I'm finding that part of my process in awaiting my child is to read a ton of books and hang on every word from every PAP and AP and parent that has gone before me, absorbing their words of wisdom and sage advice and helpful tidbits so I will be chock-full of knowledge, PREPARED to be the stellar parent. How can you go wrong with so much experience to lead the way?! ;) This article says it all.
By Anna Quindlen, Newsweek Columnist & Author
All my babies are gone now. I say this not in sorrow but in disbelief. I take great satisfaction in what I have today: three almost-adults, two taller than I am, one closing in fast. Three people who read the same books I do and have learned not to be afraid of disagreeing with me in their opinion of them, who sometimes tell vulgar jokes that make me laugh until I choke and cry, who need razor blades and shower gel and privacy, who want to keep their doors closed more than I like. Who, miraculously, go to the bathroom, zip up their jackets and move food from plate to mouth all by themselves. Like the trick soap I bought for the bathroom with a rubber ducky at its center, the baby is buried deep within each, barely discernible except through the unreliable haze of the past.
Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach., T. Berry Brazelton., Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are, they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories. What those books taught me, finally, and what the women on the playground taught me, and the well-meaning relations -- what they taught me, was that they couldn't really teach me very much at all. Raising children is presented at first as a true-false test, then becomes multiple choice, until finally, far along, you realize that it is an endless essay. No one knows anything. One child responds well to positive reinforcement, another can be managed only with a stern voice and a timeout. One child is toilet trained at 3, his sibling at 2. When my first child was born, parents were told to put baby to bed on his belly so that he would not choke on his own spit-up. By the time my last arrived, babies were put down on their backs because of research on sudden infant death syndrome. To a new parent this ever-shifting certainty is terrifying, and then soothing. Eventually you must learn to trust yourself. Eventually the research will follow. I remember 15 years ago poring over one of Dr.Brazelton's wonderful books on child development, in which he describes three different sorts of infants: average, quiet, and active. I was looking for a sub-quiet codicil for an 18-month old who did not walk. Was there something wrong with his fat little legs? Was there something wrong with his tiny little mind? Was he developmentally delayed, physically challenged? Was I insane? Lastyear he went to China. Next year he goes to college. He can talk just fine. He can walk, too.
Every part of raising children is humbling, too. Believe me, mistakes were made. They have all been enshrined in the 'Remember-When- Mom-Did ' Hall of Fame. The outbursts, the temper tantrums, the bad language, mine, not theirs. The times the baby fell off the bed. The times I arrived late for preschool pickup. The nightmare sleepover. The horrible summer camp. The day when the youngest came barreling out of the classroom with a 98 on her geography test, and I responded, 'What did you get wrong?'. (She insisted I include that.) The time I ordered food at the McDonald's drive-through speaker and then drove away without picking it up from the window. (They all insisted I include that.) I did not allow them to watch the Simpsons for the first two seasons. What was I thinking?
But the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them, sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4 and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night.I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.
Even today I'm not sure what worked and what didn't, what was me and what was simply life. When they were very small, I suppose I thought someday they would become who they were because of what I'd done. Now I suspect they simply grew into their true selves because they demanded in a thousand ways that I back off and let them be. The books said to be relaxed and I was often tense, matter-of-fact and I was sometimes over the top. And look how it all turned out. I wound up with the three people I like best in the world who have done more than anyone to excavate my essential humanity. That's what the books never told me. I was bound and determined to learn from the experts. It just took me a while to figure out who the experts were.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Thinking of having kids?
A wise and experienced Mom of two boys (2 yrs and 9 mos) sent this to me. Funny, but I suspect all too true!
Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 15 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breast-feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
6. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel..
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM,put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive) Repeat steps 1-9 each night.Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle.
3. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Lesson 7
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 8
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.
Lesson 9
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than)five times.
Lesson 10
Go to the local grocery store.
1. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat.
2. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight.
3. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 11
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 12
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 13
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.
Lesson 14
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 15
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!
Thinking of Having Kids?
Do this 15 step program first!
Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.
Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breast-feeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
6. Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.
Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel..
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM,put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive) Repeat steps 1-9 each night.Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.
Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?
Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this - all morning.
Lesson 6
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle.
3. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Lesson 7
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.
Lesson 8
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house.
You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.
Lesson 9
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than)five times.
Lesson 10
Go to the local grocery store.
1. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a preschool child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat.
2. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight.
3. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.
Lesson 11
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine-month-old baby.
Lesson 12
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street, Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.
Lesson 13
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.
Lesson 14
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.
Lesson 15
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.
This is all very tongue in cheek; anyone who is parent will say 'it's all worth it!' Remember, a sense of humor is one of the most important things you'll need when you become a parent!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Trials and Tribulations
Stressful week, this one has been, and seems to be a current rippling through the Kaz adoption community.
Started with several posts on the large Kaz adopt Yahoo Group about the new “family code” bill that has been introduced into the Kaz legislature. This bill addresses many things, but includes new “rules” for who will be allowed to adopt Kaz orphans. It definitely limits the age of prospective parents to under 50, and depending on the interpretation, one thing it could also do is exclude singles from adopting. This is the part the scares me. No one expected the bill to make any ground until at least November (similar bills have been introduced before but have gone nowhere), but suddenly it seems they may act on it sooner – someone speculated within the next couple of months. You would think there would be a “grandfather” provision for those of us in process, but one family was recently rejected due to age and their dossier was in Kaz at the MOE, which is the last leg of the journey before the LOI is issued. So, putting two and two together and coming up with 5, I’m stressing over whether the law will pass sooner than later, and/or they will reject my dossier even though the law has not yet passed! Deep breaths.
Then to make matters worse, keep hearing about families experiencing much longer processing times for everything in Kaz, which means longer stays in country, which means higher costs. Add that to the fact that travel to Kaz in summer is much higher than any other time of the year, AND my agency increased its in-country expenses rather significantly just yesterday. I’m really wondering where the money is going to come from and if I can afford to do this!
Then I went through my documents. If I don’t travel until June, I’ll have many to redo I think. Again. For the second, third, or fourth time. More time, more money (FedEx loves me) and more anguish. I already know my doctor will NOT do my medicals one more time. Had my first “time to throw in the towel” episode/tantrum/wallow yesterday. Wasn’t pleasant.
The Kaz process has changed pretty dramatically since I started over a year ago. If I were starting now, I probably wouldn’t. At least not in Kaz. This is part of the changing international adoption scene and risk that you are warned about. And the emotional rollercoaster that you have to be prepared to endure. No one said it would be easy. You think you are prepared, but then a week (month) like this one comes along and you have to wonder. Seems many of us are right here right now – sort of a group freak-out. I’m hoping there is safety and sanity in numbers, rather than the lemming effect! I refuse to let all of this get the better of me – it (whatever “it” is today) is NOT going to win. I want to be a Mom, I want a child to love, and to give a child a forever home. I want a family! I will persevere! ;) Those many old proverbs about the best things coming to those who wait, or the things worth having being the hardest to get, or what doesn’t kill us, will make us stronger – ya’ll know what I mean. To all of us: hang in there, it will all be so incredibly worth it in the end!
Started with several posts on the large Kaz adopt Yahoo Group about the new “family code” bill that has been introduced into the Kaz legislature. This bill addresses many things, but includes new “rules” for who will be allowed to adopt Kaz orphans. It definitely limits the age of prospective parents to under 50, and depending on the interpretation, one thing it could also do is exclude singles from adopting. This is the part the scares me. No one expected the bill to make any ground until at least November (similar bills have been introduced before but have gone nowhere), but suddenly it seems they may act on it sooner – someone speculated within the next couple of months. You would think there would be a “grandfather” provision for those of us in process, but one family was recently rejected due to age and their dossier was in Kaz at the MOE, which is the last leg of the journey before the LOI is issued. So, putting two and two together and coming up with 5, I’m stressing over whether the law will pass sooner than later, and/or they will reject my dossier even though the law has not yet passed! Deep breaths.
Then to make matters worse, keep hearing about families experiencing much longer processing times for everything in Kaz, which means longer stays in country, which means higher costs. Add that to the fact that travel to Kaz in summer is much higher than any other time of the year, AND my agency increased its in-country expenses rather significantly just yesterday. I’m really wondering where the money is going to come from and if I can afford to do this!
Then I went through my documents. If I don’t travel until June, I’ll have many to redo I think. Again. For the second, third, or fourth time. More time, more money (FedEx loves me) and more anguish. I already know my doctor will NOT do my medicals one more time. Had my first “time to throw in the towel” episode/tantrum/wallow yesterday. Wasn’t pleasant.
The Kaz process has changed pretty dramatically since I started over a year ago. If I were starting now, I probably wouldn’t. At least not in Kaz. This is part of the changing international adoption scene and risk that you are warned about. And the emotional rollercoaster that you have to be prepared to endure. No one said it would be easy. You think you are prepared, but then a week (month) like this one comes along and you have to wonder. Seems many of us are right here right now – sort of a group freak-out. I’m hoping there is safety and sanity in numbers, rather than the lemming effect! I refuse to let all of this get the better of me – it (whatever “it” is today) is NOT going to win. I want to be a Mom, I want a child to love, and to give a child a forever home. I want a family! I will persevere! ;) Those many old proverbs about the best things coming to those who wait, or the things worth having being the hardest to get, or what doesn’t kill us, will make us stronger – ya’ll know what I mean. To all of us: hang in there, it will all be so incredibly worth it in the end!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Home for awhile longer
Looks like I won't be going to Kaz this month as hoped. My LOI was ready, but my child apparently is not.
My agency told me earlier this month that only children over a certain age were available. While still inside my "approved" age range of up to 2 years, my preference has been "young as possible" and my heart has been set on a child that is still more "baby" than toddler. So after several days of soul-searching and agonizing, I have decided to wait until younger kids are off the registry. At this point, it will likely be this summer. Maybe, but no one knows yet, and since I'm traveling blind, I may be faced with the same situation then. I'll cross that bridge....
The other worrisome issues that now arise are the expiration of some of my paperwork, the most important of which will be my USCIS fingerprints. I've already had to do most of my dossier over again, but more delays will likely mean the parts I didn't already redo, and probably all of my travel documents, will need to be redone.
And then there is the increased expense of traveling in summer. Airfare seems to double. And, of course, I had already bought a ton of winter clothes/paraphernalia to take, was also set for spring (layers), but have nothing for Kaz summers, which I hear are unbearably hot (A/C is nearly unheard of) and the accompanying swarms of mosquitoes. Sigh. I don't do well in heat. Bright side? I don't eat much, so maybe I'll drop some poundage!
Believe it or not, I really am trying to be positive about this! Just a little sad, frustrated, and discouraged. I am trying to view this as additional time to get myself, home, baby room, work, daycare, yard, etc. in better shape before KB (Kaz boy) comes home. When I started on this journey over 2.5 years ago (don't panic -- I only submitted my contracts just a bit over a year ago!), my goal was to have little KB home before I turned a certain mid-40's age. Well, that has come and gone and the next birthday will arrive next month. They better be right about kids keeping you young! ;)
My agency told me earlier this month that only children over a certain age were available. While still inside my "approved" age range of up to 2 years, my preference has been "young as possible" and my heart has been set on a child that is still more "baby" than toddler. So after several days of soul-searching and agonizing, I have decided to wait until younger kids are off the registry. At this point, it will likely be this summer. Maybe, but no one knows yet, and since I'm traveling blind, I may be faced with the same situation then. I'll cross that bridge....
The other worrisome issues that now arise are the expiration of some of my paperwork, the most important of which will be my USCIS fingerprints. I've already had to do most of my dossier over again, but more delays will likely mean the parts I didn't already redo, and probably all of my travel documents, will need to be redone.
And then there is the increased expense of traveling in summer. Airfare seems to double. And, of course, I had already bought a ton of winter clothes/paraphernalia to take, was also set for spring (layers), but have nothing for Kaz summers, which I hear are unbearably hot (A/C is nearly unheard of) and the accompanying swarms of mosquitoes. Sigh. I don't do well in heat. Bright side? I don't eat much, so maybe I'll drop some poundage!
Believe it or not, I really am trying to be positive about this! Just a little sad, frustrated, and discouraged. I am trying to view this as additional time to get myself, home, baby room, work, daycare, yard, etc. in better shape before KB (Kaz boy) comes home. When I started on this journey over 2.5 years ago (don't panic -- I only submitted my contracts just a bit over a year ago!), my goal was to have little KB home before I turned a certain mid-40's age. Well, that has come and gone and the next birthday will arrive next month. They better be right about kids keeping you young! ;)
Friday, April 11, 2008
Only as old as you feel
Decided tonight that I had better pull the stroller out of the box and put it together to make sure all the parts and pieces were there and it worked before it was too late to return it.Got everything out of the box and started to assemble. Wasn't long before I realized I needed to turn on every lamp in the room, was required to resort to the reading glasses so I could read the damn instructions, and then had to switch between glasses in order to see to put the parts together. The old lady putting together the baby stroller. OMG, what a(nother) rude reminder! Finally had to pour myself a glass of wine to cheer myself up. ;)
Thursday, April 10, 2008
I've been tagged!
I got tagged by a friend today. Too much fun not to post it.
Some things you might not know about me:
Some things you might not know about me:
A) Four Employers: National Semiconductor, Digital Equipment Corporation, DiviCom, A&W (yep, I was a carhop)
B) Four People who e-mail me: Ken, Deb, Dan (only people with 3 letters in their name?!), Heather
C) Four of my favorite foods: vanilla fudge, really good lasagna, roasted whole crab with a big vat of butter, wine (YES, it IS a food!)
D) Four places I would rather be right now: KAZAKHSTAN!!!!, Surfrider Resort at Fogarty Creek on the beautiful Oregon coast, at a "Staff Meeting" with my friends in California, KAZAKHSTAN!!!!
E) Four people I think will respond: Elaine, Anna, Ken, Bev
F) Four places I have lived: Eugene, OR; Los Gatos, CA; Castle Rock, CO; Las Vegas, NV
G) Four TV Shows I Watch: Eli Stone, Supernatural, Grey's Anatomy, Extreme Home Makeover (and yell at Ty every time, which IS every time, they put WHITE sofas in a house full of kids!)
H) Four Favorite Stores : Home Depot/Lowe's (indistinguishable), Ben Lomond Super (whimper), Babies R'Us, Orchard Supply Hardware (my all time favorite that I miss so much!!!)
Thursday, April 3, 2008
It's April Already!
How did that happen?! It was just Christmas. I'm sure of it. The outdoor decorations have made it to the basement, but still haven't all been put away. But it is surely spring in Colorado -- it is snowing on my daffodils.
Document update: My doctor did redo the documents, but I had to take my own notary (since hers was the problem) and wait for an appointment. I wasn't happy, but it is now done and the apostilles came back yesterday. Woo-hoo! Now I'm only missing 2 documents that have been in Sacramento for nearly 3 weeks awaiting an apostille -- I hope to see those yet this week. Then my paperwork is ready to go!
I've been busy collecting (aka buying) stuff -- everything from oatmeal packets to a laptop backpack -- and piling it in my guest room. Got the big suitcase out (why oh why did I get rid of the perfect lighter one when I moved??!) and bought a 20" rolling carryon that will still probably have to be checked from Almaty to Aqtobe. I look at them, along with the backpack and groan. I don't want to be handling all that luggage, even on the first trip! Need to do a trial run and see what I can eliminate. With every day that passes I seem to be adding, rather than substracting from that pile.
Still waiting on the LOI and to find out if kids will be available so I can travel this month....
Document update: My doctor did redo the documents, but I had to take my own notary (since hers was the problem) and wait for an appointment. I wasn't happy, but it is now done and the apostilles came back yesterday. Woo-hoo! Now I'm only missing 2 documents that have been in Sacramento for nearly 3 weeks awaiting an apostille -- I hope to see those yet this week. Then my paperwork is ready to go!
I've been busy collecting (aka buying) stuff -- everything from oatmeal packets to a laptop backpack -- and piling it in my guest room. Got the big suitcase out (why oh why did I get rid of the perfect lighter one when I moved??!) and bought a 20" rolling carryon that will still probably have to be checked from Almaty to Aqtobe. I look at them, along with the backpack and groan. I don't want to be handling all that luggage, even on the first trip! Need to do a trial run and see what I can eliminate. With every day that passes I seem to be adding, rather than substracting from that pile.
Still waiting on the LOI and to find out if kids will be available so I can travel this month....
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