Happy Thanksgiving!

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for...

1. my loving husband
2. our funny dog
3. my princess kitties
4. our cozy home
5. the giant tree in our backyard - and all the critters that congregate on it
6. the awe-inspiring nature that surrounds us
7. all of the people who take care of orphaned children throughout the world either through donation, daily work or adoption
8. the ALTs - this adoption journey wouldn't be the same without you all
9. the smell of plumeria flowers
10. and of course, high quality organic fair trade deep dark chocolate

19 Months LID

We have been logged in at CCAA and waiting for referral for 19 months. It's starting to seem ridiculous to keep track every month.

Dominica! Diving

We discovered Dominica through a small but beautiful ad in Scuba Diving magazine. I just couldn't resist the lush green surrounding a waterfall and the profession of even more beauty in the sea. We did three 2-tank boat dives with Nature Island Dive in the southern town of Soufriere (photo above) - for you non-divers that means we dove 3 mornings, 2 times each.

When we arrived at Nature Island Dive, we were surprised and very pleased to learn that it would be just us with divemaster Tony for our first two mornings. Morning 3, we had a dive mate from California. Apparently the threat of hurricanes scares away most tourists in September.

All of our dives were in the Scotts Head Sourfriere Marine Reserve it was the most beautiful diving we've experienced to date. We don't have an underwater camera, so you'll have to use your imagination and click the links to the dive sites below.

Jacek dove 6 dive sites, I dove 4. On the last dive day I was still too exhausted from our Boiling Lake hike and opted to snorkel instead. A few of our dive sites included Coral Gardens, Danglebens Pinnacles, and Champagne Reef.

There is so much life in Scott's Head Bay that it was almost overwhelming. Our eyes darted everywhere, constantly trying to decide which spot was the most interesting - not an easy decision considering the diversity of corals, sponges, chrinoids, fish and invertebrates, with every color of the rainbow represented.

Some highlights included a seahorse, a nurse shark (our first shark sighting that was not part of a shark dive), several sea turtles including a huge turtle munching on sponges, spaghetti worms (hey, they might be lowly creatures, but they were a first for me), huge bristle worms, spotted snake eels, and so much more...way too much to list. During my snorkeling adventure chasing a school of baby reef squid, Jacek saw his first octopus! Jealous!

Dominica! Cocoa Cottages

Our home base in Dominica was Cocoa Cottages, a 6-room guest house in the Trafalgar area, about 4 miles inland from the capital of Rosseau. The Cottages are set in a tropical garden paradise with a mountain jungle stream dancing below. The owner Richard, his daughter Charm, our guide Jeffrey and staff Isaline, Sylvana and Joan were incredible hosts, offering comfort, great stories, and amazing tropical cuisine.

Each morning and again each evening, the guests gather in the open-air kitchen and sit at a round table made from a huge old wire spool, sipping cocoa tea, bush tea, Kubuli beer, indulging in the fruits of the island, sharing stories and rehashing the days events.

The first photo you see is the TV room, with a great shot of the television - that's right, folks, no TV, no radio, no clocks, no phones...just tropical serenity. Next is a shot from the living room into the dining/kitchen area - it was open air and truly the heart of the cottages. The final two photos are taken from the living room toward the office and up the stairs to show you just how quaint but cool Cocoa Cottages is with it's unique construction and gallery of art - there's some form of art where ever your eye lands. And yes, that is a drum set and keyboard you see - often during the busier season Richard will have musical guests visit and have little jam sessions. Sadly, we were there in the down time and didn't get to experience it.

If click over to the Cottages website you can see a photo of the Jwa Room where we stayed - of course the photo doesn't do it justice - just to the side of the bed is a set of louvre doors onto a little balcony overlooking the jungle garden and stream. We kept the doors open at night for a breeze and for an incredible morning experience listening to the birds and rolling over to see the jungle mountain across the valley. Incredibly, there were no mosquitoes - we slept sans netting and had no issues.

We will definitely be booking more time at Cocoa Cottages - We're hoping for a reunion week with fellow housemates from this trip sometime next year (as China is taking so incredibly long).

November Stork Alert

We interrupt this vacation log to bring you Big Congratulations to all families logged in Decmber 1 through December 8, 2005 on your long-awaited referrals!

8 calendar days of referrals means there are now 132 LID days ahead of us to be matched. The wait trudges on...

Dominica!

About a month ago we took our second 'last trip before baby' to the incredible island country of Dominica. It's in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean, between Martinique and Guadeloupe and is an independent nation not to be confused with the Dominican Republic.

Dominica, The Nature Island, is a volcanic island, unspoiled by tourism, covered with lush rainforest and elfin forest, where rivers, streams and waterfalls abound. Their website says it best:

Welcome to Dominica, an island as lush as it is unspoiled. Dominica surges from the sea with soaring peaks that seem to be courting the heavens. Virgin flora covers these dramatic mountains, creating swaths of verdant landscapes. The residue of the fiery forces that created the island thousands of years ago, as part of the Caribbean Ring of Fire, bellows in several hot springs, valleys of steaming earth, and a boiling lake which is the second largest in the world. Along with geothermal wonders come natural coolants: hundreds of pristine rivers and streams web the island's lush terrain. Pure rainwater sets brooks and cascades into motion by rushing down picturesque cliffs. Dominica's natural wonders and rich cultural heritage make it an exceptional ecotourism destination. We invite you to visit our island and defy popular notions of a Caribbean vacation.

This is not an umbrella-drink-on-the-beach kind of destination - it's for the outdoor adventurist who revels in forgoing some of the comforts of home. Because this trip was so amazing, it deserves many blog posts - and photos - and we're hoping a return trip in '08! Stay tuned for details and photos about:

• Cocoa Cottages
• Canyoning
• Scuba Diving
• Hiking to Boiling Lake
• Driving - yes, this was an adventure all on its own
• Melvina

Plumeria Pampering

It worked! You all remember our treasured plumeria plant? You know, the one that was ripped apart by 70 mph winds and tossed carelessly around our yard? Taking the advice of a good adoption friend's father, I gave our storm devastated plumeria a healthy drink of root stimulator and repotted it - all 3 pieces. The leaves died off and the bottom piece (the tall one) just looked like a chewed up stick. Since plumeria plants in northern climates go dormant over winter, I figured we'd know next spring if the emergency plant first aid worked.

Well, a mild autumn did the trick and look! The bare stick is growing 3 new branches with leaves and the former top pieces (the greener trunks) have some leaves developing, too! Being much better with outdoor gardens than potted plants, I'm truly amazed.

Cyber Shower: New Beginnings

The ALT cybershower has begun! Just before vacation, I received the most amazing gift from my good friend at walternatives (password protected) encompassing our first swap theme "New Beginnings". Many thanks to the artist for this precious gift. We will treasure it always.

In concert with our shared belief in reduce, reuse, recycle, the artist created this shadowbox collage using only two new items: the frame and the fabric covering the mailbox door - the door itself was found behind her house. The background is part of a US map showing the midwest and Chicago. The inside edges are lined with vintage letters written in a foreign language, the artist thinks it may be Norweigan. A found mailbox door is the centerpiece, covered in a beautiful green fabric. Peeping up out of the door is a little chick and on the front another letter excerpt with a Polish postage stamp. It's simply amazing - the meaning, thought and artistry put into this gift floored me when I opened it. And even though the artist has not seen my house, it happens that this piece of art will find the perfect home in our newly decorated home office - it's like it was created with this room in mind - how perfect!

The card is made from a vintage letter and photo as well and is inscribed with the following quote:

For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle int he way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served; a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one. Happiness is a journey, not a destination. ~Alfred D. Souza