One is all you get!

So I log on to RQ this afternoon. Wow we are so close....I was amazed. There I am little ole me right under the horrid case. Well then she writes, if this next batch is decent sized, then I will conduct another poll. What? What? I only got to participate in ONE poll? Are you kidding me? Wow! Okay, I guess I'll take my referral and move on.

Holy Crap!

I can't believe that I woke up this morning to a rumor that said the 9th of February is the cut-off!!! I am shocked! Amazed! Unbelievable! I had the two sided thing going on. On one hand, I wanted to believe that the CCAA would make it to the 16th of February! That would give us one month to get organized....and we would know that we were definitely in for October. On the other hand, I was wondering if we would even get referrals for September. I thought the CCAA would throw us the bone of February 1st-5th (ala dates forward with no referrals). I can't believe that this might be true. The only thing that "worries" me is several agencies on Friday reported that matching had not even begun yet.....Here are my guesses for a referral month: there is an outside chance for October, a very strong chance for November, and an even more of an outside chance for December. I laugh because I have been guessing all along, and so far, I have been wrong every time. Now that we are closer, I have to be right at some point!! So all this waiting and we are almost there......again Holy Crap!

And we are into February....

Just when you are thinking of fall, leaves, football, pumpkins, and Halloween I am talking about FEBRUARY? That's right. The next batch of referrals should reflect the beginning of referrals from February (06). The first five days of February there were no dossiers logged in. So the first day we should see is February 6th. I am hoping that they will get all the way to February 16th. Then next month, October, I know with a February 17th LID I am in and I am prepared for it!!!

I am back

OMG. I am so emotional about this wait. I can not handle so much of the up and downs this crazy journey brings. I realized that I do not have the iron stomach that I thought I had.
It sucks! It sucks! It sucks!
Still waiting, not happily, not joyfully, not patiently, just waiting.........

I let it slip away...

Our 20 something anniversary came and went. I forgot about it for the most part (as I have many of our past anniversaries), until many of my travel mates were posting. I read somebody's blog several months ago (maybe a year ago) who stopped counting and it did her a lot of good. I tried it too. It was hard the first month on the seventeenth I remembered everything. Same with the second month. Then I got to the point where I remembered the date, (the 17th) but not the calculation of time, i.e. 20 months). Now the seventeenth slips away as a regular day. But now as I find us closer to our referral date, I am noticing once again. Still not too excited, but getting there.
My friend R. says the closer you are to your referral, you still don't know your date. Are we 2 months out? Are we 4 months out? Are we 6 months out? (if we are six months out, shoot me N-O-W!)
On the positive side, it appears that the Olympics are not going to be interfering with the referral process per my agency and what seems to be happening with travel approval. I know of someone who will be China bound on 15 AUG. Good news. Although, my belief has always been that referrals will be effected in the September batch of referrals, not so much August. We will have to wait and see.
And finally to Nina, Alyson & Ford, and Dave(people I follow).......fingers crossed! You will be next! I a pulling for you!!!

My house, the pig sty!

I swear my house is as dirty as it can possibly be. We are infested with bugs! We are so disgusting that we have attracted bugs to our bodies. Yes all of the people in my house with a double X chromosome have LICE!!!! LICE!!! In case you did not read correctly I wrote.....L-I-C-E!!!! EEEWWWwwwwwwwww..............GGGrrroooossssssss.

Yep that is how I feel about it. Basically, on E's 13th birthday, she had a sleep over. I happen to be hugging 9:00 pm after singing Happy Birthday to the older one. I looked at C's hair and she was infested with lice. I saw hundreds of eggs. I had not noticed her scratching at all. So after a quick once over to check all of the party guests (only one had it) and the birthday girl (she had it) and me (I had it), my lovely and thankfully bald husband went the drug store to purchase nix to apply to the "dirty girls!" We stayed up until 11:30 that night combing hair. And we called all of the parents offering to return their "dirty" party girls to them. All declined. So the next morning, I combed again. I have since learned that a careful combing which should take a minimum of 2 hours per child should be done. On a side note, I already had lice once this year in May at school. Luckily, the children did not get it then.
Needles to say, E. will always remember her 13th birthday as the birthday she got lice, and I spent the evening combing our her best friends hair!
I have since spent a minimum of 5-6 hours a day combing. I did not realize that nit picking is a full time job!
I have acquired my PhD in LICE! I will type it again...eeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww........ggrrooosssssssssssssss!

Happy Birthday, old one!

My older daughter, E, is officially a teenager. Today she is the big 13!!! Everyone says hold on teenage years. So far things have been great with her, me and us! I know that things may change, but I try to remember what it was like to be that age when I talk to her! So far it has helped. She talks to me about many things, of course not everything. However, I would never expect her to talk to me about everything! That would undermine the experience of being an adolescent! She has a great head for making excellent choices and decisions. I am proud of her everyday! One question however......with adolescents does forgetfulness appear? She seems to forget so much. She has lost countless things this past year. She will inadverntently forget to do something I just asked her to do (and she is not being difficult). Nonetheless, I welcome the babysitting years!!!!!!! Bring 'em on!!!
HAPY BIRTHDAY, E!

New Look!

I am the proud winner of a blog make over aka blake over! Miss Tiff ( aka June's mama) redid my blog. She a Miss R believe that my referral is coming soon!! I am glad someone has some optimism. I know I have been cynical for so long it is hard to turn off. Really I believe my month will be October! I love my new blake over...what do you think?

The British Virgin Islands 2008

Okay let me say that this vacation (we did the same thing last year) is the best vacation!! We charter a sailboat. We sail the sailboat from one beautiful island to the next. It is an amazing vacation......did I say that already? Our two daughters, the two of us. No TV. No outside stuff. No plans. No commitments. No rushing. Just lounging. Just snorkeling. Just reading. Just sailing.

Last year when we went I had delusions of grandeur that our little Flora would travel with us this year. In January when we started planning this trip, we were hesitant. What if referrals come and what if we are supposed to be traveling? We threw caution to the wind and decided to go for it. One of the few examples of not putting our lives on hold for China. I am glad we did it!

Tagged?!

OK what does that mean? For what? After a few minutes of research I discovered what it means .....Go visit Nina and Ford and Alyson to see.....
My six word memoir is

Family, Love, Laughter, and Health, Serendipity!

Now, you folks are officially tagged:
Rebecca
Tiffany
Leslie
Kim
Shannon

As to the person who tagged me.....thank you. I liked this one!

Busy and on vacation

Yes, I am still around! Yes, we are still adopting! Yes, I have been on the greatest vacation, again! Yes, I have completed my fingerprints for the third, and FINAL time-no matter what! No, I have not updated my home study (getting ready to start that process). Spoke with my agency today. They predict (she was kind enough to pull out her crystal ball) and I predict an October referral date (unless that O thing gets in the way). Can you say Peking Duck instead of Turkey for Thanksgiving???

two months? really??

I would like to thank R who reminded me about this blog here. I haven't posted in two months. Wow so much has happened personally, and a snail's pace has happened at the CCAA. I am so disillusioned by the showing at the CCAA lately. I can not bring myself to post. Thanks R for the reminder.

Still Waiting

Not dead! Still in limbo! Still waiting. We have decided to hedge our bets and schedule a vacation. We are going to visit the BVI again this year. Our family is so excited..... 10 days, sailing, snorkeling, living......Our lives have been in limbo for years. When will that referral arrive? It certainly hasn't arrived yet an we have held off doing somethings. Well no more. This carefree, piss into the wind attitude will secure a June referral for sure.......just wait and see. As I shared with m RQ February forum friends I am taking one for the team in order to secure a June referral for us all. Actually, I see more of an August referral with an October/November travel time. But we shall see.
I have noticed that although there is still a huge gap between potential referral dates June-December, I see a smaller window forming with a likely referral date. I still believe that even a month or two from our actual referral, the numbers will reveal a three month window of likely dates. I would not be disappointed with a cut off date of February 15 or 16. Even though our LID is February 17, that would mean that we were definitely next. That is a good position to be in these days with the CCAA.
It.will.happen.this.year.

Two Years

That's right! It has been two years since we were logged in at the CCAA in China. We would have never thought for a second that we would be waiting 2.5 years at a minimum. When I think about how quickly this wait is growing, it is mind boggling. L waited 18 months (logged in Oct 05). She received her referral in April. R waited 21 months (logged in Nov 05). She received her referral in August. My wait is already three months longer than R's and I fully expect another 8 month wait. It is sad, disheartening, and painful to watch people wait for their children.
So, happy 2 year anniversary to us!

Referrals are here

Please go check out Zoe! She is gorgeous. I hope they make there for Zoe's first birthday!

Referrals? Maybe, maybe not?!?

There are rumors out there that referrals are on their way, and the cut off is December 27, 2005. Now that is great news as Zoe's mom will be getting her referral (see the blogs listed). It is also great news because in my heart I did not believe that referrals would get past the 20th (i.e one day's worth of referrals). So I am pleasantly surprised! What does that mean for us? Good question! As soon as I have that answer, I will let you know. R told me, when she was awaiting her Nov 17, 2005 referral, the closer you get, you still don't know. She was right. Although we are less than two months away, we have no idea when our number will be up! It could be any where from April (totally unlikely) to December (on the outer range of timing). Have I mentioned the Olympics? What kind of twist is that going to throw into this mix??? We will have to wait and see.

On another note, any and all adoption folk know of the weather devastation happening in China right now. Half the Sky is an organization collecting money to help the orphanages. I am sick because our daughters and sons, collectively, are without heat, food and water. Please donate to Half the Sky to help the children of the world. It is so devastating I can barely wrap my mind around the events there right now. Cold and hungry babies/children are simply horrific.

So much to say, so much to say...

Let's see so much has been happening lately. I feel like I am back on the boards visiting my few favorite blogs. We applied for yet another SN child, because the first three weren't enough. A boy. Darling C. got braces. I, too, got braces. I have some lovely eye disorder that will never be written on a HS. It really isn't a big deal, nothing that therapy and glasses won't cure. Slow my roll...did I mention boy??? Well, yes we requested a girl, officially. Yet our agency posted this list of SN kiddos, and there was the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. Catch is we are family #2. The number ones have his file now and if they say no way, Jose, we are next in line. Boy? BOY? B-O-Y? OMG, I have more fri@@in' pink stuff, either left over or new than I know what to do with. Can you say ebay and shopping spree? Well, honestly chances are slim at best. Family #1 applied for him. They are now reviewing. He will go to the family that is meant to be. Them? Us? Some dark horse? So we wait some more. I am at peace with this whole deal SN, the wait, the whole process. Life is good. I am glad to be here, and our child will be here someday. You caught me at a post chocolate, post Merlot moment. Peace!

Happy Anniversary times TWO....
The 17th of January was our 23 month anniversary for our LID. Then, the 18th of January was our 16th wedding anniversary. The first anniversary slipped by on my radar, as I try not to focus too much energy on the time waiting. The wedding anniversary was a divine meal out with my dear hubby. Of course, our quiet meal brought good conversation. Thoughts of when our daughter will join us certainly did fill a few moments of conversation, however, we once again affirmed our commitment to our daughter and to this process.
I am at peace with everything. Peace is a good place to be. I do check RQ hourly waiting to see any movement of any news/rumors. I am excited, for one of my fellow bloggers is next! yipee! But the next referral batch also gives me a glimpse of when the window might be for our referral. As we get closer that window will start to close. I would anticipate an April (total long shot) to a December (probably on the outer realm) window for a referral.
My heart goes out to all of you waiting. The not knowing seems to be the hardest. I feel for those beyond a February 28, 2006 referral. That wait will grow exponentially. What I keep holding onto is that these are smaller months (December is almost over, January and February are smaller). The CCAA should finish February 2006 in 2009.
So happy anniversary to me. Sixteen years...holy crap, I am old!
Peace to all.....

Friday and a Make-Over

Thought I would lend a new look to the blog. Blogger makes it so easy, even if you aren't too techie.....
The photograph is from our trip last year to the British Virgin Islands. We are hoping to go again, especially with this ever increasing wait. Those are the children of our friends and their Cat boat in the distance. It was the most amazing vacation ever and I hope to repeat it!

So I am back on track.....

Alright after a bit of a break, I think I am back on track. A few postings on the RQ forum, I am feeling better and more thoughtful about the adoption process. Yes, I am anxious to have our daughter join us, but truly she is a gift from China. And quite honestly, China will decide when we she will join our family officially. Yes, I am still impatient. But we are lucky to have her, and I will wait for her until she comes!
Having said all that, I have returned to reading some of my select few fellow bloggies. I got this from Nina. Thanks Nina! you are right. It is on the money!

Your Inner Color is Purple

Your Personality: You're a dreamer and visionary. You believe you were put on this earth to do something great. You in Love: You're very passionate but often too busy for love. You need a partner who sees your vision and adopts it as their own. Your Career: You need a job that helps you make a difference. You have a bright future as a guru, politician, teacher, or musician.

What's Your Inner Color?