The List

I am one of those people who will be happy to do something, as long as I can do it NOW. I can't wait or opps I'll forget. So this whole adoption thing has me all a dither with expiration dates.

Fingerprints-check good, until Feb 2007
I 171 H-check, good until April 2007
Home study-check, good until Halloween....ah crap!

Yes, with my focus on the dates of the fingerprints and I 171 H, I forgot my Home study, which is apparently necessary to get all the other stuff. Actually, I contacted my HS agency in April and the response was we'll contact you 6 weeks prior. I remembered last week. I jumped through hoops over the weekend to finish everything. In fact, it would all be done, BUT my DH's dear Doc is MIA and new Doc wants to "SEE" him, before she'll sign anything (never mind that he has been to the Doc 2 times for 2 physicals in 18 months, the first Doc, who did the original med forms went boutique and second Doc went MIA). Opps, was that the sound of my DH firing the new Doc. You Bet!!!
New Doc from MY PRACTICE says new Pt appt Monday, and Paperwork immediately! HS update delay 7 days, not too shabby.

Ah, the perks of the wait....

What I am finding is that with this ever extending wait (the glass is still half full), I am finding that I can validate any and every day with some quantification. For example, it is 500 days since process started, 8 month anniversary, or % of wait down based on some number I can no longer define. So, today my dear friends and family is 250 days since this roller coaster has started. It is amazing the higher the numbers, the more damn celebrations! Wha Hoo, do you hear me celebrating?

Journaling?!

I found this beautiful red leather journal months and months and months ago. I decided to start writing in it, per a conversation with a friend who adopted from China 5 years ago. She suggested that I write down my thoughts. So I did. I believe that I made 3 entries... then that beautiful red leather journal was stowed away for a long time. I vowed that I would blog, then copy into the journal. I finally finished that project this weekend. I copied all of my thoughts and remembered to hit a few anniversaries that I had missed in the blog. So now, if this blog disappears into cyberspace foreva' I got the written word! I hope that Flora understands my journey better one day. I certainly look forward to understanding and knowing her journey. In the very near future (I hope).

Crap on a Cracker

I missed two, count them two, milestones!! I missed our 500th day since we signed our application with Great Wall committing to our agency and Chinese adoption. Five hundred days-Holy Moly! The other milestone I missed was the anniversary of our LID! Eight months and counting. Somewhere I came up with the number of our adoption taking 548 days. We are down 243 days. That translates to 44% under the bridge. Not even half way yet. Boy, I hope I am wrong about that 548 thing. I wonder where in the world I came up with that number! That means approximately 8 1/2 months to go! Still, I hope I am wrong about that number!
That glass, well for today anyway, is half full! And, that comment about committing 500 days ago, well that is just a drop in the bucket 'o' time compared to the lifetime we are committed to Flora!

Follow up to my N. rant.....

So my dear ole hubby read the previous post and he said....
"You should call N. CORPORATE and complain!"
I said, "I am too tired, it's over, it's done!"
He said, "No, you my get free stuff."
I said, "so what!"
He said, "then I'll call."
So I forwarded all of my e-mails etc.
He called corporate and they said....."we'll put you in touch with the local store."
He said. "that is who is NOT helping us here."
And corporate said, "sorry, hold your breath 'cause we'll call you back!!!
Hubby is blue in da face and still no ringy dingy...

Buh Bye..

I was reading this blog http://thenakedovary.typepad.com/ this morning. What annoys me? Well, I will tell ya what annoys me right this very minute...NORDSTROM!!! My favorite store in the world. I love shopping there, er used to! After 11 years I am calling this relationship quits. Yes, I received many gifts from them, but I gave way too much to that beast, who never cared.
I am sure that ya'll know N. prides themselves on customer service. Let me tell you what I haven't gotten lately from N. Many, many times I have been shunned by the "snobs" in the TBD department, here at my local store. I kinda got used to it. We had an understanding. They snub me, I purchase THEIR clothes in the Children's dept., giving those ladies the commission. And dear ole hubby says the Men's dept is bad too. Sales Associates on their cell phones, telling jokes, not acknowledging his presence. BTW, hubby is a big, bald guy. Difficult to miss.
As relationships wind down you put up with those kinds of things....UNTIL the whammy!!!!! My whammy was a fine sales assoc in the BP (shoe) dept. Her name is STACY. We exchanged pleasantries. She sold me a pair of shoes. They needed to be ordered. I had them sent to the house....ooppps there's a $5 charge. Well, I will be more than happy to come back here to N to pick them up, and possibly spend MORE money. What? You don't like that idea? I made you cancel a transaction? and RE ring it in? Is that a huff I hear? Please don't tell me that was another huff. Have I ruined your day by purchasing a $100.00 pair of shoes from you? Well, I am sorry. OMG, is that your A$$ walking away from me? Without uttering a word???? Well, this is my A$$ walking to customer service to complain about YOU!
The manager was kind, but not gushing. He promised that the BIG manager would call me, 10 to 12 days later, no ringy dingy. So I composed an e-mail. I think I used the words inadequate, slack, rude, disappointed. Guess who gets my e-mail....the slack manager who neglected to call me. oh, well. She responded to my e-mail, requested my phone number, and called a week later. I did not speak to her b/c I was busy at work. I called her back. She was not there. I left her a message. Six days later, still no ringy dingy. I am done. Not interested? Neither am I. Customer Service, my foot!!!
I no shoppy at N no more...........buh bye

Our local FCC group brought in Dr. Jane Liedtke for a 3 hour seminar. Dr. Jane started a foundation 10 years ago. Here is her website http://www.ocdf.org/ocdf/index.htm. She spoke about several topics including the return trip to China to visit the orphanage. She was entertaining and informative. She answered every question asked. Dr. Jane lives in China and has a 14 year old daughter whom she adopted when she was 17 months.
There was a crazy story told about a family who returned to the daughter's finding site, at the doorstep of the house. The woman wasn't there but, the neighbor was. She invited the family in and was quite a hostess. The neighbor woman did not return in time to "meet" the family. The family left only to return the next day to take another set of photographs because their camera had been stolen. In the meantime, the woman who found the daughter contacted the birth family (she knew who they were as they returned to collect their daughter years later). The birth family visited the finding woman's home to talk about the daughter the same day that the adopted family returned to take a second set of photographs. They families met. How amazing?
I always had in my mind that we would never meet the birth family. Of course that is most likely true, but the remote possibility of it happening threw me for a loop.

Alright now for her weigh in on the slow down issue. Her thoughts are the CCAA has officially taken over the responsibility of the 750 domestic only orphanages in addition to the 250 international orphanages. They simply do not have the help they need to process this magnitude of information. Apparently, Chinese workers DO NOT have universal skill sets that Americans have. Therefore, training lasts M-U-C-H longer than what we would consider a "training period."

One other piece of information for all of you awaiting referral people. You may request from the orphanage a copy of THEIR file on your daughter. It will contain documents other than what is contained in the CCAA and agency file. Perhaps a note, most likely the police report which has the most true information. ASK FOR IT WHILE YOU ARE THERE. If the director is less than thrilled to give it to you then ask what the special processing fee is.

I would recommend seeing Dr. Jane if you have the opportunity.

Hysterical...

Remember to laugh DAILY! Visit this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa_7P5AbUww

How about another recipe?

October comes and I "nest." It seems to happen every year. I want to bake and cook! So I'll share another recipe. One of my all time favorites!
Pumpkin LoavesIngredients:
· 2 c unsifted flour
· ½ teas salt
· ½ teas baking powder
· 1 teas baking soda
· 1 teas ground cloves
· 1 teas ground cinnamon
· 1 teas ground nutmeg
· 2 c sugar
· ¾ softened butter
· 2 eggs
· 1 can (1 lb) pumpkin

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 4 small loaf pans
2. Mix dry ingredients-flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, spices.
3. In a large bowl at medium speed beat sugar and butter just until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin at a lowspeed. Then, add the flour mixture to wet mixture.
4. Turn batter into pans, dividing evenly
5. Bake 1 hour (or until tested with a toothpick)
6. Let cool into pans about 10 minutes then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

It is official

We are in the review room with the CCAA. yipeee, oh s$&@! Yippee, Oh S$@#!!! I am excited and nervous at the same time. Cross your fingers that all is well with the paperwork!! I know I am!

Assembling and Producing

In my oh so spare time, I have been assembling all of "the" family recipes, all of the newspaper recipes that have been turning yellow, and organizing the pages of multiple recipes. I know it is crazy, but I am finding great delight and great pride in this project. I have now organized 2 4inch ring binders of recipes that have been carefully sniped, categorized, and placed in plastic sheet protectors. I will share one of my newest additions that has proven to be a big hit at picnics and by friends.

Watermelon Salad

· 1 small red onion sliced into crescent shapes.
· Citric juice, 2-3 splashes of lemon or lime (I prefer lime)
· 3.5 lbs of cubed watermelon
· 9 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
· 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
· 1 small bunch of mint, chopped
· 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
· ½ to 1 cup Kalamata olives
· Black pepper to taste

Put cubed watermelon into a bowl.
Add onions, feta, olives, parsley, and mint.
Toss lightly using your fingers.
Drizzle olive oil, citric juice, and black pepper.
Toss again.

Serve immediately.

It is an awesome/easy recipe. Perhaps I will share more recipes. I love cooking and baking. Both bring me such joy and solace. I will say that having a long standing agreement with my hubby adds to my pleasure. If I cook, he cleans. If he cooks, I clean. If we both cook, we both clean. Great partnership after nearly 15 years of marriage. By the way, he is also a great cook. Let's just say we eat well.......Now days, the littler munchkin enjoys cooking. She'll tell you that she makes the BEST mashed potatoes. Although, she could use a little guidance from the potato queen, my mother.