Prepare the Way

I've decided to focus on preparing for the baby's arrival rather than wallowing in self-pity. For pete's sake. We are probably just now entering the phase when approval is even likely. Thanks to my dear adoption buddy K for giving me a great pep talk!! So, I'm going to boil the bottle nips and the pacys so that they will be ready. I've scheduled an appointment for next week to have a travel consult with my doc...I'm sure this will include getting some icky vaccines. I'm very happy that my doc is going to give me a script for Elimite (scabies meds) for the baby. I've got to hunker down and focus on getting ready and enjoying the last few days of pre-baby bliss.

Visa

I sent our passports off to San Fran this week so we can get Vietnam visas. I requested visas that are good for six months...just in case. Many of you know my sister lives in Thailand. She's moving back to the states and will fly out of Asia on September 2. We had planned for her to join us in Vietnam for the adoption and now, if that's going to happen, we need to travel well before September 2. My heart will absolutely break if my sister can't join us. She was going to be there to witness this incredible process AND to document it for all of you by doing a video and taking lots of photos. Anyway, please pray with me that we get to travel before Weed comes back to the states so she can meet up with us in Hanoi. I'm trying to prepare myself for the possibility of not traveling until September. These days, it's so hard to wait. I go to bed at night imagining what it will be like the first time I see him, carried by his beloved nanny into a big room with green walls...*sigh*...

Obama Mama

This was on a lady's t-shirt at Obama's town hall meeting. He was here to rally supporters and raise some dough. So, I got to cover his speech for our station and filed a spot with NPR. My station was invited to interview him in a small group setting. I let one of our producers do the interview. I have had the opportunity to do one-on-one interviews with other big wigs (Bill Clinton, John Kerry, John Edwards) so I let her do this one. She was quite excited and did a nice job. If McCain comes back to town, we'll try for a one-on-one with him too.

No news on Zeke but I keep reminding myself that each day brings us closer to traveling!

Someone else's approval story

I thought it might be fun for you guys to read about someone else getting approval recently. I'm not obsessively checking email during the night, or even that much throughout the evening, though I openly admit to checking the email before bed each night. I also don't spring out of bed each morning and run to the computer. I usually lay in bed, trying to wake up, praying hard that THIS will be the morning. Then, I get up to the sound of "griping" kitties. They follow me to the computer, I check, then I feed them. This is our routine. One morning, in the near future, the kitty food will have to wait because of all the celebrating we will have to do over our approval!!

A Wild Hair

Well, I got a wild hair this morning, called Brad at work and said, "Can you cut out of work early today so we can go to Eureka Springs, Arkansas?!?!" He said, "YES!!!" So, I called around and got us a room here. It's not our usual place but it's literally right next door. I'm super psyched, especially after yesterday. In Victorian times, people believed there was something mystical and magical about Eureka...I tend to agree because when we go there, I always feel so rejuvinated and relaxed. We're doing this because we feel like our window to be spontaneous on this level is quickly closing (trust me, getting Zeke is more than a fair trade off!!!) so we want to take advantage of our ability to do this while we can.

Because yesterday was a rather crap day, I have decided to compile a list of things that make me happy:
*All of you!
*Eurkea Springs
*Baby clothes
*Hats for Zeke
*Good movies
*Seeing and hearing someone laugh
*Flip-flops
*Tank tops
*Imagining what it will be like when we first see Zeke...Will he smile or cry? Will he want to come to us or will he cling to his nanny? Whatever he does, it will melt our hearts and we will fall even more deeply in love with this child...

Missy and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Yep. That's it. A jerk on one of the local stations in town said very mean things about me this morning because he didn't like the questions I asked in the governor's debate last night. These were personal attacks on me and another reporter. No substance to his "complaints." Whatever. Then, I had to go get my permanent crown put on. That is a humdinger of an ordeal. So, it's not even 2PM and I'm hopeful that the day will get better from here...

Are we there yet?

We hit the 30 business day mark today in our wait. That's HALFWAY to the maximum 60 business days it's supposed to take to process our I-600. I just read today about a couple who got their approval on CALENDAR DAY 50. We will hit calendar day 50 next Wednesday. But who knows when we will get OUR approval?!?! At least it seems like approvals are coming in a timely manner. It's hard to wait now and it will only get worse after this week.

Please join us in fervent prayer that this approval will come SOON!!! Like THIS WEEK or NEXT!! I feel like we're all "in labor," trying to get this child home! Thank you, as always for sharing this journey with us!

Apres moi, le deluge

"After me, the flood." So said Louis XV before the French Revolution. I was reading today about how Vietnam is going to issue a ton of referrals between now and September 1. That's great! But this same article talked about how the USCIS office in Hanoi that will process the I-600 petitions (what we're waiting on now) will be flooded with applications and will not have the staff to process these requests quickly. There will be a backlog but I think it will come AFTER we get our approval. I think we are making it in under the wire, before the office is flooded with new applications. I really feel for those who are awaiting their CFC (child for consideration) or are waiting to file their I-600. Things are winding down for the Vietnam program. I'm hopeful that everyone is working as hard as they can on behalf of the children and families.

A few random notes:
*We are registered at Target.
*We are in the market for suitcases with 360 degree wheels. Any suggestions?
*Dark Knight was AWESOME but intense. Not recommended for children.
*Semi Pro starring Will Ferrell is LAME. We lasted about 10 minutes before turning it off because of boredom.
*Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller is FUN! It's a great movie to watch on DVD.
*Jay Leno is leaving the Tonight Show and Conan O'Brien is taking over. I doubt he'll get to do anything as fun as Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog on the Tonight Show.

No Zeke news. Of course, if we had news, you know that's all we'd be writing about...c'mon approval!!!

Showered with Love

I had a fantastic shower on Saturday...Thanks to everyone who came!!! I hope to post some photos this week. The food was wonderful, the restaurant was lovely, and we just had a great time.

I knew this would happen...I had predicted that after the shower, I would be READY TO GO GET THE BABY. Well, sure enough, I'm really READY NOW! Having said that, I still have a lot of things to do before we travel. We don't have a big stroller or car seat yet. No pacifiers or diapers. We just got bottles a little more than a week ago. The nursery is a mess right now with shower goodies spread out everywhere. So, I've got to get organized. And packing for the trip? I haven't even started. I did look at suitcases this weekend and that made me feel productive. I'm looking for a good deal on a suitcase with 360 degree wheels. That's the way to go, I've discovered. My big suitcase that went to Europe is about to fall apart and we will NOT be taking a suitcase to Vietnam that is on its last leg. So, we need to buy 1 or 2 big suitcases. Once we do that, I'll pack stuff from us and others for the orphanage. Then, we'll pack Zeke's stuff (clothes, toys, meds, etc). We may not pack for ourselves until we get approval, though I already have a mental checklist of what I want to wear and take. At work, it's a busy time between now and the August 5th primary election. Once we clear that hurdle, I'll REALLY be off my rocker and dying to get over there!! I'm trying very hard to be patient...

Happy 9 Months, Zeke!

Zeke turns 9 months old today. It's a hard one to take...I really wish we could be there now. I pray everyday that our approval will come SOON. I think it's realistic to think it will come in August so we'll see. The days are going by quickly so I'm sure we'll be traveling before we know it. Still no DNA request, which amazes me. Please pray that we get our approval SOON!!!

Jimmy V

I meant to post this yesterday.. it was Jimmy V day on ESPN Radio..

Watch this.

Bigger

We saw Bigger, Stronger, Faster last night. It's an excellent, if long, documentary that explores the pros and cons of steroid use. As I mentioned yesterday, I was mildly interested but really Brad wanted to see this. Wow...it was a really compelling film! I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's amusing and attempts to take a balanced look at the issue.

It's on to bigger movies this weekend...We have tickets to Batman and plan to see Mama Mia at some point.

Fat Lip

I went to the dentist today to have a temporary crown put on. Ugg. Dr. Jeff is excellent at managing pain so that means he filled my jaw full of numbing meds. I felt like my tongue and lip were HUGE for most of the day. I didn't mind at all because it meant I didn't feel anything when he was in there drilling and poking around. Why did I need a crown? My tooth is fractured from normal wear and tear. I already have a crown on the same tooth on the other side of my mouth. I'm glad I'm getting this done before Zeke comes. I get the permanent crown July 25th. Until then, I'll be treading lightly with what I eat.

We're off to see Bigger, Stronger, Faster at our local indie cinema. Love that place. Brad really wants to see this doc. I'm along for the ride and I'm sure I'll enjoy it!

Still no Zeke news...no approval and no DNA request. Oh Lord, please let our approval come SOON!!!

More Germany pics...

Chatting with Veronica before a meeting in Berlin.

Standing in front of a section of the Berlin Wall.

Pondering the meaning of a sign that says "Discretion! Please keep your distance!" at our Berlin hotel.

Perusing the dessert menu at a sidewalk cafe with Rachel.

Veronica, Rachel and me in the U-Bahn station...I think.

A busy week

I've got meetings all day today, a trip to Jeff City tomorrow, an agonzing dentist visit Wednesday (to get a temp. crown). Tuesday night, we're going to see a musical at tent theatre. Wednesday night, it's a movie downtown. Friday night, we're going to be a part of the madness of opening weekend for BATMAN!!! Brad has agreed to see Mama Mia's big screen debut this weekend too. And then Saturday is my baby shower!!! So exciting!! It will be at one of my favorite restaurants in town. We're going to try to sit outside on their shaded patio...we'll have to see how hot it is and hope it doesn't rain! That's a tall order for mid-July.

We had a lot of fun watching Baby AJ yesterday. He didn't cry once! I attribute this to his sweet personality rather than to our babysitting skillz.

No Zeke news. We bought bottles this weekend. It's very exciting to think we're getting close. Again, we're waiting for news via email. The email would arrive overnight (because that's during the day in Vietnam). So, each morning, the first thing we do is check our exclusive Zeke email account for any news. We expect to get either a request to do DNA testing (boo!) or approval (yay!). And they're supposed to process our case within 60 business days. On July 23rd, we will reach the half-way point, 30 business days! That's next week!! So, the time is passing quickly and we hope and pray we get an approval and travel in August. That would be awesome!!

"Borrowing" a Baby

Our good friends "loaned" us their 8 month old son today after church. We're keeping him til 5PM. They're going to use the time to house hunt. It's so nice to be around a little baby!! We fed him when we got home and now he's down for his nap. He's an easy baby for sure. Not the least bit fussy. It's a good chance to get back into the swing of things for me and for Brad to jump right in with baby care. He's got us signed up for a baby care class with one of the local hospitals in early August. Neat! So, Baby AJ is doing really well and we're enjoying the opportunity to get a taste of what's to come. AJ and Zeke are only 1 month apart so I predict they're going to be buds!

Y Not Run?

How about because you haven't trained? Nah, that wasn't enough to stop me and Brad. We completed the Y Not Run 10k this morning. Whoo-Hoo! Kudos to Brad for running the entire course. Neither of us had done ANY training. This course is tough...tons of hills and they save the killer hill for the END! Yikes! One of my running buddies from college used to call those killer hills "thigh masters" so I thought about that today as I did a combination of walking and running. Since I started running, I don't like to do races where I can't run the whole way but without proper training, there was no way I was running that entire course. Even though I did a mix of walking and running, I still finished the 10k in just under 1 hour and 9 minutes. Not too bad.

We were at a going away party last night for a friend and we were talking to another friend of ours who has a 3-year-old. She implored us to go away one more time before Zeke gets here. We've been thinking about a weekend in Eureka Springs...one more fling, just the two of us. So, that might be in the works.

Hope you're having a super weekend!

Fasting

It's back to fasting this week and will continue until Zeke comes home. I had thought I'd continue fasting while in Europe but it was just too difficult given our group schedule and having a whacked out appetite from the time change. I break the fast at 3PM today.

A couple of quick reviews:

The Happening-M. Night's latest offering. Saw it in Paris...You can sum up the only good thing about this film in two words. I'll give you a hint: Mark Wahlberg.

Sex and the City-Also saw this in Paris. Fashion, clever writing and beautiful people. Fun, fun, fun! (I cried from laughing so hard when dear Charlotte had her "accident" in Mexico!!)

Hot Rod-Brad got this from the library recently. It stars one of our SNL faves, Andy Samberg. Still, it's lame to the max. It's like Napoleon Dynamite without the heart. The only amusing part? A cleverly edited riff on the phrase "cool beans."

Mad Men-An AMC TV series. Brad got the first season on DVD. We watched two episodes last night. It's about the advertising men of Madison Ave in the 50's. I spent the first two episodes gawking at the number of cigs smoked and sexist remarks made toward the secretaries. But it's engaging...we'll see if holds up.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter-A great book I finished reading this spring. I don't think I ever blogged about it but it's a wonderful read. I highly recommend it!

A Third

It's 1 month down and two to go! The US government has told us we should get approval within 60 business days. Today is the 20th business day of our wait. Whoo-hoo! Now, as always, anything can happen and while we certainly don't anticipate any problems, it could end up going past 60 business days. I pray it doesn't and that our approval comes much sooner! Still no news on the DNA requirement. Not sure what to think except I'm not going to believe we're "in the clear" until/if we get approval without a DNA request. So, we'll see.

As for my vague reference last time to personal and professional opportunities...don't get too excited...hahaha! There's nothing too major in the pipeline (like we're not moving or anything drastic like that!) but we do ask for your prayers as we see what God has in store for us in the coming weeks. Details to follow as they're available. *smile*

Back in the swing of things

I'm back at work today, complete with a sore throat, stuffy nose and bad headache. The headache went away after I had some caffeine (must gradually withdraw rather than go cold turkey!). I think I'm getting back on Central Time but it's a gradual process. I hope I can kick this cold soon!

Please pray for us as new opportunities present themselves to us personally and professionally. Things are always changing and that's a good thing. My boss shared this wisdom with me today as we were talking about the future:

Pray that God will open the right doors and close the wrong doors.

Amen.

Happy Birthday, Dad and I'm back!

First, Happy Birthday to my Dad!! His birthday was yesterday. I hope you had a great one!!!

I got back yesterday evening around 6. It's so great to be back. When I arrived in the Dallas airport and got into the main terminal area, the first thing I saw was a Starbucks. I ordered a big, iced, decaf, skinny cafe latte and a liter of cold water. It was great! Nothing ever tasted so good! Now, certainly, the coffee in the Paris cafes beats Starbucks by a mile but it was a taste of home that I was craving and Starbucks hit the spot. The plane ride from Paris to Dallas was long...just under 10 hours. It's so great to be back!

Walking on Broken Glass, Australian Ice Cream and Kazakhstan

WARNING: If you don't want to read something gross that's going to make you cringe, skip the first story.

Broken Glass
You've seen those glass lights embedded in sidewalks, right? It's a light under a solid glass pane that people walk on. This story involves one of those. I was walking on the cobblestone street yesterday evening. I was walking toward a couple. The woman stepped on one of those glass panes and her foot went through the glass. There was an awful sound, huge shards of glass, then silence, then a terrified scream from her. She had on a slipper, which likely protected her foot somewhat. I had on flip-flops. To say I cringed at what I just saw this poor girl go through and thinking what would've happened if it had been me is an understatement. I felt so very sorry for this girl (probably in her teens or 20's). Her boyfriend helped her to a bench and the kind people from a restaurant were helping her. But what if it had been me? Who would've helped me? And goodness knows how bad she was hurt. I said a prayer for her and I've wondered how she's doing. The moral of my story? Don't ever walk on those glass panes. This was horrific and I suggest just NOT walking on these. What if it had been a child? *gulp*

Australian Ice Cream
On to much more pleasant topics...Yesterday, on the main shopping street, people were lined up, at least 20 people deep at this little ice cream stand. It said homemade Australian ice cream. So, I was by there earlier today and there was no crowd. It was about 11AM and I thought I'd take advantage of the opening and see what all the fuss was about. The flavors were written in Flemish so I asked the girl at the counter to tell me her favorite flavor. She said it was one made with Belgian cakes or something like that. She gave me a sample. It was like Belgian waffle batter ice cream. Oh my!! I had a scoop and it was a little slice of heaven! It was SOOOO good. Who knew Australians could make such good ice cream, mate?!?!

Kazakhstan
I was at a kids clothing shop today and there was a white woman there with an Asian-looking baby in a stroller. I decided to go for it. So, I asked her, "Is she adopted?" The lady smiled and said yes, from Kazakhstan. I smiled too and told her I'm adopting from Vietnam and China. I had on my Zeke necklace so I showed her his photo. She said there were big problems for Belgians trying to adopt from China. She asked if I was American. She said when she went to Kazakhstan, she was there with some American families. To finish the conversation, I told her that her daughter was beautiful. She beamed and said, "I know."

Some other thoughts
Flemish is a weird language. It's an amalgumation of Dutch, German and French. I like to hear it because it just sounds so different. I'm off to Paris tomorrow. Will blog when I can!

In Brugge, NAY, In Ghent

Ghent ROCKS! It's so much better than Brugge...way less tourist-y and more chic. I haven't seen a tacky outfit on the street yet! Just to tell you what a fashionable town it is: My arrival coincides with the start of the annual summer sale in all the shops!! I had a fun time this afternoon wandering the main shopping street, checking out the bargains. I found a lovely, flowy summer dress for less than $20 and a cute cap from Esprit. I'm going to wear my summer dress this evening when I sit outside by the canal and have something good to drink.

Checking into a Marriott was like coming home in a small way. I got upgraded to the executive level and a junior suite. Since they don't have a lounge up here, they gave me drink and snack coupons for their restaurant AND free breakfast both days. Sweet! Plus, the location of the hotel is killer...right on the canal near the old guild houses. I'm very pleased that I'm staying 2 nights here. I leave very early Thursday morning for Paris. I'm so glad I saved Paris for last. I'm looking forward to this part of my trip most of all. I can't help it. I simply love it.

I will continue to have limited access to the web but will update as soon as I can.