Have You Ever Thought WOW Is That An Old Story

I started collecting children's books many years ago. I have a few favorites one being Richard Scary's Word Book and in my opinion a must for all children. I had a small rabbit puppet when I was a child that I would sleep with every night. This rabbit was the main character from the story the Velveteen Rabbit and I loved that story.

Last night I offered to watch the grandchildren of my next door neighbor. Her husband is a young man (56) in my opinion who is dying of cancer. Yesterday he was rushed to the hospital for seizures. I felt bad because I could see that his 2 daughters wanted to be by his side. So I watched the kids. Please send up a prayer for this family.

So that brings me up to watching 3 children that I have never met ages 5, 7 and 10. Luckily for me I do have quite a range of toys for children at my house. I broke out the play station for the 10 year old and the water color paints for the other 2 children. We painted a bunch of pictures and made chocolate chip cookies the kind that you scoop out of a big bucket.

My friend Nancy stopped by with her nieces because they just LOVE Dottie. We talked a bit and I took a couple of pictures of Nancy's nieces with Dottie. I am a bit funny about taking pictures of other people's children without the parents permission but Nancy assured me it was okay (Plus I know her sister from High school).

Wow this story is very much off topic but I promise it will be wrapped up in the end. After Nancy left I started to read stories to the 2 smaller ones. The stories that I read were Peter Rabbit and the Velveteen Rabbit. So I am reading these stories and fielding question about the old fashion wording that is used in both of these stories. That got me thinking wow do I need to up date some of the children's books that I have around the house.

Having these little guys around the house made me start to think about how difficult it will be for my baby to learn that it is okay to live with me. Every thing will change for my baby all at once. I think this feeling must be similar to starting a new job and the uncomfortable feelings that go along with the new job like not knowing where to put your stuff or when lunch time is. The only difference is that most of the time a the new job experience only last for 8 hours a day plus the whole being an adult thing.

The funny thing is when the father of these children came to pick them up the youngest little girl told him that I would not take their picture unless I had permission from him first. He laughed and said "Yes". I then explained and he told me that he understood and appreciated me being so considerate. So the 5 year old wrangled the other two for a "Family Portrait" (That is what she called it). I printed it up and she told me that she was going to give to her Poppy. All in all the night was sweet and sad all at the same time.

Vacation Time is Here!

I have tried my best to save as much vacation time as possible in the past 2 years. I have completely driven my friends at work crazy and this week is no different. I just worked four days in a row so that I could have a week off without having to use any vacation time.

Today is the first day of my vacation. I am hoping to get as much done today as possible so that I can relax and just enjoy the last week of summer here at the shore. I have been waiting for this week for the last month. The weather is suppose to be beautiful but maybe a bit cold for the beach. The weather should be about 70-75 degrees. Who knows I might even take a little road trip.

Gerard laughs at me and says you would need to have 4 weeks off to do all the things that you have on your list. I laugh because he is right.

1. Clean and organize the whole house
2. Weed the garden to start to get ready for the Fall
3. Finish a quilt for the baby that I started oh say 10 years ago
4. Make Christmas gifts for my family (My attempt to save money
5. Take a road trip
6. Go to the beach
7. Put the closet organizer together for the baby's room
8. Paint my bathroom
9. Go to the spa for a facial

I think I might be able to get this all done in a week!

One thing that I do have to start to think about is having my home study updated. It expires in Mid October and I would hate for that to hold me up because you know September is around the corner.

We Have a Baby!

Made you look! No not a referral just a new stuffed baby. I have been thinking about the things that I should start to buy and put aside for when I do get a referral. I know that some of the things that others have packed are small blankets that they have slept with for a week or two. Other things have been a small doll or stuffed animal.

This past week I found a Dalmatian beanie baby and thought that was a great idea to bring to Russia with me for the little guy. So I purchased the baby and put the bag in the baby's room. Some how she just knows when there is a stuffed animal in the house. She gets so excited wagging her tail and nosing through the bags.

I thought I had put the stuffed baby up off the floor but I guess it was not up high enough. I keep trying to hide it but she keeps finding it. Look really close and under her face and you will see the new baby. I guess I must employ a different parenting technique!

I'm DONE!!!

My last homework assignment has been submitted. What a relief!! I just can not believe that this is done. When I started back to school I have to my reasons were really scientific. I was bored. I remember some one telling me once when I said I was bored that that was a sign of a boring person. Well I did not like that comment at all so I said what the heck I can take a class or two.

4 years later I am done. The crazy thing is that I think I going to start taking classes toward my MSN. Honestly, taking classes keeps me busy and I feel like I am getting something done. I do have a few things that I need to get done that I can not get done when I am in school. Like the quilt that I started for the baby 10 years ago.

Good News From My Agency

I am not the type of person who calls my agency all the time. Occasionally I will shoot off an email just to check in and tell them "Don't forget about me!" So any time I get an email from them I instantly think it is good news. With all the unrest in Russia right now I did not have that same feeling.

My agency seems to do things a bit differently. I have no idea where my dossier is registered just that it is in Russia and translated. I am just guessing that the agency waits until there is a spot to register the dossier. I have mixed feelings about this and probably if I had known earlier that this was how they handled it I would have maybe reconsidered.

Well I got 2 emails 2 days ago. The first one was what I expected it was an email that tried to alleviate the concerns that many of us who are waiting are having about the recent military activity in Russia. I have prayed for the ones who have been caught in the cross fire. Yes I am very worried about this situation but I am trying to stay positive.

The second more exciting email was much more fun to read. This email outlined the number of families that have received their referrals or are waiting to travel. I have to say that I have not really connected with any one from my agency with the exception of Jane and Jim. So I have not had a good idea of how many referrals have been accepted or given.

So here are the statistics:
Court Hearings - 9 Total
Children Adopted - 9
0-2 years in age - 4 (2 girls, 2 boys)
2-4 years in age - 4 (1 girl, 3 boys)
4+ - 1 girl


First/Referral Trips - 15 Total
Children Accepted - 19
0-2 years in age - 11 (4 girls, 7 boys)
2-4 years in age - 7 (3 girls, 4 boys)
4+ - 1 boy


Families with referrals and waiting for first trips - 11 Total
Children - 14
0-2 years in age - 2 (1 girl, 1 boy)
2-4 years in age - 3 (2 girls, 1 boy)
4+ - 9 (4 girls, 5 boys)

I think this is very positive and I hope and pray that the agency will continue to email me these statistics because I find it helpful during my wait.

Procrastination

Do you ever feel that you have procrastinated to the point of panic. Well I am not there yet but I have to say this last class is killing me. I have one more assignment due and I should have worked on it all week but I have to say I just did not want to do it. I have had such a good time this week and the last thing that I have wanted to do is read research articles.

You would think by now I would be able to power through them and just get the facts. However that is not me. I feel like it takes me forever to find the ones I like and then I read them over and over to make sure I have gotten it right. I do find that I am doing everything that I can do to not do the school work.

I have to say I have been so busy. That I have not even had a chance to be a blog lurker. But I know I will get to it. I did find time to throw myself in the ocean on Tuesday. The water was much warmer then it has been all year so I really enjoyed it. I do not think I will ever forget driving to beach, sitting in the sand and talking with both new and old friends.

I vow to not procrastinate anymore until this project is done. I am shooting for it to be completed by tomorrow night because the weekend is suppose to be very nice. I think I will throw myself in the ocean again or talk Gerard into taking out the jet ski.

Sending everyone sunny thoughts!

2nd Outing Of the 1st Annual Amuse Joy Summer Event

I have to say I have been so busy. Monday was our big fishing trip. As you all know I told my friends that this summer it was there job to amuse me to keep my mind off the adoption process. The funny thing is that I told their children this and most of them were like okay!

Last month we spent the entire day on the beach. We had a blast. The kids went fishing off the beach and just generally ran around until it was time to build the fire. I do think that we will do that one again in the fall.

This time however we went on the Doris Mae IV
I have one word for how the crew treated us WOW!!!!! The Captain and the crew really focused on making us feel comfortable because it was we were mostly woman. Although Gerard and Chippy (his Dad) did come to help out. We caught fish every time he stopped the boat. All the kids out to touch the fish and bait their hooks. The crew even took the time to measure the small fish and make a big deal if a little guy caught one. The ocean was like a lake that day.

If my memory serves me correctly I believe that Zach (Lynn's grandson) and Matthew were the 2 that caught the most. It was so nice to see how Gerard and his Father interacted with the kids. They loved it. At one point my friend Lynn walked by to hear her Grandson Zach telling Chippy about a cyclops. This from the kid that would not speak in pre-K. There was fishing with candy but that that did not produce much of a result.

Karen was a great sport originally she was going to let us take Andrew her grandson out with us. She knew that Gerard and Chippy were going and he is so well behaved that it would not be a problem. To our surprise she decided to come. The funny thing for us not her is that she does not swim and hates boats. Poor Karen when she realized that we were going in the ocean but she survived and even helped Andrew fish. The things we do for the ones we love.

The one funny thing is that the only little girl on the boat was Dana's Meghan who is 4 years old. She loved it. She got to touch a fish eye and life was great until we were pulling up the lines and starting to move to head in when the hook reached the top of the rail no one realized that there was a fish on the line. The poor thing almost got slapped with a fish.

What is White Black and Orange???

***Edited to add photos***

Do you give up!! Dottie is white, black and orange. Yes I totally plan on boring everyone with yet another post about Dottie. Gerard and I have been trying to keep busy and our way of keeping busy is by working on the house. We made the decision that we need a shed. I have convinced him that we are going to have a bunch of outside toys that will need to be stored and there is just not enough space.

SO out into the back yard we go with that cool can of paint that landscapers use to mark things on the grass. See Gerard needs to try on where he thinks that shed will not only look best but that will not interfere with a little boy playing.

Now picture this he is very busy measuring and looking around the yard. I am of course just talking away and trying to confuse him (his words not mine). I turn around to see Dottie laying in the yard then I realize that she is not laying there she is rubbing her face into the wet paint. I call her name Gerard jumps and misses a pile that Dottie left behind as a present for him by about 1 inch. What a funny sight her with a orange face and him dancing across the lawn. Thank goodness for the privacy fence because people would start to think we are not normal.

***Photos to follow. I have been having a problem uploading them to Blogger***

Still Hanging Around

Today is the start of my summer vacation. I have successfully saved as many vacation days as I possibly could in the past 2 years so that my maternity leave will be completely paid. I have less then 2 weeks and school is out. Yeah for me!

I know that so many times I have heard other say get things done while you wait. So that is exactly what I think I am doing. I have thought long and hard about whether I should spend money on going some where or doing some thing with the money that I would have spent.

Funny how you start to re-think every purchase when you are looking to save money. In the past I would have spent this time at a spa or by going to Myrtle Beach with my nieces and nephew. I have decided not to use my vacation money like that this year.

Instead I have decided to take the money at redo my bedroom. I would love to have some new curtains and bedding. Hopefully I will be able to find some bedding that I love and I will order some new curtains. Otherwise I am still just hanging around.

Have You Ever Played Marco Polo??

I am still here. I know I have been lost for quite a few days. No worries. I have just been so busy. My niece had her wedding reception last weekend and it consumed not only the whole weekend but also a couple of days leading up to it. I had hoped to have pictures to post but I have not gotten them downloaded from the camera yet.

No adoption news! Can you believe it that I lost my cordinators contact information. No I can not believe it either. Luckily I was able to find an old email and I emailed her because I had some questions stemming from the agencies that have been suspended. Even though this does not affect my agency as Gerard likes to say "She likes to worry!" I am starting to think he is right.

Anyway have you ever played Marco Polo?? That crazy game when you are in a pool and one kid yells Marco and everyone else yells Polo! I was in the new Target the other day minding my own business and I heard this woman yelling for her son. What was his name you ask well it was Marco!! So what can you do with that because the kid was not listening. This is how a mature adult would handle it. You go into another aisle and yell Polo!

Needleless to say the woman did not think it was as funny as I did but I was able to stay one aisle ahead of her so I was safe. I guess there was not harm done and I am sure this will not be the last time he is faced with that situation.

Which brings me to another Marco Polo issue. My mother lives in an adult community and we were at the pool. Guess what the sign read?? Got guessed it in big bold letters actually bigger then the other pool rules. PLAYING MARCO POLO IS PROHIBITATED! Well what do you think we played you guessed right a big fat game of macro polo! I'm a rebel!

****Disclaimer I love the name Mark and I actually like Marco too! But now I could never name a child that sorry!****