Updates...Garage Sale

I have so much to catch up on that, like my messy house, I don't know where to begin! But, I don't want to forget my garage sale success so will start with that (plus I don't have to upload pictures for this update!)
I was so fortunate to have the help (and donations of stuff) of my mom and my Aunt Carolyn so not only would we make tons of $ but have some fun girl time too. Well, my aunt came over on Wednesday to bring some folding tables but had to go to a doctor appointment for some chest pains she'd been having. She was attributing them to Atlanta's high pollen count but wanted to be sure. She ended up in Northside Hospital getting a stent in a major artery! That girl will do anything to get out of a garage sale!
The show must go on, so I still had the sale and Thursday (an admittedly odd day for a garage sale) proved to be our most lucrative day. Friday and Saturday were good too and I made $600 that weekend!
With my Aunt's encouragement, I decided to have the sale one more time (everything was already in the garage and priced after all!). And there was Aunt Carolyn 2 weeks post-stent, helping me sell my junk! And that weekend, even with my sporadic hours (hello, soccer games!), slow business and undeniably cheap customers, I managed to make $250. So, in all $850 and my most profitable garage sale by far! I am SO happy with that num$er! There was still plenty 'o stuff in my garage but decided to donate the rest for fear of being labeled the "Sanford and Son" of the neighborhood.
I couldn't have done it without the help of my mom and aunt and their generous donations of their time garage sale treasures! Thank you!
Can I have my baby now?

Where shall I begin?

Wow, I'm new to blogging and already slack about it! There are many things that have happened lately that I want to blog about. But where shall I begin?

With the awesome weekend I spent at my mom and stepdad's house? Just me. No kids or hubby.

With Mother's Day where I was showered with love (and some really good gifts!)?

With Michael's graduation from elementary school (sniff sniff)?

With the fun dinner with adoption friends, the Drafts?

Or, with the $1,000 I won from the Atlanta morning radio show this week????!!!!????!!!

I'm thinking, but will blog soon about them all...

The Best Mother's Day Gift!

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. Proverbs 25:25

My soul was growing weary, I didn't even realize how close to the surface all of my emotions are...

Last Saturday while I was at my mom's, she helped me put together an order for a care package for "Baby G" (as my friend Beth refers to her). I have just been on pins and needles since, waiting for some news, hoping for some updated pictures of our little girl.

So, when I got up this A.M., I was very excited to see an email from Ann at Red Threads. It had an attachment and the email said, "Ashley, here are the updated pictures of Hai Qiong and a picture of the package you sent and some updated information". All good...except the only picture attached was one of the package. I could see (as I frantically zoomed in on the luggage tag-type thingy on the bag) that it was a different picture than the ones I have.

I emailed Ann back and calmly (well, it sounded calm to her because it was an email) explained to her that there were no pictures of my girl and could she please send them if she does, in fact, have them, thankyouverymuch!

And then I proceeded to check my emails every 5 seconds (I mean minutes) until a new email arrived from Ann and my oh-so-weary soul was refreshed.

At that moment the floodgates opened (it's a good thing my kids weren't home but my garage sale customers may have been a little alarmed at my watery eyes and red nose) and I realized my emotions are just barely in check these days. Also, this is more proof that this child that I already love so much is not just merely a figment of my imagination, a mirage in the desert but that she is in fact in China right now, growing bigger and cuter every day without the love of her own family- which every child deserves.

But, I am happy to see her looking so beautiful, so healthy and oh-so-kissable. It will have to do for now- until I can kiss those cheeks myself, I'll imagine what they will feel like when I do.

Happy Mother's Day to me and to all of you Moms out there!