Long Time, No Blog

I've been pretty busy this week. Work is kicking my butt. I just feel like I'm never done. Or even close to done. It stresses me out. Other than that, I'm getting ready for my sinus surgery (not a nose job Erica!) which will happen this Friday. I'm a little nervous, but mostly I'm really hoping that this gets rid of the dizziness I'm feeling all the time and alleviates the sinus infections I'm prone too. I'm not a big fan of pain, so hopefully the recovery will be a breeze. keep your fingers crossed for me!!
Other than that, not much else to report. In spite of what I posted, I did do adoption math on Monday. BOO! It seems likely that I won't get a referral for at least another 7 or 8 months. (actually I'm thinking it will be June/July timeframe) and it sort of stinks. Mostly I'm irrated that it is just completely out of my control. There is nothing I can do to fix it and it bugs the crap out of me. I like to fix things. But I'm learning to deal.
Tony (aka Mr. Dreamy), is taking my mind off things. He is such a nice boy. No matter what is going on, he can get me to laugh. He even, bless his heart, is trying to teach me about football. Y'all don't even understand how much of a freaking miracle that is. Did you know that football has more than one FIRST down? Isn't that just dumb? How can there be more than one first? I decided first downs need to be renamed into something that doesn't have a number in it. That is the confusing part. So I voted for HUMBLESQUAT. It is going to catch on. You wait and see. :-) In spite of my new theories of football, Tony still likes me. I told you he was a nice boy!! He thinks I'm "entertaining" HA HA HA HA.

Well that's it. I probably won't post again until this weekend, after the surgery. Wish me luck!!

Tiera Girls

What happened at the mountain house, STAYS at the mountain house! ha ha ha... Seriously, I had a blast. I laughed until my cheeks started to ache!! Who knew hanging with the girls could be soooooo fun? So, here are a few pix. I can't say too much more...well I could, but then I'd have to kill you!! hee hee



Aren't I SMOKIN? good grief...I can't believe I'm putting this on the WORLD WIDE WEB!

Susan & Deb. Aren't they cuties?

The FUN SHANNONS!

Referrals

The Chinese Center of Adoptive Affairs updated their website today. (well really it was last night our time)  They have sent out referrals (matches of babies with families) of families whose paperwork was logged in July 23 – Aug 9 2005.  YAY.  That’s about 2.5 weeks of log in days.  And now we are only 121 days left until my log in day. WOO HOO.  My friend Melissa pointed out this morning that there is only 1/3 of a year left ahead of me. That sounded smaller than 121 days, so I’m going with that!  

 

Congrats to everyone who will be getting the referral this go round! I can’t wait to see the pictures.  What a nice Monday!

  I’m going to try like heck not to ruin it by doing adoption math today. That can wait till tomorrow! (how very Scarlet of me!)

 

 

 

 

 

MRI Recap

So I had my MRI on Friday. It was...long. An hour & half in the machine, listening to the oddly fascinating, extremely loud techo beat that is the MRI. BOOM BOOM BOOM, CLICK, CLICK WHIR CLICK. I have a sneaking suspicion that the techs running the show drop a mirror ball and start dancing after they stick me in the machine. I also wondered if all the metal fillings in my teeth (it's really only a couple) would get sucked out by the giant magnet and go hurtling into my brain. Kind of like a gun going off in my head. Hey, it is weird in there and you think weird things. Don't blame me!
Anyway, they told me that my doctor wouldn't get copies of everything until 2 or 3 business days from now. I found that extremely frustrating. Mainly, because they printed me copies right then and there and it only took about 5 minutes, AND my doctor's office is about 2 blocks from the MRI place. Even if they walked them there, they still could have done it that afternoon. I will never for the life of me figure out healthcare in this country. BIZZARRO. I don't get to follow up with the doctor until a week from Wednesday, so I guess it doesn't matter when she gets them anyway. They won't tell me squat until then regardless.

So...that's it about that. More about my fun fun weekend with the gals when I get my pics downloaded.

MRI and Mountain Trips

Tomorrow is a big day!  First off, I get to have an MRI done. Actually a couple of them, one of my brain, and one of my upper neck. OOOH AHHHH. I know you are all jealous!  I’m not thrilled about being stuck inside an MRI for that long, but they promised me happy pills. So my good friend Jeff is going to be driving me to & from the doctor’s. Isn’t he swell? (everyone say hi to Jeff!)   I am really crossing my fingers that this MRI will show the doctor something (anything) that would explain all the dizziness/unbalanced feelings.  It’s so unnerving not knowing what is going on.

 

Now comes the fun part. I’m going away tomorrow evening to the mountains of NC for a bloggy girl weekend get-away. Shannon 2, Susan and Debbie  and I (I get to be Shannon 1) are going to all hang out in Shannon 2’s family’s fabulous mountain home. It will be so nice up there this time of year. It got to 48 here last night, so I pulled out all my turtlenecks and sweatshirts this morning. I know it will be cooler in the mountains and I am probably the coldest person you have never met. I am ALWAYS cold. So I’m packing my fuzzy socks, my flannel pj’s and my camera! I won’t be pretty but I sure will have a good time. I’m looking forward to relaxing and chilling out.   

 

So that’s it from me. Referrals are supposedly coming any day now. (according to the rumor mill to which I am addicted) It would be nice to know a cut off day before we left.  Or better, to see one or two cutie baby faces that have been matched up. *sigh* I love referral time of month!

 

 

DECEMBER IS OUT OF REVIEW

 

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 the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before July 22, 2005.

 

 

 

YIPPEEE!!!

I made it through the review process and they didn’t ask for more info! I’m safe!!! FINALLY some happy adoption news!! WOOOO HOOO!!!!!

Consult Complete

The doctor was nice. She is going to send me for MRI of my brain (blood vessels) and my upper neck. Her best guess, without seeing any MRI stuff is that some of the blood vessels that go up to my brain are getting “kinked” up, or that the bone canals that they run through are too small and constricting the blood vessels, or that there is some sort of degenerative thing happening up there. The lack of blood for a few moments makes me feel dizzy.  The MRI’s would confirm this. It COULD be a reason why I have so much back/neck pain. And why sometimes, I have a pain going down my arms. That is why I go to the chiropractor, because I know my muscles are so tight they are pulling my spine out of whack. It could be worse than just muscle aches, or it could be my muscles ache in the first place because they aren’t getting blood either.    Reason two, I could have sleep apnea, so if the MRI comes back normal, I go off for a sleep study. If I’m not breathing correctly through the whole night, I could have a build up of carbon dioxide, and that could be causing the dizziness.   Reason three, could be just good old fashioned stress.(stressed, MOI? How could that be!)   So that’s it for now. They are scheduling the MRI for the next few weeks, so hopefully I can get that over with soon.  I go back to her Oct 5^th and she said she hoped to have the MRI results before then, so she could go over them with me.   So that is the plan right now. Personally, I vote for apnea, as surgery on blood vessels sounds spooky to me.

 

 She was really nice too, and the nurse that took my height/weight blood pressure was this older woman named Velma and was SUPER nice. Like southern grandma nice. Or what you imagine Grandma’s to be like if you aren’t from the south. I swear I thought she was going to pull a cookie out of her pocket to give me. Ha ha ha…. So that’s it from me. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

 

 

 

Neurologists

 

I finally scored an appointment with a neurologist. I go tomorrow. I have no idea what they are going to do, but hopefully they can find something to fix because this dizziness, unbalanced, feeling like I’m falling over has GOT. TO. GO.  I’m over it. It sucks that I feel like this all the time, and it double sucks that no one can tell me what the heck is wrong with me. Anyways, it is good that I’m going to get to see someone.   So wish me luck. I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.

 

 

 

I Wish

I wish I could say I was over my tantrum today, but I’m not. Maybe tomorrow.

 

Meanwhile, you guys rock. It was nice to read the supportive comments. Plus, I didn’t have to smack any of you in the head, which was nice.

 

Loathing in Adoption

I know today is Sept 11. I am sad. We all are sad. I’m trying not to listen to the news, because I really did not want to spend today crying, but it’s hard to avoid. I was crying at work earlier, and someone caught me, which I hate.  I’m not being heartless, I’m just saying that I don’t want to talk about it today.

 

 I DO want to talk about how this adoption is making me abso-f*n-lutely bonkers.  My agency notified me today that I have to be finger printed again, because my prints expire next month. I wrote them back and said, can’t I just wait until my 171 expires, so I don’t have to do them (and pay for them) twice. NO. I have to be fingerprinted not one more time, BUT TWO MORE TIMES.  This is insane. It is absolutely ridiculous. It’s like 70$ to be fingerprinted, which BY THE WAY, we don’t charge people who have actually been arrested. But for me, who is a good person, and has never had even a speeding ticket, I have to be fingerprinted THREE F***ING TIMES and I have to pay each and every time.  There is no end in site of this crap. I would gladly do all of this and then some if I knew, knew, knew that Emily would be home X, Y, or Z month. But I have no idea when I might get a referral anymore. And I’m starting to doubt that it will ever really happen. It’s not real at all anymore.  They’ve made it too hard.  I don’t know that I can put up with all of this nonsense.  I’m tired of adoption crap today.

 

So today I am throwing a tantrum. I’m entitled.  And for the love of God, do not tell me this will be worth it when she gets here. I’m sure you are right, but I still will reach through the computer and smack you in the head.  I don’t want platitudes. I want this stupid wait to be over.  

 

 

9 Months LID

Today makes 9 months since my dossier was logged into China.  9 whole months. That’s a long time.  Some days it feels like it’s been forever, and some days I’m like, holy cow! It’s September already!  Where did the time go? But I had a very busy summer, which was good. I think it made the year go by faster. And now it’s officially fall, which is my favorite time of year. So this is good. I know once Halloween hits, the year will fly by, and I’ll be that much closer to Emily. So, 9 months later, I’m hanging in there. I’m doing ok. I’m zen even. (at least today!) 

 

This weekend I have a get together with my single parents group. We’ve branched out a bit, and are going to have a few parents there that have adopted from other countries. Should be fun way to meet some new folks. We are having a picnic in the park tomorrow, so the kids should be able to run around all over the place. I’m looking forward to it.  And tonight I’m helping my friend Jody pick out paint for her new house! So fun! Especially since I just get to pick out colors and don’t have to do any of the actual painting. HA HA HA HA …I don’t mind painting, but let’s face it, the fun part is picking out the colors. 

 

So that is my weekend.  Hope everyone is having a good Friday!

 

I Love my Dentist

Growing up I hated, hated, HATED going to the dentist. Our dentist was our neighbor and he was weird (WAY weird) and mean. He used to yell at me every check up that my teeth were going to fall out because I wasn’t flossing.  I hated that guy. He gave me the creeps and he gave me a fear of going to the dentist. Thinking about people sticking their hands in my mouth freaks me out. (and if doesn’t freak YOU out, than I think you’re weird too!)  I just about break out into a sweat thinking about going to the dentist. Shudder!

 

But all that changed a few years ago when I found a dentist that I like. He is a nice guy! He looks like a beardless, young Santa Claus. And the best part, he says my teeth are fine every single time I’m there and I’ve never heard him utter the word floss. That makes me happy inside.  And his hygienist person is such a nice girl. I told her about my adoption almost from the beginning and she remembers me six month later to ask if I’ve gotten Emily yet. When I walked in today she was like, is she here yet? Do you have the baby?  She said she was looking forward to seeing me all day to find out what was going on. Isn’t that nice?  So I explained the current wait situation and she was like, well…do you think you will have a photo in March when you’re next appt is?  It’s so cool how really a complete stranger is so involved in my adoption. It made today a GOOD adoption day!

 

 

 

 

Photos from TX

Unfortunately, I didn't get many good photos while I was in TX. The batteries on my camera died pretty early into the trip, so I didn't even get one of me and Erica!! Luckily, her husband's brother got them a professional photographer as a baptism gift, so I'm sure I'll be getting at least one of us in the mail soon. (HINT HINT!) Anyways, what I did have are below...take a peek.

Link



Me & Tony in TX. Aren't we the cutest?

Warning: Cutie God Daughter Below

Me with McKenna, my new goddaughter! Isn't she a cutie. Check out her little lips! Such a sweetie!