We are finally letting ourselves get a little giddy and we are beginning to think that we might actually get to go to China. So we went out and bought a new carry on ( the ones we used for Ev's trip were a disaster ) and then we came home to do a test pack. We are attempting to go COO ( that's Carry On Only for the non-adopters out there).
Anyone who knows me is scratching their head right now and saying "Michal and light packing??" "Wait!" "What?"
I know!!!!
It's just that the trip to Ev was fraught with luggage issues and packing and re-packing and then purchasing more luggage to come home in addition to mailing a big brass dragon turtle form Guangzhou to Homer, Alaska. I can tell you it was crazy.
I do NOT want to go there again.
I was doing pretty good until Les was all "You need TWO bars of face soap? For two weeks?"and I was all like " yeah - in case one gets lost" and then he was all "Hey we can BUY tolietries over there" (like who does that? Oh, anyone who is smart you say?... and I am sort of hormonal and packing stresses me out so, you know. At least no one called the cops or bled onto the wood floors.
The good news is that we might actually make it with the COO.
The bad news is one of us may die to get it done.
All's well that ends well.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Calico Dinosaur
Brevin and Lissa came for another overnighter. We just HAD to take Brev to the pottery place. I wanted to see what he would come up with. He chose a dinosaur and wouldn't you know it? He went to the same school of art as Ev- Calico.
Then there was ice cream and parks and sleeping in tents and playing in the kitchen and all kinds of silliness.
It was a good time Lissa and Brev- thanks for coming!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Redundant Redundancy
I know that post about where we are in the process to get Liam was a bit -ummm confusing. Don't worry I am not going there again, neither am I going to mention Hobbits.
That last letter we were waiting on came today and I faxed it off.
This means that my part of the work is officially over. Now we wait.
More waiting.
Good. Great. Fantastic.
So we are looking at TA at around 6 weeks from now.
Six. Weeks.
For the "invitation" to travel. Actual travel will be about 2 weeks farther out than that.
In other words, it's around 2 months until I hold my son.
Maybe I should have just said: 8 weeks until we get Liam.
ok let's try that: 8 weeks until Liam.
There that was easy.
That last letter we were waiting on came today and I faxed it off.
This means that my part of the work is officially over. Now we wait.
More waiting.
Good. Great. Fantastic.
So we are looking at TA at around 6 weeks from now.
Six. Weeks.
For the "invitation" to travel. Actual travel will be about 2 weeks farther out than that.
In other words, it's around 2 months until I hold my son.
Maybe I should have just said: 8 weeks until we get Liam.
ok let's try that: 8 weeks until Liam.
There that was easy.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Revenge is a dish best served cold- or some such nonsense
While Brevin was here he got to talking about his Day Care class. There is a boy in this class who is mean and out of control. He hits and punches and yells and is possibly the Son of Satan. Brevin has a few hang ups about this guy. He was talking to his Mentor about what to do- no, not me- Evelyn.
A plan was devised to really show this kid who was boss. It was so unique and out of left field that I think it's genius.
So when you have a bully that just won't give you any peace, just get yourself some markers and index cards. Then you scribble on those cards. Angrily- using only the colors that you don't like. Make sure it's real scribbly now. Then what you do is you give those index cards to the Bully.
Diabolical.
A plan was devised to really show this kid who was boss. It was so unique and out of left field that I think it's genius.
So when you have a bully that just won't give you any peace, just get yourself some markers and index cards. Then you scribble on those cards. Angrily- using only the colors that you don't like. Make sure it's real scribbly now. Then what you do is you give those index cards to the Bully.
Diabolical.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
My Preciousssss!
So we got our "Provisional Approval".
I find it more and more difficult to inform friends and family where we are and what is taking so long and what each little step means. It's like a Martian talking to a Fungo- others have absolutely no reference for this.
When we went through Ev's adoption I was lucky I guess. No Hague process. I must say that the seven gajillion steps between Letter of Acceptance and Travel is maddening.
I have this list on the fridge. It has the FIVE steps that must be completed between LOA and Travel. FIVE.
I also have my guesstimation for the length of time that each step may take.
I HATE THIS LIST.
I have a relationship to this list the way Gollum has a realtionship to the One Ring. I hatessss it but I am obsessed with itssss. I can't get away from it. Some would say, take it down, throw it away. I can't.
I can't do that because for one I can't wrap my mind around this final phase and, for two, I can't because it has taken over my soul. It wears me down. It makes me tired. It is kind of blackening my thoughts.
Where we are is like this: We are somewhere in the third step. Little did I know that Step 3 has two parts? Yeah we get the Prov App and then we have to wait and contact the National Visa Center for confirmation of this approval and ask when they sent it along to the US Consulate in China, THEN we wait for a letter to tell us this in writing ( so I am unclear as to why I am told to stalk the NVC) so ok, we get the letter that re-states approval and has the date that we already know on it and we send that to Colorado so THEY can send it to China for someone to carry into either the the US Consulate or some other agency (?) there and THAT.... That person carrying a packet of things into some place is what STARTS the Travel Approval Process for China's end. So since May 2 we have been waiting for someone to verify an already existent Approval and send a redundant letter.
Holy Shepard of Judea!
Please to someone 'splain why this is?
Anybody?
No?
Alright.
There is good news. A Hobbit is going to come and steal my precious list from me and I will have to stalk him all of the way to Mordor, and...
Just kidding.
My guesstimation for STEP 3 was the second week in June. HA! If this radical speed keeps up, we may see Liam before he's shaving.
( Now listen Fates of Adoption. I am only kind of kidding here. Please don't punish a woman for being a bit bitter after watching a little Chinese boy the same age as her son toddle about the park all afternoon. Don't slow us up because I am a bit heartsick and venting. I am sorry his little red cheeks reminded too much of the son I am not yet holding. Please get us there. Please. He needs us.)
I find it more and more difficult to inform friends and family where we are and what is taking so long and what each little step means. It's like a Martian talking to a Fungo- others have absolutely no reference for this.
When we went through Ev's adoption I was lucky I guess. No Hague process. I must say that the seven gajillion steps between Letter of Acceptance and Travel is maddening.
I have this list on the fridge. It has the FIVE steps that must be completed between LOA and Travel. FIVE.
I also have my guesstimation for the length of time that each step may take.
I HATE THIS LIST.
I have a relationship to this list the way Gollum has a realtionship to the One Ring. I hatessss it but I am obsessed with itssss. I can't get away from it. Some would say, take it down, throw it away. I can't.
I can't do that because for one I can't wrap my mind around this final phase and, for two, I can't because it has taken over my soul. It wears me down. It makes me tired. It is kind of blackening my thoughts.
Where we are is like this: We are somewhere in the third step. Little did I know that Step 3 has two parts? Yeah we get the Prov App and then we have to wait and contact the National Visa Center for confirmation of this approval and ask when they sent it along to the US Consulate in China, THEN we wait for a letter to tell us this in writing ( so I am unclear as to why I am told to stalk the NVC) so ok, we get the letter that re-states approval and has the date that we already know on it and we send that to Colorado so THEY can send it to China for someone to carry into either the the US Consulate or some other agency (?) there and THAT.... That person carrying a packet of things into some place is what STARTS the Travel Approval Process for China's end. So since May 2 we have been waiting for someone to verify an already existent Approval and send a redundant letter.
Holy Shepard of Judea!
Please to someone 'splain why this is?
Anybody?
No?
Alright.
There is good news. A Hobbit is going to come and steal my precious list from me and I will have to stalk him all of the way to Mordor, and...
Just kidding.
My guesstimation for STEP 3 was the second week in June. HA! If this radical speed keeps up, we may see Liam before he's shaving.
( Now listen Fates of Adoption. I am only kind of kidding here. Please don't punish a woman for being a bit bitter after watching a little Chinese boy the same age as her son toddle about the park all afternoon. Don't slow us up because I am a bit heartsick and venting. I am sorry his little red cheeks reminded too much of the son I am not yet holding. Please get us there. Please. He needs us.)
Play at the Park Day
Please note the expression on Brev's face while riding the bouncy dino thingy. He said "Hey? hey? beam? Are we pupossed to be having fun on dis fing?"
Bravado
Last night was the first of a two night stay for Brevin. Yes we kidnapped him from Chez Smokewood.
Things have been going pretty well. Lots of playing in the kitchen and some sword fighting with minor injuries but, I'm sure as soon as they get the whole "blocking" thing down they will hit each other in the face much less often. I digress...
At lunch today I was informed of something. Brevin wanted to stay FIVE nights here, not six or four but, FIVE. He was very clear on this point. He said it loud and proud, with lots of grins and giggles even. He even told his Mommy on a phone conference in the afternoon.
Then evening came.
And bedtime rolled around.
And Brevin's story changed.
He no longer wanted to stay five nights. He only wanted to stay this one more night.
He wanted to call his Mommy and, from what I can tell, it was only to let her know that, indeed, his mind was changed. He was coming home tomorrow. I have a sneaking suspicion that this needed to be cleared up because, 3 minutes after both his Mommy and I agreed (for the 90th time) that he could go home tomorrow, that there was no contract, implied or otherwise....
He fell asleep.
Meanwhile Evelyn is tossing about and has decided that she may need our bed tonight as her room is too hot and Brevin hugs her too much. ( Not gonna happen but I give her points for the Dramatic effort).
They are co-sleeping in a tent in the middle of her room with 3 fans blowing on them. And, true to their very different natures, he's under 2 blankets and she is half naked and sighing over the hellish heat that is torturing her.
Things have been going pretty well. Lots of playing in the kitchen and some sword fighting with minor injuries but, I'm sure as soon as they get the whole "blocking" thing down they will hit each other in the face much less often. I digress...
At lunch today I was informed of something. Brevin wanted to stay FIVE nights here, not six or four but, FIVE. He was very clear on this point. He said it loud and proud, with lots of grins and giggles even. He even told his Mommy on a phone conference in the afternoon.
Then evening came.
And bedtime rolled around.
And Brevin's story changed.
He no longer wanted to stay five nights. He only wanted to stay this one more night.
He wanted to call his Mommy and, from what I can tell, it was only to let her know that, indeed, his mind was changed. He was coming home tomorrow. I have a sneaking suspicion that this needed to be cleared up because, 3 minutes after both his Mommy and I agreed (for the 90th time) that he could go home tomorrow, that there was no contract, implied or otherwise....
He fell asleep.
Meanwhile Evelyn is tossing about and has decided that she may need our bed tonight as her room is too hot and Brevin hugs her too much. ( Not gonna happen but I give her points for the Dramatic effort).
They are co-sleeping in a tent in the middle of her room with 3 fans blowing on them. And, true to their very different natures, he's under 2 blankets and she is half naked and sighing over the hellish heat that is torturing her.
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