Every 14th day is now my favorite.
It's my day off.
Since I started working a part-time gig in addition to my full-time gig, I have one day off every other Sunday. You guessed it - that was today! I love that I was able to easily find a part-time job and I love where I work - a locally owned toy store where I used to work years ago - but I will admit that I love, love, love, love, love every other Sunday, when I have a day off! The only other days off I take are occasional adoption-related ones, which typically require a trip to Topeka for aspotilles or some other jump-through-hoops action.
So what did today find? A day spent entirely in my pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, completely done laundry (except for the clothes on our back, including clean sheets!), a clean home with all dusting complete, throw rugs vacuumed and floors mopped, a real dinner made, EVERY DVR'd show watched, a few chapters read in a book, time with Brian and some things I'm sure I'm forgetting!
Now the countdown is on for the Sunday after next!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
What a short, strange trip it was!
I will admit that I had my Sirius radio set on the 70s channel (I was listening to the end of a Southern rock song), so the odds of hearing a song from my childhood (i.e. the 70s) were pretty good. But, I still find it fitting that as I crossed over the county line into my "where I grew up," Shaun Cassidy came on the radio.
It was one of those moments...I was bee-bopping westward on I-70, and had just crossed over the line into Shawnee County, where I lived until I was 16. I literally saw the Shawnee County line sign, passed over and "Hey Deanie" came on. A glance at my Sirirus receiver told me that the song was from 1978...yep, that'd be my 70's sweet spot.
Today was a strange, trippy day. I needed to go to Topeka, the city of my childhood and adolescence, to get 3 pieces of paper apostilled (a fancy term for making a state notarized document a legal international document). When Brian and I had our first large batch of documents apostilled we drove to Topeka together, but left right after as we had to get documents also apostilled on the Missouri side (we got married in Missouri, and there's a Missouri Secretary of State office in downtown KCMO).
I found myself there again today so I decided to drive around a bit. It was weird. Really weird.
I grew up two blocks from Washburn University and in older home in an older neighborhood. We lived in that house until I was 13, then we moved across town to a new subdivision, where I lived until I was 16, when we moved to the Kansas City metro area. I've been back to Topeka over the years, but it had been a long time since my last real visit.
What was the weirdest thing? I knew it, but it's still weird: the house I grew up in is gone. Yep...gone. Not even dust. Gone. Torn down. It's something my Mom and I share - the house she grew up in in St. Joseph, Mo., is gone, too. (But I guess that means that two houses she lived in have been torn down, and that's just even weirder). The plot of land upon which my childhood home stood is now the neighbor's back yard. With a fence around it.
I'll bet that practically everyone who drives by never even suspects that a house stood there. But, one sign gives it away - a set of stairs that now go to nowhere. The stairs lead from the street up to what was our front yard, but now it's a side/back yard of the neighbor's home. Weird. Disconcerting. Odd. A place where we lived just isn't there any more.
From there I drove past my elementary school, where the kids were out at recess. I drove around my neighborhood remembering all of those childhood things: playing tag with friends, catching fireflies, riding my bike, getting my first kiss - it was on Halloween night around the block from my house.
I'm not entirely sure why the trip was bittersweet, but it was.
Now my apostilled documents are on their way to our adoption agency in St. Louis, and soon they'll be on their way to Smolensk, Russia, to finish our 100% our registration to adopt from that region. Then we wait for a phone call that lets us know there's a child the baby home would like us to meet - then we have to decide to travel to meet that referral or wait for another.
Fingers crossed for a short wait and the perfect referral the first time around. Now that wouldn't be bittersweet one little bit.
It was one of those moments...I was bee-bopping westward on I-70, and had just crossed over the line into Shawnee County, where I lived until I was 16. I literally saw the Shawnee County line sign, passed over and "Hey Deanie" came on. A glance at my Sirirus receiver told me that the song was from 1978...yep, that'd be my 70's sweet spot.
Today was a strange, trippy day. I needed to go to Topeka, the city of my childhood and adolescence, to get 3 pieces of paper apostilled (a fancy term for making a state notarized document a legal international document). When Brian and I had our first large batch of documents apostilled we drove to Topeka together, but left right after as we had to get documents also apostilled on the Missouri side (we got married in Missouri, and there's a Missouri Secretary of State office in downtown KCMO).
I found myself there again today so I decided to drive around a bit. It was weird. Really weird.
I grew up two blocks from Washburn University and in older home in an older neighborhood. We lived in that house until I was 13, then we moved across town to a new subdivision, where I lived until I was 16, when we moved to the Kansas City metro area. I've been back to Topeka over the years, but it had been a long time since my last real visit.
What was the weirdest thing? I knew it, but it's still weird: the house I grew up in is gone. Yep...gone. Not even dust. Gone. Torn down. It's something my Mom and I share - the house she grew up in in St. Joseph, Mo., is gone, too. (But I guess that means that two houses she lived in have been torn down, and that's just even weirder). The plot of land upon which my childhood home stood is now the neighbor's back yard. With a fence around it.
I'll bet that practically everyone who drives by never even suspects that a house stood there. But, one sign gives it away - a set of stairs that now go to nowhere. The stairs lead from the street up to what was our front yard, but now it's a side/back yard of the neighbor's home. Weird. Disconcerting. Odd. A place where we lived just isn't there any more.
From there I drove past my elementary school, where the kids were out at recess. I drove around my neighborhood remembering all of those childhood things: playing tag with friends, catching fireflies, riding my bike, getting my first kiss - it was on Halloween night around the block from my house.
I'm not entirely sure why the trip was bittersweet, but it was.
Now my apostilled documents are on their way to our adoption agency in St. Louis, and soon they'll be on their way to Smolensk, Russia, to finish our 100% our registration to adopt from that region. Then we wait for a phone call that lets us know there's a child the baby home would like us to meet - then we have to decide to travel to meet that referral or wait for another.
Fingers crossed for a short wait and the perfect referral the first time around. Now that wouldn't be bittersweet one little bit.
Friday, February 13, 2009
We'll get 'er done
OK, so there are two documents to do before we are officially waiting for a referral phone call. I hope to have them done (we do one, our home study agency does one) by the end of next week and hope to go to Topeka a week from Monday to get them apostilled; then they'll get FedExed to our agency who will combine them with some documents they need to do and get them to Smolensk. Then we're officially registered and waiting.
There will be more docs to do later, but apparently we can do them in parallel with waiting for a referral. We also got more information about traveling to Smolensk (fly to Moscow, then train it to Smolensk) and the hotels in both Moscow and Smolensk that our agency puts people in. All good information. We also got loose itineraries for both the first and second visits (in broad, general strokes), so no complaints.
There will be more docs to do later, but apparently we can do them in parallel with waiting for a referral. We also got more information about traveling to Smolensk (fly to Moscow, then train it to Smolensk) and the hotels in both Moscow and Smolensk that our agency puts people in. All good information. We also got loose itineraries for both the first and second visits (in broad, general strokes), so no complaints.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pleased, but somewhat suspicious
I heard from our adoption consultant with news that is both good and somewhat suspect. I'm hoping it's true...if it is, we have to do one...count it, one...new piece of paperwork for our region and our home study agency has to do one. They both entail basically signatures, notarization and getting them apostilled.
I e-mailed the consultant back and said, "Really? This seems too easy!" and asked for confirmation that once these are filed we'll be actively awaiting a referral phone call. Didn't hear back from her yet, but hope to tomorrow.
Tonight finds us going to our Russian class...working on colors, numbers, rooms in homes and general grammar. I'm having trouble with a couple of the colors (like why green starts with a z sound...brain not making any logical links...)
Until later...
I e-mailed the consultant back and said, "Really? This seems too easy!" and asked for confirmation that once these are filed we'll be actively awaiting a referral phone call. Didn't hear back from her yet, but hope to tomorrow.
Tonight finds us going to our Russian class...working on colors, numbers, rooms in homes and general grammar. I'm having trouble with a couple of the colors (like why green starts with a z sound...brain not making any logical links...)
Until later...
Friday, February 6, 2009
Smolensk, baby! Or, Смоленск, ребенок!
We're likely to become a family in Smolensk, Russia!
This was a tough week - I had a meltdown with a friend at work over the lack of news/movement/action on the adoption front and this morning I posted to an adoption board that I was losing it by continuing to wait with nothing to do or nothing real to focus on.
And, the universe heard me and extended a friendly hand!
Today our adoption consultant called and told me that we've been registered in Smolensk, Russia. I've been Googling all afternoon and can't wait to spend the weekend learning more! We know that it is in far western Russia, about 225 miles from Moscow, and is one of Russia's oldest cities, dating back to 863 AD (or at least that was the earliest reference on record)! The photographs look just beautiful and we can't wait to learn more.
Here are a couple of photos, stolen from various websites.
Our consultant will call on Monday with more instructions and to see how much new paperwork we need to to before waiting for the referral phone call! It's so exciting to have a place to connect with now...Russia's such a huge country that it was hard to identify with a place...now we can! I'll write more as we learn more, or post links to sites that are helpful; that way anyone who is interested can check it out!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A real post, for once
My friend, Lori (aka "my goddaughter's mother") is a life coach and finds the most wonderful quotes and makes the most wonderful suggestions about how to approach life's daily challenges. Here is a post from her blog, linked from mine at the right.
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"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Albert Schweitzer. Make a list of at least three people that you admire. With your list in hand describe what it is that you most respect about each individual. Often pinpointing what we admire in others offers insight into what we wish to become ourselves.
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I'm going to make my list public, and hope that those who I name are pleased with my description of them and why they made my "I admire" list.
1. Lori. Yep, the same Lori as above. We met more years ago than I'd care to admit, when we both worked together here in KC. She's since moved to the Seattle area and I miss seeing her almost every day horribly, even after all these years. I admire her for so, so many reasons: for her focus, her insight, her way of finding clarity and meaning in the murky and mundane. She was the absolute best Matron of Honor a girl could have wished for for reasons I cannot begin to list. The cherry on the Lori sundae is that she's a wonderful mom who is raising an incredible to-be-woman.
2. My "online pal Alison" of The crazy- busy, absolutely nuts life of a working mom.... blog to the right. Alison's one of the "just gets it" people in my life. I found her online and have followed her journey, along with her husband, to become a parent. She rode this crazy infertility and adoption roller coaster and endured her/their own trials and tribulations along the way...and just became a mommy to TWO amazing girls. I admire her for her strength, commitment, resolve and to-the-bone grit to endure what it is we endure....and to have come out on the other side, with the ultimate prize(s!). To top that off, she's a shoulder when I need her, even when her life is topsy-turvy crazy; she was there for me on a weekend when the bottom was something I was looking up at.
3. Brian. How do I even begin? He's my rock, my constant, my comfort, my center. I admire him for more reasons than there are reasons, if that makes any sense. He is the most incredibly patient soul I've ever met...ever. He handles the world with this incredible filter. My friend Julie wrote the other day about her husband, that when she saw those What Would Jesus Do? bracelets that she wondered what would HER husband do? I think that's a wonderful way to capture how I feel about Brian...what would he do? How would he react? How would he reason this out? His sense of humor is exquisite and his decency humbling. Is he a saint? Heck, no. But is he someone I admire? Hell, yes.
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"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." Albert Schweitzer. Make a list of at least three people that you admire. With your list in hand describe what it is that you most respect about each individual. Often pinpointing what we admire in others offers insight into what we wish to become ourselves.
-----
I'm going to make my list public, and hope that those who I name are pleased with my description of them and why they made my "I admire" list.
1. Lori. Yep, the same Lori as above. We met more years ago than I'd care to admit, when we both worked together here in KC. She's since moved to the Seattle area and I miss seeing her almost every day horribly, even after all these years. I admire her for so, so many reasons: for her focus, her insight, her way of finding clarity and meaning in the murky and mundane. She was the absolute best Matron of Honor a girl could have wished for for reasons I cannot begin to list. The cherry on the Lori sundae is that she's a wonderful mom who is raising an incredible to-be-woman.
2. My "online pal Alison" of The crazy- busy, absolutely nuts life of a working mom.... blog to the right. Alison's one of the "just gets it" people in my life. I found her online and have followed her journey, along with her husband, to become a parent. She rode this crazy infertility and adoption roller coaster and endured her/their own trials and tribulations along the way...and just became a mommy to TWO amazing girls. I admire her for her strength, commitment, resolve and to-the-bone grit to endure what it is we endure....and to have come out on the other side, with the ultimate prize(s!). To top that off, she's a shoulder when I need her, even when her life is topsy-turvy crazy; she was there for me on a weekend when the bottom was something I was looking up at.
3. Brian. How do I even begin? He's my rock, my constant, my comfort, my center. I admire him for more reasons than there are reasons, if that makes any sense. He is the most incredibly patient soul I've ever met...ever. He handles the world with this incredible filter. My friend Julie wrote the other day about her husband, that when she saw those What Would Jesus Do? bracelets that she wondered what would HER husband do? I think that's a wonderful way to capture how I feel about Brian...what would he do? How would he react? How would he reason this out? His sense of humor is exquisite and his decency humbling. Is he a saint? Heck, no. But is he someone I admire? Hell, yes.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Another non-update update
February is here (finally) and I'm glad to turn the calendar page. It was a beautiful day yesterday and reminded me that spring and summer, eventually, will come. Reminders like that are helpful. Our Russian class continues to go well and we're able to sound out some words and feel good that we'll have at least a rudimentary ability when we travel.
Other than that, I mopped the floors, Brian's smoking a brisket today, I put out my few Valentine's things, the drier still squeaks, my car needs to be washed, I'm watching Juno which reminds me how beautiful adoption is, I'm totally jonesing for a pedicure, this is my weekend to work both days at the toy store, my "normal" day job just is and and I'm signing off for now.
Other than that, I mopped the floors, Brian's smoking a brisket today, I put out my few Valentine's things, the drier still squeaks, my car needs to be washed, I'm watching Juno which reminds me how beautiful adoption is, I'm totally jonesing for a pedicure, this is my weekend to work both days at the toy store, my "normal" day job just is and and I'm signing off for now.
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