WHAT !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I just received an e-mail from our agency.

It seems that there is a slight chance that we may have
a 24-30 month wait for a referral.

We are requesting a un-identfied SN child.
We were told, today, that our request MAY
not be expedited and that our wait may be as
long as a NSN referral.

UHHHH, WHAT?

Two weeks ago you said that it would be expedited.

So now what?

Here we are...Authentications coming in left and right,
INS Clearance, Home-Study being revamped...
And not a swinging thing to do with it.

Just sitting on it.

I really want to cry. I don't cry much so this is unusual for me.

This is when people know that I am about to throw
my hands up in the air.

I have no idea what to do.

Find another agency. Wait it out-SOME MORE. Get on a list of
about 100 people vying for the same child. WHAT????

I'm so not happy , right now.

NOT a Happy Hippy.

Peace.

What I Am Reading...

Before we adopted Mary Elizabeth, I read everything
I could get my hands on about adoption.

I thought I had pretty much read them all.

I was wrong.

This book has accounts and case studies from families
who have adopted internationally.

It also has chapters on preparing yourself physically and
psychologically for your baby's homecoming and parenting
methods that promote attachment.

A whole section on so-called "Common Parenting Wisdom" de-bunked i.e.

*let your child sleep alone
*let your child cry
*closely monitor milestones

The author states that these are not rules for a child trying to attach.

I am in love with this book.

Thank you, Lark Eshleman.

Check it out.

Peace.

NEW PURSES!

Rachel Kate wanted me to take a picture and "Blog
her new purse".

I have no idea where these girls get the "purse love".

I don't carry a purse.

The only thing they have ever seen me carry is a
diaper bag!

Still, they love them.

They ran around the house snatching things and
cramming them into the purses.

The other kids know the drill. They will start hiding
their things.

If anything comes up missing, the first thing we do
is look in Rachel's purse, then we check Mary's.

That's why we have SMALL purses.

Rachel has managed to stuff a baby doll into
one of those little things.

Still haven't figured that one out.

We only had one really cute purse to play with,
and they had to take turns.

Now they have their own.

They were very excited!

It's fun to watch those little faces light up.

Cute.

Peace.

I THINK THIS IS HYSTERICAL! Had to Share...

HOW TO BE A SOUTHERN BELLE
by Amanda Galiano



All Southern women strive to be Belles.

Difficulty: Hard

Time Required: It's a full time job.

Here's How:

1. Offer Mint Julep or Iced Tea to everyone who visits

your home.

2. Eat grits everyday for breakfast.

3. Refer to your house as "The Plantation" no matter how

small your house may be.

4. Refer to all men as"gentleman caller" or "beaux".

5. Never let a man know that you are interested, because there

are too many men that want you to expend the extra effort.

6. Whenever you are asked to do any work, fan yourself and

claim to have the "vapors".

7. Always refer to humidity as "sticky".

8. Refer to every party, even if it is a kegger, as a cotillion

All other parties are Yankee garbage.

9. Try to use words like darlin', suga' , sweety, or hun in every sentence.

10. Belong to the country club. If you don't, refer to any club you

belong to as the "Country Club"- no one will know the difference.

11. Sit under a magnolia tree with a parasol, fanning yourself.

Passer-bys will notice your Belle-ness.

12. Never marry a Yankee , unless you have no problem being

a Yankee by association.

13. Never be seen without your make-up or girdle.

AND REMEMBER:

1. A parasol and an umbrella are not the same thing.

You will never be a Belle if you do not know the difference.

2. Being a Belle is a lifetime of work. Practice everyday.

Funny Stuff!

Peace.

PAPER WORK UPDATE!

Today, Everything was notarized.

It is only the first of like a BAZILLION steps
before our dossier is complete, but for some reason
I feel relieved.

Like a huge albatross has been lifted.

I don't have the stress of waiting for the INS clearance,
so that's cool.

I wish I had a Fast-Forward Button.

I'd push it for Sarah & Kevin, first....and then I would
push it for me. :)

I'm excited.

We started talking about adopting from China , a second time, sitting at the
breakfast buffet of the White Swan.

I guess today just made it feel real.

Real love building up for a face I've never seen. Missing someone I've never held.

Happy and Sad.

Mostly Happy!

Peace.

FINALLY!

OK, So I'm NOT "gun loving", but I will shoot a snake if I have to .
I am excited about this book.

Saw it on THE BROWN BULL blog(see Groovy Doovy Blogs).

I ordered it today and it can not get here fast enough!

I think my sister-in-law ordered it, too -
so I'm sure it will lead to many hours of coffee drinking and conversations
about God, Parenthood, and fighting the Good Fight.

I would have been a good Hippy in the 60's.

My Aunt Ronda was a hippy. Use to iron her hair. Older pictures
showed her ALWAYS holding up the "PEACE" sign. My mom has some great
stories about her"craziness". My mom would just shake her head-
But somehow I always got it.
We use to go to her house and I would listen to her talk, and I was
convinced that I was really supposed to be her daughter.
That someone had made a HUGE mistake and gave me to
the wrong sister.

She was my mom's younger sister. She died a few months ago
from heart failure. I miss her.

I hate that she will not be around to see and appreciate all of
these grass-roots movements; the return of the large family, home-births,
people demanding mercury-free vaccines, pesticide & NGE free foods,
Christians taking control of their children's education,
Simple Living as a choice, "Green" Villages being built using solar
power in the homes, Eco-tourism, and Environmental Safety.

These are things she and her generation knew to be
important.

"Those Darned Hippies!"

People are getting smarter. We are paying attention.
We are demanding a say. We are demanding better for our families.
We are no longer taking someones word for it.

We are a "diverse tribe of countercultural conservatives".
And for that, I will not apologize.

My Aunt Ronda would be pleased.

Peace.

A Hunting We Will Go!

Hannah showing off her Easter mermaids.


People in the South LOVE a party!

Our families celebrate A LOT of holidays.
We have lots of kids, so there are tons of birthday
parties each year, and each family takes a turn hosting
a major holiday.

Easter is at David and Heather's house.


Everyone looks forward to it and
it is ALWAYS so much fun.



Ben and Colton hanging out.



Daddy & Mary



Mary Elizabeth & Rachel



Caleb helps Mary hunt eggs.



Rachel is REALLY good at this.



Showing Mary her loot!



Miss Heather showing some of the children the
winners of the Egg Decorating contest.



It has been a good day.

Peace.