More adoption news...

Ok, so apparently there is one department at the CCAA processing in a shall we say quick like fashion. The review room! The CCAA website was updated today, families with LID's through August 2006 have been reviewed.

What does this mean?

Well, when my dossier (documents) arrived in China last December where they were given the once over to ensure I qualify, entered into the computer system, and then placed on a shelf. After awhile they will be moved to the "review room" where the Chinese adoption officials review all the documents very carefully to ensure that I do in fact meet all the requirements, rules, etc. to be eligible for adoption. gulp!

If something comes up during review, questions are asked and then I'm not sure what happens....nor do I want to know as I am counting on the fact that my agency reviewed my dossier very carefully (in addition to my freaky compulsive checking) to ensure all of my documents were in order and correct. It's kind of like the last check to make sure everything is in order.

I will say it's a bit nerve racking, knowing that my documents are very close to being scrutinized one last time by the adoption officials....I trust my agency and I have complete faith that everything was dotted, crossed, and checked over many times, and that everything is in order. If not, I guess I find out soon enough!

Ok, so the CCAA just finished reviewing the August 06 dossiers, my paperwork was registered in December 06...so either my documents are almost there or they might be in the review room now. Who knows!! Kind of an exciting thought.

So, what happens after the review room? Well, my documents are placed on another shelf where they will remain until they are pulled again and moved to the matching room. Clearly they will be shelving it for awhile since the big ol' slow down of 06 backlog of paperwork seems to be happening somewhere between the review and matching room.

We'll see, only time will tell.

The tube

Scary Spice and Cheetah girl rocked it!

Oh yeah baby! Tomorrow is THE night!

I can't wait.

Moon Festival

What is the Chinese Moon Festival?

The Chinese Moon Festival, or sometimes called the Mid-Autumn Festival, takes place on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. The festival dates back to the Tang dynasty 618 A.D. and celebrates the biggest and brightest full moon of the year, the harvest moon.

As with many Chinese celebrations, there are ancient legends to explain the holiday. The Chinese were, and still are, an agricultural society. In ancient times, they planted and harvested by the lunar calendar, using the moon as an important time reference and guide.

One of the legends about the Moon Festival is about a builder or architect named Hou Yih. Hou Yih built a beautiful jade palace for the Goddess of the Western Heaven or sometimes called the Royal Mother. The Goddess was so happy that she gave Hou Yih a special pill that contained the magic elixir of immortality. But with it came the condition and warning that he may not use the pill until he had accomplished certain things.

Hou Yih had a beautiful wife named Chang-O. Chang-O was as curious as she was beautiful. One day she found the pill and without telling her husband, she swallowed it.

The Goddess of the Western Heaven was very angry and as a punishment, Chang-O was banished to the moon where, according to the legend, Chang-O can be seen at her most beautiful on the night of the bright harvest moon.

The Moon Festival is a big holiday with family reunions, moon gazing activities, and feasting on "moon cakes" which are round pastries filled with red bean paste, fruit or jam.

This year, to celebrate the moon festival, someone special and I are eating Chinese food tonight. Last year, I didn't do anything to celebrate as I was just learning about the holiday.

I like this festival, I like the legend, I like gazing at the moon and thinking about my daughter, and I even found a Asian market in North Idaho that sells moon cakes! Haven't tried them yet, but saw them last year when I was out shopping for Chinese New Year goodies.

When munchkin is home, we'll eat Chinese food, read a story from this book, taste moon cakes, and make our own version of round moon cakes (I hear the real things are a bit of an acquired taste). We will also join in on the local Moon Festival/Mid-Autumn Festival activities.

This and that

In bullets…cause that seems to be the trend and I like them!

• First up, the house. It is coming along rather nicely. The move in was a success! I’ve spent all my saved for the new house money and the “need to get list” is still crazy long. I have a feeling it will always be something or another…that’s the beauty of being a homeowner right? I know I still need to post pics. My brother has been giving me the what for over and over and have I posted any? Nope not yet, soon though. I promise.
  

• I’m teaching again this semester (one class), taking two graduate school classes, and working my regular full-time job. Trust me, do I like doing this to myself…no way. I’m just doing what I’ve got to do in order to reach my goal of becoming a full-time faculty ASAP. Here’s why it is the way it is....my regular full-time job pays the bills, I won’t be considered “qualified” for a full-time teaching position until I finish my graduate studies, so I’m busting ass to get that done and over with asap - hence the two grad classes per semester and one each summer. I can now say my foot is firmly planted in the door on the instruction side of things as I taught my first college level classes last semester, was asked to teach again this semester, and I have just agreed to teach two classes next semester. Again, gaining additional teaching experience and keeping my foot in the door for when the full-time position opens up. So, there ya have it. No wonder my personal life has gone to shit the past couple of years. I can barely keep up with the above and my relationships with my friends and family have suffered. Not to mention my waistline….yikes.
  

• I’m still plugging away at weight watchers. I’ll let you know when I hit the first 10 pound mark.

• I’m still feeling really uneasy about the adoption. Is the wait going to be 4 years next month? 5 years the next? Since I started this process it has continued to increase each and every month. I keep saying, I’ll wait another 6 months and hopefully the wait will have stabilized by then. How many times am I going to say that? I’m seriously entertaining the thought of asking my Christian agency a question, but I am too scared. I’m too scared to even write it here. Maybe I’ll wait another 6 months and then ask.
  

• Yesterday, I volunteered to watch my 7 month old nephew while his mom and dad painted their living room. So much fun! He is such a cutie. I didn’t take any photos. Bad aunt.

• Race for the Cure is this coming weekend. I'm not racing, I'm walking with my sister and her stroller on one side and my friend from work on the other side. After, we are all meeting up for brunch at my friend Ana's house. Should be fun. I hope it doesn't rain!

• My friend Shelby and I are planning a quick trip to Seattle the first weekend in October. New house = necessary trip to IKEA.

• I'm out of stuff to write about, why? I have nothing else going on. My life is boring, with a capital B, see bullet 2 to re-visit the reasons why. :-)

See you soon w/ pics of the house!

The wait.

In an update to families sent yesterday, my agency stated the following:

Adoption Timing: I’d like to report that the wait time for healthy children is going to come down, but at this report, I can not report this. When at CCAA, I wanted to verify what they could foresee. The news was not at all what I or you want to hear. CCAA is now stating that they expect the wait to go to approximately 3 years. I think that this last year, with the number of log-in dates being matched going down to a few days at a time, demonstrated this.

I am really beginning to wonder if there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

I'm sad now.

Adopty news...nothing big tho

I had a reason to call my agency and home study social worker this morning. My fingerprints expire on November 30, so I needed to figure out what to do. I found out that I need to make a copy of my old stuff and mail a check :-) then I'll get an appointment to have my fingerprints done again (like they have changed in 12 months...). Also, my I-600/I171H paperwork expires in April 12th, so I'll be scheduling a home study update early February.

Hmmm, not as exciting as the first time round now is it....

"So, what's going on with the adoption?"

And so it begins...

School has started, campus is buzzing with new students, returning faculty, committee meetings, and the one time per year fundraising event planning has begun.

I am meeting with people that I haven't been around in quite awhile and I am being reminded of the fact that I told EVERYONE about my adoption. Why? Well, because last year at this time I was knee deep in adoption paperwork and pretty darn excited about becoming a mom. It still is exciting, but with the ever increasing wait...well, I've kinda just tried to ignore it as it makes me depressed. I don't really know what to say to folks who are now genuinely interested in what is going on....

Every meeting so far, at least 5 that I can think of in the last two days, ends with this conversation:

Them: "So, what's going on with the adoption? When are you going to get her?"

Me: "Well, things have been delayed"

Them: With a look of shock and horror, which instantly makes me feel defensive and reminds me of the time when my aunt told me my grandma thinks this adoption is just a scam..."why have things been delayed?"

Me: "Well, I don't really know. It's hard to explain" and then I try to launch into some sort of an explanation...which is really no simple task as no one really knows what the heck is going on and why things have slowed to practically a HALT.

I always end the conversation with..."don't worry, it is still happening, the process has just been delayed, at this point no news is good news...blah blah blah" and then I usually LIE and say "I was hoping to have her home by Christmas, but now it's looking more like Spring/Summer ish"...sigh...yeah right, I'll be damn lucky if it's by next Christmas, but who's keeping track? I digress...

So, the last conversation I had like this was this morning and I totally blamed the wait on the Olympics this time. It seemed to work as far as giving them something tangible to blame it on. Anyone else facing this issue? I am trying to stay upbeat and positive, but sheesh...I don't know what to say to explain the ever increasing wait!

I'm sick of it.

I'm addicted!

9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

H20

How many oz. of water did you drink today?

I drank enough to feel as if I am floating (102 oz. thank you very much) AND I've been to the potty at least 7 times today.

In summary, I'm back on




again

We remember

My heart is heavy today. My thoughts are with those who lost loved ones on this day 6 years ago.

Internet Issues

My internet was hooked up late last week, but it isn't working right. I'll get it figured out soon enough. I'll also charge the camera batteries, snap some photos of the new house, and post!

Things are coming along!

Be back soon....

:-)

When?

I needed to plot and plan work dates on the calendar this morning, so of course I decided to estimate my referral/travel dates.

I hear we are at a 22+ month wait right now. So, if that's the case (and it'll probably change next month anyway) I will get my referral October 2008 and estimate travelling in December 2008.

I can deal with that. I will deal with that. Give me 7 or 8 more months and I might actually believe this is really going to happen and re-visit decorating the nursery. ;-)

Thunk!

Oh sorry, don't worry bout' me...I just had to pick myself up off the floor after seeing the latest referral news (5 days late I know, but hey! I've been busy moving..). Congrats to all the new families!

However,

4 days, 4 days, four daaaayyyys.

I

just

want

to

cry

See ya.