It's time.

When I started the paperwork process (last July), I put a reminder in my calendar to make the first appointment for my shots needed for travel to China. The reminder popped up this morning and so I reluctantly made the appointment. On the agenda...Hep A&B, typhoid, and making sure my MMR and tetanus are up to date.

Wooooeeeeee is this fun or what? Good thing I'm not scerrrrrred of needles!

A handy tip...learned the hard way

At some point you might find yourself standing in the laundry room, looking into the dryer and see this



Then you swear and wonder how on earth you could be so stupid and not check your pockets for sticks of gum BEFORE you washed your clothes. Then you look again and wonder how in the hell you are ever going to be able to dry anything without getting gum all over and wonder what on earth is going to clean it because you know you can not clean the dryer with your everyday average cleaning products (including goo gone) because they are ALL flammable and one shouldn’t put flammable anything into a dryer.

You also think…I thought this type of stuff only happens when you have kids.

So, you ponder and decide to jump on-line and figure it out.

Ask.com offers up this suggestion: To remove gum from the drum of a dryer, wet a dryer sheet and wipe off.

Hmmmm, a dryer sheet? You are skeptical, but you give it a try.

Sure enough…VOILA!



So, the next time you find yourself faced with a dryer drum full of sticky gum. Grab some dryer sheets, a bucket of hot water, a little elbow grease, and you’ll be gum free in no time.

Who knew?

Due today!

Any moment now...I'll be an auntie again! :-)


 

Timber

Quit working so much and play with me!

Better...

So, I moan and groan in the last post.

Even though the wait is horrid, deep down I am truely thankful that I have the opportunity to adopt at all. I know there are so many couples and singles who will be shut out of this program in May. The up side of this long wait is that I will have a chance to complete my graduate studies. Something I'm not sure I would be able to do as a single parent.

Anyhoo, that's it for now. It's back to the grind...event day is T minus 3 and counting!

Sweet and gentle.....

The reality of this stinking wait is starting to settle in. Why is it that every damn month the wait keeps getting longer and LONGER. Are we really at a 18-20 month wait from LID to referral?

I hate this time of the month, the time when rumors start flying and we all sit on pins and needles waiting to see how many babes were matched with new families...only to have you know who never update their website and we sit and wait and wonder and wait and wonder and get excited and then are let down...over and over and over.

It sucks.

I survived **updated**

I survived my first night of teaching.

Whew...

**update**

So, I finally have a moment…just a moment to catch my breath.

My one and only yearly fundraising event, which I am responsible for at work, is next Saturday. So until then it’s non-stop for me...I’m in “event mode” if you will.

Do I fell like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew lately? Yes, but what’s new. I do this all the time and I have no idea why I do this to myself.

How on earth did I get to this point?

Well, I work full-time…like most everyone else.

Then, I decided that since I worked at a college and could obtain my Master’s degree for cheap cheap cheap I thought I’d be a fool not to. So, I start working Master’s in Education, majoring in Professional-Technical/Technology Education (PTTE).

Then, I met with the PTTE division chair to make sure that I am on the right track with my graduate studies and while we are visiting she tells me that I should teach a class and to let her know when I was ready. Gulp. Ok.

Well, I didn’t feel exactly ready, but thought I would give it a whirl anyway…I mean, I thought I’d better figure out if I even like teaching before I get too far into my master’s program.

So, I applied as a part-time instructor and the next thing I know I’m being offered the chance to teach not one but two classes this semester. Now granted, I accepted a part-time position as an instructor with the idea that I was “getting my foot in the door” with the hopes that sometime soon after the baby comes a full-time faculty position will open up and I might, just might, have a chance of being hired. I only wanted to teach one course this semester, but my division chair asked if I could teach two and did I have the guts to say no? hell no! I didn’t want her to think I wasn’t flexible and couldn’t handle it…remember the goal here is to become full-time faculty.

So, here I am teaching Intro to Computers on Tuesday nights and Intro to Entrepreneurship on Monday nights, working full-time and going to school part-time. It makes me tired just writing it. I’m not complaining…just feeling overwhelmed and can’t wait until this damn event is over so that I only have to worry about prepping for my classes!!

p.s. I figured out last night why I want to become a teacher when I know I won’t be paid squat….first, I know that I will make a difference in the life of a student this semester. After meeting 14 of them last night, I know it in my heart. Two, you can’t beat the work schedule as a single mom to be!!

Finally. I feel like my life has a purpose.

This post brought to you by the number ONE!

I just noticed that I missed my one month LID anniversary!! I have to say, this past month flew by. Let's hope the rest do too!

The lack of posts

Yep, I know. I'm behind in blogging, commenting, my yahoo groups...you name it, I’m behind.

I don’t know what’s going on with my blog and I. Life is busy for me right now, yet I still find myself finding some time here and there to draft posts, but then I re-read them, think they sound stupid, and then delete. I’m feeling really self conscious about what I write…

Why did I start this blog in the first place? Well, at first I started it as a way for friends and family to follow along on my adoption journey. I also wanted to be able to look back and know what I did during this time, so that I could share it with my daughter. Then, I started to “meet” other adoptive families through the adoptive community/blog world…and I felt my writing begin to change. I was no longer writing with the idea of updating friends and family only, I was writing with other adoptive families in mind - - writing to them in a way. Besides, my bloggy friends are the only ones who comment anymore…so it’s easy to forget that there are friends and family who still read this as well as a BUNCH of lurkers!

I think what it boils down to is the fact that I’ve found a community going through the same thing that I am and I want to share my experiences, because they understand. I want to learn from them as well. No matter what I do or how much I try to educate my friends and family…they will never understand like other adoptive families do. Sounds a bit harsh for friends and family, but it’s true…

Yet, there are some things that are very private and personal and I’m not sure I want the entire world to have access to my most inner thoughts and feelings, so I struggle with how much I should write. At the same time, it’s my only connection with others going through this.

I think for now, I will just continue to write from my heart and leave it at that. Yes, I’m sure there are things that I will write about that my friends and family will not understand nor approve of. Please know that I am never trying to purposely offend anyone, but this is my outlet (and it includes swearing…because yes, in real life I have a potty mouth. There, I said it).

I think what I am trying to say (and get over my writing block) is that I’m just going to be myself and quit worrying about who is reading this. If you want to stay with me and follow along great! If not, no worries.

Now, I’m going to hurry up and post this before I delete the whole thing!!

p.s. I’m disappointed in CNN and PZ..you have got to be kidding me on that one!! I was furious after watching the first show. I used to trust and watch CNN faithfully, now I don’t. Guess I’ll go back to reading BBC for news on the internet.

Back to the grind

Awww, I hate going back to work after a vaca...nothing fun about it at all.

While I was putting munchkin's xmas presents away in her room yesterday, I kept thinking...gosh, all these presents for my baby MY BABY MY BABY. I can't believe I get to be someone's mom...finally. I've waited a long time and I will continue to wait....but DAMN don't ya wish we just rang in 2008?? I do...

I find myself saying over and over at the most random times...this time next year....followed by...I'll be so much closer....

Just think. Only two more visits to the dentist and I'll be a mom.

Happy New Year!

Hi, remember me?

Well, Happy New Year everyone!! I have been neglecting the blog a bit…something about just NOT wanting to spend my vacation in front of the computer. I get enough of that during the work week ya know!

Let’s see, Christmas was absolutely wonderful. I had a great trip to Boston visiting Dustin and Ryan. As you can see in the slide show…they seriously spoiled the babe and I! My family and friends did so on the home front as well. Lots and lots of fun presents…

A few highlights include this uber cool adoption reference book, from my good friend Shelby, thank you Shelby!!!!

It’s like the "what to expect when your expecting" for adoption. So VERY cool. I highly recommend it. I also know that my agency is now requiring all adoptive parents to purchase and read this book. It seems to be more of a reference type book, no need to sit down and read the whole thing through cover to cover (although, I did).

And this…from my Dad

WOW.

I'm still trying to figure it out, but you can be sure that there will be practice videos up in preparation for the big day...you know, the one where I get my babe.

I rang in the New Year with someone special, it was a pretty low key evening…not much else to do up here in the sticks if you know what I mean. Besides, I can’t seem to recover from hangovers like I used to (it must be my OLD AGE) and I didn’t feel like nursing one yesterday. So, low key it was and it was N.I.C.E.

So, Happy New Year to all! Here’s to 2007!!

Here's what's keeping me busy during my first month of the wait...

• I’m hosting my sister’s baby shower this coming weekend
  
• Prepping and planning for the two classes I begin teaching exactly 2 weeks from today…
  
• Work is B.U.S.Y - - major major project due at the end of the month. If I can just get through this month…things will be better!
  
• My next two grad classes start up sometime this month too...suppose I better figure out when sooner rather than later.
  
• My sister is having her first baby, so I’ll be an auntie again sometime in the next few weeks!!

I also want to shout out a very big congratulations to Heather, who is LID as of 12/29/06!! Now we wait girlfriend, but man, doesn’t it feel good to be able to say LID 12/29/06!!