What's in a name...

For the first time, ever, I'm participating in what I like to call a "Blog Party." I have read Kelly's Korner for some time and her Show Us Your Life for today is about names.

For as long as I can remember, I knew I wanted a daughter. However, I married a man I shouldn't have married and then divorced. All of a sudden, I was 37 years old and single. How did I get to be this old?

Then I met the man I would spend the rest of days with. We wanted at least one child but didn't want to waste a lot of time. All of a sudden, I was bombarded with articles of adopting from China. I would share these with David and each time he would be moved to tears. We moved forward knowing that we were meant to adopt. Adoption runs deep in both our families. We (and our siblings) were all adopted. My father was adopted.

The name I had given my daughter in my mind was Lillian. I had a great-aunt Lilian...one less "l" but pronounced differently. By some spectacular coincidence, Lillian was David's paternal grandmother's name. What are the odds? The middle name was a given. It would be Hope after my younger sister who died in 1990 after a kidney transplant. We also wanted to use part of her given chinese name and we just hoped that it was easily translated. We also felt it was important to know WHO named her.

Yue Tao Jia (Yue being an orphanage name that all the kids share, is actually her "last name." Tao is peach, and Jia is beautiful.) While in China, we learned that the head nanny named her and she chose Tao Jia because it was April and the peach trees were blooming.

Lillian Hope TaoJia

It's a strong name that honors the memories of loved ones gone and her Chinese heritage. It gives her options. When asked what her name is she replies, "Lillian, but you can call me Lilly."

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was another birthday for me. I dread them. I turned 45 and I feel so old! I remember when I was in my teen years, 45 seemed impossible. I just never thought I'd be this old!

In our family, we celebrate birthdays by having "birthday weekends." The birthday person gets to choose what we will do and eat. We went out Friday and Saturday nights and I was terribly disappointed in the food. I sent it back. I was determined that my actual birthday dinner would be different. We went for hot wings. I've been craving them and they were delicious!

However, all day yesterday I was bothered by a nagging kidney stone. I've had about 23 in my life, and of course a good size stone decided to start making its way down. It was painful at times. I was dreading a visit to the ER, but managed to spend the evening on a heating pad that helped. Happy Birthday to me!

We've finalized plans for my "art studio" and I think I've got David on board to start moving things this weekend. I'm excited because I've got so much "stuff" to organize and so many projects planned!

I'll take pictures of the before, during, and after. I just need David to show me how to download photos on my new laptop.

The snow is just about gone, but we're still cold. No signs of spring yet. Lilly is so excited to see grass instead of snow. I can't blame her!

Enough rambling. Time for action!

We're alive...we're alive!!

It's been a long time since I posted. We have survived a major snowstorm and I feel Spring is not far away! Work on the art room was stalled, but I'm hoping to motivate the hubs to help me this weekend. That depends on if my back cooperates, because it's not too great right now.

Lilliput is doing great in school and is growing like a weed! I can't believe she will be 8 in April! I need to schedule her appointment for pictures. She was able to celebrate Valentines Day and Chinese New Year on the same day this year. She took fortune cookies and red envelopes with a dollar in them for all her classmates. She even wore her silk Chinese dress to school.

David is back to work and is working hard. I've been applying for jobs but there are just not enough jobs for all the unemployed in NW Pennsylvania.

That's about it. I'm exciting to be included in a special art group where we will follow a new book, The Artistic Mother. So I better get that art room set up! I'm going to be late with our first project.

Blessings,
Tracee