you can tell by the title of this post that I am not so super excited about pee. we moved Owen in with Ava on their bunk beds to give some adjustment time to the new arrangement before the kidlets get home. Our plan is to build Owen a bedroom this summer, but until then they get to reside together.
This morning Owen came in completely distraught- he had an accident. I was hugely surprised. He has had only one other accident in his life, and that was shortly after he was potty trained 2 years ago. But, I do understand. He is downstairs, where we don't have a bathroom yet, and a new environment. Poor kid.
So I am the lucky person who gets to google how to clean pee out of a mattress, because now he is in a big bed that didn't come covered in plastic. (I know you can buy those plastic covers to go over bigger mattresses, but I didn't think it was necessary!) Oh well. My awesome hubby completely cleaned the bathroom yesterday- lucky me!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
I want to scream
Just found out today that our I600 hasn't been filed by our agency. We are missing something called a parental authorization. Both of our children have birth mothers who cannot care for them, and they need to sign a release of some sort. I am frustrated beyond belief. We have already passed court, our 30 day non-appeal period is months over. If I had time to break down and cry I would. This isn't a document that I have even heard of in all of our conversations with our agency. It's not on the sheet that tracks our adoption.
All I can do is keep moving forward even though I am currently feeling like I am stuck in a sink hole.
All I can do is keep moving forward even though I am currently feeling like I am stuck in a sink hole.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Had to share- Ava saw, not one, but TWO robins under the pine tree in our backyard. Que spring! We still have tons of snow, but hey, Robins aren't dumb (really I have no idea how intelligent they are- but I do know that they do not come back this far north unless spring really is on the way!)
I am trying to be content with spring while we wait for our I600. I even have the windows open to circulate the air a little bit. Mostly because Owen threw up last night, and it's good to get all the yucky germs out, but the fresh air smells good, and feels nice, and really does make me think spring, even with all of the snow.
Of couse, March tends to be one of our snowiest months, but I am not going to think about that right now!
I am trying to be content with spring while we wait for our I600. I even have the windows open to circulate the air a little bit. Mostly because Owen threw up last night, and it's good to get all the yucky germs out, but the fresh air smells good, and feels nice, and really does make me think spring, even with all of the snow.
Of couse, March tends to be one of our snowiest months, but I am not going to think about that right now!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
I know I haven't posted a lot. But there truly hasn't been a whole lot going on, combined with my laziness they just aren't a good combo! I really want to be one of those people who continues to blog about their adoption experience after they get home so people can see how it really is going, but I honestly don't know if I have it in me! I could never be a blogger who got her income that way!
Chris is winter camping in the boundary waters this weekend and for the last two days. CRAZY. Every year he asks me if I want to go, and every year I say no. No thanks to concentrating on just staying warm for 4 days straight. No thanks to spending most of the day catching fish and then eating said fish for all meals. No thanks to sleeping in a bona fide igloo you made by scooping up snow into a pile, letting it settle for a night and then carving out your sleeping space the next day. You have to wait a day so the snow settles and it doesn't cave in and suffocate you and you die.
Any takers? Yet he always manages to convince people to go. He should have been a politician instead of an engineer!
Waiting on our I600 approval- USCIS told me 45-60 days over the phone, but I have spoken to several different families who got it around one month- please let us be one of those families!
Chris is winter camping in the boundary waters this weekend and for the last two days. CRAZY. Every year he asks me if I want to go, and every year I say no. No thanks to concentrating on just staying warm for 4 days straight. No thanks to spending most of the day catching fish and then eating said fish for all meals. No thanks to sleeping in a bona fide igloo you made by scooping up snow into a pile, letting it settle for a night and then carving out your sleeping space the next day. You have to wait a day so the snow settles and it doesn't cave in and suffocate you and you die.
Any takers? Yet he always manages to convince people to go. He should have been a politician instead of an engineer!
Waiting on our I600 approval- USCIS told me 45-60 days over the phone, but I have spoken to several different families who got it around one month- please let us be one of those families!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Finally!
It finally came! The last piece of the puzzle- admittedly it is still being translated into English, but I can live with that. It's here in the US and we should have it by the end of the week. Our I600 will go out next week. Hopefully we will travel in 2.5-3 months. Bring it on!
On a side note, Owen and I were at Taco Bell for lunch today. It is quite small inside. When we sat down, Owen pointed across the room and said very loudly "Hey Mom, that guy is black, he must be from Uganda". I turned around slightly embarassed and explained to the poor man that since we have travled to Uganda, Owen thinks that every black person is from there. He didn't seem at all offended, but I still felt embarassed.
On a side note, Owen and I were at Taco Bell for lunch today. It is quite small inside. When we sat down, Owen pointed across the room and said very loudly "Hey Mom, that guy is black, he must be from Uganda". I turned around slightly embarassed and explained to the poor man that since we have travled to Uganda, Owen thinks that every black person is from there. He didn't seem at all offended, but I still felt embarassed.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Nothing yet
Not much to say. Still no last document. We have our I600 all ready and filled out just waiting to go in the mail.
Watched a few more gotcha videos. Probably shouldn't do that. My kids always wonder why I cry when I see them.
Wonder how annoyed our caseworker is at us- I have a tendency to email her every 3 days asking if she received it yet.
Calculated travel time for a worst case scenario assuming we get our paperwork this week (also assuming that 8 weeks is worst case time for approved I600): looking at mid to late July. Halfway through summer. :(
Just might be getting heartburn with self-induced stress about this whole situation.
Watched a few more gotcha videos. Probably shouldn't do that. My kids always wonder why I cry when I see them.
Wonder how annoyed our caseworker is at us- I have a tendency to email her every 3 days asking if she received it yet.
Calculated travel time for a worst case scenario assuming we get our paperwork this week (also assuming that 8 weeks is worst case time for approved I600): looking at mid to late July. Halfway through summer. :(
Just might be getting heartburn with self-induced stress about this whole situation.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Soon they Say...Soon
Soon, that is when they are telling me we will get our last piece of the document puzzle. But I know enough about Africa that soon does not necessarily mean soon, as in the American idea of soon. So I am trying to patiently (okay, who am I kidding?) bide my time.
In that case, I have decided to make a list of things about me, that annoy me, or things that I love in an effort to keep from blogging about how impatient I am now that we could be so much closer.
1. I am a huge Science nerd. Like the type that reads Science articles for fun. You know those annoying people who always seem to know some type of bizarre and obscure information on things that never really matter all that much? That would be me.
2. I am married to your typcial engineer who needs a list for his list. I, on the other hand, tend to be a fly by the pants type of girl- almost always leaping before looking. So, I guess it is good that we balance each other out. Although, admittedly I can get just a teensy bit annoyed while he thinks about all the various angles to do something. Just make a decision! Preferrably mine!
3. When we got married, I never really wanted kids. After we had our daughter I was "done". The good news is that while I was praying for God to change Chris' heart about having more, God changed mine instead! (Honestly I never saw that coming!)
4. I took Russian in college. It makes me feel all CIA type-ish. Which, by the way, I would still love to be. Along with a cop and a firefighter.
5. Totally wish I could be an amazing artist. Fact is I am pretty crappy at it.
6. We butcher chickens every summer and shoot deer every fall for food. I help with all of it, but still need for the food to be frozen at least a week before I can eat it. Helps me remove some of the realities of where meat comes from.
7. The more sugar in cereal, the more I love it. I would eat it 3 times a day if I could!
8. Due to a degree in Microbiology, I have some issues with germs- should have seen me in Uganda. At times, it was my own personal germ hell. I eventually got over it! P.S. I just read an article that fecal bacteria shows up on 50% of shopping cart handles, can't you hear me gagging?!
9. I am paranoid that our adoption country will shut done before we can get our children home.
10. I play the trombone. And yes, we will make our kids play an instrument through middle school. The can quit in high school if they want. My hubby cannot sing and clap at the same time, so they have to play mostly so that doesn't happen to them.
11. I have never gotten a speeding ticket, knock on wood.
12. My favorite type of food is anything spicy, or shrimp/mussel/clam related. And if it's covered in cheese- Bonus!
13. I absolutely can't stand ticks. Once tick season rolls around I lay in bed and every itch leaves me frantically trying to find it. And if one is in my hair, oh Lord, I can't even think about that right now!
14. I bite my fingernails. I know, disgusting habit. And I should know better with all the germs on peoples hands, but I mostly do it under stress. Sounds like an excuse to justify it, and probably it is!
15. Can't make a cup of coffee to save my life.
16. Don't own a dishwasher, never have. Can I tell you how much I hate washing dishes?
17. I have 3 tattoos. I love them, I would get a sleeve on one arm if my hubby wouldn't freak out, and if my arms were skinnier. If you are going to get a sleeve, you really need skinny arms.
18. Italy is number one on my list of places to go. Followed by Greece and Bangladesh. Plus I would love to go back to Africa and do a safari.
19. Almost always go to movies by myself- Chris isn't really a movie type of guy.
20. Wish my kids were still little. Ava is almost 8 and no matter what I do, I can't seem to make time slow down!
In that case, I have decided to make a list of things about me, that annoy me, or things that I love in an effort to keep from blogging about how impatient I am now that we could be so much closer.
1. I am a huge Science nerd. Like the type that reads Science articles for fun. You know those annoying people who always seem to know some type of bizarre and obscure information on things that never really matter all that much? That would be me.
2. I am married to your typcial engineer who needs a list for his list. I, on the other hand, tend to be a fly by the pants type of girl- almost always leaping before looking. So, I guess it is good that we balance each other out. Although, admittedly I can get just a teensy bit annoyed while he thinks about all the various angles to do something. Just make a decision! Preferrably mine!
3. When we got married, I never really wanted kids. After we had our daughter I was "done". The good news is that while I was praying for God to change Chris' heart about having more, God changed mine instead! (Honestly I never saw that coming!)
4. I took Russian in college. It makes me feel all CIA type-ish. Which, by the way, I would still love to be. Along with a cop and a firefighter.
5. Totally wish I could be an amazing artist. Fact is I am pretty crappy at it.
6. We butcher chickens every summer and shoot deer every fall for food. I help with all of it, but still need for the food to be frozen at least a week before I can eat it. Helps me remove some of the realities of where meat comes from.
7. The more sugar in cereal, the more I love it. I would eat it 3 times a day if I could!
8. Due to a degree in Microbiology, I have some issues with germs- should have seen me in Uganda. At times, it was my own personal germ hell. I eventually got over it! P.S. I just read an article that fecal bacteria shows up on 50% of shopping cart handles, can't you hear me gagging?!
9. I am paranoid that our adoption country will shut done before we can get our children home.
10. I play the trombone. And yes, we will make our kids play an instrument through middle school. The can quit in high school if they want. My hubby cannot sing and clap at the same time, so they have to play mostly so that doesn't happen to them.
11. I have never gotten a speeding ticket, knock on wood.
12. My favorite type of food is anything spicy, or shrimp/mussel/clam related. And if it's covered in cheese- Bonus!
13. I absolutely can't stand ticks. Once tick season rolls around I lay in bed and every itch leaves me frantically trying to find it. And if one is in my hair, oh Lord, I can't even think about that right now!
14. I bite my fingernails. I know, disgusting habit. And I should know better with all the germs on peoples hands, but I mostly do it under stress. Sounds like an excuse to justify it, and probably it is!
15. Can't make a cup of coffee to save my life.
16. Don't own a dishwasher, never have. Can I tell you how much I hate washing dishes?
17. I have 3 tattoos. I love them, I would get a sleeve on one arm if my hubby wouldn't freak out, and if my arms were skinnier. If you are going to get a sleeve, you really need skinny arms.
18. Italy is number one on my list of places to go. Followed by Greece and Bangladesh. Plus I would love to go back to Africa and do a safari.
19. Almost always go to movies by myself- Chris isn't really a movie type of guy.
20. Wish my kids were still little. Ava is almost 8 and no matter what I do, I can't seem to make time slow down!
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