18th Referral Day Anniversary

(Once again, my sweet girl obliged me and posed for a photo holding her referral photo.) 

 

Eighteen years ago (June 6, 2007), Doug and I received the phone call that would change our lives forever. We had a baby girl waiting for us on the other side of the world. A few hours later, we saw Jiang Ai Juan's beautiful face that day in pictures for the first time. (She was around seven months old in her referral pictures, she was ten months at the time of referral, and we met her a few days before her 1st birthday.)

I truly cannot believe it has been eighteen years.

Here are her referral pictures...

 Seeing her for the first time (our referral video is in the sidebar of the blog under "Travel and Referral")...

Below are pictures of Briana holding her referral picture each year on our referral day anniversary ~

1st referral day anniversary...

2nd referral day anniversary...

3rd referral day anniversary...

4th referral day anniversary...

5th referral day anniversary...

6th referral day anniversary...

7th referral day anniversary...

8th referral day anniversary...

9th referral day anniversary...

10th referral day anniversary...

11th referral day anniversary...

12th referral day anniversary...

13th referral day anniversary...

14th referral day anniversary...

15th referral day anniversary...

16th referral day anniversary...

17th referral day anniversary...

 

And now, 18th referral day anniversary...

 

 Briana is truly the best gift we have ever received. 

 

 Happy Referral Day Anniversary to us!!

April Recap

The month of April was a month of spring sprucing up, Easter, Passover, doctor appointments, PT appointments, counseling/therapy, breakfast/lunch visits with friends, fun events and lots of food.

Easter and Passover landed during April this year and I was quite happy that Briana was able to come home to visit for Easter weekend.

I decorated my house...

Briana enjoyed being home (she colored eggs and still got an Easter basket, LOL!)...

While she was home, we had a Passover dinner with matzah ball soup and a lamb chops/pork chops dinner for Easter (Doug grilled everything)...

Earlier in the month, before Briana visited home, she had a few events she attended while at school.

She attended Panda Fest with her friend Sophie...

And she attended a formal game night hosted by SCAD. She was able to wear her senior prom dress once again! She and her friends had a fabulous time...

While Briana was having fun (and working hard obviously) at school, Doug and I were fixing up the outside of the house for spring. We had our landscapers freshen up our mulch/pine straw and trim our trees and bushes (my flowers started blooming!)...

And I had to rinse/clean off both of my screened porches - I absolutely hate all the yellow pollen that falls in early spring but they are clean now...

I am now not allowing Mei to go out onto the porches while the pollen is falling anymore because I know that contributes to her licking her belly. Since I have stopped letting her do that, her fur has grown back. She is soooo happy when I finally let her go out on them again...

The same weekend I washed the porches, Doug pressure washed our back patio...

Even though I am still struggling a bit health-wise, I was able to accomplish washing the porches. And it is a big job. My heel is doing so well now and I am very glad I did the surgery. I limped around for way too long and it is nice to be able to walk again (very close to) normally.

I had several doctor appointments scattered throughout April, and my best guy accompanied me to a few of them...

I am so grateful for his support. Don't know what I would do without him.

Even though I am still struggling a bit with my health, I managed to make time to see a number of different friends/family and have some meals out with Doug. I can't just sit at home and wither away. I need to push myself a bit.

 

After one of my early doctor appointments, Doug and I had the best bagel sandwiches and latkes...

We went to Cava for dinner one night, and I was actually disappointed! The flavors were good but the rice in my dish (on the right) was under-cooked. No bueno...

Doug introduced me to Mod Pizza - and it was so delicious...

We went to unWine'd and Tap one evening. Doug's Fried Oyster Po Boy sandwich was delish as well as the apple turnover dessert, but my pork chop was unfortunately a bit tough/chewy. The flavor was good and the sides were great though...

My mom celebrated her birthday in early April, so I took her to McAlister's for a birthday lunch...

I met my friend Amy for lunch one day and I had Pad See U (so good)...

And finally, Doug and I tried Revolving Sushi Factory for the first time. We were trying all sorts of things since we had never been there. Some dishes were really good and some just meh for us. Now that we know what we like, we can tailor our dining experience a bit better. The rolls and dumplings I posted here on the blog were all super yummy...

And that was our April in a nutshell. I'm still doing PT and trying to figure out if I will need surgery or not. I am gathering a lot of info and meeting with different doctors to get opinions because it is always a big decision to choose surgery. I just had a VERY big surgery so I don't want to make any quick decisions or jump into anything too soon. (Again - I have nothing life threatening, just life interrupting/very annoying).

May is here now and it always a busy month, but this year's May isn't as busy as last year! Last May was bananas and though I loved watching B finish up and graduate from high school, it was very overwhelming for a plethora of reasons. Bri is actually home right now visiting for Mother's Day weekend, so I am enjoying her being here. She will head back to school for three more weeks and then she is back home for the summer!

 

So many things in America royally suck right now, but I am desperately trying not to allow things to entirely consume me. I still have an underlying anger every day, but I have to focus more on myself and what I can control right now. 

I'll blog again soon to fill you all in on everything that happened in May!

Mental Health Break

So, I need to step back a bit from the information flow constantly going to my brain regarding the state of the nation.

Yes, the nation is on fire and there isn't any putting out of that fire anytime soon. I didn't choose to start the fire along with a lot of other people, but unfortunately the fire is burning out of control. Gasoline keeps getting thrown onto it and we all know why.

 

The inmates are running the asylum.

I have mentioned before that I have an issue with the need to be informed. It probably ties in closely with the fact that I have big time anxiety and I have a need to feel in control of things. Information consumption is one of those things that allows me to feel "somewhat" in control.

 

There is also a sense of guilt that I feel when I am not consuming important news/information. The horrible things that this adm!nistration is doing to marginalized groups - people of color, legal and illegal immigrants, people on the spectrum, transgender people, gays and lesbians, senior citizens, veterans, non-Christians, women, etc - these groups cannot tune out what is going on. What is going on is deeply affecting them on a daily basis and they don't have the luxury of being able to take a "break" from anything.

But, I do have the privilege and ability to tune some of this negativity out (even though I am a woman, but I am a white woman). I understand that privilege.

All this hateful information absorption is starting to greatly affect me. And with my current health issues, I cannot keep on like this. I need to tune some of this out for a while. It may not be fair, but I have to. I need to put the air mask on my mouth for a while before I can help anyone else.

 

I have a difficult time posting on social media happy, upbeat, kumbaya type things when I know the state of the country is so heavy. Everything else seems so trivial - because it is. And when some sort of injustice happens, I have a knee-jerk reaction to post/point it out because it is just so freaking wrong. I want to yell it from the rooftops.

And it isn't like I am going to completely stop doing any of that anymore. I just need to slow it down greatly and take a beat - or I will start to go insane (even more insane).

So if I quiet down here a bit regarding the horrible things happening right now in the country or if I focus my content on social media a bit more to more uplifting things, it doesn't mean I have caved in any way, shape or form on how much I hate how bad things are right now. I will still be angry and I will continue to be disappointed in a lot of people. Keep in mind that I know right from wrong and I will always side with and fight for the little guy. I just need to put my mental health first for just a little while. I am so sorry that so many don't have the ability to do that.

 

 I will be back soon with an update on the month of April. I will focus on the good stuff. 

I know my blog views will go down at that point. When I write something intense, upsetting or controversial, the views go up. If I just talk about my life and family, views go down. It is a shame that a number of people rather read about my frustrations rather than my happy moments.

I guess that is just human nature.

Thank you in advance to the people who will continue to read about my normal (sort of) life. Be back soon.

I'm Not Doing So Great

I have to be honest - I'm not doing so great. Life is overwhelming and I am kind of drowning right now.

I am overwhelmed in my personal life and with the state of the world.

I am not feeling great physically. On one positive note, my heel is actually doing much better. But all of the inactivity that I was forced to do at the end of last year has resulted in other things happening with my body. And now, I am unfortunately looking at another possible surgery to fix those things. I don't want to get into specifics, but it is upsetting. The thought of having another surgery after an already intense one is almost too much for me to process...

 

So I am dealing with that. 

 

There is also some other personal stuff going on in my life (not having do with Doug or Briana) that I can't talk about here. But let's just say it is life-affecting.

 

On the political front and state of the world, I will say that I am still very angry. That isn't strong enough word actually. 

 

Enraged is a better word for it.

I was first in line to admit that B!den was toast last year. Total decline. He could never have swung another 4 years at his age. I knew he should not be running in the last elect!on. I was happy he dropped out. But the other side...people looked at a 78 year old, dementia-ridden, criminally-convicted hate clown and said "Yep, that's the guy."

How???? Look at this buffoon. How could anyone think "THIS is THE guy to run it all freaking AGAIN"...

Our country is a laughing stock to the rest of the world. It is horrifyingly embarrassing.

This is literally how Dump answered a simple question the other day (actually READ it)...

He's always been intensely stupid, but this is next level.

And now he is getting increasingly dangerous. He was extremely dangerous before, but now he's even more so. Deport!ng people illegally, purposely manipulating the st@ck market, defying the Supreme Court, spending millions upon millions of taxpayer money for personal recreation, creating tarr!ff wars and fighting with our allies and invoking and emboldening more hatred than ever before. And I'm not just saying that - there are so many receipts. SO MANY.

Doug and I were driving down the street today and I saw this sign plastered on a small crappy used car dealership about 10 minutes from my house...

I saw it and felt physically ill. Once Briana is out of college, the housing market isn't complete crap and hopefully the a-hole is out of office, Doug and I will be going find a place that reflects our value system because it most certainly ain't here.

I am seeing now that a small percentage of people on the right are sort of slowly coming to their senses or are having some sort of remorse on their vot!ng decision (FAFO). But honestly, it only happened because it finally affected them personally. It is too freaking little and too freaking late. I said before the orange nightmare was elected that he would have no guardrails (no adults in the room) - and he doesn't. Just a bunch of rump-kissers. And pretty much everyone who I am connected to who voted for this has been completely silent about what is going on.

 

 People who voted for this and are hearing what is going on now (or not hearing it based on turning of the head or due to the propaganda they decide to follow) are either making a conscious decision to be willfully uninformed, are quietly regretting their decision or are sitting back and enjoying all the hate and chaos.

I will never stay quiet about any of this. It is too important...

Half this nation agreed that voting for an old 34 time conv!cted felon who led an insurrect!on was a better choice in November than a younger, experienced, highly educated black woman. It truly makes my heart sick.

 

Speaking of the insurrect!on, anyone remember all the people who screamed "Ant!fa" when the 

insurrect!on first happened? M@ga saying it loudly with an arrogant, puffed chest? They were lying and brainwashed. Obviously it wasn't Ant!fa because Dump p@rdoned all of those people in January - his supporters - after they bashed heads in and destroyed the Capit@l. So what happened to all those supposed Ant!fa people? They didn't freaking exist. Proof the narrative changes over and over and over again to defend one freaking wannabe d!ctator.

 

I am scared for my daughter - for a number of reasons. I don't trust anyone in this administration now. She has already had her decision-making ability over her own body stripped away. What else is next?

 

 It's only been 4 months. 4 horrid months. I don't know how to hold on for 4 years of this insanity. 

 

So yeah, I'm mad. And I don't feel good. And I am exhausted. And I am sad.

 

 So that is my update. Hoping I will be in a better frame of mind the next time I post. Time will tell.

All About March

I can't believe March came and went already. It was a rough one for me - I'm still having health issues. But, I won't focus on any of that or the state of the country in this post. This post will be just the good stuff that happened in March.

Doug and I got to see Briana quite a bit in March - which made my heart super happy. Life feels more "normal" when she is home, though I know that life for me (and Doug) from this point on is just different now, I need more time to adjust to it and her being home will be segmented.

At the beginning of March, Briana went on a Friday morning field trip for one of her classes to the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory (with a couple friends). She then went to the SCAD Fashion Museum that afternoon...

 

 

That weekend, Doug and I were missing our girl so we went down Atlanta to bring her to lunch to a restaurant called "Brush." The food was SO good...

A few days later, Briana went indoor rock climbing with her friends (Bri has a membership)...

Fast forward to that Friday, and Briana's winter quarter was complete and she came home for spring break. We decided to staycation - Bri wanted to spend time with her friends, get some appointments taken care of and hang out at home with me, Doug and Mei (but mostly Mei)...

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day that week - I made corned beef and cabbage...

We celebrated our friend Kai's 50th birthday on Friday night of that week - Bri's bestie Meredith was able to come home from college for the dinner and Bri was already home, so it was a very nice get together...

As you know Briana loves to crochet and she is also learning how to knit. There was a store she had been really wanting to visit, so she and I went there while she was home. She was in heaven...

While she was home, I made some over her favorite dinners (Doug air fried the wings though)...

Spring break went by much too quickly, and then it was time to get back to reality. That included getting a very much needed new roof on our house (which only took one day to do - so fast!)...

Back at school, Briana went to a school-organized karaoke event with her friends (and my introverted girl actually got up there and sang!)...

Briana still enjoys sending us pictures of the food she gets at school (we get to see what we are paying for - LOL!)...

She gets an assortment of things - pizza, sandwiches, chicken, burgers, seafood, pasta, tacos, veggies. She is not a fan of the salads there (she says the salads taste weird), so she avoids them now. But girlfriend is eating quite well.

Even though Bri had been home for spring break, she realized she still needed to get a few things from home to bring back to school, so she came home the following weekend. Because of the snow that happened back in January, we weren't able to go to Doug's special birthday dinner - which made us all sad. So, we decided to visit the restaurant while Bri was home...

We had lobster bites, steaks, pasta, broccolini and a cookie skillet - everything was amazing.

And now Briana is back at school again. We hope to see her on Easter weekend (depends on how much classwork she has).

I had mentioned in a previous post that some social drama had been happening with Bri at school - luckily things got rectified and life is more calm and peaceful now for my girl who doesn't do drama. 

The last few days, Briana has been a busy gal - being all social and stuff. It is really cool to see her branching out. I still can't believe sometimes my girl is a college girl now.

As for me and Doug - Doug did have a business trip to Seattle that he went on in March. And me - I am still doing PT and going to a ton of doctor's appointments/tests and have health things going on. Again, I don't have anything terminal, but it is very life-disrupting and I don't feel comfortable in my own skin right now. But I will touch on some of that in my next post.

Thanks for reading!