A little about a lot of things

First off, I did not get to see Twisted Sister. I did see Staind. They were very good. We couldn’t find the Twisted Sister stage, and there like 45,000 people walking around so it was just insanely crowded. I don’t do really well in big crowds like that, I get claustrophobic. And concerts where there are no seats like this, there is NO WAY I would ever be up front. I have this fear that I would be trampled to death.  In spite of my weirdness about crowds, I had a very good time, Staind was pretty cool, but the people watching was way better. Nothing better than gawking at a bunch of drunk rednecks. And let me tell you, there were a surprising number of babies at the concert. Since the show didn’t start until 10:30 pm, I was really shocked at that. No way would my 2 year old be at a concert at 11pm.  Or my 7 year old for that matter. I just don’t think it’s appropriate.

 

The rest of my weekend was good. I got to the pool for a bit (it was over 90 here) and I got to see the new X-men movie, which was pretty good. If you saw the first 2, then you should definitely see this one. Hugh Jackman is still very yummy as Wolverine.   I had to work Memorial Day, which stunk.  But I survived. After work, I decided that Rascal, my lab needed a bath. Rascal does not like baths. He likes rain and puddles, but not baths. It is sort of like wrestling an alligator to get him in the tub. So I made the executive decision that it was hot enough outside to tie him up to a tree. These are the pictures of that. He was NOT happy with me. Not only does he not like water, he is afraid of my digital camera. I’m not sure if it is the whirring noise it makes when I turn it on, or the flashes, or the fact that I chase him around the house trying to take his picture, but he just doesn’t like the camera. So I took advantage while he was tied to the tree. Hee hee.  He forgave me when I brought out the towel to dry him off. He loves that bit.

 

And on a final note, I got an email from my agency today.  Apparently people that were logged in June 13, didn’t get their referrals yet. That makes twice that I’ve noticed that people with LIDs that CCAA says it has covered have not gotten to my agency. I’m not sure what to think about that. Is it that my agency doesn’t have the correct LID dates? Or is there a reason that they are taking longer or something along those lines. The only thing that was different this time is that my agency said that they grouped people who were LID 6/13 with people that were 6/17 and made them one group and they were expecting this groups referrals the second week of June. So, did they ask for a delay for the 6/13 folks? I don’t know. Can you do that?  If I were LID 6/13 and I was told I was going to have to wait until the next bunch because my agency requested a delay, I would be livid.  I can’t imagine that any agency would do that, but since I don’t know the actual details, I’m just left wondering what happened.

 

On the upside, they are expecting referrals the second week of June. If it’s not just THEIR referrals (again how could that be?) then it looks like we could see referrals here pretty soon, rather than a whole more month of waiting. That would be nice for a change.  I’ll keep you posted with what my agency says.

 

 

 

 

Yes, you've won. I'm wet, and now you are taking my picture with the evil camera thingy. La dee frickin da. Can I come in now?

Link


Someone save me from this crazy girl with a hose!!

Wet doggie!

My nephew. Future Blogger? I think so!!!  

Yuck!

Working on Memorial Day Sucks. Note to self: take next year’s Memorial Day off. Unless you are in China. Then it won’t matter anyways!!

 

 

 

Decisions, Decisions

So this week in Charlotte is Race Week. I could care less about racing, Nascar, cars, etc. I consider myself as really observant if I can remember that your car is blue, with 4 doors. Anything more particular than that, and you are on you’re own.  The good thing about Race Week is Speed Street, a 4 or 5 day affair that happens downtown Charlotte, where they block off some of the streets and there is live music and beer and many people wandering around looking strange so you can look at them!!  Tomorrow night I’m heading downtown for this fun time, and I have a big decision to make. Should I see Twisted Sister , super rock band of the 80s? OR should I see Staind,  very cool band of right now? How does a girl decide this? Decisions, decisions!!

 

Whatever I decide to see, I have realized that I need to take advantage of my baby-free days and party it up a bit. I mean, I have to wait another year regardless of what I do with my time right? Might as well have a drink and watch some rock n’ roll!!

 

 

 

Remember the 80s? Twisted Sister!!  

New from CCAA

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before September 30, 2005.
The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before June 15, 2005.


UGH A whopping 9 days worth of referrals. I feel bad for one travel group with my agency, whose LID was June 17. I would be hysterical right now if I were them. How could you not be??


In other news, I'm back safe & sound from MD. The seminar was...LONG. I think that is the best way to describe it. And although it was designed to prepare me for the challenges in raising an adopted child, I thought most of it was pretty obvious. Like, are you aware that you will now be a transracial family? ah YA, I got that bit. What do you think I've been doing the last year and half? Just sitting on my butt? Of course I've been reading, and prepping and talking to other families. DUH. I have NOTHING ELSE TO DO but these things, so thanks, but I've got it. They should make people take this class right after they sign the application and have been approved. Because at that time, it would have been helpful. Now it was just silly. If you aren't already thinking about pediatricians and day care, then maybe you shouldn't get a baby. Just my 2 cents. Anyways, other than the silly seminar, I had a fabulous time with my Mom. And I got to meet Angela, one of the members of my travel group, and she was a blast. Its going to be great to go to China with her! So, for that, it was worth it.

Still bummed about the lack of referrals. I don't even tell people anymore when she is coming home. I just say next year. *sigh* But she IS coming home. Eventually. Meanwhile, I took today off of work, and it is beautiful and sunny out, so I'm going out to play. Be jealous. It will make me feel better. HA HA HA

What to Say?

I can’t talk about the adoption right now. It’s distressing me to think about, so I’m avoiding it. I like it with my head in the sand. There is plenty of room on my beach, so if y’all want in, feel free to join me.

 

 

In other news, my work has calmed down a bit. Well, really no it hasn’t, I’ve just gotten used to it. LOL  I’m lucky that I have a job that I really like most of the time. It helps on the really stressful days to know that I’m doing what I really want to do.   I’m also going to Baltimore this weekend. I have a China Training Seminar my agency makes us go to this Sunday.  Maybe they will talk about how to deal with the wait.  My Mom is coming with me. Isn’t that nice of her? And we are going to get to meet Angela, another single woman in my DTC group that we will travel with (whenever it is that we travel) Angela already has one daughter from China, so I’m looking forward to peppering her with questions about life as a single mom.  It should be a good trip and I’m looking forward to it. Plus, I get to take two days off work, and that is always fun. hee hee  

 

 

So, Now It's Official

A now a word from my agency:   The waiting time is now 12 months.  A delegation from CCAA was in the US for meetings in April and stated that the waiting time would be between 12-14 months.  There are fewer children available for adoption for several reasons: 1) increased economic growth in China has led to fewer abandonments (families can afford to pay the fines for “over-quota” births), 2) domestic adoption is increasing in China also due to higher economic status, and 3) a larger number of dossiers are being submitted from international families.  These three factors combined have led to fewer children being available for placement.  In general, healthy children between the ages of 2-5 are very difficult to find because most all of the children are being adopted as babies.  This is good news for the children but hard for those families who would like to adopt toddlers.  There are still many toddlers available who have special needs such as cleft lip/palate, repaired heart problems, hepatitis B, etc.  The CCAA delegation also announced that there would be no effect of the 2008 Olympic Games on international adoption rates which is very good news. 

 

I will never, ever figure out why some agencies are saying one thing and why others are saying something else. You would think they all get the same memos from CCAA, right? But apparently you would be wrong.  I’ve seen other people say that their agencies swear up and down there is no decrease in available babies. I’ve seen other people say that the situation with baby trafficking was the reason for the slowdown, I’ve seen people say the wait will go to 18 months. I don’t know what to believe anymore. What I do know, is that THIS is what MY agency is telling me as of today.  So take it for what its worth.

 

For those keeping track, with a Dec 05 LID,  14 months would mean for me referral in Feb 07 and travel end of March or beginning of April? Somewhere around there.

I was sad right at first after I got this email. Now I’m just really ticked off. I don’t understand why we aren’t all getting the same story. I don’t understand the veil of confusion over everything.  I like things to go as predicted. Welcome to motherhood, right?  

 

 

Good Grief

Yesterday marked 5 MONTHS since I’ve been LID, and I didn’t even remember. Is that good or bad?? I feel horrible that I didn’t remember, and then a tiny part of me feels relieved that I’ve given myself at least a couple weeks where I’m not stalking the calendar and the rumors and all that nonsense.  It appears that I still have a good 7 or 8 months to wait until referral, so maybe stalking the calendar isn’t necessary at this point? 

 

Your response should be, “oh Shannon -don’t feel bad” Just in case you were wondering to put in the comment section today! 

 

 

Waiting Some More

 

I’m still here. I’m still waiting.  I’ve been extremely busy the last few weeks, and this week will also be a little crazy, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the busy tunnel.  The good thing is that although Emily is never far from my mind (or my heart) the wait has been pushed to the back of my mind a bit while I try to get some other stuff done.  Shannon and I are planning another yard sale at the end of the month, so I’ve been trying to go through my stuff and get rid of more junk. However, let me be honest here. Basically what I’ve done is empty out my closets into Emily’s room, so I can “look” at everything. And unfortunately that is where it all has stayed. I got motivated enough to put it all there, but it was too much to look at and it was overwhelming, so I just left it all there. It’s horrible. Hopefully one of these nights after work I will find the motivation required and start going through it all and making piles. (wish me luck)   In looking at all the crap in there, I have come to the conclusion that I just own WAY too much stuff.

 

This past weekend I took my Brownie troop to the zoo in Columbia South Carolina. The girls and I had a blast. If you ever wanted to know, 5 eight year olds can make more and louder monkey noises than the actual monkeys make!! But we had a great time, and we had a special class with a zoologists about ecosystems and the girls got to touch a live snake, so they were pretty wound up about that. (I touched it too!!)  We also got to see giraffes, grizzly bears and koalas.  But I think the biggest hit were the monkeys, and the fish. Yes fish. I didn’t realize fish were that exciting, but they kept running around going LOOK NEMO! Or look DORY!  Leave it to Disney to make fish cool. LOL 

 

Anyways, that’s it for now. Hope all of y’all are well! 

 

MIA

I’ve been MIA for the last week or so. I’ve actually been right here, however, work has been a little crazier than normal and more importantly I didn’t have internet access at home for most of last week. That however was a good thing because I bought a shiny NEW computer last Sunday. I got a Mac Mini which is so so so cool.  It isn’t a lap top, it just is a very small sized hard drive. Small in size, but not in power. It is super fast. To go with my new Mac Mini I decided to join the century and get cable internet. (yes, I’m ashamed to admit I had dial up for so long!)   In any case, I’m now all wired up and good to go. It’s awesome.  

 

I’ve gotten over my disappointment from the low number of referrals from last week. Emily will be here when she is here. Meanwhile, I’m going to enjoy going out to 3 am while I still can. I had a lot of fun as single gal this weekend, so it’s good. When Miss Em does finally come home, I’ll have lots of happy “pre Emily” times to think back on, and that is a good thing.

 

This week at work is definitely going to be just as crazy as last week, possibly even more so. But the good news is, I’m still alive and kicking.  Hope everyone’s Monday is going well. Only 4 days left to the weekend. OOOH AHHHH!!