This is me, this is who I am

What Lies At The Bottom 
Of The Ocean And Twitches?  

A Nervous Wreck.

Zoom!

Waiting on pins and needles today for little Miss Zoey to make her appearance!  

Hoping Sara has an easy time!

Times, They Have Changed

I've talked about some of the differences in the 2005-2006 adoption journey and this one, but I've thought of a few more.

First, I work in a different department under a FABULOUS boss who is VERY supportive.  That takes away a huge worry about running around during lunch hours getting medical forms signed, sitting in the health department for hours, etc.

Second, adopting with a SMARTPHONE!  Amazing difference having my email with me at all times.



You know what hasn't changed?  My inability to be patient. 

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If you should need me over the next two weeks during night or weekend hours, you'll most likely find me in the front room sorting through years worth of filing gone wrong.  Yesterday I had the house to myself was home alone with the cats working.  And boy were they helpful.

 

They Gave Me a List, I'm Checking It Twice

I guess it's safe to say I'm off the curb.

Choo Choo!

We completed our first social worker visit yesterday!  We had a great meeting with a great lady.  The supporting paperwork is almost all turned in, and I hope that we will soon hear back from the international agency that our file has reached the next stop there.  Watch out, this train is coming through!

Fear Factor

For some reason I woke up at 3:30 am and couldn't go back to sleep, and so my brain decided to unleash every ounce of fear about this adoption that I have shut away in a compartment in my brain.  That compartment looks like the Tupperware kitchen cabinet that has to be held with one arm while slamming the door, thus showering the next cabinet opener in plastic ware. 

Be not afraid
I go before you always
Come follow Me...

Catholic hymn

I Miss Nancy

I find myself wallowing in frustration this afternoon, and after purging the worst of it (I hope) via IM, I had a little internal talk with myself.  Except, I was imaging Nancy's peptalk from 6 years ago:

Emily, there will be times during this process when it is out of your hands and there is nothing you can do about it.  So when it is in your hands, don't delay yourself.

Now that I'm on the momentum train, I do not like other people's procrastination...imagine that.  But I'm thinking of Nancy and her amazing ability to always talk me down without patronizing me, and I'm missing her. :(

The Cheaper Chicken

I spent well over an hour today in the Okt Co Health Department waiting to get my TB skin test.  In 2005 Doug and I went together to the ER to have this done.  But Dr. W's nurse spoke the magic words to me for this time, "The Health Department is a lot cheaper."  Well sign me up!

Of the papers that we lack turning in, the health forms - which need the TB tests along with those skin-crawling blood tests - and a permission for background check are pretty much all that is left for the home study (I think!  I HOPE!).  The latter form is no big deal at all...IF I could find our SS cards.  But alas, I have not woken up at 2 am with the epiphany about where they are, so today I added SS Replacement Card forms to my to do list.  Oh, Emily...

As I was patiently waiting at the health department, it occurred to me just how funny the receptionist's opening comment was:

If you have time to wait, take a seat over there.

Pull up a chair, lady, and I'll tell you about waiting... :)

Our first social worker meeting is Thursday!  We appreciate your thoughts and prayers!

Steel Going Strong

The traditional 11th anniversary gift is steel.  I think this particular material is symbolic this year, as it will take a whole lotta toughness to walk a second adoption journey. 
 

That handsome man above drives me crazy, yet still makes me feel all tingly inside.  Yeah, that's not normal Emily talk right there, but it's true.

This morning I FINALLY submitted our state application and most of the supporting documents.  YAY!  Now if I could just find those darn SS cards...

In Memory of My Wu-Wu

Our beloved basset hound Lucy had a stroke on Wednesday, June 1.  After spending a few days at the vet, she returned home to live her last week inside, which I'm sure might have been close to her version of heaven as she started her life with us inside.  Though she showed signs of improvement for a few days, she soon slipped farther into sickness and we had to make the tough choice on Friday to have her euthanized.  We miss her dearly :( 

Lucy aka Wu-Wu
Fall 2000 - June 2011

This Ain't My First Rodeo

So, I warn you that this post may get lengthy as I play catchup as to where we are in adoption world.

Remember all that talk about signs and hurdles?  Well let me just tell you that I'm not much of a hurdle jumper here lately apparently.  Way back in February, my awesome parents gave us enough money to get going.  Let's take a moment and absorb how awesome they are.  Last time I had a savings account to get started.  This time, nada.  Without their generosity, we would not even be on the playing field.  But I had to endure a freakout about the state agency at that point that I will not go into detail here as I need not go back into the fetal position.

Wait, let me explain a few things here for clarity. We will be using two agencies:

1. International agency - No, it is not located outside the US.  It is the agency, though, that will actually facilitate the adoption with China.  I will not refer to them by name due to a legal agreement.  However, if you or someone you know is interested in international adoption and needs a referral, message me privately and I will be glad to share.
   
   
2. State agency - Since we are located in a state where the international agency does not have a branch office, we have to use an agency licensed in the state of MS for our home study.  They become a cooperating agency of the international agency. 

So anyway, I spent the second part of February and literally all of March trying to get my way - aka, to get the international agency to make an exception and let us use the state agency that I wanted to use.  We finally got that permission -  from the executive director, no less - on March 31.  Um, so you are wondering where did April and May go, right?  I'm having a hard time remembering myself exactly what I've been doing...or rather, what I've been procrastinating doing.  We have done work in our house because let me tell you, nothing makes you want to spruce your house like someone coming over to judge you.  I have had pre-steps  to accomplish, such as the life insurance previously mentioned.  But, I have gotten stuck over and over again in the details.  This is POLAR OPPOSITE of how I behaved last time.  And I am severely ashamed of my inability to work any faster on this paperwork. 

Well, finally on May 20, we submitted our online application to the international agency.  After I hit submit, the significance of May struck me like a ton of bricks...

Elliott came home in May 2006 when he was 5.5 months old.

Elliott turned 5.5 years old in May 2011.

April showers bring May flowers indeed!

Here I am Friday mailing the 12-page legal agreement
(signed and notarized, of course):

Well, I'm STILL working on our application to the state agency.  The incredible length of it is daunting.  And there is always another document to dig up to answer another question.  I feel like, now that I am THIS CLOSE to submitting it, that I have essentially written our own home study in this 15-page application.  No wonder I've been overwhelmed, this is a way different approach then our former state agency took!  Regardless, I hope to have it and at least 75% of the accompanying documents* submitted by the end of this week.

*Let me give you another glimpse into this journey.  When I mention those accompanying documents, they are not easy ones!  For instance, we each have to submit medical forms.  Elliott's was easy; his doctor signed his in 5 minutes.  Doug and I's, though, not so easy.  We have to be TB tested as well as blood tested.  Which means paying for those tests, paying the doctor to read them....just one of the many hidden costs of this process.  Another example is the multiple times we have to be fingerprinted. (Insert rant here that at least 5 people have already had to hear.  I'm going to omit it for now.)  We have already submitted our fingerprints to the FBI with a payment of $36.  The hidden cost here is the $50 to get fingerprinted at the local sheriff's department.  Oh yes, that's right, I've been to the other side AGAIN!  But this time I took my man with me ;)  And this time, they used the criminals' ink on us!  Luckily, we had the sweetest little lady doing our fingerprints, and as we left she told us she would be praying for us and that in a year we'd have our baby...from your lips to God's ears, Ms. AA!

Idling

Even if you're on the right track, 

you'll get run over if you just sit there. 

-Will Rogers