5 months down!

5

Today we've been on the Wait List with our agency for 5 months.  Our agency's last update estimated our wait to go on another 7-13 months (a total of 12-18 months from making the list until referral).

Here is the latest on the adoption front:

- the wait to referral will be followed by another [approx.] 6 month wait while our case makes its way through the Taiwanese courts.

-we have a good chance of traveling to Taiwan by the end of 2008

-the number of families requesting girls is greater than those requesting boys

-the number of girl referrals coming out of the orphanages is lower than that of the boy referrals (about 1 girl per 8 boys).  This doesn't mean that girls aren't there.  Maybe they are being adopted domestically, or maybe they are being referred to other agencies. 

- Chung Yi's infant nursery is undergoing renovation and they should soon be able to house more infants which may translate to more babies being available for international adoption (the program we are in uses St. Lucy Center and Chung Yi orphanages)

- our agency (Families for Children) just put a moratorium on applications for this program (Program A) so that they can devote more of their resources and attention toward existing clients... this is good news for us, a waiting family, and not so good news for those who had hoped to apply right now but I do believe that they made the right decision so that they could be more available to those in-process.

- in another move to stay on top of communication and client support, our agency added employees this summer (more good news to us!)

- we're going to go for FBI fingerprinting soon.  We waited to complete this step so that our fingerprints will be good much longer into the wait (they expire after 15 months) and then (as a result) our USCIS approval will be good for longer into the wait (it expires after 18 months).  Hopefully we'll be able to escape redoing the prints or the forms, which will save us money (I don't think we qualify for the free renewal since we sent out I-600A in *before* the new changes this summer allowing for 1 free renewal).  It might be close, though.

For some time, the waiting wasn't so difficult.  As you can imagine, life with three children is busy, and Lael has had a rough go of The Twos (or shall I say that *we've* had a rough go because of her Twos?) which made us think that the longer the adoption took, the better.  But, now, I think Eric and I are getting a bit impatient.  I'm seriously getting baby fever and want to hold and nibble all the cute babies I see.  And this is a really good thing that I'm thanking the  Lord for, actually.  Because, with three young kids in the house, I didn't have that *craving* for another baby just yet.  I knew we wanted another child, and that God had called us to the action of adopting, but it wasn't yet an ache for any and every baby I saw (in fact, I've bnever really been that kind of woman).  Similar to loving Stoney River- you may call it your favorite restaurant, and really enjoy the food, but you're not going to *crave* it if you get taken there for business lunches all the time (*ahem*, Eric, how's that for an analogy?!).  So, I'm finally at the spot where I'm *craving* this new little girl.  I'm checking out the baby clothes at the store with ooooohs and ahhhhhs.  And I'm having trouble concentrating on the sermon if a really sweet newborn is seated in front of us.  Reading the blogs of a few families coming home from Taiwan has made me really want it for us, too.  I watched them get their referrals and now they are home.  Welcome to the States, Reed and Miranda!  Financially, too, I think we're ready.  Our savings goals are are on target and we feel like we could make it work if the referral came now (since only half is required at referral and the other half right before travel).  Thankfully, the last bit of this year is going to be busy (and maybe it will continue to keep our minds off it): we have Eric's parents visiting in October, Thanksgiving (and maybe my dad visiting) in November, Lael's 3rd birthday and Christmas and Tim and Angie visiting in December.  At that point, we'll be done with 2007 and much, much closer to our daughter.

Ultimately, we trust the Lord's timing with this newest family member.  And, it is comforting to know that it is completely in His control and completely out of our control.  Her age, when she joins our family.... it is up to Him and, because of this, we can rest peacefully knowing she will be a perfect fit.  

Great!  Knowing that she's going to be perfect makes the waiting even harder.  ;-)

Wooooo Hooooo!  I've got a date tonight!

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 6:00am, and brewed some tea.  Mug and Bible in hand, I padded out to the patio table in my robe and bare feet.  The air was fall-crisp and the sky was dark with a faint hint of light.  It was such a good time in prayer and in the Word, I knew my day was going to go well.

The kids and I got Grant to school and then headed toward the gym.  I've been making an extra effort to really push myself on the cardio machines, which is hard for me to do.  Often, I'll walk on the treadmill or pedal on the bikes enough to feel resistance but not enough to sweat.  I was sweating.  Being in a class with an instructor helps me work harder, and move faster- certainly peer pressure helps- but the class times start before I can make it there, or much, much later and I really need to just be able to go from the school drop-off to the gym.  Momentum keeps me accountable.  I really like exercising,  its just that if it gets too late in the day I feel a bit guilty for taking some time for myself when I always have a huge list of other things that should get done.  Somehow, it seems more efficient and less indulgent to get my workout in immediately.

So, I got my exercising done and came home for a quick shower and met LaDonna at Wild Oats.  She had something to give me, and I also grabbed some brown rice sushi for a speedy lunch before needing to head back to school to get Grant.

They had early dismissal at 12:30pm.  It was so nice to have him early in the day and we took advantage of it by heading to the park and meeting with Amy, Chloe, and Halle.  The only rough part in the day was having to leave the park.  My goodness!  Those kids Did Not Want to Leave.  Bad attitudes rose up, and I had to implement a two day restriction on video game time so that the boys would get in the car.  Thankfully, everyone recovered from the frustration quickly and by the time we were home we were all happy again.

It was especially nice to be home so early because the homework got done, and we STILL had so much time to play.  Why can't every day of 2nd grade be a half day?  I bet Grant wishes the same thing.  :-)  So, there was tons of neighborhood time, and the air was cooler.  I love fall!

To top it all off, Eric brought home pizza at my request.  For as much as I love "fancy" things like brie, papaya, capers, and tabouli... I really still regard pizza as one of my favorite dishes.  I seriously love pizza.  So, a happy end to a happy day.

And, today is off to a good start, too.  Grant made it to school, and he is very ready for his spelling test and seemed excited to conquer the day.  Dean and Lael are happily playing in the playroom.  I've got a few chores and a few projects in mind for the day, and we're watching a neighbor's children for a couple hours.  Then, tonight, I've been invited to a cocktail party with the other women in the neighborhood at a house down the street.  Yeah, a "cocktail party"- that will be a first for me.

The other week, we were at that mall and had two hours to kill while our car was being maintained at Sears.  Rotating and balancing of the tires and an oil change.  Eric had the afternoon off, so I couldn't have cared what we were doing- even shopping.  Now, most people know I'm not a shopper and I rarely go into the mall.  However, I was all about the end-of-season sales.  We hit Gymboree, Gap, Children's Place...  Anyway, I bought a lovely dress for Lael.  Flowy soft cotton with a gathered waist and metallic thread pinstripes running through the fabric like men's suiting.  Love it.  Well, she wore it for the first time this Sunday, and after only a few hours, had written on it (and herself) with blue ink.  Off went the dress and I handwashed it in the sink basin with a bit of chlorine-free Oxyclean.  A short while later, the ink was gone.  Still a little damp, it was hung on the bed rail to dry and then tossed into the laundry hamper for a more thorough washing when I did a load.  Well today I'm doing laundry and pulled all the clothes (including this dress) out of the washer to hang on the line and the sweet little, barely worn dress has brown specks on the skirt.  Gah!  It dawns on me that our bed frame is wrought iron and the stains are rust.  Bless the internet, because I quickly discovered that chlorine bleach would set the rust (glad I didn't try it!) and that lemon and salt with a bit of sunshine might work.  The easy, chemical-free trick worked and the dress is now ready to be washed again.  I'm always thrilled when the natural way is just as good as the man-made way.  I'm hoping that Lael will be able to enjoy her outfit sometime, especially since we're on our third washing for only a few hours of wear!  Someone please tell me why I thought a white dress was a good idea for a toddler!  :-)

Beautiful Dress #2

I've made another "Beautiful Dress", this time for Mamamade.  Cotton, white & linen colored print, with an avocado green waistband, and green neckline ribbon tie.  Size: 3T-4T.  Fully lined, and hand-finished.  This is a one off- there may be more "Beautiful Dresses" to come, but not in this print.  Truly one of a kind!

Apple book

The first Apple book I've ever ordered came today.  I'm very pleased with it and I think my Grandma will love it.  I titled it "Since We Last Saw You" and included a few highlight pictures from our last trip to England with them(Jan/Feb. 2006), up through the present.  The book is hard bound and has a dust jacket.  Quite professional, and nicely packaged for gift giving.  With all of my photos in iPhoto, it was also very easy to put together and *click* order.  Hooray for technology!  It's amazing that I fought the digital photography world for so long because I am quite pleased with the final product.  AND, I think this will be the perfect solution to the MANY years of photos that haven't made it into albums.  2005 was our first year with the Digital Rebel, so anything before then is on film.  I did pretty well with photos into albums until my mom died and Grant was born, then I got really overwhelmed.  So, 2000 through 2005 will be hard (maybe I should just scan it all in, and then use iPhoto to make apple books?).  But the good news is that anything after we bought our digital SLR will be easy peasy to translate into something tangible that we can enjoy and pull out to leaf through.  Now, to find the motivation and time.  How does one tackle seven years of unfinished business?  Page, by page, by page I guess.

Welcome Baby Reed!!!

Amongst the online Adopting from Taiwan groups, I "met" Jeff and Abbey of Springfield (they go to LaDonna's church, too- small world!).  They have just adopted Reed and are flying home right now.  They'll arrive at Nashville airport here shortly and I thought it would be nice to be part of the Welcome! group at baggage claim.  Lael's a bit sick this morning, though, so I'm doing the responsible parent action and remaining here.  Rats!  With you in heart, Jeff and Abbey and little Reed!

Check out their amazing blog that they were so good at keeping updated while in country: http://jeffandabbey2001.blogspot.com

And thank you, God, for this miracle of adoption and the wonderful family you've created!

Dwell magazine

The past two months worth of Dwell have been at the gym on the magazine rack.  I had never heard of the publication before, but boy-o-boy do I love it.  What's their tagline?  [quick search] Ah, there it is: At home in the modern world.  Anyway, it features eco-friendly home design, modern interiors, simple architecture, and loads of inspiring photographs.  I want to subscribe.

I like a mix of things, so I don't know as I'd ever have a totally modern, sparse house like some of those featured.  But the point is that the ideas are wonderful and they are a springboard for creating something.  I'm noticing that when I get inspired, its usually over something less traditional, something with simple lines and few frills.  They're the things that make me do a double take anyway.  I've said this lately, but I am definitely less Southern Living, and more Sunset.  Sheesh.  Magazines on the brain, I guess.

Great things from dwell that caught my eye today:

recycled metal tiles

this really cool highchair

American clay

cardboard (recyclable) doll house in non-girly colors

heath ceramics (which I'd read about in another mag awhile back...neat story of the husband/ wife team that owns the company)

Squirt

This little guy wins my heart so easily.  I just have to praise him and tell you how sweet he is, because our Squirt is going through a lot of changes lately and he's handled them fabulously.  Being the middle child, he is neither the trail blazing first child who brings new experiences to the family, nor is he the "cute" baby who makes strangers Oooooh and Awwww in the grocery store.  It is often said that middle children can be overlooked, and I truly see that.  But I want to do my best to combat that so here's a little brag fest!

Our dear Dean is a treasure and I'm extremely proud of him.  It dawned on me the other day that he is 4 1/2 years old!  He's almost five, and next year he will begin kindergarten!  It hardly seems possible, as he remains very tiny in my eyes.  But he is learning and growing and maturing.

Physically, he has always packed a punch!  For being slight, this little guy tries it all.  In April,

 having just turned four, he took off his training wheels and NEVER looked back!  He'll jump off of anything, and prefers to play with the big guys in the

 neighborhood.  Amy and I went for a walk to the park the other morning, and Dean rode his bike.  He was always ahead and would track back for us, pedaling as fast as possible and [barely] resisting the temptation to take his two wheeler up the big boulders and off the drop off.  Got to keep an eye on him!

This summer, he had his first swim lessons and made a remarkable transformation in the matter of two weeks.  The first two days were spent crying and clinging, but after that he jumped in, head under, to his instructor, Miss Beth and Learned How to Swim.  The full length

 of the pool is still too much for him, but he can make it a good 6-7 feet with his head under and a very good stroke.  In fact, his stroke is better and less "dog paddle-y" than Grant's.

I appreciate his lack of fear, and his passion for trying things new.  I see a bit of my brother in his adventuresome spirit.  It's been there from a very young age, too.

Having Grant in school full time was certainly going to be a test for Dean.  Would he be upset?  Would he be able to find his own identity in the absence of the big brother whose side he rarely leaves?  Can I just say "Wow".  We're only three weeks into the school year, and already he is flourishing.  Rather than just being Little Brother to Grant, he is really stepping up to the title of Big Brother to Lael.  They play better now than they ever have, and he tries to instruct her in things like picking up, or having table manners.  He tries to cheer her up when she's sad or hurt, as well.  

Yesterday we were at the gym and I left Dean and Lael in the nursery room for about an hour.  When I came back to pick them up, I watched for a little while before making myself known.  They were under one of the large plastic play structures, together(!), pretending.  The caregiver said that they played like that the whole time.

All that aside, he is spiritually developing in a way that warms my heart.  He is remembering more of the Bible lessons he learns and praying with greater sincerity and originality than ever before.  

He likes to tell me that I am one of his best friends, but that God is his "bestest friend". 

Sensitive soul, incredible cuddler, great giggler, thumb-sucker, pin-dot freckles, daredevil, Squirt, Deaner Bean, I love you!

Mamamade Group Blog

Mamamade 2007 will be upon us before you know it (November 17, 2007).  Stay updated with the Mamamade Group blog where the participants will be posting news, product previews, and member bios!

All the Little Children Consignment Sale

My dear friend, LaDonna, is starting a new endeavor and I want to spread the word!  She will be organizing and holding seasonal children's consignment sales on the north side of Nashville.  The WINTER All The Little Children Sale is NEXT WEEK.

She's mentioned wanting to do just such a thing for a while now, and about a month ago I really encouraged her to pursue it.  I'm sure she had a few others rooting for her, too, because she finally stopped talking and went for it!  :-)

The sale will be held in an empty unit of a strip mall in Greenbriar (the same one that houses the Movie Gallery movie rental store).  It is not too late to consign things (children's clothes, toys, maternity clothes, baby equipment...) and it is certainly not to late to plan on attending.  Shoot me an e-mail or comment if you'd like her contact info or the sale schedule.

I drove up there today to drop off all of the items I'd prepared to place for sale, and I had a look at the space she'd be using.  I wish I could be of more help, but I at least pitched in and loaded up things to haul over that were in the attic waiting for transport.  Everything looks great, and she sounds quite organized!  She's been instructed by me to snap lots of photos of it all set up.

We also had a nice time eating lunch at the Pharmacy and Fountain next door to the consignment space.  Its a cute little pharmacy shop owned by LaDonna's consignment sale partner and friend from her church.  I had a croissant sandwich (can I *ever* pass up a croissant?!) and the "frozen fruit salad".  I kept thinking that it needed a better name, because it conjured up images of the grape, melon, berry fruit salad mixes that come in the huge bags at Costco.  BUT, that's not what this was- it was like a chunky sorbet with tidbits of nuts in it.  It was REALLY, REALLY good and flavorful and refreshing.  I'd have some more right now if I could.  Especially with the whipped cream dollop on top (can I *ever* pass up cream?!).

After that, it was a trek back down south to pick up Grant from school.  We spent the rest of the evening doing homework and playing in the neighborhood with all the other kids and parents.  I love our neighborhood.  One of Grant's homework assignments was to study for his spelling test.  In trying to come up with creative ways to drill the list into him, we played a game I made up tonight called Checkpoint.  He did laps around the cul-de-sac on his bike and checked in with me, the officer, on each lap.  He couldn't pass the checkpoint unless he correctly spelled the word I gave him.  I also had a pad of paper handy on the words that he had trouble doing.  If he got it wrong, he wrote the word correctly two times on the spot before he could proceed.  He had fun, and seemed to be doing well.  We'll see how the test goes tomorrow.  Eric's working late, and I should be putting the kids in bed here shortly but they're playing nicely without fighting so who wants to break that up?!  :-)

Potty Finale!

I'm so behind in blogging- too much *living* going on here!

But, I thought it was certainly worth mentioning/ celebrating that we are done with diapers!  (at least until the Little Miss shows up from Taiwan)

Lael has been working on being diaper-free for months, and has finally "got it" enough that we took her on her reward trip to Chuck E Cheese.  Every one of our kids have done the exact same trip, and it is rather sweet to see our daughter reach this milestone with such pride in herself and her achievement.

In her own words, "Yay Lael!" (as she exclaims each and every time she pees in the potty)