Target Mojo and other weekend musings

*Every time I go to Target by myself, I get a great parking space. Don't ask me how or why. It just happens. I call it the Target Mojo.

*Belgium is quite underrated as a country. I really loved Ghent. Brussels is a long-time favorite. Belgium deserves more props.

*I can't even bring myself to go shopping for baby stuff. Brad says we need to get the car seat soon because there's a week coming up in September where a local group will work with you on how to properly install your seat. The idea of making another major baby-related purchase before we have approval is not appealing. Blah.

*Nothing makes me smile like a good trash rag (read: celeb gossip 'zine). I saw the latest cover of Star with cellulite-laden beach bodies plastered on it and I couldn't resist. Yes, knowing that Katherine Heigel has cellulite does make me feel better. Hahaha!

*It's high time we got some rockers for our front porch. We now have a resident frog who hangs out around the fountain out front and I think he wants some company.


*Fall is my favorite season. I love it when the air gets just a tad cool...you can get by with jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and flip-flops. Perfect!

*This kid likes turtles. We like turtles. Turtles like turtles...just look at what we found in our backyard today!

Long Weekend

It's nice to think that I will have a three day weekend. Brad might even take off on Monday. I think he had a good time at the Chiefs game last night even though it rained some. I'm trying to convince him to go back to KC with ME this weekend. We'll see.

The USCIS offices in Vietnam will be closed next Monday AND Tuesday. Not that I expect any news but if there were any to be had, it wouldn't come until Wednesday or later. We hit the 60 business day mark a week from today...not that it seems to matter at this point. Just another reminder that a lot of time is passing and we're still not with our baby...

This Should Scare You

A TV news producer was arrested for standing on a public sidewalk outside a hotel in Denver. Read about it and watch the video here. If you think the actions of these cops against a journalist are acceptable, here's a one way ticket to North Korea where you can live without the nuisance of things like freedom of the press.

What We've Been Up To

Just lots of work this week. Brad's going to a Chief's game tonight in KC. We had envisioned a trip where we both would take off work today and tomorrow, spend the night and enjoy ourselves. Well, John McCain's pending VP announcement has kept me in the office today and tomorrow. I've committed to filing a story for NPR with reaction once the announcement happens or the name gets leaked. I'm not a happy camper.

We saw Tropic Thunder this weekend. It was hilarious! Major props to Robert Downey, Jr. for portraying a white actor who undergoes a special surgery to play an African-American in the war film they're making (see below). It's definitely a movie for people who like movies and who "get" the Vietnam war movie cliches. In the film, they're making fun of a lot of things and that's ruffled a lot of feathers. But we enjoyed it and thought it was an amusing film. That's saying a lot considering most comedic films flop miserably.

Let's Pray

So, the kit arrived yesterday at the Embassy. It's now up to the Embassy to send the kit to the SOS Clinic so the appointment can be scheduled. Please pray that we can get the DNA test done NEXT WEEK. Once we get the test done, we are ON OUR WAY to getting Zeke. I will keep you posted.

Update

Our DNA kit arrived at the US Embassy today. Now, we wait approximately 3 weeks for the Embassy to set an appointment for the testing. We will keep you posted. I am at peace with the situation.

Missy and Miss America

I met Miss America 1967 tonight. She was lovely and gracious. She was even kind enough to take a photo with me! I went to her house to record an inteview for NPR. Her farewell speech at the pageant in 1968 was interrupted by women's lib protesters. It was so interesting to hear her stories.

Exhausted

I am just worn out. I believe it will be at least three weeks until the test is complete. Then, we wait on results. Then, we wait on approval. It's impossible to see the light at the end of this tunnel. I am tired of talking about it. I may not blog for a few days...

The kit is on its way

The DNA test kit should arrive in Hanoi next Tuesday. After that, who knows how long it will take for the actual tests to get done. We will keep you posted. Thank you for all your well wishes and prayers...

Evil USCIS

Waiting until NOW to request DNA is unfair and evil. I wonder what they've been doing with our paperwork all this time. And would they have even sent the DNA request now if we hadn't inquired about our case? Had we not sent the email this week to check on things, would they have waited another 2-3 weeks and THEN sent the DNA request? It's like there's no realization that a child's life is at stake here. My boss said that someday, I need to give testimony at a congressional hearing about how the bureacracy has gotten so big that there's no sense of humanity anymore.

*taking a deep breath*

Big bravos to our agency. I got my case worker on the phone at 8AM her time and she immediately sent me the forms to get the DNA test kit on its way to Vietnam. I hope it arrives sometime next week. I have already given up on the idea of having Zeke home for his birthday (October 18th). I have set myself up for disappointment again and again and again. I refuse to continue beating my head against the wall. I just want him home before Christmas. A rough time line? I predict the earliest we could get the test done is September 11th. Let's give the lab at least 3 weeks to get the results back. Then USCIS takes about two weeks once they receive the results to think about additional ways to delay your case before finally deciding that they ought to begrudgingly issue your approval. So, that puts us at the end of October. I don't know what else to say. I'm numb.

Not What We Wanted to Read

The USCIS office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is in the process of reviewing your Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative (Form I-600), to determine whether the child qualifies as an orphan under US immigration law. To facilitate the processing of your petition this office is requesting that DNA testing be done to establish a paternal relationship between the prospective adoptive child (beneficiary) and the biological parent.

Being Grateful

So, I want to be grateful for where we are in this process. There are many, many families who will not get to adopt a baby from Vietnam because the program is closing September 1. (We still get to complete our adoption, even if we still don't have approval by then.) There are people who are "behind us" in the process who have lots of anxiety and I feel for them. We are (I hope!) on the verge of getting approval. I want to feel less fear and more gratitude to be where we are.

I met with my prayer triplet partners today for lunch. Our church encouraged the formation of the triplets to help discern the future of our church but also to create additional support systems for people. The other two people in my triplet rock! We listen to each other without judging, we confess our insecurities and shortcomings, we talk about what scares us. Really, we just ask each other, "How can I pray for you today?" It's so great to be able to respond by saying, "This is what's causing me pain or fear this week and I'm handling it poorly...Help!" They offer wisdom and remind me that God is at work, even when I can't see it. I'm grateful for that!

Not today...

No email today...Our case manager emailed us yesterday and encouraged us to contact USCIS because we've not heard anything for more than 45 working days (51 working days to be exact!). We got an automated email back from USCIS saying it would take 3 business days for them to respond to my request for more info. I don't even expect a response after three business days. Feeling quite blah about the whole thing...

Labor Pains?

By the way, things aren't as bleak as I made them sound in my earlier post from today. I still have hope and I pray constantly for approval to come soon...and I totally trust God to deliver our approval at "the right time." I'm just trying to adjust my expectations (constantly!) so that I don't get so disappointed every day.

Many people compare the process of adopting to the process of giving birth. My mom worked in the labor room for years so I know a little something about it from her. Since I don't expect to ever experience what it's like to give birth literally, at least I'm feeling it figuratively. And it's true that the worst pains are at the end, just before the baby arrives. This is the hardest part by far. Just to give you an example of some of the things that pain my heart: I've never seen Zeke smile. I can only imagine what his face looks like when he's grinning or laughing. I wonder how he'll smell. I wonder how his skin will feel next to mine. Yes, this is the hardest part. We're so close and yet, we're still SO far away...

Nope

Since our approval didn't come today and I really had a feeling that today would be the day, I'm just going to go ahead and say that I don't really expect approval to come until after September 5th (our 60th business day in this crazy wait).

Brad is a WINNER!

Brad and his teammates beat out a bunch of 10 and 11 year olds in several competitions at the company picnic this weekend. Here's the photo to prove it!

Details of our weekend

*We had a LOVELY time in Eureka Springs. The place is simply magical and we love it. It was a very relaxing getaway. I'm hoping the good energy we picked up there will carry us through the next few weeks.

*I still have a good feeling about this week. A co-worker told me today she has a good feeling about this week too. No news this morning but we'll see what happens!

*We went to the cheap theater last night to see "Sex and the City." You may recall that I saw this movie in Paris. I really enjoyed it and thought it was fun. Brad's mom and I both thought Brad might like it, even though it really is a chick flick. Well, Brad admitted that he got teary-eyed SEVERAL times during the movie (as did I!). He's just a big teddy bear and that's one of the many reasons I love him.

*Brad's brother Travis wrote an Ode to the Mantis in the comments section of the previous post. It's a must read though I remain firm in my opposition to the praying mantis' presence at my workplace as long as it's not kept on a leash. (If they can eat hummingbirds, then they might like the taste of humans too!)

*We're getting caught up on season 2 of Big Love. That includes getting to see our friend's name in the opening credits because he's an editor for the show. Very cool!

*We're just full of anticipation as we expect and hope to hear something SOON!!!!

Heading Out for the Weekend

We're looking forward to our brief getaway today. I think it will be even more pleasant than last time because it won't be quite as hot.

Someone shared this verse recently to families waiting to adopt:
"But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day." Habakkuk 2:3

Other randomness:
A gigantic praying mantis has been stalking the back door of the radio station. I am scared of the things, with their giant bodies and big alien heads. Liz here at work thinks it's cool. I've teased her about "her pet." I told her if she wants to keep bringing it to the office, she needs to put a leash on it or keep it in its cage. I also suggested she put out water and food bowls for it since it's too busy "guarding" our back door to hunt for food.

Brad wants to see "Clone Wars" this weekend. I think we may go see it tomorrow.

I am optimistic about next week. It's just a good feeling I have. Yep, that's the way to ensure we DON'T get approval next week...feel good about it...HAHAHA!

ESCAPE! AGAIN!

We're busting out of town once again. It's just nice to get out of Dodge and be someplace different. We're going back to Eureka and we're staying the same place we did before. Ahhhhhh. It will be lovely. We had so much fun a few weekends ago (except when Brad got stung on his hand by a WASP!) that we thought we'd try for round 2. I think we're going to splurge and do a downtown walking ghost tour. You may recall that we did the ghost tour at the Crescent Hotel quite a few years ago on our very first trip to Eureka. It will be fun to do a different one this time. Let's hope this is the LAST CHANCE we'll have to do this before approval!!!!!

A Good Laugh

Well, it takes so little to get me going. One of the gals who works in membership for our public broadcasting operation brought around a set of postcards. They were put in an envelope with this old man's contribution to our station. Underneath his $50 check were postcards featuring him sitting naked on a horse with strategic placement of the saddle. Another one showed him sitting naked on a toilet located outside a barn. The postcards were an advertisement for the guy's equipment business and ranch. On the back of the postcard were the guy's stats: height (6'2") and weight (320 lbs). No joke! This prompted much laughter and a lengthy conversation about what makes someone do this. It was too funny and seeing something so kitschy totally made my week. You gotta love the Ozarks!

Speaking of laughing...we went to see Mama Mia last weekend. It was fun and entertaining though I felt the casting left something to be desired. The WORST casting choice was Pierce Brosnan. When he started singing at the end, I literally lost it. It's supposed to be a sweet song and I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. I was doubled over and putting my head into Brad's chest so I wouldn't make a scene...and of course, the more you suppress this kind of laughter, the worse it gets. That was fun.

So, what has tickled your funny bone lately?

Let's Just Write Off This Week

No approval today and I'd put money on us not getting approval tomorrow. I'm hopeful that next week will be better. I wonder if our paperwork has fallen off someone's desk and is stuck between the back of the desk and the wall. These are the things I think about.

The babycare class last night was fine. Most of the information was not applicable to us because it was geared toward newborns. I really didn't learn anything new. Once the room filled with pregnant people, I felt very uncomfortable getting up: "Would they mistake my fat stomach pooch for an early pregnancy?" "Would someone ask me when I'm due?" Just before there was a break, the instructor asked if anyone was adopting and needed a certificate for the class. I raised my hand. Whew. At least I had signaled that I just have belly lard and am not pregnant. So then, I felt ok about getting up and going to the pharmacy for a drink. Then, the woman in the pharmacy said, "What are you doing here? You're not pregnant." I wasn't sure how to take that. At least she thought I was too skinny to be mistaken for a pregnant lady. But her comment wasn't very kind either. I immediately said, "Well, we're adopting." She smiled and said, "Let me show you a picture." She retreived a photo from her purse. She told me it was her grandson. Her teenage son fathered the child and he died just weeks before the baby was born (she didn't tell me the cause of his death). The young teenage mother of her grandson decided to make the baby available for adoption. A couple in town adopted the baby and she gets to see her grandson several times a year. She said she thought it was such a great arrangement and really thought adoption was a great option. I came back to the pharmacy after the class and showed her my Zeke photo album and she oo'ed and ahh'ed over his cuteness. AND after the class, the instructor asked us to stick around because she's going to start a similar class specifically for couples who are adopting. We were able to give her some suggestions and will continue to stay in touch with her as she develops the new class. Cool!

A Parting Shot on Today

Feeling better now that the day is winding down. I'm going to eat something delicious for dinner (Mac Grill, anyone?) before we go to this baby class. (MISTY! We are going to the same one you said you and Joel took!) I'm determined to buck up and have a better day tomorrow. See, this is why I couldn't bring myself to ride a big roller coaster a few weekends ago...I'm on one NOW and can't get off...hahaha!

"He's Thriving"

That's what our pediatrician said after charting his growth from two weeks of age (first measurements) to the measurements that were taken July 7th. These are the only two measurements we have and he's staying on the growth curve. She wanted to know if he was able to sit up on his own and we said we just didn't know. We won't know until we get him. This makes me so anxious to get there and get him so we can answer these questions and encourage his development.

A few things

First, we are meeting with Zeke's pediatrician today. I hope she has great things to say about his medicals and his recent measurements. It will be very nice to meet her and talk to her about how we can take good care of Zeke from the moment he's placed in our arms!

Second, we're scheduled to attend a class tonight at a local hospital on baby/toddler care. I think it will be really helpful but I also think it will be emotionally hard on me. There will probably be pregnant people there or people whose kids have already been born. I don't envy them but I do envy the fact that they have their kids with them. So, I hope that I can just focus on the information and that I won't feel awkward being there without having Zeke home already.

Third, as of today, we have 15 business days left until we hit the 60 business day mark. What happens after that? Nothing except my anxiety rises to new heights. I am sending a letter to our senators this week, making them aware of our situation and asking them to be ready to inquire into our case should we pass the 60 business day mark. I think there's nothing wrong with alerting them to our situation.

Fourth, there's an article on the front page of USAToday about Vietnam adoptions. Reading it caused me a lot of anxiety because of the info on the family that's waiting to bring home a baby boy (just like us). It just hit a little close to home. So, yes I've seen it. No, I don't want to talk about it because it just makes things worse.

Finally, I am just at the end of my rope. I've begged and pleaded and have turned things over to God because there's nothing I can do to make this happen. I fast every week, sometimes twice a week. I'm beyond frustrated and my nerves are frayed. When I was waiting to file the I-600, I would read the comments of people who were at the point we are now and I'd think, "I don't understand how they could be frustrated. They are so close. Even if they're 3 or 4 weeks from approval, they are almost THERE with their child and they are a heck of a lot closer than we are." Well, now I get it. I get it all too well. This is the worst part, hands down. BUT, all of them have brought their children home. I am trying to take comfort in that.

No News

Nope. Not today. Continued prayers and good wishes are greatly appreciated!

An Interesting Development

Two gals with babies in Zeke's orphanage got their I-600 receipts last week (we got ours June 10th). Today, they got requests to do the DNA test. First, I'm hopeful that this will mean a QUICKER approval for these families since they know right up front they've got to do this and our agency has been able to get the tests done for 3 other families. Second, I really feel for them. No one WANTS to have to jump through another hoop. Third, I've been pondering what, if anything, this means for us. I've come to the conclusion that I have no idea. I have hoped all along that IF we were going to have to do DNA, that we would be asked very soon after our I-600 receipt. That didn't happen. As of tomorrow, we will be a mere 15 business days away from the USCIS self-imposed deadline for getting our case processed. I cringe to think that they would spring DNA on us this "late in the game" so to speak but anything's possible. Please pray for these families who are awaiting their DNA tests and pray for us that we will get our approval very, very soon.

A Taste of What's to Come

I can't tell you enough how much I LOVE to follow the blogs of other families who are in Vietnam getting their babies. Here's one I found today. They are there now. It's so exciting to read about their adventures and to think, "THAT WILL BE US SOON!!" Enjoy!!!

Checking email

I've pretty much given up on checking the email in the morning myself. I just let Brad do it. I can sit there in the evening and hit "refresh" til my finger hurts but getting that final look at the inbox in the morning is not something I can do.

You've probably guessed by now we didn't get any news today. We just keep plugging away...

Flooding Update

Apparently, the orphange is not impacted by the flooding. Thank you, Lord! I was so glad to hear this! Still, I pray for the families in Vietnam that are impacted by the recent heavy rains.

I try not to get my hopes up too much each night when I go to bed but here I am, about ready to hit the hay and I can't help but think, "Will this be the night?" Will the email fairy come while I'm asleep and leave us that magical email in our inbox?!?! Oh, I hope...I hope...

More Flooding

I believe there was flooding in Zeke's province. I've contacted our agency to find out if the orphanage was impacted. Please pray very hard as this causes me great concern.

Flooding in Vietnam

Please pray that Zeke, the other children at his orphanage, the nannies and his birth family will stay safe despite the heavy flooding that is impacting parts of Vietnam. I haven't seen his province mentioned in any of the news coverage so I'm relieved about that. I do pray for those who are impacted and who have lost loved ones in the flooding and mudslides. With all this bad weather, I just want to bring him home more than ever!!!!!

No approval this morning.

Striving Ahead

In the spirit of trust and hope, we had a very productive day preparing for the baby. I finished the photo albums for Zeke's birthmom and his nanny. It includes photos of us as well as our house, inside and out, especially Zeke's crib. I also took some photos of Zeke's toys and books. I did a close-up shot of the book "When You Were Born in Vietnam." I can't even read that book without crying. It does a beautiful and honest job of telling children about how their lives began in Vietnam and it includes photos inside orphanages, giving and receiving ceremonies and the parents taking their newly adopted babies around Hanoi. It's wonderful. I included a photo of that book because I want to let them know that we will encourage Zeke to think about and talk about how his life began.

We finally bought a new 29 inch spinner suitcase. So, I began packing...a little. The orphanage donations are already packed. It doesn't matter when we travel, that bag can stay packed. But I hadn't packed anything else. I started organizing Zeke's clothes for the trip. For all that I've bought over the last year, I discovered I didn't even have the recommended 14 outfits to take to Vietnam in sizes 9-12 months (I've mostly bought 18 and 24 months clothes). Yikes! We found some super soft onesies and pants and things on sale at Toys R Us and stocked up. We also found a lovely little sleep sack on sale. (Kel, I hope this will do the trick and keep him warm from the hotel air conditioning.)

Brad did some heavy duty research this afternoon on strollers and car seats. I think we've decided that the Britax Marathon is the way to go on car seats. It's pricey but it should be the only one we'll ever need since it accomodates up to 65 pounds or something like that. Zeke will too quickly outgrow the kind of car seat that comes with a travel system (car seat/stroller combo). I think we'll be ready to pull the trigger soon on our last two big items. Oh, and Brad researched baby monitors. If anyone has any suggestions, we'd love to hear them. We found one that includes a sensor pad you put under the crib. It alerts you if the baby doesn't breathe for 20 seconds! WOW! We're not sure if it's really effective but it's gotten rave reviews on amazon.

It is in faith and hope that we did all this today. We believe and trust that Zeke will be home soon.

On a completely unrelated note, here are some photos from our trip a couple of weekends ago to Eureka Springs:

A Lovely Little Lane


Weed! This one's for you!


Brad in front of the lovely flowers around town.


Missy in a patch of flowers.


Dinner at our favorite Eureka Springs restaurant, Ermilio's.

Off the Hook for the Weekend

Since approvals only come on business days, we are off the hook until Monday morning (technically Sunday night but I can't imagine it coming on Sunday night). So, it's kind of nice to not have the anticipation for a couple of days. We toyed with the idea of flying to Chicago tomorrow but decided not to (though we found a killer price on flights). So, I think we'll just hang out here, clean house and relax. We might catch a movie. By the way, have I mentioned recently how GREAT Mad Men is? It's nominated for some Emmys and it's not surprising at all! If you get a chance to watch it, definitely check it out.

More words of wisdom!

Mom sent me this word of encouragement this afternoon from a devotional:

You're Closer than You Think

It’s easy to be tempted to give up on a goal, prayer or desire when it seems as if the answer isn’t coming as quickly as you would like. Yet, at these times, dare to learn how to hope even more in God. Usually, our battles seem the darkest just before the dawn. Just like a woman experiences birth pains right before the birth of her child, we too experience intense moments before breakthrough. Yet, we must not give up prematurely during these heated times. In Hebrews 10:35 it says, “Do not cast away your confidence for it will be richly rewarded.”

As faith-filled believers, we must keep hoping, keep believing and stay faithful. Many times, we are closer than we think to victory. God is faithful to His promises. When God says we will be richly rewarded for keeping our confidence in Him, that should give us a second wind, giving us fuel to keep up the faith. Don’t give up today on your dreams and your hope in God. By developing the attitude, “I’ve come too far to stop now” and learning how to be full of hope, expecting God’s favor daily, you’ll see God begin to do amazing things even in the midst of trying times! You are closer than you think to victory. Dare to hope in God and His promises. You will not be disappointed!

A Cute Adoption Story

Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different hair color than the other members. One of her students suggested that he was adopted. A little girl said, "I know all about adoption, I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means", said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy!"

A friend of mine passed that along to me this week...

Let's Think Positive But Also Prepare Ourselves

There are plenty of people who get approvals AFTER the 60 business days have passed. It's entirely possible this could happen to us. That would put us well into September. I just say this because I know that we are hoping and expecting and praying for approval to come THIS MONTH but it's also possible it will come later. So, I just want everyone, including me, to be ready in case it comes later. I remain hopeful that it will come sooner but I also want you to know that there's a lot of craziness in this process and a lack of predictability. I'm just ready to get on with it because I feel like we've been in limbo for so long...

Not this week

No approval this week. That's ok. We're trying to plan something fun for this weekend so we can try to take our minds off things and just enjoy being together. Thanks for all the encouragement...keep it coming!

It's a "God Thing"

I had lunch today with a group of ladies from the local League of Women Voters. We meet every three months for lunch to work on the radio program they produce in cooperation with my station. We had lunch in the very room where we had my baby shower (they didn't know that though). Anyway, as we were waiting for people to come in, I was telling one of them about the Zeke wait and how it's just getting hard at this point to wait and in walks Kay, a really cool lady who is in her 60's and is a member of the group. I could see Kay had on some kind of really cool bracelet. I said, "Kay! Let me see that cool bracelet." Without hestitation, she took it off, handed it to me and said, "Try it on. See if it fits." I slipped it on. I could see that it had a picture of a cross, Jesus, Mary and other religious figures on it. When I had it on my wrist she said, "You wear that until Zeke comes home and I think it's going to be soon. I knew there was a reason I wore that today." WOW! I said, "Ok. Thanks!!" And we went on with the meeting. Afterwards, we were walking out to our cars and I laughed and said, "Kay, I can't help but feel like I've appropriated your bracelet. I didn't mean to take it from you when I complimented you on it." She said, "I don't think either one of us thought about it. There was someone else at work in that exchange." I told her it was a "God Thing." She agreed and we hugged.

("It's a God Thing" is a phrase coined my co-worker Barb, the one who gave me her candleholder today. It's a way to recognize that something really awesome has happened between two people and there's no explanation other than God was at work--It's a God Thing!)

It Is What It Is

One of my co-workers and dear friends who had been out sick for much of the week was back at work today. I told her I was glad to see her because this has been a rough week with the wait. She hugged me and loaned me her candleholder that reads, "It is what it is." Yep. Doesn't that say it all? It is what it is so accept it and move forward with hope in your heart for tomorrow. Good advice!

Nada

Nothing today. Given what we know about the possibility for a quick turnaround on travel once the approval does come, we're trying to make sure we have everything ready. We're very close but there are still some loose ends to tie up. We'll try to take care of those this weekend...just in case!

Fast Travel

Here's how fast we may travel. A gal with our agency got her approval this morning and she leaves for Vietnam Friday night. WOWSERS! I'm glad I'm getting ready for the trip NOW instead of waiting until we get approval. I know we could be ready to go that quickly. Oh, please Lord, let it be SOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tightwad

I was in a town called Tightwad today. No kidding! I even bought Zeke a little t-shirt there. No news as I'm sure you've guessed by now. It's ok. I've accepted the fact that we may not get approval until September. Accepting this will help me get through the coming weeks. I really do hope and pray we get approval in August but I need to come to grips with a little thing called reality...The reality is that I can't predict nor control when this approval comes. So, rather than being uptight about it all the time, I'm just going to relax...and wait until September to get uptight...hahaha! Please do continue to pray that our approval comes NOW because getting it in August would absolutely be the BEST!

A Watched Pot

A watched inbox never fills. Isn't that how the saying goes? I'm hanging out at the station late tonight waiting to wrap up our election coverage and I keep watching (i.e. refreshing) our special email account to see if THE EMAIL has arrived. No dice so far.

New Blog Feature

Check out the feed on the righthand side (under our Olan Mills portrait...just jokes). It shows the approximate location of our blog visitors. I found this widget on someone else's blog and thought it was cool. Since we all know each other here, I figured you guys would enjoy seeing where people are logging in from...please note! There's no personal identifying info so I don't know who is visiting us...just that *someone* is visiting us from these locations listed on the "live traffic feed." Kind of cool, huh?

Some encouragement

So, I had found out last week that there are two pediatricians in town who are Vietnamese. They're sisters and work in the same practice. I also read some good things about them from some other parents who highly recommend them. I called to see if they would take Zeke as a new patient. The nurse told me it's a closed practice and they rarely accept new patients. She took our info anyway and said she'd talk to the docs and get back with me. Lo and behold, they called back today and they will take baby Zeke as their patient!!!! How cool is that?!?! It may sound silly but this positive development that has nothing to do with the adoption process itself made me feel good about the adoption process. It's like everything is falling into place.

Second, I was having a rough time this morning. It's been observed that approvals tend to arrive on Tuesday mornings and Friday mornings. That's not a rule but generally, that's when approvals are most likely to come. So, I was sad that today, a day when approval seems to be more likely, it did not come. Anyway, I was almost crying on my way to work and just thought, "God, I need some encouragement here." When I got to work, an emailed arrived from my mom...it was a devotion. It's not like she sends these all the time...In fact, she hadn't sent one for several months. But TODAY of all days, she sent me one. And here is what it said:

Today's Scripture“I foretold the former things long ago, My mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass” (Isaiah 48:3).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria
Our God is a God of the suddenlies! Suddenly, He can turn your situation around. Suddenly, He can give you the break you need. You may have been dealing with the same problem for ten years. It may look like it’s never going to change, but in a split second, God can totally resolve it. No matter how long it’s been, no matter what you’re facing, you’ve got to believe that God is full of surprises. One touch of His favor and He can move the wrong people out of your life and move the right people into your life. One touch of God’s favor and He can take you from having barely enough to having more than enough. You may not see how it’s all going to work out, but you don’t have to figure it all out. Your part is to simply believe; to get up each day in faith, expecting God’s favor. Expect something good to happen to you today. Expect God to surprise you. Remember, He’s a God of the suddenlies and He can suddenly turn around any situation you may be facing!

A Prayer for Today
Father in heaven, today I come to You, giving You my cares and worries. I believe that You are working behind the scenes and expect You to suddenly turn things in my favor. Thank You for everything You are doing in my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

AMEN!!!!!

Nuttin' Honey

Nope. No news today. I almost feel sick to my stomach every morning as I lay in bed, wondering what the verdict will be when I finally get up the nerve to go check the email. Or better yet, if I lay there long enough, maybe Brad will get up and do it. That's what happened today. I heard him in here on the computer. He didn't say anything. Then he came back in the bedroom and still didn't say anything. Finally, he said, "No email." Please pray that it will come very, very soon.

Passports Are Almost Home

I was pleased and relieved to see that our return Fedex package is back in town. It left San Fran Friday evening. When I left work Friday, there was no update for our tracking number so I was the tiniest bit concerned. I mean, just try mailing off your passports mere weeks before an international trip. You'll know what I mean! Anyway, this morning, the tracking number showed that the envelope containing our passports (and Vietnam visas!) is back here in town. I will watch the website closely because I'm guessing they'll be delivering it to our home sometime today.

We had a fun weekend complete with a (free!) visit to Silver Dollar City and the outlet mall. I didn't do much buying but it was fun to look since a lot of summer clothing was on sale. I'm glad we got to Silver Dollar City early because it was so hot! Today, the heat index is supposed to get up to 105!! (Sandra and Benedicte, how's the heat in Europe?) Oh yeah. I rode the "Thunderation" roller coaster with Brad. It's a wooden one that jerks you around but there weren't any loops. As soon as the ride started, I realized, "I'm too old for this" and "Brad will have to do most of the roller coaster riding with Zeke." Brad proceeded to ride the "Powder Keg" which is a very, very fast coaster with massive hills. I had ridden that one before and declined to get on it this time. As Brad put it when he got off the Keg, "That was intense."

On the Zeke front...I'm torn between two mindsets. On the one hand, I feel like I should be saying, "Ok. For real now. We really are close!" And on the other hand, I feel like I should say, "We probably won't travel until September." Why? Well, we really are now "in the zone" in the sense that we are in the final month of the prescribed wait. So, we are close. But it's very possible that approval won't come until the end of August or sometime in September. I'm just trying to prepare myself and all of you for that very real possibility. It's the not knowing that's hard.

I can't let myself "go there" very often in terms of imagining Zeke because it's just too hard. When I start to think about him crawling around, sitting up, babbling, well, I just get upset that we're not there NOW. So, I'm trying to just focus on getting ready and all the things I need to do here. And there's still plenty to do so I will work on keeping myself busy and enjoying our weekends until that magical email arrives.

Photos!

At the recent baby shower. That's Michelle standing behind me...Thanks, Michelle for an awesome shower!

Thanks to Jill for the excellent photos!


This is a shot of all the donations for the orphanage. Thank you to everyone for giving so generously to the kids in Lang Son!!! I cried as I was taking this photo because I was overwhelmed by the love represented here.

Carnies

I can appreciate why kids and adults love the fair. It's kind of kitsch, especially the half-eaten cheeseball on display in one of the booths (no kidding!) because it was the winning entry for its cheesebally-ness. But to actually go there and spend large quanities of time? It's just not my thing. Once Zeke arrives, it probably will be our thing though since that's something kids enjoy. And I'm sure I will have a whole new level of enjoyment of and appreciation for the fair once I see how much delight it brings my child. I will admit that one of the carnies snookered me into playing a fairway game. At different amusement parks, I've seen these automated games where there's a pile of money and this platform that moves back and forth. You drop in quarters, hoping your quarters will push the other quarters off the end of the platform which will in turn push bills and coins off the very end and drop them into your sweaty little hands. So, I walked over and watched this girl play. She was working on knocking a $100 bill off. The carnie running that game came over, handed me 75 cents and said, "Try it!" So, it was free money. I said, "What the heck." I won a handful of quarters on the very first try. I should've stopped then. I ended up playing back all my winnings and handing over $3 in singles for quarters so I could play a bit longer. The guy actually gave my $4 in quarters. I guess they know their customers. I played through those quarters and called it quits. Brad and I concluded there must be an optical illusion or something because it sure LOOKS like there's this cascade of cash ready to fall into the slot but it never does. Oh well. It was fun and I felt sorry for this little carnie guy so I didn't begrudge him the $3 I lost playing the game. Heck, I paid $3 for a watered-down lemonade and I got more enjoyment out of the game than the lemonade. Has anyone else ever played this game?