New Year's around the corner and still no referrals for December!

Everyone thought that the CCAA would get referrals out for December for the end of the year. Well, today is Friday, December 30, and no referrals. So it just ain't going to happen. There are now rumors that it will not happe before January 8. We are getting closer, but not close enough. I still believe that we'll get our referral in March. It may not be the beginning of March, but I think March. We'll just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, here's a New Year's Prayer that I found on the Internet. I think it's appropriate for all of us:

May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
     and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.

Roger is travelling. He left yesterday and comes home late late tomorrow night. On Sunday (New Year's Eve), our family will go to church in the morning and celebrate a rather quiet New Year's Eve at home. No parties, no extended family, just us. Monday, again, we'll be spending at home, and then back to work for me on Tuesday. Roger is off the month of January, so this will be his last trip until the beginning of February. We should be starting our new year off well, but I'll write more about that in a separate post.

It's Christmas time...

Just a quick update. I sent in our renewal I-171H paperwork today. Trish said that the homestudy update would go out Friday. So everything is in that needs to be in. I sure hope that I've sent in everything that's required. Our adoption agency isn't sure what's needed, so they're telling everyone to send in everything but the kitchen sink! I decided that I was not going to send in another $140 for refingerprinting when we just spent $140 to get refingerprinted the day after Thanksgiving, even though AHH says we should be be on the safe side. It's just ridiculous and seems like such a racket to get money out of adoptive parents! We'll see if it takes or not.

In other news, I finished with work for the rest of the year, and won't be going back until January 2, 2007. I'm so glad to be away from there for awhile. I need to get things done at home and just relax a little, and that's what I intend to do. The girls are still in school all this week, but DH is home. As a matter of fact, he is sick. He's got a nasty cold. I can hear him sipping chicken noodle soup in the kitchen while I'm writing this. Poor guy. I hope he feels better soon! It stinks to be sick around the holidays!

I miss Grace. I'm very dissapointed that she's not home with us yet. I don't know what to do about it, but to write it out. That helps. I'm trying to be patient, and I know I don't have any other choice, but I miss her and want her with us!

Referrals are in and other news!

Just today, I found out that referrals for November are coming in and the cut off date is 9/8/05. So the CCAA didn't get as far as everyone hoped, but I still think that we'll be able to get our referral for Grace in March or April and travel by summer. That's not bad, although I would like to have her home with us sooner. Actually if we travel in summer, the girls will be out of school and won't have to miss anything at all. That would be good. But I guess the selfish part of me would rather find out TODAY who Grace is and go get her ASAP!!!!

I'm still working on losing weight and getting in shape. I'm only 12 lbs away from my goal. I think I'll go to China at my goal weight, and that's a good thing!

Oh, I almost forgot. We have daycare for G!!!! I was short of concerned about this, but DH said he knew it would work out. Anyhow, our neighbor does in-home daycare. For the past few years she has been talking about getting out of it, so I wasn't too hopeful that she'd be able to take care of G. But I called her the other night to tell her the DH is going back to work in December and asked if was alright if R came down before school and catch the bus from her house. She's done that for us in the past when we've needed it, and she's been fine with it. So she said that was fine, and then I told her about our upcoming adoption of G. She had lots of questions about the adoption, but didn't even hesitate to tell me that she would gladly watch her. Also I found out that she runs a preschool for the children that go there! How cool is that? We don't even have to worry about getting G back and forth to preschool when the time comes because she'll get it right at Kathy's! I'm just so grateful for Kathy and for how God is so taking care of us. We didn't talk price, and we didn't decide about fulltime or parttime. Kathy said she could do either. I don't think the price will be too bad. We have friends whose daughters went there for several years, and they've said that she is reasonable. And if G can get preschool there, I'd be willing to pay more. Praise the Lord! And thank you Kathy!!!

It's Halloween!

It's hard to believe that in 4 more days, we will have been LID for one entire year! I thought when we started this many moons ago, that we'd have our Grace home and starting to adjusting to having 3 children by now. Instead we're still waiting with no specific end in sight.

Oh well, I try not to dwell on that, since there's nothing I can do about it. In the meantime, I'm a little worried that now that we're spending some of that money we've been hoarding for the adoption related costs that we'll see a speed up and be short on cash when we need it. Boy I hope not, but at the same time, if that's what happens, than I'd be happy to have her home with us and we'd figure out some way to make up the difference.

Referrals for the month are due anytime now. It appears though that they will not come for a couple of weeks because of some undisclosed issues at the CCAA. So we wait again. Most of this process is about waiting. It's a great lesson for those of us that consider ourselves impatient. It teaches great patience. This whole thing is not for the faint of heart because it's definitely a roller coaster ride.

I've written to get an appointment for re-fingerprinting, and we're in the process of getting everything done for the homestudy update. I've been to the doctor for my physical, and DH is going next week. Our criminal background check is done, and our social worker has received our child abuse background check information. I've got my employment and salary verification info, and we've got the method for our SW to get DH's. So things are again out of our hands, and we wait. At least there for a short time there were some proactive things I could do. Oh, there's one more thing I need to do to be proactive, get current on my education credits with our adoption agency. I have to read one book or take one online course, fill out the form for the adoption agency and mail it into her. Then I'll be current for a year. DH needs to get all of his 10 credits, and hasn't really started a one.

Gotta run.

Referrals are through August 9, 2005

Well, referrals are out for the month of September. The CCAA has made referrals for parents with LIDs from July 23 to August 9, 2005. So it was a few more days than the Rumor Queen's worst prediction, but they didn't get as far as everyone had hoped. Apparently there are not that many LIDs for 8/05, so it was thought that the CCAA might get through alot more. But the days they did get through are more than they have all summer. So it appears things are speeding up at the CCAA, however there are also signs that the month of 10/05 has a huge number of LIDs (something like 2000!). So I think it will still be MANY months before the CCAA gets to us at 11/4/05.

Using a prediction calculator that someone has provided online, indicates that we should get our referral the end of 2/07 on 2/28/07. A day before my 50th birthday! Wow, wouldn't that be great birthday present!!!! In the meantime, we've got to get refingerprinted because they expire in November/06. Also our I-171H expires in March/07, so we've got to get our home study updated. I'm trying to get ahold of our social worker to get that going too.

So that's the update. The girls are great. My oldest is about to turn 13 in a few weeks, and my now youngest has to get braces. I must say, it's great to be a mom!!!

We're out of the CCAA review room!!!

I found out today that the CCAA has finished reviewing dossiers with a log in date of November 30, 2005. That means with a LID of 11/4/05 that we're in!! I was getting a little worried that they'd never get us out of the review room, but the did today!!!

So although our wait is getting longer and longer, we're making progress. Hang on Grace, we're working on coming to get you! We want you to join our family, and we love you!!!

We're getting ready to celebrate a long Labor Day weekend. We're headed up to my Dad's place to meet up with 3 of my brothers and 1 of my sisters. It's been awhile since we've been together, and 1 of my sisters, and 1 of my brothers won't be there, but it will be good to see those that are there. Of course, some of my siblings family members will be there, and some won't. It's getting harder and harder for everyone to get together because the family is so big. Right now, it seems that my family Christmas party is the only time that we all get together, and even then my one brother and his family had not been coming to that very regularly. I think now that my mom is gone, though they are doing better with coming. Just think, next year, God willing, we'll have Grace with us for this celebration. I was hoping it would be this Christmas, but I think that's out of the question now :-(.

More waiting...

Yesterday we were 8 months LID. My cyber-friend that has the same LID pointed that out to me in an email. It's hard to believe that it's been this long. I want to find out who my little girl is, so that I can put a face to the name and the longing that I have for her. I truly do love her, and can't wait to meet her. Please know that WE LOVE YOU GRACE!!!!

I just realized that when we started this whole journey back in April 005, I thought we'd be 3rd time parents by now. I thought we'd be settling into a normal pace of life with 3 girls in our family this summer. Instead we're stuck in the waiting. I'm trying to be patient, but it's hard. It's kind of like being pregnant, but not like it because the fact that we're going to be welcoming a new life into our family is not readily apparent as it is when I was pregnant. It also somewhat like having taken a pregnancy test back in November 2005, and not knowing the results until we actually get our referral - which is still looking like November of 2006. Imagine waiting 12 months to find out if you really are pregnant or not. And then after you find out having another 2 month wait until you can actually see, feel and touch your child. It's hard!

Waiting...

Here we are 7 months LID. We are still waiting. I thought we'd know who Grace is by now, and be planning our travel. Well, we're not that close. The CCAA is just now giving out referrals for those that have a June 15 LID. So the wait is 12 months now, and there are rumors of even longer waits. I'm just hoping that we get our referral before the end of the year, and travel shortly into 2007. Who'd of thought it would be such a long wait when I start this whole thing back in April 2005.

I went home to visit my father, sister, and two brothers yesterday. It was a fun time. We all got together to give my dad a gift certificate for a two seater ride around the Indy 500 track in a race car. It was supposed to be a surprise, but it turns out my brother-in-law accidentally spilled the beans. The ride is scheduled for July 8, and we'll get to be there to watch. It will be exciting.

I had a good talk with my sister about her feelings about my mom dying. It seems harder for her since she was with my mom when she died. I understand better now her feelings. I just wish I could spend more time with her. I still miss my mom tremendously. I wouldn't have thought I would before she died, but I really do. My 9 year old really misses her too. She writes in her journal about her feelings, and it's so sweet to read. She's such a wonderful little girl - so loving and so emotional. My oldest is a joy too but in a different way. She's very contemplative and doesn't wear her emotions so openly. She's more like me in that she's more logical than emotional I think. But it may be too soon to tell. Motherhood is a joy. I really love both of them sooooo much, and I can't wait to be able to write about Grace and her personality. Lord, please let it be soon!

Update on adoption

Well, here we are about a month later than the last time I wrote. I still don't know anything more, other than there are rumors flying that the wait time is extended to 12 months. If that's the case, then we're looking at the end of the year (if we're lucky) to go pick up mei mei. I'm trying not to put too much stock in the rumors, and trying to be patient and wait because really that's all I can do.

In the meantime, DH and I went an got our second round of Hep. shots. Only one more to go. My DDs will get there second and last shots in August and DH and I will get it in September. Then we'll be set. My Dad started his a couple of weeks ago, so we're on our way. I have to remember to call the doctor's office and get Tamaflu before we leave, just in case.

Not too much more to report. We're still praying to meet our little girl yet this year!!

Still Waiting and other things!

Well, it's been 4 1/2 months since our LID (Log In Date in China). We're about half way through the wait. While we've been waiting we've applied for passports for our other children, and have started our shots to travel. The girls only needed Hep A, but DH and I needed both Hep A and Hep B. Hep A is a two shot series. Hep B is three. The girls will go back in 6 months (August) to finish out their Hep A series. DH and I go back in a month for 2nd Hep B shot, and then 6 months after that to finish out both the Hep A and Hep B series. The nurse said that even if we travel before the series is finished we need to finish it out, and that we'll still be protected if that happens.

My dad received his passport last week, and will start his Hep A and Hep B shots in about a week and a half. I talked with my sister-in-law today, and she said that she is still trying to convince my brother (her husband) to go with us. We'll see.

So time is moving, and we're preparing. DH bought the paint to paint the room our little girl will be sharing with her sister, but hasn't started to paint yet. He's been working alot this month. Hopefully next month he'll be able to get to it. I want to paint the natural wood bunk beds white to match the other bedroom furniture, but won't be able to until the weather gets nicer. Then I can paint them outside. So no typical pictures to share with anyone yet.

It's been awhile

Well, I started this blog back in November of 2005. I haven't posted anything since or even visited the site since then. That doesn't mean that I haven't had anything going on in my life. For one my mother died on December 8, 2005. She had been very ill from cancer, so it was a blessing that God finally took her. However, it's still been hard and on. I miss her terribly. It's also hard to see my father struggle with figuring out what his life is now without my mother. They were married for 56 years! It's something he has to go through, but it's hard to not be able to "fix" it.

We are still waiting for our referral from China. There are lots of rumors about referral wait times. Our agency is saying 8 months (we were originally told 5-6 months), meaning it will take about 8 months from LID to referral. At referral we'll find out who our precious daughter is! Our daughters will travel with us, and my father too has decided to travel to China with us. That will be fun! So now we wait.....