skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Whoever You Are (Let's Find Out!)
Welcome and thank you for coming to a shower for Julie! Please show your love by writing a comment to this post with your name, where you live, how you know the family and your wishes of health and happiness for Julie, Steven and M & m as they embark on this family adventure! If you're donating to an Ethiopian-aid organization or sending a gift to Los Angeles, please also let them know! DOOR PRIZE: All of today’s shower guests will automatically be entered in a random drawing for the book Whoever You Are by Mem Fox. Include your email address in your comment so I can reach you or check back here this evening to see if you've won! 
Stop back later today if you can-- games begin at 10am Pacific Time and run every half hour through noon!:-) Tanya
I’m Tanya, host of today’s celebration! I live in Minnesota and came to “meet” Julie through our adoption agency’s online forum and list. Julie and Steven were the next family behind us waiting for siblings. Their dossier date was less than two weeks after ours, but with a clog of other sibling-waiters ahead of us, I was so relieved to just be ahead of somebody, ANYbody! Like many of you, I got to know Julie through her blog. And like many of you, if she lived in my town I would endlessly call her and beg her to go for long walks with me. Julie is amazing and beautiful. That she has drawn us all together here is proof enough. Thank you for that, Julie, and thank you for your friendship and support. You deserve every bit of happiness that is upon you! May you, Steven and M & m live always in its glow! You are already such loving and thoughtful parents!
ReplyDeletexo
Tanya
p.s. I hope you'll like the My Family My Journey books that I've sent. Eric and I have really enjoyed ours for documenting some of our milestones so far!
Hi! I'm Cindy in OK. My husband is Craig. My son is Little Olly Two-Teeth, from Ethiopia. We had the joy of visiting Julie and Steven once upon a time. We dig them. A Big Congrats to their family.
ReplyDeleteCindy
Hi! I'm Jess in WI. I've gotten to know Julie through these crazy interwebs and actually had the opportunity to meet her and Steven in real life too! The two of them are AMAZING people and I feel like a better person just having them as friends:) I can't wait to see them both as parents!
ReplyDeleteJess
Hi! I am Amy from rural AL. I found Julie's blog about a year ago and have been following. I was hoping to adopt from Ethiopia (have 4 int.adopted kids already) but with the economy...maybe in a few years. I sent a few children's books off the wishlist. Can't wait to see little M&m at home...I sure hope Julie will have the time to keep blogging!
ReplyDelete:o)
Hi Tanya,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting this shower! I met Julie through her blog, and now consider her to be a real friend, which is pretty amazing. Julie--a little something for M&M should arrive in the mail today. We just received our referral for our little boy, another M, from Ethiopia, last week.
What a pleausre to celebrate this with Julie, even if virtually.
~Alex
Hello there,
ReplyDeleteI am a single woman in Los Angeles....excited to meet Julie finally at the in-town baby shower in late July. I started reading her blog a few months ago and was instantly mesmerized by their journey, her strength, her positive outlook, quirky & witty photo posts....but most off all this infectious excitement I had for when they would finally recieve their referral/court date. I have learned so much about international adoption...a subject I knew nothing about. I feel fortunate that the world has so many families out there who are open-hearted and able to bring these children into such loving homes. I am also marrying an African-American/Filipino man TOMORROW and have an interest in how to raise children with a strength, light, and pride in their biracial/bicultural selves.
So many of your blogs I have read and savored several "coming home" posts and "courdate countdowns." The strength and unity of your community is really inspiring and although I don't have babies myself....I want to go to all of your Los Angeles (and maybe further) functions.
Happy Happy virtual shower to a magnificent mother and father, Julie and Steven. How richer the world became when the four of you became a family. I am going to just cry, cry, cry when you come home with them.
And to my other cyber-friend, Cindy, love to your little Olly. Your blog also makes me smile and cry and be happy that the day has come.
- Wishes for a marvelous day! Amber
Hi!!
ReplyDeleteI am Rana and live in Canada!
I met Julie thru the blogosphere!
She was kind enough to invite my husband, Yvan, and I to L.A. for a visit.
Julie, Steven, Teddy and Mosey were hosts extraordinaire and we can't wait to go back.
They will be amazing, loving parents and I can't wait to see those "Gotcha Day" photos.
Much love Julie and Steven!!!
Rana and Yvan
r.wright@sasktel.net
I am Liz in Boston, and like many others I first found Julie through her blog...and I kept coming back for more! I am looking forward to following along on the next part of the adoption journey for her. I love being part of a community that includes people like Julie, and I hope someday we can all meet in person. I just sent off a donation to Worldwide Orphans Foundation in Julie and Steven's name.
ReplyDeleteMy name is MaryJo, and I live in St. Paul (just blocks away from Tanya -- how cool is that?). I met Julie through our agency's forum, where she was very supportive and kind to me, even though I had little to complain about. Since then I have followed her faithfully on her blog and cried when she finally recieved her proposal. (I also developed a little crush on Steven.) I am very happy for Julie and Steven and their beautiful children.
ReplyDeleteHey! I'm Stephanie from Atlanta and am so happy to have found Julie through her blog. I am thrilled beyond measure for her and Steven to have finally found their children, M & m and cannot wait to see them all together.
ReplyDeleteNow, somebody please pass the champagne!
I'm Heather, and I live in Rochester, MN. I have had the privilege of witnessing Julie's journey for a year and a half now. We are so incredibly happy for Julie, Steven Ms. M. and Mr. M (and the lovely pups too!)
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI'm Rebekah, from WI, and you'll have to excuse me as I'm tipsy from champagne. (I wish - unfortunately it's all in my head as I'm at work.)
I also met Julie in cyber space and I am grateful for the community she's created! I got to visit her with Jess, and I also got to introduce her to my children and saw first hand how she'll rock as a mom.
I am Cathy and my hubby is Dave and we live in Wisconsin. I have been following Julie's blog since we started our adoption process so since January of 2008. She was just ahead of us on the waiting list and I became a blog stalker. I found her blog inspiring and heartfelt. She rocks! I couldn't be happier for her and Steve. If there are any two people who are going to be great parents it is them. I can just tell. She has been supportive of me during our journey to our daughter and I can't thank her enough for her kind words and for broadening my horizons. I hope to someday be able to meet Julie, Steve and M and m. I second the pass the champagne :)
ReplyDeleteLove you guys. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm Beka. I live in the great state of Oregon. The lovely Lori Rooney virtually introduced me to Julie. We too, are adopting from ET.
ReplyDeleteJulie and I share not only a love for Ethiopia, but also a birthday!
I met Julie through the blogosphere. I think we both stalked Katy's blog and found one another there. Both of us were waiting for a referral for young siblings and for many months, thought that everyone else got invited to the "be a parent" party except us. Julie has now "arrived" in a way and I celebrate her joy after a too long struggle to be a family. Julie, Steven, M & M deserve one another. They have been brought together in ways we can't begin to understand. They have had too much pain in their lives and now - enough of that! I have no doubt they were meant to be family to one another. The tide has changed! May the fullness of joy come soon.
ReplyDeleteWith lots of love,
Evelyn
This is Sara from Michigan. I found Julie's blog when another blog linked her "On 6 months of waiting post". As I read, I kept thinking "me too," "I'm not the only one who thinks this," "wow, she really gets it" and "I could be friends with this gal." It's been great following her journey to parenthood and Ethiopia.
ReplyDeleteI wish her so much love & happiness in this new adventure.
Sniffle, sniffle.
ReplyDeleteI am Filoli. I just realized we were supposed to come here first. I am an idiot at both virtual and in-person baby showers.
ReplyDeleteI am supposed to be working right now.
I am not.
I [heart] Julie - she makes me laugh...I like that.
I [heart] Steven because he makes me laugh too - but usually because he is not kidding - and that is why he is one of my favorites as well. E.g. see Game No. 3
ReplyDeleteHi. My name is Katy (kataldous@aol.com) and I'm a Julie-holic. I live in MA. I totally know all of the answers to the multiple choice how-good-of-an-Eyesofmyeyes-blogstalker-are-you game. Sorry I'm so late to this party. Tanya, this is really great. Thank you so much for doing it. I think that Julie is an amazing writer who eloquently says all of the things that people who have been through/are going through the process of adoption from Ethiopia struggle to process and articulate. It's so nice to be at a virtual baby-shower with a group of like-minded people brought together by her (and Tanya). I'm so happy for her and Steven I can hardly stand it.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI'm Mandy and I live in Alaska. We adopted our son from Ethiopia 2 years ago. I found Julie through the CHSFS forum and have tearfully follow her and Steven's journey to parenthood. I'm so thrilled that their journey to their children is almost over and the REAL adventures are about to begin!
Hi I'm Kat and I LOVE this! I live in LA so I'm totally going to brag here about how I not only stalked Julie's blog but I stalked her in person too! And now I get to actually hang out with her (within the parameters of the restraining order that is :-) I love her and I love Steven and I love how unbelievably excited I get by every adoption milestone they pass. It's possible I cried more on her referral day than on my own. I am positive I know the answers to all these games but I have to go pack now for a flight that is really soon! but I wanted to stop by and say Hi! Oh...and I love Tanya for creating this baby shower. And of course it goes without saying I already love M & m ...
ReplyDeleteThis is great Tanya!
ReplyDeleteWe are another CHSFS family that has followed Julie and Steven through the forums and through their blog. It has been a pleasure to read about the journey and we have cheered for every step forward. We can't wait to see what the future holds!
Hi, this is Themia, I live in Atlanta, originally from NYC. I met Julie through the CHSFS forum (I'm MomofETchild), loved her supportive comments to myself and others...she would even every once in awhile say what I wished I could find the words to express (on one of those charged up borderline crazy argument posts that would go on for days). Followed her to her blog and realized I found someone who would absolutely be a friend in real life if only we lived in the same city. We've had lots of similar experiences, and feelings...we even each have a dog named Moses! I've loved her writing, and would love to see her write more and get paid for it! Write plays and movies, that sort of thing. Our final similarity I was too thrilled to find out about...her son and mine share the same name. While we've changed our son's, he still knows it well and was sweet enough to pronounce it for Julie on the phone! He's excited she's getting one of him too!
ReplyDeleteAs for Steven, while I have never spoken to or written to him, I know he HAS to be an amazing man to deserve the love of his wife and be OK with her sharing her heart and their lives for us all to learn from and be inspired by. What a father he's going to be!
Meaza & Melese, you are two beautiful children, and though you've suffered already in your short lives and are about to go through some more strain and stress in the coming months, you are joining a beautiful family, with parents who will truly cherish you and help you grow into spectacular beings. You also will have more folks on this planet rooting for you than you can possibly imagine. I can't wait to cheer from the sidelines!
As for you Julie, I think you totally rock. I am so happy we've "met" online, even spoken a bit on the phone, and hope to see you in person someday. You are an amazing woman, and I hope you to continue to share your heart, your stories and your love with the world around you.
Well, folks, I am late because I was (ahem, ahem) REALLY drinking champagne (friends house....but still....) :)
ReplyDeleteI'm Bridget from Colorado and I've been reading Julie's blog since the fall of '08, I believe. Not long enough, I know that for sure. I love everything and anything that she writes and I believe I'm going to be lucky enough to meet her in August when I'm in L.A. for a wedding! Woohoo!!!
I love this baby shower. Best one I've ever been, too. Ever.
Champagne at my hose now!
Thanks you guys. You can bet that these will be printed, and placed in a book for Meaza and Melese.
ReplyDeleteHi Julie's friends,
ReplyDeleteI'm Ange. I live in LA and close to Julie, Steve and soon M&m and I feel very lucky about that. We don't see them often but when we do it is always an extremely cool time. We met through friends through the adoption process and they both are clearly gifted at touching people's lives in a special way and keeping it seriously real, which I appreciate most about them.
My husband, Anil, and I are thrilled about their journey and their new children. They deserve every happiness. And our son Noah can't wait to play with their gorgeous kids when they arrive.
What a great idea for a shower. I'll go browse and maybe play a game or two and I will definitely be sending gifts from Julie's amazing wish list. Thanks for organizing this event. It's adorable.
Love,
Ange
Hey friends of Julie, Steven, and now M & m! I'm Meghan. I "met" Julie on the CHS list, we had a little exchange over something that lit a fire under my tail. Julie helped me "get over it" and "get on with it" in a good way. I appreciated her tender and honest words - and her strong stance to present her experience of adoption. I then took it real when she helped me with babe supplies while visiting my sis in Santa Monica. My son, LeLe, is 15 months of fun and he took a keen liking to Julie, her dogs, and her hubby. Speaking of her hubby, my sister and I took a keen liking to him now refer to him as Mr. Rugged Handsome. Julie, it's a gift to know you. I can't wait to expand our circle of knowing - and I've got your sis right here in Madison! Whoo Hoo!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long haul....
ReplyDeleteYou guys rock :)
-Anna
in CT
bluecollaradoption.com
Hi, I'm Claudia / Caroline, and I'm stopping in now because I couldn't come yesterday! I'm wishing Julie and Steven all the happiness in the world as they welcome little M and littler m into their fabulous world :)
ReplyDelete