Oh I'm so excited, in the wee hours of the morning, hubby and I will be catching a cab so we can get to our departure point to be on our way to Italy. We are taking a 6 day tour all around Italy, I'd prefer not to say exactly where until after the fact.
Today has been filled with trying on clothes, making sure I liked what I was packing was huge, it took 2 hours! I finally finished that, just in time to chat with my sister. It was a brief chat today as I had to continue packing all the other necessities, I'm still not done by the way.
So I've also been feeling really bad because I haven't been having time to chat with my other sister. It saddens me, and I hope she don't think I'm mad at her. I've just been super busy and we seem to never be on at the same time anymore. Hopefully when I get back from the trip, things will be calmer and I can have a nice chat with her also :). I also want to catch up with my friend in Boston, we seem to have a lot to talk about lately, but like everyone else, she's been pushed to the side. Oh the guilt I'm feeling for neglecting friends and family.
Adoption info: well I ordered our ND child abuse clearances, for some reason I forgot. I think I was thinking because BCS had them, AA could get them from them. But with the whole situation that happened a few weeks ago, I decided I better order them an official copy also. Hubby and I filled them out Friday, scanned them to my sister, and she put them in the mail for us since it's in the same town as here and it will arrive much faster. Then I sent her the original signed copies in the event that they notice they were scanned. Oh I pray that it will go through just as they are and that AA receives both VA and ND CPS clearances by next week. It would be awesome if they received them this week while we are away, but with Thanksgiving, I'm not going to hold my breathe on it.
Italy...here I come!!! I'm so excited!!! (hoping I don't get sick on the bus though)
Monday, November 22
Wednesday, November 17
Christmas tree
I've put my tree up early this year, I normally do it the morning after Thanksgiving, but since we're going to be gone over the holiday this year, it came up yesterday. I spread out the branches today while listening to Christmas music, I love it! Christmas music is so calming and lovely to listen to. I started pulling out my decorations and will begin to put them on tonight after I talk to my sister on messenger, well actually even later because hubby and I are going to the track after he gets home so i want to have dinner made and done before we go. I'll probably eat when it's done and he'll eat after we get back. I hate eating reheated foods! Maybe tomorrow I'll have it all finished and get pics to put on here.
Poland trip
So a few days late, but nevertheless, the details from my trip.
It was a fabulous time, all except the daunting 9 hour bus trip. To begin the trip, I made an emergency trip to the bathroom and vomited all within 40 minutes of the bus moving. Man, was it a tough ride, but I felt 80% better than when we first started the trip. Once we got to Poland, I was in shock. The cities we drove through were poor and run-down. It felt like we were driving through a third world country. I'm sure it was just the area we were in since we were just off the border of Germany, saying it's Germany's fault for the run-down towns from when Germany was separated? Anyways,, we finally arrived in Boleslawiec Poland and it was truly pottery city, it was EVERYWHERE, a ton of small shops, factories and many people shopping to find the perfect pottery dish. There were 24 of us on the group I went with, but there was other groups as well, so the competition was definitely visible. Running throughout the stores to see what was available, then going back to get that piece you saw before someone else grabbed it. It was so much fun, and everyone seemed to get along great.
We got back early morning Sunday. I went to the store to get some groceries as we are trying new recipes this week. They are all recipes off the Olive Garden website, one is Chicken Marsala, however, I cannot find the Marsala wine sauce to go with it...oh the inconvenience of living in a foreign country...ugh!
On the adoption front, AA received our FBI and VA state background checks from BCS. Now we only are waiting on the CPS checks. I received hubby's SS statement on Monday so that was exciting to see in the mail :)
Poland pics:
It was a fabulous time, all except the daunting 9 hour bus trip. To begin the trip, I made an emergency trip to the bathroom and vomited all within 40 minutes of the bus moving. Man, was it a tough ride, but I felt 80% better than when we first started the trip. Once we got to Poland, I was in shock. The cities we drove through were poor and run-down. It felt like we were driving through a third world country. I'm sure it was just the area we were in since we were just off the border of Germany, saying it's Germany's fault for the run-down towns from when Germany was separated? Anyways,, we finally arrived in Boleslawiec Poland and it was truly pottery city, it was EVERYWHERE, a ton of small shops, factories and many people shopping to find the perfect pottery dish. There were 24 of us on the group I went with, but there was other groups as well, so the competition was definitely visible. Running throughout the stores to see what was available, then going back to get that piece you saw before someone else grabbed it. It was so much fun, and everyone seemed to get along great.
We got back early morning Sunday. I went to the store to get some groceries as we are trying new recipes this week. They are all recipes off the Olive Garden website, one is Chicken Marsala, however, I cannot find the Marsala wine sauce to go with it...oh the inconvenience of living in a foreign country...ugh!
On the adoption front, AA received our FBI and VA state background checks from BCS. Now we only are waiting on the CPS checks. I received hubby's SS statement on Monday so that was exciting to see in the mail :)
Poland pics:
rows of unfinished pottery at the factory
Lady painting the pottery
Friday, November 12
Poland
I'm so excited this day has finally arrived in which I make a trip to Poland. It's going to be an awesome time, well I'm hoping anyways. I've never been there but from what everyone says, it will be awesome! It's a bunch of woman, and only woman, and we are hopping on a bus tonight in the church parking lot for our long bus ride to our destination.
Need to get things ready around the house so hubby will have food and everything easily accessible. I know he will be just fine, but I like to be prepared in all areas.
I'll post on Sunday with pictures of my hopefully fabulous trip.
Need to get things ready around the house so hubby will have food and everything easily accessible. I know he will be just fine, but I like to be prepared in all areas.
I'll post on Sunday with pictures of my hopefully fabulous trip.
Thursday, November 11
What's on my Reader
Last night I finished the book, Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury. It was a book about adoption and the story of a family that adopted a baby boy and a situation where the birthparents come back into the lives of the adoptive family and have hopes to get their boy back. It was a great book, but definitely not a book for the weak hearted. If you are in the process of adopting, you may begin to wonder if the same thing could happen to your family. You have to be strong throughout reading this book, knowing, that today's process of adoption is safer and won't likely happen. I'm excited to see the movie when it's available. I don't think it will ever be in the theaters here, so I must wait for it to come to DVD. I wonder if it would be a good purchase, or just a rental?
I just purchased two new books for my Reader, I will begin reading I Will Carry You by Angie Smith tonight and probably finish that by weekends end. I leave on the long drive to Poland tomorrow night so I plan to read there and back. I also purchased Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption by Scott Simon. I'm excited to read both books, but I really wanted to read, but wasn't available on Reader yet, was, Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff.
I watched the video for I Will Carry You on YouTube. It was emotional, tears were flooding the halls, I'm excited to start reading this one and think once I start it will be hard to set down. Like Dandelion Dust was hard to sit down the last half of the book.
I just purchased two new books for my Reader, I will begin reading I Will Carry You by Angie Smith tonight and probably finish that by weekends end. I leave on the long drive to Poland tomorrow night so I plan to read there and back. I also purchased Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption by Scott Simon. I'm excited to read both books, but I really wanted to read, but wasn't available on Reader yet, was, Secret Thoughts of an Adoptive Mother by Jana Wolff.
I watched the video for I Will Carry You on YouTube. It was emotional, tears were flooding the halls, I'm excited to start reading this one and think once I start it will be hard to set down. Like Dandelion Dust was hard to sit down the last half of the book.
Wednesday, November 10
Is the status for you
Do you often read someones status on facebook and wonder if they direct their status towards you? Well today for the first time, I felt it was for me...yesterday I posted a status of...irritated, frustrated, and annoyed...I don't usually post a negative status, but with everything yesterday, i did. So just now I was checking my news feed and a friend (I barely talk to, but nonetheless) posted..."
Really
All I've got to say is "are you serious?". AA still has not replied to all my emails I sent out yesterday! I sent one this morning and asked for a reply so we'll see if I get that.
I've decided to mail out the VA CPS forms today and put AA's address in PA with the social workers name here as the contact. I really hate doing it like this because I'll have no idea when they get it, they could set it aside and forget about it. In VA, our home study is supposed to be done at the end of Dec because the FBI prints expire after 3 months...it's not looking like it's going to happen...ugh!
Going to the post office to see if i can overnight the forms, I really hope so!
I've decided to mail out the VA CPS forms today and put AA's address in PA with the social workers name here as the contact. I really hate doing it like this because I'll have no idea when they get it, they could set it aside and forget about it. In VA, our home study is supposed to be done at the end of Dec because the FBI prints expire after 3 months...it's not looking like it's going to happen...ugh!
Going to the post office to see if i can overnight the forms, I really hope so!
Tuesday, November 9
Thank you BCS
I'm so relieved that I do not have to redo the FBI clearance...well i guess it's not 100% yet since I haven't heard from the agency here to see if they'll accept it, but BCS will send the hard copy of the official FBI results to AA. I sent an email to AA to see if they would accept it, but they have not responded to my emails...I'm irritated that I've sent emails a lot today to them and have not have any response....how rude! Hopefully tomorrow when I wake up I'll have one or a few in my inbox from AA so i can send an email to BCS to either mail or not mail it.
We went out with our friends and their son tonight for pizza. It was fun, as always, we love hanging out with them.
We went out with our friends and their son tonight for pizza. It was fun, as always, we love hanging out with them.
Irritated, Frustrated, and Annoyed
As things were moving so nicely, we have hit our bump...it's not really that bad of one, we'll make it through it, but it's a bump nonetheless...
Alright, so I really am not enjoying working with two agencies. They are both great agencies, but there is SO much miscommunication that it's driving me nutty. I was under the impression that our agency in Europe could accept the FBI results through fax from our agency in VA, and they would consider that official since it's from one agency to the other. Well that is definitely not the case, I was the one mistaken...it was BCS that could give her the official FBI results that were mailed because they also received an e-copy. So I shot an email this morning to see if that is still the case, if not, we will be requesting a whole new set, which could take 2-4 months supposedly. Oh the waiting on clearances is SO frustrating. I'm waiting on an email back from BCS, but with this time difference, it will be a few more hours until they are working.
I'm going to go to the gym and hopefully when I come back there will be an email from BCS stating she is sending the original FBI copy...oh that would be nice!
Alright, so I really am not enjoying working with two agencies. They are both great agencies, but there is SO much miscommunication that it's driving me nutty. I was under the impression that our agency in Europe could accept the FBI results through fax from our agency in VA, and they would consider that official since it's from one agency to the other. Well that is definitely not the case, I was the one mistaken...it was BCS that could give her the official FBI results that were mailed because they also received an e-copy. So I shot an email this morning to see if that is still the case, if not, we will be requesting a whole new set, which could take 2-4 months supposedly. Oh the waiting on clearances is SO frustrating. I'm waiting on an email back from BCS, but with this time difference, it will be a few more hours until they are working.
I'm going to go to the gym and hopefully when I come back there will be an email from BCS stating she is sending the original FBI copy...oh that would be nice!
Monday, November 8
Confusion
So much confusion on all the different paperwork for our adoption. So for some reason BCS cannot fax a copy of our VA CPS results to our agency here, I have to request a whole new set. I hope this does not put us back too far. Our home study needs to be done and approved by the end of next month because the FBI clearance expires after 3 months...ugh...so much pressure! We were only waiting on hubby's social security statement, which hopefully we'll get this week...but now...VA CPS again!! I pray they are quick responders!
Also our agency here states our home study will be sent for USCIS for approval. BCS has a good question on why they would send it there since we are Americans adopting from America. I think BCS was under the impression they would write up the home study, sent it to BCS and they would approve it. Nope, not the case, but it's alright, we'll go through the hoops they want us to jump through...it will be worth it all in the end.
Hubby came home really early today...at 3:30! that's 3 hours earlier than normal, I didn't know what to do with myself, I thought I would faint seeing him. But he's been in bed pretty much since coming home, he's not feeling well...poor baby!
Also our agency here states our home study will be sent for USCIS for approval. BCS has a good question on why they would send it there since we are Americans adopting from America. I think BCS was under the impression they would write up the home study, sent it to BCS and they would approve it. Nope, not the case, but it's alright, we'll go through the hoops they want us to jump through...it will be worth it all in the end.
Hubby came home really early today...at 3:30! that's 3 hours earlier than normal, I didn't know what to do with myself, I thought I would faint seeing him. But he's been in bed pretty much since coming home, he's not feeling well...poor baby!
Sunday, November 7
To tell or not to tell
Alright, so I've been thinking today, if I should tell my family and cousins about my blog? The only people I've told that we are adopting are my two sisters and our moms and dads. Other than that, we have been keeping it quiet. I think people know we are adopting, but I don't think anyone realizes how far we are in the process and all that is involved in going through it. The reason for being quiet is not to hurt anyone's feelings, but to protect our own in the event a failed placement would occur. I WANT to share my excitement with family and friends, but am guarded. What do I do? Should I just do it?
My mind is everywhere lately
This post is about everything, my mind has seriously been everywhere. I dream every night for the past week about our future baby, I wake up dizzy, should I crack down on myself and get healthy, should hubby and I take trips before our baby comes home, if so, where do we go and for how long? All questions and thoughts that I have been pondering this week.
I love dreaming of our future family, however, I never see our babies face. I love to wonder what we will do, where we will go, the people we will meet, and the love and joy that will grow every night.
I also have been thinking I should crack down on getting healthier. How far should I take it? Do i just go all out and crash or take it slow and steady? I want to see results, like, yesterday! When I don't see results fast, i often give up and quite. I shouldn't, I know that true results take time, but I'm a bit impatient. If i do a crash healthy kick, then I'll fail, I know that much already. Oh the frustration with it all. I did do a workout that my sister recommended from On Demand, by Leslie Sansone, it was great, now to see if i can stick with it. I also did 15 minutes of the Jillian Michael's Shred it with Weights. I should have done the whole 3o minutes, but my knee was in pain, so i quite.
I have a horrible addiction to Mountain Dew! I need to kick the addiction to the curb and not allow it back in my life. I go into the store after not having a Mtn Dew for 3 days and there it is, on SALE, for $1.95...how can i pass that up??? Impossible, so i bought a 12-pack. This is one addiction that really needs to leave my mind, house, and soul! (as i sit here drinking one...lol)
I'm so excited and anxious to get our crib and dresser. We should have it this week or next, if our friends household shipments arrives in country on time. It was so awesome of them to bring it over for us. I really HATE the European cribs, they are super tiny and boxy...i like design and shape, so luckily our friends were moving over here and offered to bring it for us. We ordered it online and had it shipped to their home before their stuff got packed up for shipment. I'm so excited to set it up! Should I wash the bedding now or wait? Maybe I'll just put it all together then wash it later?
Hubby went to his medical exam on the 2nd. All went well and i mailed out his exam form to the agency in VA. We received our third reference on Thursday, thanks P. Now just waiting on VA CPS clearance and hubby's social security statement. Hoping the SS statement will come in this week and the agency in VA can fax/scan the VA CPS to our agency here. She mentioned something about the CPS are supposed to be kept confidential, so I may have to order a separate one for the agency here...that would be frustrating, but of course will do it.
I started painting my ceramics last night. Thanks to my sister who sent me a bunch of awesome colors and all the supplies i needed, since I tossed all my stuff in VA before we moved since the movers wouldn't pack it. I'm almost done with a huge Santa with toy bag, I'll post a picture when I'm done. This seriously is a huge stress reliever and helps make my time go fast and not think about the adoption every minute of every day.
Have a wonderful day!
I love dreaming of our future family, however, I never see our babies face. I love to wonder what we will do, where we will go, the people we will meet, and the love and joy that will grow every night.
I also have been thinking I should crack down on getting healthier. How far should I take it? Do i just go all out and crash or take it slow and steady? I want to see results, like, yesterday! When I don't see results fast, i often give up and quite. I shouldn't, I know that true results take time, but I'm a bit impatient. If i do a crash healthy kick, then I'll fail, I know that much already. Oh the frustration with it all. I did do a workout that my sister recommended from On Demand, by Leslie Sansone, it was great, now to see if i can stick with it. I also did 15 minutes of the Jillian Michael's Shred it with Weights. I should have done the whole 3o minutes, but my knee was in pain, so i quite.
I have a horrible addiction to Mountain Dew! I need to kick the addiction to the curb and not allow it back in my life. I go into the store after not having a Mtn Dew for 3 days and there it is, on SALE, for $1.95...how can i pass that up??? Impossible, so i bought a 12-pack. This is one addiction that really needs to leave my mind, house, and soul! (as i sit here drinking one...lol)
I'm so excited and anxious to get our crib and dresser. We should have it this week or next, if our friends household shipments arrives in country on time. It was so awesome of them to bring it over for us. I really HATE the European cribs, they are super tiny and boxy...i like design and shape, so luckily our friends were moving over here and offered to bring it for us. We ordered it online and had it shipped to their home before their stuff got packed up for shipment. I'm so excited to set it up! Should I wash the bedding now or wait? Maybe I'll just put it all together then wash it later?
Hubby went to his medical exam on the 2nd. All went well and i mailed out his exam form to the agency in VA. We received our third reference on Thursday, thanks P. Now just waiting on VA CPS clearance and hubby's social security statement. Hoping the SS statement will come in this week and the agency in VA can fax/scan the VA CPS to our agency here. She mentioned something about the CPS are supposed to be kept confidential, so I may have to order a separate one for the agency here...that would be frustrating, but of course will do it.
I started painting my ceramics last night. Thanks to my sister who sent me a bunch of awesome colors and all the supplies i needed, since I tossed all my stuff in VA before we moved since the movers wouldn't pack it. I'm almost done with a huge Santa with toy bag, I'll post a picture when I'm done. This seriously is a huge stress reliever and helps make my time go fast and not think about the adoption every minute of every day.
Have a wonderful day!
Monday, November 1
love getting mail
Today as I went to get our mail, we have to go to the post office when we want it since its in a box there, but anyways, we had our South Dakota child abuse registry clearance! I was so excited because I thought it would be next week before we got those back. After getting home I quickly made a copy for us as our record and put them back in the mail to get off to our agency in VA. I then emailed our social worker here to let her know that we received them, gave her the information on them, since I'm not sure when our next meeting will be. I just wanted her to have the information so she could write it up in the home study report since she's working on that this week.
On other great news, our friend/neighbor from VA had her baby on the 26th! She did things a bit differently than most to get pregnant, but she now has a healthy handsome little boy. She is also donating her frozen embryo's to us, so this is a huge blessing and we are excited for our future. Not sure just yet when we plan to give IVF a 3rd time around, but we know that we have them when we are ready.
Over here in Germany, we turned our clocks back one hour already, so this time change has been messing me up. I missed my daily chat with my sister because I was waiting for 4 my time like i used to, but i should have been on at 3...sorry! I can't wait until the states turn their clocks back. I do not enjoy the days being SO short now, it seems like it's only light out for about 6 hours of the day :(.
Made tator-tot casserole for dinner tonight and used the healthy request soup, couldn't even tell a difference. It was yummy, like always :).
Have a great night!
On other great news, our friend/neighbor from VA had her baby on the 26th! She did things a bit differently than most to get pregnant, but she now has a healthy handsome little boy. She is also donating her frozen embryo's to us, so this is a huge blessing and we are excited for our future. Not sure just yet when we plan to give IVF a 3rd time around, but we know that we have them when we are ready.
Over here in Germany, we turned our clocks back one hour already, so this time change has been messing me up. I missed my daily chat with my sister because I was waiting for 4 my time like i used to, but i should have been on at 3...sorry! I can't wait until the states turn their clocks back. I do not enjoy the days being SO short now, it seems like it's only light out for about 6 hours of the day :(.
Made tator-tot casserole for dinner tonight and used the healthy request soup, couldn't even tell a difference. It was yummy, like always :).
Have a great night!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)