I made this dress for my friend Mary's daughter (don't tell Mary). I love it for three reasons. First, it is pink with butterfiles and what could be better than that? Second, the pattern is one I made myself. I saw a dress with similar pleats in a magazine and I translated that photograph into finished dress. Third, I did it literally between the morning and evening church services, but it looks like it took much longer. I am very proud.

The 2007 Australian Open is over. Roger Federer beat Fernando Gonzalez in straight sets. Federer has now won 10 Grand Slams and currently holds 3 of the 4 titles. Only the French eludes him.

This fabric came from one of our nurses. I think it is beautiful fabric and, as always, am pleased with the outcome.

Federer is into the semi-finals. Nadal is playing his quarterfinal match today. Still hoping for a Federer-Nadal final.

We got exciting thngs in the mail today—tax forms, a medical journal and new pictures of Julianna. They were taking in June and August of 2006 by a very nice lady in the Gaoming Yahoo Group. Phillip is firing up the scanner right now so we can send them out. We are very excited about them because it gives us a look at her every day life in the orphanage. Hooray for Beth.

The Australian Open is heading in to week two with Federer and Nadal still on course to meet in the finals. Lots of tough matches ahead for Nadal, though.

Yesterday we selected paint colors for the room. Not sure which ones we will use from this selection or how we will use them, but at least getting chips we agree on is progress. I have not yet been motivated to do the room because most days it still does not seem real. It is not completely empty. It has a crib (with one crib sheet), a big girl bed, a rocking chair, a rocking horse, enough toys for two kids and, of course, a closet full of clothes. But it does not have a cohesive style. At this rate, I may end up scrambling to finish it while packing my bags for China.

From the closet today is something different. This blanket was started when my sister was pregnant with her second child. The bears are all cross stiched, then the blanket is quilted. I love the colors and am very proud of the finished project, even if it did take seven years to complete.

As I pointed out yesterday, five set matches can change quickly. In the time it took me to get ready for work, the two aussies had taken two sets from the americans. By the time I left for work, both matches had entered a fifth set, and by the time I settled in at the office, one match had gone to the American qualifer Kuznetsov and one to the Australian favorite Hewitt. The other exciting news from the open was the departure of last years surprise finalist Baghdatis via a four-set loss to Monfils.

I have finally finished a dress. This one has been a long time in progress, but well worth the effort. It was an adventure in adaptation. The smocking plate is from AS&E. It was meant to be a boys bubble, but I made it into a girls dress. I thought the white border at the bottom would make it more interesting, as well as the white sleeve cuff and white around the collar. It even has white covered buttons. The borders have hemstiching, which allowed me to use the heirloom dress stiches on my machine.

I suppose the only thing I dislike about the Australian Open is the time difference. It's 10:30 at night there and fourteen matches are in progress, of course, none on the telly. At least we have radio Australia. There are two Americans on court, both up a set and a break on Australians, but in five set matches, that can reverse quickly. Nadal and Federer are both through the first round, so there is still hope for a Nadal-Federer final. Nalbandian squeaked through a five-setter in the 105 degree heat.

Yesterday I decided to sort and wash the baby clothes and found this tucked away in the closet. I made it for my friend's baby, who is now four. I don't even remember what size it is. It has cute buttons on the back.


Well, in the time I sat here blogging, the Aussie favorite Hewitt gained and lost a break on the American Russell, who now serves for a two set lead. All from a qualifier. I love tennis.

11 pm in Australia

The first day is almost complete in Australia. The men's number 30, number 27 and number 4 seeds went down to Americans. The American women took out the 27 seed. Tennis has become a worldwide sport. While there are 43 participants from the United States, there are also 7 participants from Isreal, one from Tunisia, one from Cyprus, one from Puerto Rico and ten from China. There are an additional six participants from Chinese Tiapei. During last years season, Zi Yan and Jie Zheng captured the Women's Doubles title at both the Australian Open and the Championships at Wimbledon. As for successful Chinese-Americans, there is Micheal Te Pei Chang, who was the youngest man to win a Grand Slam title when he won the French Open in 1989. We've got to find Julianna a racquet.

It is late Sunday afternoon here on the sunny gulf coast and early Monday Morning in Melbourne, Australia. In a couple of hours, the first ball will be tossed and the 2007 open season will begin. I love tennis. I love playing it. I love watching it. I love talking about it. I've gotten up at 4 am to watch live finals and I've stayed up to 2 am to watch captivating matches. For the Wimbledon final last year, my best friend came over and we ate fish and chips, followed by a desert of strawberries and cream. One of the fantastic things about the gulf coast is we can play tennis essentially year round. There are courts about four blocks from our house that are currently being resurfaced, promising a great summer of tennis. And of course, Julianna's closet already has a tennis outfit. Now she just needs a racquet.

It's hard to believe I still have not finished a new outfit. I am plodding along on a bishop dress and also a basic square yoke dress. I went to the fabric store to get narrow elastic for the bishop sleeves and found these cute buttons. I'm going to incorporate them into a dress somehow. I love that they are Americana ladybugs. What could be better?

Monday will be eight weeks since our final paperwork went to China. Monday is also the start of the 2007 Australian Open (tennis). At least the next two weeks will have lots to keep my mind occupied. Hoping for a Federer-Nadal final!!