Dossier redo too!

And it just keeps getting better! Because of the delay until April-ish, I now have dossier docs that could expire before court as several are dated in May 2007. Only minor little things like my HOMESTUDY, post-placement commitment letter from the homestudy agency, etc. Oh yeah, and now have to get my passport renewed. GRRRR! Wouldn't be here if the homestudy agency hadn't dropped the ball last summer, so now I am just angry and scrambling all over again. Keep your fingers crossed that I can get all these docs updated/redone/apostilled and have my passport back in hand before that LOI shows up!

Can't say I'm not happy to have a new passport picture though. Literally blew into the FedEx Kinkos to have the picture taken yesterday, so hair was a mess and had just come from the dentist so had red marks around my mouth, but better than the one I've lived with for the last 10 years! ;)

Preparations

Now this is starting to feel real. Yikes! Much to do in the 2 months or so until I'm expected to travel. Everything from house projects to travel documents.

Guess I'd better get on those documents first! Actually have, but am running into issues with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation releasing MY background check to me. They are insisting on sending it to my homestudy agency where I will likely never see it again -- this I know from experience. What is it with that??! They are MY fingerprints, it is MY signed request, with MY address, and MY fedex return envelope! Sheesh. Will do battle next week.

Then there is the rest of it:

• Birth certificate (done!)
• HIV report (another blood test)
• Medical report and doctor's license (that will be fun -- 3 tries to get it right the first time around!)
• FBI clearance (have to get more sets of fingerprints first)
• Passport copies (HATE that picture!)
• Reference letters (one down, one to go)
• Powers of Attorney (expect the blank one to be a problem for the Secty of State...)

And of course everything has to be notarized and apostilled. Yep, better get on this stuff this week. Also need copies of dossier docs too. Ah, the paperchase continues.

What's next? Oh yeah, MONEY! Need to get the bank to start ordering the uncirculated bills I have to take with me. They've told me before it won't be a problem, but until I see it... Have to find the bucks to BUY those brand spankin' new bills too. Ugh.

Then there are the gifts for the caretakers and in-country staff, everything I need to travel (had started collecting stuff but for winter temps, now have to consider rainy, warmer weather), all the things I need to arrange/prepare for being gone for 5-6 weeks (petsitters, mail, bills, snow removal, etc.), the nursery (ways to go yet), etc. And those wise and wonderful parents that have gone before me all say get the "projects" done, go to lots of movies, do things with your friends, because life as you know it is coming to an end!

I need another 6 months. ;)

Nature's babies

I've gone to several local artist shows in the area in the past few months and found a couple of photos that I will likely use in my little boy's room. I greatly admire such talented and incredibly patient photographers!

While the moniker of "Foxy Mama" is reserved for Christy and her foxy baby girl, I absolutely love this picture! The love between a mother and child is so very universal despite the species.

My mother had a deep affection for goats. I'm not exactly sure where it came from, but she was very fond of the critters. Every time I see one, I think of her and sponsor one or two every year through the Best Friends animal sanctuary in Utah in her memory. It has been 3 years since she died and I miss her terribly. I'm sad my child will never know his grandma, but Grandma's little goats will be here to watch over him. They are pretty adorable!

Aqtobe it is.

Three weeks ago my agency told me that there wouldn't be any babies that meet my criteria available in Aqtobe until at least March or April, but that my options were still open since my dossier had not yet logged in in the region. So, for the last three weeks we have waited to see if another option (another region - Plan B) would present itself. It hasn't. So yesterday I told my agency to please get my dossier off to Aqtobe and I will continue with Plan A. Because Aqtobe is excruciatingly slow in issuing LOI's (8-10 weeks), the earliest I will be able to travel now is April.

While the wait will be bit longer, I am comfortable with going to Aqtobe after reading the daily accounts from Christy (another single Mom there now) and how well things have gone for her. I'm really impressed with what she reports from the babyhouse and the in-country staff and hope my trip will go as smoothly, albeit a bit warmer! Not such a bad thing!

Now, back to the long (and growing) list of to-do's before travel... probably need that extra time anyway!

Shout out to Sandi!

Congratulations to Sandi, another single mom-to-be who got her LOI this week! Off to Kaz she goes in early March to meet her daughter. I wish her all the best in her travels on what will undoubtedly be the most incredible journey of her life. That baby girl waiting for her Mommy to arrive is very lucky indeed!