Worst blogger ever

One would think that I would post on my blog more than two times before I got slack about it. . . .but one would be underestimating my laziness. In my defense, it is holiday season and I have been a bit busy!

On the adoption front, we were approved by our homestudy and are waiting for the report to come in the mail for us to proof. The homestudy was not bad at all. It was very entertaining for me to watch Chris during the process. Who knew he could talk so much! Of course, she was asking him to talk about himself! :)

We are also waiting on the appt to be fingerprinted in Charlotte. I really wish they would hurry up b/c we can't proceed until we get that done. I know, sis. I should have sent in the form earlier.

Chris and I are working on our adoption education requirements. I started reading a book entitled "20 things adopted kids wish their adoptive parents knew." I'll report back on that one. . .

On other topics, I am soooo ready for Christmas vacation. I am done with my Christmas shopping. Everything is wrapped. Christmas menu is planned. House is decorated (although just a scaled down, "nomal" amount of decorating). Bring in on! My family is coming here for Christmas and then we will go over to Chris' parents house after they leave. I am really excited for all of the kids to open their gifts. As always, I went a little overboard, but everything is just so darn cute!

Apparently my mom has a gift for Caroline. I wondering if she realizes that Caroline probably has not even been born. Heck, she probably hasn't even been conceived. I think she just wants to be able to say that she gave Callie the first gift!:)

Oh and by the way, I decided against sending out Christmas cards. I love all of your cards with all of your adorable children, and when I have a child, I will send out an equally cute card. Till then, don't be insulted because no one got a card! Just know that we love you all even though we are slackers and we hope you have an awesome holiday!

And finally, as promised (and to get Pete off my back), the pic of the pergola

On the fast track

So we got an email from our adoption agency explaining some of the problems that have arisen in Vietnam lately, and letting us know that there is a possibility that because of these problems Vietnam will close in June. Vietnam closing in June will not affect anyone who already has a referral. So now it seems that I am on the adoption fast track. They called that day and said let's go ahead and start your homestudy (even though you are short one reference), and another person from the agency told me that we may very well be able to match me with a child by June (a referral in five months!. . . since when?). I thought about switching agencies, switching countries, but my sis has convinced me to hold tight for now. She says there is ALWAYS a chance that a county will shut down, and it matters most that you have a good agency (which I think I do). We were assigned a social worker day before yesterday, and the homestudy should be complete by the end of Jan. During that time, Chris and I have to fulfill our adoption education requirements, so I am in the process of trying to find some classes, books, etc that interest us.

Hubby's main concern about the fast track is that we will have to come up with all that money much more quickly. It stresses me out a bit too, but what can you do? We will probably end up with some debt, but I don't see any other option.

As for my furry baby, she seems to be better. She went right back to feeling rotten after I stopped the steroid pills. Then we had a few warm days where we did not have to run the heat, and wala! she was all better. Now the heat has come back on, but doesn't seem to be bothering her this time (knock on wood). And Sydney and I are both happy to report that she has finished all her medicine, so no more giving her pills twice a day (yeah!).

The pergola is up and looks awesome. I really will take a picture soon. . . I promise. Just not now because it is Sat. morning and it is 40 degrees outside. Brrrrr!

Well, that's about all that is going on around here. I'll keep you posted!

Everyone else is doing it

So it seems like everyone has a blog these days. I guess if we are going to do something as momentous as adopting from Vietnam, I should probably record the journey for family and friends. It also might be fun to show this to Caroline one day (yes, that's the name we are leaning towards. . . the actual first/middle combination is up in the air, but Caroline will be what we will call her).

At this point, we are at a standstill in the adoption process. Adoption application is in. The I600A is in (immigration paperwork). We are just waiting on a reference (no pressure Eileen):) and then we can start the homestudy process.

Not so sure how I feel about starting that process. It's a little weird to think that someone is going to come into our home, ask us lots of questions, snoop around, and decide if we are "fit" to be parents. That last part really annoys my DH. We both work with TONS of parents who probably were not "fit" to procreate, or at least to be parents. . .yet they did not have to prove their qualifications. Anyone seen "Idiocracy". . .you should check it out. Not a good movie at all, but definitely in line with one of my premises about life and procreation.

On other topics, my friend Pete is in the process of building us a pergola on the deck. It is going to look really cool if the beginning of the project is any indication (Pete. . . I'll let you post a link with all the wonderful details about the project that make me glaze over with boredom. I'm sure our readers would show more interest than Chris and I). I'll post pics when he finishes (if I can figure out how).

Sydney has allergies. That's right, my cat has allergies. Apparently she is allergic to something that appears in fall just like her mama. She is loving me about right now since she gets two pills and eye ointment twice a day. Oh yeah, and I have to wash her face with acne pads. My cat has acne. . . really. And if you think human acne is bad, you should see cat acne. My once social cat has taken to living under the bed trying to escape her a.m and p.m. torture. I've been home for two hours and have not seen her yet. Poor baby.

I won't get into my week at work. That would definitely make for an installment of Debbie Downer (no offense Deb. . . it's just a saying!) :) Let's just say that this was one of those weeks that I bounce between feeling "wow, I am really making a difference" and "wow, what was I thinking when I decided to do this?!"

Well, there you go. That's my first blog entry. Not near as entertaining as my dear friend Shanna's, but you have to cut me a little slack as I was not an English major. I'll put a link to her blog so when you get bored with mine. . . :)

Time for a glass of vino and some relaxing by the fire. Love gas logs. . . just flip the switch and wala!