SEPTEMBER
2006
Today is
September 1st and Mel had the day
off, so he completed some of the last minute
errands so we can leave for vacation first
thing in the morning.
I am so proud we actually packed 1 suite
case for all our things for a week.
Normally we pack so much crap we can’t see
out of the car. We shared a suite case and
a toiletry bag in preparation for our trip
to China. I will give an after action
report of what we could have left at home
once we return.
Today is September 2nd and we are
traveling to Destin for a much needed
vacation.
How many Septembers have we gone to the
beach thinking that this time next year we
will be parents. Well as life would have it
we are still waiting. I want to think that
we will have traveled to China by this time
next year, but as time passes and the wait
until referral continues to increase our
faith and hope are challenged. We may
very well be in China this time next year.
Today is
September 3rd and the weather
couldn’t have been any better.
A beautiful day at the beach with Mel and
lots of “fru fru drinks”.
Today is September 7th and Colin
had his surgery.
I called and got updates and all is going
well. We went shopping at the outlets,
nothing like a little “retail therapy”.
Today is September 8th and we had
a fabulous day at the beach, reading,
sunning and great music and a great bike
ride too.
Today is September 9th and the
weather was rainy and overcast but we still
got our walk in and I shopped a little.
By mid afternoon the weather cleared and
what a blessing it was.
Mel did something so exciting…he flew in
a “Red Baron” type plane see the pictures.
I stood on the beach and stared into the
sunset as 2 former war planes stormed the
beach. It was absolutely amazing and
hearing the play by play from Mel afterward
was priceless. He actually got to fly some
of the time as well. You have never seen a
man so “puffed up” like a kitty cat chasing
a mouse, he had the best time.
Today is Sunday September 10th
and we traveled home from the beach and on
the way we stopped at our favorite
restaurant Bahama Breeze.
We felt like it was a bonus day to have a
margarita pizza and salad and delicious
coconut shrimp. We made it home in the
early evening; tanned, rested and
rejuvenated for a few more months of waiting
until our trip to China.
You just can’t imagine how much our cats
missed us; check out the pics of the cats
when they got in my lap while I am working
on the “compootr” as Mel would say.
Today is September 11th and what
can I say about today…I
remember exactly what I was doing when I saw
the 2nd plane hitting the tower.
We were in Panama City on vacation and I had
gotten up early and was reading while
watching the Today show and it was
absolutely the most unsettling feeling to be
away from home and have the world seem like
it was crashing down. Ultimately, we
considered going home but decided we were
better off where we are since we live
between 2 nuclear plants.
I
promised an after action report when I
unpacked from our trip. There were only 2
shirts and 1 bathing suit that I did not
wear. So I give our vacation packing a B+,
I can see where we could cut down for our
trip to China depending on what season we
travel.
Today is
September 12th and my Chinese
Exercise class started again….this is my 3rd
time taking this class and it is such good
relaxation.
It also helps me to learn about Ladybug’s
culture and her birth country as the
instructor Julia is from China and she
shares lots of interesting history and facts
about China.
Today is September 17th and it is
our first Chinese class and it was so
exciting to get back into the Chinese
language.
We were both surprised that we could recall
all that we learned in the first session.
Today is September 18th and our
prayers have been answered, my brother Colin
was able to go home from the hospital today.
There are so many things in life that you
just aren’t prepared for and many of them I
have journaled about already. I don’t think
anything prepared me for losing my Mother,
and seeing her suffer through her battle
with cancer.
As I became older I did worry about whether
I would be able to have children, but I
never even knew of the things we have
experienced with trying to build a family.
Who ever heard of premature birth,
incompetent cervix, placenta accrete or even
knew of someone who had miscarried. Are
these things that people just don’t talk
about or just happen so infrequently? |
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Mel enjoying the scenery at Baytown Warf in
Sandestin!
Beach Stormers
Ready or not...here we come!
Marmalade helping with email!
Blondie had to check email too!
Sweet Dreams ! Blondie was glad we were home!
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I was
familiar with divorce as my parents were
divorced when I was very young, but I would
have bet my life savings it would have never
happened to me and I am not a betting
person. I never in a million years thought
that I would be divorced.
Well we all know life does not always follow
the script we have written for ourselves.
We can plan and plan and plan, but our
journey may follow a different road. I
really have never given it much thought that
one of my 7 brothers and sisters might
become ill or need to be cared for. I had
never even considered it, but seeing Colin
go from a vibrant, healthy young man to
where he was at when he was finally
transferred to Emory really made me think.
None of us are getting any younger and with
so many brothers and sisters at some point
in my life I may be in this situation again.
One thing I learned loud and clear….PICK
YOUR DOCTORS WISELY! If at all possible
avoid the knife, get second opinions and
treasure your health, because there may be a
time when it is all you have.
Today is September 19th and “holy
crap” we are officially in the Review Room!
The CCAA has finished the review of
the adoption application documents
registered with our office before
December 31, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement
of children for families whose adoption
application documents were registered with
our office before July 22, 2005.
So you ask,
what is the review room?
This is where our file will be reviewed to
see if we meet all the criteria to adopt.
They will look to see if we have any medical
issues, if we have a favorable home study
and whether we meet all the criteria set
forth by the CCAA. You may say, no big
deal….well yes it is a big deal they could
ask for more paperwork to validate a point
and this would cause our paperwork to be
pulled and then we would be further delayed.
I will be praying that our paperwork is
reviewed and found acceptable and that soon
we will have confirmation of our acceptable
review.
Today is September 22nd and
tonight is our first waiting families
meeting…we met at Panera in Chattanooga and
there were several families who had traveled
before and some just beginning the process.
Mel was out of town so he could not attend.
I was able to meet Tim and Jen who have an
LID in January 2006, but they have selected
a waiting child and will be traveling soon.
Today is September 24th and we
went to church today and it had been many
weeks since I have been to Atlanta for many
weekends during July and August.
Anyway we were welcomed by Lily, she ran
over to us and hugged us and sat with us and
stayed with us until the children move to
the front for “wee worship”. What a
blessing she was to both of us today. After
church we had lunch with Lily and her
parents and she “shared” my plate and you
can’t imagine the joy I experienced having a
child sit in my lap and share my food. I
loved every minute of it and can’t wait to
my first meal with ladybug.
We had our Chinese class today and it is
much less stressful this session than last
session. I think we just don’t feel behind
like we did last session.
Today is September 25th and
nothing like referrals to start the week off
right!
The CCAA has finished the review of
the adoption application documents
registered with our office before
December 31, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement
of children for families whose adoption
application documents were registered with
our office before August 9, 2005.
Our
paperwork was logged in January 11, 2006 so
they still need to get through 155 days of
paperwork until we will see a referral
picture.
Today is September 27th and we
had dinner at church with Lily and her
family. This was our first church dinner.
We met several people we had not met before
and the fellowship was good.
I
began to check on when our fingerprints will
expire and they will expire January 11,
2007.
It looks like we will need to get re-finger
printed before Christmas or just after
Christmas. Our I171h expires
May 21,
2007;
if things continue to be slow we may need to
need to re-apply to immigration for a new
I171h. It can be a lengthy process so I
emailed our social worker to see what we
need to do and when.
Today is September 28th
and we have been thinking about taking a
trip to Oregon.
With all that has gone on over the summer, I
just couldn’t think about it until now. Our
agency Holt International will be
celebrating 50 years of adoptions at the end
of October. We are in the early stages, but
we have always wanted to meet the people who
are helping facilitate our adoption and this
would be such a wonderful opportunity.
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