I got My New Phone

Well I got a Blackjack. Now I have no excuses. Please call me so that I can store your numbers.

Shopping for a new phone

I just knew going to the grocery store was dangerous. Inbetween the oranges and diet soda I lost my phone. Now I am in the phone store picking out my new phone. Wow was my last phone out dated! I guess I have played enough now I have to make decision.

Small Update-No Travel Dates Yet!

I know that earlier in the week I said that I was going to wait until Thursday or Friday to call my agency to see where I stand for travel dates. I just could not hold out. I should not to expect to here anything until the end of next week. Honestly, that is good enough for today.

It is so hard to not be impatient. During this whole process I have tired to not be impatient because I really do think that nothing good comes out of things that are forced.

I know from reading others blogs that this wait is the exciting one. I really want to cherish every minute of this part. I am not so sure that I be able to be so patient after I have met the little banana. I was holding a baby last night at work that was small not as small as she was when she was born but close. The funny thing about babies is when you love them and hold them they calm down fall asleep and get so warm. If you are not a baby lover they cry. Okay that is just my opinion but I have held and cared for close to 7000 babies.

The funny thing is that when you care for a group of babies one or two usually stand out of the crowd. This is not to say that the others are not lovely or cared for but that the workers are usually draw to one or two babies.

My biggest concern for attachment and bonding is not on the baby attaching or bonding with me but the other way around. I am worried that I will not attach to the baby. You are thinking to yourself that is just crazy talk but wait. I have been so clinical in my care of a newborn for so long that this is what scares me. When new parents see their babies they change. Their tone softens, they walk quieter but most importantly the way the touch them is different. Will I get that feeling? I hope and pray that I do. I tell crazy little stories about Gerard and the way he is because I already see that change happening to him.

Being alone with the little banana I think for a couple of months will be the best thing for us. I honestly and looking forward to traveling alone because there will be no one else for her to prefer. Is that selfish maybe. Is that important? Without a doubt YES.

I Finally Got to the Store

Today I had a bunch of things on my list of things to do. The most important things were: finish school work, pay the bills and go the the store (remember we are using a travel size tube of toothpaste). I got my school work done! Yeah I am pretty much done for the week I just need to take 3 quizzes but it is in math and I love math.


So I got showered and dressed. Oh yes I used the last of the travel sized toothpaste and off to the store I when. I needed thank you cards and I pair of boots for me. Yes I got boots with a heel that fit and do not hurt my foot that I have broken too many times in the past.

Which brings me to shopping for the little banana. Who can pass up a deal. I have been looking for new bedding for her because the bedding that I thought would be okay for either a boy or a girl is just not going to cut it now. Must be pink that is her favorite color according to Gerard! I just love shabby chic stuff. New furniture makes me nervous, I know hard to believe but true. Old furniture drives Gerard crazy! So I was looking in TJ M*xx for something different but that was reasonably priced. No luck. BUT

I did have luck in the clothing department. A new dress and pants outfit for the little banana. I also came across a deal on buster brown shoes all leather and only 7.00 dollars. She will learn to hate these shoes because I bought 3 pairs in different sizes.

So how am I doing on the outfitting for a little girl home front.

Go ahead ask me did I get the toothpaste?? Well yes after I made it the whole way home and pulled into the garage and figured out that I needed to go back to the store to buy it.

My List of Things to Do is Long

You would think that I have been spending all my free time over the last couple of months preparing to go to Russia. Well in some respects I have but in others I have not. My list of things to do is SOOOOO long. Today I have plans on trying to get some of it crossed off. I do not have my travels dates yet but I expect by the end of the week I should know something.

When I say I have been in a fog the past 2 weeks that is a severe understatement. My friends at work just laugh. Usually I am in control but I am still so shocked but the fact that she is a girl is really starting to sink in for me.

I need your ideas of what I should pack and what was a waste to take. I love to pack light especially because I will be traveling alone. I also need to find a kid friendly photo album to leave.

Uh-Oh Gerard has the tape measure out!

This is never a good sign in my house when he gets out a tape measure. So I happen upon him in the living room measuring the walls and totally disliking all the windows that I love so much in my living room. Now lets all get honest I love to twist him up. I know that makes me a bad person but I just love it when he is a little twisted up.

Today the things that twist him up are things like "You know we have to start to save for a wedding now for the little banana!" Then he starts with how she will wait until she is OLD to get married really OLD. It is so funny to hear how protective he is over her and he has not even met her yet. The other thing that he walks around saying is "I just know I am in trouble because you two are going to team up on me!"

Is he right? Well yes of course he is right!

So that brings me to him walking around the house with the tape measure. This is how the conversation started:

Me: "What are you measuring the walls for?" (Honestly all he had to do is ask me I have most of the measurements memorized, yes I know I am sick woman)

Gerard: "I am putting in a gas fireplace"

Me: "What??"

Gerard: "We NEED a gas fireplace!"

Me: "Why?"

Gerard: "Two reasons, first the floor is cold and the little banana will not like that"

Me: "Okay, what is the second reason?"

Gerard: "You know"

Me: "Okay, no I don't"

Gerard: "You know, stockings hung by the chimney with care"

Okay if you could have seen his face you would have had to run out of the room. He is so in love with her already. She already has him wrapped around her finger. So how can I resist his request when he starts to sing that to me.

I guess I have another thing added to my list of things to do!

Brushing teeth??

Gerard and I woke up this morning and instantly our thoughts went to Little banana. Do they brush her teeth? It seems so crazy but we were wondering this morning as we both reached for our brushes. Of course Gerard had a fresh comment like "I am sure that they do but not the way you would like them brushed!"

I laughed because I know he is right. I am feeling so many feelings right now and mostly ones that migrate to wanting to take care of her my way. I know I am obsessing over things that I can not change now. I have waited so long for the day that I will have my own little baby who I can take care of just the way I think it should be done.

Paperwork is on its way to Moscow

I got an email from my coordinator telling me that the additional paperwork that I had to complete will be on its way to Moscow today. I am guessing that this means I should get travel information soon. I am guessing sometime next week. This actually works out good for me. I am hoping to travel in the second week of February because that would be easiest for me and my work schedule but we will see.

If I travel the second week of February I will be done with the class that I am taking and I will have some time to enjoy preparing to travel rather then preparing to travel in a rush.

I have so many lists to make. I got another beautiful gift for the little banana today. I am worrying less about her clothes because I know my friends will take care of it all for me.

Here is a little funny story that we refer to as an English to English translation.

Gerard says " Bozz you really need to get some shopping down before you travel!"

I say " Wow you are so right. I need to get some girl toys and maybe a baby doll too! Do you think I should take her some clothes?"

Gerard looking puzzled says "We really need toothpaste and some snacks in the house. That is really what I meant."

Bing-Dong Went the Door bell!

Today I was sitting trying to focus on my homework. By the way who said it was a good idea to take this last class, Oh I forgot that was me. I can not wait for it to be over so I can just frolic and play around knowing that I have a baby on the way. Oh well.

So while attempting to chart lines on a graph and trying my best not to break the computer in the process I hear "Bing-Dong, Bing-Dong!" Yes it is the door bell. It was a package. I do love opening packages so I opened it right up.

Here we go a beautiful dress, tights, shoes and headband for the little banana!! The dress is so sweet and is a pink knit with long sleeves. I think this one might be perfect for the meeting at the embassy in Moscow. This is little banana's first present from Aunt Jackie.

Last of the Documents Sent

Yesterday I did hopefully my last trip to Trenton for documents until the next trip. After that I drove to Aristotle and Sloan at my sister's house. She is very excited because she is a girl and we have not had a girl in a while in this family.

Off to the mall because Gerard has been driving me crazy about getting the Rosetta stone course for Russian. I think his mind is starting to wonder about me traveling alone. I know I will be fine but he enjoys worrying even though he says he does not. So I got the course and a few outfits for her that were on sale.

I did venture into the Pott*ry Ba*rn for kids also. Okay why to the girl toys scare me a little bit?

I think it will depend on how he does while I am away to determine whether or not he will meet up with us on the second trip. He is worried about us going through the airport alone. Funny he was less worried when he thought the baby was a boy! What is the difference most 18 month old boys do not know self-defence moves.

He did have a great idea about the luggage. Has anyone shipped their luggage home rather then take it through the airport?? If so please tell me about it.

It is So Weird!

I just can not believe that when I fall asleep the last thing I see is her photo. When I wake up I see her photo. I just sit there and think what are you doing now? It is so weird!

And the Snow Came Down

And the snow came down. That is how I will always start the story of how we tell her about the day we found out about her. The day I got the call it was snowing. Today after I made the decision to tell her Grandparents the snow started to fall again. I just love the snow, fresh, clean and innocent just like her.

We have been torn about when to tell our parents. Gerard being so concrete he really wanted to wait until the travel dates have been confirmed. I guess I am more of a free spirit and I want to tell everyone.

The problem is we live in a very small town. For a very long time I was described as the girl with the red car. No joke I had gone into a real estate office to ask about a house that was for sale and the real estate person says "I know you. You are the girl that drives the red car!" Needless to say I was a bit freaked out by that statement.

If I am not related to someone then Gerard is. There are no secrets in this town so I knew that I would have to tell our parents sooner rather then later. I made up a small little scrap book with her pictures and 2 small ones for each set of parents.

We asked AM (That is her nickname AM short for Ann-Marie) and Eddie (Gerard's sister and BIL) to come over to the house before dinner. That is when we hit them with the news. I think they knew something was up. I think however the biggest surprise was that she was a girl. Then it was the name. Then it was when we asked them to be the God parents.

Off to dinner we went with Gerard's parents. We have always talked in general terms about when the baby comes this will be different or that will be different. The funny thing is out of the 4 of us at the table who slipped up you guessed it Gerard. I do not think that anyone but Eddie and I caught it. So I decided that is enough! I do not want any one's feelings to be hurt because they did not know what was going on.

So after dinner we all came home and I told them. Poppop (just trying that on for size) was shocked and kept saying "It's a girl! We are going to spoil her" Grandma (just trying that on for size too) said "I guess we have to go shopping" Somehow I forgot to get pictures probably because Gerard hid the camera.

Then Gerard was sent to bed and I was off to my Mother's house. She says she did not know but I think she has had a suspicion. She told me "Today at church I lite a candle for her" I told my Mother her name and expected the worst but was surprised. See her name has been repeated throughout all 4 sides of the family for the last couple of generations.

Nannie AKA Cookie AKA My Mom

Don't worry naming her is a whole different post.

It is 7:30! Get Out From Under the House

The saga continues. Jaime Lynn came over this morning to see pictures of the baby. Grand total of person in the family who know about her is 3 with 2 that are highly suspicious. We will tell them tomorrow. I would have preferred to tell everyone in person but what are you going to do. We decided that it would be easier for our parents if they did not know right now then the wait would seem shorter to them.

My sister Jenny is a truck driver and called to say "I have a secret!" In my family in order to hear a secret you have to tell one. We are a bit crazy because it is very difficult to have anything be a surprise. Please do not tell Chip, Marie or my Mom. I wonder how long I can hold out. Of course Jenny's said her secret was not as good as mine. Then she promptly called my sister Jackie and told her that she needed to call me.

See I will not lie. So far when I have been asked how was the meeting my standard answer was "I got the best possible results" This is not a lie. I did. Which brings me to this morning. Jaime was over and we were going to have breakfast and I was going to clean some. That is when I realized the water was not working.

Well something under the house froze. Thank goodness Gerard was here because I sent him back under the house. He turned on a portable heater under there and then spent a good part of the evening under the house. I did actually have to go under and yell to him "It is 7:30! Get out from under the house!"

One note to self. Gerard has not really left the house or actually my side from the past couple of days. He just keeps walking around and talking to himself a bit. It is cute and funny to see him realize that we are going to be parents and that there may be an end to paperwork one day.

She is Sweet and Generous with Her Heart

Let me tell you how sweet she is!! She is kind and generous with her heart. She loves God I just know it. She is hurting so I am asking you all to pray for Adrienne. After I got the news about little banana, Adrienne was one of the first people that I texted. She texted back that she was at the doctor's office and I felt a little sick. I just got upset I did not know what was wrong and then I started to tell myself that it was a check up or a well check for Owen.

She told me to call her when I got home and I did. She wanted all the details. We laughed about what to name her and how Gerard was doing. I gladly told her everything and never stopped. She laughed and let me "Have my moment." The next day she told me about the baby that she lost.

Please say a prayer anytime you think about her and her family.

Drive, Drive, Drive & My Very First Adoption Lecture by a Stranger

Today I had to pick up documents from my home study agency which is about 1.5 hours north of where I live. Only to figure out in the car that I still needed 2 more documents notarized. So the hunt was on to find some one who would do it for free. (AKA my bank). I was lucky and found a branch of one of the two banks that I use. Okay I know why two banks that is a really long story so I will save that for later.

I walk into the bank and ask to have some documents notarized. That is when the lecture starts. This woman was also from an Eastern European Country but not Russia. The basic gist was she felt that I should no consider international adoption only domestic. I stood there looking at her picture thinking that this is my daughter and that no one can tell me different. I guess this is the first of many times that I could hear this kind of talk but I will be better prepared.

So I have a few more documents that will not be done until Tuesday. Orignally, I was going to just have the State of NJ send them to the agency until Gerard said "You are going to trust them to send the documents???" I think he was really worried and then I started to worry so Tuesday morning I will be off to Trenton at least one more time. I love those heated seats.

The Statistics

Believe it or not I have read every ones comments. I keep saying the next post I am going to say 'this or that'. So drum roll please!!!!!!

She is 15 months old born in September 2007, she was a small baby 5.4 lbs and 18 1/2 inches long. Assessing and holding babies all day at work I have always been partial to the big chubby babies but I do think there is nothing wrong with being petite. We love her.

She is from the Cheboksary region of Russia. I have not had much time to do any research about this region but I have found out that I will need the 8 doctor medicals and the 10 wait period is not ever waived.

I also believe that the wait time between trips will be about 12-16 weeks. I do however believe that my agency is going to want me to travel very soon. I guess I have to get a carry-on. So those are the statistics.

I Need a Good Dose of What Not to Wear

Trenton Court House (Not where I had to go for the Apostille but next door)

And the race is on. I really don't think that I will be able to get all the documents to the agency by Tuesday. In New Jersey the fast that I can have something apostilled is 8 hours or next day service. I can however have them send it directly to the adoption agency via over night mail. So that is the plan. Am I carzy or does it take longer then you would think to fill out the paperwork, get it notorized and apostilled. I can hammer out 5-6 complete nursing notes much faster then it took me to proof read these papers. Glad that is done!

The drive out to Trenton was snowy. Not too snowy just flakes coming down. That is the type of snow that I like. However, it was really cold in Trenton. I thought my ear lobes were going to fall off that is how cold it was. Note to self I need earmuffs.

Today I had my first offical freak out about getting a girl. On the way home from Trenton I took a detour past Kohls to find a snowsuit. Now in my mind I know that she can wear the red and blue one but in heart I want her to be in pink. So I found the cutes one that they had and bought it plus a few other things that I could not resist.

Which brings me to my panic. Who will be dressing her?? Who will be picking out her clothes?? You have to understand I need a good dose of 'What Not To Wear' My uniform is a plain tee-shirt and jeans that is it. To be quite honest I think I have been wearing high waters lately too!! Why hasn't anyone told me. I saw myself in the mirror and there were my token white socks and brown shoes with high water pants.

Spring Jacket


Snowsuit


Fashion Plate Mother

To Do List!!

I am usually a very focused person. I deal with a lot of paperwork at work and my motto is "Get it done and off my desk" So tell me why I checking and double checking all of these documents?

I wish I had a professional proof reader sitting in my dinning room. So part of what needed to be updated was the pictures of the house and me which is fine because I can use the same ones from last time. So off to T@rget I went last night to get them printed out. That is done except oh wait I forgot about a picture of me! A Duh!

By the way you know I did not get to leave target without getting a cute little coat (gasp for full price) one party dress and a few undershirts for Jaime baby's baby she is pregnant and due in May. Yes that is what I call her Jaime Baby. She has no idea what she is having and wants to keep it that way. All she wants is a healthy baby and that is what we have been praying for nonstop. Inside I am now also praying for a boy or I will have to find some one for all these clothes that I have bought 18months to 4T. Yes I am a shopper all clearance but very nice.

So today I am off to Trenton to drop off the stuff that needs to be apostilled I want to do it early. The agency wants everything in there hands by Tuesday the latest. That screams to me that I will be traveling soon. I know there is some one from my agency who is waiting on a court date in my region and I think they want us to travel together.

Hopefully my head will be out of the fog when I get that news. We decided to wait to tell our family until we have travel dates. I know that this sounds odd but they will drive me crazy, in a good way but crazy never the less. I just hope that I can hold out. I think that I need to get used to the idea of having a baby first and then that she is a girl before I add other family members into the mix.

Once they find out it is a girl the boxing gloves will go on because that is when the good old fashion family naming committee will have a big meeting. My 2 of my four nieces are counting on me to not name her with a name that starts with 'J'. All the girls in my family their names start with 'J'. I thought I was going to skate out of this discussion because I was going to have a boy!

Telling Gerard About His Little Girl

I am definitely going into overdrive! I do have a few things that need to be done in order to make things happen. The first thing is those documents that I decided not to update. Well if I had things to do over again this would be one of them. I am starting to find it so hard to get things done now that I have a picture to stare at.

The second most obvious question and something that I did not cover eariler today was "How is Gerard doing??"

Well let me tell you how he found out about his little girl.

I had driven to the agencies office fully knowing in my head that I was probably not going to get anywhere but in my heart I felts something different. I will get back to that.

Anyone that has been around Gerard and I knows that we call each other about a cool thousand times per day. Usually it is one or two sentences but typically he could call me or me him 2 times in an hour. So before I got out of the car in the agency parking lot I called him to tell him I was there and said a quick prayer.

I went into the office and my coordinator was not there yet because it was earily and I knew that she had a late night. So I asked to talk with the director of the Russsian program. We talked about my fears and my box of concern. She asked me if I had 15 minutes so that she could hang up with me, review my file and call Russia.

Of course I said yes. So I sat down with an adoption book that I have been meaning to start reading and started to read it. About 15 minutes later the staff told me that the director was on the phone for me. She told me that she had great news. That I had a referral, I assumed that it was a boy so I asked if he was healthy and that is when she told me SHE looked pretty good to her.

I started to cry. She told me to take some time and to call my family so that she could email everything to my coordinator. I walked out and called Gerard. He could hear that I was crying so he started to think the worst. He said "Oh Bozz it is going to be alright!" Bozz is my nickname.

That is when I told him at 11:00 am in the hall of the building "You are going to be a Daddy and guess what it is a girl!" Silence on the other end of the phone. I would say shock does not even describe his reaction. Then he kept asking me "What do you mean? I do not understand? It's a girl!"

Fast forward a couple of hours I called him from the airport. He was going a mile a minute. He rattled off a list bigger then the one Santa carries around of things that I must do when I get home. But the funniest comment that he made was "I have to get under the house and get the cleaning done before she comes."

On my drive home I called Adrienne to tell her the news (Please send up a prayer for her). I wanted to tell her as close to in person as I could. When I got home Gerard was awake and waiting to see the pictures.

One of the pictures is of her looking up at the ceiling. Now the big discussion in my house has been that I wanted a chandelier in the baby's room and he keeps telling me "No way! Boys do not get chandeliers!!" I held up the picture and this is where he walked right into it. He said "What do you think she is looking at?" So I told me "She wants to know where her chandelier is???" Oh is he in trouble!

Agency Meeting Update and BIG NEWS!!!

It seems like it has been forever for me since I last updated everyone about the meeting with my agency. Here are the details. My agency is having finacial difficulty but then again who is not having finanical diffiuclts. I have been asked to pay an additional fee by the first of February. I will tell you that the amount that they are asking for is not a fortune but I was having difficulty thinking that paying this fee was a good idea because of my lack of connection with anyone at the agency. They made us aware that they will be asking for additional fees in the next 4upcoming quarters of a lesser amount.

I am trying my best to understand their position and the level of stress and anxiety that they must be feeling as a result of the economy. Going to Michigan was a good thing for me on so many levels. First and formost I feel that I have been blessed with so many material things and a certain degree of job security. I thank God every day for these blessing.

I went to the agency with the intension of making my decision about whether or not I was willing to continue with the agency. So that everyone is clear I would have walked away with no refund because that is the level of economic stress that they are experiencing. I did make the decision that I was not however going to walk away from adoption. This whole process is about becoming a Mother. One thing that has rung in my head for the past couple of days is a saying by Suze Orman "People first, then money, then things"

I figured that the money that I would have lost would come back to me in so many different ways because out there is a little baby that needs me.

I know this is way too long!!

So while I was at the office talking with the agency director about where I stood in the process and quite honestly getting a little upset. A miricle happened!! She told me that she had just received an email about my status.

I got my referral!! Yup that is what I said I GOT MY REFERRAL!!!

It took me a minute to digest the words but actually I think it took much longer then that. I think I am still digesting the information. I think the most interesting thing is that I like all new parents asked is the baby healthy. For those of you who may not know the process this is a very tricky question. Children are not available for adoption in Russia unless they are considered by Russia as having some medical conditions. I can tell you that I am VERY pleased with the limited information that I have been provided. I did receive a number of pictures.

The baby has dark red hair and big blue eyes. There is a cute little baby style double chin. All of the pieces and parts look beautiful.

Oh yes and by the way I think I am already in love with HER!!!!

P.S. Jaime I am pretty sure that you are the only one that reads this blog so please call me before you tell anyone. I want to surprise Cookie in person and I am trying to think up a way. You know I am good at keeping secrets and I know you are too!

If anyone else in the family is reading along Please call me first! I want to be the one to tell Mommy.

A New Snowy Day

I'm awake or maybe I did not really sleep. I have made the decision that I am going to try to go to the agency today to try and get further clarification about the situation.

I know that I am more stressed then I ever thought I could be right now so I will not make a decision on anything because I find that decisions that have been made in the heat of the moment usually are not the right decision. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I can not even open my mouth because of the jaw pain from the accident.

Those of you who were at the agency meeting last night or who are making one of the meeting in the next 2 days who may read my blog I plan on making a decision well before the first of February. I think that is only fair.

A Silver Lining

The meeting was much of what I expected. I am still digesting what the agency is asking of me, my family and how these changes will impact the adoption. I have not gotten a chance to tell Gerard the details of the meeting because he is at work.

I hope you understand that I must talk to him about what was said first. Now that I threatened him to look at that blog while I am away. I hope to be able to talk with the agency more tomorrow.

I try to be one of those people who believes that something good comes out of everything that is painful. Being so far away from my agency and not able to attend the meeting has been very hard for me for many reasons. The first being that I have not been able to form bonds with many if any of the agency representative.

I found a silver lining tonight. In the past couple of months I have started a friendship with two couples from my agency. Have I ever mentioned that I love meeting up with others from bloggerville? After the agency meeting tonight I went out to dinner with them. In all of this uncertainty the one neat thing is that these two women have been nothing but encouraging to me.

Yes I dragged my camera along for the convented blogger friend picture. That is me Lori and Jolynn.

Almost Had To Use Plan C

First of all this is the first time that I have driven to LaGuardia Airport. I have frequented other airports in the area but not this one. Wait yes I was here once but I was a child and I am sure that I slept the whole to and from the airport. Which brings me to getting to the airport, or plan A initially I had thought that I was going to take the bus. Sounds easy right? Wrong getting to the airport would not have been a problem but getting home could have been. If I was one drop late that would have left me in Port Authority in Manhattan at like 11 o’clock at night. Not such a nice area at night.

So that brings me to driving myself or plan B. This was not Gerard’s choice because he wants the new car to remain looking like a new car. This is less of a worry for me. Lets get honest he hates it when I drive into the city. Anytime I have had to drive into Brooklyn or Manhattan he worries. I have a general idea of where I am but typically he gets a call with a frantic “I LOST!” Thank goodness he knows his way around in most of the neighboring cities. Does anyone remember when I had to get the fingerprinting done for the I-171? Well I do and so does he.
Now I am thinking I can do this I got a set of my favorite on line directions that me everywhere perfectly. I do also have Gerard’s mother’s GPS. This way I do not have rent one in Detroit. So I start out thinking I have this all under control. Until I realize that LGA does not have an actual address for the GPS and this GPS does not have the airports pre-programmed (who knows if any do).

So yes I was lost on the way to the airport into Jersey City, I think. Geralyn if you are reading this you almost got a call this morning. I saw the Pulaski sky way and I may have even used it but who actually knows. Instead I thought maybe Joannie my sister could help. What was I thinking my sister gets lost coming to my house. Just kidding Joannie you really kept your cool and helped to calm me down.

So that is when I followed my own inner advice. I hope you all are ready for this because it has always worked for me. I followed the car in front of me. Yes you read that right. This method has gotten me to many of the spots that I have needed to go to over the year.

So I am writing this in the airport as a practice dry run for my trip to Russia one day.
I have no idea what plan C is by the way.

***Editted***



I am here!!
For those of you who may fear I will loss the airport while I am here in Detroit have no fear because my room over looks the flight control tower. Now I am off to the meeting.

PS Gerard there will be a test as about the content of this post!! You have to start looking at the blog too pal.

Packing for Detroit Check List

So tonight I have finally finished my homework that is due on Monday. Now that the homework is all submitted I can think about getting ready for my trip to Detroit. The call off gods smiled down on me tonight and I was so lucky to be put on-call until 1 am. Yeah for me.

So I started to think about the things that I will take with me on my trip for the agency meeting. Since I am only staying one night there really is not that much that I need to pack. I gathered it all together and started to look for my carry on suit case.

That is where things have gotten a little tricky. I have no idea where it is!! I must have lent it out to some one and I have not gotten it back. I have plenty of large suitcases but no carry on ones. Note to self must buy a carry on suit case. In all honesty I probably never actually owned the one that I had I am sure that I borrowed it from some one in the family and they just wanted it back because other people actually go on vacation. Unlike me.

On a nursing funnier note have I ever told you that Gerard gets kidney stones on a regular basis. Probably not. Now I completely understand that they are EXTREMELY painful and I would not wish them on anyone but I am starting to see a pattern. He only ever gets one when I am going somewhere or at another equally in opportune time.

As a nurse I am a bit of a freak when one of my family members is sick or in need of medical care. I am usually right in the thick of it not because I want to be but because I am usually dragged in for one reason or another.

So tonight as I am in the attic looking for anything to put my stuff in I hear him yell for me. Oh yes you are right he passed another yet kidney stone!! Lets hope that this is the last one for a while.

Signing off until I am in Detroit!! Wish me luck!

I'm Still Here

I'm still here! No news! I do not want anyone think that I secretly got a referral and forgot to blog about it. Honestly, I plan on not telling my family until I have all the travel dates secured and probably wait until a day or two before I travel. As for my blogger friends you will be the second ones to know. I just love surprising my family. I got to keep them guessing.

I have been having computer trouble the past couple of days and I have been forced to use Gerard's computer which is driving him crazy. He has a little OCD so me touching the his computer is one of those things. He is afraid that I will be changing all the setting and downloading a ton of things. No amount of reassuring him is working.

I am back to school. I know that I told everyone that my last class was last summer but after an audit of my credits the University decided that I needed one more Math class. So that is what I have started this week. Math online is not as bad as you would think it is.

I have been feeling very positive for the past couple of days. Here is how I can tell that your thoughts are so powerful. The other day when the computer problems started I kept looking at my home page which has the weather on it. The 3 day forecast showed 3 big balls of sun and the temperatures were between 60-67 degrees for all three days.

So I am thinking this is great. Because I just hate the cold weather so any respite from the cold of winter is always appreciated. Mind you I was home all day Dottie was in and out ALL day. I was feeling warm in side and had even thought "Well if the temperature outside is going to get to 67 degrees I am going to turn off the heat."

Now this is where reality comes in. The actual temperature here in NJ was about 30 degrees, raining ice and dark but in my mind it was sunny and warm. I finally realized that the weather had reset to some place in California!!

Off to do homework then tomorrow I will pack for Detroit. I just can not wait for the meeting.

Russian Program Update

Over the past couple of days I have received a number of emails from my agency. In my opinion 2 of these emails are what I would consider good news. I think that whom ever wrote the initial letter that has upset so many of us honestly did not read the letter from the waiting adoptive parents point of view. I have been assured that the agency is not closing! I am still a bit cautious so I will institute a wait and see attitude.

The first email I have have received was the statistics of how many children have been placed by my agency. You all know how much I love the facts and numbers. So here they are:

Girls under 2 - 9
Boys under 2 - 13

Girls over 2 - 11
Boys over 2 - 12

Boy+boy, girl+girl - 2
Boy+girl - 6

Cases completed - 53
Children adopted - 63

This is good news to me. I think one of the hardest things for me has been I have only connected with a small number of adoptive parents who are using or have used my agency.

The second email was a request to be a part of a Referral Conference Call meeting for the 13th. So instantly I started to think could this mean that I am close to a referral?? Well to my understanding many of the waiting families have also gotten this email who have not waited quite as long as I have waited.

I emailed my coordinator and I have downloaded the packet for the Referral Conference Call but I am not quite sure that I will be able to make this conference call because I will be traveling home that day. One good thing that I can say about the packet of information is that I feel it is very informative and easy to read. The agency included a large glossary of Russian medical terms and how these terms translate to the American medical system.

So I am still in a bit of a holding pattern until next week.

He's a Busy Man

Have you noticed that the Saturday moring cartoons are different? This morning Gerard was looking for Saturday morning cartoons and the only thing that he found was Bob the Builder. So we watched for about 10 minutes and that is when I realized that this cartoon is like HGTV for kids. That is when I started to tease him because he hates that channel. But honestly he is always looking for a project.

So today was the first day this year that Gerard has gone under the house. Yes you heard me right. I never realized how often he is under the house until my friend Geralyn today me that she nor her husband had ever been under their house and they have lived there for almost 20 years. I would say he goes under the house at least 6 times a year.

In his defence he is an electrician and he installed a few outlets, our hot tub, and extra ceiling lights throughout our house. Then we had other issues with some standing water that he also fixed. Today I wanted a light in my pantry so that was the reason why once again I have shoved him under the house. Oh did I mention that he has waited until the ground is frozen to put in the outdoor lighting?

I guess we all have different ways of dealing with stress. Now he is busy looking for another house for us to fix up. What scares me is that he may find one that will take up quite a bit of my extra time. I think it would kill him if all the projects were done.