Over on the Older Parent Blog, I've been writing about time passing too quickly and trying to come up with ways of slowing things down a bit.

I know I'm not alone in feeling like the world is spinning far too fast, out of control even, and a story from the BBC confirms this.

New Year's Eve in Nantes, France saw hundreds of demonstrators marching against the calendar flip by waving banners that read:

"No to 2007" and "Now is better!"

The tension mounted as the minutes ticked away towards midnight - but the arrival of 2007 did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm.

The protesters began to chant: "No to 2008!"

Now if they'd just leaned west and were adopting ...

And speaking of time slowing to the point that every tick is followed by at least an hour before the tock, families waiting for their adoptions from China to complete have so much more to agonize about now as the rules are changing.

This story our of the UK captures a bit of the panic.

Pamela Bergstrom, a pharmacist who grew up in Allentown, said she was encouraged by a cousin from Easton who successfully adopted from China four years ago.

Along with the support of her husband's two grown children from a previous marriage, and following the required background, criminal and financial reviews, she nervously awaits word when she can meet her new daughter.

''We heard they are already enforcing medical issues and kicking people out,'' said Pamela Bergstrom. ''Who's to say they won't enforce the age issue?''

Her fear, real or not, has kept her from painting the baby's room and from accepting Christmas baby gifts from relatives. She's hoping for the best but, leery of the new rules, preparing for the worst.

''I understand what they are trying to do, but some of their restrictions don't make sense and now that the rules are out there's nothing that would guarantee us they won't kick other people out before May,'' said Bergstrom. ''I don't have the same confidence I had a few weeks ago.''

Seems so much these days inspires me to fall to my knees in gratitude, to wonder at my amazing good fortune, to weep in joy and sorrow, and to hug and kiss my kids over and over and over.