most of its provinces. And the beautiful pictures are a bonus.

Best movie: Miss Potter
I don't think this movie received very good reviews when it was in the theater, but we were very pleasantly surprised when we rented it.

Best album: Into the Wild soundtrack (Eddie Vedder rocks)
If you stop by my house at any given time, chances are I'll be singing along to Eddie. I just can't get enough of this album. And the book and movie of "Into the Wild" were close contenders for making the "best of 07" list.

Best beauty product: Rosebud Salve
You gotta love this little pot of balm- I never leave home without it! You can use it as lip gloss on chapped or sun-burned lips, you can use it to tame frizzy or flyaway hair, and what I'm using it for lately - to soothe the skin around my nose.

Best restaurant: Sample
This tiny little restaurant on Allen St. serves everything in bite sized "samples". Doll-sized chicken pot pies, steak and frites, cheese fondue and even a tiny bread bowl of french onion soup. And this is where we discovered the Golden Monkey reisling.

Best moment: beginning the adoption progress on our 3rd wedding anniversary. Need I say more?

Those are a few of my "bests" of 07, and I'm looking forward to having some of the "bests" of my life in 08! What are some of yours?

Family fabric

I'm just getting ready to head over to my MIL's for dinner with Marc's family, so I thought I would post the quilt squares from his siblings. This one is from Jeanna, who fought in Iraq a few years ago and used part of her uniform for her material. How cool is that? And congratulations to Jeanna and Pete who just got engaged!!!

And this is from Carlo and Amy who chose this fabric because of their love of the ocean. I hope Poppy loves the ocean and the beach too!

Family fabric

I'm just getting ready to head over to my MIL's for dinner with Marc's family, so I thought I would post the quilt squares from his siblings. This one is from Jeanna, who fought in Iraq a few years ago and used part of her uniform for her material. How cool is that? And congratulations to Jeanna and Pete who just got engaged!!!

And this is from Carlo and Amy who chose this fabric because of their love of the ocean. I hope Poppy loves the ocean and the beach too!

Merry Christmas!

We had a fabulous Christmas and I hope you did too! Everyone kept reminding us that this will be our last Christmas before Poppy's arrival. God, I hope so, but where are all the referrals?! Just another reminder that the only thing that is guaranteed in international adoption is it's uncertainty.

Here is a picture of our funky little Christmas tree complete with Marc's pride and joy (his grandfather's train set).

On Christmas Eve, my Godmother gave me this ornament for Poppy, which of course made me cry like a baby!


I'll leave you with a few quilt squares... this one comes from my cousin and her family, I really love the simplicity of the fabric.


And this fabric is from one of my friends at work along with a really sweet little letter to Poppy.